A Football Life: The Great Wall of Dallas

[BIGDen]

As Cowboys fans, we have truly been able to enjoy an embarrassment of riches in terms of football greatness — Wall of Dallas (Greatest OL ever), two HOF QBs and RBs, Doomsday I and II, GREAT WRs, LBs, DLs, HOF Coach, 5 Championships, etc.

Truthfully, it makes me a bit sad for the young Cowboys fans (25 and younger), as all they hear are stories and have actually seen little success on the field, and it makes me long for mega-success again.

I was thinking the exact same thing as I watched the show last night. I've been wearing my Cowboys 5xSB jacket a lot recently (mostly to piss off the vagiants fans here in NJ). After watching that show, I feel even more pride being a Cowboys fan. I know it was almost 20 years ago but so what? I'm still proud of many things I accomplished 20 years ago. Why shouldn't I be proud of the 70's and 90's Cowboys? Hell, the current group of Cowboys are in first place and undefeated in the division. We probably won't win the SB this year, but I'm enjoying things right now. Go Cowboys!

 

[Alexander]

You win with dogs not good guys. The reason i love seeing teams like Seattle SF & B-More(Ray Lewis Era) is the fact that they have guys who want to punch you in the mouth, Watching this and seeing how nasty our line was shows exactly what football is all about and that's smash mouth kick you in the face attitude, players like Richard Sherman get a lot of heat but at least he backs it up and isn't trying to be Mr. Goodie 2 Shoes.

There is a lot of truth to this. You need that kind of player. This is a violent game to be played by violent men. You cannot have a team full of Boy Scouts without a few thugs mixed in. I honestly cannot think of a single player right now who has that streak in them. The last perhaps was Marc Colombo and he did lend his personality to our OL at the time.

Scary thought is that this current team is so homogenized. I understand you want "right kind of guys", but sometimes what bonds a team together are the radical differences between mindsets and personalities.

 

[sideon]

There is a lot of truth to this. You need that kind of player. This is a violent game to be played by violent men. You cannot have a team full of Boy Scouts without a few thugs mixed in. I honestly cannot think of a single player right now who has that streak in them. The last perhaps was Marc Colombo and he did lend his personality to our OL at the time.

Scary thought is that this current team is so homogenized. I understand you want "right kind of guys", but sometimes what bonds a team together are the radical differences between mindsets and personalities.

Look at how people freaked out over Dez when he blew up on the sidelines, a lot of us loved it but the people who want those "boy scouts" hated it and wanted to label him selfish or a bad teammate.

 

[mahoneybill]

how did we go from gogan swinging on fools to doug free? somebody explain it to me.

Gogan in particular really blossomed with the rest of the line. Reggie White used to eat him alive, ( Aikman 11 sack game ) after that he held his own and became a dependable asset for Troy, Emmitt, Moose.

 

[LucaBrasi]

There is a lot of truth to this. You need that kind of player. This is a violent game to be played by violent men. You cannot have a team full of Boy Scouts without a few thugs mixed in. I honestly cannot think of a single player right now who has that streak in them. The last perhaps was Marc Colombo and he did lend his personality to our OL at the time.

Scary thought is that this current team is so homogenized. I understand you want "right kind of guys", but sometimes what bonds a team together are the radical differences between mindsets and personalities.

This is so true. Every team needs a couple Erik Williams, Charles Haleys, Irvins, Kevin Gogans. Guys that arent choir boys. Watch the Seattle and San Fran lines run block. There's always 1-2 guys blocking past the whistle.

 

[xwalker]

how did we go from gogan swinging on fools to doug free? somebody explain it to me.

The guy that I think could have that attitude is Jermey Parnell. He a big, strong player with an aggressive/nasty attitude. I think he could have challenged Free in training camp, but he missed almost all of the preseason with an injury.

 

[Zordon]

The guy that I think could have that attitude is Jermey Parnell. He a big, strong player with an aggressive/nasty attitude. I think he could have challenged Free in training camp, but he missed almost all of the preseason with an injury.

i see what you're saying about his nastiness. i saw it a few times last year. but he was the biggest preseason disappointment for me. broaddus and other observers of training camp said he looked pitiful. idk if that's because of injury or if there's nothing really there with parnell.

what i don't understand is how garrett can be in those 90s locker rooms and observe all of this greatness and make comments in this documentary about the oline's physicality and tenacity, yet he doesn't instill that into this team. how can he admire these warriors who were not saints off the field, but then leave larry warford completely off our board? why draft finesse players like claiborne and escobar when you have a stud/mauler in decastro available? it doesn't make sense to me.

