Staubach and White...

[CaptainAmerica]

...saw this at CNNSI. Interesting discussion about replacing a legendary QB.

White took over as the face of the franchise following Staubach's retirement in 1979. Although White posted solid numbers as the starter and led the Cowboys to the three consecutive NFC Championship Games, his tenure as the Cowboys' starter is viewed as a disappointment due to his inability to win a big game. However, White did appear in a Pro Bowl (1982) and his 62-32 regular season record as a starter, makes it hard to view him as a disappointment

 

[Doomsday101]

I always like Danny and felt bad for him. I think he took some abuse he did not deserve but that happens when you take over for a legendary QB like Staubach.

 

[YosemiteSam]

All the failures to not get to the Superbowl wasn't all Danny's fault. Remember, he missed a chance at a Superbowl because of the defenses inability to stop Joe Montana. Now, how many other teams (and QBs) suffered that same fate at the hands of Montana?

 

[CaptainAmerica]

All the failures to not get to the Superbowl wasn't all Danny's fault. Remember, he missed a chance at a Superbowl because of the defenses inability to stop Joe Montana. Now, how many other teams (and QBs) suffered that same fate at the hands of Montana?

I agree to a certain extent but the fact is he fumbled in the last minute of that game when we were very close to FG position. I think it was Pozderac who got beat, but he should have been protecting the ball in the pocket at such a crucial point in the game. His teams just always came up short in the big games. White was a very good but not great QB.

 

[Hostile]

That pic of Staubach would be a great background image here.

 

[Cajuncowboy]

Staubach cast a Babe Ruth like shadow in Dallas and Danny was unfortunate enough to be in it.

Still think Danny was a heck of a QB.

 

[onetrickpony]

We were spoiled by Captain Comeback. The Cowboys were never out of a game with Staubach at the helm. White just didn't have that same ability to deliver when everything was on the line.

He was always my favorite punter, though. I don't recall a single time that one of his fake punts didn't get a first down. It may have happened, but I don't remember it.

 

[joseephuss]

We were spoiled by Captain Comeback. The Cowboys were never out of a game with Staubach at the helm. White just didn't have that same ability to deliver when everything was on the line.

He was always my favorite punter, though. I don't recall a single time that one of his fake punts didn't get a first down. It may have happened, but I don't remember it.

It was that mentality of never being out of the game as long as Staubach was at the helm that helped the Cowboys play and perform better than when White was the QB. Every player thought if they could just do something to make one play then Roger could do the rest. They didn't seem to feel that same way about Danny. That is not a knock on Danny who I thought was a good QB. It just says a lot about Roger. Something that you can't say about a lot of QBs. It is those special ones that have that. Roger is in that small fraternity.

 

[bbgun]

We were spoiled by Captain Comeback. The Cowboys were never out of a game with Staubach at the helm. White just didn't have that same ability to deliver when everything was on the line.

He was always my favorite punter, though. I don't recall a single time that one of his fake punts didn't get a first down. It may have happened, but I don't remember it.

That's not true; he authored many memorable comebacks--such as the Atlanta playoff game; the 28-27 victory over the Dolphins in '81; the MNF comeback over the Skins in '83; etc.

 

[Doomsday101]

It was that mentality of never being out of the game as long as Staubach was at the helm that helped the Cowboys play and perform better than when White was the QB. Every player thought if they could just do something to make one play then Roger could do the rest. They didn't seem to feel that same way about Danny. That is not a knock on Danny who I thought was a good QB. It just says a lot about Roger. Something that you can't say about a lot of QBs. It is those special ones that have that. Roger is in that small fraternity.

Yet Danny pulled off some big come from behinds as well. Add to that the team was starting to lose very good talent and the drafts were not getting it done.

 

[joseephuss]

Yet Danny pulled off some big come from behinds as well. Add to that the team was starting to lose very good talent and the drafts were not getting it done.

Sure he led some comebacks. Like I said I thought he was a good QB. He just didn't give off that aura that anything was possible like Staubach did.

I agree that the drafts and talent started to get depleted in White's latter years. It was those first 3 seasons with him as the starter that really really determine the impact of (or haunt)his career and those teams were very comparable to the team that Roger led to SB 12 and 13. That was three straight years of losing in the NFC championship game. Good QB to lead his team that far, but not quite good enough to get over the top.

 

[Cajuncowboy]

Sure he led some comebacks. Like I said I thought he was a good QB. He just didn't give off that aura that anything was possible like Staubach did.

I agree that the drafts and talent started to get depleted in White's latter years. It was those first 3 seasons with him as the starter that really really determine the impact of (or haunt)his career and those teams were very comparable to the team that Roger led to SB 12 and 13. That was three straight years of losing in the NFC championship game. Good QB to lead his team that far, but not quite good enough to get over the top.

I agree. As I said, I thought Danny was an excellent QB. But there was just something different with Roger was on the field. I have heard many stories from players who said that when Roger called a play in the huddle that they were absolutely sure the play would work as it was drawn up.

Roger just had that extra that made ordinary, extraordinary.

 

[Doomsday101]

Sure he led some comebacks. Like I said I thought he was a good QB. He just didn't give off that aura that anything was possible like Staubach did.

