Haters in Houston

[HTownCowboysFan]

http://blogs.chron.com/nfl/2007/08/do_you_hate_the_cowboys_or_the_1.html

By John McClain

Gang,

Thanks very much for your suggestions for lighting a fire under Mario Williams. I'm sure he and his coaches have read them all. I appreciate you reading and taking the time to respond.

Now, this seems like the ideal time to ask this next question: Do you hate the Cowboys, or do you hate all those obnoxious, arrogant Cowboys fans in Houston? Or both. And if so, why?

Let them have it, Tony, but keep it clean!

I grew up in Waco as a die-hard Cowboys fan. My first football heroes were Tom Landry, Bob Lilly and Don Meredith. I was honored to talk to Lilly and Meredith at the Pro Football Hall of Fame ceremony in Canton early this month. Lilly comes almost every year. Meredith was there because he was honored by the Hall of Fame for his broadcasting career, and he was as funny as ever.

I worshipped Landry, Lilly, Meredith, Roger Staubach, Dan Reeves, Calvin Hill, Randy White, Drew Pearson, Chuck Howley, Jethro Pugh, Mel Renfro, Don Perkins, Too Tall Jones and all those Cowboys of the 1960s and 1970s who really and truly made them America's Team. Being able to go to Canton every August and hear so many of the Cowboys from that era tell stories about the good old days is an incredible privilege for me.

Then I came to Houston and started covering the Oilers. In a 1977 preseason game, the Oilers defeated the Cowboys. I wrote a story in which center Carl Mauck blasted Cowboys fans in Houston, telling them to get the hell out of Houston and move to Dallas. And he'd help them pack. Defensive end Elvin Bethea echoed Mauck. We ran that story in the Chronicle on Sunday, and it created a firestorm that rages today.

During the Luv Ya Blue era, I lost my love for the Cowboys. It wasn't the Cowboys, though: It was all those Cowboys fans in the Houston area who turned me against them. To this day, I have nothing against the Cowboys. I like Jerry Jones and . . . uh . . . well . . . um . . . there's . . . and there's . . .

I've known Wade Phillips since my first Oilers training camp in 1977. Like so many others, I was excited when he got another chance to be a head coach at 60 even if it was with the Cowboys. I just sent in my Super Bowl pick for the Chronicle's special football section. I picked the Cowboys to reach the Super Bowl.

Because the Cowboys are coming to town to play the Texans on Saturday, their fans are out of control, as usual. Through the decades, though, I've learned this about Cowboys fans in Houston: Like mosquitoes, humidity and traffic, we can't get rid of them, so we learn to live with them.

So tell me: Why do you hate them so?

 

[CosmicCowboy]

John, after Saturday nite, your going to hate 'us' even more...:laugh2:

 

[Doomsday101]

I'm going to talk to John about this write up. He actually is a pretty nice guy and not the Cowboy hater I once thought he was, although his wife is a big time Commanders fan

 

[theebs]

I dont understand why people think this guy is a good writer?

I have read the chronicle now and then because mclain is supposed to be a good writer, however I dont see it.

I think Rick gosselin and Charean williams are much better at covering the nfl as a whole.

All this guy does is bag on the cowboys, the stadium, the fans, the owner..

I dont get it. He is in Houston, stop worrying about the cowboys.

 

[DallasGirl50]

John has "talk out of both sides of your mouth" disease when it comes to the Cowboys.

One of his friends is that goofball Bill Lamza (sp?) that runs around Houston in sparkly Porter Wagoner type outfits presenting himself as the world's biggest Cowboys fan.

Um..I'm not sure exactly how to take John. He interviews Jerry on Houston radio and I appreciate that and he's actually NICE to him. He's friends with Wade. He does write about the Cowboys and that infuriates the Houston fans who hate anything Dallas Cowboys.

He confuses me. I think it's the Houston Cowboys fans he hates. So my suggestion to him would be to maybe quit hanging with them. Just a thought.

 

[HighTechDave]

How do you know when a town REALLY sucks? It's when their NFL team moves from one sucky town, to another a little less sucky.

 

[Doomsday101]

John has "talk out of both sides of your mouth" disease when it comes to the Cowboys.

One of his friends is that goofball Bill Lamza (sp?) that runs around Houston in sparkly Porter Wagoner type outfits presenting himself as the world's biggest Cowboys fan.

