What the last 23 years has done to our fan base

Vtwin

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Find an example of a legitimate criticism getting ripped maybe so I can see what you’re getting at?

I’ll be the first to admit I rip on whiners. I think it’s cringey. I’d never suggest otherwise. But I rarely rip on an honest attempt at criticism of the team, if ever. I might disagree with it, but that’s what the debate threads are for.
I'm not going to call out specific posters nor do I want to risk taking this thread off track by bringing up the specific players or coaches that seem to be the fuel for the hottest fires but hasn't the owner of this forum given multiple warnings in the recent past about personal attacks?

I've read here that if I don't drink the koolaid on a certain player I'm a moron who doesn't understand football and a racist. No hyperbole there. Straight truth.
 

Idgit

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Ok...I guess where I differ is whatever fans think about the state of the team is cool with me. I don’t always agree, but their perspective is their perspective. The only thing I don’t like is people “correcting” opinions. I’ve needed correcting on occasion regarding facts. Got it wrong and someone corrected me. That’s cool. That’s appropriate. Correcting someone’s opinion seems odd to me for an opinion forum.

There’s opinions, and then there’s the way in which an opinion is expressed. And I’d say it’s more a case of taking issue with how some opinions are expressed than it is anybody correcting anyone for an opinion most of the time.
 

75boyz

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I honestly enjoy many posters I disagree with. Some have even influenced my opinion to change. I like that. I love this forum because of the variety. There’s nothing more boring than a bunch of fans towing around the same party line opinions. Variety is the spice of life. The world is always better with differences!

Oh, me too. Theres nothing better than when those differing opinions can be channeled through the process of respectful debate. With a key emphasis on the word respectful. I think thats the key lacking element in most cases.
 

CouchCoach

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Good stuff, Bullet, and the real thorn in our side as fans is all the while this is going on and mediocrity is embraced and excused, Booger has been making money hand over fist, top of the ratings and revenue while really underdelivering to the fans. He gets to win while we do not.

I've been trying to tell y'all the best way to approach this is to separate him from the team. He has made himself the face of the franchise, they even call the stadium after him. He has been rewarded beyond imagination for basically being an incompetent manager of the football team. The less exposure you have to him, the easier it is to just stay centered on the game, the real game, not the one he plays.

However, for us to continue to hold onto those years of 20 winning seasons in a row, 8 trips and 5 rings and apply that to now is only fooling ourselves. As a football team, we are the Browns, Lions and Skins but we can't accept that, we want what was and what's worse, we believe we deserve what was. Why is that? Because whether we want to admit it or not, we feel entitled to that, we are owed that because we are Cowboys fans.

I am older than most here and got to enjoy those glory years and got spoiled myself and felt entitled; however, isn't it time to let those 23 years that we so proudly wave around this forum go? Or have we become addicted to that? Do we need to bolster ourselves with the previous history by drilling the 23 past years into the ground?

I don't give a fat happy rat's *** about the last 23 years because this last year was a good one and posters can be pissed all they want about losing to the 13 win Rams in their own stadium in OT but we were dead in the water at 3-5 and looking sunk and we ended up winning the East, and that means a hell of a lot to me, and we got two games added to our season. There are few posters here that would have predicted that at 3-5.

We did what 24 other NFL teams failed to do, make the Great 8, but too many act like this was that 2017 season. The Dallas Cowboys had a damned good 2018 season after a shaky start and that's all I am taking from history forward as that is the nature of the NFL now. And 2019 will have little to do with the previous 23 years. Give a hungry man a sandwich and he's not going to think about how hungry he was, just going to enjoy that sandwich while it lasts.
 

75boyz

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I'm not going to call out specific posters nor do I want to risk taking this thread off track by bringing up the specific players or coaches that seem to be the fuel for the hottest fires but hasn't the owner of this forum given multiple warnings in the recent past about personal attacks?

I've read here that if I don't drink the koolaid on a certain player I'm a moron who doesn't understand football and a racist. No hyperbole there. Straight truth.

Not trying to parrot or plagiarize you or sidetrack this post either. I too have felt the wrath from some whose opinions differed. And it has been in the form of both implied with veiled malicious intent and overt and out right in your face slander.
But yeah, the hypocrisy is getting slightly deep. Signing off..
 

