The Kingdom, The Kids, & The Cowboys

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Category: Cowboys (Page 29 of 53)

A Virtual Shame

January 20, 2011 / / 2 Comments

So the NFL has given in to Jerry Wayne’s crazy plan to set a Super Bowl attendance record at his ostentatious behemoth of a stadium on February 6. You’ve heard about this, right?

With the temporary seats added in the upper decks of the end zones, Jerry’s Stadium will hold right at 93,500. The Super Bowl attendance record was set in 1980 at the Rose Bowl: 103,985 to watch the Steelers beat the Rams in XIV. So the Cowboys owner has concocted a strange little ruse to push the numbers in Arlington just past the mark.

They’re selling at least 10,000 tickets to a “party plaza” located on the east side of the stadium where suckers who want to be a part of the “Super Bowl experience” can pay $200 each to stand around and watch the game on big screens in the parking lot. This plan was part of the North Texas Super Bowl bid submitted to and approved by the NFL way back before the stadium was even built. That’s always been part of the deal. And I don’t begrudge Jerry or the league any of it. Please, go sell as much stuff as you can. These tickets don’t allow the holder to enter any part of the stadium itself. They’ll be able to take nice pictures of the stadium’s exterior before and during the game, but they won’t have a sight-line to any live football action. However, I’m sure there are plenty of people who will pay the $200 to stand in the parking lot and watch it on a screen.

That’s fine. I don’t understand it. But I have no problem with it. Free market economics. Capitalism. It’s what makes America great, I’m told.

But the NFL has announced that they’re going to count these parking lot partiers in the overall game attendance figures. They’re all going to count as being at the Super Bowl. And Jerry’s Stadium is going to break the record.

You may as well count the guys watching it on the TV in the bar at Chili’s down on Cooper Street. Whoo-Hoo, we’re at the Super Bowl! What’s the difference?

In this world where Facebook friends count as meaningful relationships, forwarding emails to your representative counts as serious political discourse, googling counts as thoughtful research, and texting your kid counts as being connected, I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised. But I’m actually shocked. This cheapens the whole thing. It discounts all of it. No, I’m sorry. You were not at the Super Bowl. You stood in the parking lot and watched it on a big TV.

Here’s Jerry’s quote: “This Super Bowl, very likely, will be one of the largest events ever witnessed on this planet.”

Sigh.

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One more thing about the Super Bowl: the Steelers cannot play in it. It absolutely cannot happen. I can’t imagine anything much worse than having thousands and thousands of obnoxious Steelers fans all over our part of DFW, screaming “DEE-FENSE! DEE-FENSE!” and hollering “Here we go, Steelers, here we go!” and waving those ugly, ugly Terrible Towels. The only thing worse than that would be the Steelers actually winning the game and hoisting the Lombardi Trophy on the Cowboys home field. Can you imagine that scene? Steelers fans cheering a Pittsburgh championship inside the Cowboys stadium?

It would be a great hour of darkness.

A lot has gone wrong in this 51st season of Cowboys football. But that would be the worst. Utter shame. Complete disgrace. The franchise made famous by Bradshaw, Lambert, Stallworth and Swann and currently captained by Ben-R can’t play in a Super Bowl here.

I don’t like Rex Ryan. Not even a little bit. But I’m loving his team on Sunday.

J-E-T-S! Jets! Jets! Jets!

Allan

What’s NEXT?

January 7, 2011 / / 0 Comments

I’m intrigued this week by these words of Paul:

Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on… I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on… ~Philippians 3:12-14

Think about everything the apostle Paul had achieved at this point. He had received the best formal education available. He had studied and excelled at the feet of the very best teachers alive. He had been on the fast track, politically and religiously, to the highest positions of power and authority. He had seen the risen Lord. He had spoken with the Christ. He had witnessed and performed many miracles. He had been delivered from danger time and time again by God’s Holy Spirit. He had preached in the most important cities. He had trained the greatest teachers. He had planted the best churches.

Paul’s list of spiritual experiences and religious achievements was long.

But he presses on as if he’s accomplished nothing. He strains ahead as if he’s had no success. He keeps looking for and yearning for what’s next.

And then he writes, “All of us who are mature should take such a view of things” (Phil. 3:15)

I think Peter had the same attitude:

Make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective adn unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. ~2 Peter 1:5-8

It seems to me that the older we are, the more Christ-like we should be. It’s the oldest among us, the ones who’ve been at this longer, who display more self-control. Our older brothers and sisters show more kindness and love. The ones who’ve been disciples longer are the ones who are “more good.” More persevering. More like our God than those who are younger.

