18 Years Ago Today

Hostile

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The Dallas Cowboys and Buffalo Bills met for a Super Bowl rematch in Super Bowl XXVIII. It capped what for me was the most satisfying Super Bowl our our 5 Championships. First of all I have no doubt that of the teams we beat in Super Bowls the Bills were by far the best. They are perhaps the best team to have never won a Super Bowl. Again, that is just my opinion, but that is the amount of respect I have for that team going to four straight Championships.

It was the only rematch in Super Bowl History where the previous two teams met again the next year. It gave us 4 Super Bowls which at that time tied the 49ers and Steelers for the most in NFL History.

Most of all it capped a year that has to go down as one of the most amazing in our History. Let's start with the fact that Emmitt Smith held out. He missed all of pre-season and the first 2 games of the season. Dallas lost both of those games. The second of these 2 losses was to the same Buffalo Bills, 10-13 in Texas Stadium.

After the game, Jerry Jones walked into the locker room and as he did a helmet was thrown so hard by Charles Haley that is allegedly imbedded into a wall near Jerry. An enraged Haley was glowering at Jerry who had rolled the dice that 4th round pick Derrick Lassic could carry the load that Emmitt's absence created. With Lassic close enough to hear every word Haley bellowed at Jerry to get off his *** and sign Emmitt because they could not win with this rookie.

Emmitt got his deal. In it he had a provision that showed the togetherness of that team. He had a stipulation in it that if he led the NFL in rushing each of his Offensive Line got a bonus. Is it any wonder they would kill for the man?

Emmitt did do just that, he led the NFL in rushing that year despite spotting the field a 2 game lead. It took a monumental effort in the last game of the season for that to happen. Playing with a dislocated shoulder Emmitt fought through the pain and continued to grind the New York Giants down. The game went to overtime and Dallas won 16-13 to preserve home field advantage throughout the NFC playoffs. Had New York won, they would have had that distinction and Dallas would have been the top Wildcard.

The Giants battered Emmitt, but he kept getting up. He ran the football 32 times for 168 yards. He caught another 10 passes for 62 more yards. It was perhaps the greatest display of heart we will ever see on a football field. John Madden was so impressed he did something he never did in any other game in his broadcast career. He went down to the locker room to shake Emmitt's hand.

In the playoffs that season Dallas aced Brett Favre and Green Bay Packers to set up a rematch in the NFC Championship with San Francisco, the team we have faced in 6 NFC Championship tilts, the most in NFL History. It would be the 2nd of 3 straight seasons the 2 teams met in this game. Prior to the game Jimmy Johnson, sensing his team needed an edge declared that Dallas was going to win the game and the media could put it in 3 inch high letters. George Seiffert noted that Jimmy had balls, but wondered if they were brass or paper mache. After the game Jimmy announced that they were brass.

Finally the Super Bowl on this date 18 years ago, a 30-13 Cowboys romp. The Emmitt Smith triple crown. He led the NFL in rushing as has been reported earlier. He was named the NFL MVP. He was named the Super Bowl MVP. A feat that has never been repeated.

In a bittersweet summation it was Jimmy's last game as Cowboys Head Coach.
 
lurkercowboy;4400266 said:
Better than the 71 Dolphins?

92 Cowboys would smash the Dolphins.

They would've smashed the Pats team the Giants beat in the Superbowl had the Pats gone undefeated as well.
 
Hostile;4400208 said:
In a bittersweet summation it was Jimmy's last game as Cowboys Head Coach.

After all these years, I still can't get over the shock of his departure following the back-to-back Championships.

I know we won in '95, but the feeling (swagger, confidence, supremacy) around the Cowboys has never been the same.

I really hope JG can bring it back.
 
Can we get Haley to threaten Jerry to step down as GM?........................

I kid I kid;)

Good read Hoss. Living in upstate NY back in those days was sweet to be a boys fan.
 
Cowboyz88;4400295 said:
After all these years, I still can't get over the shock of his departure following the back-to-back Championships.

I know we won in '95, but the feeling (swagger, confidence, supremacy) around the Cowboys has never been the same.

I really hope JG can bring it back.
I remember exactly where I was because I was driving and I had to pull over so that I didn't cause a wreck. I remember thinking, "Please, anyone but Barry Switzer," because Jerry had already made his any of 500 guys comment and followed it up with "I can get Barry Switzer."
 
I loved the previous Super Bowl win against the Bills because my best friend at the time was a 49ers fan, so he was rooting for the Bills. But Super Bowl XXVIII was really the best Super Bowl win for me. In November of that season, my Mom passed away, and I had to move down to FL to live with my Dad, I was 12 at the time. My Dad was a Cowboys fan, and I thank him for raising me as a fellow fan. Watching the games each week helped to strengthen our relationship and served as a distraction from my painful loss. It was great to win that Super Bowl, to be able to have something to celebrate. Even now, I go over to my Dad's house to watch the games each Sunday. The Cowboys are our team, and will be for life.
 
CATCH17;4400273 said:
92 Cowboys would smash the Dolphins.

They would've smashed the Pats team the Giants beat in the Superbowl had the Pats gone undefeated as well.

This was the '93 Cowboys.
 
CATCH17;4400273 said:
92 Cowboys would smash the Dolphins.

They would've smashed the Pats team the Giants beat in the Superbowl had the Pats gone undefeated as well.

Yes the 92 Cowboys would have smashed the 71 Dolphins, with their all-pro DT 250 lb Manny Fernandez as the anchor of the defensive line. We are talking about a different game between early 70s and early 90s.

What about relative strength of teams given the differences in eras?
 
My memory of that night is driving over to my sister's house after the game. She lived 30 minutes away but I went to pick up a VHS tape of the game so I could watch it again. I was superstitious and wouldn't tape it for fear of jinxing us but I wanted to see it again that night. What a great night that was. The Cowboys were undisputed kings of the NFL!

Hard to believe that's been 18 years ago.
 
lurkercowboy;4400591 said:
Yes the 92 Cowboys would have smashed the 71 Dolphins, with their all-pro DT 250 lb Manny Fernandez as the anchor of the defensive line. We are talking about a different game between early 70s and early 90s.

What about relative strength of teams given the differences in eras?

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Yeah, this is the game that I won $2,500 bones....
 
5Stars;4400835 said:
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Yeah, this is the game that I won $2,500 bones....

That was the first game I watched with my future wife.
 
What a year after going 0-2 and the frustration of trying to repeat not having Emmitt and to make it through to win another one is a true testament to that team. What a year by Emmitt too. If anyone ever wants to question Emmitt's abilities all they need to do is look at this season. Rushing title, MVP, S-MVP, almost single-handledly won the Giants game with the shoulder. That is legendary stuff right there.
 

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