Cowboy history: Biggest waste of talent (self inflicted)

[CowboyRoy]

I'm in shock every time I hear someone claim Quincy was good or talented. The 03 team drug Quincy to the playoffs w/ a #1 D. Quincy threw for only 3,302 yds w/ 17 TD's and 22 INT's. He was quite bad. What Quincy was good at was throwing picks.

AFLAC!!!

 

[TwentyOne]

I'm in shock every time I hear someone claim Quincy was good or talented. The 03 team drug Quincy to the playoffs w/ a #1 D. Quincy threw for only 3,302 yds w/ 17 TD's and 22 INT's. He was quite bad. What Quincy was good at was throwing picks.

 

[Red Dragon]

For being such a terrible passer, Quincy led a 5-11 previous team to the playoffs.

I am one of those who thought Carter a good QB, and that's because I became a fan of the Cowboys in 1999. (Too young to know anything earlier.) Never saw Aikman in his prime, never saw a Cowboys team better than 8-8 until Carter's second season. In fact, to this day, I've never seen Dallas advance beyond the divisional round, or win a road playoff game, in my life.

To me, Quincy was "good," and Romo in 2006-2014 might as well have been Joe Montana.

 

[Floatyworm]

Think you can add.....

Taco Charlton
LVE
Byron Jones
Dez
Jaylon

Afraid they are gonna mess up Parsons too...he was great getting after the QB...wasted him the last month of last year....playing LBer.

 

[kskboys]

AFLAC!!!

Hey, I forgot about that!!! My nickname for Carter was Quincy the Duck!!!!!! I have never seen an NFL QB throw that many ducks!!!!!!

 

[kskboys]

For being such a terrible passer, Quincy led a 5-11 previous team to the playoffs.

Yeah, and we already covered that.

Quincy had a horrible comp %, a terrible TD/INT ratio(17-22), very low yardage totals(3,301), and was drug to the playoffs by the #1 D in the NFL. He was an absolutely awful passer. Strong arm, but not a good one.

 

[jsb357]

Where's Jason Garrett?
You can't make a thread about self inflicted wasted talent and not include Garrett. - LOL.

 

[CowboyRoy]

Hey, I forgot about that!!! My nickname for Carter was Quincy the Duck!!!!!! I have never seen an NFL QB throw that many ducks!!!!!!

ABC was what we called him. Anyone But Carter.

 

[terra]

Anyone who thinks Q was a good QB is someone that probably thought Jeff George, Jumongus Russell, and Ryan Leaf were sure Hall of Famers.

 

[nate dizzle]

I'd like to know how Romo is "the biggest self-inflicted waste of talent".

Seems to me he actually over-achieved.

He put his hat on backwards and derailed his career.

 

[nate dizzle]

Kevin Smith is someone I think was on their way to having a great career if he hadn't blown out his achilles.

 

[eromeopolk]

Thinking about the sad case of Randy Gregory made me remember some of the other Cowboys players over time that were blessed with great talent but had personall issues that seriously damaged their careers and legacies. Here are some that come to mind:

Randy Gregory - we will never know how good he could have been
David Irvin - another pot casualty. Like Gregory we will never know how good he could have been, but he had great talent.
Duane Thomas - Huge talent with an even bigger chip on his shoulder. Didn't get along with anybody - teammates, coaches, media ...
Lance Rentzel - Star player with a beautiful celebrity wife and a predilection for flashing children.
Hollywood Henderson - a LB and one of the fastest players in the NFL. A true athletic freak. Serious cocaine habit derailed his career
Harvey Martin - Had a very good career anyway, but without the multitude of drugs might be discussed alongside guys like Bruce Smith, Deacon Jones etc ...

It is hard to say Harvey Martin, Duane Thomas, Hollywood Henderson, and Lance Rentzel were waste of talent when they all have Super Bowl rings, started for the Cowboys, some were All Rookie, All Pro, Pro Bowlers, and NFL Defensive Players of the Year (Martin).

