Staubach and White...

[FanSince61]

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

In the '78 game Staubach got a concussion right before half and Danny White played the rest of the game. The Cowboys were behind 20-13 at half and won 27-20.


In the '80 game Danny White did lead a comeback. He threw two TD passes to Drew Pearson late in the 4th quarter.

 

[CoCo]

I've never understood the criticism of Danny White.

Following a legend is certainly difficult but it was Landry's waffling on Danny vs Hogeboom that was the most damaging IMO. Its one thing to not satisfy fickle, emotional fans. Its another when your head coach fails to back you. I think Landry did White as big a disservice as anyone.

 

[Chief]

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.

I disagree with much of this post.

Roger had It.

Danny didn't.

 

[leeblair]

I apologize; I thought we had the same thing in the 77 season, too.

I remember we played the Bears, and Bob Avelenni was their quarterback- I think we won like 37-7; and maybe it was against Minnesota in the NFC Championship that we won 23-6?

I guess you are right- it was the '78 season. Sorry bout that.

But, White still was a very good back up, and then a top notch starter. And, it wasn't just Dallas fans that often unfairly labled Danny sub-par.

Sportscasters never gave him the credit for being as good as he was.

But, when we lost to San Francisco, White outplayed Montana the whole game, and I always said White was as good as him.

 

[leeblair]

I've never understood the criticism of Danny White.

Following a legend is certainly difficult but it was Landry's waffling on Danny vs Hogeboom that was the most damaging IMO. Its one thing to not satisfy fickle, emotional fans. Its another when your head coach fails to back you. I think Landry did White as big a disservice as anyone.

Amen!

White wasn't lacking at all when it came to come from behind victories. He could bring the Cowboys back as quickly as anyone.


I always felt that comparing Danny to Roger was skewed because Landry really lost his edge towards the end. His teams were mediocre, and he even benched White when the strike was going on, and White stayed with the team.

I'll say it loud and clear- White is as good a quarterback as we have had. We've had 4 great ones- Meridith, Staubach, White, Aikman, and now Romo should be the 5th.

 

[leeblair]

Anybody remember Roger Staubach's last pass as a Cowboy?

He hadn't played well, and we were trying to come back and beat the Rams.


Roger through a wounded duck that slipped out of his hand, and it was intercepted.

He was human, too.

 

[bbgun]

Anybody remember Roger Staubach's last pass as a Cowboy?

He hadn't played well, and we were trying to come back and beat the Rams.


Roger through a wounded duck that slipped out of his hand, and it was intercepted.

He was human, too.

No, his last completed pass was to o-lineman Herb Scott.

 

[bbgun]

In the '80 game Danny White did lead a comeback. He throw two TD passes to Drew Pearson late in the 4th quarter.

Last summer, I posted a newspaper scan of this game in this thread:

http://cowboyszone.com/forums/showthread.php?t=93449&highlight=kilmer

 

[jobberone]

White was the better athlete. He and Staubach were great competitors and we're always trying to beat one another at everything from basketball to ping pong. And Danny often won whatever the game was.

He just never won a big one and that has kept him from recognition which is understanding. If you say he didn't have the intangibles that Roger had then how are you going to argue with that. One is in the HOF for a reason and the other isn't. But the points about Danny being a great athlete are understandable.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

I disagree with much of this post.

Roger had It.

Danny didn't.

Can't imagine why this is even up for discussion. One of them is the only QB in the history of football to win the Heisman trophy and be in the HOF as a QB.

 

[burmafrd]

Danny White is probably at this time the third best QB to play for the BOys. Tony will pass him if he can win some playoff games.
ANyone trying to say that WHite was as good as Staubach is blind deaf and dumb. Danny had two problems as QB: unfortunate turnovers at bad times, and the plain flat inability to inspire the players around him- something the great QBs like Staubach do.
I will say this: IF Pearson had not been shirt tackled after The Catch=and we won that game I fully believe we win the SB and maybe one or two more. By 1985 too many pieces were missing and Landry was struglling with a poor staff. BUT 80-83 we had the horses to win. If we win the SB then the players believe in Danny and that little edge just might have made a big difference.
Some claiming that Landry did not treat WHite well should remember that the first couple of years he was not all that happy with Staubach as well.

By the Way: Paul Hornung won the Heisman as a QB in college - but you are right that no Heisman Trophy winning QB is isn the HOF as A QB except Staubach.

 

[DWhite Fan]

I, like others in here, think that Roger is the best QB the Cowboys have ever had (with all due respect to Troy). When Roger retired after the 1979 season, he said that one of the factors in his decision was that Danny was ready to be the #1 QB. Roger even said that he believed the 1980 team would be better than the 1979 team and he was right.

From 1980 to 1986, Dallas was right there with the top teams in the NFL. Tom Landry ruined the 1984 season, sorry but that is a fact. Check the passing stats in the NFC during that time. Danny is right there with the Montanas and Theismanns. Danny went to the Pro Bowl after the 1982 season and should have been there after the 1983 season. White's stance during the 1982 NFL strike hurt his credibility with several players.