I agree that the drafts and talent started to get depleted in White's latter years. It was those first 3 seasons with him as the starter that really really determine the impact of (or haunt)his career and those teams were very comparable to the team that Roger led to SB 12 and 13. That was three straight years of losing in the NFC championship game. Good QB to lead his team that far, but not quite good enough to get over the top.

Well Danny did not give up all those points to SF the defense did. Danny played very well but the team in general did not do enough to get it done. I'm including Danny but football has never been or will ever be a 1 man show. Heck Roger had 3 years in a row where we did not advance to the SB and the 75 season where we did not make the playoffs at all. I love Roger and yes I think he was better than Danny but I think Danny took a lot of abuse that he did not deserve.

 

[joseephuss]

Well Danny did not give up all those points to SF the defense did. Danny played very well but the team in general did not do enough to get it done. I'm including Danny but football has never been or will ever be a 1 man show. Heck Roger had 3 years in a row where we did not advance to the SB and the 75 season where we did not make the playoffs at all. I love Roger and yes I think he was better than Danny but I think Danny took a lot of abuse that he did not deserve.

Football is not a one many show, but at times one man can be the difference between winning that big game and going home. Roger showed he could be that difference on many an occasion. Danny didn't when he had that chance. I agree, Danny did take too much undeserved abuse and I was not abusing him or even really being negative about him in this thread. It is all relative. I would have gladly taken White as the QB from the time Aikman retired to when Romo cam aboard. The teams were not always good, but he would have guaranteed that the QB play would have been good.

 

[Doomsday101]

Football is not a one many show, but at times one man can be the difference between winning that big game and going home. Roger showed he could be that difference on many an occasion. Danny didn't when he had that chance. I agree, Danny did take too much undeserved abuse and I was not abusing him or even really being negative about him in this thread. It is all relative. I would have gladly taken White as the QB from the time Aikman retired to when Romo cam aboard. The teams were not always good, but he would have guaranteed that the QB play would have been good.

As I said I take nothing away from Roger. I remember the 1st time he took over for Craig Morton and watched him develop into one of the all time greats. I just feel Danny was better than what some people give him credit for.

 

[leeblair]

I'm a fan of Danny White.

I grew up being a fan of Roger Staubach.

This is merely my opinion, but I think it holds fairly true- Danny White was the better of the two quarterbacks when it came to overall stability.

Roger got the credit for the 77 Superbowl- but we wouldn't have been there if Danny White hadn't come in when Roger got knocked out against (I think it was Atlanta) when the game wasn't going well at all. We were struggling until White came in, and he rallied the team for an easy victory. In the Championship game before the Broncos in the Super Bowl, White led the way early with a fake punt that turned into a big first down that really broke the Vikings back early.

Danny played at a premium level for about 8 seasons in Dallas,and was a pretty darn good punter, too. The comeback in 1980 against the Falcons was a joy to watch, and the San Francisco game can't be blamed on Danny White. He played excellent that game, and it was just a tough loss.

White followed a legend, and I've always said that he would have had his own legend if he hadn't followed Roger.

Landry seemingly never forgot Roger- and eventually benched White for Steve Pelleur, Carano, and even Hogeboom for a while.

It affects a player when he is unfairly labeled as sub-par; especially when you have performed as well as Danny White did.

 

[joseephuss]

I'm a fan of Danny White.

I grew up being a fan of Roger Staubach.

This is merely my opinion, but I think it holds fairly true- Danny White was the better of the two quarterbacks when it came to overall stability.

Roger got the credit for the 77 Superbowl- but we wouldn't have been there if Danny White hadn't come in when Roger got knocked out against (I think it was Atlanta) when the game wasn't going well at all. We were struggling until White came in, and he rallied the team for an easy victory. In the Championship game before the Broncos in the Super Bowl, White led the way early with a fake punt that turned into a big first down that really broke the Vikings back early.

Danny played at a premium level for about 8 seasons in Dallas,and was a pretty darn good punter, too. The comeback in 1980 against the Falcons was a joy to watch, and the San Francisco game can't be blamed on Danny White. He played excellent that game, and it was just a tough loss.

White followed a legend, and I've always said that he would have had his own legend if he hadn't followed Roger.

Landry seemingly never forgot Roger- and eventually benched White for Steve Pelleur, Carano, and even Hogeboom for a while.

It affects a player when he is unfairly labeled as sub-par; especially when you have performed as well as Danny White did.

That Atlanta playoff game was in 1978 the year after Dallas won SB12. That was the year that Dallas went on to SB 13.

 

[ZeroClub]

That Atlanta playoff game was in 1978 the year after Dallas won SB12. That was the year that Dallas went on to SB 13.

Are you sure? I'm certain that I remember Danny White leading an unlikely come from behind win vs. the Falcons in a first round playoff game.

 

[bbgun]

Are you sure? I'm certain that I remember Danny White leading an unlikely come from behind win vs. the Falcons in a first round playoff game.

You're thinking of two separate comebacks in the '78 and '80 playoffs--both vs. Atlanta.

 

[Joe Realist]

What about Steve Pelleur and Gary Hogeboom?

:laugh2: