2021 season countdown thread

[Hagman]

I’ve always been ambivalent about Ralph Neely. Yeah he was a very good offense of lineman for a long time but just so many other circumstances surrounding him prevented me from making him one of my favorites. As I posted in the thread by Bobhaze about best and worst trades, we sent a fourth round pick and a player to Baltimore for him but in the meantime he signed with the Oilers without telling anybody so he could play in the Gator Bowl In the resulting lawsuit we had to give Houston our first our second and two fifth round picks. There’s no way he was worth it and again given how Dallas drafted back in the day there’s no telling what kind of talent we gave up because of his stunt. Maybe his biggest lasting legacy was the creation of that stupid Governor’s Cup game that resulted from the lawsuit. And maybe Ralph Neely is best remembered for another thing that he did not do. In 1971 he broke his leg riding a motorcycle, and as a result we were decimated in the offensive line. What patched things together was Tom Landry reaching out to a former player who wore number 72 who I guess should be the subject of some of the posts tomorrow

 

[Hagman]

The other number 73, Larry Allen, was a monster and in my humble opinion belongs in the same conversation as Roger, Emmett, and Lilly as one of the greatest Cowboys, and one of the greatest football players, ever. It’s just that as an offensive lineman he didn’t rack up easily traceable stats.

 

[maryquality]

We have reached the 72 days mark. So, some of the more memorable 72's would be Travis Frederick and "Too Tall" Jones. Currently #72 is worn by Trysten Hill.

 

[Jake]

Tony Liscio spent 2 stints with the Cowboys, beginning in 1963 and ending in 1971. A member of the team who lost SB V, Liscio wasn't around for the win in SB VI. In May of '71 he was part of the trade with San Diego bringing Lance Alworth to Dallas. "Bambi" helped the Cowboys win the big one while Liscio never played a down for the Chargers. They traded him to Miami for Carl Mauck (who later blocked for Earl Campbell in Houston) but Liscio never played for Miami, either.

 

[Jake]

Ed "Too Tall" Jones was the #1 overall pick in the '74 draft after Dallas fleeced the Oilers for that pick by sending them Tody "Definitely not Bubba" Smith and Billy Parks.

Jones was a gold gloves boxer and basketball player in high school. His hoops coach made him pick one and he chose basketball, for now. He gave up hoops after 2 years in college and chose to try football. At his first practice a player commented Ed was "too tall to play football" and a nickname was born. Not only was he not too tall, he was too good, dominating black college football and winning two championships at Tennessee State University.

Jones was a good player his early years in Dallas, got a ring in SB XII, but skipped the 1979 season after briefly retiring to go back to boxing. Having scratched that itch he returned to the Cowboys in 1980 a better player, earning All Pro and playing in 3 Pro Bowls. One of a few Cowboys players I've actually met, the man is scary big. Just ask Dieter Brock.

 

[Bobhaze]

“Too tall” days to Tampa.

 

[Ring6]

After the Cowboys won that Super Bowl somebody put out a song called “The Battle of New Orleans” which substituted lines about the game for the original song lyrics. Right now this one lyric that goes “and Lilly chased him to the ten and laid down on his chest” keeps going through my head.

that whole song is branded into my memory. the flipside of the 45 it came out on is a song called "everybody loves a winner" which never quite made it haha, but it got some air time in my childhood home in Big D

"... the umpire fired his pistol and the game was underway ..."

 

[Hagman]

Tony Liscio spent 2 stints with the Cowboys, beginning in 1963 and ending in 1971. A member of the team who lost SB V, Liscio wasn't around for the win in SB VI. In May of '71 he was part of the trade with San Diego bringing Lance Alworth to Dallas. "Bambi" helped the Cowboys win the big one while Liscio never played a down for the Chargers. They traded him to Miami for Carl Mauck (who later blocked for Earl Campbell in Houston) but Liscio never played for Miami, either.

One correction my Cowboy friend. Tony Liscio was a key part of the team that won Super Bowl VI. While he did not begin the year on the team once into the season Ralph Neely broke his leg in a motorcycle accident and the back ups were also banged up—including Forrest Gregg the ex-Packer great. Landry made a call to Tony Monday and he was starting the next Sunday against the Commanders. His ability to plug that hole in the line was one of the key factors in taking us to the championship that year. He did a darn fine job without training camp or really much a practice before he got the call. Again one of the great moments in Cowboys history

He was the runner-up for the comeback player of the year that year. He was robbed. He should’ve won it

 

[Corso]

You obviously do not understand the economics of the QB position in the NFL.

You ain't going nowhere with that guy.
He's in the middle of a Blood Feud.

