One Last Hurrah

One last hurrah for the Dallas Cowboys this weekend as their playoff hopes remain on the line and the last game in the storied history of Texas Stadium will take place between the Cowboys and Ravens. Before we get to the game lets talk about the Stadium itself. For many years Texas Stadium and The Dallas Cowboys have been an icon around the world. The odd stadium with the hole in the roof has become as synonymous and historic as the team itself. Texas Stadium has housed The Cowboys as well as The Big XII Championship and many, many years of the Texas Highschool State Playoffs. For me personally the stadium is kind of a rathole and not fitting of "America's Team", but at the same time the charm of that stadium is what makes it so unique. I can't tell you how many times I've sat in that stadium and watch high school teams do battle on the field for the Texas High School State Title. A Title that may be the biggest honor on the high school level in the nation considering the brand of football played in the Lonestar State. Many great moments have taken place on that field including the Drew Pearson comeback against the Redskins, Emitt Smith breaking the NFL all time rushing record, and the greatest high school game ever played between Plano East and Tyler John Tyler shown below.

The Cowboys will soon move to a new luxury stadium being built right down the street from me in Arlington. Jerry Jones has cut no expense to make this Stadium the suitable home for "America's Team." Come out and join The Talkin Trash Tailgate Bash at the Cowboys/Ravens game this Saturday.

Kickoff is at 7:15 on the NFL Network, but we will be in the Red Parking Lot starting around Noon, drinking, eating and giving a proper send off to Texas Stadium. We will have the game on at our tailgate so come by, say hi, and have a beer and a burger. The Map to where we are is listed below but we are against the railing in Red Parking. Look for our emblem on our grill.

So enough of my own personal plugging, let's get onto to thoughts about this weeks game.

The Cowboys showed a little fight as they defeated the New York Giants last week completing step 1 of 3 to get to the playoffs. This week a suprising Ravens team led by rookie QB Joe Flacco rolls into Texas Stadium. The Ravens have played their usual brand of stingy and agressive defense led by former Hurricanes Ray Lewis and Ed Reed, and Flacco has managed to get them into position to win enough games.

The circus that is the Cowboys locker room right now put itself on hold last week enough for the Cowboys to muster an impressive offensive performance and their every impressive defense clamped down on the Plax-less Giants. The defense led by edge terror DeMarcus Ware who is within 3 sacks of tying the NFL single sack record is going to be the key to the Cowboys continued success. For now the fires in the locker room have been put out but it's time to keep rallying because they are not out of the woods yet. A big win this week would give the Cowboys needed momentum to finish off the Eagles next week and clinch a playoff spot. If I were asked to give the Cowboys a pep talk this week I would harken back to the words of William Shakespeare. Football is often compared to war and even though "Once more into the breach dear friends" from Henry V, I would go to a more inspiring part from the same Henry V.

This day is called the Feast of Crispian:
He that outlives this day, and comes safe home,
Will stand a-tiptoe when the day is named,
And rouse him at the name of Crispian.
He that shall see this day and live t'old age,
Will yearly on the vigil feast his neighbours,
And say "To-morrow is Saint Crispian":
Then will he strip his sleeve and show his scars
And say "These wounds I had on Crispin's day."
Old men forget: yet all shall be forgot,
But he'll remember with advantages
What feats he did that day. Then shall our names,
Familiar in his mouth as household words
Harry the King, Bedford and Exeter,
Warwick and Talbot, Salisbury and Gloucester,
Be in their flowing cups freshly remembered.
This story shall the good man teach his son;
And Crispin Crispian shall ne'er go by,
From this day to the ending of the world,
But we in it shall be remembered;
We few, we happy few, we band of brothers;
For he today that sheds his blood with me
Shall be my brother; be he ne'er so vile,
This day shall gentle his condition:
And gentlemen in England now abed
Shall think themselves accursed they were not here,
And hold their manhoods cheap whiles any speaks
That fought with us upon Saint Crispin's day.

The Cowboys are in a state where they really need to bunker down in the foxhole and take an "us against the world" mentality. The Cowboys defense can match up well with a rookie QB and no explosive playmaker on the team, but the Ravens defense will not lie down and let the Cowboys offense roll their helmets out on the field and take home a win. I'm not gonna pretend to be an expert and break down all aspects of the game, so come on out to the tailgate, see for yourself, and help us send Texas Stadium off with a bang!