We True Blue

For the first time in my life, I am ashamed.

Yes, for the first time in my life, I am ashamed to be a Dallas Cowboy fan.

Well, you ought to be ashamed!  They're nothing to be proud of.  They're 1-6.  They're terrible.  They suck!

Oh, no, no, no, no, no.  You've got it all wrong.  I am not ashamed of my team.  I will never be ashamed of my team, no matter whether they finish 13-3 and win a Super Bowl, or finish 1-15, or even 0-11-1.  Good teams become bad teams become good teams again in time.  That's just the way of it in the NFL.  In any sport, for that matter.  I will never be ashamed of my team just because they are losing. 

What I am ashamed of is the behavior of so many of the so-called Cowboys fans out there.

I see the comments, I read the posts, on Facebook, on blogs, on articles.  Fans saying they are disgusted with this team.  (Even worse are the one who claim to be "discusded with there team").  Seriously?  Disgusted?  That's a mighty strong word, just because they've lost a few games.

Now,  if one of the players had raped a couple of women, or bankrolled a dog fighting ring, or texted photos of his genitalia, or shot someone--that would be disgusting.  But losing a few games?  No.

Disappointing, yes.  Disgusting, hardly. 

Then we have the ones who say things like, "I'm just going to go root for the Steelers (or any other team).  When the Cowboys start winning again, I'll root for them."  This is the worst of the worst.  The lowest of the low.  Bandwagon fans, blowing whichever way the wind goes, following whichever team wins most.  Faithful to none.  Lukewarm.  You make true fans want to vomit. 

This kind of stuff is bad enough, but what really makes me ashamed is the behavior of my fellow fans at the ball games.  Do you realize what a privilege it is to be able to attend a Cowboys game in person?  So many of us have never had that opportunity, and yet you want to sit there with bags over your heads, as if you are embarrassed to be seen there.  Look, if you're so down on this team that you don't even want to show your face, well, I'll e-mail you my address and you can send your tickets to me.  I'll be happy to go in your place, and I will cheer my Cowboys, win or lose.  And there's no way I'd ever walk out halfway through a game.

OK, maybe if I were having a heart attack, or bleeding to death.  Yeah, maybe I'd leave then.  Maybe.  But I will sit there through every last second of a game otherwise-- even if it is a 44-6 drubbing at the hands of their biggest rival.  

How much lower can you go?  You think they don't see you turning your backs on them like that?  Talk about kicking a team when they're down. Have we become so low that we should walk out on the team?  Have we become so low that we should boo our own quarterback?

Have we become so low that we should boo this very same Jon Kitna that just a year ago, so many of you wanted to bench Romo for?  And now you boo him?  What's next?  Cheering when an opposing player lays crumpled on the field with a broken neck?  You think you would never stoop so low, but you're just one step above that now.

Booing.  Bah.

And the "Let's go Rangers" chants ringing throughout Cowboys stadium.  That was the lowest of the low.  Beyond reprehensible.  And you have the nerve to wonder why they seem to have no enthusiasm.  No heart.  How can they, when the very ones they are playing for keep slapping them in the face like that?

By the way, the Rangers lost.  They didn't just lose, they got trounced.  But I'm still waiting on the photo of Nolan Ryan and Ron Washington labeled "Dumb and Dumber".  Haven't seen one yet. Not holding my breath, either.

Now, I know fans are disappointed in the way the season is going.  I am, too.  I'd much rather see them at 6-1 than where they are now.  But this is the crass and classless behavior I would expect out of Philadelphia Eagles fans.  But we --we are better than that.  We are Dallas Cowboys fans.

Yes, these are the times that try fan's souls.  The summer fan and the sunshine supporter will quickly fall away.  But we must remain loyal to our team.  We must persevere.

We lifelong fans.

We faithful few.

We True Blue.


Yet we have this consolation with us, that the harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph.  --Thomas Paine, The Crisis.