Is the Dallas Cowboys youth keeping “America’s Team” alive?
By Ray Valverde
The Dallas Cowboys have had a faithful following for so long but is the young talent fueling the future along with the “America’s Team” moniker?
Growing up as a kid in Texas, being a fan of the Dallas Cowboys was second nature. Some may say they were handed an Aikman jersey with their first bottle. Former Cowboys Troy Aikman, Emmitt Smith and Michael Irvin were the original “Triplets” and household names in the 90’s. They led the Dallas to three Super Bowl victories in four years.
Times change, players retire, and soon your idol’s names are forever enshrined amongst the greats, that are forever remembered in The Ring of Honor. The sense of nostalgia comes over anyone that remembers the 90’s Dynasty. Myself as a kid, I would take my “Triplets” jerseys to school. As soon as the recess bell rang, Brian became “Troy”, Michael coincidentally became ‘Michael” and as for myself I was “Emmitt.”
Fast forward to 2017 and there’s a new set of “Triplets”. Rookies Dak Prescott and Ezekiel Elliott join veteran wide receiver Dez Bryant in a new and fresh wave of talent that Dallas has acquired.
As I looked back on the 2016 season, I couldn’t help but wonder what my daughters thought of the Cowboys now. So I decided to sit down with them and talk some football.
I was blessed/cursed with three girls Kylie 11, Khloe 8 and Kealynn 3. Kealynn doesn’t know much about football, yet. So this conversation only includes Kylie and Khloe, both of whom played flag football for the local Boys and Girls Club, so they know a thing or two.
They both have an understanding for the game and each of them will tell you the Cowboys are their favorite team. Whether that was forced upon them or not is a different story. So we gather around the dinner table with pen and notepad to get some insight on today’s youth and their perspective on the current Cowboys.
First, I wanted to know who could they could name on the current roster. Kylie takes the lead and starts naming: “Dak! Zeke! Dez!” Then there’s a slight pause. “Witten.” Now she begins to struggle, but after a minute she says “Isn’t there a McFadden?” Followed shortly by “Oh yeah, Taco!”
Next is Khloe. She hadn’t been paying attention to anything Kylie was saying so in her words she begins with: “Elliott, Prescott, Taco!” Almost immediately she’s searching for other names and leans over at what I had been writing and blurts out “Witten!”
They obviously knew Prescott and Elliott easily. That came as no surprise.
So I ask each of them which is their favorite player? Khloe says “Zeke” and Kylie says “Dez.” Both begin to talk about Elliott, saying ” He’s awesome! I remember that one play when he jumped over that player, like on my shirt!”
The conversation turned to Dak as they both commented, “I like Dak too. He wasn’t a crybaby. Every time he was tackled he wouldn’t get hurt.” Most can assume they were referring to former quarterback Tony Romo and how fragile he was.
Both of my daughters had agreed, they watched more football this year than any other before. In fact, they couldn’t remember a single game from previous years but they did recall watching the playoff game against the Green Bay Packers this past season.
Can this trio become as great as the “triplets” of the 90’s? Only time can tell, but I do hope that my girl’s experience the same admiration for the new Cowboys as I did for my 90’s Cowboys.
Next: Who are the Dallas Cowboys best fifty-three?
Dak Prescott, Ezekiel Elliott and Dez Bryant have the nation’s attention and are steadily becoming the new “Triplets.” If they are able to bring home a Super Bowl together, it would certainly begin a whole new generation of Dallas Cowboys enthusiasts.