President has ordered flags flown at half staff.

The Dallas Cowboys played last night for the NFC East division title, which was their only possible route to the playoffs. Somehow, inexplicably, and as far as ESPN and the NFL Network are concerned, inconsolably, they didn’t win — thereby extending their streak of not getting into or winning a playoff game to 17 years (excluding a fluke victory in 2010 over some team that once threw snowballs at Santa Claus.)

But we Americans are still so committed to America’s Team that the sports press knows the Dallas Cowboys are the only subject we have any interest in hearing about, even when their season is over.

We watched the coverage this morning for several hours while we recovered from yesterday’s family Christmas gathering at our house. We heard dozens of compelling theories about why the Cowboys lost, and even more theories about what it will take for the Cowboys to win again.

Fortunately, ESPN also operates a scoreboard website at which you can learn the results of other games that were played yesterday and who is going to the playoffs.

So, what we’re pretty sure of at the moment is that the marquee game Saturday night will be between the New Orleans Saints and the Not-the-Cowboys squad not located in New York. But who cares? It’s all pretty meaningless now, isn’t it?

Whispering… E. A. G. L. E. S.

We’ll see, I guess.