Aug 12, 2010; Arlington, TX, USA; Dallas Cowboys running back Felix Jones (28) runs with the ball against the Oakland Raiders at Cowboys Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Emmons-US PRESSWIRE

By now Dallas Cowboys fans everywhere know that tomorrow is a big deal for us all. The long wait is over and we finally get to see our team in action. This game is is just a little bit more of a big deal to me then to most fans. As I get into my reasons I ask that you, the readers, can bare with me. This may come off as a bio on myself but be patient and I think you may enjoy.

I was born and raised in Richmond CA. For those of you that don’t know it is approximately 15 miles away from Oakland CA. I was born into a “Raider Nation” family and all my siblings and even my mother were known for cheering for the silver and black. My Mother was a big fan for the simple fact that she used to personally know some of the players but lost touch with them after moving away from Oakland to Los Angeles. Even some of my older siblings had times with some of the players. I still remember as child my mother calling Al Davis all kinds of harsh names for years after moving the team to Los Angeles.

As a young naive child I may have been known to wear a Raiders shield from time to time, but as far as I knew the world only existed of the San Fransisco 49ers, and at the time, the Los Angeles Raiders. It was at the age that I thought touchdowns were exactly 7 points and didn’t even know what a field-goal, PAT, or even a safety was. My mother had always told me that the Raiders were the best team ever, that they never lose and could never be beaten. As any child would, I believed her and this one little exaggeration from her would eventually change my life forever.

When I was 8 years old I finally sat down to watch a Raiders game at its full entirety for my first time ever. It was October 25th 1992 and the Los Angeles Raiders, whom my mother convinced me were unbeatable, were hosting a team I had never heard of before. The Dallas Cowboys. Three hours later I looked at the score of 28-13 in favor of the Dallas Cowboys in utter shock. I then thought of my mother as the worlds biggest liar, especially after realizing that this wasn’t the first game the Raiders have lost that season. At that moment, in my juvenile state of mind, I thought that all Raiders fans were liars and I wanted nothing to do with them. I then decided to officially be a Dallas Cowboys fan.

That year I really got into football and learned all the teams. I threw away any Raiders clothing I had and focused on getting silver and blue clothes with stars on them just to let my family know that I wanted nothing to do with thier team anymore. That year really worked out for me because my new team made it to the Super Bowl and beat the the Buffalo Bills 52-17. I remember that day clearly. I also remember one of my cousins calling me a traitor. Then she stomped on my Dallas Cowboys helmet I had on top of the T.V. that I spent almost $10 on trying to get out of the quarter machine. I was very upset but deep down I had satisfaction knowing that an 8 year old child could get to a Raiders fan like that.

Over the next few years I got to watch my team win a few more Super Bowls. I also realized I had to hate the 49ers as much as every Raiders fan I knew. It wasn’t a battle of the Bay hate but a battle of the NFC hate. My whole family are still Raiders fans and I still get called a traitor every now and then even though its been 20 years since I made the conversion. I still have ill feelings for the Raiders. It’s their fans that are the only ones that I can make wagers on their games and not get paid when they lose. I guess my childhood feelings about Raiders fans being liars wasn’t just the juvenile thoughts of an 8 year old after all.

Tomorrow is really big for me for a few reasons. I have never been to a professional football game before and for the first time in my life I am going. I get to see my Dallas Cowboys play the Oakland Raiders. I am going with a fairly large group of friends and family, most of which are the family members that have called me a traitor for the last 20 years.

Although its only preseason and the game means nothing, it really means a lot to me. I get to have a 20 year reunion in a way. What better way to finally get to my first game that I have been waiting 20 years for, then for it to be the two teams that jump started my career as a football fan. It should be interesting to be with my family while me and a few other Cowboys fans are surrounded by a sea of silver and black. My family and I have been having a war for the last 20 years and this truly is Entering Enemy Territory.

- When I put something in the microwave, I never set the timer for a round number of seconds. If it needs 30 seconds, it gets 33 (Tony Dorsett), if it needs 20 seconds, it gets 22 (Emmitt Smith), if it needs a minute and a half, it gets 88 seconds (Michael Irvin), if something needs 1 minute, I will Sean Lee it and then Romo it (50 an 9 seconds respectively).

