'It has been a never-ending saga': 49ers fans prepare for another heated match with Cowboys
SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- It is arguably the most famous rivalry in the National Football League. The San Francisco 49ers and Dallas Cowboys have repeatedly met in games where it mattered most. That will happen again on Sunday when the two teams play in the Divisional round.
"It has been a never-ending saga of wanting to beat the Cowboys, and reveling when we can actually stick it to them," said John Farris, a 49ers fan.
Farris and his friend Larry Tallman have been going to games since the 49ers played at Kezar Stadium. They say the rivalry with the Cowboys started back then. The last game the 49ers played at Kezar was a playoff game against the Cowboys. The Cowboys won.
"After that, they moved to Candlestick," Farris said. "They lost that game at Kezar. And the next year they lost the NFC championship game a Candlestick."
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The Cowboys went on to win multiple Super bowls in the 1970s. They earned the title of "America's Team." That team's success came to an end in 1982 when Joe Montana threw a late touchdown pass to Dwight Clark, which became known as "The Catch." The 49ers then won multiple Super Bowls in the 1980s.
"That game changed everything," Tallman said. "When Dwight Clark made that catch, the place erupted. Everyone was going crazy. The game was almost over. We were ahead."
The Cowboys sought revenge in the 90s. They beat San Francisco in the 1992 and 1993 NFC Championship games to go to the Super Bowl. They won both of them.
In 1994, it was the 49ers' turn to answer back. They won the NFC Championship game over Dallas at Candlestick Park. the 49ers would go on to become the first team to win 5 Super bowls. At that time, Dallas and San Francisco were seen as the two best teams in the league.
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"The whole thing was different at that time," Tallman said. "Season tickets were hard to come by. It was becoming more commercial, but the rivalry was still there."
Last year, the 49ers beat the Cowboys in the Wild Card round. They are set to play each other once again. For the longtime fans, they feel confident the 49ers will win.
"I am totally convinced we are going to win on Sunday," Farris said. "We have the better team."
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