Basically from 1994-present was a waste of talent by Jerry Dumbo GM Jones and Stephen Executed VP Jones. Leave the real Dallas Cowboys out of the wasted talent discussion and stick with the Arlington Jonesboys era.

 

[Tractor1]

I wouldn’t be listing Harvey Martin he had a great career with the Cowboys. I believe it was later in his career when drugs and alcohol became a problem. Michael Irvin had his issues too.

Not sure Irvin had a drug problem, but he had girl problem where drugs became an issue.

 

[KJJ]

Not sure Irvin had a drug problem, but he had girl problem where drugs became an issue.

If drugs become an issue you have a problem.

 

[OmerV]

I read your comment you said he had a “very good” career. He played 11 seasons, far longer than the other players you mentioned. He was drafted in 1973 and by 1977 he put up 20 sacks. In 1978 he had 14.5 sacks. In 1980 had 12.5 sacks. He never had fewer than 8 sacks until his final season in 1983. I don’t see where he declined real fast. Deacon Jones and Bruce Smith were on another level than Harvey Martin. It had nothing to do with drugs and alcohol. You could very well spin the same thing about Michael Irvin that he would’ve been thought of in the same light as Jerry Rice had it not been for his marital problems and drugs.

How are Martin's 11 years "far longer" than Bruce Smith's 19 years and Deacon Jones 13 years?

I understand he had those great sack seasons. That's why I say he could have been considered among the elite pass rushers ever had he stayed at that level longer. He did not maintain the consistency over time the way Bruce Smith and Deacon Jones did. Bruce Smith, for example, had 13 double digit sack seasons.

As for declining real fast, he had 8.5 sacks in 9 games in 1982 and in his last year of 1983 he had 2 sacks in 16 games. How would that not be a rapid decline?

As for his drug problems contributing to his demise as a player, Martin retired because he refused to take a mandated drug test, and he subsequently admitted his cocaine addiction.

As for Michael Irvin, I wouldn't say he would have been thought of in the same vein as Jerry Rice. I feel Martin could have been thought of in the same vein as other elite pass rushers. But that's my opinion If you have a different opinion, so be it. But one thing to note is Michael didn't retire because of drug problems, he got injured.

 

[OmerV]

In recent memory I have to go with David Irving. Gregory had great potential but Irving had a couple games of being unstoppable. It's a shame he didn't work to hone his craft, because there aren't many special 3techs and he could've been one.

I agree. There were a few games that Irving dominated like he was one of the elite players in history. If he could have kept his head together and at least played close to that level he would have been great.

 

[OmerV]

Well done except I’m not sure Harvey’s career was derailed by his behavior in same manner as others which was mostly after his career or at the end of it if I recall correctly which arguably kept him out of ROH and maybe even consideration for HOF.

I don't disagree. Mrtin at least had a great career, even if not as great as it could have been. Some of the others stopped short of ever reaching their peak potential at all.

 

[OmerV]

First two speak to the stupidity of NFL rules around marijuana.

In part, but it also speaks to their priorities.

 

[OmerV]

It is hard to say Harvey Martin, Duane Thomas, Hollywood Henderson, and Lance Rentzel were waste of talent when they all have Super Bowl rings, started for the Cowboys, some were All Rookie, All Pro, Pro Bowlers, and NFL Defensive Players of the Year (Martin).

Basically from 1994-present was a waste of talent by Jerry Dumbo GM Jones and Stephen Executed VP Jones. Leave the real Dallas Cowboys out of the wasted talent discussion and stick with the Arlington Jonesboys era.

"Waste" may not be the right word, because you are right that they all got some great results. But all fell short of the careers they could have had, some well short. Martin is the only one of that group that at least had something close to the career he could have.

 

[CWR]

First two speak to the stupidity of NFL rules around marijuana.

100%, it's certainly not a performance enhancer, and in a sport where you can be shot up and then pop an oxy to dull the pain their take on marijuana is absurd. Ask Bret Farve...