As Cowboys fans, do we deserve more?

[visionary]

As a fan of a professional sports team, I 'deserve' what every fan of every professional sports team 'deserves'

1. An owner who hires the best and most competent GM available
2. A GM who tries to get the best coaches and best players FROM a winning and losing perspective (not generating money)
3. A HC who is the best available, is disciplined, innovative, holds players and other coaches accountable
4. Players who play hard and compete on game day.

I would say this franchise only has number 4
1-3 are MAJOR FAIL

There is no we are going to have sustained success with this model
Any fan defending it is a total idiot in my book

 

[Jake]

Our championship history doesn’t guarantee anything. Those accomplishments we are proud of and provides bragging rights but in no way established it was to be the norm. That’s been fabricated by some fans .

This is exactly the mentality which is an issue. Fans hopping on the wagon because of the success we were having. Which means they abandoned another team probably their local or regional team because they weren’t having success.

I must have really had a thing for Landry and Staubach because I grew up an hour from Pittsburgh, and endured SB losses to the Stealers at age 10 and again at 13.

Would've been very easy to buy a stupid yellow towel and save myself from a lot of trash talk, but I could never be this guy:

 

[Pantone282C]

To answer the question , I’d say no, we don’t deserve more. We can certainly want more but entitlements or expectations are all fabricated from fans who came to believe that level of success was intended to be the norm.

The America’s Team label and the amount of wagon fans our earlier championship history attracted has probably created a big part of this mentality.

I’m old enough to recall when Dallas had two professional teams before the Texans moved to Kansas City. They were actually the first team to bring a football championship to Dallas.

We’re all frustrated with how Jerry has operated Cowboys Football but we still can enjoy a season like last year with the greatest comeback in Cowboys history overcoming a losing record to make the playoffs.

Following and supporting your local or regional team is much like following and supporting your Alma Mater or child’s team. Winning just makes it more fun.

It certainly does. Similarly, for anyone with children, don't we want them to do their best, but if they aren't perfect, we will support them anyway - mistakes and failures.

 

[visionary]

It certainly does. Similarly, for anyone with children, don't we want them to do their best, but if they aren't perfect, we will support them anyway - mistakes and failures.

But they're not "doing their best"
Not even close
May be time to wake up

 

[Pantone282C]

As a fan of a professional sports team, I 'deserve' what every fan of every professional sports team 'deserves'

1. An owner who hires the best and most competent GM available
2. A GM who tries to get the best coaches and best players FROM a winning and losing perspective (not generating money)
3. A HC who is the best available, is disciplined, innovative, holds players and other coaches accountable
4. Players who play hard and compete on game day.

I would say this franchise only has number 4
1-3 are MAJOR FAIL

There is no we are going to have sustained success with this model
Any fan defending it is a total idiot in my book

Pretty harsh, but I get your point. I certainly don't defend blind allegiance, and I want the front office to get it together. I will cheer on the players, as I have no choice on who puts them there

But they're not "doing their best"
Not even close
May be time to wake up

No they aren't. And I am fully awake. I am no idiot. I am just not going to make myself miserable about it.

 

[Pantone282C]

But they're not "doing their best"
Not even close
May be time to wake up

There have been times I have wanted to gather the townfolk, arm them with pitchforks and tar, storm Cowboys HQ, and run Jones out of town on a rail. Alas, we have no choice over his infamy.
Onward through the fog!
Go Cowboys!

 

[Melonfeud]

Nice post. A bit of perspective is helpful. Some of the older guys were spoiled by Landry's 17-year playoff run, 8 conference championship game appearances, 5 SB appearances and 2 titles, and by that 90s dynasty. Instead of valuing them for the magical times that they were, the sorts of times that haven't come around much to fanbases outside of NE, SF and Pitt, they think those times somehow set the standard. Such nonsense. There are 32 teams all doing their best to win in this league. Playoff participant turnover year to year is 50%. It's a hyper-competitive league in which it's tough to have success. The recent string of 3 NFC East titles in 5 years is noteworthy and encouraging. Pity the fan who can't see it as such.

Ya, it's gotta' really Suck to be an Atlanta Falcons member of fandom,,,er,,, and probably Dolphin's fans as well,,,in fact, I'd of figured that 90% of all the REAL FANS of the Atlanta Falcons would've " fell on their sword/ committed suicide " by NOW

 

[Reverend Conehead]

As Cowboys fans, we are no more or less deserving than anyone else. It's not about entitlement. It's about seeing what the other NFC East teams have and knowing we are going to kick their ***.

