Heartbreak Hotel: Cowboys Edition
by Tuna Helper on Feb 5, 2008 3:14 PM CST
in News
14 comments
I can’t remember what game it was.
Or who was playing.
But it was a good analogy.
Doug Collins, a former basketball coach and current announcer, while discussing a crushing defeat by a proud team said, "You have to get your heart broken, before you can become a champion."
If you look at the last three Super Bowl champions this rings true.
In the 2004 season, the Pittsburgh Steelers were a 15-1. They were littered with talent. Ben Roethlisberger. Duce Staley. Jerome Bettis. Hines Ward. Plaxico Burress. James Farrior. Joey Porter and Troy Polamalu. But their season-saving quarterback threw three picks in the AFC Championship and the Steelers lost 41-27. The next year didn’t start off any better, as they stumbled to a 7-5 start.
Heartbreak.
But this would set the stage for an eight-game winning streak that would culminate with a victory in Super Bowl XL.
In the 2005 season, the Indianapolis Colts were the New England Patriots. Literally. They won their first 13 games and the buzz word was "undefeated." This fairy tale of a season would soon come crashing down though. Tony Dungy’s son would commit suicide and just a few weeks later the heavily-favored Colts would lose a nailbiter to the Pittsburg Steelers 21-18.
Heartbreak.
But the Colts rebounded quite nicely. They would defeat the Bears in Super Bowl XLI, Peyton Manning would shed the "Can’t Win the Big One" image and next thing you know Manning is racking up endorsements like nobody’s business.
And we all know about this year’s New York Giants. Started 0-2. Gave up 80 points in their first two games. Lost to us twice. 3-5 at home. But the heartbreak started in 2006. A 6-2 start gave way to an 8-8 swoon. Their season would end against the Eagles 23-20. Tiki left. Coughlin was on the hot seat. And Strahan was close to retirement.
Heartbreak.
They’d rebound though by pulling off arguably the greatest Super Bowl upset in history while giving that smug bunch of Patriots fans the permanent "Manning face!"
Guess my point is, adversity is a key component to success. It must come before the ultimate victory. It hardens the resolve, tests the heart and builds character. Ridicule is the initiation some must endure on the path to greatness.
If this is true, then the Dallas Cowboys might be the team of destiny next year. We’ve had our share of heartbreak. The Seattle Slip. This year’s playoff game. We’ve been laughed at and criticized. A team with 13 Pro Bowlers can’t even win a playoff game, the critics say. Our quarterback has been called Tony Romeo.
We have the requisite heartbreak.
Now maybe we can become champions.
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Heartbreak
For example, the Mavericks went to the NBA Finals and then they got their hearts ripped out. The next season they go on an incredible regular season run before being upset in the first round of the playoffs. Adversity the year before didn't help them then.
Maybe the two years combined will be enough but the other teams aren't going stay in place. If the Cowboys and Mavericks don't take care of business soon, other teams will step up during their windows of opportunity.
Derek
by DerekSTheRed on Feb 5, 2008 3:29 PM CST reply actions 0 recs
well said, but next year?
how about for the next several years.
by Terry on Feb 5, 2008 3:29 PM CST reply actions 0 recs
The 2008 Cowboys will be a team of destiny IF
and only if they reach up and grab it. They have to make their own destiny. They've got the talent, but haven't been entirely focused. They were focused, but not enough to reach the ultimate goal. Too much emphasis on team records (think the Giants care about not setting any records?). Complacency in even small amounts is bad. Until the Lombardi trophy is firmly in your grasp, you can't be satisfied.
I think this next season will be different. This team realized the opportunity that they had and let slip through their fingers, and will be hell-bent on righting the wrongs. Just like the Giants, Colts, and Steelers before them.
by Nelson on Feb 5, 2008 3:32 PM CST reply actions 0 recs
I think that the whole season can be summed up
By the Washington game. That game set the tone for the season.
"Ehh...who cares....its just a meaningless game, forget the fact that our offensive chemistry has been crap the past few weeks....lets just play long enough for me (Romo) to throw it to my bud (Witten) so we can get those records and then move on....mehhhhhhhhhhguurrrgggggggggggggeeezzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz"
No fire or self respect or passion shown in that game. It was very troubling.
by Brandon Worley on Feb 5, 2008 3:42 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs
what happened to the Cowboys is the same thing
that happened to the Pats as you pointed out in your post yesterday..arrogance.
