The Dallas Cowboys Are The Toronto Maple Leafs

Opinion/Story posted September 18, 2021 in CommRadio, Sports by Jordan Mansberger

That’s right. Back at it again with another comparison.

Now, for all of the Cowboys and Leafs fans, this will not just be an article roasting you for all of the reasons that Twitter loves (although I would be prepared for a few jabs).

To start, let’s recognize the sad but true fact of each franchise. Both are without a doubt the most beloved teams with the biggest fan bases in their countries. You cannot find a town in the U.S. or Canada without a Cowboys or Leafs fan.

Dallas Cowboys football is the equivalent of a religion in the south. My one english teacher in high school was from Toronto and once told me that if you were not wearing a Leafs jersey in public on game day that heckling would be constant.

Next let’s take a look at the rosters. Both teams are absolutely LOADED with young talent. Not even talent, but superstars. Dak Prescott, Ezekiel Elliott, Amari Cooper and CeeDee Lamb to name a few Cowboys household names. Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, John Tavares and Morgan Reilly for the Leafs.

With all this talent, both teams surely dominate their leagues right? Well to those that have been living under a rock for the past 20 years, the answer may surprise you.

Let’s start with the Leafs. The Leafs have not won a playoff series since the 2003-2004 season when they defeated the Ottawa Senators in seven games. They have made the playoffs only five times since, and have been eliminated in the first round every year.

Perhaps no loss was as heartbreaking as this past season when they were eliminated by the underdog Montreal Canadiens who came back in the series from a 3-1 deficit. It’s one thing to lose in the first round, but it’s another to be eliminated by the other biggest franchise in Canada.

As for the Cowboys, their five Super Bowl rings are beginning to rust. The Cowboys were the team of the 1990s, winning three rings, their last being in 1996. Now, it’s normal to expect a down period after such a dominant run but the Cowboys have had a recession.

They’ve always had big name talent during this down period as well. One would think that the teams consisting of Tony Romo, Dez Bryant and DeMarco Murray would have produced at least one ring.

The Cowboys have not advanced past the second round of the playoffs since 1996. They have only three playoff wins to show in this time frame, all in the Wild Card round. They’ve only won their division six times in this span, which is kind of pathetic for “America’s Team,” despite the Eli Manning-led Giants teams and the miracle season for the 2016 Eagles.

Now what’s the answer for these two teams that appear to be cursed? I think it’s simple - stop bragging about your past successes and focussing on your past defeats. Focus on the season that is happening. There is no miracle or fix-all that can end these streaks.

 

Jordan Mansberger is a fourth-year majoring in broadcast journalism. You can contact him at jrm6522@psu.edu.