BoltsNHorns

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First of all...not everything about the last 23 years is bad. In fact, the last several years this organization has greatly improved in drafting and talent acquisition, and this FO has clearly learned from its numerous previous mistakes in cap and roster management. Three of the last five seasons have yielded division titles and two wild card wins. That’s....well not great. But it could have been worse.

However...the last 23 years has been tough for most Cowboys fans. Three wild card wins. No conference championship games, no SBs. Especially tough for the long time fans who remember what it meant to have the realistic confidence your team would have a shot at winning it all.

Some perspective for either young fans or those who have forgotten:
  • The Cowboys played in 5 of the first 13 SBs, and played in 8 of the first 30 SBs.
  • The Cowboys have played in zero of the last 23 SBs.
  • In the 29 years of the Tex Schramm/Tom Landry era, the Cowboys won 20 playoff games. In the 30 seasons of the Jerry Jones era, the Cowboys have won 15 playoff games, 12 of them in the first 7 seasons.
  • In the 26 seasons from 1970-1995, the Cowboys played in 13 NFC Championship games. In the 23 seasons since, ZERO.
So what does a 23 year drought do to a fan base who has been disappointed year after year? What happens to the expectations and dreams those fans? Here are a few things I see:
  • We lower expectations. Most long time fans just lowered the bar we used to have. If we make the playoffs, great, but if not, it’s not a shock. It a way to soften the disappointment.
  • We long for real leadership at the top- especially at HC since we all know Jerry has a lifetime commitment to playing fantasy football. It’s why we believe in every rumor that Sean Payton is coming here or some other top HC talent. Because we desperately want some quality at the top.
  • We get used to accepting excuses- Jerry even makes excuses. Remember when he called a loss a “moral victory”? He has to be the only GM in the league that can do that. This isn’t little league or middle school sports where learning things like the fundamentals, teamwork and sportsmanship are more important than winning. I’m still amazed at the excuses our fan base throws out for losses, especially in the playoffs.
  • We blame the refs or the NFL for our losses- Most fans don’t want to hear this, but one symptom of continual disappointment is to blame others outside the team. It’s understandable in Dallas because our leader hold neither himself nor his nepotistic family members accountable for failure. Nothing changes at the top so fans start blaming people outside the team.
  • We rip each other- I’m amazed at how much some Cowboys fans rip other Cowboys fans for not drinking the Kool aid or not being cheerleaders for the team in all circumstances. I’ve noticed the fan bases of teams that have had some recent success are more accepting of dissent than those who get used to losing or mediocrity. My bro in law lives in Denver and is a broncos fan. They won a SB a few years ago and their fan base is not as critical
There are surely more “symptoms” that are associated with 23 straight years of poor bottom line performance.

What can we do?
  • Stick together- allow anyone who’s a Cowboys fan to be a fan any way they want.
  • Blame Jerry, not each other- none of us is to blame for the last 23 years. The guy who purchased his position as GM is to blame.
  • Keep hope/ditch the kool aid- I hate what’s happened to us but I still have hope. Despite the 76 yo clown in charge we do have some talent. Even a broken clock is right twice a day. And we should all be united to boo the image of Jerral Wayne Jones every time his surgically altered face is in public. Don’t buy what he is selling.

So where am I in all of this? Am I still able to join in the (insert player name) bash party?
 

ESisback

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Seriously? Whining? It’s just the truth of the last 23 years. How is that whining? It’s an expression of frustration. This post was an observation of what the last 23 has done to some of us fans. That’s not whining.

It’s not whining to verbalize frustration, to have standards, to want more. It’s not whining to discuss and analyze, or to seek answers and speculate. It BECOMES whining when the same ground is covered over and over and over. When people become so deadly serious about a game we have no control over. Of course we want a GM. Of course most of us want a new HC. Of course we have higher standards and want more. The only way we differ as fans is how we deal with the ups and downs.
 

cheftjpeck

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Great post ... I as a cowboy fan of over 4 decades almost 5, can relate to most of it :. I haven’t lowered my standard as much as I have put professional sports more in perspective .. as we .. (well speaking for myself I) get older other things have taken higher priority .. in that same time period I got married ,raised two kids , spending time with grandkids ..(well more than 29 years not just the 23) and just enjoyed different aspects of life .. pro sports just fell lower on the list .. I envy those who were born in the 80’s and became cowboy fans enjoying the early 90’s. Many didn’t experience the doldrums of the 80’s . The agonizing of the aging veterans , the introductions of the qb of the month club , the retirements and the many almosts , oh well we will get them next year .. after the 70’s of holy cows and dropped end zones passes / doomsday defenses / movies of excess .. etc all ended with a freaking catch in the new decade that I summarized above ..

