Gov. Chris Christie cheers on his beloved Dallas Cowboys in playoff win

DALLAS (WABC) -- New Jersey Governor Chris Christie said that rooting for the Dallas Cowboys doesn't win him any football friends in the New York/New Jersey area, but it did help him get a prime spot for Sunday's playoff game between Dallas and Detroit.

The Republican governor and potential 2016 presidential contender was caught by television cameras celebrating in the box of Cowboys' owner Jerry Jones on Sunday after Dallas's 24-20 victory over Detroit in the NFL playoffs.

Christie was briefly seen hugging Jones and others after the Cowboys clinched the win. Some on social media joked that Jones appeared to reject Christie's attempt at a high-five before the embrace. Others say Christie has become a good-luck charm for the Cowboys, who next travel to Green Bay to face the Packers in the divisional playoffs.

Christie has taken considerable ribbing about his allegiance to the Cowboys, who are bitter rivals of the Philadelphia Eagles and New York Giants, teams favored by most New Jerseyans.

But the governor - who says he's been a loyal Cowboys fan since he was a child and isn't ashamed of it - took to sports radio again Monday morning to defend the celebratory move that has been replayed again and again since the game.

"It was pandemonium in there," Christie said during a call-in to WFAN's "Boomer & Carton" show. "It's difficult to describe the level of intensity in the Jones box during these games...Believe me, I'm sitting in Jerry Jones' box, how do I feel dissed, exactly?"

He also joked that if the New York Mets, another favored team, were ever to win a playoffs spot or playoff game while he was sitting in owner Fred Wilpon's box, he'd be "hugging everything in sight."

The governor said he's hoping to attend next week's game and revealed he's worn the same lucky orange sweater to the five Cowboys games he's attended, and that Dallas has won every time.

Meanwhile, Twitter is abuzz again after the television footage of Christie celebrating.

The governor's brother, Todd, responded to critics in a Facebook post:

"To all of those non Cowboy fans who have their panties in a ringer because the Governor of NJ is a Cowboys fan---GET A LIFE !!! The Gov has been a Cowboys fan for his entire life and ALL of you would sit with the owner of your favorite team in a heartbeat if given the chance. I'm a Giants fan---we are sitting home for the fourth straight year. Eagles fans---possibly you should worry more about the fact that your sorry ass team has never won a Super Bowl and less about who's rooting for which team. I mean crazy pathetic posts. And for every calorically challenged FB person who posts about the Gov's weight--forget the magic mirror and look at yourself. Weight posts---really?"

(Some information from the Associated Press.)