CZ POLL When did you become a Cowboys fan?

[JoeKing]

Go, Cowboys!

 

[Runwildboys]

I have three sons who all grew up watching every Cowboys game played in the late 80s all through the 90s. They loved the Cowboys. Some of my fondest memories are of the four of us watching those 90s Cowboys in the playoffs.

But times change. My oldest son is now 38, middle son is 36 and youngest is 34. For the last 10 years, they don’t even watch the Cowboys anymore. My oldest son was 12 the last time they played in the SB. They consider them a complete joke. It makes me sad but I understand. They’re still big sports fans. In fact one of my sons is a high school basketball coach. And they all love football- just not the Cowboys.

You're an unfit parent, Bob!

 

[Pass2Run]

I was first a Houston Oilers fan. I pretty much became a Cowboys fan when they left town, and I ended up attending a Dallas Cowboys training camp at St. Ed's when I was a kid. I honestly don't remember what order that occurred in. At the Cowboys' camp, I remember getting autographs. But I literally cannot remember who. I tried to recall when I replied to this post last time.

Anyway, Warren Moon was the QB, and my favorite player at the time was Drew Hil, 2nd favorite was Earnest Givens. They were a run and shoot offense, which was a blast to watch.

Those two guys are why I wanted to play football. I played WR and safety all the way from pop warner through Jr. Varsity, sometimes both ways, most of the time when I was younger.

On varsity, due to politics, my final year, I only played CB.

My best friend, next door, was a great football player at the college level, a LT. Anyway, his dad was super into sports, and scouted for the Astros. I learned all I know about football from watching the games with those guys, and soaking it all in. Then, we also grew up playing together, like pick up games, because he was 2 years older than I. But that's actually a good way to cut your chops, because then the competition seems easier.

I learned most of what I know about football from watching the Oilers, and, of course, playing football. I remember the Cowboys during and after high school now that I think about it. And they were really good back then. I also remember the likes of Hershel Walker. I also remember Randy White because my dad liked him.

 

[Runwildboys]

I was first a Houston Oilers fan. I pretty much became a Cowboys fan when they left town, and I ended up attending a Dallas Cowboys training camp at St. Ed's when I was a kid. I honestly don't remember what order that occurred in. At the Cowboys' camp, I remember getting autographs. But I literally cannot remember who. I tried to recall when I replied to this post last time.

Anyway, Warren Moon was the QB, and my favorite player at the time was Drew Hil, 2nd favorite was Earnest Givens. They were a run and shoot offense, which was a blast to watch.

Those two guys are why I wanted to play football. I played WR and safety all the way from pop warner through Jr. Varsity, sometimes both ways, most of the time when I was younger.

On varsity, due to politics, my final year, I only played CB.

My best friend, next door, was a great football player at the college level, a LT. Anyway, his dad was super into sports, and scouted for the Astros. I learned all I know about football from watching the games with those guys, and soaking it all in. Then, we also grew up playing together, like pick up games, because he was 2 years older than I. But that's actually a good way to cut your chops, because then the competition seems easier.

I learned most of what I know about football from watching the Oilers, and, of course, playing football. I remember the Cowboys during and after high school now that I think about it. And they were really good back then. I also remember the likes of Hershel Walker. I also remember Randy White because my dad liked him.

Make up your mind. Did you learn all you know from your friend and his father, or did you learn most of what you know from watching the Oilers and playing football???

 

[Shane612]

I have three sons who all grew up watching every Cowboys game played in the late 80s all through the 90s. They loved the Cowboys. Some of my fondest memories are of the four of us watching those 90s Cowboys in the playoffs.

But times change. My oldest son is now 38, middle son is 36 and youngest is 34. For the last 10 years, they don’t even watch the Cowboys anymore. My oldest son was 12 the last time they played in the SB. They consider them a complete joke. It makes me sad but I understand. They’re still big sports fans. In fact one of my sons is a high school basketball coach. And they all love football- just not the Cowboys.

Jerry did that to me, too. Jerry will that to you.
I still watch most of it, because like you, have fond memories of my dad (God rest his soul) and I watching the Dallas Cowboys on a crisp Sundays afternoon in the 70s and the 90s.

 

[Doomsday]

Damn, look at all of us old farts who picked the 70s

 

[Reality]

I have three sons who all grew up watching every Cowboys game played in the late 80s all through the 90s. They loved the Cowboys. Some of my fondest memories are of the four of us watching those 90s Cowboys in the playoffs.

But times change. My oldest son is now 38, middle son is 36 and youngest is 34. For the last 10 years, they don’t even watch the Cowboys anymore. My oldest son was 12 the last time they played in the SB. They consider them a complete joke. It makes me sad but I understand. They’re still big sports fans. In fact one of my sons is a high school basketball coach. And they all love football- just not the Cowboys.

