Which underperforming blueblood gets to the top first?

The owner, Jerry Jones, said the team needed to "recognize the reality" and that, in fact, something had to be changed. The Cowboys have not won the Super Bowl – or even the NFC – since 1995. In the last 10 years, they have won but three NFC East titles and only two playoff games.

The Cowboys' struggles made us think: Who are the other blue-blood teams that have problems and who will be the first to win this elusive title?

Football Notre Dame

When a program that claims 11 national titles is best known for a 1993 film about an autonomous player, something is wrong. The Fighting Irish have not won a football title in 30 years and are 5-8 as bowl players since 2000.

Yes, the Irish who are fighting are 9-0 and third in the Amway Coaching Survey. But what happened last time we hired Notre Dame? Alabama scored 42-14 in the 2013 BCS National Championship game. The Irish have won three bowl games in five years since, but we can not forget that one of those wins was won against Rutgers in the Pinstripe Bowl.

► Title handicap: This team of Notre Dame is different, but the road to a title is bumpy. This week's match against Florida State should be a win, but the last two games – against the 13th Syracuse at Yankee Stadium and USC – could be tough. Notre Dame can play in the playoffs, where Clemson and Alabama will almost certainly be waiting. With a little help from Touchdown Jesus, Notre Dame has more than a chance to win a long-awaited title.

the Los Angeles Lakers

LeBron James, Los Angeles Lakers striker. (Photo: Brad Rempel, Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports)

The Lakers are 4 to 6 in a busy Western conference and the sense of urgency has a lot to do with the mediocrity of the past five losing seasons, which included the franchise's worst record (17-65 in 2015- 16).

► Title handicap: Veterans who have arrived during the off season are more than willing to help the young actors of Lonzo Ball, Brandon Ingram and Kyle Kuzma to mature. The reasons why the Lakers are among the most likely to have the fastest turnaround are LeBron James and the 2019 offseason, when this team plans to land a leading free agent. James has chosen L.A. for many reasons, but it is actually a chess game that he has signed with President Magic Johnson and General Manager Rob Pelinka.

Manchester United

If you are a sports fan who does not follow football, you probably know the name Manchester United. The Red Devils, one of the most successful clubs in the history of football, have won more trophies than any other English team, including a record 20 Premier League titles and three UEFA Champions League titles . In 2018, Forbes valued United at $ 4.8 billion, the most valuable football club in the world.

Although six years have passed since United's last Premier League title, it could just as well be an eternity. The last time United remained five years or more without a Premier League title was his 26-year drought from 1966 to 1992.

► Title handicap: United has world-class talent at every station, including the bench, so this is not the reason for the lack of success. Jose Mourinho, one of the most successful managers in the history of football, was hired in 2016 and led the club to a second-place finish last season. Under Mourinho, United has always downplayed his opponents and is currently seventh in the Premier League at 6-2-3. With three clubs at the top of the league without loss, United's return to glory may have to wait another year or two.

Montreal Canadiens

Carey Price, goaltender of the Montreal Canadiens. (Photo: Jean-Yves Ahern, Jean-Yves Ahern-USA TODAY Sports)

The franchise with a record 24 Stanley Cups reached its final conference final in 2014 and has not hoisted a championship trophy since 1993. The Canadians have failed to qualify for the playoffs and have finished with the fourth worst record of last year (29-40-13), looking ready for a rebuild.

► Title handicap: This year's team (8-4-2) still has Carey Price and a solid coach, Claude Julien, as well as young players – including newly-acquired center Max Domi and rookie Jesperi Kotkaniemi – who began to show promising signs. . So, the future might not be so dark.

Tennessee Women's Basketball

It's impossible to replace a legendary coach such as the late Pat Summitt, who took control of the Lady Volunteer program at the age of 22 in 1974. The Hall of Fame coach guided Tennessee in the NCAA and helped make it one of the most dominant and respected programs. in university athletics.

Summitt officially entrusted the program to assistant Holly Warlick after being diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease at an early stage during the 2011-2012 season (she passed away in 2016). Since the departure of Summitt, the Lady Vols have participated in the NCAA Tournament every year under Warlick but have not managed to advance further than the Elite 8. In the past two seasons, Tennessee has finished fifth and tied for fourth place in the conference, respectively. Round of 32 both years.

► Title handicap: It's been 10 years since the Lady Vols won two consecutive titles, and although they are still competitive, the landscape has changed a lot. UConn has not won the title in the last two years but remains the team to beat. As for the competition, the Lady Flights have been overtaken by Notre Dame, South Carolina, Baylor and the State of Mississippi. Although a title is not too far away, it certainly is not either.

Men's UCLA Bruins Basketball

Coach Steve Alford finds himself on the hot seat of coaches although he missed only one NCAA tournament and he has three Sweet 16's in five years at Westwood. Last year, the Bruins (21-12) barely entered the NCAA field as a bubble team, and that's the kind of result that thwarted a fan base. impatient. Alford did not fail at UCLA, nor did it prosper – which is part of the job security equation in a Blueblood program that has 11 national championships, 10 of which at the time from John Wooden.

► Title handicap: Alford brings another strong class, but his coaching skills will have to be at the height of his recruitment. Another Sweet 16 would help silence the skeptics, and the Pac-12 is wide open. But he does not have a list that can arrive in April. A Final Four has escaped this program since 2008. His last title was "95.