2021 season countdown thread

[maryquality]

If I remember correctly, didn't Everson Walls donate one of his kidneys to Ron Springs? Or am I thinking of someone else?

 

[Jake]

If I remember correctly, didn't Everson Walls donate one of his kidneys to Ron Springs? Or am I thinking of someone else?

You are correct. I read this book and recommend it.

 

[Jake]

20 days to Tampa Bay!

Mel Renfro and Ron Springs were two of my favorite Cowboys. Alan Ball, not so much. Ray Horton and Sherman Williams won SB rings while wearing #20 in the 90s.

Then there's Bob Bercich, the first starting strong safety in Cowboys history. A 15th round pick of the Giants in 1959, he was claimed off waivers by Dallas in 1960. He spent two years with the Cowboys, his second season cut short due to a concussion. A knee injury in camp in 1962 ended his career.

 

[Hagman]

 

[Motorola]

If I remember correctly, didn't Everson Walls donate one of his kidneys to Ron Springs? Or am I thinking of someone else?

You are correct.

 

[Motorola]

20 days to Tampa Bay!

Mel Renfro and Ron Springs were two of my favorite Cowboys. Alan Ball, not so much. Ray Horton and Sherman Williams won SB rings while wearing #20 in the 90s.

Then there's Bob Bercich, the first starting strong safety in Cowboys history. A 15th round pick of the Giants in 1959, he was claimed off waivers by Dallas in 1960. He spent two years with the Cowboys, his second season cut short due to a concussion. A knee injury in camp in 1962 ended his career.

Remember way back then.... when EVERY player - pro and college - no matter what position - had that "action" photograph in press releases, game programs, and on trading cards?

 

[maryquality]

19 more days!!! Former players who wore #19 are Miles Austin and Lance Rentzel. Current player with #19 is Amari Cooper.

 

[Hagman]

 

[ArtClink]

I have met Mel Renfro twice. Once in the early 2000's and again at the Seahawks WC playoff gm several years ago. He is the epitome of a distinguished father figure and his stats and accomplishments should be reviewed by younger Cowboys fans to know his greatness!

 

[ArtClink]

Miles Austin #19 is hands down my least favorite Cowboy to wear that number. He was the antithesis of the great Mel Renfro. Austin had a great game against the Rams and Jerry gave him a fat contract that he never lived up to. Austin was a talented, but unmotivated player who chose the easy life (afforded him by Jerry) and decided it was a lot of hard work to be great in the NFL and he simply faded away. I dislike A-Rod who resembled Miles Austin which is another reason I never liked him LOL.

 

[Hagman]

Not all Cowboys players were great men, even though they were great players; nor were they heroes to be worshipped. Which gets us to Lance Rentzel.

Rentzel was drafted in the second round by the Vikings in 1965. After two years he was traded to the Cowboys for a 3rrd round pick in 1967, where he almost immediately started at flanker over Pete Gent.

Rentzel had the world at his feet. He played in a high scoring dynamic offense opposite of Bob Hayes, and the two of them fell just short by yards of each having 1000 seasons that first year. He led the team in receptions and in yards in 1968 and 1969. He was good looking, and he married actress, singer, dancer sex-kitten Joey Heatherton in 1969, (someone whom my 13 year old self could begin to appreciate) . Rentzel was also deeply troubled.

Turns out he had exposed himself to an underage girl while with the Vikings, which was negotiated down to disturbance of the peace, and the sordid details were kept out of the press. I guess Dallas thought that they could reform him, or that it was a single incident. But in November of 1970 Rentzel exposed himself to a 10 year old girl in University Park. While on probation for exposure, he was arrested for marijuana possession and the league suspended him for the 1973 season.

This was my first great awakening to the fact that all the people whom you worship are heroes. I remember the hoots and chants on the schoolyard of "Lance, Lance, zip up your pants." None of us understood how you could be married to Joey Heatherton and still have a need to expose yourself to someone else, much less a little girl. Heatherton divorced him, and her bios talk about how she never got over the loss and shock of what he did.

He was traded to the Rams in 1971, where although leading the Rams in 1971 in receptions, was never the same player again. He later wrote a book about his life called When All the Laughter Died in Sorrow. I've never read it. He let me down to hard and too dirty to care......

 

[ArtClink]

Not all Cowboys players were great men, even though they were great players; nor were they heroes to be worshipped. Which gets us to Lance Rentzel.

Rentzel was drafted in the second round by the Vikings in 1965. After two years he was traded to the Cowboys for a 3rrd round pick in 1967, where he almost immediately started at flanker over Pete Gent.

Rentzel had the world at his feet. He played in a high scoring dynamic offense opposite of Bob Hayes, and the two of them fell just short by yards of each having 1000 seasons that first year. He led the team in receptions and in yards in 1968 and 1969. He was good looking, and he married actress, singer, dancer sex-kitten Joey Heatherton in 1969, (someone whom my 13 year old self could begin to appreciate) . Rentzel was also deeply troubled.

Turns out he had exposed himself to an underage girl while with the Vikings, which was negotiated down to disturbance of the peace, and the sordid details were kept out of the press. I guess Dallas thought that they could reform him, or that it was a single incident. But in November of 1970 Rentzel exposed himself to a 10 year old girl in University Park. While on probation for exposure, he was arrested for marijuana possession and the league suspended him for the 1973 season.

This was my first great awakening to the fact that all the people whom you worship are heroes. I remember the hoots and chants on the schoolyard of "Lance, Lance, zip up your pants." None of us understood how you could be married to Joey Heatherton and still have a need to expose yourself to someone else, much less a little girl. Heatherton divorced him, and her bios talk about how she never got over the loss and shock of what he did.

