Saturday, December 27, 2008

Cowboys' Final Curtain at Texas Stadium














So, last Saturday evening, Texas Stadium hosted its last regular season NFL Football game involving the Dallas Cowboys. Hard core fans held out hope that there would be future games during the playoffs, but after the loss to Baltimore, any chance for future home field advantage evaporated. This game saw the final curtain drop on the historic stadium.

ESPN invited Dallas sportswriter and legend, Frank Luksa rank the Top 10 greatest moments in the history of the stadium that involved the Dallas Cowboys. See what Frank thinks here.


I've always been a sports nut to say the least.

Wonder what all stands back of this love of sports and games?

How is it for you?

What has been your experience?

Part of the deal is cultural--you don't grow up in Texas and escape the place of football in the society. Texas high school football is legendary. I fell into that big time and loved my experience.

But then, it's not just football. It's baseball and, to a lesser extent for me, basketball, as well.

I've read fairly serious analyses of the impact of sport on community well-being, cohesiveness and positive identity.

What do you think about community well-being and sports?

Does sport help or hurt community unity?

Or, is it really no factor? Is the supposed benefit just wishful thinking or a convenient urban myth?

In any event, next year Jerry and the 'Boys move into their extravagant new digs in Arlington, right next door to the home of the Texas Rangers.

It is my opinion that football arenas on this scale end up not really helping the economic health of communities, certainly not low-income communities. Further, the relative return on investment to overall community economic development and improvement dollar for dollar is much greater for more routine projects, such as single-family housing, infrastructure development and improvements and new school construction.

What is your take on this issue?

I have to admit, I watched the Cowboys lose to Baltimore Saturday evening and experienced a bit of nostalgia, even though I never really liked the building that much. As with most things, its about the people, the memories and the togetherness, not so much the material stuff.

Am I the only "sports-oholic" who remains concerned about urban renewal, community development and economic justice?

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