Question for the native Texans on the board

[rcaldw]

Every off season we get this wishful argument that the Cowboys' popularity will decline, or that it has declined and people are just watching to see the 'train wreck' of relevant week 17 football. And every year, every scrap of available polling data suggests they remain as popular as ever and the most popular team in the league by a decent margin. This year is no different.

If "Johnny Football" goes to the Texans, it might help them rank above the Jets or the Cardinals in terms of popularity for a few years. They'll benefit from the Tebow Effect, perhaps. The Cowboys will go right on being the most popular team, and the one that's most widely watched, and won't think twice about whatever is or is not going on down in Houston. Why would they care?

I think for the most part you are correct. But arrogance is a road that can lead downward. I mean at some point you have to ask WHY the Cowboys were EVER popular?

There are a combination of reasons. Always will be. But they gained MOMENTUM in the 70's with Landry, Staubach, a lot of winning, and the reputation for being the guys in the white hats. In the 90's it was a revival of the 70's dominance, and a new level of dominance greater than the 70's for a short period of time.

What would make the Cowboys popular since the late 90's? I suggest a lot of memories help carry the day. Sooner or later that will end

 

[WV Cowboy]

True. And the Josh Brent stuff has a "here we go again" ring to it.

And that kind of aggrivates me, .. because for example, the "schteelars" have the 3rd most arrests in the NFL since like 2008 or 2007 or something.

And yet they are not portrayed that way. They are viewed as blue collar, good 'ol boys that do things the right way, when in truth, they are not.

I mean the face of their franchise was raping college girls in bathrooms of bars, .. and the head coach is stepping on to the playing field, interferring with a live play, ... but all of that dies down and goes away, .. while we are still viewed as the "Cocaine Cowboys".

Other teams have issues as well, but we get the bad rep.

The media's influence is powerful.

 

[Doomsday101]

I think for the most part you are correct. But arrogance is a road that can lead downward. I mean at some point you have to ask WHY the Cowboys were EVER popular?

There are a combination of reasons. Always will be. But they gained MOMENTUM in the 70's with Landry, Staubach, a lot of winning, and the reputation for being the guys in the white hats. In the 90's it was a revival of the 70's dominance, and a new level of dominance greater than the 70's for a short period of time.

What would make the Cowboys popular since the late 90's? I suggest a lot of memories help carry the day. Sooner or later that will end

GB had many years between the Lombardi days and their next SB with Brett Favre, it happens but hardcore packers fans held together and reaped the reward that only diehard fans can experience. In the 80’s many Cowboy fans turned on Landry wanted him fired and going to Texas Stadium was pretty easy with ample tickets to buy. Not a lot of people showing up to games and even blackouts in the Dallas area but that changed. There will always be fans that move on to the newest winning team, I bet Seahawks have more fans now than they did 5 or 6 years ago. It is easy to pull for the winning team but it is a lot different for those who hold together through the lean years and experience the top once again.

 

[Idgit]

I think for the most part you are correct. But arrogance is a road that can lead downward. I mean at some point you have to ask WHY the Cowboys were EVER popular?

There are a combination of reasons. Always will be. But they gained MOMENTUM in the 70's with Landry, Staubach, a lot of winning, and the reputation for being the guys in the white hats. In the 90's it was a revival of the 70's dominance, and a new level of dominance greater than the 70's for a short period of time.

What would make the Cowboys popular since the late 90's? I suggest a lot of memories help carry the day. Sooner or later that will end

You'd have to think that it would. But when it starts happening, we'll see them dip gradually in terms of popularity. Hopefully, it never gets to that point. But, I agree, we can't keep missing the playoffs. Four seasons in a row, with a talented team (that lacks depth) knocking on the door in week 17 is ridiculous.

 

[Deep_South]

Jerry wants to put on a show, and Johnny Manziel puts on a show. You can bet Jerry knows about him and wants him. If Johnny Football were to make it big in Houston, it would be serious competition for the Cowboys.

I don't really follow college football, and the only way I found out about Johnny Football this year was someone in here mentioned him and I looked him up. It just so happened A&M was playing Alabama a couple of days later, so I watched the game and I couldn't believe what I saw - a player so good it could possibly mean the end of Aggie jokes.

But, what is significant is that game and all of the rest of A&M's games were televised here in Tennessee - every one of them, just like the Cowboys. However, back when the Boys started 1-7, a lot of their games weren't televised here that season and were replaced with Aints games. That means if Manziel gets drafted by Houston and gets them going, and if the over-the-hill gang running the Cowboys drops them under .500, a lot of national and local attention will begin to focus on Houston, and away from the Cowboys.

If the Cowboys can put a real good team on the field for a change, they'll weather a Manziel storm just fine.

 

[WV Cowboy]

If the Cowboys can put a real good team on the field for a change, they'll weather a Manziel storm just fine.

That is true I am sure, .. but that is a HUGE IF !

 

[Doomsday101]

That is true I am sure, .. but that is a HUGE IF !

It is a big IF on Manziel. I think he is making a mistake coming out after his red shirt sophomore year I think he would be better served maturing both physically and mentally. I said the same about Vince Young and all I heard was he needs to come out and now it was a mistake for Young and I think just as big of a mistake for Manziel

 

[WV Cowboy]

It is a big IF on Manziel.

It is, .. but that is not the IF I was referring to.

 

[Doomsday101]

It is, .. but that is not the IF I was referring to.

I know what you were referring to and that is the Cowboys winning. Getting Johnny Football is not going to change much. Hell Dallas scored 27.4 avg per game 5th in the NFL and unless Johnny Football can play defense then Dallas getting him does not mean Jack. I know everyone is down on Dallas. We can't win , just a bad team over all may as well not even play the damn games but forgive me if I don't quit this easy on a team. Dallas has work to do on defense and it comes with a lot of question but my focus is this team getting better. Now who will cheer for them? Frankly i could care less if some want to turn tail and run, don't let the door hit you on the way out. I'm here to stay! lol

 

[Doc50]

Remember, Houston has been just one or two players away from the big show for the past 2-3 years, and this was going to be be the year.

They started out good, but then experienced one of the biggest and strangest collapses in NFL history.

The blogs in Houston are not bubbling over with optimism right now, even with Manziel. The example of "can't miss" Vince Young is still on their minds, and the solution to their problem rests with more than one position (much like the Cowboys).

Hell, Jerry would love to get a game against Houston in his stadium, with JF as the draw, and just see how many tickets and souvenirs he could sell.

While I like the Fran Tarkenton aspect of him, todays defensemen are so much bigger and faster that I think the NFL for JF would mean "not for long".

Let's hope Jerry is focused on the roster for a while.

 

[Beast_from_East]

I'm starting to see the Texans logo more and more everyday in this state. Do you think Jerry is concerned what will happened to the balance of fandom in the state if the Texans draft Mr. Charisma, Johnny Manziel? Do you think this keeps him up at night? Jerry has already lost so many young fans who do not want to associate themselves with this loser franchise, is he in danger of losing an entire generation if the cult hero from Aggieland goes to the Texans.

You mean the 2-14 Texans?

That is who the Cowboys are losing fans to?

Ok, thanks for sharing.

 

[Zordon]

Really?

I see a lot of Cowboys fans in Houston so I think you're trying to stir an empty pot sir.

Cowboys haven't won a thing in almost 20 years yet they're more valuable and as popular as ever.

I see a lot of Texans fans in Centex. When I went to Houston 2 weeks ago there were lots of folks with Texans gear at the Breakfast Klub. Their brand is growing despite a bad year last season.

Every team's value is going up b/c of the growth of the league, so when you say the Cowboys are more valuable than ever, that doesn't really do anything for me.

I think there will be legitimate concern for the media hungry Jones family if JFF goes to the Texans. The media attention alone would be a dramatic shift.

