Are our expectations still spoiled by the early/mid '90's

[LarryCanadian]

What I'm getting at is now that most people (including the media, "experts", and "gurus") feel that this team is very talented, are our expectations skewed by what Emmitt, Troy, Michael, Haley, Woodson, Novacek, Williams, etc did in those 4 or 5 years where they totally dominated.

I find the games frustrating where Dallas seems to be the better team yet more often than not squeaks out the win rather than controlling play like we did over a decade ago. It comes down to dictating the flow of the game too. We had it last Sunday and then we gave it up somehow. We didn't keep the other team off it's feet, we let them get a rhythm back on offense AND defense. Perhaps it is still a matter of execution, whereby those Super Bowl teams just did it so much more consistently, even when I remember every other team saying they knew exactly what Dallas was going to do but just couldn't stop them anyway.

There certainly is parity in this league. Just look at how the touted NFC East did in game 1. The Eagles might have won, but they were down for good time against what is commonly considered a bottom 4 team in this league.

Perhaps we are spoiled and just have to adjust to biting our nails game in and game out, instead of this team controlling a ball game or two start to finish. I thought I saw signs of that ability creeping in the preseason but after 20 minutes last weekend it was same old same old.

Other than New England there really hasn't been a team to show that 60 minute controlling/dominating ability consistently. Indi would do it alot, until it really counted. Pittsburgh was a WildCard team.

It still bugs me though, that every game Dallas plays is so close. I'm not sure if it is the coaching style, league parity, or the talent on this team not quite having the experience yet to get to a dominant level. To win a super bowl and even make the playoffs, we need to win games like the one last week against Jacksonville. We had the chances to win and let them off the hook AGAIN. Shouldn't be focussed on last weeks game anymore, but I felt the same way after letting Washington steal one last season and that probably cost Dallas the playoffs last year. No more please.

Dallas has been lacking the killer jugular slicing instinct for almost a decade now. Time to get it back if we want to start making postseason noise. Not sure if that means letting the dogs lose on Defense and not running the ball up the middle every 2nd down, but it might help, hehe. Is it the playcalling?

Larry Canadian.

[The30YardSlant]

I know I am. In my first 6 years of Cowboys fandom, we won 3 SBs, went to 4 NFC title games, and won at least one playoff game every year. Our postseason record during that span was 12-3.

[Maikeru-sama]

Nope. It would be insane to base my expectations based upon the 90s ..new coach, new players, and new philosophy.

If anything, it is the opposite. I base my expectations off of the last couple of season or so. So for me, expectations arent too high, I am just asking for at least a Playoff appearance...I know kind of sad to only hope for a Playoff appearance being the Dallas Cowboys...but like the big man said...You are what you based upon the last handfull of season excluding 03.

- Mike G.

[DipChit]

Thats what makes those times so special. It aint easy.

Hell from 96-98 even with Troy and Emmitt and Irvin and Deion and Woodson (who werent yet old timers at the time) to name a few we were basically a .500 team. Doesnt matter the reason.. other player defections, coaching or whatever. Just goes to show that even having a certain amount of primetime players doesnt guarantee anything. Even if they'd played together awhile unlike most of our guys now.

[ghst187]

perhaps...but with the personnel we now have and the parity throughout the league....we could win the SB easily this year if we caught fire....but so could any of the top 15 teams in the league. That's just the state of the league now. Back before adding 4 more teams (diluting the talent) and massive free agency, teams could truly BUILD off of the previous years. Now, every year is almost a entire new ballgame. Teams can almost now go from 1-16 to 16-1 and vice versa in the span of one offseason.
I'd venture to say that it was a LOT harder to win SBs back when we were winning them because although there was more stratification across the league, the good teams were a heckuva lot better than the current good teams IMO.
Pittsburgh's team from last year would not have won a playoff game in the early or mid-90's IMO.
As for the original premise of the thread....I don't think its necessarily due to the 90's SB runs, I think we, as Cowboy fans, have ALWAYS had very high expectations. And moreso now considering our roster on offense and defense...IMO, and the opinions of a lot of Cowboy fans right now, we are UNDERACHIEVING and thus the frustrations.
BP has increased the talent on our roster tenfold, but that hasn't yet translated to any more success on the field in terms of Ws and Ls and playoff appearances. That is frustrating.

[Rowdy]

I think our OL is wearing us down as fans a bit.

[big dog cowboy]

Are our expectations still spoiled by the early/mid '90's
Not me the answer is no. My expectations were spoiled from the success we started having in the 60's. :D

[Cbz40]

Not me the answer is no. My expectations were spoiled from the success we started having in the 60's. :D


Yes bd we were........I'm looking forward to being spoiled again.