The 90’s brought two brash individuals who couldn’t put aside their differences for the greater good to probably have delivered us what no team still hasn’t done, 4 in a row .. you might argue we could’ve won 4 in a row maybe 5 .. heck maybe 6 out of 7 .. but nope .. instead we get 23 years of almosts and not even close ..

Now we have today’s NFL and fanbase .. fans still have passion but now instead of striking out that passion on other fan bases we sit back almost scared of other fan bases and attack each other .. we call each other out like how dare we hate or cheer this team ..that’s where persepective takes over ..I just sit back .. try to stay out of it but sometimes I can’t .. I usually laugh when many internet coaches and GM’s lament how that decision was horrible .. they brag how they could’ve and would’ve done better.. yet they don’t because well no disrespect they’re fans , not coaches.. don’t get me wrong I will dissect a game like no other and claim how this play this or that :. But I won’t attack as some do .. it’s ok though .. I still root for my Dallas Cowboys .. I will still watch them :.. but I will also not walk around for a week after a loss hating life ... perspective .. life’s too short .. live like you are dying and enjoy the time we have .. none of us are getting out of here alive .. I will still cheer as loud after every win .. and still hate every loss .. just the sting isn’t as painful or long :. As well as victory doesn’t carry on for days .. is that because of the last 23 years ?? Yes but not the last Dallas Cowboys 23 years .. yet my LIFE and experiences of the last 23+ years just add a little perspective ..
rock on
Go Cowboys
 

IrishAnto

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First of all...not everything about the last 23 years is bad. In fact, the last several years this organization has greatly improved in drafting and talent acquisition, and this FO has clearly learned from its numerous previous mistakes in cap and roster management. Three of the last five seasons have yielded division titles and two wild card wins. That’s....well not great. But it could have been worse.

However...the last 23 years has been tough for most Cowboys fans. Three wild card wins. No conference championship games, no SBs. Especially tough for the long time fans who remember what it meant to have the realistic confidence your team would have a shot at winning it all.

Some perspective for either young fans or those who have forgotten:
  • The Cowboys played in 5 of the first 13 SBs, and played in 8 of the first 30 SBs.
  • The Cowboys have played in zero of the last 23 SBs.
  • In the 29 years of the Tex Schramm/Tom Landry era, the Cowboys won 20 playoff games. In the 30 seasons of the Jerry Jones era, the Cowboys have won 15 playoff games, 12 of them in the first 7 seasons.
  • In the 26 seasons from 1970-1995, the Cowboys played in 13 NFC Championship games. In the 23 seasons since, ZERO.
So what does a 23 year drought do to a fan base who has been disappointed year after year? What happens to the expectations and dreams those fans? Here are a few things I see:
  • We lower expectations. Most long time fans just lowered the bar we used to have. If we make the playoffs, great, but if not, it’s not a shock. It a way to soften the disappointment.
  • We long for real leadership at the top- especially at HC since we all know Jerry has a lifetime commitment to playing fantasy football. It’s why we believe in every rumor that Sean Payton is coming here or some other top HC talent. Because we desperately want some quality at the top.
  • We get used to accepting excuses- Jerry even makes excuses. Remember when he called a loss a “moral victory”? He has to be the only GM in the league that can do that. This isn’t little league or middle school sports where learning things like the fundamentals, teamwork and sportsmanship are more important than winning. I’m still amazed at the excuses our fan base throws out for losses, especially in the playoffs.
  • We blame the refs or the NFL for our losses- Most fans don’t want to hear this, but one symptom of continual disappointment is to blame others outside the team. It’s understandable in Dallas because our leader hold neither himself nor his nepotistic family members accountable for failure. Nothing changes at the top so fans start blaming people outside the team.
  • We rip each other- I’m amazed at how much some Cowboys fans rip other Cowboys fans for not drinking the Kool aid or not being cheerleaders for the team in all circumstances. I’ve noticed the fan bases of teams that have had some recent success are more accepting of dissent than those who get used to losing or mediocrity. My bro in law lives in Denver and is a broncos fan. They won a SB a few years ago and their fan base is not as critical
There are surely more “symptoms” that are associated with 23 straight years of poor bottom line performance.

