The Dallas Cowboys Are Dead To Me

Not really - A life-long and franchise-long love affair with the Cowboys doesn't die. Superbowl losses to the Steelers during the 1970's didn't kill the love. Roger Staubach's early retirement because of having too many concussions didn't do it. Personnel didn't matter (most of the time) because the Cowboys were - and still are - America's Team. And when Danny White took over for Staubach and couldn't get the Cowboys into "the BIG one," there was always next season after working through the 5 stages of grief. (Note: It was always unfair to compare White's achievements to Staubach's. The only Cowboy so far who has had Staubach-like magic was Troy Aikman.)

I didn't even throw the Cowboys away from my heart when Jerry Jones bought the team and had a very public dinner with Jimmie Johnson while beloved Tom Landry was still officially coach. Most Dallas fans, myself included, almost walked away from America's Team. Without Landry and GM Tex Schramm it really was no longer America's Team. Why it was almost not Dallas' team anymore. Then that 1-15 first season under Jones/Johnson! All hope for next season was almost gone. But still I hung on and all the fans came back the next season. I'm not a fair-weather fan; my expectations are so high after all these years that dissapointments take a little time to work through. And what Johnson did with the Cowboys over the next few years is legend. Players like Troy Aikman, Emmitt Smith, Daryl Johnston (Moooooose), Jay Novacek, Deion Sanders, Michael Irvin are also Cowboy legends.

Then it was over as Dallas struggled with finding the right coach and most of those all-stars were gone. Still, gotta love them 'Boys. Ups and downs, I've stayed with them.

3 years ago Tony Romo came on the scene. Bill Parcells was coach and loved Romo. I read that he took Romo under his wing and believed in the guy's talent and potential for greatness. I also read about Romo's work ethic; he stayed for a couple of hours after practice just throwing passes to just about anyone who would stay with him while he practiced. Hope sprang. Romo had some magic and his enthusiasm was electric. He was like a little boy who had just thrown his first touchdown pass in Pop Warner. He threw to everybody, not just his tight end. But after Thanksgiving that first year that he was the starting quarterback, he seemed to lose a little steam. December wasn't too good and he lost his first playoff game. That was okay because it was his first playoff and he had began starting after the season began. He'd do it next season. I loved the Cowboys even more and believed that next year would see them in the Super Bowl.

That was last year. He did fantastic in the first half of the season and the Cowboys rewarded him by renegotiating his contract mid-season and giving him multi-million dollars to play for the team for the next 5 or 7 years.

Then came Jessica Simpson. The same Jessica Simpson who had bared her ditz for millions during her MTV reality show about her marriage to Nick Lachey. Wow! It proved that the elevator didn't go all the way to the top. I'm not saying she's stupid - she's just ditzy. They had just begun dating and in that first game she attended (wearing a pink Cowboys jersey) things hadn't gone well for Tony in the first half. What absolutely shocked me, however, was that he looked up at her as he was on his way to the locker room. Now I have no idea what was in his head during that game, but it looked as though he was nervous trying to impress her. The Cowboys did no better in the second half and my family jokingly blamed the loss on her.

Romo had again lost steam after the Thanksgiving Day game. The Cowboys had two weeks to practice for the Giants since they had a bye the first week. And while most of the team practiced for the whole two weeks, Romo took several days off and went to Cabo San Lucas with Jessica and her family. What was he thinking? Did he think that just because the Cowboys had given him a new fat contract that he had "arrived" and was entitled to a few days off because he had worked so hard during the season? Surprisingly enough the team lost to the eventual Super Bowl champions. There were lots of Romo mistakes. Was his head not in the game or did the little vacation with Simpson cause him to lose focus? I started having doubts about his ability to keep his intensity through the whole season.

Over the summer the relationship with Simpson was on and off again. He was seen clubbing in exclusive bars in Chicago and LA. There were photographs of him with beautiful women who weren't Jessica Simpson. I wonder when he had time to work on his game and mental toughness other than training camp.

This season began so well that sports anchors talked of him being one of the best quarterbacks. Terry Bradshaw rated him a very close second to Ben Rothelsberger. The others on Fox's NFL show rated him number one in the league. Then Romo was injured and out for 4 weeks, but he returned to his winning way. Then came December. And after every loss I claimed that the Cowboys were dead to me. It was that love/hate relationship again.

Last Saturday's unnecessary loss to Baltimore was crushing. IF the Cowboys make the playoffs this year I don't believe Romo has the focus or mental toughness to win a playoff based on his history of the past two years. I don't believe in the Cowboys right now and I don't have hope for next season. This Sunday they play Philly in Philly which they need to win in order to have a chance at making the playoffs. Frankly I don't think they deserve to make the playoffs - they are a mediocre team right now.

To blame all this on Romo is a mistake. According to the Dallas Morning News "We should never be shocked by these late-season crash-and-burns because they happen every December. For 12 straight seasons, the Cowboys have failed to have a winning record after November. But to see the offense, in particular the passing game, fall apart at season's end is stunning." 12 years ago Jimmie Johnson left, Barry Switzer was fired and the best and brightest retired or were traded away.

A coaching change may be the most important move for the Cowboys during the off-season. No one should give up on Romo - his potential and ability are doubtless. But he really needs help in the mental toughness area. He's got to work on maintaining his intensity and focus through the whole season and into the playoffs. After Saturday's loss to Baltimore the Cowboys were dead to me again. I'm not sure I can watch the Philly game. It hurts every year the Cowboys aren't Super Bowl champions.

I have loved the Cowboys through good times and bad - though not so much during the bad. I may be angry at the team and accuse them of being a bunch of losers like the Redskins, but there's always next season. After all they always come back and we love them for it.