The Limits Of Loyalty...almost

I am an unrepentant, semi-rabid, ever loyal Dallas Cowboys fan. Having been born in Texas I can name more players and coaches from the Cowboys than I can governors. In fact, it could be argued that Tom Landry in his heyday was more important than any of the elected officials of the great state. (In spite of his death, that still may be true.) Dallas was, and some argue, still is America's Team. Although not one of the oldest teams Dallas remains not only one of the most successful but one of the most traditional.

Even those who have perennially disliked the Cowboys are amazed that the fans have stayed true to the team after Landry's dismissal, the eccentricities of their owner, and the regular clashing of egos between players, coaches, owners and pundits.

Cowboys fans are committed, as loyal to their team (if not more so) than any fans out there, forgiving, gracious, and traditional. That is why the team's latest procurement is so disturbing. Fine, bring the Big Tuna to coach. Go ahead, hire an ex-Patriot (expatriate?) to throw the ball. Let slide some of the vital traditions of the past and continue to play in what is probably the most in need of care facility, though likely the most recognizable, of any team. But, hire TO? Loyalty has it's limits.

Terrell Owens committed the greatest sacrilege in Texas Stadium that could be committed by an opposing team. Like Antiochus Epiphanes slaughtering a pig on the altar in Temple of Jerusalem, Owens, after scoring a touchdown ran out to the center of the field, twice, attempting to spike the football. Sacrilege. George Teague, in an example of Maccabbean effort ran out to the center of the field and tackled TO. But the damage was done.

Now the Cowboys are hiring him to break them out of their slump. Parcell's thinks he can reign in this wild and unrepentant mocker. What is up with the Tuna?

To help me understand this I am reminded of the most important tradition within the NFL. In the words of one of the sport's greatest founding fathers, Padre Lombardi who said: "Winning is not everything, it is the only thing." If this Owens fella can get us there...so be it.

It makes the Dallas - Philly rivalry even better.

Happy International Women's Day

This is a cool cartoon. Don't read too much into this post though.
To all you ladies have a good one!

"If I had a hammer..."

Crash...of course

All of the buzz this year was around the movie Brokeback Mountain and the fact that it was breaking down a barrier that many in the entertainment industry felt needed to be torn down. One should not be surprised that in a group of films about homosexuality, Israeli-Palestinian relations, and abject cruelty that a film about the universal problem of racism won the day. All of these films may have been great but Crash was not only an extraordinary cinematic achievment but a film that challenged all of our assumptions about how we are doing when it comes to issues of race and difference.
The complaint of many is that Hollywood has ignored the mainstream and that it honors films that don't really connect with those of us in the real world. While they may not be commercial successes in the way that Star Wars and others are, these films, but especially the winner of Best Picture this year connect with human realities in a way that is too real, too close to home, and downright disturbing. And of all of these "disturbing" films Crash has the most universal application.

The plight of an Israeli revenge bomber and the experience of two gay cowboys simply don't connect in the way that the interwoven broken lives of two LAPD officers, an artist, a shopkeeper, a district attorney's wife, and a locksmith do. No one gets out of Crash unscathed, not even the audience.

Good art inspires and disturbs us. Zombie movies are disturbing but not inspiring. The best movie this year won because it was well written, well acted, well done in everyway. It also won because it disturbs us the right way.