The carry-on by the Cowboys has been such a poor look, I predict they will greatly regret it sooner rather than later.
The Cowboys have enjoyed quite widespread popularity among fans in general, dating particularly from their gallant finals charge in 2004. Since then they have built on that admiration through their trademark spectacular play (largely thanks to the brilliant career of Matt Bowen) in combination with the fact they don't actually win anything, and aren't likely to.
The wailing and whinging that has flowed following their exit from the 2012 comp is a timely reminder of what it is to be classy. It's not that. I'm quite prepared to concede they did not get the rub of the green, but - seriously – so what? Too bad. Manly was undoubtedly the better team on the night.
We don't get much practice at losing nowadays, but the Cowboys' poor reaction is a timely reminder that a display of good sportsmanship in defeat is something that is long remembered, but poor sportsmanship if anything is remembered even longer.
I don't expect we'll need to be good losers, but if (god forbid) we bow out amid some controversial calls, let's try to be a little classier than the Cows. Their public goodwill rating has sunk several points since Friday night.
The Cowboys have enjoyed quite widespread popularity among fans in general, dating particularly from their gallant finals charge in 2004. Since then they have built on that admiration through their trademark spectacular play (largely thanks to the brilliant career of Matt Bowen) in combination with the fact they don't actually win anything, and aren't likely to.
The wailing and whinging that has flowed following their exit from the 2012 comp is a timely reminder of what it is to be classy. It's not that. I'm quite prepared to concede they did not get the rub of the green, but - seriously – so what? Too bad. Manly was undoubtedly the better team on the night.
We don't get much practice at losing nowadays, but the Cowboys' poor reaction is a timely reminder that a display of good sportsmanship in defeat is something that is long remembered, but poor sportsmanship if anything is remembered even longer.
I don't expect we'll need to be good losers, but if (god forbid) we bow out amid some controversial calls, let's try to be a little classier than the Cows. Their public goodwill rating has sunk several points since Friday night.