Monday, June 8, 2009

Mamas, Do Let Your Sons Grow Up To Be Cowboys

Here is ESPN's list of the top ten Cowboys of all time:

1. Tom Landry
2. Roger Staubach
3. Michael Irvin
4. Bob Lily
5. Emmitt Smith
6. Troy Aikman
7. Tony Dorsett
8. Randy White
9. Don Meredith
10. Drew Pearson

Well, well, well. Tom Landry will, rightly, be associated with the Cowboys forever and he was great. I can't even begin to name all of the innovations that he brought to the game. Nonetheless, when I think of the top ten Cowboys, I think of players. So, for me, Landry isn't on that list. I mean, if Landry is on the list, Tex Schramm should be on the list as well, and maybe even Clint Murchison, who knew enough to hire Landry and Schramm and then leave them alone. So, back to the players. I am glad that Meredith made the list. I remember him in the 60's, when Dallas had both the Cowboys and the Dallas Texans, which ultimately lost the popularity contest, moved to Kansas City and became the Kansas City Chiefs. Anyway, Meredith was the QB of this miserable, untalented expansion team. Much like Archie Manning in New Orleans, Meredith took an absolute beating, game after game. He was incredibly tough and grossly underappreciated. But I think also of Don Perkins, Jethro Pugh, Harvey Martin, Lee Roy Jordan, Chuck Howley, Bob Hayes, Jay Novacek, Charlie Waters, Cliff Harris, Danny White (also underappreciated), Bob Newhouse, Walt Garrison...the list goes on and on. I guess mine would be as follows:

1. Bob Lily
2. Roger Staubach
3. Emmitt Smith
4. Troy Aikman
5. Randy White
6. Drew Pearson
7. Darren Woodson
8. Mel Renfro
9. Don Meredith
10. Michael Irvin

Tomorrow's list could be different. I do love me some Cowboys.

9 comments:

  1. Lilly
    Staubach
    Aikman
    Smith
    Pearson
    Howley
    R. White
    Renfro
    Lee Roy Jordan
    Harvey Martin

    ReplyDelete
  2. Let's not forget that paragon of virtue, Lance Rentzel.

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  3. Lilly
    Aikman
    Staubach
    Meredith
    Smith
    Jordan
    Smith
    Calvin Hill
    Dan Reeves forgotten because of his coaching
    Randy White
    Danny White totally under appreciated.
    also this is a list totally lacking some terrific offensive lineman whose names I cannot remember.

    ReplyDelete
  4. left off for lack of room
    Garrison
    Dorsett
    Irvin
    Charles Haley
    Too Tall
    Ralph Neely
    Duane Thomas ( maybe the most talented back and complete loon)

    ReplyDelete
  5. Baskind wins with Rafael Septien. If I could remember his name I would have included my favorite kicker who happened to not make the team. He was the former light heavweight boxing champion of Zambia and in an early preseason exhibition game he kicked off sprinted down the field was faced with a big lineman eager to hit a kicker, shifted his feet through a right cross and dropped the big goober in one shot. The kicker was of course kicked out of the game but it is still one of the great highlights of Cowboy history.

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  6. Honorable Mention
    Rayfield Wright
    Larry Allen
    Mark Stepnoski
    Billy Joe Dupree
    Darrel Johnson
    Tony Hill (just kidding- alligator armed loser)
    What about Deon Sanders?

    ReplyDelete
  7. I thought about Deion, but since he didn't start out as a Cowboy I didn't count him. And I agree that Darryl Johnston should be in there somewhere. He was a great player, completely unselfish, and smart. He sure helped Smith.

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  8. Jay Novacek? 5 Pro Bowls and 3 Super Bowl victories.

    ReplyDelete