He was traded to the Rams in 1971, where although leading the Rams in 1971 in receptions, was never the same player again. He later wrote a book about his life called When All the Laughter Died in Sorrow. I've never read it. He let me down to hard and too dirty to care......

I was a little kid when this occurred but I was still aware of it and I share your sentiment about feeling betrayed and upset that a Dallas Cowboy or anyone would do that. It was a very different time as far as the press was concerned.

#20 Mel Renfro IS a great role model and has never let me down as a fan!

 

[Hagman]

For true greatness who wore number 19 we can look to Lance Alworth....Bambi. Most of his reputation was eared with the Chargers, who traded with the Raiders to get him after the draft. He is on the NFL 100th Anniversary All-Time Team, was an All-Star AFL 7 times, was AFL Player of The Year in 1963, a member of the All-Time AFL team, member of the HOF....and a bunch of other stuff.

We honor him here because he helped us finally get over being "Next Year's Champions" to win Super Bowl VI. The Cowboys traded for him in May 1971, in part to make up for the loss of Lance Rentzel, but Landry was stocking the roster with champions to get over the hump....Herb Adderley, Forest Gregg...Mike Ditka....and Bambi.

He caught two passes in that game, the first one a 7-yd touchdown. He later said those two catches were the most important of his career.

So thanks Lance. I would have liked you anyway for your years as a Charger, but thanks for stopping for a while in Dallas.

 

[Hagman]

Miles Austin #19 is hands down my least favorite Cowboy to wear that number. He was the antithesis of the great Mel Renfro. Austin had a great game against the Rams and Jerry gave him a fat contract that he never lived up to. Austin was a talented, but unmotivated player who chose the easy life (afforded him by Jerry) and decided it was a lot of hard work to be great in the NFL and he simply faded away. I dislike A-Rod who resembled Miles Austin which is another reason I never liked him LOL.

I do have one favorite Miles Austin moment. I live deep in Chiefs country, and in Oct. 2009 the Cowboys played the Chiefs in Arrowhead. It was a weird throwback game, where the Cowboys wore those old unis with the white helmets and stars on their shoulders, and the "Chiefs" actually wore their unis from when they were the Dallas Texans--- the outline of the State of Texas on the helmets! Something that allowed me to give all kinds of grief to "Dallas Texans" fans where I live.

It was a tight game, but Romo hit Miles for a 59 yard td with 2:27 left in the fourth quarter for us to go ahead. Much to my horror while surrounded by screeching Chiefs....I mean Texans....fans, the Chiefs came back for a td of their own to tie it with 24 seconds left.

Then, in a moment of transcendent joy for me, Romo hits Austin again in overtime for a 60 yard touchdown......My next week was wonderful

 

[ArtClink]

I do have one favorite Miles Austin moment. I live deep in Chiefs country, and in Oct. 2009 the Cowboys played the Chiefs in Arrowhead. It was a weird throwback game, where the Cowboys wore those old unis with the white helmets and stars on their shoulders, and the "Chiefs" actually wore their unis from when they were the Dallas Texans--- the outline of the State of Texas on the helmets! Something that allowed me to give all kinds of grief to "Dallas Texans" fans where I live.

It was a tight game, but Romo hit Miles for a 59 yard td with 2:27 left in the fourth quarter for us to go ahead. Much to my horror while surrounded by screeching Chiefs....I mean Texans....fans, the Chiefs came back for a td of their own to tie it with 24 seconds left.

Then, in a moment of transcendent joy for me, Romo hits Austin again in overtime for a 60 yards touchdown......My next week was wonderful

Great story!

 

[Cowpolk]

I have met Mel Renfro twice. Once in the early 2000's and again at the Seahawks WC playoff gm several years ago. He is the epitome of a distinguished father figure and his stats and accomplishments should be reviewed by younger Cowboys fans to know his greatness!

I worked for Mel for almost 2 years classy guy He even played sandlot ball with us and was still very fast

 

[Texas2Step41]

Anyone watch that Woody special just now? That was great

 

[Motorola]

For true greatness who wore number 19 we can look to Lance Alworth....Bambi. Most of his reputation was eared with the Chargers, who traded with the Raiders to get him after the draft. He is on the NFL 100th Anniversary All-Time Team, was an All-Star AFL 7 times, was AFL Player of The Year in 1963, a member of the All-Time AFL team, member of the HOF....and a bunch of other stuff.

We honor him here because he helped us finally get over being "Next Year's Champions" to win Super Bowl VI. The Cowboys traded for him in May 1971, in part to make up for the loss of Lance Rentzel, but Landry was stocking the roster with champions to get over the hump....Herb Adderley, Forest Gregg...Mike Ditka....and Bambi.

He caught two passes in that game, the first one a 7-yd touchdown. He later said those two catches were the most important of his career.

So thanks Lance. I would have liked you anyway for your years as a Charger, but thanks for stopping for a while in Dallas.

Remember watching Alworth he was so smooth and precise in running routes.
And nobody had better hands in catching the football.

 

[Motorola]

Miles Austin #19 is hands down my least favorite Cowboy to wear that number. He was the antithesis of the great Mel Renfro. Austin had a great game against the Rams and Jerry gave him a fat contract that he never lived up to. Austin was a talented, but unmotivated player who chose the easy life (afforded him by Jerry) and decided it was a lot of hard work to be great in the NFL and he simply faded away. I dislike A-Rod who resembled Miles Austin which is another reason I never liked him LOL.

Miles "Hammie" Austin.

 

[maryquality]

18 more days!!! Former players who wore #18 are Chris Boniol, and my "crush man" Glenn Carano!! LOL Current player wearing #18 is Aaron Parker.