What the last 23 years has done to our fan base

[Bobhaze]

What did most know about Norv Turner before he came to Dallas? 6 years with the Rams, but Zampese was the main driver of the offense for most of those 6 years, Norv had a hand in that, but it's not like he was the hottest thing in quarterback coaches at the time. But we all know what happened after he got to Dallas.

Maybe lightning can strike twice??

I want Kellen Moore to succeed and I will be thrilled if he does. What’s different about Norv Turner and Ernie Zampiesi compared to Moore is they both had a lot more experience. With only one year of coaching experience under his belt, making him an OC seems like an unnecessary risk. Because if he’s in over his head, it won’t be pretty.

Hopefully I’m wrong and Kellen Moore is a young genius and leads us to great places. But history says he’s a high risk hire.

 

[Blackrain]

What did most know about Norv Turner before he came to Dallas? 6 years with the Rams, but Zampese was the main driver of the offense for most of those 6 years, Norv had a hand in that, but it's not like he was the hottest thing in quarterback coaches at the time. But we all know what happened after he got to Dallas.

Maybe lightning can strike twice??

We are sure due for something to work out Im staying hopeful

 

[CouchCoach]

It’s a fine line Hazy. My wife always tells me, “ I’m either part of the problem or part of the solution”.

And you have to be fully invested to be a part of the solution. I attempted to lobby for that about 11 years ago but was shot down by majority of fans on these forums because we’re all basically Cowboy Junkies ( most of us anyway including myself).

So, what do you do. This is it pretty much. We complain all the way to the bank flippin him off but unfortunately Jerry gets the last laugh because of our addiction and weakness to force our will.

And why my emotional survival has been to lower the bar becoming like fans across the NFL do as Coach referred to yesterday. This is not our fathers Cowboy franchise nor the one we grew to love for the first 4 decades of its existence.

Refusing to accept it for what it has become is probably the greatest frustration we can have. Until we’re willing to walk away then we are ultimately part of the problem . I totally believe my wife is right. Basically all we can do now is complain about the situation we helped create. We are totally at Jerry’s mercy.

Yep, all those who support the Cowboys enable him and put their stamp of approval on the product and his managing of it...….from his perspective.

I know some people that turned their backs on him when he fired Landry and know some that refused to buy PSL's at the new Big Top and some more that have just lost interest and it is still the number one American professional sports franchise and the tops in revenue and profit within the NFL and continuing to grow in value. So, just how in the hell does anyone attack that with any reasonable effect?

 

[Diehardblues]

Yep, all those who support the Cowboys enable him and put their stamp of approval on the product and his managing of it...….from his perspective.

I know some people that turned their backs on him when he fired Landry and know some that refused to buy PSL's at the new Big Top and some more that have just lost interest and it is still the number one American professional sports franchise and the tops in revenue and profit within the NFL and continuing to grow in value. So, just how in the hell does anyone attack that with any reasonable effect?

I know and understand. We are at his mercy .

All we can do is keep public pressure and ridicule on him much like much of the local media and press do. It won’t bring about the changes we want but at least compell him to make public pleas to address our apathy which he has on occasion.

 

[northerncowboynation]

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.

Good Bob. I tend to blame the weather for most of my woes, can I still do that . It's the farmer in me. Is it OK if I don't blame Jerry, sticking with the "stick together" statement. Good post well done

 

[Melonfeud]

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

Yer' precise map coordinance presently indicates yer' stationary fixed position to be in the eastern region of the South sargasso sea,,,
" how's the fishin',,,buddy?"

 

[Number1]

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.

speak for yourself player

it's still all or nothing

 

[Bobhaze]

speak for yourself player

it's still all or nothing

I thought I did speak for myself...
Not sure I understand your point here dude.

 

[Whyjerry]

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.

