How Did Our Fans View Duane Thomas in the Early 1970s?

ClappingCarrot

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Question for some of the older guys that post in here - how did our fan base view Duane Thomas in the early 1970s? I feel like it was one of the biggest wastes of talent in the history of this franchise.

I got around to watching a special on ESPN a few hours ago about the 1971 Cowboys Super Bowl team, and one of the central characters around that season's events was RB Duane Thomas.

A little background, for those unaware:

Duane was drafted in the First Round in 1970 by Landry and Gil Brandt, and there were early comparisons to Jim Brown, which excited everyone in Dallas because he went to Lincoln High School and was eventually a star at West Texas State. Duane had a fantastic rookie season, finishing second in rushing yards in the NFC and averaged a whopping 5.3 YPC (a record which Emmitt Smith eventually tied). He was also the first rookie in NFL history to have back to back 100 yard rushing games in the playoffs, a feat he accomplished against Detroit and San Francisco respectively. Duane Thomas was named Rookie of the Year, and subsequently, his head got a little big also. He more or less demanded a revised contract from Tex Schramm after he won the Rookie of the Year honors, and Tex being Tex wasn't having any of it. Thomas ended up holding out, and also went to the media saying that Tex was cheap and hypocritical and that Landry was a "plastic man", a comment that befuddled teammates. Thomas was eventually traded to New England, but due to his inability to get along with Head Coach John Mazur, New England went to the Commissioner, who in an unprecedented move, voided several aspects of the deal - which subsequently sent Thomas back to Dallas. Thomas remained silent for the entire duration of the season, refusing to speak to teammates, coaching staff, and even the media. Thomas dominated the Dolphins on the ground in Super Bowl VI, and unanimously won the voting in MVP honors, but officials were afraid of how he would act at a banquet in New York, and decided to give the MVP award to Staubach, who only completed 12 passes in that game.

Eventually, Duane was traded to San Diego and bounced around the league after that. He returned to Dallas in 1976, but was not nearly as effective as he was in his prime. High character HOF Cowboys like Staubach and Bob Lilly have been on the record saying that Thomas would have had a HOF career if he would've just gotten his head right, and I believe I read that Landry lamented that he would have beaten the Steelers in Super Bowl X and XIII had he had Thomas on the field.

We were all hard on guys like Taco Charlton when we drafted him, but my question is this - how did our fans deal with these events in the early 1970s? Having Duane around could've possibly changed the trajectory of this franchise in the 70s and we could quite possibly have seven Super Bowl victories. Are Landry and Staubach just out of their minds, and were we just destined to lose to the Steelers anyway? Was Duane Thomas not that special of a RB at all, who just had two fluke seasons?

Interested in hearing from you guys on this subject, as I'm always trying to learn new things about my beloved team.

:starspin:
 

PAPPYDOG

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Question for some of the older guys that post in here - how did our fan base view Duane Thomas in the early 1970s? I feel like it was one of the biggest wastes of talent in the history of this franchise.

I got around to watching a special on ESPN a few hours ago about the 1971 Cowboys Super Bowl team, and one of the central characters around that season's events was RB Duane Thomas.

A little background, for those unaware:

Duane was drafted in the First Round in 1970 by Landry and Gil Brandt, and there were early comparisons to Jim Brown, which excited everyone in Dallas because he went to Lincoln High School and was eventually a star at West Texas State. Duane had a fantastic rookie season, finishing second in rushing yards in the NFC and averaged a whopping 5.3 YPC (a record which Emmitt Smith eventually tied). He was also the first rookie in NFL history to have back to back 100 yard rushing games in the playoffs, a feat he accomplished against Detroit and San Francisco respectively. Duane Thomas was named Rookie of the Year, and subsequently, his head got a little big also. He more or less demanded a revised contract from Tex Schramm after he won the Rookie of the Year honors, and Tex being Tex wasn't having any of it. Thomas ended up holding out, and also went to the media saying that Tex was cheap and hypocritical and that Landry was a "plastic man", a comment that befuddled teammates. Thomas was eventually traded to New England, but due to his inability to get along with Head Coach John Mazur, New England went to the Commissioner, who in an unprecedented move, voided several aspects of the deal - which subsequently sent Thomas back to Dallas. Thomas remained silent for the entire duration of the season, refusing to speak to teammates, coaching staff, and even the media. Thomas dominated the Dolphins on the ground in Super Bowl VI, and unanimously won the voting in MVP honors, but officials were afraid of how he would act at a banquet in New York, and decided to give the MVP award to Staubach, who only completed 12 passes in that game.

Eventually, Duane was traded to San Diego and bounced around the league after that. He returned to Dallas in 1976, but was not nearly as effective as he was in his prime. High character HOF Cowboys like Staubach and Bob Lilly have been on the record saying that Thomas would have had a HOF career if he would've just gotten his head right, and I believe I read that Landry lamented that he would have beaten the Steelers in Super Bowl X and XIII had he had Thomas on the field.

We were all hard on guys like Taco Charlton when we drafted him, but my question is this - how did our fans deal with these events in the early 1970s? Having Duane around could've possibly changed the trajectory of this franchise in the 70s and we could quite possibly have seven Super Bowl victories. Are Landry and Staubach just out of their minds, and were we just destined to lose to the Steelers anyway? Was Duane Thomas not that special of a RB at all, who just had two fluke seasons?

Interested in hearing from you guys on this subject, as I'm always trying to learn new things about my beloved team.

