The Rich History of America’s Team
By
JWL
The
Dallas Cowboys are “America’s Team”. Year after
year their popularity soars. They are known the world over as a great
National Football League franchise and as the team that is
cheered on by “America’s Sweethearts”, the world famous Dallas
Cowboy Cheerleaders. It is due to their success on and off the
field that the team has such a legion of loyal fans and that the
Dallas Cowboys history is so rich and storied.
The
city of Dallas,
Texas,
was granted an NFL franchise on January
28,
1960.
The start of a sports dynasty had begun. The team, first known as
the Dallas Steers, then the Dallas Rangers, settled on the
nickname the Cowboys. The formation of the Texas NFL expansion team
didn’t get off to a very smooth start. The owner of the Washington
Redskins had, for several decades, enjoyed a monopoly in the Southern
States of the US
a monopoly he wasn’t ready to give up. So the soon to be owners of
the Texas expansion team went out and bought the rights to the
Redskins fight song, "Hail
to the Redskins"
. The Redskins owner quickly changed his mind and the Texas expansion
team came into being. This early confrontation sparked a rivalry
between the two franchises which continues to this day.
Tom
Landry
was hired as the first Dallas Cowboys coach of the the new
team which ended their first season winless. The following year, the
Cowboys selected Bob Lilly in their first NFL draft selection and in
this year as well the the Cowboys' tasted their first victory. The
Dallas Cowboys continued to improve and by 1966 they had their
first winning season and their first playoff appearance, the first of
eight straight playoff appearances (which they would later surpass
with nine straight appearances in 1983). By the mid point of their
first decade the Dalls Cowboys had become a powerful force in the NFL
and sent eight players to the Pro
Bowl.
For the next 30 years the Cowboys would show their dominance in the
NFL.
The
1970s got off to a great start as the Cowboys made it to their first
Super Bowl, Super
Bowl V.
Unfortuately their first appearance ended in defeat. The 1971 season
marked the teams move from the Cotton Bowl, in Dallas to their newly
built home, Texas Stadium in Irving, Texas. The legendary
Roger Staubach was named starting quarterback for the Cowboys
midway through the season and the team found themselves making their
second Super Bowl appearance. Super Bowl VI would be different as the
team led by an MVP performance by Dallas Cowboys quarterback
Staubach would become Superbowl Champions for the first
time.The Cowboys were now beginning to grow in popularity not just in
Dallas, but nationwide.
In
1974 the Cowboys stumbled and missed the playoffs for the first time
in eight years. The next year they made some good draft choices and
with their new talent found themselves in Super
Bowl X.
They went down to defeat at the hands of the Pittsburgh
Steelers.
Super Bowl victory would come again to the Dallas Cowboys in 1977 as
they defeated the Denver
Broncos
in Super
Bowl XII
to once again become Superbowl Champions. It was at this point
in Dallas Cowboys history that the team was dubbed "America's
Team" by an NFL films editor. It is a title that has stuck
through all the team’s ups and downs despite oppostion from
non-Cowboys fans. The 1970s glory days for the Cowboys would end with
one final trip to the Super Bowl, Super Bowl XIII. . Again the team
would lose to the Pittsburgh Steelers.
In
the 1980’s the Dallas Cowboys returned to the playoffs 5 times and
won 2 Division Championships. The team however failed to claim a
single Conference Championship in the 1980s, despite playing in the
NFC championship game 3 consecutive years. They did not return to the
Super Bowl in this decade. As the decade came to a close the
ownership of the Cowboys changed, Tom Landry the only coach in
Cowboys history was fired, Jimmy
Johnson
became the new Dallas Cowboys coach and Troy Aikman was
drafted.
The
Cowboys drafted running back, Emmitt Smith in 1990, and the
trifecta of Dallas Cowboys quarterback Troy
Aikman,
running back Emmitt
Smith,
and wide receiver Michael
Irvin
was set. In 1991, the Cowboys made the playoffs for the first time
in six years. In 1992, the Dallas Cowboys went on to victory in Super
Bowl XXVII
and the following year were Superbowl Champions again in Super
Bowl XXVIII.The
Cowboys sent an NFL record 11 players to the Pro Bowl in 1993. After
a falling out, Jimmy Jones was fired and the days of glory would soon
draw to a close but not before one more Super Bowl victory. The
Cowboys would get their revenge and defeat the Pittsburgh Steelers in
Super Bowl XXX.
In
the new millenium the woes of the Dallas Cowboys were being
attributed to its owner Jerry Jones and his refusal to hire a strong
coach. In 2003, however, he did just that as Bill
Parcells
was lured out of retirement to coach the Cowboys. November 2004 saw a
vote that determined the Dallas Cowboys new stadium
in Arlington, Texas would be built and ready for play in 2009. The
Cowboys finished an up-and-down 2005 season in 3rd place in the NFC
East. After five games into the 2006 season Tony Romo
took over as the starter Dallas Cowboys quarterback. The team made it
to a wild card matchup but their efforts fell short in a crushing
loss to the Seattle Seahawks.
At
the conclusion of the Cowboys’ season Bill Parcells resigned.Wade
Phillips, former San Diego defensive coordinator will take over the
coaching duties for the Cowboys as they put this season behind them
and strive to move forward. Based on the Dallas Cowboys
history they will no doubt rise
again to glory, they are afterall, America’s Team.
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