Another great post. In my opinion the lowering of expectations is the biggest issue. It amazes me how many people make excuses for Jerry and try to defend the guy. The last 23 years has been a disgrace for a once proud franchise. Fans like to think this is still an elite franchise. The reality is in terms of actual success on the field this team is on par with the Bengals. Jerry makes money for sure but he has destroyed the football credibility in Dallas. As a long time fan I have razor thin patience for the Joneses and their apologists.

 

[Blackrain]

It’s a fine line Hazy. My wife always tells me, “ I’m either part of the problem or part of the solution”.

And you have to be fully invested to be a part of the solution. I attempted to lobby for that about 11 years ago but was shot down by majority of fans on these forums because we’re all basically Cowboy Junkies ( most of us anyway including myself).

So, what do you do. This is it pretty much. We complain all the way to the bank flippin him off but unfortunately Jerry gets the last laugh because of our addiction and weakness to force our will.

And why my emotional survival has been to lower the bar becoming like fans across the NFL do as Coach referred to yesterday. This is not our fathers Cowboy franchise nor the one we grew to love for the first 4 decades of its existence.

Refusing to accept it for what it has become is probably the greatest frustration we can have. Until we’re willing to walk away then we are ultimately part of the problem . I totally believe my wife is right. Basically all we can do now is complain about the situation we helped create. We are totally at Jerry’s mercy.

The last line says it all We are totally at Jerrys mercy and Jerry dosent care if its not fun for us . It just has to be fun for him

 

[Blackrain]

fo·rum
/ˈfôrəm/
noun

1. a place, meeting, or medium where ideas and views on a particular issue can be exchanged.

A forum is by definition, a place for ideas to be shared. Never ceases to amaze me how the sharing of opposing views is bad or somehow makes any one particular fan here a “bad fan”.

I agree to a point but when we put Cowboys in front of the word forum it kind of gives me the feeling this is where I can come and converse with some like minded people and have an intelligent football conversation .
Maybe Im just getting old but I like VIEWS especially exaggerated opposing ones to be backed up with facts . The people that just come here and scream Jerry Sucks , Garrett Sucks and Dak Sucks with no facts and no attention to any of the good things they have done get on my last nerve .

And Im sorry I have to say people who disrespect Roger Staubach on a Cowboy forum are BAD FANS. I lived all my life in Eagle country and never heard a bad word about Roger so I really don't expect it here . It makes me turn into a bad fan in a hurry LOL.

IMO this should be a place where we can talk football intelligently and respectfully without hidden agendas .

Thanks Bullet for creating a thread that attracted what I consider a great group of fans to have a respectful and intelligent conversation . A true model IMO of how Cowboy fans should interact with one another .

 

[Redball Express]

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.

Great post.

I would add that some here have lost the understanding of what they are watching with
this team.

This is not life and death.

It's ENTERTAiNMENT.

Fail to understand that and you are wasting your time watching.

No we are not the Pats.

No Garrett is not Belicheck who like Landry..

has over 25 years of experience at being a coach.

If things do not meet your expectations..

follow some other team.

Having gone thru it all..

if you do not appreciate it..

adjust yourself.

All I have to do is remember living in Dallas right after the Kennedy Assassination.

This team helped remove the stigma from all of us and made us happy and proud again.

For that..if only that..

I appreciate them whatever.

 

[Blackrain]

Great post.

I would add that some here have lost the understanding of what they are watching with
this team.

This is not life and death.

It's ENTERTAiNMENT.

Fail to understand that and you are wasting your time watching.

No we are not the Pats.

No Garrett is not Belicheck who like Landry..

has over 25 years of experience at being a coach.

If things do not meet your expectations..

follow some other team.

Having gone thru it all..

if you do not appreciate it..

adjust yourself.

All I have to do is remember living in Dallas right after the Kennedy Assassination.

This team helped remove the stigma from all of us and made us happy and proud again.

For that..if only that..

I appreciate them whatever.

I feel like the whole league has put the emphasis on entertainment rather than all out competition so why should our team be any different with Jerry being one of the most powerful owners in the league he must be on board .

