Talk of past playoff failures during the summer is a waste of emotional energy

[Jumbo075]

We all know about the last 28 seasons of playoff futility for the Dallas Cowboys. No one is unaware of this. But the Cowboys team won't have a chance to change that narrative until next January - if they make the playoffs at the end of the 2024 season. So, in my opinion, it is a waste of emotional energy to focus on past failures. The failures of the past 28 years have the same relevance to the 2024 season as the three Super Bowls won in the mid-1990's, and the Super Bowls won in the 1970's.

There is no "tradition of winning" left for Dallas to fall back upon. There is only now. This season. And there is a hope that every team in the NFL has at the beginning of a season that this might be the year for their team. The Cowboys players and fans have just as much right to embrace that hope as any other team in the NFL this year. Dwelling on the bitterness of past failures has the same value as dwelling on the glory of past successes. They are irrelevant to this year's version of the Cowboys.

So I have a request, and a commitment:

Request: Stop looking back, and rehashing the past. Choose to dwell on the hope and promise of a new season.

Commitment: I won't participate in discussions bashing players, coaching staff and front office personnel for the results of past seasons. I won't support positive takes from the past; nor will I support negative takes from the past. I won't defend the team, players and front office for past successes or failures. I just refuse to participate in those discussions. I will only participate in discussing the here and now issues for the 2024 roster, and the performances of staff and personnel that currently exist, in their present form. I won't condemn, or praise past performances on any level. It is just a waste of emotional energy, and doesn't contribute in any positive way to the discussions of this year's Cowboys team.

Who will join me?

 

[RS12]

Change the owner/GM, the HC, and QB, and count most of us in.

 

[America's Cowboy]

Change the owner/GM, the HC, and QB, and count most of us in.

Right on cue, the negative posters refuse to be respectful.

 

[TheMarathonContinues]

We all know about the last 28 seasons of playoff futility for the Dallas Cowboys. No one is unaware of this. But the Cowboys team won't have a chance to change that narrative until next January - if they make the playoffs at the end of the 2024 season. So, in my opinion, it is a waste of emotional energy to focus on past failures. The failures of the past 28 years have the same relevance to the 2024 season as the three Super Bowls won in the mid-1990's, and the Super Bowls won in the 1970's.

There is no "tradition of winning" left for Dallas to fall back upon. There is only now. This season. And there is a hope that every team in the NFL has at the beginning of a season that this might be the year for their team. The Cowboys players and fans have just as much right to embrace that hope as any other team in the NFL this year. Dwelling on the bitterness of past failures has the same value as dwelling on the glory of past successes. They are irrelevant to this year's version of the Cowboys.

So I have a request, and a commitment:

Request: Stop looking back, and rehashing the past. Choose to dwell on the hope and promise of a new season.

Commitment: I won't participate in discussions bashing players, coaching staff and front office personnel for the results of past seasons. I won't support positive takes from the past; nor will I support negative takes from the past. I won't defend the team, players and front office for past successes or failures. I just refuse to participate in those discussions. I will only participate in discussing the here and now issues for the 2024 roster, and the performances of staff and personnel that currently exist, in their present form. I won't condemn, or praise past performances on any level. It is just a waste of emotional energy, and doesn't contribute in any positive way to the discussions of this year's Cowboys team.

Who will join me?

I commend you and respect it. I’m down. And I hate to deter your effort but some of these guys here…..they have ulterior motives.

 

[big dog cowboy]

I'll never let go of the Ice Bowl game, Super Bowl 13, The Catch.............

It's in my DNA just as much as Super Bowl 6, Super Bowl12......

Those can't be separated. You have to take the good memories with the bad. That just comes with being a fan.

 

[shabazz]

Who will join me?

I have zero issues with fans making proclamations and suggesting a different way to discuss things .

And living in the past can be boring as well as irrelevant.

But how far back is the past? Last season? 1996?

perhaps we can be focusing merely on all the recent successes starting with the key aquisitions of top free agents, the fact that we kept all of our starters, the draft that we just Aced and most importantly us resigning our 3 most important players to great contracts.

This offseason should make any fan forget about the past ......this may be a special year

 

[Bobhaze]

We all know about the last 28 seasons of playoff futility for the Dallas Cowboys. No one is unaware of this. But the Cowboys team won't have a chance to change that narrative until next January - if they make the playoffs at the end of the 2024 season. So, in my opinion, it is a waste of emotional energy to focus on past failures. The failures of the past 28 years have the same relevance to the 2024 season as the three Super Bowls won in the mid-1990's, and the Super Bowls won in the 1970's.

There is no "tradition of winning" left for Dallas to fall back upon. There is only now. This season. And there is a hope that every team in the NFL has at the beginning of a season that this might be the year for their team. The Cowboys players and fans have just as much right to embrace that hope as any other team in the NFL this year. Dwelling on the bitterness of past failures has the same value as dwelling on the glory of past successes. They are irrelevant to this year's version of the Cowboys.

So I have a request, and a commitment:

Request: Stop looking back, and rehashing the past. Choose to dwell on the hope and promise of a new season.

Commitment: I won't participate in discussions bashing players, coaching staff and front office personnel for the results of past seasons. I won't support positive takes from the past; nor will I support negative takes from the past. I won't defend the team, players and front office for past successes or failures. I just refuse to participate in those discussions. I will only participate in discussing the here and now issues for the 2024 roster, and the performances of staff and personnel that currently exist, in their present form. I won't condemn, or praise past performances on any level. It is just a waste of emotional energy, and doesn't contribute in any positive way to the discussions of this year's Cowboys team.

