Yes, I am crazy...about my Cowboys. IT IS FOOTBALL SEASON....or at least preseason. There are only 3 things that matter in Texas....God, The Alamo, and FOOTBALL.....and not necessarily in that order. This time of the year in the US and 10 times more in Texas... all attention is turned to the gridiron ...that 100 yard, green, sometimes muddy, field with a goal post at each end. Two teams meet and square off trying to get into each others end zone. Hmmm, ok, it does sound alot like voetball....until you add the pads, the funny looking ball, helmets, cheerleaders, and the players who are obviously trying to kill each other. Some question the toughness of American football players, but to be honest, after watching the World Cup and watching players flop around on the ground after the slightest of hits...I still think American football players are pretty tough. Just wondering how Wesley would do with a 150 kilo defensive lineman trying to throw him to the ground. No offense, of course, I actually got into the Cup a bit...and the skill shown was incredible..and just for the record I played voetball in high school myself. Of course, some would say the US is "action horny" (quoting my Joost)...true, very true...we can not sit still long enough to watch only one goal being scored...we need our high scores, our tackles, our spectacular jumping catches, and watching one man try to run though 3 or 4 other players twice his size. Yep, we are "action horny", we get bored when the score is 0-0....we love a good, close game...21-21...sounds great to us...or if its your team 34-21 is even better. Football in the US is the mainstay of every weekend. On Saturdays...it's college football....which would be my University of Texas at Austin Longhorns...HOOK 'EM HORNS!...or my Texas Christian University Horned Frogs (no, there's no such thing as a horned frog...just horned toad) GO FROGS GO! Then, of course, it's Sunday (and sometimes Monday)....it's the NFL...and of course, the DALLAS COWBOYS... HOW 'BOUT THEM COWBOYS!!! On Saturday, Sunday, and even Monday night...it is football, football, and more football.
So who are these Cowboys, Longhorns, and Horned Frogs. We'll start with the Horned Frogs of TCU. TCU is the largest university in Fort Worth where I grew up. It's a small, private school that I lived less than 1 km from most of my youth. My high school often performed with their marching band at games. I even attended for one year. The TCU frogs have never been one of the big college teams, but they've always been fun to watch. Last year they were actually ranked #4 in the country...first time in many, many years that they even broke into the top ten. Oh, the "rankings" are done based on win-losses and also based on who plays who, most smaller schools can't really compete with the larger ones so TCU (being smaller) making the top ten along with some of the bigger schools was a big deal. Anyway, TCU will always have a little place in my heart because I practically grew up with them.
So who are these Cowboys, Longhorns, and Horned Frogs. We'll start with the Horned Frogs of TCU. TCU is the largest university in Fort Worth where I grew up. It's a small, private school that I lived less than 1 km from most of my youth. My high school often performed with their marching band at games. I even attended for one year. The TCU frogs have never been one of the big college teams, but they've always been fun to watch. Last year they were actually ranked #4 in the country...first time in many, many years that they even broke into the top ten. Oh, the "rankings" are done based on win-losses and also based on who plays who, most smaller schools can't really compete with the larger ones so TCU (being smaller) making the top ten along with some of the bigger schools was a big deal. Anyway, TCU will always have a little place in my heart because I practically grew up with them.Now the Texas Longhorns. The University of Texas at Austin is the largest university in Texas and one of the top universities in the country. It's produced presidents, congressmen, movie stars, scientists...you name it. The Longhorns continually make the top 25 in the rankings and have won 4 National titles..the last in 2005...they were in the championship game last year but unfortunately lost to Alabama. The 'Horns are part of the Texas pride. Whether you attended the school or not, most Texans at least recognize the school fight song. Oh, fight songs, hmmm..how to explain that...fight songs are 'pump up 'songs played throughout games, parades, rallies etc...to cheer on the teams. The fight songs are such a part of college football that when former First Lady, Lady Bird Johnson (LBJ's wife) passed away...the Longhorn Band played "the Eyes of Texas" at her funeral. Lady Bird was a UT graduate and proud supporter of the 'Horns, it was considered an honor and very respectful that the band played for her. Anyway, back to the 'Horns. If you are from Texas, you proudly know the burnt orange and white...unless you attend Texas A&M..in which case you despise the 'Horns. That's part of the fun of college football. The school rivalries...some are within their own states, some are with outside states. One of the biggest rivalries is the Texas Longhorns vs. the Oklahoma Sooners...called the Red River Rivalry or Shootout and it's one of the most watched national games on TV. Every year the two teams meet half way between their hometowns in Dallas at the Cotton Bowl ('Horns are in Austin, Sooners are near Oklahoma City, OK)...each has an equal number of seats for their fans...35,000 each. The roads leading to the Cotton Bowl are jammed the day before the game...both directions. No matter how either team has played all year...this game is always different. The winner takes home a gold ten gallon cowboy hat. The Red River Rivalry is even mentioned in wikipedia..that's how crazy it is and I'm sure you'll hear more about it when it comes in October. Oh, and if you happen to see me with a strange hand gesture..first finger and pinkie finger up..all others down...that means Hook 'Em Horns...it's just a way of cheering in the team...I promise I'm not being rude.
