CFZ Hope vs Reality

[Bobhaze]

This board isn't big enough for the two of us, Captain Boldfont.

“Captain Boldfont”….from now on it’s on the back of my jersey.

 

[thunderpimp91]

Good points.

The problem with all that is I don’t think Jerry allows reality to influence him enough. His “hope” that every year all they need is a little luck at the craps table is far from the reality that to win playoff games you have to work hard in the off-season to set it up.

Stephen’s comments this week about just needing the oblong ball to roll our way is completely devoid of reality. That’s where those guys live.

I believe you're right and that's what's crushing my hope right now. There is certainly an aspect of luck in football, but I don't think this league is as luck based on these guys think it is. Teams that prepare their rosters for deep playoff pushes are typically the ones that make those runs.

 

[Bobhaze]

Let me summarize.

The Cowboys got blown out by the Green Bay Packers in the playoffs last season. It was a total blowout on both offense and defense.

The Cowboys sat on their hands during free agency, signing player willing to play for minimal salary - knowing we had two major weaknesses in 2023 and we lost a significant group of free agents.

The Cowboys drafted a group of college players, like every team in the NFL. Then signed a group of UDFAs like every team in the NFL.

The Cowboys re-sign Zeke Elliott, who we thought was done 2, 3, even 4 years ago.

I love being optimistic about my football team, but you have to be delusional to believe the 2024 Cowboys will be better than the 2023 Cowboys who were not good enough to win a game against a wild card team.

My hope has not become longer term. I hope, by some miracle, Jerry and Stephen decide to step aside and let someone else run this team. My hope is not as far fetched as expecting the 2024 Cowboys to be better than the 2023 Cowboys.

I’m the same. My hope is that someday soon, the old man and Giggles will wake up to the reality that they don’t know how to get it done in the cap era. Results over the last 3 decades are clear.

That’s my biggest hope for this team before I pass on to the greater beyond.

 

[RoboQB]

Hope is Charlie Brown thinking Lucy won't pull the ball away as he tries to kick it again.
Reality is knowing that Lucy will never let him kick the ball.
"Here we go"... again. (lol)

 

[jazzcat22]

My hope is we make it to the SB and win.
My reality is, we get dumped in the playoffs again. Yes, I think we can still make the playoffs.

I know some fans goal and a successful season in to get to the NFCCG. However, in reality, is that even good enough?

 

[jazzcat22]

Hope is Charlie Brown thinking Lucy won't pull the ball away as he tries to kick it again.
Reality is knowing that Lucy will never let him kick the ball.
"Here we go"... again. (lol)

 

[Bobhaze]

Advice to Stephen Jones from the movie “Animal House”:

”Fat, drunk and stupid is no way to go through life son.” —Dean Wormer

 

[75boyz]

100%. That’s reality!

As open minded as I can train myself to be on most things, Bob. But I have never been able to grasp those who interpret regular season wins as successful seasons. And I won't apologize for my difference of opinion. And I will continue to make remarks toward those who just don't get it.

 

[Cowboys5217]

My hope is we make it to the SB and win.
My reality is, we get dumped in the playoffs again. Yes, I think we can still make the playoffs.

I know some fans goal and a successful season in to get to the NFCCG. However, in reality, is that even good enough?

I admit that it is a lowered bar to settle for just an CTG appearance from what this franchise used to strive for. I just want to get that far again, because I have forgotten what it feels like.

It is what it is after 3 decades. The weird thing is that I could more easily digest the 3 decades of failure if we were operated like a normal franchise. If it were a series of failed GMs that were at least accountable I could chalk it up to bad luck with the knowledge that eventually the right GM could be hired. At least there would be some real hope.

That isn't the case with the Cowboys. We are stuck in a curse like no other where the main problem simply cannot be solved for no other reason than narcissism. Even senile Al Davis wasn't this bad.

 

[Praxit]

...last year we we're handed a lifetime opportunity, to advance far.

What do we do? Modern day Dallas Cowboys show up.

Its probably best to JUST enjoy the ride. Put all hopes of bigger things aside.

If it happens great, everything else is soup of the day. ....

 

[Rockport]

Hope is a good thing. Being a Cowboys fanatic like we all are here requires that we have some level of hope every year. We all hope “this is our year”, or hope things will different for us this year.

Nothing symbolizes that hope more than the draft. Every year the draft is analyzed, dissected and graded before a single player has played a down of NFL football. Draft experts and fans look at the players we acquire and project their impact in a positive light. Nothing wrong with that because as the saying goes, “Hope springs eternal.” Hope is good. For example, I think we have a good draft this year. I hope so anyway.