There is zero logic involved in his case and he's not going to stop.

Best to just let the wave ride.

 

[Hagman]

that whole song is branded into my memory. the flipside of the 45 it came out on is a song called "everybody loves a winner" which never quite made it haha, but it got some air time in my childhood home in Big D

"... the umpire fired his pistol and the game was underway ..."

Oh my that “everybody loves a winner “song was just horrible. I was 14 or 15 when the Cowboys won their first Super Bowl and that record came out and I played both sides of that record frequently. A few years later I was playing it in my college dorm room and got laughed at for just how stupid that everybody loves a winner song is. I was not able to defend the thing, but I stand by that Battle of New Orleans Cowboys version as greatness.

I was very fond of the old Dallas cowboy fight song that went “go you Dallas Cowboys down the field see the Defense reel and watch them fall;blockers out in front to clear the way show them how to win them all”.
OK maybe I misremembered a word or two but that song used to get me ramped up for games. Again if I remember correctly it was on the old Tom Landry TV show hosted by Frank Glieber.

 

[Alexander]

You ain't going nowhere with that guy.

That is when it is the most fun.

 

[Corso]

That is when it is the most fun.

Well then, by all means!
Lol.

 

[Beaker42]

Mr. Cowboy

That look says “I’m going to hurt you.”

 

[Jake]

That is when it is the most fun.

Then the two of you go pick out one of the thousand Dak threads and have at it. This isn't one of them.

 

[Jake]

One correction my Cowboy friend. Tony Liscio was a key part of the team that won Super Bowl VI. While he did not begin the year on the team once into the season Ralph Neely broke his leg in a motorcycle accident and the back ups were also banged up—including Forrest Gregg the ex-Packer great. Landry made a call to Tony Monday and he was starting the next Sunday against the Commanders. His ability to plug that hole in the line was one of the key factors in taking us to the championship that year. He did a darn fine job without training camp or really much a practice before he got the call. Again one of the great moments in Cowboys history

He was the runner-up for the comeback player of the year that year. He was robbed. He should’ve won it

Ha! Upon further investigation I see you're correct. I was six years old in 1971. I remember the Cowboys beating Miami (won a 25 cent bet with my dad) after going 7-0 the second half of the regular season, but I'm relying on internet research for player details (other than the QB carousel) from that year. Thank you for filling in the blanks.

 

[Hagman]

Ha! Upon further investigation I see you're correct. I was six years old in 1971. I remember the Cowboys beating Miami (won a 25 cent bet with my dad) after going 7-0 the second half of the regular season, but I'm relying on internet research for player details (other than the QB carousel) from that year. Thank you for filling in the blanks.

I’m at an age where I remember things from 1971 better than I remember things from last year. Of course given the nature of the Cowboys season last year I’m trying to forget everything about it.
Thank you for starting this thread. It’s a highlight of my day and a welcome break from the Dak threads

 

[cristglo]

I will settle for the countdown to TC. Then after the 1st PS games the countdown to the season can start.
That is the way I am looking at it.

Me To Im looking at TC

 

[cristglo]

Oh MY the Big man is moving like a freight train!

 

[Jake]

71 days

The only team to draft Mark Tuinei was the Boston Breakers in the 19th round of the inaugural USFL draft. He chose to sign as a free agent with the Cowboys. Wise choice.

Tuinei played defensive tackle at UCLA and spent his first two seasons in Dallas backing up that position. In 1985 he was moved to the offensive side of the ball, which proved to be the best thing to happen to him in his NFL career. He still spent some time on defense in 1986, forced back there due to injuries, but became the starting left tackle on offense from 1987 forward. Despite battling through injuries almost every season, Tuinei became part of the Great Wall, leading the way for Emmitt Smith and protecting Aikman's blind side. Injuries finally ended his career in 1997 with his eventual release coming in April, 1998. He is tied with Bill Bates and Ed Jones for the most seasons in a Cowboys uniform with 15.

Unfortunately, Tuinei struggled after his release. He was found dead in his car in 1999 after an overdose of heroin and ecstasy. It was believed to be his first experience with heroin, a drug some turn to after years on addictive pain killers. The death was ruled an accident.

 

[Hagman]

http://www.espn.com/espn/page2/story?page=bayless/050707&num=5
Nate Newton once said that Mark was the one man that he could not beat in a fight to the death. And he was a big bad man. The story that I have posted a link to is worth a read. It tells the time that Skip Bayless decided to ride home on the Cowboys plane after writing crap about Troy Aikman. Mark did not take the story very well and confronted Skip at the back of the plane and continue to shove him end of the wall repeatedly.

Good man that Mark Tuinei. For that alone I would put him in the ring of honor