THE BOYS ARE BACK: Dallas Cowboys arrive at Naval Base near Oxnard, California | 2014-2015 Dallas Cowboys Training Camp | Dallas Cowboys photo gallery
OXNARD, Calif. – At long last, the Dallas Cowboys arrived at Naval Base Ventura County (at Point Mugu) and began their quest into the 2014-2015 season.
COWBOYS AT&T STADIUM GAMEDAY EXPERIENCE: Dallas Cowboys hope to capture division title vs. Philadelphia Eagles in final home game of 2013-2014 season
WHAT: Philadelphia Eagles (9-6) at Dallas Cowboys (8-7)
WHEN: Sunday, 7:30 p.m. (CST)
WHERE: AT&T Stadium, Arlington, Texas
TELEVISION: NBC (Al Michaels, Cris Collinsworth, Michele Tafoya)
If you’re planning to attend Sunday’s game, here are some other things to look for before, during and after the game.
Did You Know:
The roof and the doors are expected to be closed for this game. Please note that this can change up to 90 minutes prior to kickoff.
The key times for Sunday’s game include:
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Parking Lots open at 1 p.m.
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Plazas open at 4:30 p.m.
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Doors open at 5:30 p.m.
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Kickoff is 7:30 p.m.
To create an intimidating atmosphere for the game, rally towels will be placed on every seat in the stadium.
Pregame ceremonies will be held to commemorate the following awards: High School Coach of the Year, Community Quarterback Award and Bob Lilly Award.
There will also be a commemoration of the United Way’s 40th anniversary in Dallas-Fort Worth.
On the Plazas
Other forms of entertainment will abound at AT&T Stadium on Sunday.
Dallas-area rapper Dorrough will perform on the East Plaza from 6:35 p.m. until 6:55 p.m.
East Texas country band Westbound 21 will perform on the West Plaza from 6:30 p.m. until 7 p.m.
Starting at 4 p.m., Randy Lann, the Official Grill Master of the Dallas Cowboys, and Joe Cahn, the Commissioner of Tailgating, will be heading out into the parking lots with the Tailgate Nation crew. Find out where they’re at by following @CowboysTGN on Twitter or liking them on Facebook at Dallas Cowboys Tailgate Nation for updates.
Rhythm & Blues Dance Team, Rhythm & Blues Drum Line and Rhythm & Blues Break Boys will each perform on both East & West plaza before the game.
There will also be a free Kids Zone, complete with mechanical bull, rock climbing wall and zip line. There will also be NFL Play 60 games, face painting and balloon animals.
There will also be giveaways like official game-used merchandise, CD’s, and much more on each stage in the plazas for games like Karaoke Contest, Ladder Golf, Bag Toss and Dance Contest
There will also be Plaza food and beverage discounts: $2 12oz. soda & bottled water; $5 12oz. Miller beer, as well as discounted hot dogs, burgers and sausages.
In-Game Entertainment
Trumpeter Freddie Jones will once again perform the national anthem Sunday, as he is scheduled to do for every home game this fall. Jones’ instrumental anthem was wildly popular at the Cowboys’ season opener.
The night’s halftime entertainment will be a show by the Kilgore Rangerettes.
The Cowboys will honor their 2014 Pro Bowl selections with a video during the game.
Looking For 20
All season long, Cowboys fans attending home games will be hoping for at least 20 points. This year, Papa John’s has partnered with the Cowboys for the ultimate fan promotion. Any game in which the Cowboys get at least 20 points, all fans in attendance will get 50 percent off their entire order the following day at papajohns.com with promo code COWBOYS20. Offer valid for regular-priced menu items and only at participating stores.
New Bag Policy
Fans are reminded to remember the NFL’s new bag policy which will be in effect Sunday night and at every Cowboys home game.
Only hand-held purses will be allowed into the stadium, along with clear plastic tote bags that do not exceed 12”x6”x12” inches.
Items such as backpacks, coolers, large purses, camera bags, diaper bags, fanny packs and seat cushions are not allowed into the stadium under the new NFL safety rules.
Traffic and Parking
Fans are recommended to use the Dallas Cowboys interactive parking site for all travels to AT&T Stadium. This website provides the best route from point of origin to the pre-purchased or selected cash parking lot.
The I-30 HOV lane is being converted to a managed toll lane. As a result, HOV lanes from west of downtown Dallas to the Tarrant County line will not be available. However, you can access the HOV lane that serves the left exit to Legends/AT&T Way, as it will continue to be open for in-bound and out-bound needs.
Lamar Avenue in Arlington is under construction and has been reduced to one lane from Collins to Ballpark Way.
Tailgating
Tailgating is permitted in designated tailgating spaces located along the perimeter of each of the AT&T Stadium and Rangers parking lots. The spaces are available on a first come, first served basis.
There will be no early admittance into parking lots.
Parking privileges can be revoked at any time for failure to follow parking guidelines.
AMERICA’S SWEETHEARTS: 2013 2014 Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders | Leading the Spirit of America’s Team
The Boys Are Back 12-pack: Some of America’s most beautiful women | America’s Sweethearts, The Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders for the 2013 2014 NFL season | Leading the Spirit of America’s Team
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COWBOYS AT&T STADIUM GAMEDAY EXPERIENCE: Dallas Cowboys hope to corral Green Bay Packers in 2013-2014 home game 7 of 8
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The roof and the doors are expected to be closed for this game. Please note that this can change up to 90 minutes prior to kickoff.