 

[khiladi]

Great show. I only wish it were 3 hours long. I tried explaining to my son what we were watching and that some how some way we would be that good again. And we would watch the Super Bowl together and celebrate like he has never seen a celebration before in his life when our Cowboys are once again World Champions. The look in his eyes........priceless. I beg of you Jerry........

True fatherhood.. Respect

 

[khiladi]

You win with dogs not good guys. The reason i love seeing teams like Seattle SF & B-More(Ray Lewis Era) is the fact that they have guys who want to punch you in the mouth, Watching this and seeing how nasty our line was shows exactly what football is all about and that's smash mouth kick you in the face attitude, players like Richard Sherman get a lot of heat but at least he backs it up and isn't trying to be Mr. Goodie 2 Shoes.

Nice off the field, but when it comes time to play.....

 

[Plankton]

The thing I remember about Erik Williams, pre-injury and post injury:

Pre-injury, there was a game against the Colts in Indianapolis in 1993. Emmitt Smith was running a lead draw off of right tackle, and the Colts got penetration on the play. Smith had to cut back to the left, where he found a crease behind Nate Newton, and scored on what was a 20+ yard touchdown run. On the play, Williams moved toward his left, and met up with Steve Emtman, who had been the #1 overall pick as a DT in 1992. Williams thrust his arms in a punch up near Emtman's shoulders, and completely spun him around. On the play, the force of the punch caused Emtman's own body weight to blow out his knee. An example of how powerful he was.

Post-injury, he blew out John Jurkovic's knee in the 1995 NFC Championship Game, but did it with a borderline dirty cut block to the knee. Post-injury, he had to resort to more borderline dirty maneuvers due to his own lack of mobility and loss of leg power.

The first guy (pre-injury) was a beast. The second guy was less so, but even more nasty.

 

[erod]

So basically, that early-90s line consisted of an activist pothead, a heroin abuser, a big fat drug trafficker, the dirtiest player in the league, and a Josh-Brent drunk who drove a Mercedes into a retaining wall. Plus John Gesek and later Larry Allen.

That was the key to winning 3 Super Bowls in 4 years. Such is the way it played in the show, and perhaps, that's pretty accurate.

 

[Zordon]

The thing I remember about Erik Williams, pre-injury and post injury:

Pre-injury, there was a game against the Colts in Indianapolis in 1993. Emmitt Smith was running a lead draw off of right tackle, and the Colts got penetration on the play. Smith had to cut back to the left, where he found a crease behind Nate Newton, and scored on what was a 20+ yard touchdown run. On the play, Williams moved toward his left, and met up with Steve Emtman, who had been the #1 overall pick as a DT in 1992. Williams thrust his arms in a punch up near Emtman's shoulders, and completely spun him around. On the play, the force of the punch caused Emtman's own body weight to blow out his knee. An example of how powerful he was.

Post-injury, he blew out John Jurkovic's knee in the 1995 NFC Championship Game, but did it with a borderline dirty cut block to the knee. Post-injury, he had to resort to more borderline dirty maneuvers due to his own lack of mobility and loss of leg power.

The first guy (pre-injury) was a beast. The second guy was less so, but even more nasty.

give me either one over doug free.

 

[rcaldw]

i see what you're saying about his nastiness. i saw it a few times last year. but he was the biggest preseason disappointment for me. broaddus and other observers of training camp said he looked pitiful. idk if that's because of injury or if there's nothing really there with parnell.

what i don't understand is how garrett can be in those 90s locker rooms and observe all of this greatness and make comments in this documentary about the oline's physicality and tenacity, yet he doesn't instill that into this team. how can he admire these warriors who were not saints off the field, but then leave larry warford completely off our board? why draft finesse players like claiborne and escobar when you have a stud/mauler in decastro available? it doesn't make sense to me.

I believe that you guys just have it wrong and that is why you stay confused. When you keep looking for your answers in the wrong place you won't find them. Garrett is not the problem in Dallas. He just isn't. All you have to ask yourself is this:

Did Jerry Jones conduct himself in the same way with Jimmy Johnson as he has with every coach afterward?

I think every honest person knows the answer to that question. NO. Jimmy Johnson was the last word on all things football for the team he coached. Period. Period. Period.