By now the other video is done, to continue the experience play this next one. Again, only need to listen unless you're a Longhorn fan.
Ok, enough of that....let's talk COWBOYS!!! If I "practically" grew up with the frogs...then I was raised by the Cowboys. Yes, my beloved Dallas Cowboys, America's Team. When I was kid, my Mom (yes, Mom..she was a bigger fan than I am) would go to at least one game a year at Texas Stadium...where there was hole in the roof so God could watch his team...and never missed a game on TV. I remember watching da 'Boys when the legendary Tom Landry was coach and Roger Staubach was Quarterback. I remember the names of the players when I was little... Ed "Too Tall" Jones, Charlie Waters, Cliff Harris, Drew Pearson, Harvey Martin, Randy White, Tony Dorsett....just to name a few. I remember watching Roger Staubach losing part of his finger during a game and continuing to play...throwing hail mary passes to Drew Pearson. I remember Too Tall Jones crushing quarterbacks. I remember Cliff Harris making spectacular interceptions. Those were the early years and under Tom Landry the Cowboys won 2 Super Bowls. There were a few lean years where the 'Boys didn't do so well. Then the team rebuilt under coach Jimmy Johnson and new owner Jerry Jones...they managed to win 3 Super Bowls in 4 years (although Jimmy was replaced for the 3rd Super Bowl win). It was a return to the glory years. This time it was Troy Aikman, Michael Irvin, Emmitt Smith, Darryl "Moose" Johnston, Darren Woodson, Bill Bates, and Charles Haley that dominated the field. Aikman, Irvin, and Smith became known as "the Triplets"... together they were unstoppable. Aikman passing, Irvin catching, Smith catching and running. This Sunday the last of the Triplets, Emmitt Smith will be inducted into the NFL Hall of Fame...he will take his place along with 17 other Cowboys. Smith is the All Time leading Rusher in the NFL...he gained more yardage than any other player in the 90 year history of the NFL. But that was then, this is now. Today's Cowboys are Tony Romo, Miles Austin, Marion "the Barbarian"Barber, DeMarcus Ware, and Jason Witten. Unfortunately, the 'Boys haven't been to the Super Bowl since 1996 (don't forget though the Cowboys are still tied with the most Super Bowl wins and appaearances). Last year the Cowboys made it past the first round of playoffs for the first time since 1998. This year the Super Bowl will be played in Dallas at Cowboys Stadium (new stadium opened last year..and it has a hole in the roof, too) for the first time ever....and the Cowboys seem determined to defend their house. Training camp started 2 weeks ago and there seems to be an even bigger swagger in the clubhouse. I say bigger, because when you wear that star on your helmet it automatically adds a little swagger. So with some luck and some great football Romo and da 'Boys will be back where they belong...in the Super Bowl
Well, that's what my obssession is with football. It's funny, I was amazed by all Oranje stuff everywhere till I remembered...during football season the US can be even worse...with college flags, team flags flying everywhere, everyone sporting a jersey, tailgate parties at stadiums, bbq's at home to watch....yep, sports fanatics are sports fanatics so matter what country you are in.
Oh, and just for the record...my all time favorite players TCU..LaDanian Tomlinson, Texas...Colt McCoy and John Shipley, Cowboys...Coach Tom Landry, Roger Staubach, Bill Bates, "Moose"Johnston, and Marion "The Barbarian"Barber. Well, I leave it at this for now...season hasn't officially started yet so I have to save some stories for later...and I do have stories ....Hey, stop rolling your eyes... these are good stories. I will warn you though if you happen to hear alot of screaming...yelling ...Go! Frogs! Go!...Hook 'Em Horns....or How 'bout them Cowboys...don't worry it's just me watching a game.