Its a shame when fans of a great sport talk more about the officiating than the great plays made . Says to me the league has manipulated the game into a bad spot .

 

[Paradox]

Jerry was always a risk taker. By 1997, he felt his risk taking paid off. After all, he was a billionaire, owned an NFL franchise, and won three super bowls with two different coaches. His bold moves paid off. So he stubbornly stuck to his ways for another two decades.

But at least now he realizes many of his errors and has corrected them (namely team building). His greatest mistake is his inability to realize that coaching makes all the difference on talented teams, and his hand picked genius can't make in-game adjustments. So I believe this is the last year for JG and then he's going to get another coach because he's tired of losing too. For some reason, people think he just bathes in money and loves nothing but money, but people who know him say he just wants to win. And it's easy to see if you are paying attention.

I think the team is on the right track after going in the wrong direction for 25 years or so, and I'm not apologizing for being a crazed optimist in a fan base who are raising their pitch forks for the 27th time.

 

[G2]

I fully understand that the last couple of decades have seemed like a complete collapse, but it doesn't bother me like it does some fans. We as fans have been pretty spoiled in the past.
Think about it this way. Landry started off rough, then did nothing but win for 18 straight seasons before it led to NOT winning until Jones took over. Jones essentially turned the franchise completely around overnight and won 3 SB's in 4 seasons. Rare. After that it was mediocrity. So there were some high spikes of success. I do think this current team is a very good team. In the Prescott.Elliott era, VERY good. I'm optimistic. But if we don't go further than winning the wildcard round it's time for a HC change IMO.

 

[northerncowboynation]

Another great post. In my opinion the lowering of expectations is the biggest issue. It amazes me how many people make excuses for Jerry and try to defend the guy. The last 23 years has been a disgrace for a once proud franchise. Fans like to think this is still an elite franchise. The reality is in terms of actual success on the field this team is on par with the Bengals. Jerry makes money for sure but he has destroyed the football credibility in Dallas. As a long time fan I have razor thin patience for the Joneses and their apologists.

I don't know why it bothers or perturbs anyone that fans have lowered their expectations or can even speak for the entire fan base. I've been a fan since the late sixties, have seen 5 SB wins and 7 appearances. I expect to see another. Have I lowered my expectations? I did during the dismal early 2000's but still believe I'll see another. Yes it's unfortunate to be a fan who has never seen 1 let alone 5. Still, they could pick a different team to watch and follow. Choices right. Heck if you live in Texas you could actually be a Texans fan and keep it in state.

Part of the joy of life is not knowing what the future holds, for anything in fact. I do know this, to give up and not have hope for what lies ahead, for anything including football, must be a horrible way to live. Not expounding the virtues of the Jones' one bit but neither do I hold them responsible for no SB rings since the 90's. I don't need to blame anyone in fact. If I want to blame anyone it would be myself for being a fan of this bunch.

BTW, I'm a life long fan of the Boston Red Sox who lived in abject poverty from the early 1900's until the 2000's. Believe me that's far more impoverished than the Cowboys. Also a fan of the 76'ers in b'ball who have won nothing since the 80's but I see another championship coming. Same goes for the Blackhawks in hockey. No Stanley cups from the 60's until the 2000's and then 3. I guess I root for the underdog. Since the start of the 2000's the Cowboys have been the under dogs in everyones minds but the fans. My suggestion would be for some to change their mindset or change teams. It's all about the choices

 

[Blackrain]

Jerry was always a risk taker. By 1997, he felt his risk taking paid off. After all, he was a billionaire, owned an NFL franchise, and won three super bowls with two different coaches. His bold moves paid off. So he stubbornly stuck to his ways for another two decades.

But at least now he realizes many of his errors and has corrected them (namely team building). His greatest mistake is his inability to realize that coaching makes all the difference on talented teams, and his hand picked genius can't make in-game adjustments. So I believe this is the last year for JG and then he's going to get another coach because he's tired of losing too. For some reason, people think he just bathes in money and loves nothing but money, but people who know him say he just wants to win. And it's easy to see if you are paying attention.

