My Heroes Have Always Been Cowboys

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If you’re like me, your Sundays just aren’t the same these days. Although there are many holidays, celebrations, and events that we attend throughout the year, there is no time of the year like football season and watching my beloved Dallas Cowboys on the football field. I think back to how and when I jumped on the bandwagon as we all have at one point or another. 

It was the 1977-78 season which was a great year to become a fan, of the Dallas Cowboys that is. My best friend Greg got a new game for his birthday and it was the coolest thing I ever saw. It was an electric football game with individual players that you could position and attempt to direct on a scaled down version of a football field (it didn’t always work so well). Once each player had it’s offense and defense set up, you would flick the switch and the field would vibrate causing your players to go or not go in the direction you chose. When we played my friend Greg always got to be the Dallas Cowboys. After all… it was his game. That year we watched the Dallas Cowboys go to Super Bowl XII and defeat the Denver Broncos 27-10. From then on, my life would never be the same.

 My heroes went from Batman and Superman to Roger Staubach and Tony Dorsett. After all, at age 8, it was much more acceptable to wear a jersey than a cape to school. I remember guys like “Butch Johnson” (No. 86). Johnson’s touchdown celebration was known as the “California Quake”. He would simulate pulling guns out of holsters and proceed to shoot them and shake. When I played football with my friends and scored a touchdown, I would do the same. I remember my first jersey. No. 33 “TD” Dorsett. If I could have, I would have worn it everyday. One day it was thrown in the wash with a bright red shirt. UGH!! It came out pink. I wore it anyway.

 As I sit here in front of my computer writing my first blog and reminiscing, I remember watching the Cowboys every year on what has become my favorite holiday of the year..Thanksgiving! What fan could ask for more? I remember the heartbreaks and losses too…like the famous play in the 1982 NFC Championship game known as “The Catch”. Where one of my heroes Everson Walls, couldn’t jump as high as 49er Dwight Clark to catch Joe Montana’s miracle touchdown throw with 51 seconds left in the game. I cried and cried that day.

 I’ve grown up watching this team. Many great super bowl wins along with playoff losses too. Many years of great bbq’s or parties with friends and family. Watching my favorite players come and go. Now my two sons are Cowboys fans (of course) and the tradition continues. I have to try not to draft all Cowboys on my fantasy football team (it’s hard). It’s been some time since we’ve been to the big game but I feel we are very close and I just can’t wait for training camp. The Boys are loaded with talent, and with a healthy season, I feel our time is now. Yes, I jumped on the bandwagon and I never jumped off. I bleed blue and silver and like good ol’ Willie Nelson sang…My heroes have always been Cowboys.