Question For old timers and 90s Cowboy fans

[mrmojo]

Didn't Frank Clark wear 88?

82 I believe. Pettis Norman was the first 88 I remember.

 

[plymkr]

I would say Dez belongs in the 88 club but he's the third best 88. I'd go Irvin, Drew, then Dez.
Irvin is my top guy because he played in an era that stats were harder to come by. Back when he played getting 100 catches a season was unheard of. Herman Moore and Cris Carter I think were the first to do it. Now the league is more pass happy. Back when Irvin played the climate of the offenses were different. It was more common to be run first with a power running back who was your #1 back. The days of Emmitt Smith, Barry Sanders, Barry Foster, Thurman Thomas, Ricky Watters, etc. Most teams focused on the run and there wasn't a lot of tandem running backs that split time. Also Irvin played against better competition on a regular basis at this point in his career. Darrel Green, Eric Allen, Aeneas Williams played against Irvin twice a year being in the division. Not to mention Deion Sanders, Rod Woodson, Eric Davis outside of the division. All of those guys were as good or better than Richard Sherman. I believe Williams, Allen, Sanders, and Green are all in the HOF. Irvin and Drew played in pre-salary cap days were you could load up on the roster, which I think the salary cap era is weaker than the pre-salary cap era. Irvin dominated in the pre-salary cap era and the salary cap era. Dez struggles to get separation against top flight corners and has trouble beating double coverage. that's all Irvin had in his career. People like Josh Norman aren't even in the same league as Allen, Williams, and Green.

I think Dez has lived up to the 88 number but he's a distant third as of right now. If he cleaned up his route running and performed better against better competition then I can see him gaining ground.

 

[J_Allen]

Yes...to the degree MacKenzie Bernardeau lived up to #73.

 

[waving monkey]

for all Michael's crazy off the field life style aside when he entered the stadium it was full focus
total heart. He knew his routes he had maybe four fumbles in his career. he was a man
The respect was complete. I am sure he had some secret critics in the locker room but
I bet it was secret. Dez just isn't.

 

[KJJ]

Seen on here and heard on radio stations along with the Break and Talkin Cowboys people have been all over Dez. Here is my question has Dez lived up too the jersey number he wears 88. 88 means something to us Boys fans just like 33 12 22 8 and 82 will one day . As a boys fan from birth my 88 will always be Irvin has Dez lived up too the 88 club

You couldn't have picked a worse time to start this topic with Dez coming off arguably the worst game of his career. lol I watched both Pearson's and Irvin's careers from start to finish and Dez hasn't lived up to the 88 jersey number. He was given that number based on his potential and although it started off well for him, the last couple of seasons which should be the prime of his career have been a disappointment. By year seven Pearson had already built what I consider a HOF career. He appeared in three SB's, earning a ring and was widely considered the best clutch receiver in the game. By year seven he had the Hail Mary on his resume and made a name out of Clint Longley. He contributed greatly to Roger Staubach's HOF career. The Staubach to Pearson connection was one of the most feared of the 70s. It would be too time consuming to list all the huge game changing catches Drew Pearson made.

By year seven Michael Irvin had been part of back to back world championships and was playing the best football of his career, coming off two straight 1300+ seasons and one 1500+ season. Dez is a talented head case with immaturity issues who can't stay focused. If his career ended today, he would be best remembered for a catch he didn't make. He's never been a very good route runner and his career has been built on jump balls and contested catches. Just when it appeared his game was finally starting to come back together, he ends up having the worst game of his career. His mistakes greatly contributed to the loss last week. Dez is a physically gifted player who unfortunately is a mental midget.

 

[perrykemp]

Back when he played getting 100 catches a season was unheard of. Herman Moore and Cris Carter I think were the first to do it.

Sterling Sharpe was the first to have back-to-back 100 reception seasons.

Tim Brown, Sterling Sharpe, and Irvin were drafted 6th, 7th, and 11th overall in the 1988 draft all all 3 were HOF talent WRs. Brown and Irvin went made it to the HOF and Sharpe had a career ending neck injury in his 6th or 7th year.

I can't recall 3 players taken bang, bang, bang at one position high in the draft that were as good as those 3.

