State of the rivalry

[flashback]

There was a time when the rivalry was great. And back in the early '90s, just when you thought it couldn't get any better, it did. The Cowboys winning their only game of the season at RFK in '89. The Redskins losing their first game of the season in '91 to the Cowboys. The Redskins handing the Cowboys their last loss before they won the Super Bowl in '92. (Where was the tuck rule in that game? You know what I'm talking about.)

But it seems to have fizzled a little bit since then. I guess both teams have been more down than up the past few years. And when won team has won 9 in a row, especially when that team hasn't even won a playoff game during that stretch, its hard to cast the games as epic battles for dominance...

So I for one am hoping that both teams return to prominence soon. And I think they're both on the right track. Sure, a few things need to fall right for both teams, and I sure hope Snyder doesn't switch coaches again anytime in the next 8 months, but hopefully, 2002 and 2003 will see a renaissance of sorts for this rivalry, which at one time was one of the greatest in sports, right up there with Yankees/Red Sox and Lakers/Celtics.

OK, I'm done waxing nostalgic. Let the smack commence.

[RySkins]

The Redskins handing the Cowboys their last loss before they won the Super Bowl in '92. (Where was the tuck rule in that game? You know what I'm talking about.)

flashback, I've watched the fourth quarter of that game 100 times and I still am not sure if that play was a fumble or incompletion. It all comes down to whether or not Aikman had released the ball before it hit Jason Buck's helmet, and I still can't say for sure. It wasn't a question of tucking though,

IMO, the rivalry now is as low as its been since before George Allen. Still, the games are huge to both teams and fan bases. I honestly think that the Skins and Cowboys are going to be playing a lot of important games in the next five years or so as I think they will be the two best teams in the division very soon. I expect the rivalry to get revived in a big way this season, hopefully with the Redskins actually winning a game! What made the rivalry so good was that we played a ton of big games, unlike the Bears-Packers, where one team or the other has generally stunk for the last 35 years, last year being an exception.

[Ken]

I disagree about the rivalry being at it's lowest point.

I think that ever since Danny Snyder took over the ownership of the Redskins, it has gotten a heck of a lot more interesting......at least from my perspective.

For about 5 years prior to his ownership, i thought that the rivalry had really become stale. I think it really started getting interesting when the Redskins assembled the "Paper Champions" team a couple of seasons ago. That team received so much publicity for doing nothing that it made me and Cowboys fans want to beat them even more. In all honesty, the publicity, and the arrogance of Danny Snyder, were the biggest reason that team didn't excell like it was expected to. It was almost like a team coming off of a super bowl with how everyone they played was gunning for them.

I feel as though, the owners own rivalry, has breathed life into this rivalry. They both constantly try to out do one another. I think it is great. Exactly what this rivalry needs. I also think that this current streak of 9 straight wins , heightens this rivalry to a new level. Certainly Redskins fans would like nothing better but to get a W vs. the Boys. Cowboys fans would like nothing better but to extend this streak to 11 this season. Either way, it is going to be intense this year.

[CounterTre]

Ahhhh something I can agree with Cowboy fans about: the need to rekindle this rivalry. Good points all around, I would only add one thought. The addition of Steve "I hope they become our Georgia" Spurrier is gonna heat things up to a tropical level! As much as I love to razz Cowboy fans and hate losing to em, I couldn't be more happy if both teams were playoff teams for the next decade. Eagle fans are just too cro magnon for me and Giant fans...wll it just isn't as much fun giving them crap as it is Cowboy fans. So here's to rekindling the rivalry!

I can't help myself...gotta throw at least one smack out there

You guys think Snyder is arrogant???? At least his ego's not so big that he thinks he's the next Bill Walsh as a GM. Snyder is humble(oh boy that's a stretch) enough to defer to his subordinates on personell decisions, especially after his debacle in the 2000 season. Jerrah is the model for arrogance as an owner and sstill hasn't realized that he'd be better served letting a professional GM take over.

[PCS]

If the past couple of days on Extreme are any indication, then it would certainly appear that the rivalry lives on rather nicely amongst the fans thankyou very much. If the teams took half this much attitude/energy out on the field with them, the rivalry certainly would be rekindled. Hell, we could see a good number of; "unsportsman like conduct. #'s ...., and.... and.... offense. #'s .... and .... defense. " with ejections even. :cool:

[Art]

I agree that the rivalry is at a pretty low point. The Cowboys are a very bad team the last couple of years, and are on a nine game winning streak against the Redskins. The Redskins have largely been average and are on a nine game losing streak to the Cowboys. Die Hard fans on these types of football boards will always see a rivalry of some significance, but, in general, the game lacks the same luster it once had right now.

I do see an upswing though even if either or both teams just blow. Spurrier seems to me to be the type of coach that, like Allen, will get the Redskins going for the Cowboys more than any other game. The last few years the feeling has always been the Cowboys have just been another game to the coaching staff. Norv had to go out of his way to make the game seem less crucial to him and Marty is a game at a time guy like no other -- well, except Denver.

