Ever wonder why some some fans

[birdwells1]

You didn't ask didn't o forgive me if I am wrong for speaking up. No, I really don't.

I have a good friend who is a New Orleans Saints fan. I've known him since 1998. Long before the Saints started winning. That is the only team he has ever rooted for and loved. I never once saw him duck his head or act like he was ashamed of his football team.

I have another friend who is a diehard Lions fan. The guy believes in his Lions like no one you have ever seen. Absolutely fun guy to be around. We've had some marvelous discussions about Emmitt vs. Barry. The Lions have never won anything of significance, yet he remains positive and excited. Not even the 0-16 year discouraged him.

Now, having said that, I acknowledge and always have that not all fans are equal, and thank goodness. If we all thought exactly alike the world would be boring as hell. I could not be the kind of fan who is disappointed in his team. That's me. That is how I am wired. You'll see plenty of guys on this forum who claim I think I am a better fan than other people because I think that way. But do you know what you will never see? Me claiming I am a better fan than you or anyone else. I am a different fan than you, and everyone else.

Some people just want to love the game and their team. They don't want to "understand" how a game makes life miserable. Note, I said some people. Not all people, and I believe I've made it very clear that diversity is needed to make it interesting. I am positive and upbeat in life, not just as a fan on a forum. I'm not passing through life, I'm soaking it in, reveling in it, excited for every new day. I cannot understand how someone cannot be excited for a new season. Cannot not wait for it to get here. That's me. Others are like me to some degree. Maybe they don't understand either.

You asked an honest question, and that is my honest answer. No, I do not understand. Nor do I really want to. Again, that is me. It doesn't have to be you, or anyone else. The thing that pisses me off about a faction of frustrated fans is that they are so capable of hating other Cowboys fans and want to make you hate them right back. Man, screw that and the horse it rode in on. I love this team, and when I see someone wearing Cowboys gear I go talk to them and I am always happy. I've never encountered a fan of the team I couldn't laugh with and just enjoy the team except on this forum.

Do you hear me? Except on this forum.

I get accused of endorsing every single thing the team does. Not because I endorse every single the thing the team does, but because people do not like me. They can't show you where I ever liked Dave Campo, or Barry Switzer, or Chan Gailey. They can't show you where I ever wanted Quincy Carter or Chad Hutchinson as our starting QB. They can't show you where I am happy at the release of Ware. They can't because I never have been. I understand why we tried those QBs. I understand why we let Ware go. There are realities to the game.

There are also realities to people and some people just want to enjoy the game. We're not all exactly alike. That doesn't mean I would wish bad things on you or even want other people to dislike you for who you are and what you think. The ill will goes too far, and no, I don't understand it.

You mentioned New Orleans and Detroit but those two teams didnt have the 70s and 90s to compare their teams to, we do.

 

[Hostile]

It would benefit you to to understand, even if you don't want to. I understand your thinking because up until a couple of years ago, I was considered an upbeat , happy fan. The one thing that I couldn't be during that time is dishonest. During the Campo years, the team stunk and I would say so. It was the truth. Now we are going through the same thing, and I am honest about it. If it helps you to understand, realist or whatever the current label is, are not miserable. I actually am laughing when in type in about 95% of these post. I don't care about the label "fan" in the least bit. If somebody wants to be a bigger fan or smaller fan, I don't care what they call themselves. Back to the point that I want you to get from this, think of having a brand new car and some jerk keys it. You love the car and still enjoy riding in the car, but that doesn't change the fact that the paint job is screwed up and you are ticked about it. Now relate that to the Cowboys. They was a fine ride and some jerk screwed it up and he won't stop. He knows better, but he doesn't care. That is Jerry. Fans have every right to be mad. He admits that he would have fired any GM that has done this bad of a job, but he still continues screwing up my favorite football team. I can't understand why it doesn't tick you off. Most of us are just hoping that something happens to change things. I use Jerry as the example, because he is where the buck stops. He is the one person that can fix every problem on the team. There is no debating his power. To make it easy for you and other fans, Jerry has lost a big part of the fanbase. We are tired of the repeated mistakes. Many say for us to leave. No, this was our team before Jerry screwed it up. Fans are welcome to predict 13-3 seasons and make claims of improvement if they want, but they need to expect to be called out on it. There is nothing other than three 8-8 seasons to back those claims. That is not improvement. From my POV, it is good to get excited for your team, but I don't think it should come at the price of integrity.

Thank you for the civil response.

 

[Hostile]

You mentioned New Orleans and Detroit but those two teams didnt have the 70s and 90s to compare their teams to, we do.

All the more reason to admire them.

 

[casmith07]

I'm talking about the last nearly 20 years.

We are structured the same, nothing changes. So you'd have to be completely clueless to not be negative during this time.

The above bold sentence is the single stupidest thought I have ever read in print in my entire life.

 

[wileedog]

I just want to say for the record, because I think there are a ton of people like myself on this board, I could not have been a bigger homer back in 2006. Romo was taking over and I thought if Parcells could reign in his bad tendencies (and I thought he would for sure) the sky was the limit for the kid. The defensive scheme needed some upgrading but we were on the cusp of being for real again. I actively and vehemently argued with those who disagreed.

Then Parcells left. And then the terrible Wade hire happened, which was awful, and that's when I started doubting again. Wade had the one great regular season, then the one bad playoff exit, then 44-6. When he wasn't immediately canned after 44-6, I was reborn again as a "negative Nancy".

