I've been a Dallas Cowboys fan since somewhere in my mid-teens. I don't even know why, really. I just remember watching a game between the Cowboys and the Detroit Lions and deciding that the Cowboys were my team. The final score in that ultimate defensive contest, if I recall rightly, was 3-2, with the Cowboys coming out on top. In those days, Craig Morton was quarterbacking the Cowboys, and then a little later on Coach Landry began to shuttle Morton and Roger Staubach on alternating plays, each quarterback bringing the call to the field. Ultimately, Staubach took the starting position permanently until his retirement.
I still follow the Cowboys here in Indonesia, even though I am unable to watch their games. I guess I could if I were willing to pay for some expensive online service, but of course I'm not. I follow the scores, watch them in post-game clips, and follow their Facebook page.
It is in following them on Facebook that I have become aware of the absurd intrusion of politics into football fandom, as there are those who have a major problem not with the team's performance or coaching but with the decision of some players to kneel during the national anthem.
Say what?
Yes, that's right. One will regularly see comments expressing anger at this unforgivable act of kneeling, oaths from this or that dumbbell that he will never watch the team again. I mean, in the first place who even watches the national anthem portion of a game? And what can possibly be so offensive to a viewer about seeing a player kneel?
I do have to say though that so far such objections as I have seen have been roundly rejected by the majority of the team's followers, who tend to be either whole-heartedly supportive of the players or just sick and tired of hearing about politics and culture wars wherever they go. It's football, man! Can we just enjoy life for a couple hours on Sunday?
Go Cowboys!
2 comments:
I grew up believing the Dalla Cowboys were the only professional football team in existence. To this day I have no idea who I thought they challenged on the field.:) My dad's cousin was James "Rawbeef" Myers, the offensive line coach and right-hand man to Tom Landry. As the only daughter to my sports enthusiast father, it was instilled in me early on that I would be a Cowboys fan for eternity. I took a lot of flack with die-hard Steelers fans until Rawbeef and Landry retired. Off the "hook", my football loyalities remain with Dallas, but I no longer feel guilty for cheering on other teams. Except the Steelers...
Lady--I know! I will hate the Steelers forever. And Terry Bradshaw! But my goodness, what a different world we live in now. The poor Cowboys have become the most pitied team in the NFL. But hey, we're gonna come back! Someday.
Post a Comment