Published Friday, January 25, 2008 11:09 AM
Updated Friday, January 25, 2008 11:09 AM

 

Cup 'o Joe

One for the ladies


In the past few weeks, as the 2007-2008 season of the NFL began to wind down, many of us have heard talk of the infamous pink jersey which Jessica Simpson sported during the Dallas Cowboys loss to the Philadelphia Eagles last month.

The jersey - pink with number nine on it - was worn by Simpson to support her boyfriend Tony Romo, who is regarded as an up-and-coming quarterback in today's NFL.

During the game, the cameras often turned their attention to Simpson as she cheered Romo on.

However, much like the cowboys who took on Wyatt Earp and Doc Holiday at the O.K. Corral, Mr. Romo, Miss Simpson and the Dallas Cowboys were headed for trouble.

Tony Romo had the worst game of his career since becoming the starting quarterback for Dallas and the Cowboys racked up their second loss of the season.

For many fans and viewers there was only one person to blame for the Cowboys horrible performance that Sunday afternoon and she was wearing a pink jersey.

In truth, none of us can fault Simpson for the Cowboys loss and Romo's poor performance. The problem is what she was wearing.

The "girly" pink jersey is now regarded as a football fashion faux pas and Simpson has been criticized for wearing it, even though she was trying to show her support for Romo.

Since the loss, Cowboy fans have told Jessica and her wardrobe to stay home.

In the past decade there has been a huge movement of women who have become avid sports fans in an area that was once thought of as a male pastime.

In this new era, both men and women get together to cheer on their favorite teams. Many of us welcome a conversation about sports and enjoy the knowledgeable female presence while watching the game.

I myself have several female friends who test my sports knowledge. I like it when everyone knows who is playing and what's going on in the game. It's much more fun that way.

And such is the beauty of sports - where everyone can be a real fan - and such is the real tragedy of what Jessica Simpson did.

In one day, Simpson nearly set back years of a trend that saw women work toward equality when it comes to following sports.

The simple truth is if you are going to support a team for any reason, wear the right stuff.

When you are trying to decide between the pink jersey that may look cute and the jersey sporting your team's colors, make the right decision. There is a reason teams have team colors, so wear them and leave the pink at home.

It is always important to show support for you favorite team or player, but much like the famous quote, "there is no crying in baseball," there is simply no room for pink in football.