The one constant since Johnson left, the one constant through all the mediocrity and at times dismal failure, is the man who at 71 years of age believes he will be running things until he is 91.

Even in the NFL films piece Jones' comments fit the bill of the way he sees things. I'm paraphrasing but "It just shows that if 5 men work together they can win the whole thing.".... or something to that effect.

His view of things football is simplistic, rah rah, and naive in a lot of ways.

 

[03EBZ06]

That was a very nice piece on one of the most dominate O-Line in the history of NFL, brought back lot of good memories, wished J. Johnson and J. Jone would have put aside their egos and made the history of winning three in a row or four in a row.

 

[Corso]

i see what you're saying about his nastiness. i saw it a few times last year. but he was the biggest preseason disappointment for me. broaddus and other observers of training camp said he looked pitiful. idk if that's because of injury or if there's nothing really there with parnell.

what i don't understand is how garrett can be in those 90s locker rooms and observe all of this greatness and make comments in this documentary about the oline's physicality and tenacity, yet he doesn't instill that into this team. how can he admire these warriors who were not saints off the field, but then leave larry warford completely off our board? why draft finesse players like claiborne and escobar when you have a stud/mauler in decastro available? it doesn't make sense to me.

Darn good point.

 

[rcaldw]

That was a very nice piece on one of the most dominate O-Line in the history of NFL, brought back lot of good memories, wished J. Johnson and J. Jone would have put aside their egos and made the history of winning three in a row or four in a row.

I'm not ever going to say that Jimmy was blameless in the deal. The way he treated his wife is enough to make me not like him on a personal level. But guys like that have instincts about people. I think Jimmy saw Jerry's increasing need for attention and credit, was running low on his own energy to keep the thing going, and wasn't going to pretend that Jerry was the football man that he wanted to pretend that he was. I put the greater blame on Jones. If Jones would have just played the role of the grateful owner, have given Johnson the credit for the winning, been satisfied with the fruits of his choices, the whole nation would have sung his praises anyway and it would have continued for at least another season. That is the ironic and weird part of it all. In striving for what he wants (praise, credit, fun) he has actually robbed himself of what he wants. How many people roll their eyes at the idea of Jones as a GM. He hasn't gained a single thing he has grasped for on that front.

 

[xwalker]

i see what you're saying about his nastiness. i saw it a few times last year. but he was the biggest preseason disappointment for me. broaddus and other observers of training camp said he looked pitiful. idk if that's because of injury or if there's nothing really there with parnell.

what i don't understand is how garrett can be in those 90s locker rooms and observe all of this greatness and make comments in this documentary about the oline's physicality and tenacity, yet he doesn't instill that into this team. how can he admire these warriors who were not saints off the field, but then leave larry warford completely off our board? why draft finesse players like claiborne and escobar when you have a stud/mauler in decastro available? it doesn't make sense to me.

Parnell was good in the preseason game against the Bengals. He had some good blocks against Geno Atkins and drove their DE all the way to the sideline on a running play. He had an obvious limp in that game. I've seen him put more guys on their butt in his very limited snaps than I've ever seen from Doug Free.

I've had the same thoughts about Garrett (and Jerry) in regards to the OLine. I would make the OLine the top priority on the team. They seem to undervalue OLinemen in the draft based on their "leaked" draft board. We'll see this offseason if they've learned anything after their success with Frederick.

 

[Zimmy Lives]

This is so true. Every team needs a couple Erik Williams, Charles Haleys, Irvins, Kevin Gogans. Guys that arent choir boys. Watch the Seattle and San Fran lines run block. There's always 1-2 guys blocking past the whistle.

I've been saying this for years: This team needs some real nasty players.

Parnell was good in the preseason game against the Bengals. He had some good blocks against Geno Atkins and drove their DE all the way to the sideline on a running play. He had an obvious limp in that game. I've seen him put more guys on their butt in his very limited snaps than I've ever seen from Doug Free.

I've had the same thoughts about Garrett (and Jerry) in regards to the OLine. I would make the OLine the top priority on the team. They seem to undervalue OLinemen in the draft based on their "leaked" draft board. We'll see this offseason if they've learned anything after their success with Frederick.

D-line should be top priority followed by the o-line.

 

[Tabascocat]

Finally watched it and was holding my own but the end got me..........those darn

 

[Phoenix]

I heard the mention that they were being called the great wall of Dallas. I don't remember ever hearing that term before this show. Is it just me or did I miss something?

Same here. Exactly. Did they just make that moniker up for this show?