One more thing...
I’ve been a Cowboys fan for almost 20 years. I HATED them growing up. I was a big fan of the STL Cardinals football team. When they left time after the 1988 season, my loyalty did not follow them. Instead my hatred was switched. I was left without a football team. I flirted with in-state KC Chiefs and nearby Chicago Bears, but, ehh…
I settled on the Dallas Cowboys (who were the first team to play the Phoenix Cardinals, as they were called then).
I moved to the DFW area at the end of the 1991 season on the Cowboy upswing. I was in full Cowboy frenzy in the 90s. The 92-93 teams were two of the greatest teams in the last 30 years. Then came the rift between Jerry and Jimmy. Jerry got more control and Jimmy got tired of it and left/was fired. The Barry Switzer teams were not easy to root for. The players would circumvent the authority of the coach and appeal to Jerry directly. Jerry made all of the personnel decisions. He would bring in risky guys with bad pasts and waning talent. He made one of the worst trades of the last 15 years: Two number one draft picks for Joey Galloway. If you want to read a great book on the 90s Cowboys, read Jeff Pearlman’s Boys Will Be Boys. Fascinating. One of the things about that book is that it made it tough to realize how I rooted for a bunch of really bad guys (there were some exceptions: Troy, Darryl, Darren Woodson; “We had some diamonds…”)
Cowboys’ fans were elated when Bill Parcells brought his talent evaluation skills to the team. But he got tired of Jerry as well so he left to go rebuild the Dolphins.
Reading Pearlman’s book made me realize how close the Cowboys are to those late 90s teams. Jerry is in full control of personnel, taking the side of loud mouth players instead of letting his coaches put their foot down. (Seriously, the week before the biggest game of the year the owner is siding with TO about another player needing the ball more. He pushes Tony Romo and Jason Garrett down the stairs as he takes TO’s side again).
He is making it very difficult to root for this team. It was with mixed emotions watching the last game of 08 season. I pull for some of the great guys on this team, but I am beginning to take more and more glee at seeing Jerry Jones embarrassed on a national stage.
He’ll continue to get the spot light, he’ll never sell the team and he will probably never give up personnel to another “football” man again. And it has been 12 years since the last playoff win…
Want to get some insight into this thing, read Pearlman's book. I finished it in two days.
I lied about hiatus. I feel like Kramer’s vow of silence… “Starting…Now!”
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4 comments:
Hey man, there's PLENTY of room for you to jump on the Chiefs bandwagon now! There's nowhere to go but up, why not join us?
I told this to a buddy earlier about my feelings for the boys..
"i would be happy for them when they won & sit back & listen to all the cowboy fans talk about them being the best team & such & giggle a bit & hope for a disaster.. then when it happens, i laugh & rub my hands together"
No playoff wins in 10 years AND with this talent. Maybe when you hire the guy who scores a touchdown and tries to embarrass the team, city and culture of the Cowboys by kissing the star at midfield(TWICE) then you've basically said pride and character don't count. Tank Johnson let go by the Bears for illegal weapons charges and behavior. PacMAN(or Adam as Jerry would say) Jones multiple offenses. TO from attempted suicide, to tearing the team apart to crying for "MY QUARTERBACK". It is rewarding to see them lose. I just wish I were home to read the Dallas Morning News. Add insult to injury Big Bill and the Dolphins win the EAST with 11 wins.
There is something about watching the Cowboys lose that brings joy to millions (count me in on that one).
Let's Hear it for the Boys! (Cricket, Cricket)
America's Team? (gag)
Jerry (Springer's) Team!
Cowboys, may you return to your 1-15 roots!! Good riddence.
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