WHAT: Green Bay Packers (6-6-1) at Dallas Cowboys (7-6)
WHEN: Sunday, 3:25 (CST)
WHERE: AT&T Stadium, Arlington, Texas
TELEVISION: Fox (Joe Buck, Troy Aikman & Pam Oliver)
If you’re one of the fortunate fans to attend tomorrow’s game, here are some things to look for before, during and after the game.
Did You Know:
The key times for Sunday’s game include:
Parking Lots open at 10 a.m.
Plazas open at Noon
Doors open at 1 p.m.
Kickoff is 3:25 p.m.
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Ford is the title sponsor for this game and will provide 60,000 Dallas Cowboys Car Flags to fans as they exit AT&T Stadium after the game.
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Dallas Cowboys Alumni will be signing autographs in the club areas one hour prior to kickoff.
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Main Club Home : Jay Novacek
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Main Club Visitors : Rayfield Wright
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Silver Club Home : John Gesek
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Silver Club Visitors : Mel Renfro
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FOX Sports’ Robot, Cleatus, will be taking photos by the Miller Lite East Plaza stage from 12:00-3:00pm.
*Alumni are subject to change/cancellations. One item/autograph per person. Autographs are not guaranteed. Prohibited items are not permitted inside AT&T Stadium.
On the Plazas
Other forms of entertainment will abound at AT&T Stadium.
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Santa Claus and Reindeer will be taking photos in ‘Santa’s Village’ on the AT&T West Plaza from 12:00-3:00pm – Free for all kids
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The Dallas Cowboys Center for Dance’s Youth Dancers will be performing on the AT&T West Plaza during pregame.
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Jana Kramer Band will perform on the AT&T West Plaza at 12:45 and 2:15 pm.
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Rhythm & Blues Dance Team, Rhythm & Blues Drum Line and Rhythm & Blues Break Boys will each perform on both East & West plaza before the game.
-
There will also be a free Kids Zone, complete with mechanical bull, rock climbing wall and zip line. There will also be NFL Play 60 games, face painting and balloon animals.
-
There will also be giveaways like official game-used merchandise, CD’s, and much more on each stage in the plazas for games like Karaoke Contest, Ladder Golf, Bag Toss and Dance Contest
-
There will also be Plaza food and beverage discounts: $2 for 12oz. soda & bottled water; $5 12oz. Miller beer, as well as discounted hot dogs, burgers and sausages.
-
Trumpeter Freddie Jones will once again perform the national anthem Sunday, as he is scheduled to do for every home game this fall. Jones’ instrumental anthem was wildly popular at the Cowboys’ season opener.
In-Game Entertainment
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The Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders will perform the Christmas Spectacular dance show during halftime.
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Time Machine will perform during the Post-Game Party on the Main Concourse East Platform.
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It’s recommended to use the Dallas Cowboys interactive parking site for all travels to AT&T Stadium. This website provides the best route from point of origin to the pre-purchased or selected cash parking lot.
Looking For 20
All season long, Cowboys fans attending home games will be hoping for at least 20 points. This year, Papa John’s has partnered with the Cowboys for the ultimate fan promotion. Any game in which the Cowboys get at least 20 points, all fans in attendance will get 50 percent off their entire order the following day at papajohns.com with promo code COWBOYS20. Offer valid for regular-priced menu items and only at participating stores.
New Bag Policy
Fans are reminded to remember the NFL’s new bag policy, which will be in effect Sunday night and at every Dallas Cowboys home game this season.
Only hand-held purses will be allowed into the stadium, along with clear plastic tote bags that do not exceed 12”x6”x12” inches.
Items such as backpacks, coolers, large purses, camera bags, diaper bags, fanny packs and seat cushions are not allowed into the stadium under the new NFL safety rules.
Traffic and Parking
-
The I-30 HOV lane is being converted to a managed toll lane. As a result, HOV lanes from west of downtown Dallas to the Tarrant County line will not be available. However, you can access the HOV lane that serves the left exit to Legends/AT&T Way, as it will continue to be open for in-bound and out-bound needs.
-
Lamar Avenue in Arlington is under construction and has been reduced to one lane from Collins to Ballpark Way.
-
Tailgating is permitted in designated tailgating spaces located along the perimeter of each of the AT&T Stadium and Rangers parking lots. The spaces are available on a first come, first served basis.
Tailgating
-
There will be no early admittance into parking lots.
-
Parking privileges can be revoked at any time for failure to follow parking guidelines.
RAIDERS AND BRAIDERS: Dallas Cowboys create a hair raising event on Thanksgiving Day inside AT&T Stadium
Photos courtesy, clockwise from top left: Kirby Lee/USA TODAY Sports; John F. Rhodes/Special to the DMN; Brandon Wade/AP
Just for fun, here are some locks frozen in time by super fast shutter speeds during the annual Dallas Cowboys Thanksgiving day game.
No words on what these players and performers were grateful for on the holiday. Good hair, I presume.
Whether blonde, brunette or somewhere in between, the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders have hair to die for.
Photo courtesy, Louis DeLuca | DMN | Thursday, November 28, 2013
Dallas Cowboys strong safety Danny McCray (40) and cornerback B.W. Webb (20) gave Oakland Raiders kick returner Taiwan Jones something to dread during the Dallas Cowboys victory at AT&T Stadium.
Photo courtesy: Tom Fox | DMN
Singer, actress, and Grand Prairie native Selena Gomez’ hair was kinky and her skirt was stringy as she performed for philanthropy during the Dallas Cowboys vs.Oakland Raiders halftime show at AT&T Stadium.
Special thanks: Michael Hamtil | DMN
FATHERS DAY ACTIVITY: Dallas Cowboys to host Field Rally this Saturday
IRVING, Texas – Cowboys Stadium will play host to Father’s Day activities this weekend, as the venue puts on Father’s Day on the Field Rally Day on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.
