Troy Aikman: A Football Life

[T-RO]

Had Jimmy Johnson not left, had the team not lost control, had Erik Williams not hit that retaining wall in October '94, had they kept their focus and had Jimmy been there to drive them hard, I believe those Cowboys would have won four or five world championships in a row. And, had they done so, it would not have been a matter of naming the Dallas Cowboys the team of the 90s - it would have been the recognition, beyond all disputing to the contrary, that the 90s Cowboys were the greatest football dynasty in NFL history.

Quite possibly.

Jimmy would have had quite a massive coaching challenge:
-Big Egos, inevitable decline of motivation w/some players after Super Bowls
-Salary Cap casualties
-Jerry's unruly decision-making

I sure wish we'd have the chance to see it unfold.

 

[Tabascocat]

Great episode! It also further validated my opinion of Switzer..........a coach who had no clue and fell into the job by pure luck.

 

[Maxmadden]

I actually gained a little more respect for Aikman, not that I didn't already. Roger already had the utmost.

I hope Dak watched it and watched the one on Roger too. I already think his character is similar, but it would give him some perspective. .

 

[DanTanna]

I liked seeing Aikman yelling at the lazy coaches and lazy players! Aikman was THE diamond among the trash!

 

[muck4doo]

I haven't watched many of these, and will look for this one on NFL Network On Demand. Out of the ones I have seen the two I most enjoyed were the shows on Roger Staubach and Steve McNair. What a winner Staubach turned out to be, and what a tragic end and loss for Steve McNair. R.I.P. Steve.

 

[Doomsday]

Wow, I knew Switzer and Jerry were bad, but seeing Aikman's sideline rants and his candor opinions really hits home just how pathetic things were.

 

[theebs]

Once again another nfl films produced piece where Aikman basically puts it out there that Jerry Jones wrecked the organization and he couldn't take it. So sad. The sideline rant to Jack Reilly was pretty incredible. I have never seen that before.

Had Jerry realized he had no idea what he was doing in 97 Parcells could have come to Dallas then. I can only imagine parcells style with the players we had left at that time, notably emmitt and aikman what could have happened. Oh well.

Aikman was awesome and its still fascinating to me Beurlein played that game in chicago in 91 with a healthy aikman.

 

[theebs]

Great episode! It also further validated my opinion of Switzer..........a coach who had no clue and fell into the job by pure luck.

actually i took it differently. Troy basically said switzer was an excellent coach and a great motivator in College and now he was basically just cashing checks in Dallas, he got paid and was living the good life...he wasnt fighting for it anymore.

 

[yimyammer]

It's really good! Really enjoying it right now

Yes it is, I'd say its a must watch. Some great clips in it I'd never seen before

 

[Tabascocat]

actually i took it differently. Troy basically said switzer was an excellent coach and a great motivator in College and now he was basically just cashing checks in Dallas, he got paid and was living the good life...he wasnt fighting for it anymore.

That's exactly what was said. I meant that Jerry had no business hiring Switzer at that time, Barry did not really care anymore. He just so happened to be flavor of the month when Johnson left.

 

[DB_Cooper]

This was a great segment. I enjoy "A Football Life," and have to say this was one of the best.

Troy Aikman was the prototypical quarterback, as if chiseled by God to play the position - and maybe he was. He had the strength and stature of Bradshaw and very nearly the same type of arm, a perfect release like Marino or Fouts, and better accuracy than Montana, yes, Montana. And Troy was the consummate leader.

I don't think Troy gets the respect he deserves. Even today, many place him in the shadows of contemporaries Brett Favre and Steve Young, despite winning more Super Bowls than both of them combined and despite going 4-1 against them in the playoffs. For me, going into battle against any team at any time, I take Troy over Favre and Young every time.

Thanks Troy. It was a pleasure and privilege to watch you play.

I used to think Aikman didn't get his due either but I believe those who competed against him know. When Favre was in the booth with him during the Green Bay game it was almost like Favre was intimidated. He acknowledged how great Troy was and how great the teams he played on were. He said something like we were good but you guys are always just better. I actually don't dislike Favre as much as I used too after that.

 

[MagicMan]

Quite possibly.

Jimmy would have had quite a massive coaching challenge:
-Big Egos, inevitable decline of motivation w/some players after Super Bowls
-Salary Cap casualties
-Jerry's unruly decision-making

I sure wish we'd have the chance to see it unfold.

Great episode! It also further validated my opinion of Switzer..........a coach who had no clue and fell into the job by pure luck.

Can't remember which game it was, but I will never forget the vision of Switzer sitting at the end of the bench with his legs crossed eating a hot dog. That made me laugh.......and cry at the same time.

 

[Dale]

Definitely a must watch. It'll leave your blood boiling that Jerry let things crumble around Aikman. I knew the organization was in shambles at the time, but never fully grasped the inner strain Troy truly felt because of it all.

It also leaves me hopeful that Dak stumbles across this episode. He's his own man with his own personal struggles and triumphs, but I think taking to heart how the last Dallas Super Bowl-winning QB handled his business would be worthwhile.

 

[JohnnyTheFox]

Can't remember which game it was, but I will never forget the vision of Switzer sitting at the end of the bench with his legs crossed eating a hot dog. That made me laugh.......and cry at the same time.

Was that the pro bowl?

 

[JohnnyTheFox]

Watched this earlier and can honestly say its one of the best A Football Lifes ive seen. Been thru Henryetta more times that I can count. Wonder if that house made of rock/stone is still standing?

 

[Dale]

Once again another nfl films produced piece where Aikman basically puts it out there that Jerry Jones wrecked the organization and he couldn't take it. So sad. The sideline rant to Jack Reilly was pretty incredible. I have never seen that before.

Had Jerry realized he had no idea what he was doing in 97 Parcells could have come to Dallas then. I can only imagine parcells style with the players we had left at that time, notably emmitt and aikman what could have happened. Oh well.

Aikman was awesome and its still fascinating to me Beurlein played that game in chicago in 91 with a healthy aikman.

It also puts into perspective what the Romos, the Garretts and on down the line have privately had to overcome behind the scenes all these years.

Jerry has gotten immeasurably better, largely by seemingly intrusting others to either make the decisions, or to allow their input to actually matter, or by surrounding himself with better football men.

Regardless, deep down inside is still the man that Troy basically admitted single handedly drove him out of the game due to his wreckless handling of the organization.

 

[MagicMan]

Was that the pro bowl?

You could be right.....that was a hoot.

 

[Deep_South]

Troy said when Jimmy was there they had a good cop/bad cop thing going, with Jimmy being the bad cop. Jimmy would lay down the law and Troy would be the good guy who told the players to forget about it and just go out and play. When Jimmy left, Troy had to be the bad cop because Barry Switzer -- had had been a disciplinarian when he coached Troy in college -- wanted now to be nothing more than a good cop and the other coaches followed his lead. Thus, the chain-of-command was all messed up, and Troy was pretty miserable watching the team disintegrate around him.

 

[KJJ]

Oh heck, I just saw him with his hat on backwards. That is not acceptable.

It is if you've won a championship.

 

[JohnnyTheFox]

"babysittings over"