Saturday, June 14, 2025
  • Advertise
  • Submit Story Idea
  • Submit Event
Arlington Today Magazine
  • Home
  • Categories
    • Arlington News
    • Community
    • Commentary
    • Business and Education
    • Featured
    • People
    • Wellness
    • Scene
    • Design and Interiors
    • Uncategorized
  • Current Issue & Digital Archives
  • Join the Newsletter
  • Subscribe
  • Contact Us
  • Login
  • Register
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Categories
    • Arlington News
    • Community
    • Commentary
    • Business and Education
    • Featured
    • People
    • Wellness
    • Scene
    • Design and Interiors
    • Uncategorized
  • Current Issue & Digital Archives
  • Join the Newsletter
  • Subscribe
  • Contact Us
No Result
View All Result
Arlington Today Magazine
Home Commentary

Speaking of Sports

John Rhadigan by John Rhadigan
July 30, 2017
in Commentary
0 0
0
Speaking of Sports
0
SHARES
86
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

When two words can inspire emotion and passion it is special. “Play Ball,” “Happy Birthday” and “Love Ya” are examples of two-word phrases that make me smile and bring me joy.

Related posts

Arlington. Will You Be My Valentine? Again?

Arlington. Will You Be My Valentine? Again?

February 5, 2025
Love or Get Left Out

Love or Get Left Out

February 5, 2025

Now for an example that may not be so obvious or universal: Training Camp.

To me, those two words are rich with subtext and implication. To me, training camp means, “The Dallas Cowboys are set to embark on another season, which, of course, means that they have a chance to capture the affection of football fans everywhere, and they have a chance to win another Super Bowl.”

Those two words don’t have that same meaning every year. In fact, this is the first time since the ‘90s that those two words have made my brain construct a 37-word word run-on sentence.

But that is where we are with this team. The Cowboys are good, they are ready – and they are built to live up to the usually lofty expectations of a fan base that is absolutely spoiled by the success of previous generations of America’s Team.

That is not to say this will be easy. The NFL loves parity and does not like dynasties, so the league is very good at making it very difficult for teams to have back-to-back great seasons.

Last year, the Cowboys played a last-place schedule; recall that Tony Romo was hurt in 2015, and the Cowboys limped to a 4-12 record. That ensured an easier schedule in 2016, and the Cowboys took advantage even though Tony got hurt again.

But after Dak Prescott and Ezekiel Elliott lead them to a 13-3 record last year, the Cowboys will play a first-place schedule this season, and that will make repeating as NFC East Champs a tall order. However, it’s not as tough as some years in the past. The strength-of-schedule numbers indicate that the Cowboys have the 10th-toughest schedule in the league, and divisional rivals New York and Washington have what appear to be even tougher rows to hoe than Dallas.

The team from Washington has the seventh-toughest schedule, the Giants are No. 8, and the Philadelphia Eagles are actually tied with the Cowboys at No. 10.

The best news for this team is that it is returning a bunch of players that still don’t even know what they don’t know. Dak and Zeke and several others don’t even know that they will be playing a tougher schedule this year. Well, they know it, cognitively, but they don’t know what that will look like, and from the comments they have made in the off-season, they don’t care.

As Dak walked the red carpet of a national sports awards show last month, he was asked who would win the NFC East. He responded quickly and confidently: “We’re the Dallas Cowboys,” he said. “We’re gonna win the NFC East.” It is the kind of bravado that is rare in sports today, yet somehow, after what Dak did last year, I believe him.

So, maybe this year those two words, “Training Camp,” will be the beginning of a season that ends with four iconic words in Dallas football lore:

“How bout them Cowboys!”

 

Sports columnist John Rhadigan is an anchor for the Fox Sports Southwest television network.

Tags: Arlington TodayDallas CowboysWe Know Arlington
Arlington Parks & Rec Oct 2020

Follow Us

    The Instagram Access Token is expired, Go to the Customizer > JNews : Social, Like & View > Instagram Feed Setting, to refresh it.
  • Soon-to-open Mansfield H-E-B causes shopping frenzy

    Soon-to-open Mansfield H-E-B causes shopping frenzy

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Gregory “Pappy” Boyington

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • All Star Voting 2024

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • 12 Mighty Orphans: There’s a fascinating ‘story behind the story’ regarding this fine film

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Local moms share what makes the day special to them

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0

Arlington Texas Area News and Events Magazine

Follow us on social media:

Recent News

  • Welcome to our new “Deep Dive” audiomag!
  • Home Sweet Home
  • Downtown Arlington Car Classic

Category

  • Arlington News
  • Business and Education
  • Commentary
  • Community
  • Design and Interiors
  • Featured
  • People
  • Scene
  • Sports
  • Uncategorized
  • Wellness

Recent News

DeepDive

Welcome to our new “Deep Dive” audiomag!

June 8, 2025
Home Sweet Home

Home Sweet Home

June 8, 2025
  • Advertise
  • Submit Story Idea
  • Submit Event

© 2023 Arlington Today - Designed by

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password? Sign Up

Create New Account!

Fill the forms bellow to register

All fields are required. Log In

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In

Add New Playlist

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Categories
    • Arlington News
    • Community
    • People
    • Commentary
    • Business and Education
    • Featured
    • Wellness
    • Scene
    • Design and Interiors
  • Current Issue & Digital Archives
  • Join the Newsletter
  • Contact Us

© 2023 Arlington Today - Designed by