41 Years Ago Today

[Hostile]

Super Bowl V.

Dallas first trip to the big game. On a more personal level, this is the anniversary of the day I became a Cowboys fan.

6 years old, watching the Super Bowl at my Grandpa's house with him, my Dad, and an uncle. I still remember the blue uniforms and that star on the silver helmet.

Truth be told if you were to ask me a second favorite team, it is probably the Colts. For the same reason, it is the day I fell in love with this game. They are also probably the first team I ever hated. Because they won the game.

So many things happened in that game. John Mackey's TD. Was it tipped by Mel Renfro? He swears to this day it was not. So do I. I don't see the trajectory of the ball change. That to me is key.

Dave Manders' recovery of a Duane Thomas fumble on the 1 yard line that was given to Baltimore. I still don't understand that one. He came out of the pile with the football and the Colts were awarded the ball. Could that have changed the outcome? I think so. Dallas scores a TD there, 20-16 or 20-13.

Jim O'Brien's game winning kick. Probably the genesis of my Kicker hatred.

Bob Lilly throwing his helmet 40 yards down the field only to have a Colts rookie bring it back to "Mr. Lilly." That's what he called him. I would have kept the helmet. He respectfully brought it back. Lilly says that humbled him. He regrets throwing the helmet. Says it could have been interpreted as something against the team.

Maybe it could. People see everything differently. It is what makes life so interesting. I saw it as evidence of Mr. Cowboys' passion. To me it is a lasting image of frustration, drive, and even change.

They called this game the Blunder Bowl. In addition to the bad officiating, there were stupid penalties, turnovers, and just all around bad football. In all there were 11 turnovers in the game. Of course that is counting the phantom one that Manders actually did recover. Baltimore committed 7 of the 11 and still won the game. That is a Super Bowl record.

The game was so bad that it is the only time in NFL History that a player from the losing team was named MVP. Our own Chuck Howley. It is an award he has never acknowledged. He isn't alone. Bubba Smith of the Colts refused to wear his Super Bowl ring. He was ashamed of it the game was so bad.

It was the first Super Bowl after the AFL-NFL merger. It is a great memory for this fan despite the loss.

[SaltwaterServr]

If this is the third installment in an unofficial new series from you, I'm liking it.

[Hostile]

Originally Posted by SaltwaterServr

If this is the third installment in an unofficial new series from you, I'm liking it.

If I'm going to try and argue less, I have to focus on the History more. I did blow it yesterday a bit. We won Super Bowl VI on that date. We also lost Super Bowl X. The only date on the calendar where we have played two Super Bowls.

Trivia for anyone who loves that stuff.

[THUMPER]

That game was so heartbreaking for me. We had finally made it to the Super Bowl only to see it frittered away by a bunch of weird plays. Craig Morton was at his worst that day IMO. He consistently overthrew guys when he was excited and he did it several times that game.

The BS fumble recovery by the Colts is one that I will never forgive. The refs didn't even wait to see who had the ball before they simply awarded it to the Colts. Even after Manders came up with the ball they refused to reverse the call. I've hated refs ever since! It wasn't just a bad call it was a travesty of how the rules are supposed to be enforced.

If I would have had a helmet in my hands at the time I would have thrown it too. I remember watching Lilly's helmet flying through the air after his big windup with it. I couldn't have expressed my feelings any better.

It was a poorly played, poorly coached, and poorly officiated game that we STILL should have won.

[DWhite Fan]

Originally Posted by THUMPER

.

The BS fumble recovery by the Colts is one that I will never forgive. The refs didn't even wait to see who had the ball before they simply awarded it to the Colts. Even after Manders came up with the ball they refused to reverse the call. I've hated refs ever since! It wasn't just a bad call it was a travesty of how the rules are supposed to be enforced.

This and the ruling that Renfro had touched the football on Mackey's TD. I still don't buy it

[BoysFanInAustin]

This is also the day Dallas avenged the catch and beat the 49ers 30-20 in the NFC Championship game in 1992...January 17 1993. 19 years ago today.

[rcaldw]

In retrospect I am glad we lost Super Bowl V, because I don't think that Landry makes the switch to Staubach if Morton wins that game. If Landry doesn't make the switch to Staubach, the entire decade of the 70's is different.

Sometimes, hindsight reveals a blessing in defeat.

[Robert_California]

Originally Posted by BoysFanInAustin

This is also the day Dallas avenged the catch and beat the 49ers 30-20 in the NFC Championship game in 1992...January 17 1993. 19 years ago today.

Well there goes the 19 Years Ago Today thread I was meticulously planning. Thanks alot, dude.

[Hostile]

Originally Posted by Robert_California

Well there goes the 19 Years Ago Today thread I was meticulously planning. Thanks alot, dude.

Do it anyway instead of taking this tack.

[Everson24]

This was also the game that made me a Cowboys fan. Although until this year I have often wondered if I would have been better off choosing the Colts. It was a close call for me that day but I chose the star over the horseshoe.