@realjohnboy,
I live in the Dallas but came here with an established favorite team (The Panthers) and an established loathing of the Cowboys. Right now the Cowboy fans are pretty tepid. They've reached the point where they expect their team to screw up and lose. It's a little sad.
I grew up a NY Giants fan, but actually rooted for the Cowboys during the days of Don Meredith, Bob Lily, Walt Garrison, Bob Hayes, Jethro Pugh, Dan Reeves et al when they weren't playing the Giants, and particularly when they were playing the Packers.
I think the last Cowboy team I felt good about was the 1971 team that won Super Bowl VI. By then Staubach was the QB and I couldn't stand him (Although I came to respect him as an individual years later), but I loved Duane Thomas.
It went downhill from there and by the time they started calling themselves America's Team, I pretty much hated them. The arrival of Jerry Jones and Jimmy Johnson, the dumping of Tom Landry and prominence of clowns like Michael Irvin sealed the deal and I really loathed them.
Now they're pretty pathetic so it's less fun to hate them.
I was living in Charlotte when Richardson got the expansion team and though he called them the Carolina Panthers instead of the Charlotte Panthers,and they introduced the damned PSL, I still went in with a friend on Season Tickets. I've been a Panther fan ever since, and we've had a number of good years. Super Bowl XXXVII was one the best ever, and we came so damned close.
After a couple of God awful seasons, they drafted Cam Newton and we were back on course, Last season had a disappointing ending but it was fun. I'm a little worried this year. I still can't believe Steve Smith was let go - the #1 Bonehead Move in team history. Anyone who has him on their fantasy football roster is going to be pleased. A motivated Smitty is going to go crazy for Baltimore.
I'm glad its back and look forward to catching up with the regulars at the local bar where my son and I go to watch the game (we're the only two Carolina fans - it's pretty much a Bear's crowd).
Also looking forward to this thread. Should be fun.
Thanks.
