Sports Heartbreak No Stranger to Dallas Fans

Yesterday the Dallas Cowboys lost in the NFC Divisional Playoff Game in most heartbreaking fashion. An incomplete fourth down pass attempt that was actually a completion until a Green Bay challenge overturned it and then the internet exploded.

In the end, it wasn’t a catch according to the rulebook. But if you were playing a pickup football game, then a catch it would be.

Dallas sports fans are no stranger to having their hearts ripped out from an on field or on court result that ultimately was in the hands of not the multi-millionaire pieces of the puzzle, but the ones with the whistles and the black and white garbs.

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And I don’ mean the Spurs.

Of course I’m referring to Game 3 of the 2009 Western Conference Semi-Finals when Antoine Wright ~~intentionally fouled~~ didn’t foul the Nugget’s Carmelo Anthony on a three point attempt until ‘Melo had already started hoisting the long range shot attempt towards the basket.

Kidding, it’s an obvious reference to the 2006 NBA Finals. You know, the one where Heat guard Dwyane Wade took 97 free throws in six games, 42 more than any Maverick shot (Dirk 55). It all culminated in a sketchy, perhaps rigged even though the idea alone makes me quiver Game 6 clincher for the Heat where Wade took 21 free throws.

Of course, we avenged this horrible experience in 2011, but the sour taste from nine years ago has yet to fully subside in the mouths of true MFFL’s, and will it ever?

Photo Credit: Andrew Weber-USA TODAY Sports

What stings worse about the Cowboys loss, despite it happening in round two and not the final showdown, is the window for this Dallas Cowboys team could be shutting just as quickly as it opened in this super surprising 2014 NFL season.

Tony Romo literally looked on the brink of total decomposition, hobbling after every play but still turning in another stellar performance as he’s done all season.

Tony Romo is 34. His body is 43.

Dirk Nowitzki is 36. His body is coming up on 40+, especially having to carry around all 7 feet of himself every day.

Sure, DeMarco Murray could have not been stripped by Julius Peppers.

Sure, the Mavericks could have held on to a 13-point fourth quarter lead in Game 3.

At the end of the day, as sorry and bitter as this sounds, the boys in black and white had their say. The lesson here is to make sure you don’t leave it up to them, because they will royally screw you every time they can.

Especially us, especially Dallas.

Unless of course we let Mark Lowe face David Freese in extra innings and do it to ourselves.

The Cowboys weren’t expected to win a Super Bowl, hell Jerry Jones said this year would be an “uphill battle.” Yet, they were NFC East Division Champions and won a playoff game.

The Dallas Mavericks are expected to be a player for the NBA Finals. Even though they haven’t beaten any of their future Western Conference playoff foes on the road (West road wins: New Orleans, Utah) and are a dismal, worrisome 10-8 against in-conference opponents, it’s early.

I know, we all keep reminding ourselves of that. Yes it’s the New Year, but the NBA season isn’t even halfway done and there’s plenty of time to work out the kinks in this Dallas Mavericks system.

Photo Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

The Rondo kinks.

The which-big-man-are-we-going-to-sign-and-when kinks.

The keep Dirk fresh kinks.

The get Parsons going kinks.

Regardless of how it ended for the Dallas Cowboys, the season ended in extremely bitter taste. As bitter as it gets, perhaps. But for the Dallas Mavericks, a second round exit isn’t in the cards for this team.

Let’s just hope they start playing like it soon.

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