Delusional Dallas

If the Dallas Cowboys were a TV show, it’s hard to say under what genre they would fall. Entering the season and in the opening weeks, the Cowboys were the NFL equivalent to say Entourage, a hit, widely popular show, with an enorumous audience, featuring several celebrities and stars. But then Tony Romo went down and the Cowboys hit rock bottom the way that The O.C. did when Mischa Barton left, eventually leading to the show’s cancellation. But just before the Cowboys season was about to be over, Romo returned to lead the Cowboys to three straight wins and kept Wade Phillips’ career alive the way The Tonight Show will live on now that Jay Leno is staying. But right after the Cowboys had a chance to take a firm grip of a wild card spot, they were absolutely devastated by the Steelers. This led to utter chaos with more backstabbing within the organization than seen on The Sopranos. But as most recent as last week, the Cowboys defeated a banged up Giants team to once again come back possibly better than before as Larry David did with Curb Your Enthusiasm after years off from Seinfeld.

The Cowboys have shown sides of drama and action, comedy and heroics in what has been an up and down, see-saw season for “America’s (so-called) Team.” But the way that Cowboys fans talk, the way they think, and the way they carry themselves, you would think that they are in the midst of an unbelieveable season, on their way to a first round bye, and a guaranteed shot at the title. Maybe, it’s a good thing that Cowboys fans act this way, so that they keep a positive mentality with them while cheering for their team. Or maybe it’s the way that the franchise they love carries themselves. Maybe it’s that overly optimstic, cocky approach, that has worn off on their fanbase and has them acting like fools.

Are the Cowboys a good team? Yes. Are they an elite team? Absolutely not. It’s hard to be one when the only thing that is “elite” about your team is that you are inconsistent. But it gets me every time I turn on the WFAN or watch ESPN or listen to callers on Mike Francesa who happen to be Cowboys fans talking about the postseason or how they will beat the Eagles in Philly in Week 17 to clinch a wild card berth. And it gets me every time a Cowboys fan says how the Giants are “scared” to face them in the playoffs, and that the Cowboys have their number.

I’m not scared of the Dallas Cowboys. Not anymore than I am scared of any other team in the NFC or the NFL for that matter. Come playoff time, it doesn’t matter if you are playing the ’72 Dolphins or the ’85 Bears, every team is just as scary as every other team. All it takes is one turnover, one broken play, one sack, and one poorly used timeout to lose in the playoffs. Basically, perfect football advances you and near perfect football could eliminate you.

But once again the Cowboys aren’t in the playoffs. They are in the if the season ended today, but it doesn’t. And they still need to go 2-0 against two good teams who are also trying to go 2-0. So, here is what I have to say to Dallas as they enter the final two weeks of the season. Good luck.