More like God?

Yeah. Peter says “in increasing measure.”

This means it’s the older among us who would be more forgiving, more patient, more gracious and compassionate, more sacrificing and giving, more tolerant of the shortcomings of others. Adding those Christ-like qualities in increasing quantities every day keeps us from getting stale. It prevents us from getting into a rut and not being any good to God’s Kingdom.

“I will always remind you of these things, even though you know them and are firmly established in the truth you now have.” ~2 Peter 1:12

We older Christians can be prone to crankiness and sour attitudes. We can sometimes be bossy and demanding and impatient. We can occasionally come across to others as unkind or unloving.

It’s just that we have much less of an excuse than the younger ones.

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It’s getting harder and harder to root against the Cowboys.

I have always loved Jason Garrett. Garrett is all business. He doesn’t mess around. He knows what it takes to get where they want and he won’t let anybody or anything stop him from getting there. He does it with integrity. And character. He’ll cut slackers and send loafers to the asthma field. He’ll jump up and down and celebrate at the appropriate times. And not a minute sooner.

If Jerry Wayne really is going to give Garrett as much control as he gave Jimmy Johnson, if Jerry really is going to back off on demanding his way in on-the-field matters, if Jerry is going to allow coaches to coach and players to play, then I think I’m going to take a very neutral and un-biased approach to this next season. Providing there is one.

It’s nice to occasionally see the good guys prevail. The ones who do it right, starting from scratch and making it happen with dedication and hard work. Smart guys. People who use their brains and think right. Good for Jason Garrett. And good for these young men who get to play for him.

Peace,

Allan

All-Time Low

December 13, 2010 / / 4 Comments

The storied history of the Dallas Cowboys contains many embarrassing moments. Clint Longley’s sucker-punch of Roger Staubach, Jay Saldi’s acting, Rod Hill, Barry Switzer’s gun arrest, Switzer’s “Load Left,” the 1986 Christmas video, the White House, “No, Danny, no!”, Campo’s three years, Tex Schramm’s treatment of Lee Roy Jordan, Jerry Wayne’s treatment of Tom Landry, Rafael Septien’s sin, the price of nachos at the new stadium. Plenty of things the Cowboys would rather sweep under the rug.

Does anything compare to the utter shame in what happened in the seconds immediately following last night’s three-point loss to the Eagles?

It happened right at midfield, just a few feet from the giant Cowboys star that, at one time, was worth defending. After a gut-wrenching home loss to the hated division rival Eagles that officially eliminated Dallas from postseason contention, there was Cowboys running back Tashard Choice chasing down Philly quarterback Michael Vick for an autograph. Like a star-struck eight-year-old, thrilled to death to just be in the presence of such greatness, Choice beamed wide-eyed at Vick as he scribbled his name across Choice’s extended glove.

I hit the backup button on my DVR and watched it four times before I could really comprehend it.

Sickening.

I understand I’m not a young man anymore. I know it. I hung our Christmas lights on the house Friday and my legs are still killing me today. And I know I sound like an old man when I criticize Choice for his ill-timed request of his conquering foe. But, good gravy! These are not the Cowboys I cheered for as a kid.

The Cowboys I cheered for were led by Harvey Martin, who once threw a funeral wreath into the Redskins locker room after a division-clinching win. They were captained by Dennis Thurman, whose “thieves” once famously broke up the Washington Fun Bunch in the Texas Stadium end zone. Cliff Harris wound up on his rear end, but he didn’t let Jack Lambert push him around. Jimmy Johnson chased down Buddy Ryan to give him a piece of his mind after a game in ’89. When Joe Theisman ran around in the back of the end zone to run time off the clock before kneeling for a safety in a 9-5 win, Charlie Waters almost decapitated him. George Teague did his thing to T. O. long after I stopped rooting for this team, but I appreciated his attitude.

Tashard’s autograph request was an all-time low. His explanations and excuses are running a close second. I was bothered by the ho-hum reaction to DeSean Jackson’s pirouette and Nestea iced-tea plunge at the one-yard-line during what turned out to be the game-winning touchdown. Terrence Newman and Gerald Ball just stood there. But I’m more disturbed to think that while the Cowboys offense was gathered on the sidelines in the closing minutes, hoping for a final shot to win or tie the game, Choice was busy looking for a pen.

Over the past five weeks, I’ve found myself secretly hoping for success for Jason Garrett. If he’ll send Choice to the “asthma field”  this week for his nationally televised post-game brain-lock, Garrett might could win me all the way back.

