Hostile
The Duke
- Messages
- 119,565
- Reaction score
- 4,544
Living in Southern New Mexico or Texas for all of my school years made it certain that I got to see every game Dallas played. Even so, becoming a Cowboys fan was anything but natural in my family.
My Grandfather played for the Packers and even did some time as a scout for them. Everyone in my family loves the Packers. In January 1971 The Baltimore Colts were playing the Dallas Cowboys in Super Bowl V. I was 6 years old and football wasn't my addiction yet. We were at my Grandparent's house and my uncle was there with my Grandpa and Dad to watch the game. The 3 men I looked up to most in the world.
At some point Johnny Unitas was replaced by Earl Morrall and this really seemed to tick off my relatives. I think that Unitas got hurt, but at this point I really don't remember. Wanting to impress them I said, "well then the Cowboys are my team." It did impress them and all 3 shouted their approval. I found out years later the reason they approved was because my Dad was a big fan of Craig Morton. I didn't learn this until Super Bowl XII when the Broncos faced the Cowboys.
The excitement of the game was hypnotic. Right away I knew that the Cowboys really were my team. I got addicted to football that day. I got addicted to the Cowboys. They were my first love. I admit I love my wife and kids more, but I loved the Cowboys first. (Don't worry, they've heard that joke.)
My family sort of figured I'd grow out of my love for the Cowboys and join them in Packers land. Not a chance. If Super Bowl V didn't draw me in forever, then 1971 and watching Roger Staubach certainly did. Staubach was amazing, and 34 years ago today he led the Cowboys to their first Super Bowl win over Miami in SB VI.
To this day no player has ever impressed me as much as Roger did. He was simply magical. I don't know how else to describe it.
During his career in Dallas I felt like we would win every game. Even when I knew the other team was better I felt like Roger could win the game. Year after year he produced his magical comebacks. As I watched him I grew more and more fascinated with the game. Not just watching it, I wanted to play it all the time. I used to get ticked when the neighborhood guys didn't want to play.
Whenever we did play I literally lived a line from a Mark Wills song, 19 Something. "I was Roger Staubach in my back yard." If only I could have played like Roger. I wanted to play professional football more than anything in the world. I was so addicted to the game that when the guys didn't want to play I had a unique way of "training."
My home town is in the desert and there are lots of mesquite and greasewood bushes. So I'd lace up my running shoes, tuck a football under my arm and run through the desert dodging the bushes who of course were the tacklers. If a bush touched me it meant I was tackled. This training regimen came to a screeching halt one day when as I was running through the desert I turned a corner around a bush and encountered a 6 foot long rattlesnake. I was always fast and could jump high, but jumping far was not my forte' at all.
That day I set the unofficial long jump record because I took off way too soon and should have landed right on the snake if I had been operating under my normal athletic ability. Scared out of your wits provides a great adrenaline boost. I still remember looking down and seeing the snake go from stretched out to coiled up. When we went back later (after I changed my shorts) and measured my take off point to my landing point. It was an impressive jump. Like I said, without the motivation of the snake, I couldn't have come close.
After Staubach's amazing last regular season game, a comeback for the ages against the Commanders, I could feel the hard times coming. It didn't change my passion for the Cowboys one bit. I looked forward to every summer when pre season would start again and I could see the new players.
One Summer I was at my Grandma's. She hated football because Grandpa was so absorbed with it. The Cowboys were getting ready to play the Steelers. Grandma enjoyed bourbon and she'd had a few. She came in the living room and asked me to tell her about this "damned game." I did my best between laughter at her to explain the game. By the end of the game she had joined me as a Cowboys fan. I'm pretty sure Grandpa rolled over in his grave. It was a bond between us.
In 1988 the Cowboys were awful. I got a phone call to come home because Grandma was dying. One by one the grand kids went in to see her and say goodbye. I was the last to go. She said, "oh Mike, what are we going to do about our Cowboys?" I told her, "don't worry Grandma, we're going to draft Troy Aikman and win a couple of more Super Bowls with him." She smiled and squeezed my hand. It was the last thing we ever said to each other.
After Super Bowl XXVIII when we repeated as Super Bowl Champs I went outside and looked up towards heaven. I needed to be alone with my memories of her and that night.
It was great to see the Cowboys back so dominant. They've given me so many heroes and memories over the years. It's been a great addiction.
As Emmitt Smith approached the all time rushing record I went looking for a forum to share in the memories with fellow Cowboys fans. Eventually I found my way over here. My addiction took on a new form. I've enjoyed almost every minute of rapping about football with all of you here. I never could have imagined how much fun I'd have. 20,000 posts later a theory I've had for a long time is just as true as it was long before the Internet was around.
That theory is simply this, being fans of the Dallas Cowboys is a brotherhood. If you see someone wearing a Cowboys cap or T-shirt all you have to do is say "nice hat, or nice shirt" and you can strike up a conversation.
