2021 season countdown thread

[Bobhaze]

41 days to Tampa Bay

I'm sure there are others, but @maryquality can probably handle this one for us. Charlie Waters was drafted in 1970, made the all-rookie team and played in SB V as a safety. An all-ACC WR his senior year at Clemson, he was moved to CB in 1971. He played there for 4 seasons, not his best position but he never gave up and filled a need as best he could. He was moved back to safety when Cornell Green retired and flourished opposite Cliff Harris.

Waters won 2 SBs, played in 3 Pro Bowls, and retired in 1981 after missing the entire 1979 season with a torn ACL. To this day, Waters is still tied with the most career playoff interceptions (9), with Ed Reed and Ronnie Lott. Not bad for a guy who has been retired for 40 years.

The GREAT Charlie Waters. One of the most mentally tough players in Cowboys history.
If anyone hasn’t seen the Roger Staubach NFL films profile, watch the segment that includes Charlie and the loss of his son and how Roger helped him. A real tear jerker.

 

[Bobhaze]

40 days to Tampa Bay

Bill Bates was an undrafted safety from Tennessee. A long shot to make the roster, Bates stood out on special teams. He was so good that he was named NFC Special Teams Player of the Year his rookie season. He didn't become a starter until 1986 when incumbent Dextor Clinkscale held out for more money. Dallas released Clinkscale in October and the job was Bates through 1988. After that he was used in nickel and dime packages while continuing to contribute on special teams.

Bates' run as a Cowboy almost ended in 1989 as Jimmy informed him he would be unprotected in Plan B free agency. The Vikings were interested so the Cowboys changed course and protected Bates. He'd go on to win the Bob Lilly award 5 times and collect 3 SB rings before retiring in 1997. He spent his entire 15-year career in Dallas.

Not sure there’s another Cowboy who got the absolute most out of his limited ability. An inspiring player for the fans and a great teammate.

 

[Hagman]

 

[Jake]

39 days to Tampa Bay

Not a lot of history with this number. Certainly the highest-paid guy to wear it was Brandon Carr.

 

[Hagman]

39 days to go. The number 39 has not been very important in Dallas Cowboys history. And as you see from the post for our first 27 years not a single player on the regular season roster had worn it.

It would be an interesting psychological study to see why the team has favored certain numbers and others have been largely avoided. Maybe it has something to do with numerology. Take the number 13 and the number 3, multiply them, and you get 39. Or maybe it’s just odd random choice

Brandon Carr is the most significant player to have donned it. But we have more mental room to honor the Lousaka Polites—what a cool name—and Broderick Sargents of our history.

 

[maryquality]

41 days to Tampa Bay

I'm sure there are others, but @maryquality can probably handle this one for us. Charlie Waters was drafted in 1970, made the all-rookie team and played in SB V as a safety. An all-ACC WR his senior year at Clemson, he was moved to CB in 1971. He played there for 4 seasons, not his best position but he never gave up and filled a need as best he could. He was moved back to safety when Cornell Green retired and flourished opposite Cliff Harris.

Waters won 2 SBs, played in 3 Pro Bowls, and retired in 1981 after missing the entire 1979 season with a torn ACL. To this day, Waters is still tied with the most career playoff interceptions (9), with Ed Reed and Ronnie Lott. Not bad for a guy who has been retired for 40 years.

I'm so sorry I missed this day!! I was on vacation last week!!! I could bore you with lots of Charlie Waters' stuff, but just suffice it to say, he was one of my favorite all time Cowboys!!

 

[maryquality]

38 more days!! Former player Jeff Heath - the GOAT!! LOL Current player with #38 is Israel Mukuamu.

 

[Jake]

38 days to Tampa Bay

The GOAT, Jeff Heath, was undrafted out of Saginaw Valley State. He wasn't even invited to the NFL Combine, yet he eventually started 41 games for the Cowboys over 6 seasons, amassing 270 tackles. A safety getting that many stops says something about what was in front of him, but I digress. He played his final season for the Raiders, picking off Mahomes in an upset of the Chiefs. He got two more picks against Denver and was AFC Player of the Week.

Frankly, at only 30 years of age and not commanding a big contract, it's a bit of a surprise that he's unsigned at the moment. I could see him end up in coaching, starting with special teams. So without further ado, the GOAT, Jeff Heath.