Peace,

Allan

Turn Out The Lights

December 6, 2010 / / 1 Comment

I didn’t get the news until about 8:45 this morning, right before our church staff meeting. My sister, Rhonda, texted me:

Dandy Don is dead. Turn out the lights…

Our Youth Minister, Jason Brown, walked by my door. I told him, “Don Meredith has died.” Jason looked at me with a blank stare. “Who’s Don Meredith?”

I know. I just shook my head. Dismissively.

Don Meredith, the very first Dallas Cowboy, signed to a personal services contract in the fall of 1959, months before the franchise was admitted into the NFL. All-America quarterback for SMU. Captained the Cowboys from 0-11-1 expansion futility to the brink of glory as “Next Year’s Champions.” (Eddie LeBaron was only a caretaker until the future of the franchise, Meredith, could be ready.) Cowboys Ring of Honor. Monday Night Football icon. Movie star. Life of the party. Legend.

Meredith never got along with Tom Landry. A quarterback who sang “Honky Tonk Angels” in the huddle during the fourth quarter of division games, of course, would rub the Stoic One the wrong way. Landry never thought Meredith worked hard enough or took things seriously enough. Dandy Don thought Landry needed to lighten up. The two made it work and, I think, earned each other’s respect until Meredith was too beaten up physically and emotionally to take it anymore. He always regretted that, on the day he walked into the coach’s office to announce his retirement, Landry didn’t try to talk him out of it.

He was under appreciated as a Cowboy.

Nobody was tougher under the circumstances. Nobody endured more. Nobody took more abuse. Nobody ever exhibited the same grace. Quarterbacking that lousy expansion club full of walk-ons and other team’ rejects as well as he did should be seen as the heroic thing it was.

“Number 17 in your program, number one in your heart.”

It’s sad that a lot of really good people don’t get their due, they don’t receive the recognition, until they’re dead and not around to experience it. I’m thinking that’s what’s going to happen with Dandy Don. We’ll see clips on the news tonight of Meredith throwing long passes in a near-empty Cotton Bowl, eluding would-be tacklers as the pocket breaks down yet again, stomping around in the ice in Green Bay. ESPN will bring us tons of his best barbs and one-liners from the ABC broadcast booth at the expense of Howard Cossell. And they’ll all talk about what might have been. If Landry could have relaxed a bit, then Meredith would have excelled and would be considered one of the all-time greats. Meredith was great but the team around him was so lousy.

As Dandy Don himself always said: If “ifs” and “buts” were candies and nuts, we’d all have a merry Christmas.

Turn out the lights, the party’s over. They say that all good things must end.

Peace,

Allan

Give Away Day Still Going

November 9, 2010 / / 0 Comments

Right at 160 total families, including more than 500 children, were given blue jeans and sweaters and coats and pillows and shirts this past Saturday as Legacy took Give Away Day to Siempre Familia and the Rosemont neighborhoods of South Fort Worth. Estimates range from 150 to 200 actual volunteers who worked the event. Of course, the numbers of those who built racks, transported equipment, served food, sorted clothes, and cleaned up afterward go way beyond even that.

People were served in the name of Christ. God was praised. Our Lord was given glory and honor. People who don’t know Jesus were shown his love and mercy.

And then Give Away Day ended.

But God’s work and the work of his church at Siempre Familia did not.

At least seven families who received assistance at Give Away Day showed up for Sunday night’s combination Spanish/English song service where they received even more compassion and grace; where they received an even bigger sense of community; where they made even more connections. The names and contact information for each of the families who were served were tacked up on a cross at the front of the worship center. The congregation was asked to take one of those cards, to adopt one of those families, to make phone calls and visits, to commit to taking care of these families through the rest of the year.

And by the end of the service, all the cards were taken. By the end of this week, every family will be contacted by phone or personal visit. By the end of this month, I anticipate sharing with you stories of Bible studies and baptisms.

There’s something very powerful about reaching out to people in our own zip codes, about jumping in to our own communities with the truth of salvation from God in our risen Savior. Those of us who were there Saturday understand that much better now. There were connections being made in every conversation. There were friendships being formed and fostered with every interaction.

I walked a few people to their cars with a Christian volunteer named Raul. I don’t know how long Raul’s been a part of that Siempre Familia church. I have no idea. I’d never met Raul before. But Raul asked every person he met where they lived. Where do you work? Where do your kids go to school? How long have you lived here? And with every answer, Raul would exclaim, “I know somebody who lives on that street!” or “My cousin works there!” or “Do your children know so-and-so? Their kids go to that school, too!”

