Quote:
Originally Posted by bambino
America's Team? What a fucking joke.
|
Tread lightly, bambino. I think my Cowboys won a certain game played at Heinz Field a month or so ago so be respectful, sir.
As you know, the Cowboys (neither the team nor the fans) never asked for that nickname. You're a student of the game; I know you know the story:
Ed Sabol's *editor-in-chief for NFL Films concocted it one day in order to give a title to the video chronicling the Cowboys 1978 season. (*Bob Ryan later said had he known it'd been so successful, he'd have bought the rights to the name).
While Tex Schramm loved it (for branding / marketing purposes) Landry, Staubach and others on the team absolutely hated it. Landry felt it "pissed off" the the rest of the league and only added fuel to opponents playing them.
While some fans embraced it (back then) others were "ho-hum" about it. Personally, as a young man (then...sigh) I didn't care if they were
"America's" team...I was simply proud they were
my team.
Resentment festered for years (decades now) as this moniker stuck no matter the Cowboys record. The media made sure that it never went away....television in particular played their part. For them, it was a selling point.
Ask any of the networks top brass (FOX...ESPN...NBC...CBS..); they'll ALL tell you the same: the Dallas Cowboys guarantee eyes / viewership no matter who they play....they are Ratings GOLD.
When asked (in an interview years ago) about the upcoming NFL schedule and programming, Roone Arledge, creator of ABC's Monday Night Football said, "Give me the Dallas Cowboys each week, every week, the entire season for all I care..." CBS, who had the NFC schedule rights at the time, took exception to that for obvious reasons.
Many fan bases have wanted the nicknamed stripped from the Cowboys and "awarded" to them...as if it were some kind of a trophy to be passed around. Tell that to the Packer fans (who proclaimed themselves decades ago as "Titletown"). When you hear "Win, baby, win" do you think of the Dolphins?...the Browns..? Of course not. You think Raiders (even though they've been in a drought until recently). Certain things just "stick" to certain teams...its the way it is.
I'm sorry Pittsburgh fans or New England fans feel resentment over this (it's been bantered about that their franchises were more deserving as of late). Personally, we really don't care. Call us what you want...we just want to get back to collecting Lombardi Trophies (again), that's all.
