Dallas Cowboys fans: Share your story living in enemy territory

Dallas Cowboys fans are extremely visible and constant targets of ridicule outside of the state of Texas. Share your story of living in enemy territory.

My journey of becoming a die-hard Dallas Cowboys fan began sometime around 1978 when my family installed cable television. Coincidentally, that was the same year the team received the name America’s Team.

So from a young age, all I knew was Cowboys football and grew to idolize Tom Landry, Tony Dorsett, Randy White, Troy Aikman, Emmitt Smith, Michael Irvin, and many more of the names we all love. It was many years later, after joining the Army that I realized the level of hatred I would endure as a fan.

I have been blessed to live on the East Coast, West Coast, and areas in between during my military career. Each city had different things to offer, but one thing they had in common was the unified hatred of my beloved Cowboys.

For the second time in the last six years, I am living in Washington, D.C. right in the backyard of the Washington Redskins. Whether it’s television, talk radio, the workplace, shopping centers, or grocery stores, there is a distinct response you will get wearing Cowboys gear.

Redskins fans literally hate everything about the Cowboys and will go to great lengths to let you know. I have watched many games at local sports bars just for the sport of arguing with Washington fans and was a frequent caller to the old Lavar Arrington radio show.

In a weird way, it’s a lot of fun and makes the season more intense. For those who have never lived in or near D.C., you may be surprised to know there’s a running debate about how large the Cowboys fan base is here in the nation’s capital. My unscientific observations say it may be the second highest concentration behind the state of Texas.

There are advantages and disadvantages of living in NFL enemy territory, but it’s never dull. For example, check out the video from wusa9.com which shows a construction worker flying a Dallas Cowboys flag at Redskins practice on Wednesday. This is classic!

As the largest fan base in the NFL, there has to be countless numbers of stories from Dallas Cowboys fans across the country. I’m sure your fellow fans would be interested in hearing from you. Share your story of living in enemy territory in our comment section below or tweet us @LandryHat.