Thank you all for particpating in my addiction. Sorry this was so long, but I wanted to return to an old habit and write a novella.
I can't wait until we're all celebrating again.
My Grandfather played for the Packers and even did some time as a scout for them. Everyone in my family loves the Packers. In January 1971 The Baltimore Colts were playing the Dallas Cowboys in Super Bowl V. I was 6 years old and football wasn't my addiction yet. We were at my Grandparent's house and my uncle was there with my Grandpa and Dad to watch the game. The 3 men I looked up to most in the world.
At some point Johnny Unitas was replaced by Earl Morrall and this really seemed to tick off my relatives. I think that Unitas got hurt, but at this point I really don't remember. Wanting to impress them I said, "well then the Cowboys are my team." It did impress them and all 3 shouted their approval. I found out years later the reason they approved was because my Dad was a big fan of Craig Morton. I didn't learn this until Super Bowl XII when the Broncos faced the Cowboys.
The excitement of the game was hypnotic. Right away I knew that the Cowboys really were my team. I got addicted to football that day. I got addicted to the Cowboys. They were my first love. I admit I love my wife and kids more, but I loved the Cowboys first. (Don't worry, they've heard that joke.)
My family sort of figured I'd grow out of my love for the Cowboys and join them in Packers land. Not a chance. If Super Bowl V didn't draw me in forever, then 1971 and watching Roger Staubach certainly did. Staubach was amazing, and 34 years ago today he led the Cowboys to their first Super Bowl win over Miami in SB VI.
To this day no player has ever impressed me as much as Roger did. He was simply magical. I don't know how else to describe it.
During his career in Dallas I felt like we would win every game. Even when I knew the other team was better I felt like Roger could win the game. Year after year he produced his magical comebacks. As I watched him I grew more and more fascinated with the game. Not just watching it, I wanted to play it all the time. I used to get ticked when the neighborhood guys didn't want to play.
Whenever we did play I literally lived a line from a Mark Wills song, 19 Something. "I was Roger Staubach in my back yard." If only I could have played like Roger. I wanted to play professional football more than anything in the world. I was so addicted to the game that when the guys didn't want to play I had a unique way of "training."
My home town is in the desert and there are lots of mesquite and greasewood bushes. So I'd lace up my running shoes, tuck a football under my arm and run through the desert dodging the bushes who of course were the tacklers. If a bush touched me it meant I was tackled. This training regimen came to a screeching halt one day when as I was running through the desert I turned a corner around a bush and encountered a 6 foot long rattlesnake. I was always fast and could jump high, but jumping far was not my forte' at all.
That day I set the unofficial long jump record because I took off way too soon and should have landed right on the snake if I had been operating under my normal athletic ability. Scared out of your wits provides a great adrenaline boost. I still remember looking down and seeing the snake go from stretched out to coiled up. When we went back later (after I changed my shorts) and measured my take off point to my landing point. It was an impressive jump. Like I said, without the motivation of the snake, I couldn't have come close.
After Staubach's amazing last regular season game, a comeback for the ages against the Commanders, I could feel the hard times coming. It didn't change my passion for the Cowboys one bit. I looked forward to every summer when pre season would start again and I could see the new players.
One Summer I was at my Grandma's. She hated football because Grandpa was so absorbed with it. The Cowboys were getting ready to play the Steelers. Grandma enjoyed bourbon and she'd had a few. She came in the living room and asked me to tell her about this "damned game." I did my best between laughter at her to explain the game. By the end of the game she had joined me as a Cowboys fan. I'm pretty sure Grandpa rolled over in his grave. It was a bond between us.
In 1988 the Cowboys were awful. I got a phone call to come home because Grandma was dying. One by one the grand kids went in to see her and say goodbye. I was the last to go. She said, "oh Mike, what are we going to do about our Cowboys?" I told her, "don't worry Grandma, we're going to draft Troy Aikman and win a couple of more Super Bowls with him." She smiled and squeezed my hand. It was the last thing we ever said to each other.
After Super Bowl XXVIII when we repeated as Super Bowl Champs I went outside and looked up towards heaven. I needed to be alone with my memories of her and that night.
It was great to see the Cowboys back so dominant. They've given me so many heroes and memories over the years. It's been a great addiction.
As Emmitt Smith approached the all time rushing record I went looking for a forum to share in the memories with fellow Cowboys fans. Eventually I found my way over here. My addiction took on a new form. I've enjoyed almost every minute of rapping about football with all of you here. I never could have imagined how much fun I'd have. 20,000 posts later a theory I've had for a long time is just as true as it was long before the Internet was around.
That theory is simply this, being fans of the Dallas Cowboys is a brotherhood. If you see someone wearing a Cowboys cap or T-shirt all you have to do is say "nice hat, or nice shirt" and you can strike up a conversation.
Thank you all for particpating in my addiction. Sorry this was so long, but I wanted to return to an old habit and write a novella.
I can't wait until we're all celebrating again.