Good point. I would add that the word "entitlement" has gotten into our lexicon in a negative way. If you're a fan of a particular team, you will of course hope that the team can play well and maybe even win a championship. That's normal. Of course you want your team to do well. However, the fan of some other team when trying to make you look bad for being normal will reach for that word "entitled." If you want your team to be successful, you are, of course, doing nothing wrong. I would say that someone's only being entitled if they think they're owed a championship. I don't believe that many fans think that way. Desiring that your team does well is not the same thing as feeling owed a championship. But don't be surprised when the Cowboy haters reach for that word "entitled" when it does not apply.

 

[CowboyFanInLexKy]

I've had this feeling for a very long time, going back to the old DC.com forum and don't get me wrong, fine for fans to vent and complain but some of ours borders on entitlement.

If someone were to come here without knowing the past 5 year history, would they guess that this team has won the East 3 of those 5 years? Or made a historic, for this franchise, turnaround from 3-5 to winning the division going 7-1? Or had two rookie players in the conversation for not only Rookie of the Year but Most Valuable Offensive Player? How often does that happen, any of that?

Hey, I am no Pollyanna but some here make me feel like I am. Nothing's good enough, we are more deserving because?

We blame the FO for the lack of talent and the coaching for the lack of results. Does that make sense?

As fans, we want more, want to advance beyond the division round, our usual stopping point. But what about the 24 teams' fanbases that didn't get to see their team advance that far? And sure as hell not from 3-5 at the midpoint.

The Colts fans are disappointed and believe it or not, they were once a chest beating ruler just as the Cowboys were. They were dead and buried to start the season and came close to going to the AFCCG but did any of their fans even expect to be playing in a game to go to that game earlier in the season? Do you think those fans are as down as ours because we only made it to the division round?

Hey, do what you want but if you read this forum objectively and try to use an outsider's viewpoint, you will see what I see. Far too much entitlement posting and based on what? Those fans being SB or Bust fans? I don't watch them to see them play, I watch them to see them win fans.

All I am asking is to just stop and think about where a really negative post is coming from? What is that based on, expectations not met which only you are responsible for, or reality. And learn to recognize an overachieving team based on their talent level.

Anyway, I've had my say, just as I did on the old forum, just needed to get that off my chest because there are better and more knowledgeable football fans on this forum for it to take on that vibe.

I wanted to read everyone's responses before I replied. Now that I have read them:

Coach, This post is very spot on... We (as fans) are entitled to nothing. Yes, If I had my way, the team would win the superbowl every year. Who doesn't want that to happen?
I think we need a GM that isn't a Jones. I think we need a different Head Coach because the one we have just can't get it done... No disrespect to Garrett, I just don't think he has what it takes to get us to the next level. I think it's awesome that the players don't quit on him.. I'm on the fence whether Linehan was calling his own plays or whether he was calling plays off of Garrett's playbook. I think with having Moore this coming season, I'll get a better idea as to who is actually designing the plays. If they look like the same plays we did last year, I'll know that answer. I think Linehan was a bad decision right from the beginning because of his record in Detroit. Between that and our losing record (before Linehan got to Dallas) there is no way to definitely know where the problem was (whether it was Linehan or Garrett) With this being Moore's first year, we don't realistically know what we've got in a OC. I'm actually excited to find out.

(though I might get lambasted for saying this) I wouldn't mind seeing Garrett in the executive offices doing something. As for on the field, I think we need a different head coach but who should that be? I honestly don't know that answer. Some say Sean Peyton, some say Lincoln Riley, some say Norv Turner (though I honestly don't remember him), some say Jimmy Johnson. I know how Jimmy Johnson and Sean Peyton coach and I (myself) wouldn't mind seeing them here (though in reality I know it won't happen). So I ask again, who would be best to get the boys to the next level?

But reality is I don't think Garrett is going anywhere. One can only dream... LOL

But back to the point at hand, Again, we (as fans) aren't entitled to anything. I don't know about anyone else but I'm just excited for football season to get here... I can't wait to see the boys play..

