DMN Blog: NFL Network crowns 'greatest Cowboys of all time'

[Thomas82]

Last night I watched a few of the Top 10's on NFL Network, and one of them was on the Cowboys. I really didn't agree with this list, especially with the order of it.

First, here are the top Cowboys who didn't make the list (no particular order):

1. Mel Renfro
2. Harvey Martin
3. Too Tall Jones
4. Larry Allen
5. Deion Sanders
6. Danny White

That's all I can remember.

Here was their Top 10 List:

1. Tom Landry
2. Roger Staubach
3. Michael Irvin
4. Bob Lilly
5. Emmitt Smith
6. Troy Aikman
7. Tony Dorsett
8. Randy White
9. Drew Pearson
10. Don Merideth

 

[Clove]

Danny White should be on that list. He shouldn't be high, but he should be on the list.

I'm in the Minority when it comes to White, I loved that guy. Of course I was only 10ish during that time he was going to NFC championship after NFC championship.

 

[Clove]

7:32 AM Fri, May 29, 2009 | Permalink
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Now the NFL Network is getting into the act. If you want to come up with a list to catch people's attention it's never bad to start with something Cowboys.

NFLN is ranking the Top 10 folks in the history of various franchises. The series begins at 7 tonight with the Cowboys. Note it's not only players. It's people who have contributed to the franchise.

Here's the Top 10 (If you don't want to know, don't turn the page):


10. Drew Pearson
9. Don Meredith
8. Randy White
7. Tony Dorsett
6. Troy Aikman
5. Emmitt Smith
4. Bob Lilly
3. Michael Irvin
2. Roger Staubach
1. Tom Landry

OK, I'll start the yapping right here. Michael Irvin No. 3? Ahead of Bob Lilly, Emmitt Smith and Troy Aikman? No Tex Schramm? No Jerry Jones? No Mel Renfro?

Discuss among yourselves.

Are we judging what they contributed, how great they were, their overall character, their charity work, their contribution to the franchise/NFL, did they stay into the area once they retired?

Based on these, the list would change for me.

 

[The Panch]

But there is no "obviously" to that statement, either.

Okay, obviously it's my opinion that Irvin was the least valuable of the three. But I think I can make a pretty good case for it. Irvin didn't even make the HOF his first try, and for good reason. He's not even one of the very, very best at his position like Emmitt and Lilly and even Aikman were. I'm talking about when you have conversations about who the bests of all time were. Irvin is not even in the conversation for me.

Says who??



IMO, Irvin is higher up the list of wide receivers than Aikman is the list of QBs.

 

[goons]

Has anyone said that lists are ******** yet?

If not, then consider it said.

 

[jobberone]

Too hard to rank these guys. IMO TD was a better runner than Emmitt. But I'd have a hard time ranking him over Emmitt. Was Staubach really better than Aikman. Staubach had more comebacks. Aikman didn't lose too many big games. And leaving Allen and Wright off is not nice. How many sacks did Wright give up?

 

[dcfanatic]

Has anyone said that lists are ******** yet?

If not, then consider it said.

You do know what goes on at a message board right?

 

[BAT]

My Top 10 Cowboys All-Time:


1. Landry/Schramm (created "America's Team")
2. Emmitt Smith (one of the greatest players ever in NFL)
3. Bob Lilly (Mr. Cowboy, first in everything except this list)
4. Roger Staubach (Capt. America of America's Team)
5. Jimmy/Jerry (created one of the most dominant dynasties ever)
6. Randy White (the Manster, former SB MVP)
7. Michael Irvin (heart and soul of 90's SB teams)
8. Tony Dorsett (Top 10 RB all time, 2nd best Cowboys runner)
9. Troy Aikman (face of the 90's SB teams)
10. Harvey Martin (most underrated dominating player ever)


I was torn at the 10th spot between Mel Renfro, Martin, Perkins & Pearson. I almost put Charles Haley over all of them. Without Haley, the 90's Cowboys probably do not win 3 Lombardi's.

 

[hmcorp]

WAY too high for Irvin.

as soon as irvin was gone the cowboys died.

aikman and emmitt did nothing.

team died when irvin left.
greatest cowboy ever.

 

[ZeroClub]

There are two Dallas Cowboy players who could pick up their teams, put their teams on their backs, and reliably carry their championship teams to wins:

Roger Staubach and Emmitt Smith

The order is arguable, although I believe opposing teams feared Staubach more ... and never felt safe playing Dallas, even with a lead in the fourth quarter, because of Staubach. ... in any event, Staubach did it first, so I put him #1. Smith did it 2nd, so I'll put him #2.

Both of those two, Staubach and Smith, were transcendent players. They have to be 1 and 2 among the players, IMO.

I also want to say that I think it is a mistake to penalize Smith just because:

1) he played about 8 years beyond his own remarkable prime (8 seasons beyond his 27th birthday), and

2) he is a trainwreck as a television commentator.

