The Rangers are the reigning World Series champs and the Mavericks and Stars are now streaking into the second round of the playoffs. Does the success of other teams in the Dallas area affect the Cowboys in any way, good or bad? – Ryan Ballimore/Dallas, TX
Nick Eatman: I don't think that really matters at all, especially when you consider how popular the NFL is, and of course, how big the Cowboys are on a national level. I think here locally, it's cool to see the other teams play well and have success, especially since they've all just won one title each. But comparing to the Cowboys is a waste of time, to me. Just look at the TV ratings for games. The Cowboys get more eyeballs for preseason games than the Rangers were getting in the World Series. It's the world we live in, and it's always been that way. Plus, let's not forget that the Cowboys should be mentioned in the same breath as those other teams currently as well. Let's not pretend that the Cowboys are the team struggling and the other ones are riding high. The Cowboys have more success in the last three seasons than the other three, aside from the Rangers who actually won it all. But what I would say, is the four teams are doing well right now. But nothing really compares to the Cowboys.
Kurt: It would be nice if the old saying "a rising tide lifts all boats" would come into play here, but that's unfortunately not going to be the case as there's obviously no crossover between the sports. And the Cowboys' coaches and players are already motivated to win no matter what their local counterparts may do. Sure, the playoff success of the other clubs probably casts a negative light on the Cowboys in the minds of some fans, but truth be told, what the Rangers, Mavericks and Stars do really has no effect on the team. The NFL and the Cowboys in particular are just a different animal, especially here in football-crazed Texas. From ticket sales to TV ratings to media coverage both locally and nationally, the Cowboys' No. 1 ranking in popularity remains steadfast despite their struggles to win in the postseason. With that said, I can guarantee you that, as an organization, we're all just as excited about these playoff runs the other three Dallas teams have been enjoying as you are. It's fun times right now in the Metroplex with hopefully even bigger celebrations ahead … including one for a Cowboys Super Bowl title.