 

[Big_D]

Couldn't agree more! I will say this on behalf of the debbie downers.. 24 years is a long time of disappointment.. that 1992 buffalo superbowl romping is getting old to show to my son. Haha. I will be a fan always and understand the league has fought for parity. They won. Now its just hoping you win the crapshoot.

You can't just chalk 25 years up to parity. The GM is a joke and the #1 reason they haven't done anything. They certainly had opportunities. But a smarter team always comes along.

 

[Chocolate Lab]

I don't think Landry's amazing legacy has much to do with it. Even younger fans have every right to expect more than two wild card wins in the last decade. Especially when you've had solid to very good QB play all that time.

 

[Sheffielder74UK]

Stupidity is doing the same thing over and over again. We have to try something different, but I doubt it will be in time to save this season

 

[CouchCoach]

I was 20 years old the first time I saw the Cowboys have a losing season. It was only the second time I saw them miss the playoffs. I was spoiled at a young age - lots of us were - so we expected more, whether we deserved to or not.

Since then I've become conditioned to expect less - things are going to go wrong, it's just question of how and when. The notion that I deserve more doesn't even cross my mind now. It's sports, not life and death. I'd just like to see the Cowboys win another SB before I die.

And Jake, that has been our "process". I did go through the rough years in the 60's but I was young and since they hadn't won, I didn't miss winning. But then that 20 season run, expecting to win every opening game, expecting the playoffs and even the NFCCG was hard to shake but that late 80's run was sobering and then we get the inebriation of the early to mid 90's.

I think one thing we fail to really appreciate and understand is just how hard it is to maneuver through the NFL with the cap and FA. Only one guy has figured it out. How many times do you see "just pay the man" as a response to a contract negotiation on this forum and sometimes from the same posters regardless of the player. These are not stupid people in the NFL and they can hire whatever smart ones they want but this balance of talent evaluation, who to keep and who to let walk, what trades make sense and getting the pieces of your puzzle when others want them too has stumped everybody but that cat in NE.

We've been watching a family try to learn how to run a football team, not a football business, they've got that down. We've had the same constant since 89, the same GM and while the majority of us lay it all on him, blame him we fail to take a really hard look at all of the other teams. If GMing is easy, why is there such high turnover?

But the one thing that is true of what do we deserve as fans of a team is the same for the GM and HC, do your best. That's it, all we can ask. Don't we think every player who isn't talented enough would love some more talent? Is Heath a target because he doesn't try hard enough? Dak not what fans want because he's lazy? Is Garrett not giving everything he's got to the team? Same with Booger, he's not failed for the lack of trying. And he has learned from his mistakes, sometimes after making them more than once, but he has learned.

One thing I am Pollyanna about and it took some years for me to arrive at that point and not have my ego entangled with the team. It really is not whether they win or lose, it is how they play the game to me. That's why I watch, to see them play, not just to win. As long as they lay it all out there and leave nothing in that locker room, that's my team and they do not have to win to keep me or make me happy. And I often think about the day I gave up my co-team, the Cards, and became exclusive to the Cowboys, a loss. They lost that heart breaking game in the Ice Bowl but they won my heart that day because to this day, I've never seen guys play the game any better. They lost the game but they were winners.

 

[Hook'em#11]

Go talk to Browns fans before asking what "WE as "fans" deserve from our teams.

In reality. Nothing. Nothing is forcing us to stay fans of any teams.

 

[CouchCoach]

But they're not "doing their best"
Not even close
May be time to wake up

How so? Who is slacking?

 

[SoupcanSam]

Stephen is taking us down the right path now.

Stephen may be just taking us down.

 

[Doomsday101]

I have been a fan since 1965 and have never felt they owe me anything. I choose to give my loyalty to this franchise and for me that means I'm a fan in good time and bad times.

 

[Chocolate Lab]

But the one thing that is true of what do we deserve as fans of a team is the same for the GM and HC, do your best.

Jerry isn't doing his best to win. You've got to be kidding if you think he is.

Now doing his best to make himself comfortable, relevant, and rich? Sure. But not to win.

 

[visionary]

How so? Who is slacking?

Read my first post and tell me if 1-3 are doing what they're supposed to be doing

That would be their best

 

[G2]

I go by era. The current one has been very good. 2 of the last seasons in the playoffs and winning the division. If you can't let go of the past 20 years you're setting yourself up for depression.