Who will join me?

Jumbo, I respect your well thought and presented post. That’s the way you choose to be a Cowboys fan and that’s perfectly fine. I support your right to be a Cowboys fan any way you choose. But I disagree that anyone should have to see things the way anyone else does. I won’t make the commitment you mention.

As a fan of the Cowboys for 58 years, I remember everything. The great, the bad and everything in between. To me the past, present and future is fun, relevant and meaningful. I enjoy it all. Sometimes I praise. Sometimes I criticize. I try to be fair, and objective. I’m probably neither, lol. Hey I’m a fan(atic). But to me that’s all part of my fan experience

But that’s just me. I will not ask anyone on our opinion forum to think or act like me. I have hope or I wouldn’t be here. I’m having fun following my team. I choose to be a fan the way I am. And I encourage any fan to do the same.

So respectfully my friend, I will not join in on your commitment. Go Cowboys!

 

[JBS]

This franchise doesn’t deserve this level of support from us. It is what it is

 

[RoboQB]

I will not take part in erasing history.
I will not act like a brainless Pollyanna.
Whole lotta loons lately wanting to tell people how to act.
No thanks.

 

[kskboys]

Then don't talk about it!!!!!!!!!!!!

Is it OK if some do talk about it if they want to?

 

[RoboQB]

"Dez caught it!"

 

[ShortRound]

That’s a good way to deal with life’s problems sweep them under the rug. Probably what Jerry does too.

 

[Jumbo075]

Then don't talk about it!!!!!!!!!!!!

Is it OK if some do talk about it if they want to?

Sure. I don't control anyone.

 

[Jipper]

Its not just that topic...The Dallas Cowboys have frankly become a waste of emotional energy which is why so many of us have become increasingly more apathetic

 

[CowboyStar88]

Nah, I’m never letting go of the 94 championship game. Sanders with the PI you’ll never change my mind. That play haunts me to this day, that game gives me nightmares and fuels my perception of the NFL and the Cowboys.

 

[Bing]

Not me. I'm not going to try and change history just to make myself or someone else feel better.

When this team is winning, I'm going to talk about it, when this team is losing, I'm going to talk about it.

Face it, this team has crapped on itself for the past 28 years, denying that wont change the past. Not talking about it wont change anything either. We can debate why they have, but pretending they haven't is foolish.

Talking about any future with this team is even more foolish. Sure you are always going to have the homer's that think every year is our year and then you have those that think this year will be just another disappointing year like so many others in the past. Well unfortunately like it or not the disappointments have far outweigh the accomplishments.

I expect another disappointing season this year because there has not been enough changes in player personal, coaches and most importantly ownership for me to expect otherwise.

Luckily I was around for both the 90's and especially the 70's when this team actually knew what winning was.

 

[Diehardblues]

Jumbo, I respect your well thought and presented post. That’s the way you choose to be a Cowboys fan and that’s perfectly fine. I support your right to be a Cowboys fan any way you choose. But I disagree that anyone should have to see things the way anyone else does. I won’t make the commitment you mention.

As a fan of the Cowboys for 58 years, I remember everything. The great, the bad and everything in between. To me the past, present and future is fun, relevant and meaningful. I enjoy it all. Sometimes I praise. Sometimes I criticize. I try to be fair, and objective. I’m probably neither, lol. Hey I’m a fan(atic). But to me that’s all part of my fan experience

But that’s just me. I will not ask anyone on our opinion forum to think or act like me. I have hope or I wouldn’t be here. I’m having fun following my team. I choose to be a fan the way I am. And I encourage any fan to do the same.

So respectfully my friend, I will not join in on your commitment. Go Cowboys!

Well said Bob.

I’d add for others to take in that the offseason , Draft, Camp , etc is a time for renewed optimism. It is a new season with a partial different roster. But I wouldn’t say everyone has the same chance while they may have the same hope.

Much like we’d evaluate and or handicap we always look at recent history and trends. It’s why the Chiefs, 49ers, Ravens, Bills, etc will again be prohibited favorites as they’ve shown a consistent ability to rise up on the bigger stages.

Our historic futility in the playoffs this era is noteworthy as it possibly has created a bigger monkey to shed off our backs with many of the same talent in place.

While our recent history doesn’t prevent us from finally kicking the door down it does present some concerns and questions heading in which we can openly discuss.

But to shoot them completely down since it can come off too negative for some is simply attempting to spin your narrative which is no different from others you want to dismiss.

 

[Diehardblues]

Then don't talk about it!!!!!!!!!!!!

Is it OK if some do talk about it if they want to?

Some fans just don’t enjoy going into a season with any negative narratives. Which is fine.

We should have some Silver Lining threads. They choose not to rehash recent history and trends. Just move forward without looking back.

Typical mindset for those who are engineered to build despite whatever structures before have collapsed. It’s a new project. It doesn’t have to be related to prior failures.

Unfortunately in sports there is a connection to prior history because many of the participants and elements are still in play.

 

[Whyjerry]

That’s a good way to deal with life’s problems sweep them under the rug. Probably what Jerry does too.

Mormons are big on this.

 

[PA Cowboy Fan]

If it wasn't for the Past I wouldn't be here. That's the only reason I'm a Cowboy fan. Memories of long ago. There's no hope for this team going forward as long as Jerry and Stephen are in charge.