Think of the NY Giants shoulder game and remember his drive against the Bills in the second Super Bowl, and that'll help you remember why he's in the top 2 all time. ... That's the chunk of Emmitt's tenure that should be considered here, IMO.


Bob Lilly is the embodiment of what was best about the franchise, so he's #3. He may have been the best individual football player too (although Randy White, Mel Renfro, Tony Dorsett, and a few of the rest can't be too far behind).

 

[CowboyChris]

Heres my meaningless top 10.

1) Emmitt Smith
2) Bob Lilly
3) Troy Aikman
4) Roger Staubach
5) Tony Dorsett
6) Michael Irvin
7) Randy White
8) Larry Allen
9) Rayfield Wright
10) Darren Woodson

hard to leave Too Tall out, as he was my favorite Cowboy as a kid.

 

[parchy]

Heres my meaningless top 10.

1) Emmitt Smith
2) Bob Lilly
3) Troy Aikman
4) Roger Staubach
5) Tony Dorsett
6) Michael Irvin
7) Randy White
8) Larry Allen
9) Rayfield Wright
10) Darren Woodson

hard to leave Too Tall out, as he was my favorite Cowboy as a kid.

Can't argue too much with this, though I think Staubach needs to be de facto top 3 in everybody's list, especially ahead of Troy.

My problem with including guys like Jerry and Landry and Tex is how do you judge those guys in the same breath as players? I think front office guys need a different list.

Personally I think Lilly has to be No. 1 on every list, but that's just me.

And I don't know if anybody mentioned this, but the list's reasoning at having Emmitt at 5 was because of his time in Arizona.

 

[Temo]

I have no problem with Irvin #3. I've always appreciated Emmitt, but I've never really liked him as a person.

 

[RoadRunner]

as soon as irvin was gone the cowboys died.

aikman and emmitt did nothing.

team died when irvin left.
greatest cowboy ever.

The Cowboys had already been doing nothing for a few years before Irvin was forced to retire.

The real reason the team died was free agency. Too many players were lost and it derailed it. The loss of a dominant defense two deep at each position hurt more than anything.

 

[Royal Laegotti]

You know it's really tough to mix players with non players. I thought this was going to be a players list.

Surprised nobody here mentioned Jimmy Johnson.

Not many on this board like Jimmy Johnson.

Jerry did it all by himself the last 15 years is evidence.

 

[Idgit]

Not many on this board like Jimmy Johnson.

Jerry did it all by himself the last 15 years is evidence.

*** is this all about? Have you *read* this board at all?

 

[QT]

The Cowboys had already been doing nothing for a few years before Irvin was forced to retire.

The real reason the team died was free agency. Too many players were lost and it derailed it. The loss of a dominant defense two deep at each position hurt more than anything.

I disagree... If you remember that Carolina Panther (Kerry Collins) playoff game in which Irvin went down, Troy had no one to throw too. When Irvin went down that game, the team was done and so was the 90s Cowboys.

But I think Irvin is still too high at 3. I would move up Lilly to 3, then put Aikman, Smith, and Irvin... Even Irvin said on his radio show that Aikman should be ahead of him b/c Aikman commanded order on the team which was more important then Irvin motivating the team.

 

[Royal Laegotti]

*** is this all about? Have you *read* this board at all?

Yeah! Haven't you? You don't think there's Jimmy hate on this board? Look around!

Oh and *** you talkin' 'bout idgit?

 

[Chief]

There are two Dallas Cowboy players who could pick up their teams, put their teams on their backs, and reliably carry their championship teams to wins:

Roger Staubach and Emmitt Smith

The order is arguable, although I believe opposing teams feared Staubach more ... and never felt safe playing Dallas, even with a lead in the fourth quarter, because of Staubach. ... in any event, Staubach did it first, so I put him #1. Smith did it 2nd, so I'll put him #2.

Both of those two, Staubach and Smith, were transcendent players. They have to be 1 and 2 among the players, IMO.

I also want to say that I think it is a mistake to penalize Smith just because:

1) he played about 8 years beyond his own remarkable prime (8 seasons beyond his 27th birthday), and

2) he is a trainwreck as a television commentator.

Think of the NY Giants shoulder game and remember his drive against the Bills in the second Super Bowl, and that'll help you remember why he's in the top 2 all time. ... That's the chunk of Emmitt's tenure that should be considered here, IMO.


Bob Lilly is the embodiment of what was best about the franchise, so he's #3. He may have been the best individual football player too (although Randy White, Mel Renfro, Tony Dorsett, and a few of the rest can't be too far behind).

Good post.

 

[TellerMorrow34]

*** is this all about? Have you *read* this board at all?

Apparently not enough.

Yeah! Haven't you? You don't think there's Jimmy hate on this board? Look around!

Oh and *** you talkin' 'bout idgit?

Yeah there are haters. Just like there are Romo haters, and TO haters, and Ellis haters, and so on and so forth.

I'd be willing to say though that if it was polled that over half the board, if not more, probably loved Jimmy Johnson.