greatwallofdallas
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Interesting read on how the Cowboys became Americas Team
Excerpt:
This essay is intended as a series; to shortly examine possible coincidence among cities or regions experiencing tragedy, and local franchises attaining success in sports soon afterward.
John F. Kennedy, arguably one of the most beloved presidents by the modern American public, was assassinated in Dallas, TX, Nov. 22, 1963. The rest of the country, at the time, was said to be (unjustifiably?) furious at the city of Dallas for being unable to prevent the assassination itself.
Per USA Today, "[the] NFL [then] played its Sunday schedule two days after the Nov. 22, 1963, assassination -- and that became the template for how not to handle such a decision." The Dallas Cowboys happened to play Sunday, Nov 24 as scheduled, while the fallen president was still lying in state at the White House. In what was perceived to be a disrespectful course of action, the Dallas Cowboys suddenly became the most hated football team in America. This led to the team being introduced temporarily as simply, the "Cowboys", rather than "Dallas Cowboys", per USA Today, as a short term attempt at damage control.
"Yet 15 days after Kennedy's death, the annual Army-Navy game was held, with Navy winning 21-15. The late Sen. Edward 'Ted' Kennedy (D-Mass.) said his brother John, a former Navy PT boat commander who had planned to attend the '63 Army-Navy game, would have enjoyed the outcome."
Enter Roger Staubach. Per USA Today, "Midshipman Roger Staubach quarterbacked Navy against Army in a game remembered as an uplifting moment for a reeling nation". Noting a key "element of timing in these two cases ... [but] ... beyond that, two different atmospheres surrounding the NFL and professional games[,] and an Army-Navy game played in tribute to the commander-in-chief and his family."
One can speculate whether Navy rose to the challenge in honor of the fallen commander-in-chief in that tribute game, without the possibility of outside influence. In any case, the outcome surely fit the tribute.
However, what became of the "Cowboys" and how did they proudly resume introductions bearing their city's name? More importantly, how could a team rise from being universally reviled to arguably the most popular team in America?
Gil Brandt, VP of Cowboys Personnel, credits Coach Tom Landry with improving his team's image in the immediate aftermath of the tragedy in Dallas. "I think it's safe to say that because of Landry and the image he projected, that he did more for the city of Dallas in diffusing that the city was responsible for what took place. I think because of Landry's character, and approach to life and the success of our team, people soon moved away from it being where the President was killed."
Brandt may have been referring to the team's immediate success as partly responsible for improving not only the team's, but also the city of Dallas', image at the time. However, said success should be subject to reasonable scrutiny, if only for what might be considered amazing coincidence.
From 1960-64 the Dallas Cowboys had four consecutive losing regular seasons, with a combined record of 18 wins, 46 losses, and 4 ties. Per Wikipedia (citing an AP article published Dec. 7, 1965) Roger Staubach was drafted by the Cowboys in 1964 (the year following JFK's assassination) but would not play until 1969, due to prior military commitment.
In 1965, the Cowboys finished the regular season with 7 wins and 7 losses. Beginning in 1966, the Dallas Cowboys began an unprecedented, record-setting streak of 20 winning seasons. Staubach (who would be later known as "Captain America") was at the helm for most of those winning seasons, assuming the role of starting QB in 1971, through his retirement in 1979. Staubach led the Cowboys to their first two Super Bowl titles, and would never experience a losing regular season during his NFL career.
America loves winners. For a team that arguably began with a difficult start as the most hated in America, a steady streak of winning seasons, including two Super Bowl titles, goes a long way toward improving its perception in the eyes of the American public. The Dallas Cowboys have no doubt come a long way thanks to their overall winning history. Whether such history occurred by chance should be examined with all available evidence.