ARLINGTON, Texas – They are the symbols of Dallas Cowboys excellence, figuratively part of the fabric of Dallas' five Super Bowl titles and literally … well, literally fabric.
They've been in storage for three years after having made the trip across the Metroplex from old Texas Stadium to new Cowboys Stadium in Arlington. And finally they are out of mothballs and flapping in the (air-conditioned) breeze of Jerry Jones' glorious new $1.2 billion building just in time for the Cowboys' Sunday home opener against Tampa Bay.
Super Bowl VI (1-16-72) -- Dallas 24, Miami Dolphins 3.
Super Bowl XII (1-15-78)-- Dallas 27, Denver Broncos 10.
Super Bowl XXVII (1-31-93) -- Dallas 52, Buffalo Bills17.
Super Bowl XXVIII (1-30-94) -- Dallas 30, Buffalo 13.
Super Bowl XXX (1-28-96) -- Dallas 27, Pittsburgh Steelers 17.
The participants have their rings. The team has its trophies. But the fans? What they have, along with the sweet memories of Landry's leadership and Jimmy's genius, are the banners. Banners for 80,000 people to see in person every weekend, banners for millions of people to cherish when they get a glimpse on TV.
Why has it taken so long for the banners to get out of mothballs? Sources tell us the team initially planned to construct a "Cowboys Museum'' as part of the new facility, and that the banners were intended to hang there. Instead, of course, the entire stadium is a museum, a monument … and now the decision has been made to put the banners at the centerpoint of the building, hanging from the rafters and above the playing field. As you can see by the photo released on Thursday night by 105.3 The Fan, the banners are in place.
And the world will relish in them come Sunday.
It's an old New York Yankees slogan, a baseball saying. But it applies to the Cowboys and, finally, to Cowboys Stadium starting with their re-unveiling on Sunday:
Flags fly forever.
