To the Cowboys - with Regret from a long term fan

[Cowboys22]

Sorry, but it's a loser mentality to quit watching when your team is down.

Down? This is way beyond down. This is 20+ years of futility fueled by loser head coaches like Dave Campo, ridiculous drafting and free agent policies, underachievement at every level within the organization, and disfunction at the very top. Throughout the past 20 years maybe one or two of those things was going on at any one time. Right now, it appears all are happening at once. If people are fed up, they have every right to be and have every right to deal with it however they see fit. I'm on the verge myself. I watched yesterday but as it all fell apart in the 2nd half for the 3rd week in a row, I found myself for the first time in my life laughing at the team and actually enjoying the meltdown hoping it will continue until Garrett is out. At least there's a chance Jones will actually be able to hire a real coach who can get the most out of his team.

 

[lostar2009]

JJ is collecting check's now. He isn't concern about having a winning team.

 

[DallasDomination]

Sorry, but it's a loser mentality to quit watching when your team is down.

I turned that Junk off after the half... waste of time!

 

[JoeKing]

I keep threatening to quit but I can't seem to not watch my Boys. It is getting more and more difficult to do so every week though admittedly.

Lately it only takes a quarter or two to remind me why I don't enjoy watching them play anymore.

 

[visionary]

The team has quit the last 3 weeks why shouldn't he ?

Don't say "the team quit" because that is the one thing Garrett homies have been hanging their fat in as to why Wade was fired and Garrett hadn't been despite a worse record

They'll never admit that

 

[GimmeTheBall!]

Sorry, but it's a loser mentality to quit watching when your team is down.

He is a realist.
You are welcomed to continue watching this embarrassment of coaching and players going through the motions while thinking of the offseason and nighclubbing.

 

[jjktkk]

No, they go away until the Cowboys start winning like last season and then resurface.

These are the type of fans I have no respect for. If you want to quit being a fan of a particular team, whatever, but showing back up when they're successful, is pretty lame and pathetic imo.

 

[TwoDeep3]

I like your comparison to films.

In the past I've compared the viewing/following of a sports team to the listening/following of a musical artist or band.

Just because you're a fan at a certain point in time, it doesn't require you to be a fan forever or fear being labeled a quitter. The band might make changes to their musical vision and as a result their product may change. If you no longer enjoy listening, the logical conclusion is to stop. One would not continue to listen to a band that they don't enjoy, just to complain about it afterwards.

If somebody truly "quits" on the team (not a bandwagonner), I don't blame them nor do I judge them. In fact, good on them for discontinuing a hobby that they no longer enjoy.

For me, it would take a WHOLE lot of bad for me to move on from the Cowboys. At this point I'm not even close to be honest. But that's because I currently enjoy following the team and the entertainment that comes with it (whether it be interacting on here, banter with friends of rival teams, or watching the games with my family).

BUT, I will say that over the last few years I've naturally watched less and less NFL football, overall. Simply because the product has deteriorated. And combine that with all of the non-football stuff that's infected the league and the media's coverage of it, there you have it.

Excellent points.

Proximo, do you think the cooling off, which labels this in a way that may not be fully quitting, but being less passionate, is related to the age of the fan?

I cannot fathom what it must be like to have found and loved the Cowboys after 1995, without the benefit of the previous 35 years and the success. It would seem that fan, with no point of reference to what made it America's Team and one of the most storied franchises, could be more casual about the team and the possibility of having a few teams as favorites instead of just one.

 

[GimmeTheBall!]

These are the type of fans I have no respect for. If you want to quit being a fan of a particular team, whatever, but showing back up when they're successful, is pretty lame and pathetic imo.

And you are the type of fan who enables Jerry Jones to field mediocre teams every year so he can see the stands full of fat fans and tell himself what a great job he is doing.
And thus the circle continues: subpar coaching, 2 or 3 overpaid and old athletes and a late season fade. Draft! Training camp! We are so excited! 8-8 season and a late-season fade.
Jones should take heed but he is too busy scolding the NFL while he counts his money.
Me, I cant afford a good ticket at JerryWorld, but then again, why?

 

[jjktkk]

And you are the type of fan who enables Jerry Jones to field mediocre teams every year so he can see the stands full of fat fans and tell himself what a great job he is doing.
And thus the circle continues: subpar coaching, 2 or 3 overpaid and old athletes and a late season fade. Draft! Training camp! We are so excited! 8-8 season and a late-season fade.
Jones should take heed but he is too busy scolding the NFL while he counts his money.
Me, I cant afford a good ticket at JerryWorld, but then again, why?

As bad as the Cowboys have been, I would really hate being a Lion's, or Brown's fan. Not speaking to you specifically, but Jerry isn't going anywhere anytime soon, so if you cannot take Jerry being the owner of the Cowboys, go root for another team. I was a fan of the Cowboys long before Jerry showed up, and I won't let Jerry ruin my being a Cowboy fan.

 

[GimmeTheBall!]

As bad as the Cowboys have been, I would really hate being a Lion's, or Brown's fan. Not speaking to you specifically, but Jerry isn't going anywhere anytime soon, so if you cannot take Jerry being the owner of the Cowboys, go root for another team. I was a fan of the Cowboys long before Jerry showed up, and I won't let Jerry ruin my being a Cowboy fan.

Why would I migrate to another team?
This discussion is about a Cowbnoys 21-year run of frustration aided by inept coaching, bad strategy, a GM who is in over his head and the historic retention of overthyped, overpaid and aged players.
This is not a discussion of who else we will root for or fans in a snit who leave and then come back.
This is about a total historic failure by the Dallas FO.
It is also about the larger picture of a sea change of fan disgust --- not in Philly or Minnesota or other winning teams/cities --- but in markets where players disrespect our values, owners act like milquetoasts and are intimidated by huge men who are mental midgets, beers and hot dogs that cost hardworking fans $8 and parking for $20. Also, billion dollar TV deals that pass on the costs to fans down the line.
Root for another team?
Why would I do that when the dynamics stay the same? I'd hate to experience this level of frustration and be a stupid Texans or Cardinals or Browns fan.
That would be insane, old fellow.

 

[CowboyRoy]

I watched the whole game yesterday. I was also in cowboys chat.

I'm not sure what that makes me... Because I honestly went in not giving two ***** about the outcome...

All the while, my one fellow Cowboys buddy was machine gunning me and another friend texts all game about how much we suck (he's so emotional) and my other Cowboys buddy responded to said machine gunned group texts with just one response that I will quote below.

"Just enjoy the turkey dude. Let it go. I’m not even watching the game. We don’t have a real shot at another W until the Giants."

I am now the JASON garret version of a fan. I clap every time the other team scores. Then I pray they show the look on Jerry face in the owners box.

 

[Jake]

As bad as the Cowboys have been, I would really hate being a Lion's, or Brown's fan. Not speaking to you specifically, but Jerry isn't going anywhere anytime soon, so if you cannot take Jerry being the owner of the Cowboys, go root for another team. I was a fan of the Cowboys long before Jerry showed up, and I won't let Jerry ruin my being a Cowboy fan.

I predate Jerry's arrival as well, which is why "at least we're not the Lions or Browns" is of little solace to me.

 

[jjktkk]

I predate Jerry's arrival as well, which is why "at least we're not the Lions or Browns" is of little solace to me.

I totally get it, but as we know, Jerry isn't going anywhere anytime soon. So as Cowboy fans, what are we suppose to do? I personally only root for one team, the Cowboys, so I'm not going to follow another team. I just try to look for positives on the team, like last year, and try to move on as quickly as possible from disastrous seasons such as this one.

 

[trickamsterdam]

not always, been a fan of Dallas since 70's....other teams from other sports: Phillies, 76ers, Flyers....born in syracuse NY, moved to NE Penna when I was 9 in 1972...liked all of the Philly teams with the OBVIOUS exception of the dirty birds in philly.....I am no band-wagoner...