Can't forget his day as the Cowboys emergency kicker.

 

[Motorola]

40 days to Tampa Bay

Bill Bates was an undrafted safety from Tennessee. A long shot to make the roster, Bates stood out on special teams. He was so good that he was named NFC Special Teams Player of the Year his rookie season. He didn't become a starter until 1986 when incumbent Dextor Clinkscale held out for more money. Dallas released Clinkscale in October and the job was Bates through 1988. After that he was used in nickel and dime packages while continuing to contribute on special teams.

Bates' run as a Cowboy almost ended in 1989 as Jimmy informed him he would be unprotected in Plan B free agency. The Vikings were interested so the Cowboys changed course and protected Bates. He'd go on to win the Bob Lilly award 5 times and collect 3 SB rings before retiring in 1997. He spent his entire 15-year career in Dallas.

Unfotunately, Bill Bates is more remembered by older college football fans in the Southeastern U.S. as the one who got run over by another former Cowboys player and teammate.
In Herschel Walker's debut, he started the 2nd half at tailback with Georgia.
Down 15 - 0 in the 3rd quarter, the freshman Walker scored his first college TD by running 15 yards, bowling over the sophomore Bates at the 5 yard line along the way.
But that was one of the rare bad moments in Bates' time as a Volunteer; he was a 4-year starter - two at FS, two at SS. Was named to the NCAA Fresman All-American team, and was 2nd Team All-SEC as a junior and senior.

 

[Hagman]

 

[Motorola]

Yep, Waters blocked 2 punts but the Cowboys could only rush for 85 yards in 28 attempts. That was the last game before Tony Dorsett was drafted.

NFL All-Rookie Team 1970.
One of Coach Landry's bad decisions - moving Waters to CB.
The 1970s - one of the greatest decades of the NFL (in my opinion - the greatest). Charlie Waters and Cliff Harris are recognized as the best safety tandem in that era.
(Can the current Cowboys team come up with a tandem that can even approach the ability, movie, and toughness of that duo?)

 

[mrmojo]

40 days to Tampa Bay

Bill Bates was an undrafted safety from Tennessee. A long shot to make the roster, Bates stood out on special teams. He was so good that he was named NFC Special Teams Player of the Year his rookie season. He didn't become a starter until 1986 when incumbent Dextor Clinkscale held out for more money. Dallas released Clinkscale in October and the job was Bates through 1988. After that he was used in nickel and dime packages while continuing to contribute on special teams.

Bates' run as a Cowboy almost ended in 1989 as Jimmy informed him he would be unprotected in Plan B free agency. The Vikings were interested so the Cowboys changed course and protected Bates. He'd go on to win the Bob Lilly award 5 times and collect 3 SB rings before retiring in 1997. He spent his entire 15-year career in Dallas.

I believe Bates was the reason why they created the Special Teams award. Such a hard nosed player and worked hard for everything he achieved. I love the SB 28 highlights where he is just going nuts in pregame, he had missed the previous Super Bowl 27 because of injury.

 

[Motorola]

39 days to go. The number 39 has not been very important in Dallas Cowboys history. And as you see from the post for our first 27 years not a single player on the regular season roster had worn it.

It would be an interesting psychological study to see why the team has favored certain numbers and others have been largely avoided. Maybe it has something to do with numerology. Take the number 13 and the number 3, multiply them, and you get 39. Or maybe it’s just odd random choice

Brandon Carr is the most significant player to have donned it. But we have more mental room to honor the Lousaka Polites—what a cool name—and Broderick Sargents of our history.

39 is not a much storied uniform number in NFL - or other sports - in history.
The most notable players that wore it professionally were Pro Football HOFer Larry Czonka and MLB MVP Dave Parker.
'Hagman' - you mentioning numerology as to its unpopularity in sports is interesting. 39 has a lot of factors around it in mathmatics - most notable it being a prime number. But 39 is also asscoiated with numerous (pun intended) bad things and negative events in history - war, slavery, prostitution, mass human trafficking deaths, etc.

 

[mrmojo]

39 days to go. The number 39 has not been very important in Dallas Cowboys history. And as you see from the post for our first 27 years not a single player on the regular season roster had worn it.

