Thinking ahead to tomorrow's showdown in Candlestick brings about memories of what this once-great rivalry used to bring. If the calendar could be rolled back a few decades, Cowboys' fans could recapture the true venom and hatred for the once-despised 49ers. There was a time when this match-up brought out more vindictiveness than any of the Cowboys' division contests. Plain and simple, the 49ers were hated more than any potential opponent to include the Eagles and Redskins. Whether it was Montana or Young at the helm, the contests were traditional blood baths, and while it didn't necessarily start with the particular play, it was "The Catch" that gets all blood boiling in the Cowboys Nation. 
All it takes is one ESPN replay, and all the history and hatred quickly escalates to the fandom surface. What kills Cowboys fans more than anything is having to see it EVERY SINGLE TIME these two square off against each other. Tomorrow will be no exception.
Yesteryear, these two clubs emulated "elite" status. It was the Cowboys, 49ers and everyone else. The AFC was almost an afterthought. No offense to that conference whatsoever, but what made Cowboys vs. 49ers great was
top-down spite. Each ownership and front office team absolutely hated the other. The DeBartolo/Carmen Policy combination was despised as much as Montana, Rice, Clark, Young, Watters, Romanowski and Merton Hanks. The mere mention of any of the Bay Bandits brought bile and general unrest. The competitive nature of both these organizations was so strong that it took the Jerry Jones pilfering of both Charles Haley and Deion Sanders to ratchet up Advantage Cowboys. The pre-game rumble in the '93 NFC Championship Game, following the Heineken-induced Jimmy Johnson proclamation and guarantee of a 3-inch letter win, was the absolute pinnacle of the Hatfields and McCoys grudge battles of the many years. 
Strolls down memory lane can be nothing but waxing-nostalgia, but they bring about some tremendous reminders of this once-storied marquee match-up. Now, both programs are looking to revitalize themselves into championship contenders. A ton of work is needed within each organization, but both are currently-manned by young, innovative and extremely-smart Head Coaches. 
Give Jason Garrett and Jim Harbaugh a little time to craft their magic, and each proud and successful franchise could be on their way back to annual contention status. The heart and soul of the 49ers resides in their LB corps, and Patrick Willis is a one-man wrecking ball. In order for the Cowboys to have success, they're going to have to get Willis blocked with consistency so they can attempt to spring Felix Jones into the third layer of the 49ers defense. It's going to take an effective and efficient running game to wear down the strength of the 49ers ball club. 
Quarterback is a huge unknown for Harbaugh, and Rob Ryan should be able to dial-up some nerve-tingling schemes to keep the 49ers out of rhythm all day long. This is a "must" take care of business game for the Dallas Cowboys. It doesn't have to be anywhere near spectacular, but Dallas must leave the Bay area with a win and looking ahead to NFC East football. The NFL is a game of short, very short, memories, and it's hoped that the entire 53-man roster has had the Jets game etch-a-sketched from their minds. Jason Garrett preached it all week long, and it's a safe bet there are no lingering thoughts of Week 1. It won't be anywhere near the contests of past years, but there's no better time to renew ill-will than right here, right now.