The event will feature a slew of interactive activities, including autograph sessions with Cowboys alumni and cheerleaders, an appearance by Rowdy. Another special appearance will come from two of the Minions from the upcoming Universal Pictures and Illumination Entertainment film “Despicable Me 2.” There will also be various activities for kids and photo opportunities with the Cowboys’ Super Bowl trophies.
Tours of Cowboys Stadium will also be open all day Saturday with free parking available at the stadium with a purchase of a tour ticket. Tickets to the Father’s Day Rally Day events are included with the price of a self-guided stadium tour, which are available at the box office. Tickets are $17.50 for adults and $14.50 for children/seniors.
The Cowboys’ alumni will sign autographs from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m. Former defensive lineman Chad Hennings will be available for autographs at noon, fellow former defensive lineman Leon Lett will be available at 1 p.m. and former defensive back Everson Walls will be available at 2 p.m.
Cowboys cheerleaders will be available to sign autographs from 11 a.m. until 3 p.m., while the Minions will make an appearance from noon until 2 p.m.
DCC CALENDAR SHOOT: Photos of the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders from their scuba excursion
OK, I was going to write an article and got distracted! Here are some photos of the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders from their scuba excursion … calendar shoot in Mexico. Enjoy!
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EYE CANDY: Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders prepare for 2014 calendar shoot
Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders: Whitney Isleib (Click HERE to watch video)
As the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders prepare to head out on the 2014 calendar shoot, we recap some of the best looks from their 2013 calendar shoot in Mexico.
Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders: Emma Mary (Click HERE to watch video)
HAWAIIAN DELIGHT: Dallas Cowboys 2012-2013 Pro Bowl experience with Jason Witten, Anthony Spencer
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Left photo: Dallas Cowboys tight end Jason Witten (82) and linebacker Anthony Spencer (97) pose with hula girls U’ilani LaBoy (right) and Aureana Tseu (left) at NFC media day. Right: Dallas Cowboys mascot Rowdy poses with Polynesian dancers at the 2013 Pro Bowl tailgate party.
AFC free safety Jairus Byrd of the Buffalo Bills (31) runs with the ball after recovering a fumble by Adrian Peterson of the Minnesota Vikings. Byrd was tackled by Dallas Cowboys tight end Jason Witten.
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Left photo: Tight end Jason Witten of the Dallas Cowboys (82) watches during the NFC practice. Right: Dallas Cowboys linebacker Anthony Spencer (93) arrives at NFC practice. Hickam Air Force Base in Honolulu, Hawaii.
Whitney Isleib of the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders performs at the 2013 Pro Bowl tailgate party at Richardson Field in Honolulu, Hawaii
HOLIDAY CHEER: Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders depart for annual USO tour
While this is usually the time of year to spend with family, about a dozen Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders have a different agenda for Christmas and New Year’s.
COWBOYS ROCK’N CHRISTMAS: Cowboys Stadium to feature holiday theme Sunday
IRVING, Texas – The Christmas theme will be in full effect at Cowboys Stadium for the final home game of the season Sunday against the Saints.
Santa Claus, Mrs. Claus, reindeer and elves will be in the West Plaza taking free pictures with children, while The Ray Johnston Band will play in the East Plaza. Johnston, a former Dallas Maverick, is now a country-rock artist.
Prior to the game, the coach of the week for the youth football season and the Community Quarterback Award winner will be honored.
The Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders holiday dance spectacular will occur at halftime, when tight end Jason Witten will be awarded the Bob Lilly Award for demonstrating the highest level of achievement, sportsmanship, dedication and leadership.
Kickoff will be at noon and will be televised on FOX.
HAPPY HALLOWEEN: It’s all about the treats …
NO TRICKS …
JUST TREATS …
Well …
Maybe,
just one!
Happy
Halloween!
PINK PROMISE PARTNERSHIP: Dallas Cowboys employee Roxanne Martinez surprised by Komen founder Monday Night
Arlington, Texas—Ambassador Nancy G. Brinker, Susan G. Komen for the Cure founder and CEO, took centerfield at the top of halftime Monday to recognize Cowboys’ own ticket office employee Roxanne Martinez.
“I had no idea,” said a chocked up Martinez. “I’m blown away.”
Martinez, who beat her battle with breast cancer only a year and a half ago, was asked to participate in a special recognition in honor of the NFL’s national kickoff to Breast Cancer Awareness Month during the Cowboys’ game versus the Chicago Bears. She had no idea that recognition would come from the founder of the organization she is so passionate for.
“Komen really gave me an opportunity to give back to an organization that was helping me through my breast cancer journey,” Martinez, now a regular volunteer at Susan G. Komen Breast Center in Fort Worth, told Cowboys’ Blue Star magazine. “Now that I’m a survivor, it makes me proud that the Dallas Cowboys are promoting awareness and recognizing survivorship and I also try to do the same.”
Click here to read Martinez’s full story.
Brinker’s surprise presentation to Martinez was only the beginning of a festive halftime honoring Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Martinez was joined on the field by hundreds more survivors, co-survivors and Komen volunteers, including Martinez’s husband and 250 Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders alumnae. The group, totaling 500, came together to form two human pink awareness ribbons, all while the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders performed a swinging dance number in pink.
Pink, the theme to Monday’s game presented by Bank of America, could be spotted throughout the stadium on signs, flags, towels, uniforms and jerseys. Komen kiosks, quizzing game-goers on their breast cancer knowledge, sat in the plazas of the stadium, and public service announcements and other messaging were featured on the stadium’s 60-yard video board.