I feel we are close........just how close is suspect.

[5Stars]

Yes bd we were........I'm looking forward to being spoiled again.

I feel we are close........just how close is suspect.

My expections were spoiled the days way, way, back when I used to lay on my daddys chest while he layed on the couch and watched and taught me about the game of football and the Cowboys...

I played baseball all during my growing years because I was to much of a wimp to like the pain that football brings...so I never played the game, however, I was approached many times by coaches to ask me to come and try out...I always just smiled and politely said, "No thanks, coach"...

I was a Cowboy fan the day I was born...it had to be that way! I mean come on, here! Is there any other team out there that anyone except a knucklehead would root for?

Look at the Eagles fans, or the RedStinks, or....

Nope! Dallas Cowboys...always!

[LarryCanadian]

Yeah, kudos to those suggesting it has been an expectation of fans since pretty much the beginning and with all the Landry winning seasons and playoff appearance. I started being a fan in the mid to late 70's as a youngster, but can't remember all those games in '70's and '80's. In fact, living in Vancouver, we didn't get all that many Cowboys games on TV as this was before NFL Sunday Ticket etc. The games that stand out are the ones we dominated in the 90's because I really felt the team dominated a number of those games, completely controlling some of them. And to the person that mentioned the oline, well I think the control had a ton to do with our olines of that period.

LarryCanadian

[Hostile]

Reminds me a of a story about a young man who was going through rough times. His girl left him, his job wasn't working out, his bills were mounting, and there was no hope in sight. He scraped together the last of his savings for a trip home to see his Dad. They stood on a jetty overlooking a small lake watching the sun set. Bitterness welled up inside the young man and he said...

"You know Dad, if you took all the great moments in our lives and put them back to back on film the footage wouldn't last 15 minutes."

His Dad quietly said "yep."

Shocked by the answer because he expected a rebuttal, he turned to look at his Dad. His Dad looked back and said...

"Precious, aren't they?"

[SupermanXx]

Reminds me a of a story about a young man who was going through rough times. His girl left him, his job wasn't working out, his bills were mounting, and there was no hope in sight. He scraped together the last of his savings for a trip home to see his Dad. They stood on a jetty overlooking a small lake watching the sun set. Bitterness welled up inside the young man and he said...

"You know Dad, if you took all the great moments in our lives and put them back to back on film the footage wouldn't last 15 minutes."

His Dad quietly said "yep."

Shocked by the answer because he expected a rebuttal, he turned to look at his Dad. His Dad looked back and said...

"Precious, aren't they?"

this story was vomit-inducing

[SupermanXx]

jus kidding... is that story about you?

[Hostile]

jus kidding... is that story about you?Nope. I read it one time and it stuck with me.

[SupermanXx]

Nope. I read it one time and it stuck with me.
Yeah... well it definately has meaning

as far as expecations for this team, mine go lower and lower each year

our team gets more talented every year, but we still have the same problems.

same crap, different day

[Cbz40]

My expections were spoiled the days way, way, back when I used to lay on my daddys chest while he layed on the couch and watched and taught me about the game of football and the Cowboys...

I played baseball all during my growing years because I was to much of a wimp to like the pain that football brings...so I never played the game, however, I was approached many times by coaches to ask me to come and try out...I always just smiled and politely said, "No thanks, coach"...

I was a Cowboy fan the day I was born...it had to be that way! I mean come on, here! Is there any other team out there that anyone except a knucklehead would root for?

Look at the Eagles fans, or the RedStinks, or....

Nope! Dallas Cowboys...always!

I've been a Cowboy fan since 1960......my late teens. This team has been a big part of my life..... the good and the bad. The memories this team has given me can never be taken away.

[5Stars]

I've been a Cowboy fan since 1960......my late teens. This team has been a big part of my life..... the good and the bad. The memories this team has given me can never be taken away.

Yes...back when games were played on black and white TV!!! Way back when life was a little more simple compared to today...

However...like they say..."Sometimes you're the windshield...sometimes you're the bug"...

That's why football is such a great game...somebody is gonna win, and someone is gonna lose (unless a lame tie game)....it's simple....

Yet, this game of football can frustrate the hell out of anyone! Including me!!

Football is a great game...

[DipChit]

As for the original premise of the thread....I don't think its necessarily due to the 90's SB runs, I think we, as Cowboy fans, have ALWAYS had very high expectations. And moreso now considering our roster on offense and defense...IMO, and the opinions of a lot of Cowboy fans right now, we are UNDERACHIEVING and thus the frustrations.
BP has increased the talent on our roster tenfold, but that hasn't yet translated to any more success on the field in terms of Ws and Ls and playoff appearances. That is frustrating.