Um..I'm not sure exactly how to take John. He interviews Jerry on Houston radio and I appreciate that and he's actually NICE to him. He's friends with Wade. He does write about the Cowboys and that infuriates the Houston fans who hate anything Dallas Cowboys.

He confuses me. I think it's the Houston Cowboys fans he hates. So my suggestion to him would be to maybe quit hanging with them. Just a thought.

I know John McClain and he does not hate the Cowboy fans that live here. My mom and him are good friends and I have had the chance to talk with him many times about football and he really does not hate the team or us Houston residents that are Cowboy fans. Heck last year he put 100 bucks on the Cowboys in Vegas to make it to the SB.

 

[CrazyCowboy]

let's hope williams stuggles again Sat and stays away from ROMO

 

[Doomsday101]

let's hope williams stuggles again Sat and stays away from ROMO

Heck with that let hope the OL puts him in his place.

 

[DallasGirl50]

I know John McClain and he does not hate the Cowboy fans that live here. My mom and him are good friends and I have had the chance to talk with him many times about football and he really does not hate the team or us Houston residents that are Cowboy fans. Heck last year he put 100 bucks on the Cowboys in Vegas to make it to the SB.

Like I said he confuses me...personally I like him and his writings in the Chronicle..he's a bit of a homer but that's ok and I understand that. I do know he's really into the LA Hollywood stuff...movies, etc.

I have found just from being a irregular 610 listener that when he does his own show on Tuesday with that girl (her name escapes me but she hates the Cowboys and they DO come up) that John tends to go off on the Cowboys more than he does with the guys on his other segments on the show.

I'll just leave it at IF he's a Cowboys fan it's more of the old time Cowboys and that's fine. That's the coach and guys he liked.

 

[Doomsday101]

Like I said he confuses me...personally I like him and his writings in the Chronicle..he's a bit of a homer but that's ok and I understand that. I do know he's really into the LA Hollywood stuff...movies, etc.

I have found just from being a irregular 610 listener that when he does his own show on Tuesday with that girl (her name escapes me but she hates the Cowboys and they DO come up) that John tends to go off on the Cowboys more than he does with the guys on his other segments on the show.

I'll just leave it at IF he's a Cowboys fan it's more of the old time Cowboys and that's fine. That's the coach and guys he liked.

I did not say he was a Cowboy fan I only said he bet on them last year, he goes to Vegas each year to place his bets on the upcoming NFL season. Like JJT once said when asked how he could write some of this opinion and be a Cowboy fan. He said easy I'm not a fan I'm a writer and I call it as I see it well McClain is pretty much the same they can't be fans

 

[DallasGirl50]

I did not say he was a Cowboy fan I only said he bet on them last year, he goes to Vegas each year to place his bets on the upcoming NFL season. Like JJT once said when asked how he could write some of this opinion and be a Cowboy fan. He said easy I'm not a fan I'm a writer and I call it as I see it well McClain is pretty much the same they can't be fans

Yes I apologize..that is what you wrote and my reading comprehension is poor today for some reason.

I have had some email correspondence with John in the past on a very limited basis regarding something he wrote and he was very nice and kind in his response so I have no problem with him at all. He just confuses me that's all.

Which apparently is not a hard thing to do!

 

[Kangaroo]

I like John he is a solid writer and also great on the radio. he does not have an anti cowboy agenda. He also agrees Bob Hayes and Cliff Harris belong in the HOF and he has voted for both. So don't think he is anti cowboy.

He gives Cowboy fans in houston a hard time on the radio more a good nature ribbing. He is way better than JJT

 

[sago1]

Cowboy fans in Houston are no more obnoxious then Texan fans are in Dallas. It's just that both sets of fans resent the presence of fans of the other team in their area. Same holds true for fans of all other NFL teams and, since their a lot of Cowboy fans everywhere, fans are particular vehement against Cowboy fans. When I lived just outside of Washington, DC, the Commanders fans were just nuts because there so many Cowboy fans living there. In fact Cowboy fans were the 2nd largest group of football fans living there.

This holds true everywhere. SD Chargers were furious several years ago in opening game when it seemed like half the stadium wore blue and were Cowboy fans. The players wanted to ban fans of other teams, particularly Cowboy fans. The point is fans of other teams find Cowboy fans obnoxious mostly because there are so many of them - although admittedly some of our fans are obnoxious but then so are many of theirs.

