Okay, so I've let you down again. I really haven't had an opportunity to write my receivers' preview, but I listened to something today that made me want to post. I have been a Redskins fan since I was five, and a Cowboy hater just as long. On my way home from work today, I was listening to the guys on ESPN 980 broadcasting from Ashburn, and they had Malcolm Kelly on the show. The crew asked Kelly the standard questions for a rookie wide receiver (i.e. where do you fit into the lineup, what's different about the pros, did they make you sing your fight song, etc.). The interesting point of this interview was when Kelly was asked about his Texas roots and his loyalties. Malcolm replied with "I USED to be a Cowboy fan." Impressive. The guy's only been around 3 months and he knows what to say. I wouldn't expect anything less from a true Redskin, and it's nice to know that The Rivalry lives on.
This leads me to the point of posting. I disagree with people that say rivalries aren't possible in the modern NFL. I believe the Redskins and Cowboys still hate each others guts, and there will always be events in the rivalry that will pass the hatred on for generations. Even in rivalries that turn one-sided (of which I've been a part of both ends), the rivalry continues to burn on both sides. Here are my two examples:
As a Redskins fan in the 90s and early 00s, Dallas had our number for a long time, but by beating them more in the last 3 years, it just makes me hate them more and the victories that much sweeter.
As a recent Virginia Tech grad, while it's become almost a given that we beat UVA every year, I still love rubbing their stuck-up Wahoo faces in every loss we deal them.
I think that the importance and intensity of a rivalry comes from its history, and the Redskins and Cowboys have that. I'm sick and tired of hearing Eagles fans talk about how they are a part of the "real" NFC East rivalries. I have a little note for Eagles fans: No One Cares About Your Team. You still haven't won a Super Bowl, and losers speak in Division Championships. The reasons the Redskins and Cowboys have a legitimate, classic rivalry is because they've played for the aforementioned championships (a la the 1982 "We Want Dallas" episode), and have been relevant in the football world (whether or not they're good) for decades. The Eagles are important in their own minds and to their own fans, and beyond that no one cares. While I HATE Dallas, I know that I have to respect that they have five Lombardi Trophies. The NFC East now combines for 11 total, of which the Eagles have none. That says enough. The ONLY, and I mean only reason I hate the Eagles is because I hate the city of Philadelphia and the way their fans carry on. Beyond that, I could care less whether they were in the NFC East or the Big East.
6 comments:
It's really hard for me to hate the current Cowboys squad because I don't actively hate anybody on that team in the same way I hated the Big Three in the 90s. I think Romo's struggle to become a starting quarterback is inspiring and I enjoy TO. It's just hard for me to hate them. I'd never support them against the Redskins, but if the Cowboys played the Eagles, I'd pick the Cowboys.
Also, I think your assessment that the Eagles don't matter is a bit short-sighted. They certainly don't matter as much as the Giants or the Cowboys, but nationally, they have been more relevant than the Redskins in the past ten years. I think that's the result of them having such a dynamic star (McNabb) who demands attention more than the team's quality. The past ten years, with the exception of Sean Taylor's death, the Skins have been at best a footnote and at worst a joke. That being said, the Eagles can eat a dick. I'm with you there 100%.
I can't stand TO in any way, shape, or form. I am a little short-sighted when it comes to Philly, but my point is really that their most exposure comes in a time when they can win the division, not the ultimate prize. On the other hand, no matter how bad the Redskins are, you still hear about them in the media, and negative attention, while no one likes it, is still attention. When you compare our greatest era to that of Philadelphia's, there's no comparison. That's the point I'm trying to make here.
sort of like how the Caps have no Stanley Cups?
zing...
I find your blog both shallow and provincial. I want more coverage of the Men's Olympic Marathon and up-to-the-minute smog alerts from Beijing.
You going to the Bills Preseason game? I am!
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