Let's be clear right up front: I don't like the Dallas Cowboys. They're over-hyped, over-covered and fundamentally over-blown. I am a Redskins fan, with high respect for the other teams in the NFC East...except this one.
Obviously I'm far from an unbiased source, but I've heard from enough friends of different NFL persuasions to know that there is no love for the "America's Team" moniker continuing to live with Mother Jones and his Ego Ranch in Dallas.
America needs change. Say it with me friends: Yes we can!
First, the four undeniable reasons the Dallas Cowboys are no longer America's Team...
1) Adam "Pacman" Jones
I'm as sick of hearing about it as you are, which is precisely why this guy should no longer be in the NFL. If the league won't see fit to boot him, then the owners should blackball the guy and not sign him. But not Mother Jones. In America we believe in second chances. This guy has had twelve.
2) When The Going Gets Tough
In America, we are at our best when the chips are down. This team folds, fumbles and grabs the microphone. Whether it's Romo's playoff chokes, T.O.'s media mouth or Jones's meddling into the decisions of a subpar coaching staff, this team caves under pressure, plays dirty and points fingers at others. That ain't how we roll in America.
3) 301,139,947 Americans Can't Be Wrong
Jessica Simpson's foray into her Country Music "roots" yielded sales of a paltry 65,000 records in its first week. And it only went downhill from there. If she wasn't good for Tony in key games last year, and he ain't helping her sell records, then...I'm just sayin...maybe America isn't buying what they're selling.
4) Rampant Self-Obsession
The only thing Jerry Jones loves more than plastic surgery is the spotlight. Take Pacman and then add the likes of Tank Johnson, the "Eddie Haskell-ish" Tony Romo, the self-obsessed Terrell Owens and the dirtiest players in the league like safety Roy Williams and you have a rogue's gallery of all that is bad in the NFL. Clearly this is an owner who lives for drama-filled headlines, which may seem very American to some, but is a sad side effect of a celebrity-obsessed culture that is not very American in my book.
And the nominees for the new America's Team...
1) The Tennessee Titans
Nothing flashy, just solid football and a 10-1 record. America appreciates a solid running game and Kerry Collins is the kind of redemption story we love. And, incidentally, this is the team that gave Pacman the boot and they know a thing or two about country music.
2) A New York Team
Pick one, they're both great. With Favre at the helm, the Jets definitely feel like a candidate for America's team—from Louisiana, by way of Wisconsin, now rockin' the Big Apple? That's pretty damn American. And Brandon Jacobs, Eli Manning and the rest of the G-Men? That's All-American football.
3) The Washington Redskins
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about 1 month ago
You must be boared there, huh? At least make it look like you are busy, the boss might be coming down the hall soon!!
about 1 month ago
And this from a guy who has Dan Snider as his owner get a life the skins suck
about 1 month ago
What a jerk...typical Redskin fan who acts they've won every Super Bowl ever played. Maybe he is just jealous of the FIVE rings the cowboys have. I'll take Jerry over Danny-boy any day.
about 1 month ago
Thanks Chuck. I'm certainly not a Snyder-backer but other than Al Davis, I think a majority of NFL followers would agree Jerry Jones is easily the most meddling, egotistical owner in the league. Snyder certainly learned some lessons the hard way, but he's been letting his coaches coach, which has resulted in the Skins winning 5 of the last 8 in the series, so I'm not sure "suck" would be the term I'd use.
about 1 month ago
Thanks for commenting George. Didn't mean to strike a nerve. I just think the "America's Team" label is a pretty exaggerated label. As a Cowboys fan I'd fully expect you to disagree.
about 1 month ago
The very fact that you wrote this article confirms that the Cowboys are indeed still "America's Team".
They're not perfect; far from it (they weren't all choirboys even under the watchful eye of St. Landry). But none of the teams you mention have the national following of the Cowboys, hence the name.
Until that changes, the Cowboys will remain America's Team!
about 1 month ago
Please sir, shut up. I don't go after the Hogs so don't go after our nickname. I'm not trying to be rude, but this article is more of hatred than it is of reason.
We are America's Team b/c we had Capt America, Tom Landry, and b/c the name stuck.
about 1 month ago
The Cowboys lead all other sports franchises in merchandise sell out of their home state.
Talk about when the going gets tough? Eli Manning cried like a baby when he was drafted by the Chargers so the traded him to New York.