All was part of the Dallas Cowboys and Susan G. Komen for the Cure “I Promise” campaign. The campaign, supported by a $1 million donation of Cowboys marketable assets, was first inspired by Brinker’s 2010 book Promise Me, detailing her promise to her sister “Suzy”—who died from breast cancer in 1980 and for whom the organization is named—to change the way the world viewed and treated breast cancer. “I Promise” merchandise can be found exclusively on ShopCowboys.com and in Old Navy stores. Five percent of its proceeds goes toward cancer research.
Click here to learn more about the Dallas Cowboys’ partnership with Susan G. Komen for the Cure and the “I Promise” campaign—a campaign that doesn’t stop with Breast Cancer Awareness Month’s end, but continues year-round.
RELATED POST ON THE BOYS ARE BACK BLOG:
PINK RIBBON KICKOFF: Tonight game marks the beginning of the NFL’s Breast Cancer Awareness month
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES:
Below are several local programs and services funded by the Dallas County Affiliate of Susan G. Komen for the Cure®. Additionally, Susan G. Komen for the Cure® works closely with a number of breast health agencies, organizations and companies to identify all the possible resources to support a woman through her breast cancer treatment.
Resources available in the Dallas area vary from getting your mammogram, identifying a breast cancer support group to even securing financial assistance as you go through your breast cancer treatment.
The American Cancer Society Dallas
1-800-651-4911 Website: http://www.cancer.org/
Bridge of Blessings
214-714-1077 Website: http://www.bridgeofblessings.org/
The Bridge Breast Network
877-258-1396 Website: http://www.bridgebreast.org/
Methodist Health Systems
214-947-0026 Website: http://methodisthealthsystem.org
Methodist Richardson Medical Center – Asian Breast Health Outreach Project
972-498-8601 Website: http://www.asianbreasthealth.org/
Parkland Health & Hospital System
Website: http://www.parklandhospital.com/
Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Dallas
214-345-2598
UT Southwestern Medical Center of Dallas – Center for Breast Care
866-277-0710
YWCA Women’s Health Services
214-584-2305 Website: http://www.ywcadallas.org/
Susan G. Komen for the Cure® Grants Program
1-877 GO KOMEN 1-877-465-6636 Website: http://www.komen.org/
EDITORS COMMENT: Nearly everyone knows someone that has faced cancer or survived it. Who do you know?
IN MEMORY: Angela Lynn Knight (1964-2000)
PINK RIBBON KICKOFF: Tonight game marks the beginning of the NFL’s Breast Cancer Awareness month
IRVING, Texas – In addition to being the Dallas Cowboys’ first Monday Night Football game of the season and the first football contest of October, Monday’s matchup will also support a greater cause.
The game against the Bears will be dedicated to breast cancer awareness, and will include a halftime show with 250 survivors and 250 Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders alumni and dancers.
Before the game, Cirque Du Soleil will be performing three mini-acts from its critically acclaimed “Kooza” show on the East Plaza stage at 6:45 p.m. for 15 minutes at Cowboys Stadium. Other entertainment in the East Plaza will include the piano playing of Jason Dee Williams and his band from 7:10-7:40 p.m.
A free zip line and mechanical bull ride are among the new additions provided in the expanded Kids Zone in the West Plaza this year. Also included are more inflatable games, face painting, balloon animals and the Play 60 kids’ workout area.
The Texas Boys Choir, comprised of 50 youth members from Fort Worth, will sing the national anthem.
In sticking with the theme of breast cancer awareness and breast cancer awareness month, players, coaches, cheerleaders and officials will wear pink on their uniforms during the game.
Every home game will have its own theme, with Halloween coming next for the Oct. 28 matchup against the Giants.
RELATED ARTICLES ON THE BOYS ARE BACK BLOG:
The Dallas Cowboys and Detroit Lions promote Breast Cancer Awareness Month in the NFL
THINK PINK: Dallas Cowboys’ Laurent Robinson spiked football against Eagles for boy battling cancer
EDITORS COMMENT: Nearly everyone knows someone that has faced cancer or survived it. Who do you know?
IN MEMORY:
Angela Lynn Knight (1964-2000) … sister, daughter, and mother of three daughters
PINK PROFITGATE–OVER REACTION: Dallas Cowboys remain relevant even without the wins; Mac Engel critical of Jerry Jones’ money making flair
One week after the Dallas Cowboys re-unveiled the five banners that celebrate their glorious Super Bowl past, they will open a store that says everything you need to know about what they are today.
Every single time we think the Dallas Cowboys are returning to their core values of winning football as the primary means to make more money, they remind us a "W" is no longer as vital as the $.
On Monday, a few hours before the Cowboys host the Bears, Cowboys Stadium will become the first professional sports arena to house a Victoria’s Secret store.
Next up: The Gap, Starbucks, Best Buy and Frederick’s of Hollywood.
This is a joke that isn’t a joke.
The Cowboys should not be providing any potential punch lines that aid in questioning their toughness or suggest that they — cough, cough — play like a bunch of girls.
The good news is that finally a fan can go to a Cowboys game, buy a Cowboys hat and a pair of Cowboys "Huddle Up" panties for $10.50. A pair of Dallas Cowboys underwear is far cheaper than a parking spot for a Dallas Cowboys game.
The bad news is that this Victoria’s Secret "PINK" store is only going to carry Dallas Cowboys-themed merchandise, including yoga bras, lace panties, T-shirts, sweatshirts and sweatpants.