But the balance of sports hope is sports reality. Reality is based on the actual results we get and nothing else. The goal of every team - its leaders, players and fan base - is to win a championship or at the very least get close. Reality is only one team wins it every year. This balance of hope versus reality is part of what makes sports fun.

After the last three decades as a Cowboys fan, reality has been harsh. We’ve had some good seasons, like the last three where we won 36 games - three straight 12 win seasons. We’ve made the playoffs all three of those seasons, for the first time since the 90s. The reality staring at us is we have one wild card win to show for the last three seasons. An even stronger dose of reality, we have 5 wild card wins in the last three decades. And the same GM and son pulling all the levers of power. That’s also a harsh reality.

This time of year it’s a good thing to have hope. Optimism is the cornerstone of sports fandom. But the results we get is the ultimate reality - the bottom line at least for me as a fan.

Someday, we all hope that the results we get will line up with the hope we have. When hope and reality happen together, it’s the greatest feeling as a sports fan. As a long time Cowboys fan, I still remember when hope and reality happened. I hope someday it will happen again.

So I hope we can all be tolerant of any fan here who has hope going into the next season. And I also hope that hyper-hopeful fans will also be tolerant of those whose hopes have been crushed so many times by reality that it’s hard to have much hope again. I understand both. I hope we can all allow the balance of hope and reality to exist together.

Go Cowboys!

There’s a couple of hands full of Zoners who have stated that they hope the Cowboys go 0-17.

As for your last paragraph you’re obviously talking about me and you have it all wrong. I’m tolerant of fans who don’t have much hope but I’m not tolerant of those who do nothing but whine about it everyday and if someone posts something positive, they’re attacked relentlessly. So Bob, don’t make it sound like it’s all 50-50 and hunky dory. The haters here are terrible.

 

[Rockport]

I’m the same. My hope is that someday soon, the old man and Giggles will wake up to the reality that they don’t know how to get it done in the cap era. Results over the last 3 decades are clear.

That’s my biggest hope for this team before I pass on to the greater beyond.

I think that days coming soon and then maybe they’ll have a real GM. If Stephen takes over GM duties then I think the fanbase will go nuts.

 

[Reality]

Reality sucks!

 

[Bobhaze]

There’s a couple of hands full of Zoners who have stated that they hope the Cowboys go 0-17.

As for your last paragraph you’re obviously talking about me and you have it all wrong. I’m tolerant of fans who don’t have much hope but I’m not tolerant of those who do nothing but whine about it everyday and if someone posts something positive, they’re attacked relentlessly. So Bob, don’t make it sound like it’s all 50-50 and hunky dory. The haters here are terrible.

As for the last paragraph Rock, I was not thinking about you or any one particular person. Getting along with people we disagree with without calling them names or disrespecting each other is on all of us who post here. In fact it’s an important life skill IMO.

 

[Diehardblues]

Yep, off-season including the Draft and Training Camp is a time for renewed hope for all teams. Reality doesn’t begin until after Labor Day.

 

[Rockport]

As for the last paragraph Rock, I was not thinking about you or any one particular person. Getting along with people we disagree with without calling them names or disrespecting each other is on all of us who post here. In fact it’s an important life skill IMO.

Tell that to the trolls who do nothing but troll the rest of us.

 

[Diehardblues]

I’m the same. My hope is that someday soon, the old man and Giggles will wake up to the reality that they don’t know how to get it done in the cap era. Results over the last 3 decades are clear.

That’s my biggest hope for this team before I pass on to the greater beyond.

Unfortunately I don’t have hope that’s happening. We probably need more hope that we’ll get lucky.

It’s going to be close for some of us outliving Jethro before we can have real hope for change.

The closer he gets to 90 the more hope I have his mental state or health will get him but I wouldn’t bet on it. He could be doing this until his last breathe thru his 90’s and beyond.

My hope retains in that the 3 Siblings won’t operate in the same narcissistic fashion as their Daddy which we already have some indicators they won’t.

 

[ShortRound]

All of the arguing & disagreeing, and we are all still here.

I do hope still. Just have less energy to argue than I used to.

 

[Diehardblues]

Tell that to the trolls who do nothing but troll the rest of us.

There’s Trolls in all Social Media sites. It’s up to all of us to ignore them and not provide their platform and stage to grow.

If their threads start falling off the front page quickly they’ll lose some momentum. And report violations.

 

[Diehardblues]

My hope is we make it to the SB and win.
My reality is, we get dumped in the playoffs again. Yes, I think we can still make the playoffs.

I know some fans goal and a successful season in to get to the NFCCG. However, in reality, is that even good enough?

That’s a good immediate goal cause if kicks down the door from last 3 decades. But no doubt ultimately the SB is the goal.

Finally getting back to NFCCG at least ends much of the talking points and NFL futility marks we’ve set this era.