The Cowboys just felt all they had to do was step on the field and they were going to win, same with the Pats. Both teams failed to realize they actually had to play a very good opponent because they were caught up in how good they were.
Underestimating the enemy is what killed both teams.
by Terry on Feb 5, 2008 3:52 PM CST reply actions 0 recs
Im all for taking his credit
But TH wrote this one. But you're right.
We talked about this very issue. The Cowboys became complacent and arrogant, thinking that getting to 13-3 and 1st round bye was good enough.
The good news is we have a very young team and can learn. Hopefully.
by Brandon Worley on Feb 5, 2008 4:04 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs
I sorta agree
but I also think the coaching got stale. I didn't see any nice adjustments for the third Giants game, while the Giants adjusted within the game nicely. Maybe that's coaching arrogance or maybe it's just human nature - we won doing it this way before, why change?
But I am absolutely convinced that Garrett will learn and improve from the experience.
by dunkman on Feb 5, 2008 6:05 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs
I can agree with you on that one
Granted the coaches did a poor job of psyching this team up....the gameplan was loony.
The Cowboys did not play against them the way they the did the first 2 games. Those games were marked by aggressive down the field attacks, and underneath routes that took advantage of the blitzing Giants. Case in point: Sam Hurd's 51 yard touchdown in the 4th quarter of the first game that came on an audible as Romo recognized a blitz. Also see Crayton's slant across the middle that hit the spot vacated by blitzing linebackers, a catch that resulted in touchdowns. Also see TO's 2nd TD in the first game.
It was obvious that the Giants were vulnerable across the middle when they blitzed, the players just had to take advantage. In the first game when nothing was opening downfield, Witten had a field day settling into open spots. That in turn opened up the long ball. What worked in the game in New York was Witten and the Oline protecting Romo long enough to allow TO to fly past the secondary. Don't forget Romo's miraculous 3rd down shotput throw to Curtis.
In the playoff game, the Cowboys went ultra conservative and banged out the two longest drives of the season. Impressive, but it had a backlash effect: This was not the offensive gameplan the Cowboys were successful with the entire season, but it caught the Giants offsides. However, it also seemed to tire out our massive offensive line. Inexplicably, with PLENTY of time left on the clock (11 minutes), the Cowboys kept trying to win it all, instead of taking advantage of a steadily increasing pass rush. These plays required for the line to block exceptionally for Romo to let the receivers get open downfield, but that couldn't happen because the line could not contain the rush. This should have resulted in the passes flying across the middle, short slants that ate up 6-7 chunks of yards at a time. Instead the offense turned all Brett Farve on us, heaving the ball downfield to receivers that were definitely not 100%. I don't know why any of this happened.
Like you, I hope Garrett has learned.
by Brandon Worley on Feb 5, 2008 6:39 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs
Nice
I had somewhat realized it, but you put it in text for me.
by CowboyBawler4 on Feb 5, 2008 3:54 PM CST reply actions 0 recs
Let's see if "Mr. GM" dials it down between
now and the draft.
by Wharter on Feb 5, 2008 5:55 PM CST reply actions 0 recs
The other possibility is that we become....
the Bills and get butt-hurt four SBs in a row!
Sorry. I'll kock on wood and light candles for that one.
What I hope happens is that the team realize that they have to play every game hard. It's a long season and lots of things can happen. The Giants weren't even the third best team in the NFC in December, but by February they were the best in the league.
by dunkman on Feb 5, 2008 6:02 PM CST reply actions 0 recs
Great write-up, Tuna Helper
You make a very good point, and one I've maintained for a while. Nothing truly worthwhile comes without a struggle. Let's hope the Cowboys are willing to step up to the plate and earn their stripes.
by Or Moyal on Feb 5, 2008 6:29 PM CST reply actions 0 recs
excellent point
Of course, this means that the Patriots will be very damgerous again next year
by Seanrude on Feb 5, 2008 7:31 PM CST reply actions 0 recs
Um.
Seattle Slip anyone?
by GhettoBear04 on Feb 6, 2008 12:00 AM CST reply actions 0 recs
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