2021 season countdown thread

[Motorola]

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.

A lotta people had a crush for Carano's daughter Gina.

 

[Bobhaze]

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......

Lance Rentzl ruined what would have been a great career. Before his shameful exit, he and Bullet Bob Hayes made arguably the best WR tandem in the NFL. Rentzl almost had 3 straight 1,000 seasons between 1967-69, and caught 12 TDs and averaged 22 yards per catch in 1969.

He was almost the hero of the infamous Ice Bowl game in ‘67 when he caught a 50 yard bomb from RB Dan Reeves in a trick play that gave the Cowboys a 17-14 lead with about 5 min left. Much like “No pants” Lance’s career, it was downhill from there as the pack made their game winning drive.

Rentzl ruined what was on pace to be a great career. I still remember the feeling of shock and disgust when the news reports emerged about what he had done.

 

[Motorola]

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

Fifth game of the season, but first start for Austin.
10 catches for 250 yards - surpassing previous franchise single game record 246 yards by Bob Hayes set in 1966.

 

[Hagman]

 

[ArtClink]

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

That's amazing he can still show some speed! BTW, Mel's autobiography "Forever a Cowboy" is a great read.

 

[Motorola]

Tidbits about other Cowboys players that wore no. 19 -
Brice Butler: son of former NFL CB Bobbie Butler who played 12 seasons - all with the Falcons.
Keyshawn Johnson: one of those players who played for Bill Parcels with other teams, whom he brought to the Cowboys when he became HC.
Our current no. 19 in only 2 -1/2 seasons has become a fan favorite and one of the best players on the team ...Amari Cooper.
6 WRs. The remaininig three 19s played other positions.
John Jett - one of the best punters in franchise history - and member of the legendary 90s teams.
Kevin Sweeny : growing up, he was a ballboy at the Cowboys training camp in Thousand Oaks. The Fresno State QB was drafted in the 7th round by Dallas but was later waived when the season started in 1987. But three weeks in the players went on strike. Sweeny was signed to the replacement team, and became the third-ever rookie QB to start for the Cowboys (Merideth, Staubach).
And then... there is Howard Clinton Longley, Jr. - better known to Cowboys Fans and the rest of the NFL as Clint Longley.
Thanksgiving Day 1974.
No doubt, hands down - one the greatest wins in the 61 seasons of this franchise. One of the greatest comebacks in NFL history.
With that victory, Longley became an overnight sensation.
Then, just before his third season, in one moment, he became an NFL heel, and public enemy no. 1 in Dallas.

 

[Jake]

18 days to Tampa Bay

Bernie Kosar made his name elsewhere, but in his one season in Dallas he got the elusive SB ring. What is often forgotten is the Cowboys may not have got that ring without him. Recall that was the year of Emmitt's contract dispute. Dallas started the season 0-2 without him so their margin for error the rest of the way was small.

Aikman left the Cowboys 7th game with a hamstring injury. Kosar finished up, going 13/21 for 199 yards in a win over the Giants. That win was huge because the division title ended up coming down to a rematch with New York the final week of the season. We all know the story, Emmitt carried the Cowboys past NY with one arm. But back to Kosar, he had to start week 8 for the still-recovering Aikman and led Dallas to a win over the Cardinals. Bernie's biggest moment was yet to come in the NFC championship game.

The Niners knocked Aikman out of the NFCCG with a concussion and Dallas leading 28-7 in the 3rd quarter. San Fran cut the lead to 28-14 with time left to make a run at the Cowboys so Bernie needed to step up. He did. On 3rd and 3 from the Niners' 42 yard line he hit Alvin Harper for a TD to put the game on ice at 35-14 (Dallas won, 38-21). It wasn't his greatest throw - Harper made a great catch and run - but it was effective. Aikman returned for the SB win, but it was Kosar who took a knee on the final snap.

 

[Jake]

December 17, 1995 was the first time I saw a game in Texas Stadium. I toured it a couple times in the 70s as a kid, spending summers in Garland, but this was my first game. I had it all planned out. Up before dawn, drove to Cleveland to catch a flight, connection in St. Louis, cab from DFW to the stadium, watch the game, then do the reverse and get home around 3 AM. I went to work the next morning and no one believed I pulled it off until my pictures were developed (remember that?).

Anyway, about the game. The Cowboys needed a win to keep their hopes for a first round bye going (and remain a game ahead of Philadelphia) but the Giants - who were going nowhere at 5-9 - were being stubborn visitors that day. Dallas had lost two straight coming into the game and the offense had trouble finishing drives all day. Fortunately, Chris Boniol was in the midst of a hot streak (he finished the day with 21 makes in a row) and kept the Cowboys close, but time was running out and NY was clinging to a 20-18 lead.

Aikman led Dallas on a 14 play drive, connecting on three 3rd down passes including an 11-yarder to Kevin Williams on 3rd and 10 from the Giants 35 to get well within Boniol's range. Dallas positioned themselves and burned the clock, putting the game on Boniol's foot on the last play - hardly the finish I envisioned on my flight that morning. Safe to say my heart was pounding. A miss would've ruined such a memorable trip, but Boniol didn't let me (or his team) down. He drilled a 35 yarder as time expired sending the stadium into a frenzy. A few minutes later I was at the cab stand to start my journey home. Thanks, Chris!

 

[maryquality]

17 more days!! Former players who wore #17 are "Dandy" Don Meredith and our wonderful ex-coach Jason Garrett. Current player wearing #17 is Malik Turner.

