The One Cowboy Ex-Player You Find It Hard to Forgive

DFWJC

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Easily Jackie Smith for me. We likely won’t that SB if he makes that catch. Not sure what you’d be upset with Dez in the GB game. He made a spectacular play. Too bad the refs took that win away from us.
Although I forgive him—we all make mistakes as humans—that one single play wins if we’re counting the magnitude of the game and play.

An easy catch for a possible game-winning TD in the Super Bowl.
Yikes
 

cowboyec

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Phil Pozderac - Remember that name.

This right tackle singlehandedly reversed the Dallas Cowboys 20 year dynasty.

He is the one most responsible for the firing of Tom Landry.

He opened the door for the Giant's success in the late eighties to the early nineties, launching the legendary careers of both Bill Parcells and Bill Belicek.

He unleashed the stench of losing Cowboy seasons.

Perhaps I'm exaggerating. You may even think that I'm being rather harsh......You be the judge.

I give you "The Dark Legend of Phil Pozderac".

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It's 1986 and the Cowboys have received glorious news. The U.S.F.L. has folded, meaning that the game's most dynamic RB is now free to enter the NFL and play for the team with the foresight to draft him, despite the risk of the new league succeeding. That player is Herschel Walker and the team is the Dallas Cowboys. Paired with Tony Dorsett, the Cowboys now feature a running game with the two best RB's on the planet.

The Cowboys last 20 seasons have all been winning seasons and the acquisition of Walker practically guarantees a continuation of this success. Besides getting Walker, the Cowboys are excited about their new #1 draft pick, a speedy receiver by the name of Mike Sherrard. Both Walker and Sherrard have olympic speed.

Eight games into the season the Cowboys have the #1 offense in points scored, #2 in yards. The defense is #9 in least opponent points, #7 in allowed yards.

Game #9 is against the Giants who are 6-2. The Cowboys are 6-2. After eight games the Cowboy QB, Danny White, is ranked 2nd in passer rating. The Cowboys are firing on all cylinders.

The Cowboys had beaten the Giants earlier in the season 31-28. A victory for the Cowboys would therefore give them a two game lead over the Giants. The Giants are coached by Bill Parcells, his DC is Bill Belicek.

Phil Pozderac, five year Cowboy veteran, is the starting right tackle with a propensity for being penalized. However, in this game, Pozderac takes it to a new level. In fact, as Madden notes, he is the catalyst for an NFL record for penalties in a single drive, the drive that ended up as the most important for the Cowboys that season. Phil Pozderac is the reason that Chaz Green must be listed as only 2nd place in the history of Dallas Cowboy offensive line futility.

Danny White goes down halfway through the 2nd quarter when there is a blitz from Pozderac's side. Keep in mind this is a Giant 3-4 defense. Pozderac did not adjust to the blitz. Danny White is not just lost for the game, he is lost for almost the rest of the season. Enter Steve Pelluar who actually does a pretty decent job....handing the ball to Walker and Dorsett, and passing....to Walker and Dorsett.

Now fast forward to 3 minutes left in the game:

It's 17-14 Giants and the Cowboys manage to bring the ball down to the 35 yard line. Septien is preparing for a field goal just in case. However, the Cowboys execute a perfect swing pass to Newsome who takes it down to the 6. The Cowboys are in business!.....not!.... Phil Pozdeac is flagged for holding and the play is not only erased, but it takes the ball out of field goal range.

The Cowboys fight back all the way to the Giant 25, it looks as though Septien will get his chance to at least make it an overtime game. Nope! Pozderac is flagged again for holding. Then he misses his man, Marshall, and Pelluar is sacked deep....out of field goal range again.

With 35 seconds left, the Cowboys are now without Dorsett and Walker. Dorsett aggravates a previous injury and then Walker gets beat up. The RB's are now Robert Lavette and Timmy Newsome who fight hard enough to where the Cowboys make it to the 35 of the Giants........but Pozderac is flagged a third time in this drive, this time for illegal motion.

The Cowboys were penalized 9 times for 116 yards. Six of the penalties belong to Pozderac. You can also attribute four sacks to him, one was fumbled. The Cowboys had a 150 yard advantage, almost double the first downs, ten more minutes in possession....and they lose.

The loss combined with White's injury puts the Cowboys in a slow excruciating tailspin The following week Pelluar is the new starter and he is harassed by the Raider line to the tune of 5 INT's. The Cowboys are penalized 9 times. Pozderac contributes to this stat. The Cowboys lose by 4 points while again leading in yardage and 1st downs.

the Cowboys go on to lose 5 of their last 6 games and end up 7-9, the first losing season in 21 years, the first of three losing seasons that culminate in the sale of the team to Jerry Jones and the subsequent dismissal of Tom Landry.

Meanwhile, the Giants go on to defeat the Commanders in the NFC championship game and then defeat the Broncos to win the 1986 SB.

After the 1987 season Phil Pozderac retired during the strike after only 6 seasons, citing emotional stress.

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remember it all to well.
despite the injury to Danny,we still had a shot to win that game.
credit Coach Landry and the fight in those players for that.
what those last 3 teams lacked in talent...they made up for in gutts.
the game the following week vs oakland was yet another we coulda/shoulda won.
Everson Walls makes a terrific int...runs it back for an apparent TD.....if memory serves there was a bogus call on too tall....that wipes out the TD.
that '86 team was snake bit.
if Danny doesnt get hurt....10 or 11 wins was not out of the question.
i thought they had'a shot....then carl banks ended our season.
 