Well like you said.. it's kind of a crapshoot each and every year. You point out how our roster is better tenfold since BP got here, yet the only time we made the playoffs was with all those stiffs.

I havent had "expectations" for 10 years. All I've had is hope that we'd get better. But getting better and getting champiosnhip caliber arent necessarily anywhere near the same thing. Theres 31 other teams trying to get better each and every year also.

I think theres still too many positions where we're either past our prime, havent reached our prime and/or otherwise havent played together long enough to excel as a unit.

That doesnt mean in todays NFL we cant get it done.. it just means it takes a bunch of things all lining up in your favor. The same way it happened in '03 but of course we werent near good enough to truly take advantage of it.

[fanfromvirginia]

Nope, my expectations are tempered by memories of the mid-80s.

[Cbz40]

Nope, my expectations are tempered by memories of the mid-80s.

Yes, those were trying times. :)

[DipChit]

Well as expectatons in life in general go, mine were squashed after the frst few xmas's where I never got that pony among other things.

Thats when I learned that having expectations in regards to things you have no control over is pointless. Thus I switched to hopes instead.

And that carries on to this day. I have no expectation that one of our Cheerleaders will come knocking on my door.. but I can sure hope! ;)

[Eddie]

Nope, my expectations are tempered by memories of the mid-80s.

My expectations are almost zero with JJ running this team. Blown draft picks, lousy FA's, and horrendous talent evaluation ... that's what I expect from a Jerry Jones team.

10 years without a playoff win has sort of tempered any memories of Super Bowl victories.

[SultanOfSix]

^^^^^^^^ Look Mr. Optimism is back.

'Been a 'Boys fan since I cried as a little tike when Montana threw "the Catch" in the Championship game.

I don't feel spoiled by the '90s. I feel disappointed that a three-peat was taken away, as well as a possible one or two more SBs.

[REDVOLUTION]

I am sure I cannot be the only fan that goes into every game feeling we can win it. I get so pumped right before a game I feel like I am going to suit up. You feel the greatness of America's Team... like no other.

Furthermore I feel like we have a shot at winning SB every year. I am spoiled just because greatness and the Dallas Cowboys are synonomous.

[Nerm]

Well, I will say my expectations are down now, so I'm not sure if I was spoiled. After the 1st Super Bowl win in the 90's, I expected a SB every year for the next few years. The down side of that is I wasn't happy with wins unless both Emmitt and Irvin were over 100 yards. I focused more on stats then. The upside was that I didn't mind the losses as much because I figured we would win the ones that counted (although I was worried about he 0-2 start when Emmitt wasn't signed).

I don't think I'll see a Dallas team that talented again, so I'm not expecting to see dominating performances like we used to see. It is a watered down league now. In 1995, Dallas started 10 out of 11 players on O who had been to the pro bowl or would make it that year. Think about that for a minute. When they put Prime Time in as a 2nd WR, every player on the field was a pro bowler (though 21 wasn’t much of a WR).

Was I spoiled? Maybe. But I knew I wouldn’t see anything like "the triplets" + a pro bowl TE + a multiple probowler OL + a #1 defense again as a fan.

I do think that there isn’t much that separates this team from he best teams in the league right now. Any top 10 team has a legit shot at winning the super bowl this year. I’m thinking Dallas could do well this year... but now every game counts... a lot.

[Hostile]

Well, I will say my expectations are down now, so I'm not sure if I was spoiled. After the 1st Super Bowl win in the 90's, I expected a SB every year for the next few years. The down side of that is I wasn't happy with wins unless both Emmitt and Irvin were over 100 yards. I focused more on stats then. The upside was that I didn't mind the losses as much because I figured we would win the ones that counted (although I was worried about he 0-2 start when Emmitt wasn't signed).

I don't think I'll see a Dallas team that talented again, so I'm not expecting to see dominating performances like we used to see. It is a watered down league now. In 1995, Dallas started 10 out of 11 players on O who had been to the pro bowl or would make it that year. Think about that for a minute. When they put Prime Time in as a 2nd WR, every player on the field was a pro bowler (though 21 wasn’t much of a WR).

Was I spoiled? Maybe. But I knew I wouldn’t see anything like "the triplets" + a pro bowl TE + a multiple probowler OL + a #1 defense again as a fan.

I do think that there isn’t much that separates this team from he best teams in the league right now. Any top 10 team has a legit shot at winning the super bowl this year. I’m thinking Dallas could do well this year... but now every game counts... a lot.I've always wanted to post "Nerm!" in responce to your posts. Like when the bar patrons on Cheers chanted "Norm!"

That was a great post. So...........Nerm!!!!!!!