Whats jessica Simpson have to do with wether or not the cowboys are Americas Team!?
Jerry Jones, oh...I'm sorry...Mother jones, is the reason for the success of the Cowboys. He does whatever it takes to win, even if that means signing the local trouble maker. Look at what that has done them in the past. Terrell Owens has made a complete turnaround from Phili, Tank johnson has been lost in the crowd, Keyshawn Johnson was a big mouth that settled down, and countless others!
Your picks for America's team were outrageous! They're all based on what has happened this year. Do you think that the label of "America's Team" can't just be applied to a new team every year.
The New York Giants for america's Team? Football was meant to be played down south! Look at the SEC and the Big 12! Guess what region Texas is in?
This has got to be the most biased article I have ever read, and so was my comment, as I am a proud Dallas Cowboy fan.
The Dallas Cowboys will forever be America's Team!
from about 1 month ago
You got that right.
about 1 month ago
Thanks for all the passionate comments. I thought America's Team had a little more of a sense of humor - its amazing to see the responses to a humor piece. But for the record, the Redskins were the first US sports franchise to be valued at $1 billion and I think there are some guys in places like Iowa and Ohio who actually invented football and might disagree that it was meant to be played in the south. Regardless, I obviously didn't expect Cowboys fans to agree to concede their self-assigned designation. We'll just have to agree to disagree. And maybe, just maybe, have a sense of humor and a tiny little bit of perspective.
from about 1 month ago
This certainly did not come off as a humor article. The name "America's Team" means a lot to Cowboy fans and the people of Dallas.
I understand arguing why the Redskins should be "America's Team".. but not an article about why the Cowboys shouldn't. Cowboy fans sure don't take a liking to people putting down there team, in seriousness or in humor.
from about 1 month ago
Taylor couldn't have said it better. It is like saying the Steel Curtain was made of scrap iron. Fans take offense to it.
Maybe if you took a very good look at why we are America's Team. It is not because we win, it is because wherever you go, you see packs and packs of Cowboy fans in away stadiums. We were the most popular team in America, so NFL Films thought 'why not call them America's Team?"
Jersey sales will tell you who is the most popular and for years it was us, probably still is.
about 1 month ago
You can learn a lot from Jay-Z.
I leave you this from his repotoire. When speaking of his rift from Rockafella records co CEO Damon Dash. Jay Z said this in one of his songs "[Your'e] saying you made Hove (Jay Z) then make another one".
See it's that simple.
As for Damon Dash, he's somewhere drinking Cristal braggin about his days in the limelight with and desperately trying to "make another one"... seems it's not that easy.
As for the writer of this piece, learn from the ghetto lyrical poets who know a thing or two about life like Jay Z. If you don't want the Cowboys as America's team... "make another one". See if putting them in prime time slots break records ever year like Cowboy game's do. See if their QB jersey's will outsell all other QB jersey's (like Romo's does... even both Mannings).
You see, you can write all the self righteous articles you want. You can call Pacman unholy and sprinkle him with your self righteous redskins juice all day, you can cally Roy Williams dirty, then annoint the NE patriots with the dirtiest safety in the league (the players voted, not me) Harrison... and turn the typical blind eye when it's convenient... but after all that.
Have you made another one?
Not according to the people it counts with... the American public. You'll need to beg a lot more first.
from about 1 month ago
Huh?
about 1 month ago
Bryan--why do you apologize??
There's only ONE reason why the Cowboys are the country's most popular team--the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders. They all grew up on that. So why apologize to people that pick a team on this basis??
Sooo many Cowboys fans have never even set foot in Texas. I've probably been to Texas more often than most Cowboys fans.
Although, between Daniel Snyder and Jerry Jones, that's gotta be a tie for most annoying, meddling owner.
from about 1 month ago
Edgar, I am sorry but you are dead wrong on that. The cheerleaders? Please?!!!!!
If we simply based it on state population, Dallas would still be no. 1 with the majority of texas behind except Houston. New York would be divided and so would California.
We were popular b/c we had the cleanest player in all of football in Roger Staubach. You wanted your daughter to marry a Roger Staubach. Military career, loyal husband, loving father. He was Captain America. And we had arguably the most popular coach in Tom Landry.
Those are the reasons we are and will forever be America's Team.
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