Had to blink.
We're on a Cowboy fan site and I just read that the Dallas Cowboys are a "loser franchise".
That's pretty all-encompassing statement if you undersatand what the word franchise entails.

Come one Z, take a chill pill.

Cmon man you know what I meant. I'm obviously not referring to '60-'96. I'm referring to everything in recent memory. Face it, we have become a laughing stock. Losing 3 straight win or go home games to NFC East foes is shameful. The youth today is not only fickle but they are front runners, I do not see many young people around DFW walking around with Cowboys jerseys. I see a helluva lot of them in Rangers red. Also, I know this site loves Tony Romo, that's cool...but he's not a big brand nationally. Fairly or not, his image has been tarnished due to some of his losses. Compare that with JFF, who is a celebrity on and off the field, and despite seeing only moderate success at A&M, is considered a winner.

 

[WV Cowboy]

I know what you were referring to and that is the Cowboys winning. Getting Johnny Football is not going to change much. Hell Dallas scored 27.4 avg per game 5th in the NFL and unless Johnny Football can play defense then Dallas getting him does not mean Jack. I know everyone is down on Dallas. We can't win , just a bad team over all may as well not even play the damn games but forgive me if I don't quit this easy on a team. Dallas has work to do on defense and it comes with a lot of question but my focus is this team getting better. Now who will cheer for them? Frankly i could care less if some want to turn tail and run, don't let the door hit you on the way out. I'm here to stay! lol

Yes, I was talking about the Cowboys winning, .. which they have not done enough of lately.
It's not that everyone is down on Dallas, .. it is .. Dallas is down.

But I never mentioned getting "Jonathan Pigskin", .. never suggested quitting on this team, or turning tail and running.

I am here to stay too.

 

[Zordon]

so in other words being a fan has to do with winning or losing? I'm a fan and many others are fans win, lose or draw. If someone is only going to be a fan based on winning then they are not much of a fan to begin with. Nothing wrong venting about what needs to be done to win but when a specator bases his loyalty on winning then they were never much of a fan to begin with.

Not all fans are like fans on this site. We are the diehards. We probably make up 25% of all NFL fans. We're here till the bitter end, no matter how much we hate Jerry. Other fans are much more fickle and much more willing to change allegiances for a variety of reasons. It could be due to the Cowboys losing, heck it could be b/c of Jerry's insistence to do things his way. I think we've underestimated how many longtime fans Jerry has turned off due to his style of leadership. Well those folks along with many other new young fans in this state who are just now getting into the league are looking for an alternative. On one side you have aged broken down Romo, an owner entrenched in his ways, and a head coach that doesn't excite anyone. On the other side, you have one of the young faces of the league in JJ Watt, a new young head coach known for his fire and offensive prowess, an owner who lets football people make football decisions and you potentially have the greatest SEC QB of all-time who also comes from one of the biggest universities in the state with a cult like following. Trust me Jerry has a big problem on his hands. If you don't believe me now, we'll revisit this discussion during next season when the Texans fans have 40% of Cowboys Stadium full of red.

 

[DavidS]

I'm starting to see the Texans logo more and more everyday in this state.

I don't know what your seeing because I live in Austin and see Cowboy **** everywhere

And never see Texan garbage unless in the city limits of Houston. Plus I work alot in San Antonio and it's Cowboys and Spurs country.

 

[BoysFan4ever]

There will definitely be a ton of Texans fans at Jerryville next season.

 

[Zordon]

This will be interesting for sure. I was living in Houston during the Love ya Blue days. The Oilers were never more popular. Even then, there were LOTS of Cowboys fans. But remember, that those were also the days of Staubach, Dorsett, Pearson, etc.

My honest opinion is that the Cowboys know a different kind of popularity today than they once did. I really think a lot of the nation tunes in to watch the train wreck and the drama. Its a show you can't take your eyes off of, even if you are laughing. I find fewer Cowboys fans in Houston now than ever before.