SteveTheCowboy

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After that bumble, they did replace him, but he had been the holder before he won the starting job, so they didn’t make the change because he was good at it, didn’t want to mess with the kicker’s mind, and almost zero chance of injury. He just choked.
Okay...that's fine. I disagree...no big deal. I mean yes....he "choked". But being the holder as backup QB is FAR different than starting QB. WAY WAY DIFFERENT.

Like I said...your telling me they couldn't work in a different holder? Bull sheet.
 

rags

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Although I forgive him—we all make mistakes as humans—that one single play wins if we’re counting the magnitude of the game and play.

An easy catch for a possible game-winning TD in the Super Bowl.
Yikes

He was on a local radio sports talk show a few years ago. He basically said over and over, "Did you see the play? Well, that's what happened." He did not want to talk about that at all.
 

Whirlwin

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Jackie Smith dropping the ball against Pittsburgh. Bryant not securing the ball and just stepping out of bounds . Tony Romo going to Cabo with Jason Witten’s during the playoffs. Three biggest mistakes in my opinion
 

Whirlwin

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Okay...that's fine. I disagree...no big deal. I mean yes....he "choked". But being the holder as backup QB is FAR different than starting QB. WAY WAY DIFFERENT.

Like I said...your telling me they couldn't work in a different holder? Bull sheet.
I agree with what you’re saying. But Tony was the holder and that’s a fact so no opinion stated
 

DFWJC

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He was on a local radio sports talk show a few years ago. He basically said over and over, "Did you see the play? Well, that's what happened." He did not want to talk about that at all.
I don't blame him.
I’d hate to be defined by some for a few seconds of your life that were just human error.
 

Whirlwin

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I don't blame him.
I’d hate to be defined by some for a few seconds of your life that were just human error.
The hearing was hard to forgive. I agree I don’t hate anyone
 

DFWJC

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Jackie Smith dropping the ball against Pittsburgh. Bryant not securing the ball and just stepping out of bounds . Tony Romo going to Cabo with Jason Witten’s during the playoffs. Three biggest mistakes in my opinion
2 for 3...not bad!
:laugh:

Romo and Witten talking football, chilling out with the girlfriends for a few days by a pool had zero to do with anything....10-12 days before the game and many days before any practice.
They probably had the calmest few day compared to the rest of the team .
No strip clubs in Vegas or Miami like sone, and no massive parties in Dallas, etc. just chill.
Could've done the same thing with the same people in their back yard in Dallas, but with more distractions.

Then they still had the same full week of practice as everyone else before the game.
 
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Whirlwin

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Although I forgive him—we all make mistakes as humans—that one single play wins if we’re counting the magnitude of the game and play.

An easy catch for a possible game-winning TD in the Super Bowl.
Yikes
I broke a 26 inch Sears cancel TV. I was fresh out of the military. I guess too much testosterone I wouldn’t do it again
 

Whirlwin

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2 for 3...not bad!

Romo and Witten talking football, chilling out with the girlfriends for a few days by a pool had zero to do with anything.
Yeah I don’t think it had anything to do with anything I just don’t think it was a good thing to do . But that’s what people keep saying they don’t have an issue with it.
 

SteveTheCowboy

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I agree with what you’re saying. But Tony was the holder and that’s a fact so no opinion stated


I get it...you;re breaking it down into performing the assigned task at hand.

You've got all these plays and formations and getting your *** kicked out there. Then you have to go out and hold. For a fing FG. ***.

Nobody else on the team could have done that...of course. Just your most important player.
 

Whirlwin

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I get it...you;re breaking it down into performing the assigned task at hand.

You've got all these plays and formations and getting your *** kicked out there. Then you have to go out and hold. For a fing FG. ***.

Nobody else on the team could have done that...of course. Just your most important player.
Trust me I get it. But it was what it was and you can’t change that
 

SteveTheCowboy

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Yeah I don’t think it had anything to do with anything I just don’t think it was a good thing to do . But that’s what people keep saying they don’t have an issue with it.

Then it has something to do with SOMETHING.

You are very coy gentleman.
 

Whirlwin

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2 for 3...not bad!

Romo and Witten talking football, chilling out with the girlfriends for a few days by a pool had zero to do with anything....10-12 days before the game and many days before any practice.
They probably had the calmest few day compared to the rest of the team .
Then a full week of practice for everyone before the game.
Danny White in the playoffs against San Francisco. I don’t recall the play when Landry told him you don’t have a cool bone in your body. I don’t recall how important the play was. Simply because we had time to come back
 

Whirlwin

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Then it has something to do with SOMETHING.

You are very coy gentleman.
A person needs to have the ability to look at both sites and not form an opinion. Until all aspects I looked at. And deciphered. Did it affect the team. No. But if I was a coach I would not of allowed it to happen. Because I would not have taken the chance.
 

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Jerry. He's not a player but he's been an absolute POS for a quarter of a century wasting too many players and opportunities.

Crayton. Another turd. Talks crap all week and then failed miserably!! Those who run their mouths then don't show up are the worst. Specially players who have no business talking in the first place.
 
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mmohican29

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Jason Garrett.

One singular shining moment on Thanksgiving as a player parlayed into 10 years of misery and disappointment as HC. The guy is a choking loser and that's how his team played no matter the wealth of talent Jerry tried to arm him with.
 
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