 

[Jake]

17 days to Tampa Bay

Don Meredith's acquisition was unlike anything you'd see today. Two days before the 1960 draft, in which the Cowboys did not participate because they technically weren't even a franchise yet, the SMU star was signed to a five year "personal services" contract by Tecon Corporation. Tecon was owned by Clint Murchison, the man who ultimately birthed the Cowboys into existence (although he originally called his team the Dallas Rangers). A deal was made with George Halas by which the Bears drafted Meredith and traded him to Dallas for a 1962 draft pick.

Meredith didn't play much his first two years, which was probably just as well because when he did play he often took a beating behind a porous line. He became the full-time starter in 1963 and a Pro Bowler in '66, '67, and '68. Unfortunately for Meredith and the Cowboys, they ran into Lombardi's Packers in the '66 and '67 NFL title games and lost two heartbreakers (34-27 and 21-17). Seeing Green Bay destroy their AFL opponents in the first two SBs only made the defeats harder to take.

In the 1968 playoffs, Meredith threw 3 picks before getting benched in a 31-20 loss at Cleveland. The Browns, who Dallas had defeated 28-7 during the season, then got walloped 34-0 by the Colts (who would go on to be upset by the Jets in SB III, 16-7). No one knew at the time that the loss in Cleveland would be Meredith's retirement party, but Dandy Don walked away at the age of 31. His body had taken a pounding and the playoff defeats took a toll on him mentally as well.

Meredith went on to be a hilarious color commentator on Monday Night Football, as well as doing some acting in movies and on TV. A heavy smoker most of his adult life, he developed emphysema and died in 2010 at the age of 72. He was inducted into the Cowboys Ring of Honor in 1976.

 

[Hagman]

Jeff and Hazel's Baby Boy.
Number 17 in your program and number 1 in your hearts.

 

[Hagman]

 

[Bobhaze]

17 days to Tampa Bay

Don Meredith's acquisition was unlike anything you'd see today. Two days before the 1960 draft, in which the Cowboys did not participate because they technically weren't even a franchise yet, the SMU star was signed to a five year "personal services" contract by Tecon Corporation. Tecon was owned by Clint Murchison, the man who ultimately birthed the Cowboys into existence (although he originally called his team the Dallas Rangers). A deal was made with George Halas by which the Bears drafted Meredith and traded him to Dallas for a 1962 draft pick.

Meredith didn't play much his first two years, which was probably just as well because when he did play he often took a beating behind a porous line. He became the full-time starter in 1963 and a Pro Bowler in '66, '67, and '68. Unfortunately for Meredith and the Cowboys, they ran into Lombardi's Packers in the '66 and '67 NFL title games and lost two heartbreakers (34-27 and 21-17). Seeing Green Bay destroy their AFL opponents in the first two SBs only made the defeats harder to take.

In the 1968 playoffs, Meredith threw 3 picks before getting benched in a 31-20 loss at Cleveland. The Browns, who Dallas had defeated 28-7 during the season, then got walloped 34-0 by the Colts (who would go on to be upset by the Jets in SB III, 16-7). No one knew at the time that the loss in Cleveland would be Meredith's retirement party, but Dandy Don walked away at the age of 31. His body had taken a pounding and the playoff defeats took a toll on him mentally as well.

Meredith went on to be a hilarious color commentator on Monday Night Football, as well as doing some acting in movies and on TV. A heavy smoker most of his adult life, he developed emphysema and died in 2010 at the age of 72. He was inducted into the Cowboys Ring of Honor in 1976.

Dandy Don- the first great QB of the Cowboys. There is no doubt he was the toughest guy to ever play QB for the Cowboys. Played with a broken nose and broken ribs. If he had played in this era he could played another 5-7 years. One of the best storytellers of the early days of Cowboys football.

And IMO Dandy Don blazed a trail in broadcasting for commentators like John Madden. His singing rendition of “Turn out the Lights, the Party’s over” on Monday Night Football remains a seminal moment in football broadcasting. RIP Dandy!

 

[Jake]

 

[mrmojo]

To this day, he's still the only man in history to win an Olympic gold medal and a Super Bowl.

Love that blue unform!!

 

[mrmojo]

Question to CZoners: do you consider Sanders as one of the greatest Dallas Cowboys players, or one of the greatest NFL players who played part of his career for the Cowboys? I ask because, having spent my adult life in metro Atlanta, I saw the hype and craze that started when "Primetime \ "Neon Deion" was drafted 5th overall in 1989, then the eruption-explosion that took place among Falcons fans when in his first game, Sanders took his second punt return in for a TD. He established himself as a perennial league top 10 \ superstar player his first 5 seasons in Atlanta. I admired and cheered his play when he wore the star...but #21 is not an "OG" Dallas Cowboys player - a la Hayes, Lilly, Dorsett, White (Randy & Danny), Allen, Aikman, Emmitt.

Counterpoint to my take above is that Sanders' time in Dallas equalled his tenure in Atlanta - and play continued to be elite (All-Pro, Pro Bowl, etc.).

I dont....he was hired gun, the dynasty started its decent once he was signed.

 

[Jake]

I dont....he was hired gun, the dynasty started its decent once he was signed.

The dynasty started its descent once this guy was signed. Deion helped squeeze one more SB out of it.

 

[Thomas82]

Love that blue unform!!

It's my favorite uniform. We need to bring those back.

 

[Thomas82]

Here's a #17 a lot of people forget about:

 

[maryquality]

16 more days!! Former players who wore #16 are Steve Pelluer and Vinny Testaverde ...who played for us in his twilight years. I think he was 41 years old!! LOL Current player wearing #16 is Stephen Guidry.