Who was around in 1990

[DBOY3141]

With the draft over and a thousand different opinions on the DLaw trade. Just wondering how many folks were around in 1990.

I ask because of the Emmitt Smith trade. A team just coming off a 1 win season, a thousand more holes than this current team and yet they give up a "walk in starter" 3rd round pick for what some believed was a slow average RB.

Did the Dallas media and fans threaten to burn the city down? or was there not much coverage because of lack on internet.

 

[PJTHEDOORS]

I was extremly happy. You must not remember what Emmitt did ** Florida and WHY Jimmy Johnson wanted him.

 

[DFWJC]

I was around for that and nearly everyone in the league thought Dallas stole Emmitt that late in the 1st round.

Emmitt had been famous since his record-breaking days way back in Escambia High School. He was already in Sports Illustrated before even went to college.

He broke U of Florida's single season rushing record when he got there.
He was unanimous 1st team All-American.

But hey, I'm just hoping the D Lawrence trade works out.

 

[DBOY3141]

I was extremly happy. You must not remember what Emmitt did ** Florida and WHY Jimmy Johnson wanted him.

I remember Emmitt at Florida and was glad he was on the cowboys, my point was more about how the media reacted, since I'm not from the Dallas area.

 

[tideh20heel]

With the draft over and a thousand different opinions on the DLaw trade. Just wondering how many folks were around in 1990.

I ask because of the Emmitt Smith trade. A team just coming off a 1 win season, a thousand more holes than this current team and yet they give up a "walk in starter" 3rd round pick for what some believed was a slow average RB.

Did the Dallas media and fans threaten to burn the city down? or was there not much coverage because of lack on internet.

Actually it was a hugely popular move. I remember skipping high school and slamming beers in my parents living room with my best friend praying he would drop. Running Back was such a vital position in that era and though Emmitt lacked elite measurables he was wildly productive at every level. I remember seeing him in the faces in the crowd feature in sports illustrated when he was still in high school and marveling at his numbers. The scrutiny of prospects by the fans and media was different as well. The speed gave some pause but he was seen as someone who would make a major difference. With the other two triplets in place and draft picks a plenty all the Boys fans I knew were pumped. To the media stand point everything I recall nationally was that Dallas got a steal.

 

[BrAinPaiNt]

With the draft over and a thousand different opinions on the DLaw trade. Just wondering how many folks were around in 1990.

I ask because of the Emmitt Smith trade. A team just coming off a 1 win season, a thousand more holes than this current team and yet they give up a "walk in starter" 3rd round pick for what some believed was a slow average RB.

Did the Dallas media and fans threaten to burn the city down? or was there not much coverage because of lack on internet.

Did they after the Lawrence pick?

Some said they should not have traded the 3rd round pick but there was no major uproar about it in the local media.

The media does enough to create hyperbole and manufactured drama...we don't need to help them.

 

[xwalker]

With the draft over and a thousand different opinions on the DLaw trade. Just wondering how many folks were around in 1990.

I ask because of the Emmitt Smith trade. A team just coming off a 1 win season, a thousand more holes than this current team and yet they give up a "walk in starter" 3rd round pick for what some believed was a slow average RB.

Did the Dallas media and fans threaten to burn the city down? or was there not much coverage because of lack on internet.

There was much less coverage back then. You either had hard core fans or casual fans, not the huge middle ground of knuckleheads that are prevalent on the internet.

There was a huge contingent of "Cowboys Fans" that hated the Jerry/Jimmy regime because they ousted Landry.

 

[DFWJC]

I remember Emmitt at Florida and was glad he was on the cowboys, my point was more about how the media reacted, since I'm not from the Dallas area.

Hopefully we're all pulling for Lawrence to do great.

 

[Yakuza Rich]

I remember playing golf with a good friend of mine in '89 during the preseason and he is also a fellow Cowboys fan and him saying to me 'gee, they have some young guys with talent. I like where they are headed this season.' And I remember agreeing with him and then they went 1-15.

