Man. This is a truly "not cool" post. This is from someone from the 70's so you get my drift, self proclaimed old-timer.
A fan since Danny White was disappointing fans like you.
I saw it bad. I was weened on the Cowboys when they were collapsing year after year.
Despite the Legacy. Despite the Coach.
But you know what I and my surrogate "Grandpa"- Old Mr Campbell did?
We hoped for the best every year.
All Winter and Spring he and I talked about The Team. Our Dallas Cowboys.
What went wrong. What went right. What was going on- was it the players that couldn't get it straight, or the coaches?
I was 5yrs-11yrs old in that span and we were having deep discussion on how the Team could improve. Maybe that's normal, but none of my friends wanted to talk football like I did.
It was a different time then- as you well know. No internet, no cell phones or texting. It was newspapers and AM radio to get your Cowboys fix.
Thankfully I lived in Ingleside, TX- right outside of Corpus Christie. Cowboys were Kings and there was no one else in that territory.
Ever did he and I hope for the best next year.
We rationalized things left and right and you know- sometimes we were right. Sometimes we were wrong.
But the optimism, despite seeing the obvious cracks in the foundations never faded.
Every new year brought new opportunity.
Then what happened? Some wild-catter from Arkansas bought Our Team and kicked out Our Coach and changed everything.
Those were heady days for a budding teen- My team just went through the lowest of lows, but now you could feel the Rise.
By '91 it was palpable. My yearly optimism was paying off. I knew it!
I wish Old Mr Campbell could have lived just long enough to have watched that first Superbowl I ever experienced with me.
He would have told me: You see? You believe in your team and they will pay you in kind. The more you pay, the more valuable it will be when they pay you back.
I understood this from an emotional sense.
After the Heydays of the 90's, I knew Championship material from the the rest.
I knew what was going on. Switzer, Campo, Quincy, Vinny, crap defenses, crap offenses, QB's who know JUST when to break your heart...
But every year I still go in knowing that this next year is a year of opportunity.
Anything can happen.
If you've read any of my history here- you know I'm a betting man.
I think with my head too.
Right now- I wouldn't bet on this team to win it all next year, or the year after that unless some dramatic things happen.
But my Heart...
My Heart beats Blue out of my atrias and Silver out of my ventricles.
I always hope and sometimes- I will rationalize what went wrong, like I did with Old Mr Campbell.
Sitting on the porch with a big ol' wad of bubble gum in my mouth that he never failed to give me- especially on Game Day.
Some days- those were the things that got me through many a-tough times. Next year guys. So and so will play better. Those other guys won't be injured. My guy won't throw that pick next time.
May be wrong. May be not so wrong. But those thoughts were important to me.
Man- don't hate on those that choose to believe in something. They may be 100% wrong, but so what?
They may even know the same wrongs on this team as you, but they choose to look at solutions that you may deem inconsiderable or improbable.
Doesn't mean it's impossible. Maybe, just maybe Our Cowboys do grab lightning in a bottle next year. Maybe something special happens. You going to scowl all year while they do business?
I'm not saying it's going to happen- probably won't, but what if it does?
Every year brings new opportunity.
I just don't see the reason to trample on others because they have hope. Maybe blind. Maybe wrong. But that's like a lot of religions throughout History and it's wrong to trample on that, isn't it?
I have written way too much now.
Much more than this post or the subject in it's entirety demanded.
My apologies. My convoluted point stands though.