- When the woman who eventually became my wife moved in with me, I made it a point to get a prior agreement that there would be no Christmas Tree in my house. My problems with the holiday and the way it is celebrated are not the point. In mid-December, our third year living together, I came home late one night after being out with the boys and was horrified to see what appeared to be the silhouette of a Christmas tree in my living room. I was furious! I momentarily lamented the fact that I did not own a flamethrower and then stormed to the bedroom ready to unleash a barrage of indignant ultimatums. She was awake and waiting, after I ranted for few minutes, she calmly got up, went into the living room and said, “I don’t know what you are talking about. There is no Christmas tree in this house.” I flew to the light-switch as I accusingly demanded, “What the hell is that then?” When the light came on, I saw a tree with dark blue and silver garland wrapped around it, a few dark blue and silver glass balls, and a bunch of silver stars. She smugly informed me: “This is not a Christmas tree. It’s a “Good-luck for the Dallas Cowboys Playoffs tree.” We have the same tree every year, even when the Cowboys don’t make the playoffs; it stays up as long as there are more games.  And yes, I finally agreed to presents being placed under it.

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Let’s go back to the first game of the Cowboys season for a second, where we see a loss to the New York Jets twenty first ranked pass offense and twenty second ranked rushing offense. Which mattered more: Romo’s fumble and interception, or the fact that we couldn’t stop Mark Sanchez from connecting with Plaxico Burress? Take into account we had the Jets pinned at their own 15 yard line and didn’t hold them to a 3rd down play until they were at the Dallas 26 yard line. If we had a defense worth their salt we would have won that game, changed our entire season and the seasons of many other teams (including the New York Giants). But we didn’t and sadly our Cowboys were scheduling tee times instead of practice times.

I’ll skip the Detroit Lions game for obvious reasons, but how about our week six match up against the AFC Champion Patriots? The Cowboys were winning heading into the 4th quarter, but once again the Cowboys defense failed to hold Tom Brady to much more than a 3rd and 1. Three plays after that 3rd and 1, we were watching Aaron Hernandez throw imaginary dollar bills into the air from the end zone. Again, another situation where a good defense could come in handy, don’t you think? Keep looking at our loss column and you will see the same thing over and over again.

Cardinals game: Couldn’t stop the mighty Kevin Kolb from hooking up with Stephens-Howling for a 52 yard scamper to win the game.

Both Eagles games: Our defense couldn’t stop a nose bleed.

Both Giants games: Our defense looked like they made a wrong turn heading to the Texas Rangers game.

All 8 of our losses can be credited, in many ways, to the lack of play by our defense. When Romo messes up, we should be feeling confident in our defense making a stop, not holding our breath and betting on the over/under for how long it takes them to score.

Defense is just as important now as it was fifty years ago. Heck, even the best offense in the league can have a bad day. Look at Green Bay. I thought they were Super Bowl bound the very second Aaron Rogers put up 61 points in one of my fantasy leagues. But wouldn’t you know it, the Giant’s defense held the great Aaron Rogers to only two touchdowns. Meanwhile the Packer’s Defense that was so good last year, gave Eli the opportunity to throw for 330 yards and 3 touchdowns.

Putting defense on the back burner this draft could make for another painful season next year. Like I said in my last article, I like DeCastro, from Stanford not USC, but I would feel very disappointed if we were to draft him with our fourteenth pick. If we don’t address the needs of our twenty third ranked pass defense then the Cowboys are in trouble.

Now, if the Cowboys did draft DeCastro and then made some big free agent pick ups I would feel a little more comfortable. But the 2011 Cowboys were interested in getting younger so I don’t see them pulling a 180 and spending what little cap space we have left on a big name free agents. During the Jerry Jones era of the Dallas Cowboys we have seen two types of teams: the Troy Aikmen led winners and the interchangeable Quarterback black hole led by Ryan Leaf and Quincy Carter. I don’t want to be known through out the league as winning one playoff game in 15 years anymore. I want our doomsday defense back. I saw enough offense at Texas Tech during the Mike Leach era to know that however good your offense is you can still lose without a good defense. I know that drafting a DB could be boom or bust, and I know DeCastro could be Pro Bowl material, but we would be picking him just to pick him, or for the “safe play”. Research who our last ‘safe’ draft picks are and you’ll find Barbie…I mean Bobby Carpenter, the slow starting Anthony Spencer, the highly touted yet highly mediocre Felix Jones, and Mike Jenkins. Even if we go with Quinton Couples, like the mock draft 2.0 projects, I would be happy. And at this point, I don’t care who we draft as long as they play defense.

Defense still matters. Go Cows.

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