My colleague Peter Gorman erroneously predicted that the New York Giants would beat the Dallas Cowboys.
Sorry, Peter, but the Giants didn’t do squat. Tony Romo beat the Cowboys.
I’m always interested to see what my friend Jimbo has to say after a game. Jimbo is a Cowboys football fanatic friend of mine from East Texas and his heart and soul revolve around America’s Team. Here’s his reaction to the game, which is a tad more rose-colored than my own but pretty much in line with how I see this team:
“Well, I’m encouraged,” Jimbo said. “It was apparent to me Dallas is the better team than New York. Many have the Giants in the Super Bowl. Romo shouldn’t have too many games that bad.”
Things got off to a rocky start even before the opening kickoff. Jordin Sparks looked pretty dang sexy when she came out to sing “The Star-Spangled Banner” but the audio system sucked. I’ve heard tons of complaints about poor sound during concerts at the Jerry Jones Roman Gladiator Coliseum, but you’d think Jones could hook up a basic PA system that could make one girl singing the national anthem sound decent on national TV.
Once the game started, I began wondering who would be the first athlete to score a touchdown at the new stadium during the inaugural Cowboys game. That’s bigtime bragging rights. Luckily it wasn’t a Giant.
What a thrill to see Marion Barber bust into the end zone for that historic first touchdown. And what an even bigger thrill to see Barber celebrate by throwing the ball in the air. I get so sick of seeing NFL players horde every football that they catch, intercept, or carry into the end zone so they can sell them later on eBay or wherever. I like players that score and then spike the ball into the ground or heave it into the stands.Emmitt Smith used to always take footballs to the sideline to be carefully documented and stored after every score. With 175 touchdowns to his credit, imagine the glory wall that guy’s got at home. It gets pretentious and self-obsessed after a while.
Speaking of Emmitt, the camera last night showed “The Triplets” standing together – Smith, Troy Aikman, and Michael Irvin. And Smith, the youngest of them, looked the oldest by far. Aikman and Irvin looked like they could have suited up last night and won the game. Emmitt doesn’t even look like he could compete on Dancing With The Stars anymore.
Jones did a good job of choosing colors for the field. The forest green turf and the dark blue and silver end zones were perfectly color coordinated and looked great on my big screen high-def TV.
And one final feel-good thought – Roy Williams wasn’t very productive at catching the ball last night, but it seemed like every time I looked up he was enthusiastically blocking somebody downfield. The Cowboys were focused on running the ball and Williams was helping make the game plan work. Williams was shown near the end of the fourth quarter, smiling, waving his hands, and pumping up the crowd. At least he wasn’t self-obsessed, sulking, and throwing people under the bus because he didn’t get his catches on national TV.
delusional texans. just think if Eli and company were’nt 0-5 in the red zone. it becomes a blowout in favor of Jints. Canty didn’t play, and Tuck was cheap-shotted and missed the 2nd half. never mind the Jints didn’t have 2 of their best secondaries. give me a break guys.
Sorry Jeff: You dance with who you brought to the dance and the Boys brought Romo. He had an off night. So did the Giants defense, which will probably not allow that many rushing yards again all year. But the Giants made the plays when they needed to, and Romo had nothing to do with that last Giant move down the field. And it wasn’t Romo who surrendered 330 passing yards. Romo made a couple of bad throws and he had one very unlucky bounce, but it was the Giant defense that made those intercepts and the first one, at least, was acrobatic.
Too, for all the Cowboys were able to stuff the completely overrated Brandon what’s his name–who’s only good if he gets into the secondary–they didn’t have a single sack on the not terribly nimble Manning.
So don’t lay it all on Romo. The good field position the Giants got from him was swell, but the way the Dallas secondary and linebacker crew played defense on the pass would have cost them the game even if Romo had played well.
Who doesn’t enjoy watching Jerry get beat? Throw in the prospect of beating “America’s Team” and you got yourselves a certified success. The best part about the Cowboys loss is that the “liberal media” ends up truthfully debunking the whole “America’s Team” mythology while the Texas media (a bunch of rightwingnuts if there ever was one) end up bending over backwards to apologize and formulate excuses for this team. The cherry on the top was watching Dubya’s team being pulverized by the Giants.
Letting that idiot George W Bush flip the coin was bad karma and it all came crashing back down on Cowboys in the fourth quarter. Way to go Jerry.
Bush is the worst coach EVER!
Peter’s right. Romo’s mistakes were the reason why the Giants were in a position to win at the end, but the Cowboys’ defense had a chance to close out the game with three minutes and change to go, and they couldn’t do it. Eli Manning was too good, and the Giants had a bit of good luck with that tipped pass. (That Mario Manningham is one slippery guy. I thought so last week when I saw him against Washington, and I’m even more convinced of that now.) Still worrying that the Giants can’t get things done in the red zone; if they don’t correct that soon, it’ll bite them in the ass big time.
Also, Jeff’s totally right about Roy Williams blocking downfield. Looks like he’s turned over a serious leaf. (Then again, playing in Detroit would make lots of people dysfunctional.) That’s an encouraging sign heading into the game against Carolina.
When is every Cowboy fan going to realize that the Cowboys are not a good team. Just because they are the Cowboys does not give them the birth right to be better than everyone… That goes for you fans out there too. The Kansas City Chiefs have a better playoff record than the Cowboys over the last ten years for crying out loud. Winners find a way to win, regardless of the circumstances. Dallas does not have one winner who can lead by example on the entire roster! Name one player on the team that has won a playoff game with Dallas. Bad manager, an owner that won’t let the football people do their thing, keep losing boys, I am no longer a fan.
Why are the people letting Dallas still be known as the home of the Cowboys. The people of ARLINTON ought to fight for the name to be changed to arlington cowboys, Rams, Cardonals, Houston etc. all changed their names. One other queston how much did Dallas invest in Jerrys world and everybody still thinks they still play in DALLAS
Arlington’s mayor should have made Jerry Jones change the name to the Arlington Cowboys. He ought to at least name the place The Stadium in Arlington. Knowing Jerry he will name it for the highest bidder, its probably to be called Pepto-Bismal Park or Viagra Coliseum.
I love how many of my fellow North Texans paint themselves as homespun plainfolk but will stomach a stadium allegedly devoted to a blue-collar sport like football but that has young, scantily clad female dancers bumping and grinding on poles above the cheap seats. Hear that whirring sound? That’s Vince Lombardi spinning in his grave.
And you wonder why the Cowboys haven’t won a playoff game in over a decade. Their owner is more concerned with entertaining — all flash and dazzle — than fielding a decent squad. When will he realize that no matter how much money he makes by gouging rubes at the box office and spends on “entertainment” he will still never be able to buy another Super Bowl victory. I think a back-to-basics approach a couple of years ago would have done wonders for the team today. But whadda I know: I’m just a Steelers fan.
i get tired of emotionally motivated comments. ie
” … the Giants didn’t do squat, Tony Romo beat the Cowboys.”
Now Jeff Prince, maybe when your not so excitable, you can add the other half of the story that includes an outstanding air performance by eli and company. (give the giants any credit, NO way! I know its hard expecially after a game romo literally threw away)
If … you take away some of those INTs, the cowboys win, i agree. (17 something points of turnovers)
If… you stop the giants of 1st and 20,or either of the 2 third downs, you win too.
It was a bad game for both teams and it only festered this continuing rivalry. makes for good TV and i love it.