If Dallas starts winning again (by that I mean divisions, playoff games, etc.), it will shift. But at some point, if the franchise continues to just be the drama queen of the NFL it will change. I would contend that Dallas still knows a great deal of fanbase due to the influence of parents and grandparents. Those people loved Landry, Staubach, and a team that didn't just win, it won with the reputation for "class." You can debate whether that reputation was justified or not, but there is no denying that they had that reputation at the time.

I loved the Cowboys during the 90's too, but the winning then was a bit different. Aikman, and Emmitt and Moose and Novacek, Woody and others spoke of class too. But the team as a whole sort of carried the "one step away from jail" reputation (again, fair or not).

I don't know if Jerry is concerned or not. I would guess not.

You cannot expect to continue to live off of past accomplishments. Mack Brown is no longer the head coach of UT b/c he got too complacent after winning the championship in 2006. For years, I would hear "We're Texas", "we'll be fine", "we'll always be the flagship university of the state", "A&M will always be our little brother". Well too many years with that thinking finally caught up to us. Now the Aggies run the state recruiting wise, they have donations going thru the roof, and have completely reinvented their entire athletic department. My point is, yeah right now the Cowboys are still the most popular team in the state but if we keep having this cocky attitude that nothing will change no matter what and continue to try to live off the 70s/90s, then we're going to get bitten in the *** just like UT did by trying to live off of VY forever. The Texans w/ JFF is a threat to Jerry's empire. We are in danger of seeing a monumental shift similar to what we've seen with UT/A&M if things don't change around here soon.

 

[Zordon]

I don't know what your seeing because I live in Austin and see Cowboy **** everywhere

And never see Texan garbage unless in the city limits of Houston. Plus I work alot in San Antonio and it's Cowboys and Spurs country.

I live in Central Austin, right next to downtown. Lots of transplants from Houston/Dallas in this area. There are also lots of young people that live in my area (20s/early 30s). I kid you not, I see more Texans jerseys (lots of Watt) and Texans decals on cars than I see Cowboys. San Antonio is a different story.

 

[DavidS]

I live in Central Austin, right next to downtown. Lots of transplants from Houston/Dallas in this area.

Austin is the biggest booming melting pot in the United States

It's got hippies from California, Colorado, and Seattle everywhere.

I put zero stock into it. It's Austin

 

[Doomsday101]

Not all fans are like fans on this site. We are the diehards. We probably make up 25% of all NFL fans. We're here till the bitter end, no matter how much we hate Jerry. Other fans are much more fickle and much more willing to change allegiances for a variety of reasons. It could be due to the Cowboys losing, heck it could be b/c of Jerry's insistence to do things his way. I think we've underestimated how many longtime fans Jerry has turned off due to his style of leadership. Well those folks along with many other new young fans in this state who are just now getting into the league are looking for an alternative. On one side you have aged broken down Romo, an owner entrenched in his ways, and a head coach that doesn't excite anyone. On the other side, you have one of the young faces of the league in JJ Watt, a new young head coach known for his fire and offensive prowess, an owner who lets football people make football decisions and you potentially have the greatest SEC QB of all-time who also comes from one of the biggest universities in the state with a cult like following. Trust me Jerry has a big problem on his hands. If you don't believe me now, we'll revisit this discussion during next season when the Texans fans have 40% of Cowboys Stadium full of red.

Well then they can watch the Texans and when Dallas starts winning they can come back claiming how they always were Cowboy fans, that is what they did in the 90's after a poor 80's. Jerry does not have a problem on his hands he could walk away tomorrow with big bucks in his pocket. I don't always agree with Jerry but winning is important to him not just money. Myself I don't hate Jerry again don't always agree with moves we have made and say it when that happens on moves that have been made that I agree with I state that as well. I also do not think Romo is a broken down QB he is a player who had an injury, welcome to the NFL players get injured. I find it funny Houston was lousy last place in the entire NFL but katy bar the door because they got a ton of fans. They don't have JACK, JJ watts great player outside of that nothing. As many injuries as Dallas had we did not lose 14 games in a row. Houston was billed as a SB contender and went 2-14 yeah a lot to get excited about.