DC9 CREW DID NOT MAKE THE XING RESTR ASSIGNED TO THEM.

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CLRED TO CROSS DALAS INTXN AT 14000 FT. I STARTED DOWN AT THE PROPER POINT; EVEN ADDING A FEW MI FOR TAILWIND. RECLRED TO 12000 FT; THE 'CROSS DALAS AT OR BELOW 14000 FT' WAS ADDED BY CTLR; ALMOST AS AN AFTERTHOUGHT. I HAD SLOWED DSCNT RATE SLIGHTLY WHEN THE CLRNC WAS CHANGED (ELIMINATING THE RESTR); THEN ABOUT THE TIME THE 14000 FT RESTR WAS TACKED ON AGAIN THE CAPT ASKED ME SOMETHING WHICH DIVERTED MY ATTN. WHEN I GOT BACK INTO GEAR I COULD SEE THE TAILWIND HAD PICKED UP AND WE WERE NOW HIGH! I DEPLOYED SPD BRAKES AND MADE MAX DSCNT; BUT BELIEVE WE CROSSED DALAS ABOUT 700 FT HIGH; BUT DSNDING AT ABOUT 4000 FPM. THE CTLR MADE NO COMMENT AND THERE SEEMED TO BE NO CONFLICT. CONTRIBUTING TO THIS IS THE 'STEAM GAUGE' DC9 WITH PRIMITIVE NAV EQUIP. DURING MY 6 1/2 MONTHS ON FURLOUGH (JUST COMPLETED) I WAS SPOILED TO BE BACK IN A GLASS COCKPIT CITATION JET WITH VNAV! I MUST SAY THAT THE CAPT WAS NOT MENTALLY IN THE 'GAME' TO SEE THE RESTR WAS MET BY DIVERTING MY ATTN AT THE MOST CRUCIAL POINT WITH SOMETHING UNIMPORTANT. STILL; IT WAS MY FAULT; BUT I NEEDED BACK-UP THAT I DIDN'T GET!