Well, you are a bandwagon fan-- you just never got off. I think (can't remember exactly) from something like 1967-1977 the Cowboys beat the Eagles something like 19 out of 20 times. So it's easy to see why you preferred the Cowboys, nor was it hard to follow them until the end of the Aikman era. Even after, the Romo era was entertaining, if not successful. So you are bandwagon, it's just that at this point you're too old to get off.

 

[haleyrules]

I totally get it, but as we know, Jerry isn't going anywhere anytime soon. So as Cowboy fans, what are we suppose to do? I personally only root for one team, the Cowboys, so I'm not going to follow another team. I just try to look for positives on the team, like last year, and try to move on as quickly as possible from disastrous seasons such as this one.

Amen.

 

[CATCH17]

I stuck around during yesterday’s game but I can’t give them my time during every blow out.

I left during the Falcons game..

No shame in my decision either. That was the worst coaching I’ve ever witnessed.

 

[mahoneybill]

Many of us " old dogs" remember the days of despair at the beginning of the cowboys, then the slow build to actually win the big one, then the continuous playoff appearances under Landry and 2 wins, and even in the losses you felt they were in the game.

We would watch a playoff game with our eye on the NFC championships and who we were going to play. Saw Danny White go to 3 straight, and no luck.

Frustration set in.

Then came the doldrums of QB central until Aikman arrived. Great preseason followed by 1-15, then like a new spring some players arrived, Herschel was traded, and the Glory Days were here. They weren't all domination games, but in the end we brought home
the SB wins....

Troy leaves, QB central again, Tuna arrives and gives us some hope. He leaves , Wade comes in Fools Gold again, now here we are in the Garrett era... Fools Gold again last year, but the promise of consistency.

We are now in what I call " Garbage Time".... time to really look at and throw out what nots working... coaches/players ... add your own... We look like we are running a 3rd string O and D in the second half of games.. Total our scoring from the last 3 losses and if we were able to use those all in one game we would still be 0-3. Couple that with The D looking
like they made corrections only to disappear in the second half.....

I for one will cheer them on through the rest of this season, but it will be with the realization that in my Twilight years I don't think the Glory Days will be here again soon.....

 

[trickamsterdam]

I almost didn't watch the game yesterday. I can handle almost anything except for biased officiating. Every time we make a good play I expect a holding call. And I almost want to avoid looking at replays of our defense because it really upsets me to see Tank and Co being held again and again without a call.

I am not sure I can keep watching this crap. I kept watching during the Campo years and during the Wade debacle, but the officiating is killing it for me.

I don't think I will watch another game this year. Some posters here want to live under the illusion that the officials are not impacting our results, but holding calls are huge in the NFL. They wipe out a 10-15 yard gain with a negative 10 yard play. Holding calls kill drives and shift the balance of the game. I am not sure we would win right now with fair officiating, but I am sure we won't win another game if they keep calling games like this.

Why are opponents saying it is easy to beat us? Yes, we are bad, but this was a 13-3 team not long ago and a 5-3 team a few weeks ago. It is easy to win when you can hold every play and not get called, it is easy to win when you can just push the receiver and not get called for PI, it is easy to win when the officials erase a lot of the opponents plays after anything that resembles a hold, it is easy to win when you can helmet-to-helmet the QB and not get called, etc (and I didn't even get to the facemask BS). Wouldn't it be easier to win with this advantage??

Normally I would say it's insane that Goodell would carry out an officiating vendetta, because the scandal would so obviously destroy the League and Goodell if it were found out. I mean it would be Chicago Black Sox level stuff. But the numbers about 34 quarters is so stark, and Goodell is so stupid, and some other ppl at the highest levels of our government are so out of control-- would it be so shocking if it were true?

 

[Beltonian]

Sorry, but it's a loser mentality to quit watching when your team is down.

It may be a loser mentality in your eyes, but someone needs to step and make a decision regarding this team's performance. Maybe Stephen Jones? In the real world this coach would've been at least criticized or given a warning. If they continue to keep the coaching staff in tact, then as fans we see a state of denial from the owner himself. There should always be an exit strategy at all levels! Question is - is there an exit strategy for the coach and his staff and how much more do us fans have to witness before that strategy is implemented?