The answer to the OP is that there a lot of folks here who lived through the horrible decline after the dynasty years. Then after the absolute nadir of the Campo Era, we got hope again with Parcells. But since he left - and that was the worst thing for both this franchise and Romo's career - we are once again mired to watching a once promising team descend back into mediocre crap.

I'm not "negative". I'm just done believing that Jerry Jones can ever build a winning franchise with a weak HC that will always follow his lead. Almost 20 years of history are on my side, as well as the other "negative" posters, and because he happened to cut an old guy who was going to count a whopping $16M against the cap doesn't change that.. And when I see the system changed where Jerry is no longer turning everything he touches into middle of the road suck, perhaps my blue colored glasses will come out again.

If you want to believe the window dressing we did for the defense this off-season is going to turn things around, more power to you. I don't agree. I'm not going to change your mind, you are not going to change mine. We'll see how the season plays out.

But for the love of all that is holy, can we stop the Negative Nancy vs. happy fan Wars? People have their opinions. Period. That's what a message board is for.

 

[ElGatoGrande]

I try to avoid negative Nancy's. It's one of those top 10 things to avoid in life.

The act of starting yet another inflammatory thread such as this suggests the OP enjoys in the negativity it generates...

 

[birdwells1]

All the more reason to admire them.

I guess it's kinda like growing up poor vs being rich and then becoming poor, the person that grew up poor never miss the finer things in life (SB, perenial playoffs, double digit wins) because they never had them but the person that had them knows what it's like and want do eveything in their power to get back.

 

[RoyTheHammer]

The act of starting yet another inflammatory thread such as this suggests the OP enjoys in the negativity it generates...

Quoted for truth.

 

[jnday]

Thank you for the civil response.

I think you can honestly say that things have always been very civil in our exchanges.

 

[jnday]

I try to avoid negative Nancy's. It's one of those top 10 things to avoid in life.

You must live in a closet. In the real world, there are negatives everywhere. I have never bought into the positive/negative stuff. Everything in life has to be dealt with. Not facing facts doesn't help anything.

 

[Rockport]

The act of starting yet another inflammatory thread such as this suggests the OP enjoys in the negativity it generates...

I'm getting attacked by all the negative posters. How interesting.

 

[Hostile]

I think you can honestly say that things have always been very civil in our exchanges.

I'd say that, yes. We disagree on this, and that is fine. That is healthy. I wish it was always like that.

 

[Hostile]

I guess it's kinda like growing up poor vs being rich and then becoming poor, the person that grew up poor never miss the finer things in life (SB, perenial playoffs, double digit wins) because they never had them but the person that had them knows what it's like and want do eveything in their power to get back.

It's an interesting analogy. I'll say that for you. I know how hard the game is. I know how much you need to always be thinking positive. I know how you have to be able to put it behind yo and look forward. I'm long past the days of playing the game, but I've never overcome the teachings of it. I treat the game the way I was taught to by good coaches. That's the best reason I can give for the way I am. As I said earlier in the thread, that is me. I don't immerse myself in negatives.

 

[birdwells1]

It's an interesting analogy. I'll say that for you. I know how hard the game is. I know how much you need to always be thinking positive. I know how you have to be able to put it behind yo and look forward. I'm long past the days of playing the game, but I've never overcome the teachings of it. I treat the game the way I was taught to by good coaches. That's the best reason I can give for the way I am. As I said earlier in the thread, that is me. I don't immerse myself in negatives.

Look, this team has some positives like the investment made in the oline and Dez. I think Romo and Witten are positives but I don't think neither will be around when we start really competing for a SB title again. Right now I can't really see anyone one on defense who's play equals a Dez or Smith on the offense, whose play that I can rely on. After looking around the league at, imo, are the 2 best teams (Sea and SF) I'm really certain now that the key to building a contender is to fortify the offensive line (to have an effective running game) and defensive line (to get to the qb). For too many years JJ has run the team like I pick my FF team, "as long as I have the Triplets I have a chance" but as the oline and dline eroded so did our chances. Then it was "as long as I have Romo, Dez, and Witten I have a chance to compete but without the talent on both lines all you will be able to do is compete for a division title but nothing more.

When we chose Martin with the first pick I didn't know much about him but what I did know is that he's an olineman and that alone was good enough for me because that signals a shift in thinking that has set this franchise back for some years now.

 

[jnday]

I'm getting attacked by all the negative posters. How interesting.

You asked for it and I think it is clear that wanted attention from the negative posters. Don't act surprised when you get it.

 

[Rockport]

You asked for it and I think it is clear that wanted attention from the negative posters. Don't act surprised when you get it.

Actually, I'm not surprised at all.

 

[ElGatoGrande]

I'm getting attacked by all the negative posters. How interesting.

Oh,,, YOU'RE the one being attacked? lol,,, classic!

 

[jnday]

Actually, I'm not surprised at all.

There is quite a bit of negative things going on with the team and if you choose to ignore them and avoid seeing the problems, you will never have any ideal how to fix them or even admit that they exist. The record should give hints though. I look at things different with this team and in life. There are always going to be negatives, I can deny it or fix the problem. In this case, discuss the problem. Jerry had this problem with the oline. He refused to think that the problem existed and even said that the oline was a strength on the team. When he woke up, the line was fixed. It was just several years late.

 

[Section446]

Actually, I'm not surprised at all.

You're getting exactly the responses you hoped to get when you started the thread.

 

[jnday]

I'd say that, yes. We disagree on this, and that is fine. That is healthy. I wish it was always like that.

We have disagreed many times , but we gave always been civil and treated each other with respect. I think both of us try to treat those that disagree with us with respect until they give us a reason not to. I enjoy our discussions and I hope you do as well.