Witten's Conclusion

[Jumbo075]

"Somewhere along the way - and this is so easy to get lost. We’re all focused on results and they are important— but what you learn as you get older is that the journey is the reward.

If I’ve learned anything along the way in the last 15 years, it's that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people won't forget how you made them feel.

We do good, upright things because we want to leave a positive legacy in our wake. That is certainly what I tried my best to do during my time with this organization.

I will leave you with this:

There aren’t many decisions that come with absolute certainty.

But I can tell you one thing that is certain, putting on the white jersey, that silver helmet with the navy star, seeing your name on the back of the jersey and running onto that field, as a member of America’s Team, it brings a certainty of pride and honor.

The kind of certainty that comes but once in a lifetime to be a Dallas Cowboy."​

When Witten said what I underlined above in the conclusion of his retirement speech, I thought about this Fan site, and the fans who seem to not be able to enjoy the Journey of being a Dallas Cowboys fan - mainly due to the lack of results.

Like Witten said, the results are important. But what is more important is learning to enjoy the journey of being a Dallas Cowboys fan. Sometimes, you get the idea that some fans don't see the "certainty of pride and honor" in being a Dallas Cowboys fan, because the Cowboys haven't won a championship in a generation. I do understand the frustration.

But I would like to encourage other fans to learn to enjoy the journey of being a fan. Enjoy the little victories and successes that come a game at a time, a play at a time. Enjoy the players for the great plays they make instead of becoming bitter over the plays they don't make. Maybe that's a wisdom that only comes with age. But it makes enjoying the team a lot easier.

It doesn't mean you don't care just as much as any other fan about championships or results. But it will mean you learn to enjoy "the journey" of being a Dallas Cowboys fan. And maybe, just maybe, you'll begin to experience the "pride and honor" of being a Dallas Cowboys fan. Fans of other teams don't get that, so value and appreciate it.

I will now climb down off my podium.

 

[G2]

Great point. That's a very good way of putting it. I like to have fun here, but at the end of the day I'm entertained by a great sport I loved playing and watching since I was 7 and now that I'm older I find great peace in just enjoying the game, win or lose.

 

[glimmerman]

The journey is the only reward he got. It sure wasn’t a SB ring. I hate that for him. And Romo.. and some other players that have moved on.

Deserves got nothing to do with it. But if a player did deserve a SB ring it would be him.

I wonder if part of his decision to retire was because he saw the team getting further from the ring.

 

[IrishAnto]

We will probably not see his like again.

So long and thanks for all the fish.

 

[Hennessy_King]

Your post is great in spirit. Unfortunately I am a very competitive person and my daily job is result oriented so maybe that's why I can't find satisfaction in being a mediocre team for 22 years. He was a hard worker and great guy. But he was the 4th best TE in his era. Love Witt but I am glad he is moving on I think it's what is best for the team.

 

[Miller]

Listen, I love this sentiment but at the end of the day this is football, you are out there to win and in the long run you are out there to try and win a championship. I won't lie, it was a lot more fun watching 1975-1996 than the last 20 years. We just lost a great player in Witten. We've lost Romo, Ware, Dez, Murray, etc and have nothing to show for it. That's a disappointing journey.

 

[dogunwo]

The journey is the only reward he got.

His bank account would like a word with you.

 

[DoctorChicken]

I like everything about this besides your signature, Jumbo.

Jason Witten and fuel-efficiency rule.

 

[glimmerman]

His bank account would like a word with you.

lol. True. And he ain’t done collecting. 4 million a year. Then JJ will pony up some big money for him to coach if he wants.

Almost 73 million in 15 years ain’t bad.

 

[dogunwo]

lol. True. And he ain’t done collecting. 4 million a year. Then JJ will pony up some big money for him to coach if he wants.

Almost 73 million in 15 years ain’t bad.

You are exactly right. The additional opportunities that football opened up for him are also his reward. Yeah, it sucks he didn't get the ultimate on the field prize, but I am not throwing a pity party for him, lol.

 

[ZekeTrain]

I think as fans we all kind of do the same thing as we age. I used to live and die by the Cowboys when I was a teen and in my twenties. I still love them now that I am pushing 50 but my day or week are no longer ruined after a loss. I am able to shrug it off now in a way that I could not previously. I am also capable of turning off the game if it is a blow out or even *GASP* miss a game on TV if I have something to do family related.

 

[CATCH17]

"Somewhere along the way - and this is so easy to get lost. We’re all focused on results and they are important— but what you learn as you get older is that the journey is the reward.

If I’ve learned anything along the way in the last 15 years, it's that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people won't forget how you made them feel.

We do good, upright things because we want to leave a positive legacy in our wake. That is certainly what I tried my best to do during my time with this organization.

I will leave you with this:

There aren’t many decisions that come with absolute certainty.

But I can tell you one thing that is certain, putting on the white jersey, that silver helmet with the navy star, seeing your name on the back of the jersey and running onto that field, as a member of America’s Team, it brings a certainty of pride and honor.