 

[Silverstar]

Unfortunately, Dez has only played in 2 post season games and that's where I'm making my comparison. He had 6 catches for 86 yards and no TD's in those 2 games. Pearson played in 22 post season games and Irvin played in 16 respectively. Both of them had over 1,100 yards and scored 8 TD's each. If Dez can match or pass them in post season TD's, then I would say he's done the #88 justice. I know that might sound harsh, but the playoffs is where Dez needs to go into beast mode and score TD's.

I hope Dez gets 8 TD's in THIS post season!

 

[plymkr]

Sterling Sharpe was the first to have back-to-back 100 reception seasons.

Tim Brown, Sterling Sharpe, and Irvin were drafted 6th, 7th, and 11th overall in the 1988 draft all all 3 were HOF talent WRs. Brown and Irvin went made it to the HOF and Sharpe had a career ending neck injury in his 6th or 7th year.

I can't recall 3 players taken bang, bang, bang at one position high in the draft that were as good as those 3.

Good call, I forgot about Sterling Sharpe. I agree, that wide receiver class of '88 was amazing. Sharpe, Brown and Irvin were amazing. I remember that game against the Falcons when Sharpe got hurt.

 

[Nexx]

no but i still have hope

 

[Melonfeud]

I love Mike. But Dez just tied his TD record in about 5 3/4 seasons.

That's fact! Irving played about 11 years and I'm thinking dez is pretty close to reaching the half way mark on Michael Irvin's total yards also .
(He's gonna have to grab another gear if he even wants to come within smelling range of that one IMO)

 

[Melonfeud]

Not even close.

Dez would be a #3 WR behind Harper and Irvin on those teams.

I had to stifle a laugh when I saw that,,,,just saying/carry on.

 

[ghst187]

I love Mike. But Dez just tied his TD record in about 5 3/4 seasons.

But mike never fumbled games or key catches away and was biggest when we needed him. Irvin was a winner who outworked everyone. Dez.....may never grow up

 

[noshame]

I'm going to throw out the New York game because I've heard he had the flu and wasn't feeling well so I'll give him a pass

I was concerned earlier in the year when he got benched for taking a play off

I like Bryant I think he's made some progress from years back but I'm going to have to leave the jury out for a while

 

[Bleu Star]

Seen on here and heard on radio stations along with the Break and Talkin Cowboys people have been all over Dez. Here is my question has Dez lived up too the jersey number he wears 88. 88 means something to us Boys fans just like 33 12 22 8 and 82 will one day . As a boys fan from birth my 88 will always be Irvin has Dez lived up too the 88 club

I like Dez but any comparison to my boy Playmaker at this point would be premature. He still has a ways to go and can get there. It has to start Sunday night.

 

[Bleu Star]

And you just showed your youth.

Yeah. I just went "wth" when I read that.

 

[Bleu Star]

A lot of Old Timers here started with 88 as Drew.

Yeah that's it man. There was nothing sweeter to me than watching Dorsett's amazing runs complimented by the incredible passing prowess of Staubach to Pearson (or Tony Hil). I used to love watching Tony take the top off of defenses. Just poetry in motion. Both 80 and 88.

 

[lukin2006]

Seen on here and heard on radio stations along with the Break and Talkin Cowboys people have been all over Dez. Here is my question has Dez lived up too the jersey number he wears 88. 88 means something to us Boys fans just like 33 12 22 8 and 82 will one day . As a boys fan from birth my 88 will always be Irvin has Dez lived up too the 88 club

I don't think he has, I don't really think he is really close, Irvin was the man "the playmaker", and the emotional leader in a good way...that's how I see Irvin. Dez looked like he was going to live it up to it until his foot injury and now he seems more inconsistent than ever.

 

[fifaguy]

Not sufficiently consistent to be in that rarified category...

 

[FiveTime]

Not even close.

Dez would be a #3 WR behind Harper and Irvin on those teams.

Let's not get crazy here. Harper was fun to watch when he was a Cowboy but he doesn't belong in the conversation of the 88's.

 

[haleyrules]

Bryant is not in the same category as either Pearson or Irvin. Those boys lived and played in a far different NFL. Bryant, and most modern players, have made so much money they don't need to prove anything. Drew, especially, had to work hard and perform and Mike also or they wouldn't be around so long. Too me, Bryant could be an Irvin but is content to play on his natural ability and not push harder to be the best. Players like Irvin or Rice trained and practiced to be known as the best in the NFL and seldom if ever took games off. I have never seen this quality in Dez.