What can we do?
  • Stick together- allow anyone who’s a Cowboys fan to be a fan any way they want.
  • Blame Jerry, not each other- none of us is to blame for the last 23 years. The guy who purchased his position as GM is to blame.
  • Keep hope/ditch the kool aid- I hate what’s happened to us but I still have hope. Despite the 76 yo clown in charge we do have some talent. Even a broken clock is right twice a day. And we should all be united to boo the image of Jerral Wayne Jones every time his surgically altered face is in public. Don’t buy what he is selling.

Well said.

You articulate my sentiments exactly.
 

ItzKelz

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What “light” has Jerry seen? The light of more $ signs? I would like to think he gets it more than the past but why should we believe that? I’m not trying to be difficult or opposite your views, I’m just curious what makes you feel better about Jerry?
The not selling the farm for a Roy Williams light....the not giving up several draft picks to move up to a top 5 pick for the second best CB in the draft light....the not signing a DT that just bought his way out of a domestic violence conviction light. Instead he has let SJ take over and we did not....draft Manziel instead of drafting Zack.....draft a WR instead of LVE....draft Freddie when others said he was a 2nd round talent....move up to draft Lynch and staying put to draft a player that we really liked pre-draft which was Dak. I could go on but I'm sure you get the point.
 

Hadenough

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Good post. It’s time Cowboys fans stop treating Jerry like a celebrity and give him a free pass and time to start letting him know us fans are done with his BS.
I remember seeing on the news a few years ago that Commander fans were so fed up with Dan Snyder that during one of the games the whole section below his booth turned around yelling sell the team, sell the team! LOL I thought that was hilarious but evidently he didnt listen.
 

Hadenough

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Im a Cowboys fan for life and have seen great games going all the way back to the 70s. The team is joke now and Im not afraid to voice my opinion in what they need to do. I mean who really thought after winning the Seahawks game this year that the Cowboys actually had a chance at going to the SB. Not me!
I knew they werent good enough with Dak as the QB and Garrett as he HC. I have this insane idea that somehow someway Jerry could possibly see the post and maybe just maybe the idea might click in his head. Even if the odds are greater than the lottery it would be wonderful for Jerry to fire Garrett tomorrow.
 

IrishAnto

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The not selling the farm for a Roy Williams light....the not giving up several draft picks to move up to a top 5 pick for the second best CB in the draft light....the not signing a DT that just bought his way out of a domestic violence conviction light. Instead he has let SJ take over and we did not....draft Manziel instead of drafting Zack.....draft a WR instead of LVE....draft Freddie when others said he was a 2nd round talent....move up to draft Lynch and staying put to draft a player that we really liked pre-draft which was Dak. I could go on but I'm sure you get the point.

In fairness Jerry did try to trade up for Lynch it's just the Bronco's liked the Seahawks offer better, and Dak was their forth choice QB not the second.

However whilst acknowledging they have been better they still aren't good enough and the appointment of the new OC who hasn't any experience of being an OC at any level, indicates that they still won't be good enough.

I'd like to be proven wrong, but the last 23 years doesn't install any confidence.
 

ItzKelz

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In fairness Jerry did try to trade up for Lynch it's just the Bronco's liked the Seahawks offer better, and Dak was their forth choice QB not the second.

However whilst acknowledging they have been better they still aren't good enough and the appointment of the new OC who hasn't any experience of being an OC at any level, indicates that they still won't be good enough.

I'd like to be proven wrong, but the last 23 years doesn't install any confidence.
I feel like you ignored everything that I said. Kinda reminded me of my ex-wife
 

IrishAnto

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I feel like you ignored everything that I said. Kinda reminded me of my ex-wife

I didn't ignore everything you said, you said he didn't move up for Lynch which is true insofar as the Seahawks offer trumped Jerry's, which means Jerry tried and failed so has he really seen the light or has fortune been kind?

