For 11 straight seasons prior to this one, the Dallas Cowboys failed to win more games than they lost after December 1st.
There is no logic to this. Players came and went. Coaches, including head coaches, came and went. Some years they practiced in Wichita Falls, other years in San Antonio, other years in California. They had coaches that were tyrants and coaches that were pushovers. One year, they entered December with an 11-1 record. And still choked in December. It didn't, and still doesn't seem to matter what they do. When December arrives, things go south.
I have been researching this phenomenon for several years. I've talked about it every season for 5 or 6 years. Finally, other writers are starting to bring it up.
But this year, I, at least, can provide you with a reason why this continues to happen to our favorite team. Yes, there is an answer to "why". And yes, I have found it.
As I have spent countless hours over the years reading about my favorite team, the Dallas Cowboys, I have payed close attention to many of the writers on the Cowboys beat. I have also payed close attention to how these writers' words were accepted in the Cowboys fan communities online. I have seen certain writers venomously attacked verbally because of what they had written. Some writers always get attacked. Others do on occasion. A few rarely get attacked. It appears that all that's required to garner a verbal attack is to say something that appears to be negative towards the Cowboys.
It doesn't seem to matter whether it's the truth or not, only that it be deemed negative. Before this begins to appear to be a whine session, and I assure you it isn't, I'm going to get to the answer to the question "why".
One of the reporters that I've seen villified on numerous occasions is Randy Galloway. Now, being a wordsmith myself, I happen to enjoy reading what Galloway says. He's witty and direct. He says what's on his mind without hesitation and he says it well, I think. No, I'm not starting the Randy Galloway Fan Club. The fact is, I fear the man.
You'll see why in a moment.
In a very obscure article found on the internet, posted on Thursday, August 31st, 2006 at 5:11 pm, it says:
http://www.knowyourdallascowboys.com/2006/08/31/randy-galloway-comment-in-1996/
"The year was 1996. The Cowboys were coming off of their third Super Bowl title, and other than the situation with Michael Irvin’s suspension, the team had retained much of its talent (recall that this was the year that Dallas was supposed to have the unstoppable duo of Deion Sanders and Kevin Smith at the corners).
During a pregame show for the opening game against Chicago, someone asked Galloway for his prediction for the season. He said he thought that Dallas would win one more that season, and then it would be a “very long time” before it won another. Obviously one prediction fell short, but the Cowboys seem to have rendered him a short-term prophet with respect to the second."
The author implies that Galloway meant the Cowboys would win another Superbowl that season, but one would have to change the question to come to that conclusion. The question, apparently was about Galloway's prediction for the season. His response was that it would be a very long time before they won another. I believe Galloway was talking about them winning another playoff game, which they did in the '96 season. And it has indeed been a "very long time" since they have won another.
Could this explain the Cowboys foibles over the past 12 years? Did Galloway, perhaps without even realizing what he was doing, place some kind of curse on the Dallas Cowboys organization? Could Galloway have unintentionally set forces in motion that caused the Cowboys to go into the post season with virtually no momentum and denied the Cowboys of a playoff victory for all these years?
I located this information last year and even announced then that I was going to reveal the reason for the Cowboys failures in December and the post season for so long. My exhuberance in discovering this obscure information quite frankly had me heady and I let that excitement get ahead of my thought process.
The more I considered how I would write the article, the more I thought of the power of this possible curse. Then I thought about what the repercussions might be should Randy Galloway become angry because I was accusing him of this. Anyone that could, by the mere speaking of words, cause all the events to transpire that have led the team to the point they are now should be feared. If his words were powerful enough to cause the mighty to fall, think of the damage he could inflict on the life of a relatively unknown Joe from east Texas.
So I didn't write the article. Oh, it beckoned me regularly. I even started a few drafts, but destroyed them before I published. The fear was grievous. But so was the need for the truth to come forth and for me to be the one to bring it.
So here we are. The cards are on the table. I've admitted what I've found. I've admitted my fears. I readily admit that this article is not meant by any means to cause Mr. Galloway any distress of any nature. My only wish is that he contemplate this and see if he can reverse that curse some way, somehow, for I do love the Dallas Cowboys and wish to see them return to their glory yet again before I pass from this realm of existence.
And please, please, Mr. Galloway, do not become angry at me and as they say "shoot the messenger". I only wish to be a harbinger of truth.
Now, I know there will be skeptics, but I challenge them to show us some other kind of proof that there is another cause that is more plausible..
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
Monday, December 8, 2008
OK, so what's next?
I don't know about you, but I've written this season off. I don't for a moment believe that the Cowboys will be able to regroup from the Pittsburgh loss and win three games in a row against playoff contenders. Oh yes, you can rattle off all the mathematical ways it can happen, but we're talking heart here and desire to win. It's simply not going to happen.
So now, we're looking at the draft and trades. What are the areas that need to be dealt with? I can see several that I believe should get serious attention.
First of all, there are several players on the team that shouldn't be, in my opinion.
Stanback has proven himself to be brittle. Too many injuries, too often. I don't know what they've paid him but there's no way he's made enough plays to justify the amount. The only play I can recall him making this season was in yesterday's Pittsburgh game. He was a project when they drafted him. He's still a project. The Cowboys need players, not projects. Replace him with someone who can tie his shoes and get on the field to play.
Terrence Newman has also proven himself to be brittle. Again, too many injuries, too often. I don't know how long it's been since he was considered to be 100% well. Find a replacement.
Anthony Henry should be moved to safety.
Roy Williams (safety). The Cowboys need to trade him or cut him. If they don't, they're going to stick him out there in pass coverage again, and we know what we get when that happens. The best I can tell, the only thing he's ever truly been good at was horsecollaring, and that's no longer allowed.
Flozell Adams has been in the league for 11 seasons, all with the Cowboys. A four time pro bowler and 2nd team All Pro, he signed a new six year contract with the Cowboys, to the tune of $42 million, including $15 million in guaranteed money and about $13 million in signing bonus. He is generally the most penalized player on the team. Now, the argument is he protects Romo. The midseason games this year didn't seem to prove that. The line didn't protect anyone with Kozier gone. When he returned, the line got better. It looked to me that Kozier was much more important than Adams. His perpetual movement before the snap penalties changed games, took away momentum and yardage and caused all the other bad things that go with that. Remember, we're not talking about some rookie here. We're talking an eleven year veteran that hasn't learned the fundamentals. We have no reasonable expectation of him going another four years (to fill out his contract) without making more of those just plain stupid penalties. If he hasn't learned by now, it's not going to happen. Trade him to someone. Find a replacement. I'm tired of wasting money on people who are hurting the team or who can't be depended on to play from week to week.
Pacman Jones - Just say no. The only reasonable expectation you can have with this guy is that he's going to screw up and get banned from the league. I firmly believe that he's on his last rope with the NFL commissioner and that his next stunt will be his last in the NFL. And I also firmly believe that Pacman Jones will screw up. I don't believe it's a matter of "whether", only "when". Why waste the time, manpower and resources to train a guy that's not going to be available to play. Replace him.
Backup quarterback. Depending on these worn out, non-mobile has beens has not worked. Do something different. Look for talent, even if it doesn't come with lots of experience.
Starting quarterback. Two and a half seasons should be enough for Tony Romo to settle his ass down and stop throwing so many interceptions. He has gone wayyyyyy past the "acceptable mistake" mark. Great quarterbacks don't do that. If he's going to be great, it has to end.
Special teams. A new special teams coach is in order. Coverage and blocking need serious work. Folk is a keeper.
Offensive coaching. Playcalling is predictable and isn't even coming close to using the maximum talent available on the team. Jason Garrett needs to get creative. Presuming he's still here, of course.
Defensive coaching. Defensive playcalling needs some major work, too. It's hard to know exactly what they need since it's changed every frigging week, it seems and they only had one game that they truly dominated a good team. And they only did that for three quarters. I'm talking about the Pittsburgh game, of course. Some players need to be shifted around, such as Henry to safety. Some need to just move on, such as Pacman Jones and Terrence Newman.
Head coach. Phillips will probably be fired at the end of the season. Talk has it that Jason Garrett is the heir apparent. Jason Garrett has not performed well enough to be considered for a head coach position. Right now, if I were to be picking a new head coach for the Cowboys, it would have to be Bill Cowher. And give the man the authority to get the job done. This means Jerry Jones lets the man do that job without interfering with decisions, playcalling or players. If another puppet coach is installed, expect more of the same.
Strength and conditioning coaches. Fire the whole bunch. If they've been there longer than a month, fire them. The Cowboys have entered December every year for 12 straight years, out of condition and low of strength. They don't have enough steam left to finish games. So they wind up having a drop off in wins each December. I have no idea if these are the same coaches they've had every year or whether it was a new bunch each year, but regardless, they aren't getting the job done, so they need to be replaced. Then go find out who the strength and conditioning coaches are for Pittsburgh or New England and steal them. Either group should be adequate to get that job turned around.
I'm sure I can think of other things, and as I do, I'll try to mention them. But this should keep a couple people busy for a weekend.
Rod
So now, we're looking at the draft and trades. What are the areas that need to be dealt with? I can see several that I believe should get serious attention.
First of all, there are several players on the team that shouldn't be, in my opinion.
Stanback has proven himself to be brittle. Too many injuries, too often. I don't know what they've paid him but there's no way he's made enough plays to justify the amount. The only play I can recall him making this season was in yesterday's Pittsburgh game. He was a project when they drafted him. He's still a project. The Cowboys need players, not projects. Replace him with someone who can tie his shoes and get on the field to play.
Terrence Newman has also proven himself to be brittle. Again, too many injuries, too often. I don't know how long it's been since he was considered to be 100% well. Find a replacement.
Anthony Henry should be moved to safety.
Roy Williams (safety). The Cowboys need to trade him or cut him. If they don't, they're going to stick him out there in pass coverage again, and we know what we get when that happens. The best I can tell, the only thing he's ever truly been good at was horsecollaring, and that's no longer allowed.
Flozell Adams has been in the league for 11 seasons, all with the Cowboys. A four time pro bowler and 2nd team All Pro, he signed a new six year contract with the Cowboys, to the tune of $42 million, including $15 million in guaranteed money and about $13 million in signing bonus. He is generally the most penalized player on the team. Now, the argument is he protects Romo. The midseason games this year didn't seem to prove that. The line didn't protect anyone with Kozier gone. When he returned, the line got better. It looked to me that Kozier was much more important than Adams. His perpetual movement before the snap penalties changed games, took away momentum and yardage and caused all the other bad things that go with that. Remember, we're not talking about some rookie here. We're talking an eleven year veteran that hasn't learned the fundamentals. We have no reasonable expectation of him going another four years (to fill out his contract) without making more of those just plain stupid penalties. If he hasn't learned by now, it's not going to happen. Trade him to someone. Find a replacement. I'm tired of wasting money on people who are hurting the team or who can't be depended on to play from week to week.
Pacman Jones - Just say no. The only reasonable expectation you can have with this guy is that he's going to screw up and get banned from the league. I firmly believe that he's on his last rope with the NFL commissioner and that his next stunt will be his last in the NFL. And I also firmly believe that Pacman Jones will screw up. I don't believe it's a matter of "whether", only "when". Why waste the time, manpower and resources to train a guy that's not going to be available to play. Replace him.
Backup quarterback. Depending on these worn out, non-mobile has beens has not worked. Do something different. Look for talent, even if it doesn't come with lots of experience.
Starting quarterback. Two and a half seasons should be enough for Tony Romo to settle his ass down and stop throwing so many interceptions. He has gone wayyyyyy past the "acceptable mistake" mark. Great quarterbacks don't do that. If he's going to be great, it has to end.
Special teams. A new special teams coach is in order. Coverage and blocking need serious work. Folk is a keeper.
Offensive coaching. Playcalling is predictable and isn't even coming close to using the maximum talent available on the team. Jason Garrett needs to get creative. Presuming he's still here, of course.
Defensive coaching. Defensive playcalling needs some major work, too. It's hard to know exactly what they need since it's changed every frigging week, it seems and they only had one game that they truly dominated a good team. And they only did that for three quarters. I'm talking about the Pittsburgh game, of course. Some players need to be shifted around, such as Henry to safety. Some need to just move on, such as Pacman Jones and Terrence Newman.
Head coach. Phillips will probably be fired at the end of the season. Talk has it that Jason Garrett is the heir apparent. Jason Garrett has not performed well enough to be considered for a head coach position. Right now, if I were to be picking a new head coach for the Cowboys, it would have to be Bill Cowher. And give the man the authority to get the job done. This means Jerry Jones lets the man do that job without interfering with decisions, playcalling or players. If another puppet coach is installed, expect more of the same.
Strength and conditioning coaches. Fire the whole bunch. If they've been there longer than a month, fire them. The Cowboys have entered December every year for 12 straight years, out of condition and low of strength. They don't have enough steam left to finish games. So they wind up having a drop off in wins each December. I have no idea if these are the same coaches they've had every year or whether it was a new bunch each year, but regardless, they aren't getting the job done, so they need to be replaced. Then go find out who the strength and conditioning coaches are for Pittsburgh or New England and steal them. Either group should be adequate to get that job turned around.
I'm sure I can think of other things, and as I do, I'll try to mention them. But this should keep a couple people busy for a weekend.
Rod
Saturday, November 29, 2008
It's December! Time to Smoke or Choke!!
OK, folks. . . preseason is over!
The next game the Cowboys play is on December 7th in Pittsburgh at 3:15 PM Central time. Did you catch that? I said "December". The Cowboys went into December last season at 11-1. They finished 13-3. And their one playoff game against a lesser ranked team, the Giants, wound up as a loss.
I've ranted for several years about how badly the Cowboys have played in December. I've said that until the Cowboys figure out how to win more games than they lose in their final five games of the regular season, they are bound for mediocrity. I, and others, have scratched our heads trying to figure out why the Cowboys continue to crater in December year after year. The only continuous common denominator between Cowboys teams of each year seems to be Jerry Jones. And we know there's nothing anyone can do about that except Jerry Jones himself. And I can't for the life of me figure out what in the cat hair Jerry Jones could possibly be doing that would cause the cratering. I honestly believe that no one wants the Cowboys to win more than Jerry Jones.
Yet they don't win.
I believed back during preseason that this Cowboys team had the best chance to get into the playoffs and actually win some games and possibly even make it to the Superbowl. I truly thought they had a legitimate chance. But here we are on the precipice, looking ahead at possibilities. And anyone not blinded by homerism surely can see there is more potential for bad things to occur than there is for good things to occur.
The Cowboys are 8-4. If they win these last four games, they finish 12-4. This would guarantee them a playoff spot. Their final four games are against Pittsburgh in Pittsburgh, the Giants at Texas stadium, the Colts at Texas Stadium and the Eagles in Philadelphia. Personally, I don't see any guaranteed wins in that lineup. Pittsburgh will be tough, especially if the weather becomes a factor. They're accustomed to playing in it. The Cowboys aren't. The Giants quite simply are the best team in the NFC at the moment. Yes, they can be beaten. No, it isn't easy, nor is it expected that the Cowboys will do it. The Colts are not going to lay down for the Cowboys either. They have aspirations of their own. And Philadelphia is always up for the Cowboys. That bitter rivalry generally brings out the best in play and the worst in sportsmanship of any team the Cowboys play. Even if the Eagles are out of playoff contention, maybe because the Eagles are out of playoff contention by that point, they will be looking to spoil the Cowboys' chances to make the playoffs.
If the Cowboys lose only one of those final four games, they finish 11-5 and, depending on which team they lose to and how other teams finish, the Cowboys could make it into the playoffs. But it's not a lock that they'll be in the playoffs at 11-5.
If the Cowboys lose two of those final games, they finish 10-6 and their playoff hopes are no longer in their hands. They do not control their own destiny any longer. While they can still make the playoffs, their chances are greatly reduced and depend on bad things happening to other teams.
If the Cowboys lose three of those final games, they finish 9-7 and there will be no playoff game this season that includes the Cowboys. And all hell breaks loose at Valley Ranch. Expect heads to roll, both coaches and players.
So, the Cowboys season now depends on how they play in December. And they're not playing against the Forty Niners and Seahawks of the world. They're playing against playoff contenders and/or bitter rivals. Anyone who thinks the Cowboys have a cakewalk into the playoffs is simply kidding oneself.
And don't talk to me about current winning streaks. Three games does not constitue a "winning streak" of any merit. Granted, it's better than losing three, but as I said earlier, the Cowboys had an 11-1 winning streak going into last December and screwed the pooch on that deal.
Injuries scare me the most this season. It's been a perpetual problem. Seeing Ware and Barber both with issues in the Seattle game had me on pins and needles. Quite simply, I don't know how the Cowboys would have survived the loss of those two players. Facing the schedule they have, the Cowboys need everyone healthy for every game.
Just for the record, I'm beginning to take a hard look at the conditioning staff on the Cowboys. If the Cowboys are simply worn out by the time December gets here, then it's time for a change. Other teams play through December and win more than lose. Their teams are in good enough condition to hang in there till the end of the season, and into the playoffs. Maybe Jerry Jones needs to look at this in depth.
OK, back on topic. It's December. The Cowboys have a chance. But it's an uphill climb against tough odds. Do they have what it takes to get the job done? I believe that if they go to Pittsburgh and win there, they have a chance. If they lose to Pittsburgh, I will be shocked to see them make the playoffs.
In the meantime, pull up a chair, stay close to the fire. It's December and we have perilous times ahead.
The next game the Cowboys play is on December 7th in Pittsburgh at 3:15 PM Central time. Did you catch that? I said "December". The Cowboys went into December last season at 11-1. They finished 13-3. And their one playoff game against a lesser ranked team, the Giants, wound up as a loss.
I've ranted for several years about how badly the Cowboys have played in December. I've said that until the Cowboys figure out how to win more games than they lose in their final five games of the regular season, they are bound for mediocrity. I, and others, have scratched our heads trying to figure out why the Cowboys continue to crater in December year after year. The only continuous common denominator between Cowboys teams of each year seems to be Jerry Jones. And we know there's nothing anyone can do about that except Jerry Jones himself. And I can't for the life of me figure out what in the cat hair Jerry Jones could possibly be doing that would cause the cratering. I honestly believe that no one wants the Cowboys to win more than Jerry Jones.
Yet they don't win.
I believed back during preseason that this Cowboys team had the best chance to get into the playoffs and actually win some games and possibly even make it to the Superbowl. I truly thought they had a legitimate chance. But here we are on the precipice, looking ahead at possibilities. And anyone not blinded by homerism surely can see there is more potential for bad things to occur than there is for good things to occur.
The Cowboys are 8-4. If they win these last four games, they finish 12-4. This would guarantee them a playoff spot. Their final four games are against Pittsburgh in Pittsburgh, the Giants at Texas stadium, the Colts at Texas Stadium and the Eagles in Philadelphia. Personally, I don't see any guaranteed wins in that lineup. Pittsburgh will be tough, especially if the weather becomes a factor. They're accustomed to playing in it. The Cowboys aren't. The Giants quite simply are the best team in the NFC at the moment. Yes, they can be beaten. No, it isn't easy, nor is it expected that the Cowboys will do it. The Colts are not going to lay down for the Cowboys either. They have aspirations of their own. And Philadelphia is always up for the Cowboys. That bitter rivalry generally brings out the best in play and the worst in sportsmanship of any team the Cowboys play. Even if the Eagles are out of playoff contention, maybe because the Eagles are out of playoff contention by that point, they will be looking to spoil the Cowboys' chances to make the playoffs.
If the Cowboys lose only one of those final four games, they finish 11-5 and, depending on which team they lose to and how other teams finish, the Cowboys could make it into the playoffs. But it's not a lock that they'll be in the playoffs at 11-5.
If the Cowboys lose two of those final games, they finish 10-6 and their playoff hopes are no longer in their hands. They do not control their own destiny any longer. While they can still make the playoffs, their chances are greatly reduced and depend on bad things happening to other teams.
If the Cowboys lose three of those final games, they finish 9-7 and there will be no playoff game this season that includes the Cowboys. And all hell breaks loose at Valley Ranch. Expect heads to roll, both coaches and players.
So, the Cowboys season now depends on how they play in December. And they're not playing against the Forty Niners and Seahawks of the world. They're playing against playoff contenders and/or bitter rivals. Anyone who thinks the Cowboys have a cakewalk into the playoffs is simply kidding oneself.
And don't talk to me about current winning streaks. Three games does not constitue a "winning streak" of any merit. Granted, it's better than losing three, but as I said earlier, the Cowboys had an 11-1 winning streak going into last December and screwed the pooch on that deal.
Injuries scare me the most this season. It's been a perpetual problem. Seeing Ware and Barber both with issues in the Seattle game had me on pins and needles. Quite simply, I don't know how the Cowboys would have survived the loss of those two players. Facing the schedule they have, the Cowboys need everyone healthy for every game.
Just for the record, I'm beginning to take a hard look at the conditioning staff on the Cowboys. If the Cowboys are simply worn out by the time December gets here, then it's time for a change. Other teams play through December and win more than lose. Their teams are in good enough condition to hang in there till the end of the season, and into the playoffs. Maybe Jerry Jones needs to look at this in depth.
OK, back on topic. It's December. The Cowboys have a chance. But it's an uphill climb against tough odds. Do they have what it takes to get the job done? I believe that if they go to Pittsburgh and win there, they have a chance. If they lose to Pittsburgh, I will be shocked to see them make the playoffs.
In the meantime, pull up a chair, stay close to the fire. It's December and we have perilous times ahead.
Saturday, November 15, 2008
Well, folks, we're back to "if" again
We do this year after year after year. It's always "if the Cowboys can do this" or "if the Cowboys can do that". And obviously they haven't or we'd see, at the least, a playoff victory. Last year, we went into December looking great. It was "if the Cowboys can win out in December, they'll be the top seed yada yada yada". The year before that, it was basically the same thing.
And here we are this year. Nine games into the season and they're 5-4. And it's "if they can win against Washington, they'll get some confidence" and "if they can just win five more of the remaining seven. . . " and "if the defense steps it up. . . ." and "if the offense can score more points. . . ." and "if the defense can put pressure on the opposing quarterback. . . ." and "if Tony Romo can get the ball to his receivers. . . . and "if the receivers catch the ball. . . ." and "if the cornerbacks get some interceptions. . . ." and "if the offensive line decides to actually block this season. . . ."
You get the idea. It's all about "if". If this and if that. It is practically impossible to find an article or even a reply to a post on a forum that doesn't contain the word "if" when related to the Cowboys. Sure, it's a common word. And it's a very common word in Cowboys circles these days. Everything hinges on "if". When "if" doesn't happen, it sucks for Cowboys fans.
Last year, the Cowboys went into December 12-1. And there we were still hollering "if". What's wrong with that picture? "If" it's the coaching, then it's been the coaching for 12 years. "If" it's the players, then it's been the players for 12 years. "If" it's the owner's meddling, then it's been the owner's meddling for 12 years.
I say, "if" you're still a Cowboys fan after 12 years of this crap, then you're as crazy as I am. Obviously, we all are closet masochists to put up with this abuse over and over. Imagine what it would be like "if" we could have a season where we could proclaim our love for the Cowboys and not be ashamed of the way they ended their season.
Oh, man. . . . . what "if" . . . ."
And here we are this year. Nine games into the season and they're 5-4. And it's "if they can win against Washington, they'll get some confidence" and "if they can just win five more of the remaining seven. . . " and "if the defense steps it up. . . ." and "if the offense can score more points. . . ." and "if the defense can put pressure on the opposing quarterback. . . ." and "if Tony Romo can get the ball to his receivers. . . . and "if the receivers catch the ball. . . ." and "if the cornerbacks get some interceptions. . . ." and "if the offensive line decides to actually block this season. . . ."
You get the idea. It's all about "if". If this and if that. It is practically impossible to find an article or even a reply to a post on a forum that doesn't contain the word "if" when related to the Cowboys. Sure, it's a common word. And it's a very common word in Cowboys circles these days. Everything hinges on "if". When "if" doesn't happen, it sucks for Cowboys fans.
Last year, the Cowboys went into December 12-1. And there we were still hollering "if". What's wrong with that picture? "If" it's the coaching, then it's been the coaching for 12 years. "If" it's the players, then it's been the players for 12 years. "If" it's the owner's meddling, then it's been the owner's meddling for 12 years.
I say, "if" you're still a Cowboys fan after 12 years of this crap, then you're as crazy as I am. Obviously, we all are closet masochists to put up with this abuse over and over. Imagine what it would be like "if" we could have a season where we could proclaim our love for the Cowboys and not be ashamed of the way they ended their season.
Oh, man. . . . . what "if" . . . ."
Monday, November 3, 2008
Postcards from LaLa Land - Nov. 2008
Well, okie dokie, folks. It's time to read a few postcards from LaLa Land. After watching the Cowboys go from (as one writer called it. . .) "first to worst", I thought it was time to take a look at the mailbag and see what we're hearing from LaLa Land these days. In LaLa Land, the Cowboys can be in the 16th week of the season, with one game left to play and a 1-14 record and someone will tell us that the Cowboys still have a chance to make the playoffs. They use a different kind of math in LaLa Land, you know. Anyway, here are some excerpts from LaLa Land mail"
cmoney said:
in the back of everyones head going into this week we knew we where going to loose this game... but the way i see it is, we can regroup and get healthy in the bye week... and when we come back we will hopefully have romo, and felix jones back, and i see us going 11-5 this season!
washingtion: we are coming off the bye with plenty of time to study for this offense again and this is a must win... we will!
san fransico: (should have newman back) win
seattle: win
pittsburg: hard fought game but we might loose this one!
new york: pay back time! win!!!
baltimore: we are finding our stride... win
philly: mcnabb should be out for the season, like he has been for the last several years and we need it to make the play offs... win!
so as you can see i think we have a legitimet shot at 11-5 or 10-6 at the worst, but as long as we get hot out of the bye we will be ok!
This person thinks this Dallas Cowboys team can win seven games in a row, with five of those games being the last five of the season. The Cowboys haven't won more than two of their last five games but once in the past twelve seasons. But, in LaLa Land, the Cowboys have a "legitimet" chance of this, whatever that is.
supercowboy8 said:
i agree we still have a great shot at the playoffs and going 12-4 11-5 or 10-6
A great shot, he says. . . . First of all, if they go 10-6, they'll need more than their record alone to get into the playoffs. This will require the Redskins and/or Eagles to lose some games, and no telling what else to happen to get the Cowboys into the playoffs with 10-6. The first thing that'll be required, of course, is for the Cowboys to win five more games. Contrary from what our first letter from LaLa Land intimates, there's certainly no guarantee this will happen. Sure, several of the injured players will be back on the active list, but those players have been sitting on the bench for weeks, even months for some and they are going to be rusty. So, I don't think there's a "great shot" for them to make the playoffs. In fact, I believe they have a much greater shot of not getting to the playoffs and it will require much less effort. Effort being one of the things that just happens to be lacking on this team right now. I also think they have a much greater shot of going 8-8 than I do 12-4. Do I like it? Of course not. But sometimes not living in LaLa Land has its downside.
supercowboy8 said:
this season is far from over. We can still make the playoffs easy. We have 7 games left and now we will have everyone back and healthy. All we have to do is win 5 out of the last 7 games and we get a wild card.
Well, of course, the first sentence is correct. The Cowboys have seven more games in which to show they are capable of climbing out of a huge hole like the Giants did last season. Unfortunately, they can use those seven games to show us they don't have to wait until December to begin their yearly meltdown, presuming they haven't already started it. And he's right that "all we have to do is win 5 out of the last 7. Unfortunately, in the past 12 years, they have only been capable of winning 3 out of 5 once. Yet, in LaLa Land, that 5 out of the last 7 seems like a walk in the park, regardless of the tough schedule ahead of them.
Mr_A said:
OFFENSE:
Johnson throws for 250 yards and 3 TDS.
Johnson throws 6 passes over 25 yards in-the-air.
Barber runs 17-for-105 yards 1 TD
T. Choice 7-for-205 yards 2TDs
Owens 6 pass receptions 130 yards / 1 running play of 9 yards.
Roy Williams 5 receptions 95 yards
Miles Ausin -1 TD, 4 catches 170 yards
M. Bennett, TE - 2 TDs 67 yards
Cowboys Defense shuts Giants down in the defensive game of the Century.
Cowboys 41
Giants 0
I had to include this one. This was in a thread predicting the final score of the Giants game. This person apparently believed (or hoped or prayed) that the Cowboys would win 41-0. Obviously, in LaLa Land, there's an over abundance of hallucinogens available. The writer must have had a lucid moment, a rare event in LaLa Land, because he tried to make fun of his own prediction in a later post.
Now, in my last post to my blog, I stated unequivicably that the Cowboys would not go to the Superbowl this season, nor would they win the NFC East. I also stated they would barely have a winning record at the end of the season, if they did at all. I also said they would lose the Tampa Bay game and the Giants game in New York. I was wrong on the Tampa Bay game. I was right on the Giants game.
I do not think having an extra week to rest up this week is going to re-energize the Cowboys. There are far too many problems with this team, beginning with the coaching and followed by discipline and heart. Too much of some, not enough of others. This isn't going to be a Superbowl season. And sadly, I believe this means it's going to be several years before the Cowboys see another one of those.
Man, it's tough being a Cowboys fan year in and year out. To see as much talent as they have on this team this season just going up in smoke is just tough. I'll be here next season. Anxiously waiting for next year's postcards from LaLa Land. In the meantime, I think I'll stamp this mail "Insufficient Postage, Return To Sender".
Rod
cmoney said:
in the back of everyones head going into this week we knew we where going to loose this game... but the way i see it is, we can regroup and get healthy in the bye week... and when we come back we will hopefully have romo, and felix jones back, and i see us going 11-5 this season!
washingtion: we are coming off the bye with plenty of time to study for this offense again and this is a must win... we will!
san fransico: (should have newman back) win
seattle: win
pittsburg: hard fought game but we might loose this one!
new york: pay back time! win!!!
baltimore: we are finding our stride... win
philly: mcnabb should be out for the season, like he has been for the last several years and we need it to make the play offs... win!
so as you can see i think we have a legitimet shot at 11-5 or 10-6 at the worst, but as long as we get hot out of the bye we will be ok!
This person thinks this Dallas Cowboys team can win seven games in a row, with five of those games being the last five of the season. The Cowboys haven't won more than two of their last five games but once in the past twelve seasons. But, in LaLa Land, the Cowboys have a "legitimet" chance of this, whatever that is.
supercowboy8 said:
i agree we still have a great shot at the playoffs and going 12-4 11-5 or 10-6
A great shot, he says. . . . First of all, if they go 10-6, they'll need more than their record alone to get into the playoffs. This will require the Redskins and/or Eagles to lose some games, and no telling what else to happen to get the Cowboys into the playoffs with 10-6. The first thing that'll be required, of course, is for the Cowboys to win five more games. Contrary from what our first letter from LaLa Land intimates, there's certainly no guarantee this will happen. Sure, several of the injured players will be back on the active list, but those players have been sitting on the bench for weeks, even months for some and they are going to be rusty. So, I don't think there's a "great shot" for them to make the playoffs. In fact, I believe they have a much greater shot of not getting to the playoffs and it will require much less effort. Effort being one of the things that just happens to be lacking on this team right now. I also think they have a much greater shot of going 8-8 than I do 12-4. Do I like it? Of course not. But sometimes not living in LaLa Land has its downside.
supercowboy8 said:
this season is far from over. We can still make the playoffs easy. We have 7 games left and now we will have everyone back and healthy. All we have to do is win 5 out of the last 7 games and we get a wild card.
Well, of course, the first sentence is correct. The Cowboys have seven more games in which to show they are capable of climbing out of a huge hole like the Giants did last season. Unfortunately, they can use those seven games to show us they don't have to wait until December to begin their yearly meltdown, presuming they haven't already started it. And he's right that "all we have to do is win 5 out of the last 7. Unfortunately, in the past 12 years, they have only been capable of winning 3 out of 5 once. Yet, in LaLa Land, that 5 out of the last 7 seems like a walk in the park, regardless of the tough schedule ahead of them.
Mr_A said:
OFFENSE:
Johnson throws for 250 yards and 3 TDS.
Johnson throws 6 passes over 25 yards in-the-air.
Barber runs 17-for-105 yards 1 TD
T. Choice 7-for-205 yards 2TDs
Owens 6 pass receptions 130 yards / 1 running play of 9 yards.
Roy Williams 5 receptions 95 yards
Miles Ausin -1 TD, 4 catches 170 yards
M. Bennett, TE - 2 TDs 67 yards
Cowboys Defense shuts Giants down in the defensive game of the Century.
Cowboys 41
Giants 0
I had to include this one. This was in a thread predicting the final score of the Giants game. This person apparently believed (or hoped or prayed) that the Cowboys would win 41-0. Obviously, in LaLa Land, there's an over abundance of hallucinogens available. The writer must have had a lucid moment, a rare event in LaLa Land, because he tried to make fun of his own prediction in a later post.
Now, in my last post to my blog, I stated unequivicably that the Cowboys would not go to the Superbowl this season, nor would they win the NFC East. I also stated they would barely have a winning record at the end of the season, if they did at all. I also said they would lose the Tampa Bay game and the Giants game in New York. I was wrong on the Tampa Bay game. I was right on the Giants game.
I do not think having an extra week to rest up this week is going to re-energize the Cowboys. There are far too many problems with this team, beginning with the coaching and followed by discipline and heart. Too much of some, not enough of others. This isn't going to be a Superbowl season. And sadly, I believe this means it's going to be several years before the Cowboys see another one of those.
Man, it's tough being a Cowboys fan year in and year out. To see as much talent as they have on this team this season just going up in smoke is just tough. I'll be here next season. Anxiously waiting for next year's postcards from LaLa Land. In the meantime, I think I'll stamp this mail "Insufficient Postage, Return To Sender".
Rod
Saturday, October 25, 2008
A Midseason State of the Union Address
I hate to be the one to break it to you, but the 2008 Dallas Cowboys are going nowhere in a helluva hurry. Let me make this extremely clear to you so you have no doubt what I believe.
The Cowboys will NOT go to the Superbowl this season.
The Cowboys will NOT win the NFC East.
The Cowboys will be lucky to end with a winning record for the season.
Players whom I said in a previous article were critical to this team's success this season have suffered injuries. Tony Romo, Newman, etc. Other players that are critical are not close to playing to their potential. You can't tell me that Terrell Owens can basically be erased from the roster list by five different teams, leaving him with numbers that even rookies laugh at. You can't tell me that it takes nearly half a season for this team to start getting a few interceptions from this loaded with talent defense.
Well, I guess you can tell me that since it's true. You can't tell me that Tony Romo's interceptions and fumbles are ok. They aren't. And now we're dealing with Brad Johnson behind the center, leading this exalted team at the pace of a turtle on crutches.
The finger pointing is amok at the moment. Some blame the coaching staff. There's no doubt that neither Phillips or Garrett are living up to expectations. Some blame the defense. There are plenty of players to point your fingers at there. Some blame the offense. Again, you won't be looking long before you find plenty of problems to justify your claim. Starting with the offensive line, the erratic play of Tony Romo. The lack of production by Terrell Owens, etc. Some blame special teams. Can you say "field position"?
Personally, I blame it on the medical staff. They should have ran some tests to see if anyone on the team, coaches included, actually had a heart before they were hired. I see no evidence that any of them do because none of them are showing any heart with the performance of their job.
Twelve years ago (we're talking 1996 here) this team went to the playoffs and won a game. Since that time, this team has choked each and every year and are in the process of choking right now. I don't know if it's a good thing or a bad thing that they started early this season. We know based on the past 12 years that they're going to lose at least three of their final five games. It's what they do. Every year. Just like clockwork. If they only lose three of those final five and no other games, the best they could do this season would be 10-6.
Beginning tomorrow, they have four games to play before that final five. Romo's out for two of those games according to most reports. Newman has been nursing injuries for two seasons now, so counting on him to save the day isn't dealing with reality. Other teams have figured out how to deal with Owens, so he's not going to be the messiah either. Wide receiver Roy Williams is accustomed to losing. I wouldn't count on him being the saviour either.
Two of those four midseason games are against Tampa Bay and the New York Giants. With current injuries and the teams lack of heart and confidence, it is doubtful the Cowboys will win either of those games. By my calculations, that puts this team at 8-8 for the season. Oh yes, the mighty have fallen. Using "Superbowl" and "Dallas Cowboys" in the same sentence should only be done if one is talking about former glories or when looking forward to some point in the distant future.
OK, let's hear the accusations of me being a Redskins/Giants/Eagles fan or how I'm a hater or how I'm not a "true fan". Or try to convince me that I haven't watched this team get worse each game they played so far. Good luck with that. You'll need it.
The emperor is naked. He has no clothes.
And the 2008 Dallas Cowboys are in a death spiral this season. They're going nowhere. And they're gaining speed doing it.
It sucks. But it's what I perceive the reality to be.
Your mileage might vary. And good luck with that, too.
The Cowboys will NOT go to the Superbowl this season.
The Cowboys will NOT win the NFC East.
The Cowboys will be lucky to end with a winning record for the season.
Players whom I said in a previous article were critical to this team's success this season have suffered injuries. Tony Romo, Newman, etc. Other players that are critical are not close to playing to their potential. You can't tell me that Terrell Owens can basically be erased from the roster list by five different teams, leaving him with numbers that even rookies laugh at. You can't tell me that it takes nearly half a season for this team to start getting a few interceptions from this loaded with talent defense.
Well, I guess you can tell me that since it's true. You can't tell me that Tony Romo's interceptions and fumbles are ok. They aren't. And now we're dealing with Brad Johnson behind the center, leading this exalted team at the pace of a turtle on crutches.
The finger pointing is amok at the moment. Some blame the coaching staff. There's no doubt that neither Phillips or Garrett are living up to expectations. Some blame the defense. There are plenty of players to point your fingers at there. Some blame the offense. Again, you won't be looking long before you find plenty of problems to justify your claim. Starting with the offensive line, the erratic play of Tony Romo. The lack of production by Terrell Owens, etc. Some blame special teams. Can you say "field position"?
Personally, I blame it on the medical staff. They should have ran some tests to see if anyone on the team, coaches included, actually had a heart before they were hired. I see no evidence that any of them do because none of them are showing any heart with the performance of their job.
Twelve years ago (we're talking 1996 here) this team went to the playoffs and won a game. Since that time, this team has choked each and every year and are in the process of choking right now. I don't know if it's a good thing or a bad thing that they started early this season. We know based on the past 12 years that they're going to lose at least three of their final five games. It's what they do. Every year. Just like clockwork. If they only lose three of those final five and no other games, the best they could do this season would be 10-6.
Beginning tomorrow, they have four games to play before that final five. Romo's out for two of those games according to most reports. Newman has been nursing injuries for two seasons now, so counting on him to save the day isn't dealing with reality. Other teams have figured out how to deal with Owens, so he's not going to be the messiah either. Wide receiver Roy Williams is accustomed to losing. I wouldn't count on him being the saviour either.
Two of those four midseason games are against Tampa Bay and the New York Giants. With current injuries and the teams lack of heart and confidence, it is doubtful the Cowboys will win either of those games. By my calculations, that puts this team at 8-8 for the season. Oh yes, the mighty have fallen. Using "Superbowl" and "Dallas Cowboys" in the same sentence should only be done if one is talking about former glories or when looking forward to some point in the distant future.
OK, let's hear the accusations of me being a Redskins/Giants/Eagles fan or how I'm a hater or how I'm not a "true fan". Or try to convince me that I haven't watched this team get worse each game they played so far. Good luck with that. You'll need it.
The emperor is naked. He has no clothes.
And the 2008 Dallas Cowboys are in a death spiral this season. They're going nowhere. And they're gaining speed doing it.
It sucks. But it's what I perceive the reality to be.
Your mileage might vary. And good luck with that, too.
Thursday, September 18, 2008
Are You A True Fan? - An Investigative Report
Over the years, I have written several articles which outlined my opinion at the time of various Cowboys players as well as the team in general. Some of those articles were of a positive nature. Some weren't so positive. I'm one of those that calls a spade a spade and sometimes that doesn't go over well with some readers.
Some just ignore me. Some fire back a response which includes facts they believe prove my opinions are wrong. Others accuse me of being a hater, a Philly lover, a Redskins lover or other derogatory names. Some accuse me of not being a "true fan". This article is for that last group.
Being a wordsmith, my first reaction was to overwhelm them with an immediate response, but as I thought about it, I began to question whether I was indeed a "true fan". So I decided to find the definition of a "true fan". To say this was very enlightening doesn't do it justice.
My first discovery was that there is no centralized place on the internet that explains, leaving no chance for error, what a "true fan" is. Once this article is published, I suppose it will become the definitive resource that will answer once and for all the question about what is a "true fan".
First, I suppose I should explain what it was that caused me to do the research and eventually write this article. I had posted an article at cowboys central.com and received this response from SlickReBorn:
http://www.cowboyscentral.com/bb/showthread.php?t=23005&page=2
"Honestly those fans that only buy the merchandise and tickets when the Cowboys are winning aren't true fans anyways so who cares what they think? I remember when this team went 1-15. I wasn't ashamed to be a Cowboys fan then, and I aint now."
Now, for the record, I didn't feel like he was accusing me of not being a true fan. He had no data to base a claim I wasn't a true fan on anyway. He doesn't know if I have ever bought any tickets or merchandise ever in my life or if I own a museum of Cowboys merchandise I've purchased with the walls wallpapered with ticket stubs.
No, his statement just got me to thinking about what was required to be considered a "true fan". So, with no further adieu, let's learn exactly what a true fan is:
Actions & Practices
http://www.cleveland.com/browns/index.ssf/2008/09/browns_welcome_test_against_co.html
“Happy NFL Opening weekend to you all, Browns win a shoot-out 34-31 over the Boys. Cowboy corners can't cover the Browns Wr's and a Dawson FG is the difference. DA continues to silence the BQ lovefest by throwing for 300 plus and 3 scores. See the true fans in the parking lot bright and early.
For the rest of you who don't believe the bandwagon is full and we aren't accepting new passengers.”
This was a blog response from someone predicting the Browns would beat the Cowboys in the first game of the 2008 season.
Since he was dead wrong on that, I don’t know how much credence to put in his statement that true fans would be in the parking lot bright and early. Others have intimated that true fans do get to the stadium early, though, so I included this one.
Actions & Practices
http://www.ultimateredskins.com/our-take-on-the-schedule/
“I believe that true fans of each team hate each other far more than any of the players hate anyone in the League.”
This is the opinion of some Redskins fan and isn’t a statement of known fact, so take it with a grain of salt. On the other hand, he’s a Redskins fan and we hate him. What could he know about it in the first place?
Actions & Practices
http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9F02E0DB1130F930A15752C0A9659C8B63&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss
“In his 1994 novel ''Fever Pitch,'' Nick Hornby outlined the edifying effects of the male sports obsession. True fans, he wrote, ''become repressed, they fail in their relationships with women, their conversation is trivial and boorish, they find themselves unable to express their emotional needs, they cannot relate to their children, and they die alone and miserable. But, you know, what the hell?"”
Finally, someone who truly has a grasp on the subject!
Actions & Practices
http://blog.denverbroncos.com/jsaccomano/2007/10/17/rockies-parallel-1977-broncos/
“What is your definition of a fan? You bad mouth people who state their displeasure with the production of their team? In my opinion - your not a true fan for accepting this garbage that has been thrown on the field lately. A bad fan - or “bandwagon” fan - is someone who doesn’t even bother to boo or voice their displeasure when their team underachieves on a level that is embarrassing. They just get up and leave - and don’t come back until the team is good again. True fans voice their displeasure with mediocrity - and they show up the next week to watch them again. And if they play the way the Broncos have been lately - they boo even louder. But we always come back the next week.”
As you can see, true fans can voice their displeasure with an underachieving team. But they remain loyal.
Age & Longevity As A Fan
http://blog.dallascowboys.com/forums/t/35173.aspx
“I have been a 4 seat season ticket holder for 14 years. Now he wants me to pay $64,000 for the seat license plus the annual ticket price of $12,600 and parking about another $1,000.
FORGET IT!! Jones is successfully getting rid of the hard-working middle class die-hard fans to fill his own pockets. These are the people that have supported him for the last 15 years and he is pricing us out of the new stadium. Their goes our tailgating days.
Glad you're thinking of your TRUE fans Jerry. The only ones that can afford these prices are the corporate and the rich. Just people who want to attend games just for the notoriety, not because they are TRUE FANS.
Thanks Jerry, for alienating your true fans. We'll now be watching on TV. I really despise you now,Jerry Jones.”
True fans can and do get angry at Jerry Jones. (True Cowboys fans do, anyway.)
Age & Longevity As A Fan
http://www.bearsgab.com/2008/07/08/dead-end-ahead-road-to-super-bowl-blocked-by-lack-of-offense/
“So called fans like you are a joke! The only dead end is the blood flowing to your brain! It is fair weather fans like you we can do without! With so called fans like you,who needs enemies!
The sky is always falling in your mind.The glass is always half empty.Why do you even bother,if everything is so bad? Your a joke, that does not understand the game of football or the Financial end of it.Thank god you are not making the decisions!
I have been a die hard bear fan for 38 years.You have no clue what a true fan is all about.True fans support their teams.True fans dont talk smack about their team or back stab their players.True fans are there win or lose.You are probably too young to understand what a true fan is.You only support when the going is good.No team stays on top all the time,get a clue.
TRUE BEAR FANS ARE PROUD & BLEED BLUE!! You probably are too young to even know what bleeding blue is! The true die hard Bear fans know what i am talking about. We need fans who support our team,not dig for negativities constantly! You should join the packers or Cowboys,if you dont like what the bears bring on sundays.
Your opinions are idiotic,& us true fans dont care.Send your opinions to Mariotti,Die hard bear fans dont care to hear it.True fans start out each year with hope,not despair.The games havent even been played yet!! If you dont enjoy being a fan,your not a fan. Be a Fan or be Gone !!!! GO BEARS!!! YOUR TRUE FANS BELIEVE,& WILL ALWAYS BE THERE FOR YOU!!”
I debated on adding this to my article, but there’s just so much in there that helps to show us what a “true fan” is. It’s difficult to ascertain exactly what he’s talking about, between the misspellings/poor grammar (which is apparently approved for true fan usage) and the absolute beligerence coming from the writer.
I believe he’s upset because someone said something negative about the Chicago Bears and the writer took exceptional offense to anyone saying something bad about the Bears.
Apparently, it doesn’t matter whether what was said negatively is the truth or not, only that it was said.
Age & Longevity As A Fan
http://12thmanrising.com/2008/07/20/keeping-it-real/
“This brings me to the purpose of this piece. I want to finally lay down the law on what constitutes a true fan. Nothing pisses me off more than meeting someone who tells me that they are Cowboy fan, “Because I’ve always just liked them.” What the hell is that all about? What they mean to say is that, “During the 90’s when they were really good, I decided to hitch my wagon to a winner and it felt so good rooting for all of those Super Bowls that I decided to stick around.”
I know, total crap right? As we all know, it was easy rooting for the Cowboys when they were running rough shot through the league. Who didn’t enjoy the show when the triplets dominated the NFC? But “fans” like this are missing the essence of being a fan.
Bottom line, the best part of being a fan is being able to celebrate when success finally shines upon your squad. When you were in the stands watching that 2-14 season, that Super Bowl victory is so much sweeter (I image…remember this is a Seahawks blog.)
When you jump from team to team because it just happens to be their turn in the winners circle defeats the entire purpose of being a fan. It isn’t rocket science to determine which team you should root for.
As a matter of fact it can be determined this easily. Either your ass lives in the state, has lived in the state, or one of your immediate relatives are from the state. Case closed”
This is another site that wasn’t specifically a Cowboys site, but they discuss the Cowboys in particular and fanhood. I personally object to him laying the law down regarding what a true fan is without proving he has the authority to do so. This tirade is his opinion and nothing more, apparently.
He also discusses longevity as a fan and claims one cannot be a true fan if one hasn’t paid one’s dues by supporting the team through the hard times. Only supporting a team when they become winners makes you a “fairweather fan”, which is another whole study and goes beyond the scope of this article.
Age & Longevity As A Fan
http://www.overstock.com/Home-Garden/Dallas-Cowboys-Comforter-and-Sheet-Set-Twin/2659963/product.html
“True fans start young and you can support them with this FANtastic comforter set Ideal for the Cowboys fan in your life, the set includes comforter, flat sheet, fitted sheet and two pillowcases (one in twin set)”
A mere $49.99, however those desiring to support the "true fan" in their life will have to wait because they are out of stock.
Clothing & Dress
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/35952-nfl-fans-support-your-team
“A fan of a less than successful team doesn't necessarily hate on the teams that win, but it doesn't mean that we necessarily like them either. I am an Eagles fan living in Atlanta, which is ok since there are very few real Falcon's fans.
I just wanted to comment that I am indeed a Cowboys hater, primarily because they are division rivals. Obviously the Eagles-Cowboys rivalry has been a big part of the lives of true fans of either of these teams.
What I find the most irritating are the "fans" that claim loyalty to a team that
A) Have no connection to the team or city (primarily bandwagoners)
B) "Fans" that can't name any player on the offensive or defensive line and doesn't even know who the coaches are
C) "Fans" that sport the "in" jersey but yet know nothing about the player they have on their back.
Of course, some could make the arguement that an exception could be made in certain situations- for example, my girlfriend is in possession of my Brian Westbrook jersey however knows only that he is #36, a running back, and had the most yards from scrimmage in the league last year (because I've drilled it into her). In this situation, I am ok with the jersey-wearer not being informed however these girls (or guys in some rare instances) should not call themselves fans until they have demonstrated knowledge of the game, the position of the player and the name of his back-up, the college the player attended, what round they went in the draft (or from what team they were aquired from in free agency), and the ability to pick a buffalo wing clean.”
So, regular fans must know these things before they can call themselves a “fan”.Some sort of “connection” to the city the team is from is also apparently necessary. Apparently, some knowledge of the coaches is necessary. Presumably, a “true fan” would have a much deeper knowledge of the game and the players than an ordinary fan..
Clothing & Dress
http://search.neckties.com/search.aspx?Action=11&Grid=0&SH=QT1EYWxsYXMgQ293Ym95cyB_Qj1EYWxsYXMgQ293Ym95cyB_RD0xMn5JPVByaWNlfks9NH5MPTF_TT0xfg&SI=95884560-f898-45d2-8927-f417ac607715
“NFL Dallas Cowboys Grid black polyester ties.
There are the fair weather fans and then there are the true fans. Those diehard fans that journey out to New Cowboys Stadium every Sunday, rain or shine. This necktie is for the diehards. Featured within is a detailed patter of Dallas Cowboys logos set atop a rich woven black background. With silks and design as fine and sharp as Cowboys fans, this necktie is a necessity for any who call themselves a true Cowboys fan. Don't be caught without it come game day!”
True fans journey out to New Cowboys Stadium every Sunday, regardless of weather and it is necessary that they wear this necktie.
Clothing & Dress
http://www.amiannoying.com/(S(craik155hhs4vl45mnpr1355))/view.aspx?id=9009&collection=1443
True fans often dress or paint themselves in the team colors of Royal Blue and Metallic Silver.
I looked at Cowboys jerseys this evening. They were on sale for $69.99.
Clothing & Dress
http://www.stylefeeder.com/i/9nm5qh14/Dallas-Cowboys-Star-Toe-Ring-Solid-Sterling-Silver
“Show Your Team Spirit with this Officially Licensed high quality product. Logo Art manufactures the broadest and most elegant collection of collegiate and sports licensed jewelry products. Constructed using metal molds and injected plastic patterns to give repeatable and highly detailed castings. Then, each piece is hand filed and polished to give it a handsome finish. A must have for all true Fans. Most products are available in 14k & 10k gold and sterling silver.”
OK, for those that didn’t click on the link above, this is a Dallas Cowboys Toe Ring. “A must have for all true Fans.” Don’t blame me. I didn’t write it.
Geography
http://12thmanrising.com/2008/07/20/keeping-it-real/
“This brings me to the purpose of this piece. I want to finally lay down the law on what constitutes a true fan. Nothing pisses me off more than meeting someone who tells me that they are Cowboy fan, “Because I’ve always just liked them.” What the hell is that all about?
What they mean to say is that, “During the 90’s when they were really good, I decided to hitch my wagon to a winner and it felt so good rooting for all of those Super Bowls that I decided to stick around.”
I know, total crap right? As we all know, it was easy rooting for the Cowboys when they were running rough shot through the league. Who didn’t enjoy the show when the triplets dominated the NFC? But “fans” like this are missing the essence of being a fan.
Bottom line, the best part of being a fan is being able to celebrate when success finally shines upon your squad. When you were in the stands watching that 2-14 season, that Super Bowl victory is so much sweeter (I image…remember this is a Seahawks blog.)
When you jump from team to team because it just happens to be their turn in the winners circle defeats the entire purpose of being a fan.
It isn’t rocket science to determine which team you should root for. As a matter of fact it can be determined this easily. Either your ass lives in the state, has lived in the state, or one of your immediate relatives are from the state. Case closed”
This is another site that wasn’t specifically a Cowboys site, but they discuss the Cowboys in particular and fanhood. I personally object to him laying the law down regarding what a true fan is without proving he has the authority to do so. This tirade is his opinion, apparently.
I left this part in my article because he does show that geography has a large part to your qualifications as a true fan. Apparently, to be a true fan, one must live in the state currently, must have lived in the state in the past or have immediate relatives that are from the state, in order for you to qualify to be a fan of a particular team.
If you have never lived in Texas, do not live in Texas currently, and do not have immediate family from Texas, you do not qualify as a true fan. As he said “Case closed”.
Geography
http://www.yardbarker.com/nfl/articles/BEST_FANS_IN_FOOTBALLwho_tops_the_list_you_ask/301618
“This fan base, which was really a bunch of band wagon jumpers during the Aikman-Irvin-Emmitt dynasty, apparently has transformed into die-hards. With fans in every city, "America's Team" is wildly popular. Simpletons flock to the star and seem to be enamored with it. Of course, the rules about cheering for a team you have no connection with is still a violation.”
A violation of what? I presume he’s referring to this generally held belief that a fan must have a “connection” to the team they claim to be a fan of or they’re violating some cosmic standard rule of applied physics.
Knowledge
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/35952-nfl-fans-support-your-team
“A fan of a less than successful team doesn't necessarily hate on the teams that win, but it doesn't mean that we necessarily like them either. I am an Eagles fan living in Atlanta, which is ok since there are very few real Falcon's fans.
I just wanted to comment that I am indeed a Cowboys hater, primarily because they are division rivals. Obviously the Eagles-Cowboys rivalry has been a big part of the lives of true fans of either of these teams.
What I find the most irritating are the "fans" that claim loyalty to a team that
A) Have no connection to the team or city (primarily bandwagoners)
B) "Fans" that can't name any player on the offensive or defensive line and doesn't even know who the coaches are
C) "Fans" that sport the "in" jersey but yet know nothing about the player they have on their back. Of course, some could make the arguement that an exception could be made in certain situations- for example, my girlfriend is in possession of my Brian Westbrook jersey however knows only that he is #36, a running back, and had the most yards from scrimmage in the league last year (because I've drilled it into her).
In this situation, I am ok with the jersey-wearer not being informed however these girls (or guys in some rare instances) should not call themselves fans until they have demonstrated knowledge of the game, the position of the player and the name of his back-up, the college the player attended, what round they went in the draft (or from what team they were aquired from in free agency), and the ability to pick a buffalo wing clean.”
So, regular fans must know these things before they can call themselves a “fan”.Some sort of “connection” to the city the team is from is also apparently necessary. Apparently, some knowledge of the coaches is necessary. Presumably, a “true fan” would have a much deeper knowledge of the game and the players.
Loyalty
http://www.topix.com/forum/source/newsday/T4B2TP5S3LE9QEANG
“Dallas won both games os to say we'll win is kind of crazy I agree. But we do have a shot at this stage those other two games don't matter. The 91 before this don't. This is the biggest game in this rivalries history. Eli has taken a step back but the Giants running games is better than the Cowboys.
Eli also ranks in the top ten in most categories(sufficient)in an overall down year for qb's not named Brady,Favre and Romo or P.Manning.
All true fans and or pundints know the Cowboys secondary is suspect and that their running game isn't all its cracked up to be. Lets not pretend that the Giants don't have an excellent front seven(led the league in sacks), as well. Like I said we lost twice so its tough to be cocky, but I know we are a live underdog.”
I gave the Eagles and Redskins fans a presence in this article. I might as well let the Giants fans run their mouth, too. I would point out that this person puts “true fans” and “pundits” into the same classification. There must be a hidden meaning there somewhere.
Loyalty
http://www.sportsfilter.com/news/9144/most-popular-nfl-teams-order-cowboys
“I don't think steelerbroad meant that those teams are the only ones with "true fans". Of course other teams have true fans. I think she means that a large percentage of the fanbase in those cities are not fairweather fans. Those 3 teams will always be near the top of these type of polls.”
Other teams can have “true fans” also.
Loyalty
http://lonestarstruck.com/blog1/2008/03/pacman_to_the_cowboys_oh_no_sa.htm
“I love my Cowboys as all other true fans do.”
No comment is necessary to this.
Loyalty
http://www.bearsgab.com/2008/07/08/dead-end-ahead-road-to-super-bowl-blocked-by-lack-of-offense/
“So called fans like you are a joke! The only dead end is the blood flowing to your brain! It is fair weather fans like you we can do without! With so called fans like you,who needs enemies!
The sky is always falling in your mind. The glass is always half empty.Why do you even bother,if everything is so bad? Your a joke, that does not understand the game of football or the Financial end of it.Thank god you are not making the decisions!
I have been a die hard bear fan for 38 years.You have no clue what a true fan is all about.True fans support their teams.True fans dont talk smack about their team or back stab their players.True fans are there win or lose.You are probably too young to understand what a true fan is.You only support when the going is good.
No team stays on top all the time,get a clue.TRUE BEAR FANS ARE PROUD & BLEED BLUE!! You probably are too young to even know what bleeding blue is! The true die hard Bear fans know what i am talking about.
We need fans who support our team,not dig for negativities constantly! You should join the packers or Cowboys,if you dont like what the bears bring on sundays.Your opinions are idiotic,& us true fans dont care.
Send your opinions to Mariotti,Die hard bear fans dont care to hear it.True fans start out each year with hope,not despair.The games havent even been played yet!! If you dont enjoy being a fan,your not a fan. Be a Fan or be Gone !!!! GO BEARS!!! YOUR TRUE FANS BELIEVE,& WILL ALWAYS BE THERE FOR YOU!!”
I debated on adding this to my article, but there’s just so much in there that helps to show us what a “true fan” is. It’s difficult to ascertain exactly what he’s talking about, between the misspellings/poor grammar (which is apparently approved for true fan usage) and the absolute beligerence coming from the writer.
Apparently youths cannot be true fans either, nor could they have any knowledge about the team or its true fans.
Loyalty
http://www.igglesblog.com/iggles_blog/2008/09/a-must-win-game.html
“The team itself also seems raaaaaaather confident as well. (I covered this in detail a few weeks ago. I'm not nauseating myself by doing it again.) It's as if that whole organization, the local media ("Dallas Cowboys' greatest obstacles are history, high expectations"), its true fans, and all those wannabe front-runners across the nation believe Dallas' appearance in the NFC Championship Game is simply a matter of scheduling ("That third Sunday of January good for you?") rather that a goal to be achieved.”
I threw this in just because it’s an Eagles fan writing it. I wonder if he’s feeling any different after last Monday’s game.
Loyalty
http://www.amiannoying.com/(S(craik155hhs4vl45mnpr1355))/view.aspx?id=9009&collection=1443
"True fans bleed Blue and Silver."
If they do, they need medical attention, quickly.
Loyalty
http://www.amiannoying.com/(S(craik155hhs4vl45mnpr1355))/view.aspx?id=9009&collection=1443
"True fans have the audacity to claim that the hole in the roof of their stadium is there so that God could watch His team."
Apparently, Jerry Jones believes this also. He's putting in a new hole in the room (although this one can be closed) hoping God comes back after a dozen years of no playoff wins.
Loyalty
http://www.amiannoying.com/(S(craik155hhs4vl45mnpr1355))/view.aspx?id=9009&collection=1443
"True fans like to shout the phrase made famous by former head coach Jimmy Johnson, 'How 'bout them Cowboys!"
Everyone knows it's "dem Cowboys!", not "them Cowboys!".
Loyalty
http://www.amiannoying.com/(S(craik155hhs4vl45mnpr1355))/view.aspx?id=9009&collection=1443
"True fans love their mascot."
Personally, I miss Whistling Ray.
Loyalty
http://www.amiannoying.com/(S(craik155hhs4vl45mnpr1355))/view.aspx?id=9009&collection=1443
"True fans refer to the Cowboys as 'America's Team'."
Well, duhh!!!
Loyalty
http://www.totalcowboys.addr.com/nfceastrankings2000.htm
“True fans will follow the season and watch Emmitt Smith run his way into NFL history.”
Presumably, this only pertains to true fans who were around when Emmitt Smith was still playing for the Cowboys and they are no longer required to follow that season or watch Emmitt Smith run any longer.
Hopefully, today’s true fans are not required to watch Emmitt Smith run his mouth as an announcer. There is a constitutional right against cruel and inhuman punishment, afterall.
Loyalty
http://www.nydailynews.com/forums/thread.jspa?threadID=34846
“What a shame... we were so close to cutting Manning's dead weight last year and he was booed at home more than he was cheered and now the fairweather fans love him because of a hail mary. I guess it's just football fans these days, hardly any true fans who actually stick to their convictions even if the truth is right there to see.”
This not a Cowboys-specific posting, but it does show us that true fans actually stick to their convictions, even if the truth is slapping them in the face.
Loyalty
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20080411005801AA1Upuc
"When asked why you like the team you like, true fans will say: “ it's not the wins or losses that matter dont get me wrong its very important BUT its all about the team you have been loyal to forever no matter what the record be!!!”
Miscellaneous
http://www.amiannoying.com/(S(craik155hhs4vl45mnpr1355))/view.aspx?id=9009&collection=1443
"True fans are sometimes distracted by team cheerleaders who are as famous as the team."
Double Duhh!!!!!
Other Purchases
http://www.overstock.com/Home-Garden/Dallas-Cowboys-Comforter-and-Sheet-Set-Twin/2659963/product.html
“True fans start young and you can support them with this FANtastic comforter set Ideal for the Cowboys fan in your life, the set includes comforter, flat sheet, fitted sheet and two pillowcases (one in twin set)”
A mere $49.99, however those desiring to support the "true fan" in their life will have to wait because they are out of stock.
Other Purchases
http://www.american-flag.com/content/Car_Flags.htm
“Where and when the car flag became so trendy is debatable. Waving flags at sporting events goes back many years and is a part of the soccer culture in Europe and South America. But tailgating is the quintessential American way to party and proudly waving the standards of the New York Yankees, the Dallas Cowboys, Jeff Gordon's # 24 and the LSU Tigers is paramount to identifying yourself as a true fan.”
This is how you can identify yourself as a true fan. Stick a Dallas Cowboys car flag on your vehicle.
Loyalty
http://www.amiannoying.com/(S(craik155hhs4vl45mnpr1355))/view.aspx?id=9009&collection=1443
"True fans root for their team."
That's like saying "Colonel Sanders liked fried chicken!"
Spelling & Grammar
http://cowboysblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2008/05/observing-the-dallas-cowboys-otas.html
“Its guys that feel the need to correct a guy doing a fun gig for Cowboy fans that validates all the sheeottt I have fed "Cow-Girl" fans over the past 4 months - what effen losers!!! Why do you think that we have no access from either the players and/or the media? It's BC of a-holes that nit-pick!!!!!!! JC this is not rocket science it is football and I want to see inside of it as much as possible!!!!! But cocker-blockers like the "Proper English Grammar Guys", who will be obsolete down the road soon, keep effen it up! Congrats - we have no new info BC of you guys! Go away and let us true fans try to figure out the game with assistance from the people who in the future would not be afraid to give it w/out repercussions from the grammar police!!! Go back and read Chaucer and Yeats and Poe if you want the proper English and meter!”
True fans get somewhat upset when their grammar is corrected.
So, there you have it. Everything you need to know to determine whether you're a "true fan" or not. I found all this information right there on the internet, so we all know it must be true.
Now, to review the criteria one must meet to qualify as a "true fan, here's the list:
True fans do get to the stadium early.
True fans of each team hate each other far more than any of the players hate anyone in the League.
True fans become repressed, they fail in their relationships with women, their conversation is trivial and boorish, they find themselves unable to express their emotional needs, they cannot relate to their children, and they die alone and miserable.
True fans can voice their displeasure with an underachieving team. But they remain loyal.
True fans can and do get angry at Jerry Jones.
True fans don't care whether what was said negatively is the truth or not, only that it was said. And they don't like it.
True fans have paid their dues by supporting the team through the hard times.
True fans start young.
True fans have a "connection" with the geographic area where their team resides.
True fans journey out to New Cowboys Stadium every Sunday, regardless of weather and it is necessary that they wear this necktie.
True fans often dress or paint themselves in the team colors of Royal Blue and Metallic Silver.
True fans have and wear a Dallas Cowboys Toe Ring.
True fans must live in the state currently, must have lived in the state in the past or have immediate relatives that are from the state their favorite team resides in, in order for them to qualify to be a true fan of a particular team.
True fans may make misspellings and grammar mistakes at will and without repurcussion.
Youths cannot be true, nor could they have any knowledge about the team or its true fans.
True fans can lie without penalty about bleeding silver and blue.
True fans claim that the hole in the roof of their stadium is there so that God could watch His team.
True fans like to shout the phrase made famous by former head coach Jimmy Johnson, 'How 'bout them Cowboys!
True fans love their mascot.
True fans refer to the Cowboys as 'America's Team'.
True fans are confused about whether to watch Emmitt or not.
True fans actually stick to their convictions, even if the truth is slapping them in the face.
True fans are sometimes distracted by team cheerleaders who are as famous as the team.
True fans have a Dallas Cowboys flag on their vehicle.
True fans root for their team.
True fans get somewhat upset when their grammar is corrected.
Now, if I get in the mood at some point, I'll investigate what a "hater", a "real fan", a "bandwagoner" and a "so-called fan" is.
Some just ignore me. Some fire back a response which includes facts they believe prove my opinions are wrong. Others accuse me of being a hater, a Philly lover, a Redskins lover or other derogatory names. Some accuse me of not being a "true fan". This article is for that last group.
Being a wordsmith, my first reaction was to overwhelm them with an immediate response, but as I thought about it, I began to question whether I was indeed a "true fan". So I decided to find the definition of a "true fan". To say this was very enlightening doesn't do it justice.
My first discovery was that there is no centralized place on the internet that explains, leaving no chance for error, what a "true fan" is. Once this article is published, I suppose it will become the definitive resource that will answer once and for all the question about what is a "true fan".
First, I suppose I should explain what it was that caused me to do the research and eventually write this article. I had posted an article at cowboys central.com and received this response from SlickReBorn:
http://www.cowboyscentral.com/bb/showthread.php?t=23005&page=2
"Honestly those fans that only buy the merchandise and tickets when the Cowboys are winning aren't true fans anyways so who cares what they think? I remember when this team went 1-15. I wasn't ashamed to be a Cowboys fan then, and I aint now."
Now, for the record, I didn't feel like he was accusing me of not being a true fan. He had no data to base a claim I wasn't a true fan on anyway. He doesn't know if I have ever bought any tickets or merchandise ever in my life or if I own a museum of Cowboys merchandise I've purchased with the walls wallpapered with ticket stubs.
No, his statement just got me to thinking about what was required to be considered a "true fan". So, with no further adieu, let's learn exactly what a true fan is:
Actions & Practices
http://www.cleveland.com/browns/index.ssf/2008/09/browns_welcome_test_against_co.html
“Happy NFL Opening weekend to you all, Browns win a shoot-out 34-31 over the Boys. Cowboy corners can't cover the Browns Wr's and a Dawson FG is the difference. DA continues to silence the BQ lovefest by throwing for 300 plus and 3 scores. See the true fans in the parking lot bright and early.
For the rest of you who don't believe the bandwagon is full and we aren't accepting new passengers.”
This was a blog response from someone predicting the Browns would beat the Cowboys in the first game of the 2008 season.
Since he was dead wrong on that, I don’t know how much credence to put in his statement that true fans would be in the parking lot bright and early. Others have intimated that true fans do get to the stadium early, though, so I included this one.
Actions & Practices
http://www.ultimateredskins.com/our-take-on-the-schedule/
“I believe that true fans of each team hate each other far more than any of the players hate anyone in the League.”
This is the opinion of some Redskins fan and isn’t a statement of known fact, so take it with a grain of salt. On the other hand, he’s a Redskins fan and we hate him. What could he know about it in the first place?
Actions & Practices
http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9F02E0DB1130F930A15752C0A9659C8B63&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss
“In his 1994 novel ''Fever Pitch,'' Nick Hornby outlined the edifying effects of the male sports obsession. True fans, he wrote, ''become repressed, they fail in their relationships with women, their conversation is trivial and boorish, they find themselves unable to express their emotional needs, they cannot relate to their children, and they die alone and miserable. But, you know, what the hell?"”
Finally, someone who truly has a grasp on the subject!
Actions & Practices
http://blog.denverbroncos.com/jsaccomano/2007/10/17/rockies-parallel-1977-broncos/
“What is your definition of a fan? You bad mouth people who state their displeasure with the production of their team? In my opinion - your not a true fan for accepting this garbage that has been thrown on the field lately. A bad fan - or “bandwagon” fan - is someone who doesn’t even bother to boo or voice their displeasure when their team underachieves on a level that is embarrassing. They just get up and leave - and don’t come back until the team is good again. True fans voice their displeasure with mediocrity - and they show up the next week to watch them again. And if they play the way the Broncos have been lately - they boo even louder. But we always come back the next week.”
As you can see, true fans can voice their displeasure with an underachieving team. But they remain loyal.
Age & Longevity As A Fan
http://blog.dallascowboys.com/forums/t/35173.aspx
“I have been a 4 seat season ticket holder for 14 years. Now he wants me to pay $64,000 for the seat license plus the annual ticket price of $12,600 and parking about another $1,000.
FORGET IT!! Jones is successfully getting rid of the hard-working middle class die-hard fans to fill his own pockets. These are the people that have supported him for the last 15 years and he is pricing us out of the new stadium. Their goes our tailgating days.
Glad you're thinking of your TRUE fans Jerry. The only ones that can afford these prices are the corporate and the rich. Just people who want to attend games just for the notoriety, not because they are TRUE FANS.
Thanks Jerry, for alienating your true fans. We'll now be watching on TV. I really despise you now,Jerry Jones.”
True fans can and do get angry at Jerry Jones. (True Cowboys fans do, anyway.)
Age & Longevity As A Fan
http://www.bearsgab.com/2008/07/08/dead-end-ahead-road-to-super-bowl-blocked-by-lack-of-offense/
“So called fans like you are a joke! The only dead end is the blood flowing to your brain! It is fair weather fans like you we can do without! With so called fans like you,who needs enemies!
The sky is always falling in your mind.The glass is always half empty.Why do you even bother,if everything is so bad? Your a joke, that does not understand the game of football or the Financial end of it.Thank god you are not making the decisions!
I have been a die hard bear fan for 38 years.You have no clue what a true fan is all about.True fans support their teams.True fans dont talk smack about their team or back stab their players.True fans are there win or lose.You are probably too young to understand what a true fan is.You only support when the going is good.No team stays on top all the time,get a clue.
TRUE BEAR FANS ARE PROUD & BLEED BLUE!! You probably are too young to even know what bleeding blue is! The true die hard Bear fans know what i am talking about. We need fans who support our team,not dig for negativities constantly! You should join the packers or Cowboys,if you dont like what the bears bring on sundays.
Your opinions are idiotic,& us true fans dont care.Send your opinions to Mariotti,Die hard bear fans dont care to hear it.True fans start out each year with hope,not despair.The games havent even been played yet!! If you dont enjoy being a fan,your not a fan. Be a Fan or be Gone !!!! GO BEARS!!! YOUR TRUE FANS BELIEVE,& WILL ALWAYS BE THERE FOR YOU!!”
I debated on adding this to my article, but there’s just so much in there that helps to show us what a “true fan” is. It’s difficult to ascertain exactly what he’s talking about, between the misspellings/poor grammar (which is apparently approved for true fan usage) and the absolute beligerence coming from the writer.
I believe he’s upset because someone said something negative about the Chicago Bears and the writer took exceptional offense to anyone saying something bad about the Bears.
Apparently, it doesn’t matter whether what was said negatively is the truth or not, only that it was said.
Age & Longevity As A Fan
http://12thmanrising.com/2008/07/20/keeping-it-real/
“This brings me to the purpose of this piece. I want to finally lay down the law on what constitutes a true fan. Nothing pisses me off more than meeting someone who tells me that they are Cowboy fan, “Because I’ve always just liked them.” What the hell is that all about? What they mean to say is that, “During the 90’s when they were really good, I decided to hitch my wagon to a winner and it felt so good rooting for all of those Super Bowls that I decided to stick around.”
I know, total crap right? As we all know, it was easy rooting for the Cowboys when they were running rough shot through the league. Who didn’t enjoy the show when the triplets dominated the NFC? But “fans” like this are missing the essence of being a fan.
Bottom line, the best part of being a fan is being able to celebrate when success finally shines upon your squad. When you were in the stands watching that 2-14 season, that Super Bowl victory is so much sweeter (I image…remember this is a Seahawks blog.)
When you jump from team to team because it just happens to be their turn in the winners circle defeats the entire purpose of being a fan. It isn’t rocket science to determine which team you should root for.
As a matter of fact it can be determined this easily. Either your ass lives in the state, has lived in the state, or one of your immediate relatives are from the state. Case closed”
This is another site that wasn’t specifically a Cowboys site, but they discuss the Cowboys in particular and fanhood. I personally object to him laying the law down regarding what a true fan is without proving he has the authority to do so. This tirade is his opinion and nothing more, apparently.
He also discusses longevity as a fan and claims one cannot be a true fan if one hasn’t paid one’s dues by supporting the team through the hard times. Only supporting a team when they become winners makes you a “fairweather fan”, which is another whole study and goes beyond the scope of this article.
Age & Longevity As A Fan
http://www.overstock.com/Home-Garden/Dallas-Cowboys-Comforter-and-Sheet-Set-Twin/2659963/product.html
“True fans start young and you can support them with this FANtastic comforter set Ideal for the Cowboys fan in your life, the set includes comforter, flat sheet, fitted sheet and two pillowcases (one in twin set)”
A mere $49.99, however those desiring to support the "true fan" in their life will have to wait because they are out of stock.
Clothing & Dress
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/35952-nfl-fans-support-your-team
“A fan of a less than successful team doesn't necessarily hate on the teams that win, but it doesn't mean that we necessarily like them either. I am an Eagles fan living in Atlanta, which is ok since there are very few real Falcon's fans.
I just wanted to comment that I am indeed a Cowboys hater, primarily because they are division rivals. Obviously the Eagles-Cowboys rivalry has been a big part of the lives of true fans of either of these teams.
What I find the most irritating are the "fans" that claim loyalty to a team that
A) Have no connection to the team or city (primarily bandwagoners)
B) "Fans" that can't name any player on the offensive or defensive line and doesn't even know who the coaches are
C) "Fans" that sport the "in" jersey but yet know nothing about the player they have on their back.
Of course, some could make the arguement that an exception could be made in certain situations- for example, my girlfriend is in possession of my Brian Westbrook jersey however knows only that he is #36, a running back, and had the most yards from scrimmage in the league last year (because I've drilled it into her). In this situation, I am ok with the jersey-wearer not being informed however these girls (or guys in some rare instances) should not call themselves fans until they have demonstrated knowledge of the game, the position of the player and the name of his back-up, the college the player attended, what round they went in the draft (or from what team they were aquired from in free agency), and the ability to pick a buffalo wing clean.”
So, regular fans must know these things before they can call themselves a “fan”.Some sort of “connection” to the city the team is from is also apparently necessary. Apparently, some knowledge of the coaches is necessary. Presumably, a “true fan” would have a much deeper knowledge of the game and the players than an ordinary fan..
Clothing & Dress
http://search.neckties.com/search.aspx?Action=11&Grid=0&SH=QT1EYWxsYXMgQ293Ym95cyB_Qj1EYWxsYXMgQ293Ym95cyB_RD0xMn5JPVByaWNlfks9NH5MPTF_TT0xfg&SI=95884560-f898-45d2-8927-f417ac607715
“NFL Dallas Cowboys Grid black polyester ties.
There are the fair weather fans and then there are the true fans. Those diehard fans that journey out to New Cowboys Stadium every Sunday, rain or shine. This necktie is for the diehards. Featured within is a detailed patter of Dallas Cowboys logos set atop a rich woven black background. With silks and design as fine and sharp as Cowboys fans, this necktie is a necessity for any who call themselves a true Cowboys fan. Don't be caught without it come game day!”
True fans journey out to New Cowboys Stadium every Sunday, regardless of weather and it is necessary that they wear this necktie.
Clothing & Dress
http://www.amiannoying.com/(S(craik155hhs4vl45mnpr1355))/view.aspx?id=9009&collection=1443
True fans often dress or paint themselves in the team colors of Royal Blue and Metallic Silver.
I looked at Cowboys jerseys this evening. They were on sale for $69.99.
Clothing & Dress
http://www.stylefeeder.com/i/9nm5qh14/Dallas-Cowboys-Star-Toe-Ring-Solid-Sterling-Silver
“Show Your Team Spirit with this Officially Licensed high quality product. Logo Art manufactures the broadest and most elegant collection of collegiate and sports licensed jewelry products. Constructed using metal molds and injected plastic patterns to give repeatable and highly detailed castings. Then, each piece is hand filed and polished to give it a handsome finish. A must have for all true Fans. Most products are available in 14k & 10k gold and sterling silver.”
OK, for those that didn’t click on the link above, this is a Dallas Cowboys Toe Ring. “A must have for all true Fans.” Don’t blame me. I didn’t write it.
Geography
http://12thmanrising.com/2008/07/20/keeping-it-real/
“This brings me to the purpose of this piece. I want to finally lay down the law on what constitutes a true fan. Nothing pisses me off more than meeting someone who tells me that they are Cowboy fan, “Because I’ve always just liked them.” What the hell is that all about?
What they mean to say is that, “During the 90’s when they were really good, I decided to hitch my wagon to a winner and it felt so good rooting for all of those Super Bowls that I decided to stick around.”
I know, total crap right? As we all know, it was easy rooting for the Cowboys when they were running rough shot through the league. Who didn’t enjoy the show when the triplets dominated the NFC? But “fans” like this are missing the essence of being a fan.
Bottom line, the best part of being a fan is being able to celebrate when success finally shines upon your squad. When you were in the stands watching that 2-14 season, that Super Bowl victory is so much sweeter (I image…remember this is a Seahawks blog.)
When you jump from team to team because it just happens to be their turn in the winners circle defeats the entire purpose of being a fan.
It isn’t rocket science to determine which team you should root for. As a matter of fact it can be determined this easily. Either your ass lives in the state, has lived in the state, or one of your immediate relatives are from the state. Case closed”
This is another site that wasn’t specifically a Cowboys site, but they discuss the Cowboys in particular and fanhood. I personally object to him laying the law down regarding what a true fan is without proving he has the authority to do so. This tirade is his opinion, apparently.
I left this part in my article because he does show that geography has a large part to your qualifications as a true fan. Apparently, to be a true fan, one must live in the state currently, must have lived in the state in the past or have immediate relatives that are from the state, in order for you to qualify to be a fan of a particular team.
If you have never lived in Texas, do not live in Texas currently, and do not have immediate family from Texas, you do not qualify as a true fan. As he said “Case closed”.
Geography
http://www.yardbarker.com/nfl/articles/BEST_FANS_IN_FOOTBALLwho_tops_the_list_you_ask/301618
“This fan base, which was really a bunch of band wagon jumpers during the Aikman-Irvin-Emmitt dynasty, apparently has transformed into die-hards. With fans in every city, "America's Team" is wildly popular. Simpletons flock to the star and seem to be enamored with it. Of course, the rules about cheering for a team you have no connection with is still a violation.”
A violation of what? I presume he’s referring to this generally held belief that a fan must have a “connection” to the team they claim to be a fan of or they’re violating some cosmic standard rule of applied physics.
Knowledge
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/35952-nfl-fans-support-your-team
“A fan of a less than successful team doesn't necessarily hate on the teams that win, but it doesn't mean that we necessarily like them either. I am an Eagles fan living in Atlanta, which is ok since there are very few real Falcon's fans.
I just wanted to comment that I am indeed a Cowboys hater, primarily because they are division rivals. Obviously the Eagles-Cowboys rivalry has been a big part of the lives of true fans of either of these teams.
What I find the most irritating are the "fans" that claim loyalty to a team that
A) Have no connection to the team or city (primarily bandwagoners)
B) "Fans" that can't name any player on the offensive or defensive line and doesn't even know who the coaches are
C) "Fans" that sport the "in" jersey but yet know nothing about the player they have on their back. Of course, some could make the arguement that an exception could be made in certain situations- for example, my girlfriend is in possession of my Brian Westbrook jersey however knows only that he is #36, a running back, and had the most yards from scrimmage in the league last year (because I've drilled it into her).
In this situation, I am ok with the jersey-wearer not being informed however these girls (or guys in some rare instances) should not call themselves fans until they have demonstrated knowledge of the game, the position of the player and the name of his back-up, the college the player attended, what round they went in the draft (or from what team they were aquired from in free agency), and the ability to pick a buffalo wing clean.”
So, regular fans must know these things before they can call themselves a “fan”.Some sort of “connection” to the city the team is from is also apparently necessary. Apparently, some knowledge of the coaches is necessary. Presumably, a “true fan” would have a much deeper knowledge of the game and the players.
Loyalty
http://www.topix.com/forum/source/newsday/T4B2TP5S3LE9QEANG
“Dallas won both games os to say we'll win is kind of crazy I agree. But we do have a shot at this stage those other two games don't matter. The 91 before this don't. This is the biggest game in this rivalries history. Eli has taken a step back but the Giants running games is better than the Cowboys.
Eli also ranks in the top ten in most categories(sufficient)in an overall down year for qb's not named Brady,Favre and Romo or P.Manning.
All true fans and or pundints know the Cowboys secondary is suspect and that their running game isn't all its cracked up to be. Lets not pretend that the Giants don't have an excellent front seven(led the league in sacks), as well. Like I said we lost twice so its tough to be cocky, but I know we are a live underdog.”
I gave the Eagles and Redskins fans a presence in this article. I might as well let the Giants fans run their mouth, too. I would point out that this person puts “true fans” and “pundits” into the same classification. There must be a hidden meaning there somewhere.
Loyalty
http://www.sportsfilter.com/news/9144/most-popular-nfl-teams-order-cowboys
“I don't think steelerbroad meant that those teams are the only ones with "true fans". Of course other teams have true fans. I think she means that a large percentage of the fanbase in those cities are not fairweather fans. Those 3 teams will always be near the top of these type of polls.”
Other teams can have “true fans” also.
Loyalty
http://lonestarstruck.com/blog1/2008/03/pacman_to_the_cowboys_oh_no_sa.htm
“I love my Cowboys as all other true fans do.”
No comment is necessary to this.
Loyalty
http://www.bearsgab.com/2008/07/08/dead-end-ahead-road-to-super-bowl-blocked-by-lack-of-offense/
“So called fans like you are a joke! The only dead end is the blood flowing to your brain! It is fair weather fans like you we can do without! With so called fans like you,who needs enemies!
The sky is always falling in your mind. The glass is always half empty.Why do you even bother,if everything is so bad? Your a joke, that does not understand the game of football or the Financial end of it.Thank god you are not making the decisions!
I have been a die hard bear fan for 38 years.You have no clue what a true fan is all about.True fans support their teams.True fans dont talk smack about their team or back stab their players.True fans are there win or lose.You are probably too young to understand what a true fan is.You only support when the going is good.
No team stays on top all the time,get a clue.TRUE BEAR FANS ARE PROUD & BLEED BLUE!! You probably are too young to even know what bleeding blue is! The true die hard Bear fans know what i am talking about.
We need fans who support our team,not dig for negativities constantly! You should join the packers or Cowboys,if you dont like what the bears bring on sundays.Your opinions are idiotic,& us true fans dont care.
Send your opinions to Mariotti,Die hard bear fans dont care to hear it.True fans start out each year with hope,not despair.The games havent even been played yet!! If you dont enjoy being a fan,your not a fan. Be a Fan or be Gone !!!! GO BEARS!!! YOUR TRUE FANS BELIEVE,& WILL ALWAYS BE THERE FOR YOU!!”
I debated on adding this to my article, but there’s just so much in there that helps to show us what a “true fan” is. It’s difficult to ascertain exactly what he’s talking about, between the misspellings/poor grammar (which is apparently approved for true fan usage) and the absolute beligerence coming from the writer.
Apparently youths cannot be true fans either, nor could they have any knowledge about the team or its true fans.
Loyalty
http://www.igglesblog.com/iggles_blog/2008/09/a-must-win-game.html
“The team itself also seems raaaaaaather confident as well. (I covered this in detail a few weeks ago. I'm not nauseating myself by doing it again.) It's as if that whole organization, the local media ("Dallas Cowboys' greatest obstacles are history, high expectations"), its true fans, and all those wannabe front-runners across the nation believe Dallas' appearance in the NFC Championship Game is simply a matter of scheduling ("That third Sunday of January good for you?") rather that a goal to be achieved.”
I threw this in just because it’s an Eagles fan writing it. I wonder if he’s feeling any different after last Monday’s game.
Loyalty
http://www.amiannoying.com/(S(craik155hhs4vl45mnpr1355))/view.aspx?id=9009&collection=1443
"True fans bleed Blue and Silver."
If they do, they need medical attention, quickly.
Loyalty
http://www.amiannoying.com/(S(craik155hhs4vl45mnpr1355))/view.aspx?id=9009&collection=1443
"True fans have the audacity to claim that the hole in the roof of their stadium is there so that God could watch His team."
Apparently, Jerry Jones believes this also. He's putting in a new hole in the room (although this one can be closed) hoping God comes back after a dozen years of no playoff wins.
Loyalty
http://www.amiannoying.com/(S(craik155hhs4vl45mnpr1355))/view.aspx?id=9009&collection=1443
"True fans like to shout the phrase made famous by former head coach Jimmy Johnson, 'How 'bout them Cowboys!"
Everyone knows it's "dem Cowboys!", not "them Cowboys!".
Loyalty
http://www.amiannoying.com/(S(craik155hhs4vl45mnpr1355))/view.aspx?id=9009&collection=1443
"True fans love their mascot."
Personally, I miss Whistling Ray.
Loyalty
http://www.amiannoying.com/(S(craik155hhs4vl45mnpr1355))/view.aspx?id=9009&collection=1443
"True fans refer to the Cowboys as 'America's Team'."
Well, duhh!!!
Loyalty
http://www.totalcowboys.addr.com/nfceastrankings2000.htm
“True fans will follow the season and watch Emmitt Smith run his way into NFL history.”
Presumably, this only pertains to true fans who were around when Emmitt Smith was still playing for the Cowboys and they are no longer required to follow that season or watch Emmitt Smith run any longer.
Hopefully, today’s true fans are not required to watch Emmitt Smith run his mouth as an announcer. There is a constitutional right against cruel and inhuman punishment, afterall.
Loyalty
http://www.nydailynews.com/forums/thread.jspa?threadID=34846
“What a shame... we were so close to cutting Manning's dead weight last year and he was booed at home more than he was cheered and now the fairweather fans love him because of a hail mary. I guess it's just football fans these days, hardly any true fans who actually stick to their convictions even if the truth is right there to see.”
This not a Cowboys-specific posting, but it does show us that true fans actually stick to their convictions, even if the truth is slapping them in the face.
Loyalty
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20080411005801AA1Upuc
"When asked why you like the team you like, true fans will say: “ it's not the wins or losses that matter dont get me wrong its very important BUT its all about the team you have been loyal to forever no matter what the record be!!!”
Miscellaneous
http://www.amiannoying.com/(S(craik155hhs4vl45mnpr1355))/view.aspx?id=9009&collection=1443
"True fans are sometimes distracted by team cheerleaders who are as famous as the team."
Double Duhh!!!!!
Other Purchases
http://www.overstock.com/Home-Garden/Dallas-Cowboys-Comforter-and-Sheet-Set-Twin/2659963/product.html
“True fans start young and you can support them with this FANtastic comforter set Ideal for the Cowboys fan in your life, the set includes comforter, flat sheet, fitted sheet and two pillowcases (one in twin set)”
A mere $49.99, however those desiring to support the "true fan" in their life will have to wait because they are out of stock.
Other Purchases
http://www.american-flag.com/content/Car_Flags.htm
“Where and when the car flag became so trendy is debatable. Waving flags at sporting events goes back many years and is a part of the soccer culture in Europe and South America. But tailgating is the quintessential American way to party and proudly waving the standards of the New York Yankees, the Dallas Cowboys, Jeff Gordon's # 24 and the LSU Tigers is paramount to identifying yourself as a true fan.”
This is how you can identify yourself as a true fan. Stick a Dallas Cowboys car flag on your vehicle.
Loyalty
http://www.amiannoying.com/(S(craik155hhs4vl45mnpr1355))/view.aspx?id=9009&collection=1443
"True fans root for their team."
That's like saying "Colonel Sanders liked fried chicken!"
Spelling & Grammar
http://cowboysblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2008/05/observing-the-dallas-cowboys-otas.html
“Its guys that feel the need to correct a guy doing a fun gig for Cowboy fans that validates all the sheeottt I have fed "Cow-Girl" fans over the past 4 months - what effen losers!!! Why do you think that we have no access from either the players and/or the media? It's BC of a-holes that nit-pick!!!!!!! JC this is not rocket science it is football and I want to see inside of it as much as possible!!!!! But cocker-blockers like the "Proper English Grammar Guys", who will be obsolete down the road soon, keep effen it up! Congrats - we have no new info BC of you guys! Go away and let us true fans try to figure out the game with assistance from the people who in the future would not be afraid to give it w/out repercussions from the grammar police!!! Go back and read Chaucer and Yeats and Poe if you want the proper English and meter!”
True fans get somewhat upset when their grammar is corrected.
So, there you have it. Everything you need to know to determine whether you're a "true fan" or not. I found all this information right there on the internet, so we all know it must be true.
Now, to review the criteria one must meet to qualify as a "true fan, here's the list:
True fans do get to the stadium early.
True fans of each team hate each other far more than any of the players hate anyone in the League.
True fans become repressed, they fail in their relationships with women, their conversation is trivial and boorish, they find themselves unable to express their emotional needs, they cannot relate to their children, and they die alone and miserable.
True fans can voice their displeasure with an underachieving team. But they remain loyal.
True fans can and do get angry at Jerry Jones.
True fans don't care whether what was said negatively is the truth or not, only that it was said. And they don't like it.
True fans have paid their dues by supporting the team through the hard times.
True fans start young.
True fans have a "connection" with the geographic area where their team resides.
True fans journey out to New Cowboys Stadium every Sunday, regardless of weather and it is necessary that they wear this necktie.
True fans often dress or paint themselves in the team colors of Royal Blue and Metallic Silver.
True fans have and wear a Dallas Cowboys Toe Ring.
True fans must live in the state currently, must have lived in the state in the past or have immediate relatives that are from the state their favorite team resides in, in order for them to qualify to be a true fan of a particular team.
True fans may make misspellings and grammar mistakes at will and without repurcussion.
Youths cannot be true, nor could they have any knowledge about the team or its true fans.
True fans can lie without penalty about bleeding silver and blue.
True fans claim that the hole in the roof of their stadium is there so that God could watch His team.
True fans like to shout the phrase made famous by former head coach Jimmy Johnson, 'How 'bout them Cowboys!
True fans love their mascot.
True fans refer to the Cowboys as 'America's Team'.
True fans are confused about whether to watch Emmitt or not.
True fans actually stick to their convictions, even if the truth is slapping them in the face.
True fans are sometimes distracted by team cheerleaders who are as famous as the team.
True fans have a Dallas Cowboys flag on their vehicle.
True fans root for their team.
True fans get somewhat upset when their grammar is corrected.
Now, if I get in the mood at some point, I'll investigate what a "hater", a "real fan", a "bandwagoner" and a "so-called fan" is.
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
Look Guys. . . .
I guess I just have an active imagination, but I consider myself pretty good at getting mental images of various things and events. To set the stage for this one, I guess you need to read this.
OK, so now you know what she did. Here's what I think he (Tony Romo) did.
First of all, I envision him at his home. He's up early because he knows she's going to be on Good Morning America and he wants to see how she does. So he's diddling around his home, having breakfast, getting dressed, showering, etc. and not necessarily in that order. The television is on and finally she's on TV. There's a glitch when she's not able to hear herself because of something wrong with the sound system or the settings. At any rate, he hears her say "Go Cowboys". His head snaps towards the television. He knows she's in Philadelphia. Then he hears her say "That's next week! We're gonna kick your butts, too!"
Now, females don't quite understand the male/macho need to not be embarassed by your woman. Tony Romo is riding a wave of success in the NFL, a man's game. His team is mentioned daily right now as being the most probable team to represent the NFC in the Superbowl. Romo's the field general. He is the most macho of the macho. He's a good looking guy, making tons of money, and leading one of the hottest teams in the NFL. When Tony Romo speaks, everyone listens. To say that Tony Romo wouldn't have a problem finding a dinner date is a huge understatement. There are probably thousands, if not millions of females who would trade places with Jessica Simpson in a heartbeat. But he picked Jessica.
And now, she's opened up her mouth.
It's not like he can pretend it didn't happen. It was on Good Morning America. I think they record their viewership in bazillions or gozillions, I forget which.
So he can't hide from it. He remembers last year when she showed up for the Philly game wearing the pink shirt. And the Cowboys lost 10-6. The Jessica Curse was announced. Now she's told all Philly fans, plus the team, plus most of the civilized world that "We're gonna kick your butts, too!"
It's Tuesday, and there's no practice, so Tony decides that since it's 5 o'clock somewhere, he'll have a beer. He spends the rest of the day going about his business, but her words linger in his mind all day long.
Wednesday morning arrives and he gets up, does the breakfast/shaving/getting dressed/etc. thing again and heads to Valley Ranch. When he parks his car, he lingers for a few minutes, knowing the guys are going to be in there, knowing there's no way he's getting out of the locker room without someone saying something. It would be be a travesty of maleness if someone didn't bring it up. He knows it's coming. So he gathers up the courage and goes inside.
He walks in the locker room and notices that conversations cease, sees guys looking at each other. There's not many guys smiling or joking. What few are seem to stop as he walks to his locker.
Finally, the inevitable. . . . one of the guys says "Man, can't you keep that bitch quiet?"
Someone else says "they (the Eagles) probably have that sh** taped on their wall".
Tony can feel the heat of the red flush of embarassment creep up his neck and into his face.
Someone says "Man, you need to control her better than you're doing."
Now we're talking loss of manhood here. This is a male society, macho, manly. Men should not be dealing with the aftermath of some silly woman running her mouth. Tony knows they're right. He didn't control his woman.
Someone else says something, but Tony is so deep in thought the words don't register.
Finally, he turns to the crowd that has gathered and sees all eyes on him. He looks down at his shoes for a brief second and says "Look guys. . . it's just good pu**y." He looks at the crowd, lips somewhat pursed, shrugs his shoulders and turns back to his locker.
The guys look at each other. For a moment no one says anything. Then one guy shrugs his shoulders and kind of nods his head. More heads begin to nod. Someone says "OK, I can see that". The crowd breaks up and everyone goes about their business.
Tony sighs in relief. The embarassment is over. He explained the whole thing with four words. He's still a man. He's still the king of the Cowboys.
OK, so now you know what she did. Here's what I think he (Tony Romo) did.
First of all, I envision him at his home. He's up early because he knows she's going to be on Good Morning America and he wants to see how she does. So he's diddling around his home, having breakfast, getting dressed, showering, etc. and not necessarily in that order. The television is on and finally she's on TV. There's a glitch when she's not able to hear herself because of something wrong with the sound system or the settings. At any rate, he hears her say "Go Cowboys". His head snaps towards the television. He knows she's in Philadelphia. Then he hears her say "That's next week! We're gonna kick your butts, too!"
Now, females don't quite understand the male/macho need to not be embarassed by your woman. Tony Romo is riding a wave of success in the NFL, a man's game. His team is mentioned daily right now as being the most probable team to represent the NFC in the Superbowl. Romo's the field general. He is the most macho of the macho. He's a good looking guy, making tons of money, and leading one of the hottest teams in the NFL. When Tony Romo speaks, everyone listens. To say that Tony Romo wouldn't have a problem finding a dinner date is a huge understatement. There are probably thousands, if not millions of females who would trade places with Jessica Simpson in a heartbeat. But he picked Jessica.
And now, she's opened up her mouth.
It's not like he can pretend it didn't happen. It was on Good Morning America. I think they record their viewership in bazillions or gozillions, I forget which.
So he can't hide from it. He remembers last year when she showed up for the Philly game wearing the pink shirt. And the Cowboys lost 10-6. The Jessica Curse was announced. Now she's told all Philly fans, plus the team, plus most of the civilized world that "We're gonna kick your butts, too!"
It's Tuesday, and there's no practice, so Tony decides that since it's 5 o'clock somewhere, he'll have a beer. He spends the rest of the day going about his business, but her words linger in his mind all day long.
Wednesday morning arrives and he gets up, does the breakfast/shaving/getting dressed/etc. thing again and heads to Valley Ranch. When he parks his car, he lingers for a few minutes, knowing the guys are going to be in there, knowing there's no way he's getting out of the locker room without someone saying something. It would be be a travesty of maleness if someone didn't bring it up. He knows it's coming. So he gathers up the courage and goes inside.
He walks in the locker room and notices that conversations cease, sees guys looking at each other. There's not many guys smiling or joking. What few are seem to stop as he walks to his locker.
Finally, the inevitable. . . . one of the guys says "Man, can't you keep that bitch quiet?"
Someone else says "they (the Eagles) probably have that sh** taped on their wall".
Tony can feel the heat of the red flush of embarassment creep up his neck and into his face.
Someone says "Man, you need to control her better than you're doing."
Now we're talking loss of manhood here. This is a male society, macho, manly. Men should not be dealing with the aftermath of some silly woman running her mouth. Tony knows they're right. He didn't control his woman.
Someone else says something, but Tony is so deep in thought the words don't register.
Finally, he turns to the crowd that has gathered and sees all eyes on him. He looks down at his shoes for a brief second and says "Look guys. . . it's just good pu**y." He looks at the crowd, lips somewhat pursed, shrugs his shoulders and turns back to his locker.
The guys look at each other. For a moment no one says anything. Then one guy shrugs his shoulders and kind of nods his head. More heads begin to nod. Someone says "OK, I can see that". The crowd breaks up and everyone goes about their business.
Tony sighs in relief. The embarassment is over. He explained the whole thing with four words. He's still a man. He's still the king of the Cowboys.
Monday, September 8, 2008
Not this year. . . .
My blog is about reality. Sometimes reality doesn't fit so well with the denizens in Cowboys Nation. But it's still reality. So here's some reality for you.
I watch several of the Cowboys related message boards and have for several years. Historically, Cowboys fans by this point time have lathered themselves into such a frenzy that message traffic is at a pinnacle for the year.
Arguments about particular players and their (perceived) impending positive effect on the team abound. As an example, one says "Quincy Carter will lead us to the promised land". Another says he isn't. Then the arguments about whether Terrell Owens should be brought in or not. Differences in opinion fueled the message boards. Everyone had an opinion and few were reticent to voice them.
Not this year.
This year, there has been a marked and quite noticeable decrease in message traffic during training camp and preseason. Normally, this time of the year, one can log onto the message boards and easily spend an hour viewing new posts, reading new articles about the Cowboys and just generally keeping up with what's going on in Cowboys land. But this year, I can peruse three or four different Cowboys message boards and be through in half an hour at most.
Has eleven years of high (although false) expectations finally sunk in? Are today's fans finally convinced that until the Cowboys prove to us they can end their regular season by winning more games than they lose in December, those fan's aren't going to invest the emotion and money (Read that, Mr. Jones!) into a team that has let them down year after year after year.
Jerry Jones has predicted Superbowl seasons every year practically since they actually did have one back in '95.
Not this year.
I have no doubt he believes this team has the potential to make it to the Superbowl. Whether he's thinking that mentioning the "S" word might somehow jinx them, I don't know. I just know he's dodging that word like he would dodge a Texas rattlesnake.
The players aren't talking smack either. Most of them stay away from the "S" word also. But what's most interesting is that the fans online aren't talking smack about Superbowls either. Sure, you hear one occasionally, but more often than not, if they do mention going to the Superbowl, there's a caveat included about the Cowboys cratering in December or being able to win one playoff game first.
It appears to me that regardless of what we want, the reality of what the Cowboys have shown us for eleven years has set in for most of us. Perinneal losers is the reality. Losing more games in December than they won is the reality. Going into the playoffs on a negative note is the reality. Getting our hopes up as fans only to be disappointed at season end is the reality. Can they change that reality.
Of course. but until they do, reality remains as it is.
We've seen one game so far this season. The Cowboys looked great in almost every facet of the game, handily giving the Browns a 28-10 defeat. For the first time since 1995, we got to see a Dallas offense step onto the football field and just methodically march the ball downfield, seemingly indifferent to what the Browns were trying to do defensively. We haven't seen a Dallas offense with that kind of swagger since the last Cowboys Superbowl season in 1995.
Now, does that mean they're to clear off the shelf for the new trophy? Does it mean the Cowboys will play like that all season? Of course not. It means they owned the Browns yesterday. There are 15 more games to be played this regular season. Four of those are in December. The Cowboys suck in December. They have for 13 years straight. That's the reality.
On, January 1, 2007, I wrote this in my blog:
"To those that might possibly read this that can actually effect a change in the Cowboys organization, be aware that not every fan is going to be like me. Not every one of them is going to return to the trough every year for more of the putrid feed you've been serving us for the past 11 years. Some of those fans are going to find other teams to root for, or another sport. Those fans won't spend money on your merchandise and tickets. And that will make your cash register smaller. And that will mean you have less money to spend in places you really need to spend money. The formula is really quite simple.
Win Games = More Money, Lose Games = Less Money"
Here we are in 2008 now, facing another season with hopes (albeit rather quiet hopes this year). It's hard to get fired up for this team at this point. Yes, they looked good yesterday. But we all ate the cheese last year when they entered December having lost only one game. The December Meltdown showed up right on cue and they went into the playoffs on a downward spiral, only to lose to the Giants, a team they had already beaten twice last season.
No, eating the cheese is much harder this season. How can we get fired up in September. Or even October. We did that last year. Or November. We did that last year, too. Do we want to go spend a ton of money on Cowboys paraphenalia before December? I don't. And I firmly believe there are lots of other fans that don't, either. There are few things worse than watching your favorite team just turn into mush. Is this silence an indication that the fans are hanging onto their hard earned dollars until they see some viable positive results from the Cowboys? I contend it is. And I believe this was inevitable. Most loyalties are a matter of convenience. We want to feel like "our team" is the best. When "our team" wins, we feel better. "Our team" has disappointed us for years. And I contend many are jumping ship because of it. At the least, many are holding on to their dollars until they see some results. If Jerry Jones hasn't already seen a change in his bottom line, I truly believe he will.
Now, if the Cowboys play the rest of the season (that includes December!) like they did yesterday, then I believe they can go all the way. Yes, I'm talking Superbowl Championship winners. World Champions.
If they crater in December, regardless of their record before then, they will not go to the Superbowl.
Now, is that a prediction?
Not this year. . . . .
I wouldn't want to interrupt the silence. . . .
Rod
I watch several of the Cowboys related message boards and have for several years. Historically, Cowboys fans by this point time have lathered themselves into such a frenzy that message traffic is at a pinnacle for the year.
Arguments about particular players and their (perceived) impending positive effect on the team abound. As an example, one says "Quincy Carter will lead us to the promised land". Another says he isn't. Then the arguments about whether Terrell Owens should be brought in or not. Differences in opinion fueled the message boards. Everyone had an opinion and few were reticent to voice them.
Not this year.
This year, there has been a marked and quite noticeable decrease in message traffic during training camp and preseason. Normally, this time of the year, one can log onto the message boards and easily spend an hour viewing new posts, reading new articles about the Cowboys and just generally keeping up with what's going on in Cowboys land. But this year, I can peruse three or four different Cowboys message boards and be through in half an hour at most.
Has eleven years of high (although false) expectations finally sunk in? Are today's fans finally convinced that until the Cowboys prove to us they can end their regular season by winning more games than they lose in December, those fan's aren't going to invest the emotion and money (Read that, Mr. Jones!) into a team that has let them down year after year after year.
Jerry Jones has predicted Superbowl seasons every year practically since they actually did have one back in '95.
Not this year.
I have no doubt he believes this team has the potential to make it to the Superbowl. Whether he's thinking that mentioning the "S" word might somehow jinx them, I don't know. I just know he's dodging that word like he would dodge a Texas rattlesnake.
The players aren't talking smack either. Most of them stay away from the "S" word also. But what's most interesting is that the fans online aren't talking smack about Superbowls either. Sure, you hear one occasionally, but more often than not, if they do mention going to the Superbowl, there's a caveat included about the Cowboys cratering in December or being able to win one playoff game first.
It appears to me that regardless of what we want, the reality of what the Cowboys have shown us for eleven years has set in for most of us. Perinneal losers is the reality. Losing more games in December than they won is the reality. Going into the playoffs on a negative note is the reality. Getting our hopes up as fans only to be disappointed at season end is the reality. Can they change that reality.
Of course. but until they do, reality remains as it is.
We've seen one game so far this season. The Cowboys looked great in almost every facet of the game, handily giving the Browns a 28-10 defeat. For the first time since 1995, we got to see a Dallas offense step onto the football field and just methodically march the ball downfield, seemingly indifferent to what the Browns were trying to do defensively. We haven't seen a Dallas offense with that kind of swagger since the last Cowboys Superbowl season in 1995.
Now, does that mean they're to clear off the shelf for the new trophy? Does it mean the Cowboys will play like that all season? Of course not. It means they owned the Browns yesterday. There are 15 more games to be played this regular season. Four of those are in December. The Cowboys suck in December. They have for 13 years straight. That's the reality.
On, January 1, 2007, I wrote this in my blog:
"To those that might possibly read this that can actually effect a change in the Cowboys organization, be aware that not every fan is going to be like me. Not every one of them is going to return to the trough every year for more of the putrid feed you've been serving us for the past 11 years. Some of those fans are going to find other teams to root for, or another sport. Those fans won't spend money on your merchandise and tickets. And that will make your cash register smaller. And that will mean you have less money to spend in places you really need to spend money. The formula is really quite simple.
Win Games = More Money, Lose Games = Less Money"
Here we are in 2008 now, facing another season with hopes (albeit rather quiet hopes this year). It's hard to get fired up for this team at this point. Yes, they looked good yesterday. But we all ate the cheese last year when they entered December having lost only one game. The December Meltdown showed up right on cue and they went into the playoffs on a downward spiral, only to lose to the Giants, a team they had already beaten twice last season.
No, eating the cheese is much harder this season. How can we get fired up in September. Or even October. We did that last year. Or November. We did that last year, too. Do we want to go spend a ton of money on Cowboys paraphenalia before December? I don't. And I firmly believe there are lots of other fans that don't, either. There are few things worse than watching your favorite team just turn into mush. Is this silence an indication that the fans are hanging onto their hard earned dollars until they see some viable positive results from the Cowboys? I contend it is. And I believe this was inevitable. Most loyalties are a matter of convenience. We want to feel like "our team" is the best. When "our team" wins, we feel better. "Our team" has disappointed us for years. And I contend many are jumping ship because of it. At the least, many are holding on to their dollars until they see some results. If Jerry Jones hasn't already seen a change in his bottom line, I truly believe he will.
Now, if the Cowboys play the rest of the season (that includes December!) like they did yesterday, then I believe they can go all the way. Yes, I'm talking Superbowl Championship winners. World Champions.
If they crater in December, regardless of their record before then, they will not go to the Superbowl.
Now, is that a prediction?
Not this year. . . . .
I wouldn't want to interrupt the silence. . . .
Rod
Thursday, July 31, 2008
Jessica Simpson Reportedly Pregnant!!!
Remember, you heard it here first!!!
Oh, the rumor mill is buzzing with this one.
According to Pop On The Pop, Jessica Simpson may be pregnant! The photograph at this site does show a bit of a bulge in the tummy area, as well as what appears to be larger than her normal breasts. The site says:
"Jessica Simpson has gained at least 10 pounds and we finally know why. Jessica Simpson is pregnant with Tony Romo's baby. Ashlee's pregnant, Jessica had to have a baby of her own too."
According to PR-Inside.com:
Jessica Simpson has sparked rumours she is pregnant. The 'Come on Over' singer was photographed with an apparent baby bump as she celebrated her 28th birthday in Sherman Oaks, California, yesterday (10.07.08). Wearing a flowing, short-sleeved brown and white dress, topped off with a cowboy hat, Jessica grinned broadly as she walked along with friends, but appeared to have larger breasts and arms than usual. An onlooker said: "She definitely looked bigger than she usually does, and her breasts seemed to have swollen too. It could have just been down to a big lunch, but it looked like more than that. She also kept holding a grey jumper in front of her stomach, as if she was trying to hide something." Jessica - who is divorced from singer Nick Lachey - has reportedly been finding it hard to disguise her jealousy about her 23-year-old sister Ashlee's news she is expecting her first child with husband Pete Wentz. A source said: "Jessica has yearned for a baby for years. She's told friends that she can't wait to be a mom and has even joked that if she has to, she'll resort to making her hairstylist pal Ken Paves the adoptive daddy. Jessica never imagined that her tomboy younger sister would have a baby first. It would be very hard for her not to be jealous."
PopCrunch.com says:
Just what we needed.
Rod
Oh, the rumor mill is buzzing with this one.
According to Pop On The Pop, Jessica Simpson may be pregnant! The photograph at this site does show a bit of a bulge in the tummy area, as well as what appears to be larger than her normal breasts. The site says:
"Jessica Simpson has gained at least 10 pounds and we finally know why. Jessica Simpson is pregnant with Tony Romo's baby. Ashlee's pregnant, Jessica had to have a baby of her own too."