The younger generation tends to have more interest in teams that are currently winning championships, so that is not really a surprise.

Younger fans have so many things to occupy their time these days compared to those that older fans had at their age, so it is too easy to focus on something else when their favorite teams are not winning championships.

The Cowboys organization has benefitted heavily from a fan base that started for many when they were still kids. That provided the Cowboys with a lifetime supply of fans over decades that would be difficult to replicate if the league started today with the current generation.

That said, the poll results show the fan base is tilted toward the older generations which means at some point the Cowboys fan base will shrink dramatically and rapidly as the older generations pass on. Unfortunately, by that time it will be too late to fix the problem.

Since that will not happen in Jerry's lifetime though, it is not something he has to worry about. Once he is gone though, I suspect Stephen will sell the team once the Cowboys and likely the NFL fan base overall start to decline in the years to come.

 

[Runwildboys]

The younger generation tends to have more interest in teams that are currently winning championships, so that is not really a surprise.

Younger fans have so many things to occupy their time these days compared to those that older fans had at their age, so it is too easy to focus on something else when their favorite teams are not winning championships.

The Cowboys organization has benefitted heavily from a fan base that started for many when they were still kids. That provided the Cowboys with a lifetime supply of fans over decades that would be difficult to replicate if the league started today with the current generation.

That said, the poll results show the fan base is tilted toward the older generations which means at some point the Cowboys fan base will shrink dramatically and rapidly as the older generations pass on. Unfortunately, by that time it will be too late to fix the problem.

Since that will not happen in Jerry's lifetime though, it is not something he has to worry about. Once he is gone though, I suspect Stephen will sell the team once the Cowboys and likely the NFL fan base overall start to decline in the years to come.

I think it's probably the same for most teams, due in large part to the advent of fantasy football. People are less about team loyalty and more about winning money or bragging rights with friends.

Obviously that's not the whole story, but I know guys who were ardent fans of other teams, and don't even watch all their games anymore, because they'd rather watch something like RedZone, where they can keep track of all the players on their FF teams.

 

[shabazz]

kids today can figure out how to start a push mower much less who to pull for.

They can if it’s an electric one…….but they aren’t gonna use it anyway

 

[Shane612]

I was 8 years old living near San Diego watching Super Bowl VI.

 

[Jimz31]

At birth.

 

[MS17]

Damn, look at all of us old farts who picked the 70s

It could be worse. Some of us geezers picked the 60's...

 

[Blackrain]

Yep go figure we're in like eight super bowls between say 1970 and 96 we win five of them and the majority of our fans come from that time period.

After 1996 in the next 26 years were lucky to win a playoff game here and there we don't sniff an NFC championship game let alone a super bowl and we pick up about three fans and a ham sandwich.

And if my memory serves me correctly during this dysfunctional period we don't use a first round pick for a quarterback or a first round pick for a defensive tackle things that help make us championship teams in the past we followed Jerry's team building theory and our old fans just sit back and try and wait it out but the strain is a lot to bare

 

[Gangsta Spanksta]

I was in elementary school in Oak Cliff in the 80's. A time when there was not much the cheer about in Dallas Sports and being at that elementary age, well kids that age are very fickle. But once I did become a fan in the 90's it was for life, a bit of inner city loyalty.

 

[timb2]

I was in Little League Football. My team was called the Cowboys and I was given jersey #88. I finally saw the Dallas Cowboys on TV and they're was this great rookie player wearing #88 for them. He became my childhood sports hero watching his entire career. Thank you Drew Pearson!!!

 

[Pass2Run]

The younger generation tends to have more interest in teams that are currently winning championships, so that is not really a surprise.

Younger fans have so many things to occupy their time these days compared to those that older fans had at their age, so it is too easy to focus on something else when their favorite teams are not winning championships.

The Cowboys organization has benefitted heavily from a fan base that started for many when they were still kids. That provided the Cowboys with a lifetime supply of fans over decades that would be difficult to replicate if the league started today with the current generation.

That said, the poll results show the fan base is tilted toward the older generations which means at some point the Cowboys fan base will shrink dramatically and rapidly as the older generations pass on. Unfortunately, by that time it will be too late to fix the problem.

Since that will not happen in Jerry's lifetime though, it is not something he has to worry about. Once he is gone though, I suspect Stephen will sell the team once the Cowboys and likely the NFL fan base overall start to decline in the years to come.

You know . . . not only for the sake of the Cowboys, but for the sake of the NFL, this would be a great year to let us compete without any Dez no-catch calls to get in our way.

 

[KJJ]

I became a Cowboys fan on January 16, 1972. Super Bowl VI was the first Cowboys game I ever watched. Been hooked ever since!

 

[HoplessCowboysFan36]

Been a fan since birth, 1989. Go Cowboys