Impressions of the 96 Cowboys

[Eddie]

Eddie, agreed about Bjornson. He came closer in performance to the guy who was Jay's teammate in Phoenix and who we picked up in Plan B the same year as Jay, Rob Awalt, than he did to Jay, LOL. My biggest beef w/ Bjornson was that he seemed to constantly have nagging ankle injuries that seemingly stretched from '96 clean through to all of the '97 season.

I really thought Bjornsen would turn things around and turn into the solid TE Troy needed.

One one play stood out in my mind which changed it completely. I think it was the Thanksgiving Day game. Can't remember who we played. But it was in the 3rd quarter, and it was 3rd and about 3 or 4 somewhere deep in enemy territory.

The play was something Jay could have done in his sleep. Short pattern, shed the LB, and get the first down.

Erik ran the pattern, turned, and allowed the LB to mug him. Erik didn't catch the pass. Could have turned the game around.

Little things like that. You're right, then the ankle injury and that was that.

 

[CoCo]

That was the one year that the Deion and Kevin Smith CB combo really worked. In later years, the refs started calling PI on Smith so often that the opposing team began lobbying for it after every incompletion to Smith's man.

The shame about Lett in 1996 is that he was having a great season up till the suspension.

Actually, per FOX's Carolina game broadcast Pup led the league in PI calls during that same season. And the Panthers got him for 2 more in that game. On one play Smith got flagged for both defensive holding and PI.

What might have been in our secondary had Pup never torn the achilles...

 

[lurkercowboy]

Actually, per FOX's Carolina game broadcast Pup led the league in PI calls during that same season. And the Panthers got him for 2 more in that game. On one play Smith got flagged for both defensive holding and PI.

What might have been in our secondary had Pup never torn the achilles...

I can certainly believe that. For some reason, I am under the impression that it didn't matter as much that season because the defense did so well in points and yards.

 

[jcblanco22]

I really thought Bjornsen would turn things around and turn into the solid TE Troy needed.

One one play stood out in my mind which changed it completely. I think it was the Thanksgiving Day game. Can't remember who we played. But it was in the 3rd quarter, and it was 3rd and about 3 or 4 somewhere deep in enemy territory.

The play was something Jay could have done in his sleep. Short pattern, shed the LB, and get the first down.

Erik ran the pattern, turned, and allowed the LB to mug him. Erik didn't catch the pass. Could have turned the game around.

Little things like that. You're right, then the ankle injury and that was that.

Well on Thanksgiving '96 we played the Skins and beat them 21-10, I believe you're referring to our '97 loss on Thanksgiving. I don't remember who the opponent was either.

 

[windward]

Well on Thanksgiving '96 we played the Skins and beat them 21-10, I believe you're referring to our '97 loss on Thanksgiving. I don't remember who the opponent was either.

That was against the Tennessee Oilers. One of the most frustrating losses I remember cause I knew we should have won that game.

 

[doomsday81]

When a team wins, the coach is heralded as if he invented football.

If the team loses, he is chided for his ineptness.

In your comment, you suggest the team won inspite of the coach.

Name me one team that has ever done this.

Players are put in place to execute.

If they fail to execute they lose.

It is the coaches responsibility to put those players in the right place.

So in 1995, the team won a championship because Campo and Zampese were the coordinators.?

Or Jimmy's ghost was guiding the team?

Horse feathers.

I always despised Switzer, because I am a die-hard Texas fan.

But Jimmy Johnson was not on the team, and Campo and Zampese were not the leader of this team from the coache's rank.

People try to take the credit away from Switzer.

But Emmitt Smith commented while being interviewed a few years ago about the fourth and one. And how Barry stepped up in the lockeroom and told the team he called the play twice because he so believed in them.

He then stated he would take the flack and that they should not hang their heads. They were winners in his eyes.

Emmitt said that speech was what galvanized the team.

They did not lose again that season.

I don't believe the all-time rushing leader would make these claims if he didn't believe Switzer had a hand in the championship.

Only fans will rewrite history to fit their agendas.

You just gave the argument why the Cowboys were one of the great teams of all-time. If you don't think coaching matters, you are kidding yourself. That team won one Super Bowl without Johnson because they were so ******** talented. What you forgot to mention is how many more they might of won if Jimmy never left. You see, sometimes you're right and wrong at the same time. Jerry wanted to prove that any coach could win with that team and for the short term he was right but it hurt them in the long term. If Jimmy Johnson had coached six or seven more years, Dallas would have competed for more Super Bowls. Why? Because he's a better coach than Barry Switzer. Case closed.

Don't think coaching matters? Didn't I watch Bill Parcells go 10-6 with the same crappy players Dave Campo had? Oh wait, it's the players. Players win games. Call Tampa Bay. Didn't I see Gruden win a Super Bowl with the same team that loser Dungy had? This argument is stupid. I believe any Cowboys fan that knows a grain of salt about football knows that Barry Switzer is an idiot. Anyone else is just a flat out homer who doesn't judge their team objectively. That's just my opinion.

Also, if you knew as much about college football as you claim to, you would know that Switzer was a great recruiter but gave the game planning duties to his assistants. His job was to get the players there and he was great at that (cheating) but as far as coaching goes, Barry Switzer was never a great coach. It also helps when you are nailed for breaking over 100 NCAA rules violations. That's still an all-time record by the way. You would be surprised how much better a college football team is when you give the players brand new cars. You want more? Just ask. I've read every book ever written on OU football so if you want to go on and discuss how Switzer had a hand in fixing the National Championship game against JJ and Miami, let me know. We can talk about that next.

 

[jem88]

Switzer embarrassed himself as usual when Stepfret Williams made his first and only catch of the season.

I must be getting old, but could you refresh my memory on this one?