See, that kind of thing never could happen with Give Away Day here at Legacy. The people who came to Give Away Day didn’t live here. The people who live here don’t come to Give Away Day. But it’s different now at Siempre Familia. There’s already a level of trust between the church and the people. There’s already a bond there. There’s already a strong sense of community there. And our God is using it to expand his Kingdom in those parks and streets around Rosemont.

Thank you to all who gave of their time and energy and money and emotion. May our God continue to use Give Away Day to his eternal glory and praise.

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I feel sorry today for Wade Phillips. I feel sorry for Jason Garrett. I feel sorry for Paul Pasqualoni. I feel sorry for Chan Gailey and Dave Campo. I feel sorry for every head coach and coordinator who has had to work for an owner who is also the general manager. It’s not fair.

I’m not sure how Jerry Wayne can keep going the way he’s going. I don’t know how he can break from a meeting about the boxing match at Cowboys Stadium to run to the coach’s offices to mandate a lineup change to answer a phone call about a merchandizing deal with an auto parts chain to sprint down to the film room to evaluate the upcoming draft. It just doesn’t work. This 51st season of Cowboys football will go down as the most bitterly disappointing in franchise history. Does Jerry Wayne need more proof that his way won’t cut it?

One playoff win in 14 years. They’ve missed the playoffs seven times in eleven seasons. How does that make the Cowboys any different than Seattle or Carolina or the Cardinals? Oh, yeah. Those teams have all been to Super Bowls since Dallas.

I feel sorry for Wade and Garrett. And Bill Cowher or Jon Gruden. Or whoever’s going to coach this team next. It’s not fair.

Peace,

Allan

That They May Be Saved

November 8, 2010 / / 1 Comment

We had just an incredible Give Away Day at Siempre Familia on Saturday. We experienced forgiveness here at Legacy on Sunday in ways that only the Holy Spirit can cause. And I think Jerry Wayne is firing Wade Phillips even as I’m writing this post.

I’ll get to all of that tomorrow. Today, I want to make good on finishing up my thoughts on Knowledge Puffs Up.

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In 1 Corinthians 8-10, Paul is addressing the single most volatile, divisive issue in the early Church. This is the issue that threatens to split God’s Church right in half. This is the thing that is polarizing the disciples of Jesus. It’s a “salvation issue.” It’s causing division, pitting Christians of one viewpoint and one mindset against Christians with different backgrounds and understandings. This is women’s roles and leadership structures and instrumental praise and worship teams and pantsuits and kitchens and divorce and multiple cups and missionary societies and R-rated movies all rolled up into one explosive church issue.

And here’s what the inspired apostle Paul has to say about it:

“Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up” (8:1).
“We put up with anything rather than hinder the Gospel of Christ” (9:12).
“I make myself a slave to everyone to win as many as possible” (9:19).
“I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some” (9:22)
“Everything is permissible” (10:23).
“Nobody should seek his own good, but the good of others” (10:24).
“I am not seeking my own good but the good of many, so that they may be saved” (10:33).

A careful reading of 10:25-30 shows us that, in matters of controversy, Paul clearly favors freedom over abstinence. If it’s true that the strong Christians should not act in ways that harm the weak — and it is! — it’s also true that the weak should not accuse the strong of sin. It’s a two way street when it comes to disciples of Jesus in God’s Church.

But please note that his many instructions to this strife-torn congregation in Corinth share a common theme: in order that those on the outside, those without Christ, would come to know and receive salvation from God.

Paul refuses to engage in anything that may “hinder the Gospel of Christ.” His ultimate goal is to “win as many as possible.” His mission is to “save some.” He seeks the good of others “that they may be saved.”

I really believe that Paul knows, no matter what he does, he’s going to offend some people. You ever feel like that? No matter what you do, somebody’s not going to like it? Somebody’s going to complain? Somebody’s going to be offended? I know preachers feel that way. So do most elders I know. I really believe that Paul’s conclusion is that he would much rather offend a fellow Christian who’s already secure in Christ than an unbeliever who might turn away from the Gospel for unnecessary reasons.

The Gospel message already contains a few major stumbling blocks. There’s that whole idea of a crucified Savior. Hard to swallow. The call to die to ourselves and give everything to Christ. The imperative to sacrifice and give to others. Those are tough hurdles standing between the lost and a full acceptance of salvation from God in Christ. But those obstacles can never be taken away. Those things are the very essence of Christian discipleship. What we don’t need is a legalistic mindset that depicts Christianity as submission to a long list of dos and don’ts and conforming to a bunch of man-made rules. That’s the unnecessary hindrance to the faith that Paul, I believe, wants to abolish forever.

Me, too.

Peace,

Allan

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