Because of that leadership, you never really had the feeling that anything special was going to happen or be said. Now with Spurrier, I can see a time where, at least for Redskin fans and the team, a large part of the success of a season will be based on how the team does against Dallas. I mean, I could see Spurrier going through a last place 5-11 campaign where the Redskins swept the Cowboys and during the offseason saying something like, "It wasn't all bad you know. We took care of the Cowboys afterall."

I could see a situation in which the Cowboys aren't very good or even if they are, and the Redskins are very good but get swept where Spurrier acts as if the season wasn't as good. Perhaps I'm seeing more into Spurrier's character than I'm competent to judge. But, I think Flashback is correct that the rivalry is at a low. I just think Spurrier is JUST the right guy to make it pretty fun again.

[Hangman55]

I concur, clearly the low point of the rivalry parallels the low point of the two teams.

Sadly trash talking between the two teams during the week is basicly non-existent,moreover it`s league wide.

The coaches just don`t want to give anybody chalkboard material.

Eff that. Talk big ,play big,and let the peices fall where they may.

I think SS is going to change this and I appluad Mr X`s and O`s genuis man.

[GatorEye]

I guarantee after SOS runs it up and puts a 50 spot on the 'pokes a few times it will be a heated rivalry as it once was. Then after we dominate them for several years (as UF does Georgia), it will slip back to oblivion and we will get bored beating them into submission each year and look to someone else to agitate us.

[Burgold]

Rivalries are like germs, like the flu. It takes time to gestate. What hasn't died is the rivalry between fans. It is still going, especially between the staunchest fans. Where it has changed is with the players. Free agency hasn't allowed the gestation period needed for a true rivalry. You don't come a team for a year and immediately hate them. It takes history and tradition to be swept into that fervor. That fervor then infects both players and fans. Think how constantly our rosters have changed. Where is the history for the players to make them really want Dallas. The history is with the fans, not the players. It is with owner. To some degree, it is with the players who've been here 3, 4, 19 years. For the mercenaries or free agents, they understand it, but it probably don't feel it. Free agents need time to catch the germ or to catch the fever. Free agents also need to be absorbed into their team. I know the Redskins have had some players over recent years who have been on the team, but not ever become Redskins. Most of their names began with D: Dana, Deion, etc., looking at their football career here and going with the allegory I'm creating, they were antibodies to the rivalry. They were cetainly anti-team anyway. For the rivalry to be stoked we need three things, longevity, success, and for players to become true members of their team. That's a hard thing to accomplish if you turn over half your roster every 2-3 years.

[bulldog]

at the pro level I think rivalries are aided more by the success of the teams and their competition for a goal such as a division title.

in college you get the Army vs. Navy type rivalries that are 'hot' among the faithful even when both teams are 2-9.

Dallas vs. Washington has always been better when the teams are at an elite level and are playing for all the marbles.

the anticipation before the 1972 and 1982 NFC Championship Games was something special.

I don't know if you recapture that without both teams being winners, playing for something other than 3rd place in the East

[TennesseeCarl]

For whatever reason, the Cowboy players get up for games with the Redskins while our guys treat it like another league match vs. the Cardinals.

I've mentioned this before, but when I went to the Redskins-Dallas game two seasons ago (with the infamous Jeff George-dragging), the Cowboy players were all up and standing along the sidelines, cheering their team on. The Redskins players sat on the bench with their hands folded in their laps, probably staring at the cheerleaders.

Before the rivalry is rekindled on the field, some of our players are going to have to get fired up.

[cowboykilla]

I agree completely, and I think Mr. Arrington is the man to do it. Last season after the home loss to dallas which broke our 5 game winning streak I do believe, Arrington told reporters that "he hated dallas". Now, I'm not talking about some random player waffling around saying he hated Dallas....NO. Arrington, our team leader, had fire in his eyes and with a look of pure disgust said these words. I think Arrington is a true football player and knows what it takes to go out there and actually hate another football team. I think this rivalry is coming back baby.

[MarkPSkins]

I think the rivalry will be continued the next time a Redskins doesn't help Emmit Smith up after tackling him. I mean I understand respect, but if someone doesn't wipe that annoying little smile off Emmit's face I'm gonna scream. Arrington gave him that jolt last year, but I aslo believe some redskin helped him up and smacked his little fanny and gave Emmit a little reason to smile. You know he is thinking, cause you can see it in his face, "We still got your guys number."

The rilvary will commence when someone knocks Emmit down then when he holds his hand out for help up, one of two thing must happen, a Redskin will fake like he's about to help him then pull his hand away and scratch his ear. Or a Redskin will step square on his chest on his way back to the defensive huddle. God, I hate sportmanship on the football field.

[Rat_Boy]

If the teams took half this much attitude/energy out on the field with them, the rivalry certainly would be rekindled.

As much as it burns my biscuits, that quote should not read "teams", but "Redskins."

Dallas is fired up for us EVERY TIME we play them.

Maybe Spurrier can change that.