Jerry Jones, if you are going to consummate this marriage between the Dallas Cowboys and Victoria’s Secret, you must go all in. With just a little cross marketing, there are far greater opportunities than just T-shirts and sweatshirts.
I can’t make these up: Victoria’s Secret offers "The Showstopper" bra, "Dream Angel" panties, "Dream Angel" perfect coverage bra and "Boy Shorts" panties. The pun possibilities are endless.
The franchise that was always so far in front of the professional sports curve remains that way because no team understands its current landscape better than the Cowboys.
The reason the Cowboys have those five Super Bowl banners is because, at that time, winning was the way to national relevance and revenue. You had to be good.
Former Cowboys president Tex Schramm believed the best money spent on marketing was on scouting.
The world is a much different place than the one Tex operated in, or even the one Jerry bought into.
The reason the Cowboys are today valued by Forbes at an NFL-high $2.1 billion is because they recognize and have fully exploited the reality that being relevant is as potentially lucrative as being good.
Look no further than Jerry’s recent comments regarding the replacement officials in the NFL. He thought it was good entertainment, and exciting, and it was. But "good" or "right" had no place in the conversation because quality did not matter.
In the entertainment world, and that’s what professional sports is, relevance serves as an effective impostor for quality.
If you can’t win, you must create other areas of interest to remain relevant, and more lucrative. No team loses and yet retains its relevance any better than the Cowboys.
In lieu of winning games, there may not be a better way of creating relevance in pro sports these days than girls who don’t wear a lot of clothes.
The franchise that changed the landscape of NFL sidelines by adding professional cheerleaders — officially combining sex and sports — now brings us Victoria’s Secret to a stadium. The Cowboys are the first, and you know they will not be the last.
Smack your head and curse Jerry if you must, and go ahead and laugh at the Victoria’s Secret Cowboys.
You can’t say Jerry Jones is Bengals owner Mike Brown and that he doesn’t care about winning. For Jerry, making a deal or making a ton of coin is akin to defeating the Redskins, Giants or Bears. It all brings the juice.
Today it is a Victoria’s Secret store and a cameo on the TV show The League. In a month or two, it will be a casino, or sponsoring a space station.
Until the Cowboys really win, they will be defined by their ability to always be relevant.
Ever since Jerry bought the team, the Dallas Cowboys have remained relevant because of their ability to win, the personalities of their players and their coaches, through tradition and now because of bra and panties.
Mac Engel | Ft. Worth Star-Telegram
EDITORS COMMENTS: Tex Schramm was no slouch when it came to marketing. Jerry Jones benefits from Tex’s foresight. Who do you think was in charge when the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders came into existence? Jerry’s no fool. He’s going to put money in his pocket when he has an opportunity … then, he’s going to sign players within the confines of the NFL salary cap. Jerry Jones has taken what Tex Schramm built (America’s Team and all that it encompasses) and ran with the ball (pardon the pun). I have no issue with whatever JJ does to enhance the venue. Cowboys Stadium is a gameday experience and showcase … utilized eight days (or nights) a year (plus playoffs and special events). Do whatever it takes to draw attention, make money, stay in the publics mind. The wins will come … just like they have five times in the past.
To question Jerry Jones’ desire and commitment to win is ridiculous … both at the bank, and on the field. The NFL and the Dallas Cowboys are about MORE than sports, it’s sports entertainment. We’re getting what we pay for. Ask fans in the other 31 NFL cities … who offers the best NFL experience in the country?
There have been two GM’s in Dallas Cowboys history. Tex made the block, and Jerry ran for the touchdown.
Never forget who we are … and what we are. Mostly, we’re dudes. Watching a game of grime and grind. If a hardworking guy takes his girl to the game, has a cold beer, sports a new hat and jersey, stands up – raises hell, and hooks her up with something (naughty or nice) from the Victoria’s Secret store. Who really benefits here? I say, it’s win-win. Let the games begin.
FICKLE FANS: Dallas Cowboys 16-10 win over Tampa Bay one of worst-rated games in recent memory
Cowboys-Buccaneers earned a 28.5 rating in Dallas-Fort Worth, making it the lowest rated, non-Christmas-day regular-season Sunday afternoon game of the last two seasons. The 28.5 on KDFW (Channel 4) translates into 737,580 homes.
The game peaked at a 33.2 (859,216 homes) from 3 p.m. to 3:15 p.m.
For what it’s worth, the Rangers-Mariners began at 3:10 p.m. with a rating for that first quarter hour of 0.4 (11,400 homes). The Rangers audience built from there and finished with a 4.5 average (116,460 homes).
EDITORS RANT: Someday, Dallas area fans may discover the “12th Man” concept. Traditionally, the crowds at Dallas Cowboy games are among the quietest in the league. Pathetic. The Dallas Cowboys are taken for granted, in many cases. NFL fans in other major markets would LOVE to have the ‘boys in their backyard! I’d like to see people filling the seats that are willing to actually stand up and raise their voices! It’s not a ‘who’s who’ or a corporate board room … it’s a GAME!
Texas has always prided itself as being the ‘biggest and the best”. You have the biggest and best stadium in the country! You have a franchise respected around the world. Why don’t we hear some Texas-sized loud mouthed hell raising? This should be the loudest stadium in the country. Wake up. Who knows, you might even get seen on the big screen!
Other teams view Cowboys Stadium as THEIR home turf! Doesn’t that bother you?
TEXAS SIZED TAILGATE: Pregame activities expand in Cowboys Stadium plazas
Dallas Cowboys games are no longer just four quarters of football. Going to AT&T Stadium is an all-day event, a celebration that starts hours before the first kickoff. Parking lots will fill, grills will be fired up, families and friends will unite as Arlington, Texas, becomes a canvas of blue and silver.