:starspin:

Loved Duane but the fumble on the goal-line in SB V still breaks my heart!!!
 

Centex

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I was only 7 and viewed him as a really good player but a nutjob. I'm sure my view was based on how my dad saw him.
 

Brax

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Question for some of the older guys that post in here - how did our fan base view Duane Thomas in the early 1970s? I feel like it was one of the biggest wastes of talent in the history of this franchise.

I got around to watching a special on ESPN a few hours ago about the 1971 Cowboys Super Bowl team, and one of the central characters around that season's events was RB Duane Thomas.

A little background, for those unaware:

Duane was drafted in the First Round in 1970 by Landry and Gil Brandt, and there were early comparisons to Jim Brown, which excited everyone in Dallas because he went to Lincoln High School and was eventually a star at West Texas State. Duane had a fantastic rookie season, finishing second in rushing yards in the NFC and averaged a whopping 5.3 YPC (a record which Emmitt Smith eventually tied). He was also the first rookie in NFL history to have back to back 100 yard rushing games in the playoffs, a feat he accomplished against Detroit and San Francisco respectively. Duane Thomas was named Rookie of the Year, and subsequently, his head got a little big also. He more or less demanded a revised contract from Tex Schramm after he won the Rookie of the Year honors, and Tex being Tex wasn't having any of it. Thomas ended up holding out, and also went to the media saying that Tex was cheap and hypocritical and that Landry was a "plastic man", a comment that befuddled teammates. Thomas was eventually traded to New England, but due to his inability to get along with Head Coach John Mazur, New England went to the Commissioner, who in an unprecedented move, voided several aspects of the deal - which subsequently sent Thomas back to Dallas. Thomas remained silent for the entire duration of the season, refusing to speak to teammates, coaching staff, and even the media. Thomas dominated the Dolphins on the ground in Super Bowl VI, and unanimously won the voting in MVP honors, but officials were afraid of how he would act at a banquet in New York, and decided to give the MVP award to Staubach, who only completed 12 passes in that game.

Eventually, Duane was traded to San Diego and bounced around the league after that. He returned to Dallas in 1976, but was not nearly as effective as he was in his prime. High character HOF Cowboys like Staubach and Bob Lilly have been on the record saying that Thomas would have had a HOF career if he would've just gotten his head right, and I believe I read that Landry lamented that he would have beaten the Steelers in Super Bowl X and XIII had he had Thomas on the field.

We were all hard on guys like Taco Charlton when we drafted him, but my question is this - how did our fans deal with these events in the early 1970s? Having Duane around could've possibly changed the trajectory of this franchise in the 70s and we could quite possibly have seven Super Bowl victories. Are Landry and Staubach just out of their minds, and were we just destined to lose to the Steelers anyway? Was Duane Thomas not that special of a RB at all, who just had two fluke seasons?

Interested in hearing from you guys on this subject, as I'm always trying to learn new things about my beloved team.

:starspin:
Could of been one of the greatest, he was Jim Brown good. Sad it ended the way it did.
 

PAPPYDOG

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You really are an old fart.

I was only 6 years old in 1971. My memory is a bit hazy....

Nah, replay lol.....Have watched all our games from start to finish.
Even the losses we had from the Browns after our Packer Lombardi losses.
 
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Hagman

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He was one of the most amazing shifty runners I ever saw. His body could move like a cat to avoid tacklers in his prime. Really something else to watch. Unfortunately he was bat **** crazy. Landry normally would not have put up with antics like his but he was really hungry for a Super Bowl victory Duane could’ve been one of the all-time great’s but they were just things going on in his head. We should remember that later the Cowboys took him back for a tryout but his magic was gone by then. I’m proud to say that I am a friend of his on Facebook though, well not a friend friend but one of those I liked his page type of friends.
 

Hagman

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Oh and it was only for a couple of games but I remember one of those few times that Calvin Hill was healthy and we played Hill and Thomas together. With Staubach at quarterback It was devastating on the opposing defense. Really something special to watch
 

PAPPYDOG

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He was one of the most amazing shifty runners I ever saw. His body could move like a cat to avoid tacklers in his prime. Really something else to watch. Unfortunately he was bat **** crazy. Landry normally would not have put up with antics like his but he was really hungry for a Super Bowl victory Duane could’ve been one of the all-time great’s but they were just things going on in his head. We should remember that later the Cowboys took him back for a tryout but his magic was gone by then. I’m proud to say that I am a friend of his on Facebook though, well not a friend friend but one of those I liked his page type of friends.

Tex paid no one.
Duane just couldn't stomach it and lashed out in the quietest way possible.
 

MaineBoy

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Duane was a special talent and I agree with Landry that Duane would have been a difference maker against the Steelers. He was a great back....though he did break my heart too with that fumble. I agree he was Jim Brown good. He was an awesome combo of power and elusiveness with enough speed thrown in. Duane and Hollywood Henderson were HOF talents with HOF head issues unfortunately.
 

PAPPYDOG

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Correct but like today bad calls happen, that game also gave the NFL something that will never happen again in a SB, a MVP from a loosing team.

We choked big time in that game literally gave the game to the Colts.
After that game, it just kept the fire burning on the name "Next Years Champions"
 

Alexander

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Tex paid no one.

The Landry Cowboys were notoriously cheap. Even Gil Brandt admits his role in that.

But then again, I think all NFL teams were that way.

Back in the 1970s, even Hall of Fame quality players had to take offseason jobs.
 
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