And again has there been a Roy Williams or a Mo Claiborne etc. for Jerry to try to trade up for?

So just because the opportunity hasn't presented itself these last couple of years doesn't mean the doesn't take the next available one as his attempt to trade up for Lynch (i.e. the last opportunity he had) would indicate.

It will take a few more years to prove to me Jerry has "seen the light".
 

ItzKelz

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I didn't ignore everything you said, you said he didn't move up for Lynch which is true insofar as the Seahawks offer trumped Jerry's, which means Jerry tried and failed so has he really seen the light or has fortune been kind?

And again has there been a Roy Williams or a Mo Claiborne etc. for Jerry to try to trade up for?

So just because the opportunity hasn't presented itself these last couple of years doesn't mean the doesn't take the next available one as his attempt to trade up for Lynch (i.e. the last opportunity he had) would indicate.

It will take a few more years to prove to me Jerry has "seen the light".
Yes he was talked out of giving up the farm to get Lynch
 

ItzKelz

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I didn't ignore everything you said, you said he didn't move up for Lynch which is true insofar as the Seahawks offer trumped Jerry's, which means Jerry tried and failed so has he really seen the light or has fortune been kind?

And again has there been a Roy Williams or a Mo Claiborne etc. for Jerry to try to trade up for?

So just because the opportunity hasn't presented itself these last couple of years doesn't mean the doesn't take the next available one as his attempt to trade up for Lynch (i.e. the last opportunity he had) would indicate.

It will take a few more years to prove to me Jerry has "seen the light".
What folks don't realize is JJ has the last word but SJ is running the show and has his ear. Since SJ has pretty much taken over the GM duties we don't make the same mistakes. This is obvious. The JJ narrative is a media driven agenda to get click and views.
 

ESisback

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Great post ... I as a cowboy fan of over 4 decades almost 5, can relate to most of it :. I haven’t lowered my standard as much as I have put professional sports more in perspective .. as we .. (well speaking for myself I) get older other things have taken higher priority .. in that same time period I got married ,raised two kids , spending time with grandkids ..(well more than 29 years not just the 23) and just enjoyed different aspects of life .. pro sports just fell lower on the list .. I envy those who were born in the 80’s and became cowboy fans enjoying the early 90’s. Many didn’t experience the doldrums of the 80’s . The agonizing of the aging veterans , the introductions of the qb of the month club , the retirements and the many almosts , oh well we will get them next year .. after the 70’s of holy cows and dropped end zones passes / doomsday defenses / movies of excess .. etc all ended with a freaking catch in the new decade that I summarized above ..

The 90’s brought two brash individuals who couldn’t put aside their differences for the greater good to probably have delivered us what no team still hasn’t done, 4 in a row .. you might argue we could’ve won 4 in a row maybe 5 .. heck maybe 6 out of 7 .. but nope .. instead we get 23 years of almosts and not even close ..

Now we have today’s NFL and fanbase .. fans still have passion but now instead of striking out that passion on other fan bases we sit back almost scared of other fan bases and attack each other .. we call each other out like how dare we hate or cheer this team ..that’s where persepective takes over ..I just sit back .. try to stay out of it but sometimes I can’t .. I usually laugh when many internet coaches and GM’s lament how that decision was horrible .. they brag how they could’ve and would’ve done better.. yet they don’t because well no disrespect they’re fans , not coaches.. don’t get me wrong I will dissect a game like no other and claim how this play this or that :. But I won’t attack as some do .. it’s ok though .. I still root for my Dallas Cowboys .. I will still watch them :.. but I will also not walk around for a week after a loss hating life ... perspective .. life’s too short .. live like you are dying and enjoy the time we have .. none of us are getting out of here alive .. I will still cheer as loud after every win .. and still hate every loss .. just the sting isn’t as painful or long :. As well as victory doesn’t carry on for days .. is that because of the last 23 years ?? Yes but not the last Dallas Cowboys 23 years .. yet my LIFE and experiences of the last 23+ years just add a little perspective ..
rock on
Go Cowboys

Well said, cheftjpeck! I get sucked into long, mostly meaningless debates myself. Too much. Gotta stop and smell the roses.
 
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