AMERICA'S (NEW) TEAM?
Over nine days, Spain's soccer team accomplished something the Dallas Cowboys haven't done in 30 years.
Red-blooded Texas Conservatives are constantly whining about their state’s open border. But after an eye-opening World Cup summer in their own backyard, it’s clearly time for stubborn fans of the Dallas Cowboys to embrace foreigners with an open mind.
Let’s face it, Spain is better at futbol than you can remember the Cowboys being at football.
During its remarkable run to Sunday’s World Cup Final, the Spanish side made itself at home in the Cowboys’ “Dallas Stadium” in Arlington. The team known as “La Roja” won two knockout games there: beating Portugal 1-0 in the Round of 16 on July 6, and France 2-0 in this week’s semifinal.
To put it in perspective, Spain did in the span of nine days at AT&T Stadium what the Cowboys have never done in their current home: Win two playoff games in the same season.
The last time the Cowboys - who moved to Arlington from Irving in 2009 - won two home playoff games was at old Texas Stadium 30 years ago. In the 1995 NFL Playoffs they beat the Philadelphia Eagles (30-11) in the Divisional Round and the Green Bay Packers (38-27) in the NFC Championship Game. That led to their most recent Super Bowl triumph: beating the Pittsburgh Steelers (27-17) in XXX on Jan. 28, 1996.
Aside from how Jerry Jones should take notes at how wonderful his house looked adorned with curtains on the windows and natural grass on the floor, the Cowboys should learn some lessons from Spain’s domination.
In their seven World Cup games, España has produced a cumulative score of 13-1. That’s one goal allowed, in approximately 11 hours of soccer. Defense wins championships … and cups.
Head coach Brian Schottenheimer’s Cowboys, meanwhile, are coming off a disastrous 7-9-1 season harpooned by the NFL’s worst defense. They surrendered a league-worst 30 points per game, punctuated by a gaudy 60 touchdowns.
In Sunday’s World Cup Final, Spain is the favorite to become soccer’s champion. For Super Bowl LXI next February, the Cowboys are 250-to-1 longshots.
Choose your favorite “home” team wisely.