The only place it exists in Dallas is the media and the fans. It does not exist on the football team. From the Coaching Staff to the players they all take responsibility for the losses. Once a team loses a game these days the immediate reaction is, "We lost? No *^&%(^& way! I'm pissed. Who's to blame?"
It permeates the DFW media, the fans feed on it, and it even can affect a forum like this where the vast majority of us are mature and have seen hundreds of losses in our lifetimes as Cowboys fans. Do some losses hurt more than others? Hell yes they do. Maybe we're pissed at the officials for overturning what is an obvious catch. Maybe we're pissed at a player for a costly mistake. Maybe we're pissed at the coaches for something we see as an error.
I gotta tell you, I'm sick to death of hearing how pissed off people are. I grew up idolizing Tom Landry. I don't recall coach ever throwing his hat or a tantrum over a loss. He took it like a man. When did that go away among Cowboys fans, because I got to tell you, we used to as a fan base handle losses better than we do now.
I remember after a Dallas loss friends at school who were just haters always wanted to know, "What happened to Dallas?" One of mine in particular, Jose Luis, loved to ask me that. I can't even recall how many times his Dolphins lost the exact same day. I'd say, "What happened to the Dolphins?" He would reply, "Yeah, but what happened to Dallas?" You want to know what that line of thinking always said to me? Yeah, you care more about my team than you do your own. I guarantee you I knew more about his own team than he did, and I am not saying that trying to brag.
Folks, some fans of other teams, and almost all media are of that same mentality. What happened? What happened? What happened? You want to know what happened to our team? I will tell you exactly what happened to them. They worked their asses off for you and me and their teammates and they coaches, went out there on the field and gave it their all trying to win a game so you and I didn't have to face the music, so we didn't have to have a tantrum this week. If for one minute you think these guys are trying to win, quite frankly you're a blithering idiot. I am sorry to be so blunt, but do you see a team out there giving up? Let me answer that for you. Hell no, you don't, and damnit they do not deserve any of us to give up on them either.
Last night a miracle game happened. A fantastic "Hail Mary" heave got answered with a benevolent moment in time. Today Lions fans are in shock, just like we have been all too often this year. It's football, and sometimes goofy stuff happens and it breaks hearts. I understand hurting. Hell I've hurt after so many losses I can't count. But I don't understand being an insufferable spoiled brat over it. They lost. 15 other teams did too on any given week.They didn't plan to. They didn't try to. They faced a professional football team who had the breaks go their way that day. Do you get that? The other guys are the same as our team, professionals.
We should have won more. There's no denying that, and I am not trying to. But honestly is it too much to ask that we channel Coach Landry and show some damned class?
I will openly admit, there have been times in my life when I didn't. I have seen others not do it too. When the situation is over do you know what I always feel? Regret about my actions. I used to wear my heart on my sleeve after a game. If the team lost my family avoided me. That isn't what I want. Ever.
When I realized I was doing that I was ashamed. Ashamed of myself. Ashamed that I let a game dictate how I act and treat others. I decided to never do that again. Most of the time no one in my family knows whether we have won or lost unless they ask me. I channeled Tom Landry and decided to act like the man I admired so much.
Forgive me for saying this if you have tender feelings about comparisons, but when I look at our team, as down as they are after an abysmal season has slapped their dreams in the face, they are channeling Tom Landry. Maybe it is the calm demeanor of the Coaches. Maybe it is the Cowboy way that they are all trying so hard to accept.
Meanwhile how is the media reacting? They focus on the negative. Who's the scapegoat? Is it Weeden? Is it Garrett? Is is Claiborne? I don't quite understand this incessant need to dislike someone associated with the team and make them out to be villains. You want an example? Last year, Marinelli and Linehan were geniuses who have taken over this team and infused their will into them. This year we're all acting like Bill Callahan was our secret sauce. He was a rube, until he left, now he's the missing piece. It's ridiculous at comical levels. Are Washington doing to the NFL what we did last year? Let me answer that for you. No. They are playing better, largely because a risk they took in switching QBs is paying off. That's football. Kirk Cousins is the flavor of the day.
Ours is a season on the brink after some awful bad luck has let the wind out of our sails and the air out of our tires. It isn't over. Are we going to win the NFC East? I don't know, and frankly no one else does either. It's improbable, but not impossible. Whether we do or now shouldn't matter. We should appreciate the fact that every single game 45 guys go out there, and risk their health and livelihood for our happiness. If that doesn't get to you then I don't know what kind of stone heart you have.
In case you haven't noticed, your team is an assembly of some outstanding players and coaches, and better people. Bill Russell once told Michael Jordan's father, "Your son is a better man than he is a basketball player." That is how I feel about this team.
Yeah, they're 3-8, and I want them to be 8-3. Yeah, I had high hopes. I still love these guys and I appreciate that they are fighting. I don't know where this journey ends, but I know where it began. It began with a whole bunch of us really giddy about the season. It was an outstanding off season. We loved the Draft. We loved Free Agency. We were 2-0 against 2 NFC East rivals, life was good. No, it was great. Except for some injuries we were going to have to overcome.
They didn't. That shouldn't have earned these players and coaches your scorn, disapproval, and outright disdain. If your sons were out there would you like what is being said and written about them? We act lie this team is family until they screw up and then they are Jerry's bastard children out to ruin our lives.
Only they aren't that at all. More than ever I hope this team wins out and makes the playoffs. Why? Because they deserve some respect that they aren't getting simply because football happens. It isn't right. Coach Landry never acted like a jerk in all the years I watched and admired the man. I wish I could say that, but I can't. It would be a lie. I'm a lucky one though. I had the great fortune to have a wife who is way too good for me who pointed out to me that I am fun to be around unless my team loses, and then no one likes being around me. If I can change, any of you can, because I am not the man many of you are. Not by a damned site and I know it. I know my faults.
Hard year for me personally, and I am not talking about football. This is a game. In 10 days I am going to celebrate 25 years with the woman of my dreams and I am going to give her a ring to replace the one that got stolen. That means more to me than a Super Bowl, and I doubt very seriously that I am all alone. I have seen all of you talk about your wonderful families. Don't you think they would love to see you handle defeat like Tom Landry? I know mine did.
Stop looking for scapegoats. Stop paying attention to the media. If you need to vent, damn do it. It helps. Trust me on that. But this is not the worst team in our History, it is not made up of idiots, and they have not given up, so don't you either. We never know when we might see a career end on the field due to a spinal injury. These guys literally play a game for our entertainment that could make them invalid. They deserve your respect and love, win or lose.
Sorry for the rant. I had to get it off my chest. Hopefully it won't cost me anyone's respect. I am personally challenging every single one of you to channel Coach Tom Landry, and realize that you've seen hundreds of losses, you're going to see more, and that doesn't signal the end of the world.