The kind of certainty that comes but once in a lifetime to be a Dallas Cowboy."​

When Witten said what I underlined above in the conclusion of his retirement speech, I thought about this Fan site, and the fans who seem to not be able to enjoy the Journey of being a Dallas Cowboys fan - mainly due to the lack of results.

Like Witten said, the results are important. But what is more important is learning to enjoy the journey of being a Dallas Cowboys fan. Sometimes, you get the idea that some fans don't see the "certainty of pride and honor" in being a Dallas Cowboys fan, because the Cowboys haven't won a championship in a generation. I do understand the frustration.

But I would like to encourage other fans to learn to enjoy the journey of being a fan. Enjoy the little victories and successes that come a game at a time, a play at a time. Enjoy the players for the great plays they make instead of becoming bitter over the plays they don't make. Maybe that's a wisdom that only comes with age. But it makes enjoying the team a lot easier.

It doesn't mean you don't care just as much as any other fan about championships or results. But it will mean you learn to enjoy "the journey" of being a Dallas Cowboys fan. And maybe, just maybe, you'll begin to experience the "pride and honor" of being a Dallas Cowboys fan. Fans of other teams don't get that, so value and appreciate it.

I will now climb down off my podium.

I can't enjoy the journey at this point.

I've seen the journey end, start over, end, and start over.

Regular season football with no playoff success is not enjoyable.

I'm a Cowboys fan. Not a Cleveland Browns fan.

 

[G2]

Your post is great in spirit. Unfortunately I am a very competitive person and my daily job is result oriented so maybe that's why I can't find satisfaction in being a mediocre team for 22 years. He was a hard worker and great guy. But he was the 4th best TE in his era. Love Witt but I am glad he is moving on I think it's what is best for the team.

Not everyone can tolerate not winning championships man, I get it. But one thing is it's all out of our control and truly letting it bother you is a choice. No judgement here, I just see a lot of fans here who go a little overboard in my opinion.

 

[G2]

It could always be worse. We've had ups and downs, good seasons and bad but it could be much worse.

Like Cleveland.

 

[OmerV]

The journey is the only reward he got. It sure wasn’t a SB ring. I hate that for him. And Romo.. and some other players that have moved on.

Deserves got nothing to do with it. But if a player did deserve a SB ring it would be him.

I wonder if part of his decision to retire was because he saw the team getting further from the ring.

I don't know that he necessarily feels the team was getting further from a ring, but I think his decision would probably have been different had he thought they were right on the cusp of it.

 

[OmerV]

Listen, I love this sentiment but at the end of the day this is football, you are out there to win and in the long run you are out there to try and win a championship. I won't lie, it was a lot more fun watching 1975-1996 than the last 20 years. We just lost a great player in Witten. We've lost Romo, Ware, Dez, Murray, etc and have nothing to show for it. That's a disappointing journey.

I don't think anyone would say it isn't more fun to watch the team win, and especially win championships. I think the thought is more geared toward fans who claim they can get no enjoyment without winning championships. I've actually seen fans write posts that say they would rather lose every game than have a great regular season and fail in the playoffs or Super Bowl. To me that's nonsense - a person cannot truly call themselves a competitor if they are unwilling to risk the chance of defeat.

We all get the frustrations, and it's natural that the emotions of any serious fan are affected, but stirring the emotions, and feeling the competitive spirit is enjoyment in itself, and what I think is meant by enjoying the journey. So ultimately fans should be able to enjoy the journey, but clearly the enjoyment will be greater if the team wins.

 

[glimmerman]

I don't know that he necessarily feels the team was getting further from a ring, but I think his decision would probably have been different had he thought they were right on the cusp of it.

That’s kind of what I am getting at. He knows the team is good but if he thought we were a definite playoff bound team or maybe Romo was still here maybe he would stay.

 

[Aviano90]

It's not that it's a bad message. IMO, it just reinforces my belief that our leaders have winning as a secondary goal, while effort and attitude are the primary goals.

 

[BourbonBalz]

The journey is the only reward he got. It sure wasn’t a SB ring. I hate that for him. And Romo.. and some other players that have moved on.

Deserves got nothing to do with it. But if a player did deserve a SB ring it would be him.

I wonder if part of his decision to retire was because he saw the team getting further from the ring.

Most great NFL players never won a ring. Dan Marino didn't get one. Barry Sanders didn't even play in one. Walter Payton finally got one very late in his career, as did Reggie White. Fran Tarkington didn't get one. Randy Moss, Dan Fouts, Earl Campbell, Eric Dickerson. The list could go on and on. Most NFL players never win a Super Bowl. Those that do are fortunate.

 

[BourbonBalz]

Your post is great in spirit. Unfortunately I am a very competitive person and my daily job is result oriented so maybe that's why I can't find satisfaction in being a mediocre team for 22 years. He was a hard worker and great guy. But he was the 4th best TE in his era. Love Witt but I am glad he is moving on I think it's what is best for the team.

LOL. He's at worst the 2nd best TE in NFL HISTORY. He's 4th on the all-time reception list for ANY position and he was a far better blocker than any of his contemporaries.