But the lots won’t be the only place fans can eat, drink and prepare for every home matchup this year, with pregame activities planned four hours before kickoff on the East Plaza and two hours before kickoff on the West Plaza.
“Everything out in both our plazas is free,” says Matt Coy, executive producer of event presentation for the team. “We don’t charge for anything except food and beverage. We make sure the East Plaza is more of a 21 and up, fun tailgate crowd. The West Plaza is more for families. That’s all ages. We have the Kids Zone out there.”
The East Plaza at the stadium will feature a “Cowboys Tailgate Party,” with food and drink discounts and specials, including $4 sausages and hamburgers, $3 hot dogs and $3 beers and bottled waters to wash them down.
Fans can get autographs and photos with the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders and enjoy performances by the cheerleaders, the Rhythm & Blue Dancers, the Rhythm & Blue Drumline and the Rhythm & Blue Break Boys Dancers.
“We program out there four hours before kickoff, until kickoff,” Coy says. “Then we have a DJ out there. Sometimes we’ll play PlayStation and Madden on one of the four big screens.”
Sybil Summers from 105.3 FM “The Fan” hosts the Cowboys’ entertainment stage, which will feature DJ SC and special guest entertainers and performers.
Prizes, including game-used helmets and jerseys, will be doled out to winners of games and contests. Fans can compete in a bag-toss tournament, washer tournament, karaoke contest, dance contests and more.
Of course, the pregame festivities aren’t limited to adults. The Kids Zone in the West Plaza allows children the opportunity to receive free face painting and balloon animals. And, the games aren’t limited to adults in the East Plaza, either. The West Plaza’s Kids Zone offers six free inflatable rides and games, including a quarterback toss, field goal kicking game, obstacle course and bounce houses.
Stilt walkers and jugglers will demonstrate their skills, and Rowdy will even make his way over. While beer will be available in the East Plaza, kids can sip on free hot cocoa for cold days or cold water on hot days on the West side.
Coy says the event presentation team amped the pregame activities up last year, and are continuing to expand and develop new ideas and activities this season.
“This year, we’re adding two new things,” Coy says. “We’re adding two zip lines, so any family members, kids or older, can go on a zip line across the plaza for free. Then we’re also adding a mechanical bull ride for all ages that’s also free.”
The cheerleaders will also sign autographs and take photos with the kids in the West Plaza, though they likely won’t be trying the zip line.
Every home contest for the Cowboys will include a different theme, with corresponding games and activities, including a U.S. Apache helicopter, a tank and flight simulators for the Military Appreciation Game on Nov. 18.
The season began with a celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month for the home opener, while the Week 4 matchup against the Bears is promoting Breast Cancer awareness. The list goes on as the season progresses, the themes also featuring Halloween (Oct. 28), Thanksgiving (Nov. 22), First Responder Appreciation (Dec. 2), an NFL Hall of Fame Ceremony (Dec. 16) and the holidays (Dec. 23).
“We’ve got Santa Claus, reindeer, elves and photo opportunities and gifts for the kids,” Coy says of the team’s plans for the final home game. “We do a bunch of stuff on Christmas. The other games, like the Military and the First Responder Appreciation games, those we have a lot of static displays.”
Whether fans choose to partake in the contests, games, drinks, food, prizes or pregame entertainment, there will be plenty of fun available in the West and East plazas throughout the season.
SILVER & BLUE DEBUT: Spontaneous on-field adjustments at Cowboys Stadium tonight
When the unexpected happens on the football field, coaches call it “sudden change.”
The best teams rise to the moment and meet the challenge, whether that means a defense keeping an opposing offense out of the end zone after a short-field turnover or an offense capitalizing on a long punt return and scoring a touchdown while momentum is on its side.
Fans who watched the Cowboys go through tonight’s Silver & Blue Debut at Cowboys Stadium saw the team respond to a lot of unscripted moments, whether it was a beat-the-clock drive by the offense or a defense suddenly forced to into a goal-line situation after an imaginary turnover declared by coach Jason Garrett.
Defensive coordinator Rob Ryan said the spontaneous work was good for the team.
“Jason put in a lot of situations where no one knew them,” Ryan said. “Coaches had to react to them. Players had to react to them. So it was really good. A lot of good work.”
Ryan said players also enjoyed seeing the thousands of fans who showed up to watch the free practice in Arlington.
“It’s fun to get back here in front of the loyal crowd that’s here,” Ryan said. “We’ve got a lot of big things to get done and we’re working hard to get them done.”
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Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders perform before the 2012 Dallas Cowboys Silver & Blue Debut crowd.
HOT SEAT II: Jerry Jones sits down with Bonnie-Jill Laflin
Sitting down with Jerry Jones at Dallas Cowboys training camp in Oxnard, Calif., I’m greeted with simple southern hospitality that’s extended to anyone he meets. That holds true whether the person is a current member of the Cowboys family or a former Cowboys cheerleader like myself.
Jones’ business savvy, along with the power of the Cowboys franchise and its brand, makes him one of the most powerful owners in sports.
We recently discussed his background, Cowboys Stadium and his appearance on "Dallas” in an interview for ESPN Playbook.
How did you enjoy your guest appearance on the new “Dallas”?
They’ve done a great job with this "Dallas." We all know what "Dallas" meant years ago. I enjoyed my scene with J.R. Ewing (Larry Hagman), but I’m particularly excited that they showed different perspectives, different views of the stadium. I especially liked the scene with the helicopter flying into the stadium. I personally walked off the measurements and had the helicopter pad put in.