White knocked Atlanta out of the playoffs twice in a two year period, '78 & '80 (bet Falcon fans remember him fondly)
The 80 NFC Championship game was a disaster for the whole team. Y'all remember Wilbert Montgomery?
We have talked about the 81 NFC title game. All people say is Danny's fumble lost the game. Well the 49ers driving 80+ yards in the last five minutes sure as heck did not help (Kinda like Romo's fumble in Seattle. If the defense makes a stand, it becomes a non-issue) By the way, Golden Joe threw 3 picks that day. If Dallas wins that game, I wonder what would have been said about Montana?
Danny was knocked out of the 82 title game by half time (It is a shame that Hogeboom didn't understand that he was not not suppose to throw the ball to the Commanders)
The real tragedy was White's broken wrist in the middle of the 1986 season. That Cowboys team looked solid. With White, the team was 6-2 without him 1-7. Would have loved to seen what that team could have accomplished if Danny had stayed healthy.

Danny White was a damn good QB who's only crime was not BEING Roger Staubach.

I have 2 question:
1. If Danny wasn't a very good QB, then what does that make Don Meredith? I have nothing but respect for Don, but he didn't lead Dallas to a title.

2. If Tony Romo doesn't lead Dallas to at least 1 Super Bowl win, will he be hammered for not BEING Troy Aikman? Twenty years after Tony retires, will he be thought of the way Danny is today?

 

[DWhite Fan]

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.

Only time I know of that Danny didn't make a first down was in the opening game of the 1982 season. The Cowboys were playing Pittsburgh on Monday night. I can't remember if it was before or after half time, but Danny tried a fake punt deep in Dallas' end and the Steelers were ready for it. Dallas lost that night 36-28. I always thought it was to Dallas' advantage to have Danny punting. He was extremely accurate at placing his punts and being a threat to run was special :starspin

 

[ZeroClub]

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

Thanks much! I was remembering 80's post-Staubach game but had forgotten the '78 game.

 

[CrazyCowboy]

I was too hard on Danny......I was young at the time....loved Roger and every thing Danny did was not good enough for me.

 

[leeblair]

I was too hard on Danny......I was young at the time....loved Roger and every thing Danny did was not good enough for me.

You just summed this whole thread, and Danny's career, up in one paragraph......

 

[ilovejerry]

...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

Man I would KILL for thoses Jerseys !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[jobberone]

I, like others in here, think that Roger is the best QB the Cowboys have ever had (with all due respect to Troy). When Roger retired after the 1979 season, he said that one of the factors in his decision was that Danny was ready to be the #1 QB. Roger even said that he believed the 1980 team would be better than the 1979 team and he was right.

From 1980 to 1986, Dallas was right there with the top teams in the NFL. Tom Landry ruined the 1984 season, sorry but that is a fact. Check the passing stats in the NFC during that time. Danny is right there with the Montanas and Theismanns. Danny went to the Pro Bowl after the 1982 season and should have been there after the 1983 season. White's stance during the 1982 NFL strike hurt his credibility with several players.

White knocked Atlanta out of the playoffs twice in a two year period, '78 & '80 (bet Falcon fans remember him fondly)
The 80 NFC Championship game was a disaster for the whole team. Y'all remember Wilbert Montgomery?
We have talked about the 81 NFC title game. All people say is Danny's fumble lost the game. Well the 49ers driving 80+ yards in the last five minutes sure as heck did not help (Kinda like Romo's fumble in Seattle. If the defense makes a stand, it becomes a non-issue) By the way, Golden Joe threw 3 picks that day. If Dallas wins that game, I wonder what would have been said about Montana?
Danny was knocked out of the 82 title game by half time (It is a shame that Hogeboom didn't understand that he was not not suppose to throw the ball to the Commanders)
The real tragedy was White's broken wrist in the middle of the 1986 season. That Cowboys team looked solid. With White, the team was 6-2 without him 1-7. Would have loved to seen what that team could have accomplished if Danny had stayed healthy.

Danny White was a damn good QB who's only crime was not BEING Roger Staubach.

I have 2 question:
1. If Danny wasn't a very good QB, then what does that make Don Meredith? I have nothing but respect for Don, but he didn't lead Dallas to a title.

2. If Tony Romo doesn't lead Dallas to at least 1 Super Bowl win, will he be hammered for not BEING Troy Aikman? Twenty years after Tony retires, will he be thought of the way Danny is today?

Nice post. And yeah if you don't win the big one then you aren't as good as QBs who do. The true measure of a QB is does he win. Forget all the stats compared to the results.

If Meredith wins in 66 and 67 what do you think that does for him?

If White wins even one SB out of those three st8 trips to the NFC Championship game what happens with him?

If you keep losing at the top then you are thought of as less by many than if you hadn't gotten there at all.