America's Team

I frequently argue with people about the Cowboys franchise and the almost unmatched history of excellence.  This is what we grew up with, and why this last 15 years is so painful.

Here are the years that the Cowboys made it to at least the NFC championship game:

1966 - NFL championship game
1967 - NFL championship game
1968 - Eastern Conference championship game
1969 - Eastern Conference championship game
1970 - Super Bowl
1971 - Super Bowl (champs)
1972 - NFC championship game
1973 - NFC championship game
1975 - Super Bowl
1977 - Super Bowl (champs)
1978 - Super Bowl
1980 - NFC championship game
1981 - NFC championship game
1982 - NFC championship game

Taking stock here, the Cowboys reached at least the conference championship game in 14 of 17 years!  How can you put that into perspective?  Can you imagine the level of excellence to be at worst 1 game away from the NFL championship game 14 out of 17 years?  Extending through the 1985 season, the Cowboys had 20 consecutive winning seasons, won the division 13 out of 20 years, and made the playoffs 18 out of 20.  This was the legacy of Schramm, Landry, and Brandt, and why the Cowboys took their place with the Celtics and Yankees as the best and most valuable franchises in North America.

Then they stumbled onto Jimmy Johnson and made a last charge into history before Jerry the GM took final, total control and steered us off a cliff:

1992 - Super Bowl (champs)
1993 - Super Bowl (champs)
1994 - NFC championship game
1995 - Super Bowl (champs)

Add it up and it's 30 seasons with 18 conference championship game appearances.  Johnson leaves, Jones takes over personnel and it's 16 seasons and counting without getting that far again.

S