What is your favorite part of the stadium?
The Glass. I spent hundreds of hours looking at models that would show 40, 50 and up to 90 feet of glass in some places. But inside the glass is a material that is denser on the bottom and less dense on the top. This material allows the glass to reflect the actual color of the sky on that particular day. If it’s a grey cloudy day, then the stadium will have a silvery-grey appearance. If it’s a bluebird day, it will be blue.
We all know Cowboys football is 24/7 for you, but besides football, what other interests do you have?
Hunting. Before the Cowboys, I would take my business [clients] on Thanksgiving and go into the darkest spots in Arkansas. I would grow a beard and not come out till Santa Claus came.
Most people associate you with Arkansas or Texas, but…
I was actually born in Southern California and I’m a favorite son of El Segundo. I have so many cousins out here, and they say, "But Jerry, we don’t sound like you." My family moved to Springfield, Mo., when I was in college, and they still have holdings and a ranch there.
Can you talk about your relationship with the "triplets" — Troy Aikman, Emmitt Smith and Michael Irvin — and how close you are with them today?
Those relationships developed right when I first came into the NFL. I was 45 when I bought the Cowboys, so there was 20 years difference in age. One of the reasons I do what I do is because I don’t look in the mirror and think, "I’m your age" or the players’ age, although sometimes I act it. I take some of the things that have happened to me and, as a friend, share my experiences. Troy is a great friend. Michael and I have an outstanding relationship. He asked me to introduce him when he was enshrined into the Hall of Fame. We have a real bond. As for Emmitt, I can remember like it was yesterday when he came to me and asked if he could slide into the back of the office and listen to me on the phone on his breaks during training camp. He was hoping to be exposed to some of the business aspects of the sports industry. At first I was a little hesitant, but then it worked out and he did it for several years.
How important are cheerleaders to the Dallas Cowboys brand?
The cheerleaders have represented us well. They have entertained our troops and have done more USO Tours than Bob Hope. We don’t have any part of the Cowboys legacy that is as well respected as the cheerleaders. Our cheerleaders’ appearances on battleships and behind the lines boost the morale of our troops. Of all of my "sweet nothings," and I call them my "sweet nothings," the biggest stack of letters of letters I have in my files are from people with 15-to-20 years of service, after seeing our cheerleaders and how much it meant to them.
Bonnie-Jill Laflin is a former NFL cheerleader and wrote this exclusively for ESPN.com.
The Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders versus the Playboy Bunnies
I can’t believe Hollywood hasn’t made a movie yet with that title. (Shot in IMAX 3D.)
The August issue of The Dallas Morning News style magazine, FD Luxe, dips back in time to Dallas’ fabled Playboy Club. The club lasted from 1977 to about 1982 on the second floor of Expressway Tower at Central Expressway and SMU (formerly Yale) Boulevard. The Dallas Cowboys team offices shared the same building — and yes, they were regulars. Superstar players Tony Dorsett and Ed “Too Tall” Jones were frequent patrons, according to Karen Kurch, better known in those days as Bunny Twinky.
One surprise I found was that, according to former bunny Karen Drennan, there was a well-known rivalry between the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders and the Playboy bunnies: “It became a little war. They were jealous of us. You could do a job that paid $15 a game or $300 a night. You pick.”
I’m visualizing pompoms and cocktail glasses being hurled back and forth.
PHOTO: The Dallas Playboy Club at Expressway Tower, near SMU, in 1980. The Dallas Cowboys team offices were also there. The building now houses SMU school offices. (Eliot Kamenitz | Dallas Morning News)
Courtesy: Christopher Wynn
RELATED: An insiders’ view of the frisky club from 1977 to 1982 —
Smoke curled in the air. The neon bunny sign was lit. Buxom beauties adjusted their satin ears. Dallas’ fabled Playboy Club was a surprisingly wholesome pleasure den (no nudity or touching allowed) that lasted five years on the second floor of Expressway Tower at Central Expressway and SMU (formerly Yale) Boulevard. The Dallas Cowboys team offices shared the same building — yes, they were regulars. Superstar players Tony Dorsett and Ed “Too Tall” Jones were especially frequent patrons, recalls Karen Kurch, better known in those days as Bunny Twinky. Now in her 50s and living in Ohio, Twinky says it was the best gig of her life, and lucrative: “Getting hundred-dollar-bill tips was commonplace.”
Twinky used a nickname because Dallas already had a Bunny Karen — Karen Criswell Drennan, whose father is former TV news anchor John Criswell. Karen was only 17 when she lied about her age to get into the open casting call. She beat out hundreds of women from across Texas to snag a spot when the club opened in 1977. “In the years I was there, I only had my tail grabbed twice,” she says, “and both times the bouncers threw those customers out on their ears.”
In its heyday, the Dallas club reportedly had more than 50,000 key holders. West Coast real estate mogul (and former Marine Corps sniper) Carroll Davis bought the Dallas franchise in 1981 and later the San Diego club. Both closed in bankruptcy in 1982. For a time, Davis was reportedly the only person besides Hugh Hefner to own more than one Playboy Club. These days, SMU owns Expressway Tower and uses it for office space. And Bunny Karen? She left Dallas for Hollywood when the club shuttered, snagging small bits in films, such as Scarface. (“You see me get shot in the Babylon Club.”) Today, she teaches algebra at a private Christian school in Flower Mound. Karen doesn’t shy away from her Playboy past. “It was such good money for such little work. Except for the shoes — oh, pointed toes, spiked heels. We used to pay the busboys to massage our feet at the end of the night.”