I think the team is on the right track after going in the wrong direction for 25 years or so, and I'm not apologizing for being a crazed optimist in a fan base who are raising their pitch forks for the 27th time.

I agree that we are going in a much better direction . It took a while but we have changed our plan and decide Oline is actually important unfortunately for Tony it was after his back was shot . We started to build the team more logical and stopped overpaying injured veterans . All this helping to avoid the NFL purgatory of 8-8 that we were mired in for a time .

Some of Jerrys gambles are paying off Jaylon , Gregory and Cooper as of late and we hired Richards who made an impact while getting rid of one that was handicapping us . Its also nice to be able to build a team while many players are not breaking the bank unfortunately that window is closing fast .

Kraft , Belichick and Brady are at the top of the NFL mountain in EXPERIANCE and talent at there positions . Can we acquire enough talent to offset the gap that exists between our key players in the puzzle and those on top the mountain before we have to pay everyone and lose talent .

The answer may lay in the hands of Jerrys latest Gamble Kellen Moore . If his Talent can get another TD a game out of this offense while our defense stays as strong as last year it could give us a punchers chance to go farther . That is provide we draft and use our cap space to also get the 3 things we need . Giant run stopping DT Safety and legit TE in that order .

We have a young team that should get better in the off season and some players could emerge and surprise us and there is the slim possibility Irving gets his life squared away and helps us .
All that said next year is the year IMO to pull the stops out and make the big push to get it done before we have to pay everyone

 

[TwentyOne]

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.

What is more frustrating to me is the way the NFL treats the sport.

For them its just meaningless product they try to sell. Sooo many ad breaks. No game flow anymore.

The way of watching the game for me hanged. I dont sit at the tv the whole time anymore. I wash dishes, make food, organise my work etc... when something happens i look at the tv. Cadual watching.

But i love the game! I dont want to watch casually!

They destroyed the game because they want to earn money. Its so frustrating and i think i gonna stop watching football in the long run.

Sorry if its a bit OT.

 

[northerncowboynation]

Jerry was always a risk taker. By 1997, he felt his risk taking paid off. After all, he was a billionaire, owned an NFL franchise, and won three super bowls with two different coaches. His bold moves paid off. So he stubbornly stuck to his ways for another two decades.

But at least now he realizes many of his errors and has corrected them (namely team building). His greatest mistake is his inability to realize that coaching makes all the difference on talented teams, and his hand picked genius can't make in-game adjustments. So I believe this is the last year for JG and then he's going to get another coach because he's tired of losing too. For some reason, people think he just bathes in money and loves nothing but money, but people who know him say he just wants to win. And it's easy to see if you are paying attention.

I think the team is on the right track after going in the wrong direction for 25 years or so, and I'm not apologizing for being a crazed optimist in a fan base who are raising their pitch forks for the 27th time.

Herein lies the paradox, Paradox. Jerry used HIS money to bail the team out of the money bleed that was happening under the Murchesons , as I understand it. A league full of owners that wanted his money to save the flagship from sinking, didn't want his money to buy any player he wanted. FA was the answer for the NFL to prevent that while adding security for the players in terms of bigger money. The league got their way. Jerry saved the team and the league saved the NFL from Jerry. Imagine if FA never happened. What does the NFL look like today?

 

[northerncowboynation]

What is more frustrating to me is the way the NFL treats the sport.

For them its just meaningless product they try to sell. Sooo many ad breaks. No game flow anymore.

The way of watching the game for me hanged. I dont sit at the tv the whole time anymore. I wash dishes, make food, organise my work etc... when something happens i look at the tv. Cadual watching.

But i love the game! I dont want to watch casually!

They destroyed the game because they want to earn money. Its so frustrating and i think i gonna stop watching football in the long run.

Sorry if its a bit OT.

I'm like Charlton Heston "I'll stop watching football when they pry the remote from my cold lifeless hands"