DandyDon1722
It's been a good 'un, ain't it?
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There are those who say if a professional athlete needs outside motivation, then they're not really professional. Bull****
I've been saving this for a long time and I think this is the week so here goes--
October 1990 and the Cowboys were about to play the Bucs in Tampa Bay. I lived in Orlando at the time and the week before the game I read a blurb in the Orlando Sentinel where Broderick Thomas, linebacker of the Bucs said flat out - "We have no respect for Emmitt Smith." Whoaaaa!!!!???? WHAT!!!????
Coming from a college sports background I instantly knew this was gold - you NEVER say that, especially at the professional level.
So I clipped it out and highlighted it. Now my problem was who do I send it to? Jimmy? No way. Jerry? No. So I thought who would actually open a letter from a fan - so I decided on Joe Brodsky our running backs coach.
I went to the game and we beat them 17-13 on a pass from Aikman to Irvin inside of two minutes. I remember Isaac Holt had a pick six in that game too. We were starting to turn the corner.
The following Monday night I attend a Bucs radio show at a place called the Cheyenne Saloon in Orlando for Happy Hour. I tracked down Jerry Greene who was a long time reporter for the Sentinel and a host on the show. I told him what I had done and he started laughing, "So you're the one!" I didn't know what he was talking about. "We walked into the Cowboys locker room after the game and they were pissed and it was all about the lack of respect from Tampa Bay and what Thomas had said about Emmitt. I've never seen professionals so resentful towards a team like that."
Later in the week I got a very nice letter from Joe (God Bless him, he's passed) on Cowboy letterhead thanking me for the article. He said the article was blown up and placed throughout Valley Ranch and "A great debt of gratitude is due to "astute" fans such as yourself. Coach Johnson said we had the most "spirited" practices we've had since he's been in Dallas." Well, I don't know how astute I was but I do know an emotional edge when I see it and I know it can play a part.
I believe this is once again one of those times. These are quotes from the last time we played Seattle and I thought they were eye-opening--
"You hit a guy long enough, they'll start feeling it," Wright said. "They'll start turning their head around and dropping passes, we did a good job of that."
"We knew exactly what they were going to be doing out there and we were ready for it," cornerback Brandon Browner said.
"We stuck with our game plan: Run the ball, run the ball, run the ball and they got tired," Tate said. "We played longer and harder than they did. It started opening up in the pass game.
DeMarco Murray, who ran for 139 yards last year against Seattle, was held to just 44 yards on 12 carries.
"When he comes through that hole, you've got to make him feel you. Every time you touch him, you've got to make him feel you," Chancellor said. "You do that a lot and it gets in his head. ... That's how he felt. We wore him out.
Lastly - I think Hos mentioned that they had a quote to the effect of "We knew if we hit them in the mouth they would fold..."
I'm not sure that's exactly it but somebody please find that quote and if any of you have personal relationships with players or the organization or through twitter (I know you do) - Get this stuff to them - do it!
Jason would use it because he's seen it used in the past. If it struck me as disrespectful imagine how Demarco and the offensive line would take that stuff today as would the defense. I think we are at the same crossroads as that 1990 team was. I think maybe next year is our year but this is a game where you grow up and take another step.
The respect card resonates with today's athletes. Those quotes question player's guts. The Seahawks are bullies, they thrive on it, Jimmy would tell us it's time to punch them in the mouth. He's right.
Don't say you can't make a difference. I did once - you can too.
I've been saving this for a long time and I think this is the week so here goes--
October 1990 and the Cowboys were about to play the Bucs in Tampa Bay. I lived in Orlando at the time and the week before the game I read a blurb in the Orlando Sentinel where Broderick Thomas, linebacker of the Bucs said flat out - "We have no respect for Emmitt Smith." Whoaaaa!!!!???? WHAT!!!????
Coming from a college sports background I instantly knew this was gold - you NEVER say that, especially at the professional level.
So I clipped it out and highlighted it. Now my problem was who do I send it to? Jimmy? No way. Jerry? No. So I thought who would actually open a letter from a fan - so I decided on Joe Brodsky our running backs coach.
I went to the game and we beat them 17-13 on a pass from Aikman to Irvin inside of two minutes. I remember Isaac Holt had a pick six in that game too. We were starting to turn the corner.
The following Monday night I attend a Bucs radio show at a place called the Cheyenne Saloon in Orlando for Happy Hour. I tracked down Jerry Greene who was a long time reporter for the Sentinel and a host on the show. I told him what I had done and he started laughing, "So you're the one!" I didn't know what he was talking about. "We walked into the Cowboys locker room after the game and they were pissed and it was all about the lack of respect from Tampa Bay and what Thomas had said about Emmitt. I've never seen professionals so resentful towards a team like that."
Later in the week I got a very nice letter from Joe (God Bless him, he's passed) on Cowboy letterhead thanking me for the article. He said the article was blown up and placed throughout Valley Ranch and "A great debt of gratitude is due to "astute" fans such as yourself. Coach Johnson said we had the most "spirited" practices we've had since he's been in Dallas." Well, I don't know how astute I was but I do know an emotional edge when I see it and I know it can play a part.
I believe this is once again one of those times. These are quotes from the last time we played Seattle and I thought they were eye-opening--
"You hit a guy long enough, they'll start feeling it," Wright said. "They'll start turning their head around and dropping passes, we did a good job of that."
"We knew exactly what they were going to be doing out there and we were ready for it," cornerback Brandon Browner said.
"We stuck with our game plan: Run the ball, run the ball, run the ball and they got tired," Tate said. "We played longer and harder than they did. It started opening up in the pass game.
DeMarco Murray, who ran for 139 yards last year against Seattle, was held to just 44 yards on 12 carries.
"When he comes through that hole, you've got to make him feel you. Every time you touch him, you've got to make him feel you," Chancellor said. "You do that a lot and it gets in his head. ... That's how he felt. We wore him out.
Lastly - I think Hos mentioned that they had a quote to the effect of "We knew if we hit them in the mouth they would fold..."
I'm not sure that's exactly it but somebody please find that quote and if any of you have personal relationships with players or the organization or through twitter (I know you do) - Get this stuff to them - do it!
Jason would use it because he's seen it used in the past. If it struck me as disrespectful imagine how Demarco and the offensive line would take that stuff today as would the defense. I think we are at the same crossroads as that 1990 team was. I think maybe next year is our year but this is a game where you grow up and take another step.
The respect card resonates with today's athletes. Those quotes question player's guts. The Seahawks are bullies, they thrive on it, Jimmy would tell us it's time to punch them in the mouth. He's right.
Don't say you can't make a difference. I did once - you can too.