 

[Duane]

Cowboy fans in Houston are no more obnoxious then Texan fans are in Dallas. It's just that both sets of fans resent the presence of fans of the other team in their area. Same holds true for fans of all other NFL teams and, since their a lot of Cowboy fans everywhere, fans are particular vehement against Cowboy fans. When I lived just outside of Washington, DC, the Commanders fans were just nuts because there so many Cowboy fans living there. In fact Cowboy fans were the 2nd largest group of football fans living there.

This holds true everywhere. SD Chargers were furious several years ago in opening game when it seemed like half the stadium wore blue and were Cowboy fans. The players wanted to ban fans of other teams, particularly Cowboy fans. The point is fans of other teams find Cowboy fans obnoxious mostly because there are so many of them - although admittedly some of our fans are obnoxious but then so are many of theirs.

Texan fans in Dallas? I didn't know more than a handful of them lived outside Beltway 8. :laugh2:

 

[Boyzmamacita]

John has "talk out of both sides of your mouth" disease when it comes to the Cowboys.

One of his friends is that goofball Bill Lamza (sp?) that runs around Houston in sparkly Porter Wagoner type outfits presenting himself as the world's biggest Cowboys fan.

Um..I'm not sure exactly how to take John. He interviews Jerry on Houston radio and I appreciate that and he's actually NICE to him. He's friends with Wade. He does write about the Cowboys and that infuriates the Houston fans who hate anything Dallas Cowboys.

He confuses me. I think it's the Houston Cowboys fans he hates. So my suggestion to him would be to maybe quit hanging with them. Just a thought.

I was wondering what happened to "Cowboy Bill" Lamza. Glad to hear he's still around. I used to get his fan newsletter many years ago. He even called me at home once just to talk about the Cowboys. He seems a little weird when you see a picture of him, but he's a really nice man.

And by the way, to the board.

 

[thekavorka]

A better analogy would be

Cowboy fans in Houston is like Spurs fans in Dallas. I absolutely can not stand Spurs fans in Dallas.

 

[Doomsday101]

A better analogy would be

Cowboy fans in Houston is like Spurs fans in Dallas. I absolutely can not stand Spurs fans in Dallas.

Cowboy fans in Houston are just fans of the Cowboys who happen to live in Houston. Hell we are the ones abused on the radio talk shows and the ones who put up with the local crap. When I 1st moved to Houston in 69 our family pulled for the Oilers after all they were AFL and the Cowboys were in the NFL but because of name calling and hounding by Houston fans I got to the point that I would cheer against the Oilers no matter who they played.

 

[DallasGirl50]

I was wondering what happened to "Cowboy Bill" Lamza. Glad to hear he's still around. I used to get his fan newsletter many years ago. He even called me at home once just to talk about the Cowboys. He seems a little weird when you see a picture of him, but he's a really nice man.

And by the way, to the board.

Thanks! John McClain talks about Bill all the time and I should clarify something. I am sure he's a very nice man but he's a man in definite need of a stylist. I saw him once at Texas Stadium many years ago and he looked silly. Anyway he's banned from calling the local Houston sports radio show but I do know he's friendly with John. And I don't dispute that he is a HUGE Cowboys fan.

 

[DallasGirl50]

Cowboy fans in Houston are just fans of the Cowboys who happen to live in Houston. Hell we are the ones abused on the radio talk shows and the ones who put up with the local crap. When I 1st moved to Houston in 69 our family pulled for the Oilers after all they were AFL and the Cowboys were in the NFL but because of name calling and hounding by Houston fans I got to the point that I would cheer against the Oilers no matter who they played.

I maybe WOULD have cheered for the Oilers when they were there but for morons like Carl Mauck who said he'd pack the bags of any Cowboys fan in Houston and move them back to Dallas.

I actually liked Bum..he's got good old common Texas sense.

I loved Earl...just a pleasure to watch that guy play.

I respected Pastorini..he took a ton of punishment and still played hard.

But I would never, ever cheer for the Oilers after that statement by Mauck. And he still feels the same today!

That being said they had some class guys like Matthews, Earl, Bum, etc. And I admired the "love you blue" support they got in those pep rallies. That was impressive.