|
Expectations! We meet again!
Five consecutive opening day losses are not enough to spoil the frenzy in Dallas these days. There is a new sheriff in town and it will take more than an opening day loss to a playoff team to spoil this honeymoon. Coach Parcells has the Dallas Cowboys on their toes, no doubt. Everyone is confident he will whip this Cowboys team into contenders or he will bring in players that he can whip into contenders. Super Bowls are just around the corner, says the optimist in me.
Expectations can be a cruel friend or competent foe. When I was younger and the Cowboys dominated in the 1970s, winning was expected and losses tore at my sole. I would lie in bed for hours after a rare heartbreaking loss dreaming up scenario’s that would have prevented defeat. Losses were few and far between back then but when they showed up they arrived with a bang often causing tears to appear on the face of this young fan. After a tough loss, I can remember wishing the Cowboys were not as good as they were, wishing they were mediocre or worse so that when they did loose, it would not hurt as much. Expected losses along with cherished wins would be so much easier! I would soon get my wish.
In 1984 the Dallas Cowboys failed to make the playoffs for the first time since I started rooting for them in the mid 70’s. In 1987, they had their 1st loosing season in over 20 years and in 1988 and 1989 they were the worst team in the league. Life was good! I could once again sleep easy. There were no scenario’s that I could play out in my head to prevent a loss, the Cowboys were just a bad team, they were going to loose regardless of the scenario! It was during those games that I longed to see just a good play vs a good game. Good games were not likely to happen but an occasional good play meant the world to me. The Cowboys could loose, as they often did, but if Tony Dorsett or Herschel Walker had a good game or even scored a touchdown, life was good!
My easy sleep did not last long thanks to Jerry Jones and Jimmy Johnson. Jimmy and Jerry soon had the Cowboys back on top of the NFL world winning an unprecedented 3 Super Bowls in 4 years. But this time around, I was ready. Thanks to some maturity and well learned lessons I no longer took winning for granted. I appreciated the wins and tolerated the losses just as well. The Super Bowls were blessings that I did not take for granted. Each and everyone were special and surprising to say the least and I savored every Super Bowl moment as if they would never occur again.
It did not take long for the cycle to start over. Once again the Cowboys dipped into the mediocre realm in the late 90’s only to return to the Playoffs for the 1st time in 5 seasons in 2003 under the tutelage of head coach Bill Parcells. Expectations have once again climbed in Dallas. Not only do folks expect the Cowboys to make the playoffs in 2004, they expect them to make some noise in the playoffs. Ah, expectations, we meet again.
Marty Ogelvie August 2004 |
