SPORT FAN MARVELS AT MODERN ATHLETES

Sport fan comes in two flavors:

‘Awe struck’ is one.

The other is, “Come on, it’s not that hard.”.

One gets it, the other never will.

I’m in the awe struck camp, but love hearing how it’s not that hard.

Confession: I’m a Dallas Cowboy fan since I was ten years old, maybe younger.

My Mom’s father lived in Dallas and sent Cowboy magazines starting in 1965.

We thought he might own the Dallas Cowboys.

My Dad said he’d met a Cowboys’ quarterback in the Marines.

Eddie LeBaron.

I’ve been awe struck by the Cowboys for better or worse.

Last night I tried explaining it all to my wife during the Cowboys v Tampa Bucs.

I left out Eddie LeBaron while I explained being awe struck when the Cowboys haven’t won a playoff game on the road in thirty years.

The last quarterback to win a playoff was in the booth calling the game: Troy Aikman.

He said this about, Tom Brady:

“Tom Brady, I kid with him about it. I mean, he’s the most unathletic quarterback in the game right now. I’m 56 years old, and I’m pretty confident I could outrun him in a 40-yard dash.”

My wife might be a Brady fan.

I’ve got the game on, cooking tacos, and she’s watching a preview of 80 For Brady on her computer.

Tom took a loss to the Cowboys, a team he’s never lost too. An omen?

One Awe Struck Sports Fan

This is the odd part of sport.

For some reason you connect the dots instead of pounding bro-beers and talking about bro-betting and bro-fantasy teams.

I’ve got nothing against beer, betting, and fantasy, but . . . bro, please.

When the games start feeling too personal, find out why.

It felt dream-like watching the Cowboy defense pound Brady, spook him into throwing a turn-and-hide interception in the end zone, make him look frightened.

The Cowboys’ Defensive Coordinator is the former head coach of the Falcons, the team Brady beat in the biggest Super Bowl comeback.

Dan Quinn had to be wincing with the rest of us while his guys teed off?

Sport fan sees a team peaking and still rising.

It helps when Dak plays some of the best ball of his life.

I’m starting to feel the draw. This could be the Super Bowl year like it was after the last road playoff win in 1993.

Aikman said as much with talk about the high standards set by Roger Staubach’s teams in the 70’s, his teams in the 90’s, and so many close calls throughout.

Without searching I’m rolling out guys who reached after Eddie LeBaron:

Dandy Don, Craig Morton, Roger the Dodger, Danny White, Troy Aikman, Tony Romo, and now Dak Prescott.

It’s easier when your team started the same time as the AFL.

Reach Dak, Reach Deep, For Eddie

Why is a Cowboy win important?

Men in America find themselves stuck in yet another contradiction of life as a married sport fan.

Early in the marriage with kids and work and house it’s:

“You can’t waste every weekend in front of the TV.”

Later in the empty nest marriage:

“I don’t know what’s wrong with him, he does’t even watch football anymore.”

Call the doctor.

Sometimes a team kills the spirt.

What happens when you merge a team owner, team president, and team general manager into one job?

You get the Cowboys.

They come with a few decades of damn good football teams who almost got there, which is a marvel.

But like Jerry, I need a win, and soon. Please Dak, overcome the Danny White / Tony Romo legacy of almost greatness.

Overcome the coaching legacy.

That’s my only and lasting complaint / observation, the coaching hires.

Without searching I’ve got Tom Landry, Jimmy Johnson, Barry Switzer, Jason Garrett, and Mike McCarthy along with an assortment of elevated assistants and retreads.

Keeping Garrett for ten years with Tony Romo felt like a double sentence of doom.

It was hard to watch, hard to understand.

This year, keeping the Cowboys alive longer sparks hope. Once they’re done, I’m done.

The Oregon Ducks didn’t finish on top like I planned.

My North Bend Bulldogs are done.

But the Cowboys are riding high and going ALL. THE. WAY.

Now, about that kicker and the misses?

You know who could kick? Eddie LeBaron had a leg.