Favorite player that didn't pan out:

[LittleBoyBlue]

Stats may not be everything but certain positions require big numbers to make pro bowls and get voted into the HOF. Pass rushers are judged by sacks. You said Ware had a nice career when in fact he's had a great career that will get him voted into the HOF when it's all said and done. Just because he's come up short of LT who's one of the top 5 greatest players in NFL history doesn't mean Ware didn't get it done. LT played in a different era for a future HOF HC who built some terrific teams around him that went on to win 2 championships. The game was a lot different when LT played. After 9 seasons Ware holds the Cowboys franchise record for sacks and has exceeded the expectations the team had for him when they made him the 11th overall pick in the 2005 NFL draft. Ware is considered by many as the greatest pass rusher of his era. LT didn't have a single sack his rookie year but Ware had 8 sacks making the difficult transition from a down DE to an OLB.

Ware had 19.5 sacks his first 2 seasons in the league with Parcells trying to make him a more complete LB. He had 33.5 sacks his first 3 seasons compared to only 16.5 for LT who was being sent after the QB. Ware accomplished those 33.5 sacks under 2 different head coaches who ran different versions of the 3-4. Ware had a lot more on his plate than LT but still got sacks while making plays in the running game. What made Ware such a great player is being a complete LB. He's never had close to the talent around him on defense that LT had with the Giants or the stability at HC and DC. He played for 2 of the greatest coaches in history in Parcells and Belichick. Since Ware arrived in the league in 05 he's played under 3 different HC's and will be playing under his 5th DC in 2014 with either the Cowboys or someone else next season. There's been no stability at HC or DC in Ware's 9 years with the team plus the personnel around him has completely changed over the years.

The defense has gotten worse with every coordinator/personnel change because the Cowboys are such a dysfunctional organization being run by an owner/GM who likes doing things his way while being surrounded by yes men. The Cowboys secondary has been overhauled the past 3 years with a $50 million free agent and the 6th overall pick in the draft and the coverage has been worse than ever. Ware has made some terrific plays for the Cowboys only to watch the defense give up a big play on the very next play. There's only so much one great player can do they can't be in 5 places at one time. It's not that difficult for an offense with an elite QB to neutralize one great player on a defense that's loaded with holes that can be taken advantage of.

Very good post. Educational. Seriously.

For me, I wanted more "timely", "quality" plays from Ware.
And I am not wrong for wanting that.

 

[bayeslife]

I think Claiborne was a big ole mistake. You can tell they didn't do their home work on him. They probably got the call to move up in the draft and then said... hey.. we could grab that Claiborne guy" and then called up Les Miles and Miles raved about him, so they drafted him. Really sad. With that said, the jury is still not fully out on Clariborne.

He was the highest rated prospect that year. Get over yourself.

 

[TTexasTT]

Herschel Walker

 

[Reverend Conehead]

Herschel Walker

?????????

By any measure, Herschel Walker was highly successful with the team. He was our only Pro Bowl player. He played so well that his stock rose and we ended up being able to trade him for a bonanza of picks that rebuilt the franchise. No one in his right mind could say he didn't pan out.

 

[ufcrules1]

He was the highest rated prospect that year. Get over yourself.

So what, did they do their own homework on him or just went off of what others said? You still have to always do your own homework. They were dumb about it. The jury still isn't out though. He could pay off.

 

[KJJ]

Very good post. Educational. Seriously.

For me, I wanted more "timely", "quality" plays from Ware.
And I am not wrong for wanting that.

Ware has made a lot of quality plays but he's played on some bad defensive teams that has made it difficult for him to make many "timely" plays but he has made some. He stopped Brian Wesbrook in the backfield a few years ago on a big 3rd down that was very timely. That play helped lead the Cowboys to a big win over Philly. Against the 13-0 Saints in 09 on the road he had a very timely strip sack of Drew Brees on a last ditch drive that sealed the win for the Cowboys. He made that play just a week after being carted off the field with a neck injury. LT didn't play under the same rules as Ware. Some of LT's timely plays and sacks would have been penalized and wiped out due to the player safety rules today. You can't hit QB's high/low or a fraction too late. LT's prime years were 20 years prior to Ware's the game has changed a lot since then especially for defensive players. The player safety rule changes have made it much more difficult for defensive players and it's opened up offenses. Offenses are able to spread defenses out with multiple WR/TE sets including quick slot receivers.

It's not that easy to get to the QB with all the options they have at receiver and as overly protected as they are by the officials. You have to judge players by how they performed amongst their peers during their era under the rules of today. Ware has been one of the greatest "players" of his era and one of the greatest players in Cowboys history. Just imagine the havoc he would have wrecked had been surrounded by the talented defenses the Cowboys had in the 70's and early to mid 90's. Charles Haley never had near the number of sacks that Ware has put up but he had so much talent around him that when he was being contained it freed up others to make plays. It was a collective effort that made those Cowboy defenses great.

 

[maxdallasfan]

Woody Dantzler!

 

[maxdallasfan]

And Isiah Stanback