THE NAUGHTY BITS: Former Dallas bunnies and the longtime Playboy Club maître d’ spill it.
- “When Hugh Hefner visited the club, he had his entourage stand around and flash him with strobes so that when they shot video, it looked like he was being mobbed by photographers.” — former maître d’ “Big” Dan Nolte of Plano
- On the famous rivalry between the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders and the Playboy bunnies: “It became a little war. They were jealous of us. You could do a job that paid $15 a game or $300 a night. You pick.” — Bunny Karen
- Sure, the signature Bunny Dip was a ladylike and cleavage-protecting way to serve cocktails, but Bunny Twinky (who shared a house off Greenville Avenue with bunnies Crystal and Cinnamon) says there was also a ritual for presenting cigarettes on a tray: “Open the pack, light one up and slip it halfway back into the pack, filter side in.”
- The most generous tip the maître d’ ever received was a gold watch. He later sold it to buy a wedding ring for his future wife.
Courtesy: Christopher Wynn
RELATED: Former Dallas Cowboys player recalls Playboy Club romps
Former Dallas Cowboys offensive tackle Ralph Neely, also known as number 73, played 13 seasons and 172 games for the Cowboys from 1965 to 1977. And he apparently loved to burn off steam after a night on the field.
According to his email to me: “We had parties there after games, wives included!”
You have to love a supportive spouse. What’s he up to these days? Neely writes: “Trying to do as little as possible. My wife and I spend our free time scuba diving all over the World. … Feel free to use my statement, most of us are so old we can’t remember. Or is it the concussions?”
Courtesy: Christopher Wynn
DCC: Training camp squad announced
The 2012 Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders Training Camp Squad was announced at the conclusion of final auditions. This year’s squad consists of 20 returning veterans and 25 rookies.
2012 Show Group
The 2012 Show Group was selected last week during training camp. This year’s group features 10 veterans and 4 training camp candidate alternates.
The Show Group is a selection of the most versatile and accomplished dancers. They perform their elaborately costumed and fully choreographed musical variety show, "America & Her Music" at various conventions and events throughout the year. The Show Group also travels overseas for an annual USO tour.
Dallas Cowboy Cheerleader 2012 Show Group Veterans:
Whitney Isleib; Sydney Durso; Cassie Trammell; Melissa Kellerman; Mia Greenhouse; Meagan McVay; Jackie Bob; Lauren Williams; Holly Arielle; and Brittney Schram
This will be the 4th year in the Show Group for Whitney and Cassie, 3rd year for Sydney, Meagan and Mia, and 2nd year for Jackie, Melissa and Holly. This is the first year in the Show Group for Lauren and Brittney.
Training Camp Candidate Alternates:
Jacie Veronica; Olivia Rene; Jenna Lene; and Jennifer Alexis
SUMMER SIZZLE: Dallas Cowboys’ team magazine puts out cheerleader swimsuit issue
Summertime doesn’t just mean training camp and preseason games for the Dallas Cowboys. It also means swimsuits and cheerleaders, as the June edition of the team magazine proves.
Tweets from various Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders accounts promoted the latest issue of Dallas Cowboys Star, the official magazine of the NFL team. Lauren, we read, made this year’s cover.
Editions can be found at specific Albertson’s stores, some Barnes and Noble stores and some Hasting stores, according to tweets from the magazine, as well as the Cowboys’ online store in the upcoming days.
56-year-old grandmother trying to be Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader gets tryout (and marriage proposals)
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Sharon Simmons, a grandmother of two from Carrollton, hopes at age 56 to be the oldest Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader when she tries out with hopefuls half her age Saturday at Valley Ranch, according to CBSDFW.com. But even though she seeks a spot on one of the most popular entertainment group’s in the world, she couldn’t believe the attention her quest received when she made it public months ago.
"Holy cow, in less than 24 hours after that story broke, it was everywhere!" Simmons said to the site. "No, I was not prepared for that."
With three marriage proposals coming from the popularity of the story, Simmons decided to limit the publicity of her attempt but not her fitness preparation. She attends weekly dance classes at Plano’s KJ Dance Studio, learning from a former Cowboys cheerleader who knows how difficult the process is. She also takes on a private lesson a week and a weekly trip to another studio for more training.
The physical commitment is nothing new for the author and fitness expert, but the choreography is a unique challenge.
"It’s nothing like fitness, nothing at all," Simmons said. "With this, the choreography is so fast. Our instructor will show us two or three times, and then it’s like, ‘Okay, let’s get it!’"
Click PLAY to watch video (external site). Opens in a new page.
DALLAS COWBOYS: A tradition of supporting our troops … home and abroad
NFL player Jason Witten-Dallas Cowboys poses for a photo with Cowboys fans on top of a Humvee proudly displaying a Cowboys flag, which Witten later autographed.
The Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders are perhaps the most prolific of celebrity entertainment tour participants the USO has out there right now. Their tireless support of Troops and families has manifest itself in 70 tours, and they show no sign of putting away their pom-poms any time soon! This anniversary photo features the cheerleaders in action during a Navy show in 1983. Check out that view!
From Fred Baker III, American Forces Press Service: ”The ceremony began much as any typical military procession does – with troops called to formation.
Legendary former Dallas Cowboys quarterback Roger Staubach lights the ceremonial torch at the inaugural Warrior Games at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colo., May 10, 2010. Staubach is a U.S. Naval Academy graduate and Vietnam veteran. Athletes from each of the services will compete in archery, cycling, basketball, shooting, swimming, track and field and volleyball during the week-long games.
Read the entire article HERE! Enjoy
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