Words on Being a Fan

[beevomav]

How can a kid go to a game with his dad and not be a fan of that team?

My love of the Cowboys started in 1960, when my dad took me and my brother to a Dallas Cowboys game. The sight of the field and the players, from that moment on, were burnt into my brain.

The Cowboys in 1960, were horrible. They were the first and last team to start a franchise without a draft. The league let other teams protect all the good players and the Cowboys took what was left. They had names like Don Meredith, Eddie LeBaron, and my personal favorite L.G. Dupree. He was called Long Gone, but he couldn't out run my mother in a walker. It didn't matter because my dad was a fan and my dad knew everything. He cheered, and I cheered. The team went 0-11-1, with the only bright spot a tie with the Giants. Who cared, it was the Dallas Cowboys and though many years before becoming 'America's Team," they were my team.

I came to be a Longhorn from my mom. Mother loved her Longhorns, and so my whole family, less dad, loved the Longhorns.

Dad to be honest, liked SMU, but he liked to gamble more. Many a time during Longhorn and other games, he was banished to the garage, because no one, and I mean no one was going to talk bad about her Longhorns.

Once, I believe during the John Mackovic era, the team was really sucking at all phases of the game. I mouthed off once too ofter, and I will never forget my mothers words. "Would someone kick him in the crotch and shut him up?" Everyone roared because my mother never talked like that, but I had crossed a line with her. BTW..When mother passed, we buried her in Longhorn attire and in an Orange and White casket..The 'Eyes of Texas' was played. Not that my friends is a fan.

To be a fan you have to suffer. Without suffering, you are just jumping on the bandwagon. It's easy to be an Alabama or Miami Heat fan. When things go south, and they always go south, the real fans will be at the games or wearing their teams colors. Those are fans.

That's the things with being a fan, it makes no sense. One other thing about being a fan, you can only be a fan of one team, per sport. If you are a Cowboys and Packers fan, you are a fan of neither.

This post came about because of some jack ass who I encountered while pumping gas. He was mad at Cowboy's fans, but it could have easily been any other teams fans.

OH, THIS ----------> IS FOR YOU PAL!

He was talking as loud as he could because he wanted everyone could hear him talk shit about Cowboys fans. It was nothing new, other teams fans love to tell us Cowboys fans how, "Dallas has the worst fans in sports." I thought about saying something, but just pumped my gas and left. I was struck how fans of other teams, are always surprised that someone who has lived and Dallas for over 60 years, would be a Cowboy fan.

I love these kind of fans. I have a lot of friends who lover their teams and probably have a story about why they are a fan.

But, be prepared, because sometimes being one teams fan as opposed to another team fan is as simple as I like green beans or I don't like green beans.

and...the next time you find yourself listening to someone rant about your team..

Tell them what a

GIANT ASS .....

...............THEY ARE

 

[bbdude]

This is pure genius, nothing short of it.

 

[beevomav]

This is pure genius, nothing short of it.

Thanks Dude..the asshole at the gas station was a true dick..

 

[bbdude]

I'm simply digging the Cowboys and Longhorns fan-faves in your familia.

My dad was never a big sports fan - he went to LSU and respects guys from his time like Billy Cannon and nicknames like the Chines Bandits but never was a huge football fan.

I liked the story brudda. Damn, your mom must have been a hoot.

 

[will_hookem]

Great story... I actually grew up in love with he cowboys because of my dad... Same with the rangers... Used to arlington stadium, sit in left field, watching oliver, bell, sundberg.. My father was a cameraman for news station in dallas. I would spend alot of saturdays and sundays in texas stadium. I am second generation longhorn because of my dad... When i found out at a young age he went to UT, it was the only place for me..

Basically your story brought back very fond memories of growing up and thank you or that...

My wife dreads UT or Cowboy losses, she knows how emotionally involved i am..

 

[beevomav]

I'm simply digging the Cowboys and Longhorns fan-faves in your familia.
My dad was never a big sports fan - he went to LSU and respects guys from his time like Billy Cannon and nicknames like the Chines Bandits but never was a huge football fan.

I liked the story brudda. Damn, your mom must have been a hoot.

My mom never stepped foot on the UT Campus but was the biggest Horns fan ever. Pops was a gambler. He owed allegiance to any team that would make him a buck. He used to call his bookie from the home phone. Mom stopped that, and made him go to Mobile station and use their pay phone.

She had a heart attack that would take her life on Thanksgiving. I rushed to Marshall, and the last words she said to me was "Did Texas beat A&M?" She lived another month, but her mind was gone. Oh, and the Horns did indeed beat the Aggies..

 

[beevomav]

Great story... I actually grew up in love with he cowboys because of my dad... Same with the rangers... Used to arlington stadium, sit in left field, watching oliver, bell, sundberg.. My father was a cameraman for news station in dallas. I would spend alot of saturdays and sundays in texas stadium. I am second generation longhorn because of my dad... When i found out at a young age he went to UT, it was the only place for me..
Basically your story brought back very fond memories of growing up and thank you or that...

My wife dreads UT or Cowboy losses, she knows how emotionally involved i am..

Thanks Will...Glad you got time with your dad. I cherish my time with mine...and...about the dread. My wife will be no where near me during games. Smart lady..

 

[will_hookem]

Little story for you... My mom and dad met at UT and married... Mom's side of the family were all Aggies. My mom broke free of the mold, and chose her path. My grandmother never forgave her for that, and forbade her too see my father, but to no avail. For years my father couldnt get past the porch at her house. Got to the point we just stopped visiting, and did the phone calls at the holidays... Thats how much that game meant to us.

So my hate of aggie started at a very young age. Kids these days just dont get the traditions that we enjoyed year to year. They dont get how much it meant to win that game. My family would do turkey dinner and then it was time to smash aggy. Meant the season and world to us. Kids Now want some f##ked up neon uniforms with a chrome helmet and they think thats a game.

 

[beevomav]

Little story for you... My mom and dad met at UT and married... Mom's side of the family were all Aggies. My mom broke free of the mold, and chose her path. My grandmother never forgave her for that, and forbade her too see my father, but to no avail. For years my father couldnt get past the porch at her house. Got to the point we just stopped visiting, and did the phone calls at the holidays... Thats how much that game meant to us.
So my hate of aggie started at a very young age. Kids these days just dont get the traditions that we enjoyed year to year. They dont get how much it meant to win that game. My family would do turkey dinner and then it was time to smash aggy. Meant the season and world to us. Kids Now want some f##ked up neon uniforms with a chrome helmet and they think thats a game.

Good stuff...but...I noticed something that brought me to pause and contemplate something?

Did we jinx ourselves?

Or, maybe the curse of DKR? Is it those blasted numbers?

 

[will_hookem]

Good stuff...but...I noticed something that brought me to pause and contemplate something?
Did we jinx ourselves?

Or, maybe the curse of DKR? Is it those blasted numbers?

Nope its mack and his culture... Were embarrassing those numbers