According to PR-Inside.com:
Jessica Simpson has sparked rumours she is pregnant. The 'Come on Over' singer was photographed with an apparent baby bump as she celebrated her 28th birthday in Sherman Oaks, California, yesterday (10.07.08). Wearing a flowing, short-sleeved brown and white dress, topped off with a cowboy hat, Jessica grinned broadly as she walked along with friends, but appeared to have larger breasts and arms than usual. An onlooker said: "She definitely looked bigger than she usually does, and her breasts seemed to have swollen too. It could have just been down to a big lunch, but it looked like more than that. She also kept holding a grey jumper in front of her stomach, as if she was trying to hide something." Jessica - who is divorced from singer Nick Lachey - has reportedly been finding it hard to disguise her jealousy about her 23-year-old sister Ashlee's news she is expecting her first child with husband Pete Wentz. A source said: "Jessica has yearned for a baby for years. She's told friends that she can't wait to be a mom and has even joked that if she has to, she'll resort to making her hairstylist pal Ken Paves the adoptive daddy. Jessica never imagined that her tomboy younger sister would have a baby first. It would be very hard for her not to be jealous."
PopCrunch.com says:
“She definitely looked bigger than she usually does, and her breasts seemed to have swollen too,” an onlooker says. “She also kept holding a grey jumper in front of her stomach, as if she was trying to hide something.”
And according to AndhraNews.net:
Jessica Simpson has sparked rumours that she too may be expecting after being with a 'baby bump' on her 28th birthday party in Sherman Oaks, California.
Jessica, who celebrated her birthday with her beau Tony Romo sporting a free flowing short sleeved, looking curvier than ever.
Nick Lachey's ex-wife appeared to have larger breasts and arms than usual with a slight bump on her tummy, which she was trying to hide with a grey jumper, reports news.com.au.
"She definitely looked bigger than she usually does, and her breasts seemed to have swollen too ... She also kept holding a grey jumper in front of her stomach, as if she was trying to hide something," an onlooker revealed.
If the reports are true, then Jessica's parents will become grandparents twice over, what with younger daughter Ashlee Simpson also expecting her first child with hubby Pete Wentz.
Is all this stuff true? Time will tell. If it isn't, we'll know soon enough. If it is, will it affect Tony Romo's performance on the field?Just what we needed.
Rod
The Unmentionables - July '08 Edition
Training camp is here, with preseason knocking on the door and a mere 38 days before the first game of the season arrives. There is little doubt that on paper this Cowboys team should be a serious contender. All of this hinges on the word "if", though.
There are some key players on the team that are quite simply critical for the success of the Dallas Cowboys. Losing one of these players changes the dynamics of the team and their ability to compete, which could turn the team from a serious contender to a "could have been" in a heartbeat.
The first and most obvious is Tony Romo. The expectation is that Romo will be a better, more competent, more confident quarterback. The hope is that he's as elusive and as durable as he's shown himself to be so far. But, if the unmentionable happens and he's injured, what do the Cowboys have in their arsenal for backup? Johnson and Bartel? A has-been kinda sorta and a kid. Gone are the elusive, "make it happen anyway" plays that Romo creates out of thin air often. No matter how good the offensive line is, they won't be able to stop the rush enough to make Johnson look competent. And Bartel so far in training camp has not left us with the warm fuzzies.
There's been talk about trading for Chris Simms, although the asking price at this point seems too high. Health concerns are a dark cloud over Simms at the moment. There's a lot of discussion about this subject at Blogging the Boys. I agree with the general opinion that Brad isn't the answer and that Simms is too expensive of an option at the moment. One thing I do believe, though, is that if Romo goes down, the Cowboys are in serious trouble.
The next obvious one is Terrell Owens. He is such a threat on offense that teams spend a week preparing to defend against him and still he burns them. But he has a history of injuries and missed games. If the unmentionable happens and Owens is injured the Cowboys offense changes immediately and becomes much easier to defend against.
At dallascowboys.com, Jonathan Hazel of Glen Allen, VI asked a question regarding the depth at the wide receiver position. Mickey, Rob and Nick all gave various reasons why the Cowboys didn't grab a wide receiver during the offseason or the draft. Frankly, I believe the Cowboys should have put a higher priority on the situation and hope that their lack of movement on this issue doesn't bite the team in the rear this season. Losing Owens could be a disaster.
The loss of either of those players could potentially be a threat to the season, depending on when it occurs. The loss of both would be monumentally damaging.
Terrence Newman is already down with an injury and missing training camp because of it. Coach Phillips described it as "significant". If it's keeping Newman off the field, give that statement a "well, duhhhh". The Cowboys are ripe with talent at cornerback, so Newman's injury alone, while unwanted, wouldn't necessarily put an end to a great season. But remember, Anthony Henry, the #2 cornerback has a history of being brittle, also. If the unmentionable occurs and both of them go down at the same time, things don't look so ripe anymore. Remember, some of that depth at cornerback is already in jeopardy with an injury to Ball.
An injury to Andre Gurode would be significant. He missed a couple games in 2007. While the Cowboys survived, the concensus of opinion is that the offense is much better with Gurode at Center. I concur. Much of Tony Romo's success hinges on the play of Andre Gurode. If this unmentionable happens, the offense will struggle, at least for a few games.
The Cowboys have a new starting running back. Not new to the Cowboys, but new as starter. Marion "the Barbarian" Barber is currently expected to be the starting running back. The question is, "can he be the main man taking most of the snaps playing at the intensity that is so natural for him?" No doubt that Felix Jones is going to get a share of the snaps and rightfully so. But can Barber stay healthy for an entire season as the primary running back? And if the unmentionable happens and he doesn't stay healthy, can Jones step up to the plate and deliver an effective running attack at the NFL level?
Jason Witten has become to Romo what Jay Novacek was to Troy Aikman. With Terry Glenn missing in action for most of last season, Witten's job became more and more important as the season progressed. He was effectively the #2 wide receiver. The Cowboys haven't hired a wide receiver with the experience and talent Glenn had, so expect Witten's job to be equally important this season. Tony Curtis is Witten's backup. If this unmentionable occurs and Witten goes down, it's a different offense for the Cowboys.
Keeping guys healthy is a priority, as it should be, but it is even more vital this season when the injury to just a couple of key players can make the difference between seriously contending for a Superbowl championship and yet another year of disappointments. Just don't mention it. It's a secret.
There are some key players on the team that are quite simply critical for the success of the Dallas Cowboys. Losing one of these players changes the dynamics of the team and their ability to compete, which could turn the team from a serious contender to a "could have been" in a heartbeat.
The first and most obvious is Tony Romo. The expectation is that Romo will be a better, more competent, more confident quarterback. The hope is that he's as elusive and as durable as he's shown himself to be so far. But, if the unmentionable happens and he's injured, what do the Cowboys have in their arsenal for backup? Johnson and Bartel? A has-been kinda sorta and a kid. Gone are the elusive, "make it happen anyway" plays that Romo creates out of thin air often. No matter how good the offensive line is, they won't be able to stop the rush enough to make Johnson look competent. And Bartel so far in training camp has not left us with the warm fuzzies.
There's been talk about trading for Chris Simms, although the asking price at this point seems too high. Health concerns are a dark cloud over Simms at the moment. There's a lot of discussion about this subject at Blogging the Boys. I agree with the general opinion that Brad isn't the answer and that Simms is too expensive of an option at the moment. One thing I do believe, though, is that if Romo goes down, the Cowboys are in serious trouble.
The next obvious one is Terrell Owens. He is such a threat on offense that teams spend a week preparing to defend against him and still he burns them. But he has a history of injuries and missed games. If the unmentionable happens and Owens is injured the Cowboys offense changes immediately and becomes much easier to defend against.
At dallascowboys.com, Jonathan Hazel of Glen Allen, VI asked a question regarding the depth at the wide receiver position. Mickey, Rob and Nick all gave various reasons why the Cowboys didn't grab a wide receiver during the offseason or the draft. Frankly, I believe the Cowboys should have put a higher priority on the situation and hope that their lack of movement on this issue doesn't bite the team in the rear this season. Losing Owens could be a disaster.
The loss of either of those players could potentially be a threat to the season, depending on when it occurs. The loss of both would be monumentally damaging.
Terrence Newman is already down with an injury and missing training camp because of it. Coach Phillips described it as "significant". If it's keeping Newman off the field, give that statement a "well, duhhhh". The Cowboys are ripe with talent at cornerback, so Newman's injury alone, while unwanted, wouldn't necessarily put an end to a great season. But remember, Anthony Henry, the #2 cornerback has a history of being brittle, also. If the unmentionable occurs and both of them go down at the same time, things don't look so ripe anymore. Remember, some of that depth at cornerback is already in jeopardy with an injury to Ball.
An injury to Andre Gurode would be significant. He missed a couple games in 2007. While the Cowboys survived, the concensus of opinion is that the offense is much better with Gurode at Center. I concur. Much of Tony Romo's success hinges on the play of Andre Gurode. If this unmentionable happens, the offense will struggle, at least for a few games.
The Cowboys have a new starting running back. Not new to the Cowboys, but new as starter. Marion "the Barbarian" Barber is currently expected to be the starting running back. The question is, "can he be the main man taking most of the snaps playing at the intensity that is so natural for him?" No doubt that Felix Jones is going to get a share of the snaps and rightfully so. But can Barber stay healthy for an entire season as the primary running back? And if the unmentionable happens and he doesn't stay healthy, can Jones step up to the plate and deliver an effective running attack at the NFL level?
Jason Witten has become to Romo what Jay Novacek was to Troy Aikman. With Terry Glenn missing in action for most of last season, Witten's job became more and more important as the season progressed. He was effectively the #2 wide receiver. The Cowboys haven't hired a wide receiver with the experience and talent Glenn had, so expect Witten's job to be equally important this season. Tony Curtis is Witten's backup. If this unmentionable occurs and Witten goes down, it's a different offense for the Cowboys.
Keeping guys healthy is a priority, as it should be, but it is even more vital this season when the injury to just a couple of key players can make the difference between seriously contending for a Superbowl championship and yet another year of disappointments. Just don't mention it. It's a secret.
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
I'm just mad as hell. . . .
And for a number of reasons which I'm going to elaborate on right now.
1. It makes me mad as hell that I'm embarassed about being a fan of a team that just tied their franchise record for season wins. They went 13-3 for the second time in the history of the team. Team records were set right and left last season. And what do we have to show for it? An entry in the record book and another one and done playoff record.
2. It makes me mad as hell that it's already training camp and for the first time in several seasons, we don't have fans on the Cowboys message boards touting how "this is the year" and "the Cowboys will win the Superbowl". It's deathly quiet out there. I see postings of articles written about Cowboys happenings, but those fans who are always ready to throw caution to the wind and declare this season's Cowboys as being the best team in the NFL are simply non-existant this year. Have the Cowboys gotten us to the point where we're sick of predicting great results only to see the same bad results year after year.
3. It makes me mad as hell to see someone say "America's Team" when if that were true, that simply means that when we get to where the rubber meets the road, America chokes and loses. If this is America's Team, it doesn't say much about America.
4. It makes me mad as hell that I can't get all fired up about the upcoming season when I know that none of it matters until we see whether they're going to choke, for the 13th year in a row, in December.
5. It makes me mad as hell that Jerry Jones managed during the offseason to accomplish most of the suggestions that I posted in my Cowboys blog (http://the-lightning-rod.blogspot.com/2008/01/ifs-and-december-and-lunacy.html) the morning after the Cowboys playoff loss in January including:
A. Draft a running back with one of the #1 picks
B. Julius Jones goes
C, Keep Barber, but as part of a "committee"
D. Re-sign Terrell Owens
E. Jacque Reeves and Roy Williams need to go (OK, he didn't get rid of Williams)
F. Crayton isn't good enough to be running his mouth (someone must have told him to shut up, he did)
G. Coach Phillips is and should remain the head coach.
H. Draft another good wide receiver. Or grab a good free agent. (OK, this one is still up for grabs)
Because Jerry Jones tended to most of these items, I'm now in the position where if the Cowboys have another one of those disappointing seasons, I'll look like I'm just another idiot out here spouting my mouth off about something I know little to nothing about. Thanks, Jerry.
6. I'm mad as hell about all the clouds certain personnel are having to operate under. Coach Phillips seems to get reminded daily that either he wins a Superbowl or he's gone. Or he's reminded that his replacement is right there down the hall, ready to take over at any moment. Tough way to live, if you ask me. Roy Williams with the cloud over him that he can't defend the pass. Perhaps if he'd simply defend passes that cloud would vanish. I know it's a strange concept, but hey, I'm mad as hell, remember. How about the cloud over the whole offense right now that says if Terrell Owens gets injured, the Cowboys offense becomes much easier to defend and their ability to move the ball drops drastically.
7. I'm mad as hell that the Cowboys continue yearly to be a disappointment, yet they're building the greatest sports venue in the world. Won't it be wonderful for us to look back and remember the Cowboys getting their collective asses handed to them in a huge loss in their first game at the new stadium? Fortunately, it won't be in December. Won't it be even more disappointing if you're one of the fans who has payed the high ticket prices only to watch your favorite team have another December Meltdown in their first season at the new stadium?
8. I'm mad as hell about being so damned mad as hell at the Cowboys.
Win some games in December. Win a playoff game. Win the division championship. Win the Superbowl. Dammit, do something to shut me the hell up.
Rod
1. It makes me mad as hell that I'm embarassed about being a fan of a team that just tied their franchise record for season wins. They went 13-3 for the second time in the history of the team. Team records were set right and left last season. And what do we have to show for it? An entry in the record book and another one and done playoff record.
2. It makes me mad as hell that it's already training camp and for the first time in several seasons, we don't have fans on the Cowboys message boards touting how "this is the year" and "the Cowboys will win the Superbowl". It's deathly quiet out there. I see postings of articles written about Cowboys happenings, but those fans who are always ready to throw caution to the wind and declare this season's Cowboys as being the best team in the NFL are simply non-existant this year. Have the Cowboys gotten us to the point where we're sick of predicting great results only to see the same bad results year after year.
3. It makes me mad as hell to see someone say "America's Team" when if that were true, that simply means that when we get to where the rubber meets the road, America chokes and loses. If this is America's Team, it doesn't say much about America.
4. It makes me mad as hell that I can't get all fired up about the upcoming season when I know that none of it matters until we see whether they're going to choke, for the 13th year in a row, in December.
5. It makes me mad as hell that Jerry Jones managed during the offseason to accomplish most of the suggestions that I posted in my Cowboys blog (http://the-lightning-rod.blogspot.com/2008/01/ifs-and-december-and-lunacy.html) the morning after the Cowboys playoff loss in January including:
A. Draft a running back with one of the #1 picks
B. Julius Jones goes
C, Keep Barber, but as part of a "committee"
D. Re-sign Terrell Owens
E. Jacque Reeves and Roy Williams need to go (OK, he didn't get rid of Williams)
F. Crayton isn't good enough to be running his mouth (someone must have told him to shut up, he did)
G. Coach Phillips is and should remain the head coach.
H. Draft another good wide receiver. Or grab a good free agent. (OK, this one is still up for grabs)
Because Jerry Jones tended to most of these items, I'm now in the position where if the Cowboys have another one of those disappointing seasons, I'll look like I'm just another idiot out here spouting my mouth off about something I know little to nothing about. Thanks, Jerry.
6. I'm mad as hell about all the clouds certain personnel are having to operate under. Coach Phillips seems to get reminded daily that either he wins a Superbowl or he's gone. Or he's reminded that his replacement is right there down the hall, ready to take over at any moment. Tough way to live, if you ask me. Roy Williams with the cloud over him that he can't defend the pass. Perhaps if he'd simply defend passes that cloud would vanish. I know it's a strange concept, but hey, I'm mad as hell, remember. How about the cloud over the whole offense right now that says if Terrell Owens gets injured, the Cowboys offense becomes much easier to defend and their ability to move the ball drops drastically.
7. I'm mad as hell that the Cowboys continue yearly to be a disappointment, yet they're building the greatest sports venue in the world. Won't it be wonderful for us to look back and remember the Cowboys getting their collective asses handed to them in a huge loss in their first game at the new stadium? Fortunately, it won't be in December. Won't it be even more disappointing if you're one of the fans who has payed the high ticket prices only to watch your favorite team have another December Meltdown in their first season at the new stadium?
8. I'm mad as hell about being so damned mad as hell at the Cowboys.
Win some games in December. Win a playoff game. Win the division championship. Win the Superbowl. Dammit, do something to shut me the hell up.
Rod
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