It would be an interesting psychological study to see why the team has favored certain numbers and others have been largely avoided. Maybe it has something to do with numerology. Take the number 13 and the number 3, multiply them, and you get 39. Or maybe it’s just odd random choice

Brandon Carr is the most significant player to have donned it. But we have more mental room to honor the Lousaka Polites—what a cool name—and Broderick Sargents of our history.

Maybe someone needs to wear that number again on the offensive side, we won a couple of SBs with Derrek Gainer donning the #39...

 

[Jake]

Unfotunately, Bill Bates is more remembered by older college football fans in the Southeastern U.S. as the one who got run over by another former Cowboys player and teammate.
In Herschel Walker's debut, he started the 2nd half at tailback with Georgia.
Down 15 - 0 in the 3rd quarter, the freshman Walker scored his first college TD by running 15 yards, bowling over the sophomore Bates at the 5 yard line along the way.
But that was one of the rare bad moments in Bates' time as a Volunteer; he was a 4-year starter - two at FS, two at SS. Was named to the NCAA Fresman All-American team, and was 2nd Team All-SEC as a junior and senior.

Herschel ran over a lot of people. Looks like Bates was one of the first.

But you're probably right about fans in the SE more likely to remember that, since I don't get the impression they pay a lot of attention to games played on Sundays.

 

[Jake]

I believe Bates was the reason why they created the Special Teams award. Such a hard nosed player and worked hard for everything he achieved. I love the SB 28 highlights where he is just going nuts in pregame, he had missed the previous Super Bowl 27 because of injury.

The Special Teams Award existed prior but Bates did cause the creation of a special teamer position in the Pro Bowl. He was the first such player selected.

 

[Jake]

Ron Francis and Lynn Scott. Two guys I thought were going to be better than they ended up being.

 

[Hagman]

Sam Baker was drafted by the Rams out of Oregon State in 1952 as a "futures" pick. A guy who played for several teams, he was coached by Curly Lambeau in Washington, Tom Landry in Dallas and Paul Brown in Cleveland. As a running back at Cleveland, he backed up Jim Brown, so he specialized more at kicking. Back when rosters were limited to 33 players, position players commonly kicked too. Baker both punted and was a place kicker, another roster saving skill back in the day. One of the links below credits Sam, along with the great Ben Agajanian and former Cowboy Danny Villanueva as evolving the role of kicking specialist as roster sizes expanded. He set a franchise punting record in Dallas (a 45.4 yd average) that stood in the team records for 44 years. At the time he also set team records for most points scored in a season (92), longest field goal (53 yards) and longest punt (72 yards--crimminy) Sam Baker went to four Pro Bowls, one more than Adam Vinatieri. Landry had some problems with his self-discipline (I have not had time to investigate the details of this) and so traded him to Philadelphia.

He also was smart, worrying some of his coaches with a 142 IQ.

He died from complications from diabetes in 2007. So thanks for your good service to the Cowboys Sam.

https://www.___GET_REAL_URL___/s/ww...pioneer-sam-baker-deserves-a-look-from-canton
https://osubeavers.com/sports/2007/6/20/207859943.aspx

 

[Jake]

I like how Baker's selling that fake field goal as LeBaron scurries off with the ball against the Steelers. Dallas won that game 42-27 on October 21, 1962.

 

[Motorola]

Herschel ran over a lot of people. Looks like Bates was one of the first.

But you're probably right about fans in the SE more likely to remember that, since I don't get the impression they pay a lot of attention to games played on Sundays.

Alabama has NO -ZIP - NADA - professional sports teams- MLB, NBA, NHL, NFL (hockey in FL, NC, & TN).
However... the Crimson Tide has produced three of the most legendary QBs in NFL History....Starr \ Namath \ Stabler.
Now --- in the 21st century -- it would be hard pressed to deny that Tuscaloosa is not the "Wide Reciver U" over the last few seasons - Julio, Ridley, Juedy, Waddle, DeVonta - - along with outstanding QB play - Tua, Hurts, Jones...and let us not forget the defensive talent.
Georgia - despite producing quality NFL talent on both sides of the ball - -Dawgs fans pissed than the Falcons don't draft UGA players year in and out.
Even with Auburn, Florida (save being SEC East 2020 Champions) and Tennessee being down the last half dozen seasons --the SEC is the gold mine for finding gridiron talent that transforms to being good (and better) in the league.
A good number of SEC fans do recognize and acknowledge this trend.