To me, the team had to get rid of Landry. I am big of a Landry supporter as there is, but the game had passed him by. What was surprising is how sudden that happened. My dad used to take me to the newspaper stand that had almost all of the major city newspapers and the DMN was bashing Landry left-and-right. Then he gets fired and they couldn't believe he was fired. It was about the most hypocritical and two-faced thing I've ever read.

Everybody thought the Cowboys were NUTS for trading away Hershel Walker. And then they claimed that Jerry and Jimmy didn't know what they were doing as they wheeled and dealed in the draft.

For me, I was embarrassed by the '89 season. Poor Troy took the worse beating I've ever seen a QB take in a full season. I wasn't overly optimistic heading into 1990, but I also realized that they needed to tear things down and start over again. I wasn't ecstatic about Emmitt, but liked him nonetheless. Never would have imagined he would have turned into the player he did. Still wondered who was going to block for him and whoever was going to play QB (Aikman's status was somewhat in doubt).

The main thing I remember from the media is that Jimmy was considered a 'high school coach' and neither him nor Jerry knew what they were doing. And that the only reason why Jimmy was able to stick around after going 1-15 is that he and Jerry were college buddies.

That's why Jimmy always sticks in my craw a bit. He was very much an ingrate in the end because everybody saw him as a 2-bit college coach that wouldn't hack it in the NFL and that his defensive scheme wouldn't work here. He then goes 1-15 and Jerry still keeps him around. I don't know of any other owner that would have done that. 1-15 is a death sentence for coaches.






YR

 

[Wood]

man that's long time ago. Was the draft even televised back then or did you read about it in paper the next day? What is extraordinary about the Jimmy Johnson drafts was his ability to draft impact/HOF players in 1st round.

1988 - Michael Irvin (HOF)
1989 - Troy Aikman (HOF)
1990 - Emmitt Smith (HOF)

The best draft of them all might be 2005.

DeMarcus Ware
Marcus Spears
Kevin Burnett
Chris Canty
Jay Ratliff

That was a monster draft for Parcells.

 

[Wood]

Everybody thought the Cowboys were NUTS for trading away Hershel Walker. And then they claimed that Jerry and Jimmy didn't know what they were doing as they wheeled and dealed in the draft.

YR

Great recollection. If I remember correctly they used the term 'river boat gambler' back then in describing Jones and Jimmy. I loved every minute of it.

 

[Chocolate Lab]

As already said, there was a lot less coverage overall. And because most fans focus only on the negative, it seemed like there was less criticism then. But percentage-wise, I'm sure it was about the same. Jimmy and Jerry got plenty of criticism back then, believe me.

I do think back then there was a lot less of a know-it-all attitude when it comes to the draft. Sure, people had opinions on draft picks, especially at the top. But as you got lower in the draft, there was more of a "this is who they took, let's see if they can play or not" than today when so many people act like they *know* how good these players will be.

 

[Doc50]

Actually it was a hugely popular move. I remember skipping high school and slamming beers in my parents living room with my best friend praying he would drop. Running Back was such a vital position in that era and though Emmitt lacked elite measurables he was wildly productive at every level. I remember seeing him in the faces in the crowd feature in sports illustrated when he was still in high school and marveling at his numbers. The scrutiny of prospects by the fans and media was different as well. The speed gave some pause but he was seen as someone who would make a major difference. With the other two triplets in place and draft picks a plenty all the Boys fans I knew were pumped. To the media stand point everything I recall nationally was that Dallas got a steal.

That's my limited memory, as well.

But that was a different time. Disrespect had not risen to a national pastime and artform as it is today. Optimism outweighed pessimism.
People still knew what manners were, and used them. You wouldn't call someone a scrub because of their 40 time. There was more respect for the student athlete.

And we had a hard time getting enough info on all the players anyway (before internet). I would grab my Dallas Cowboys Insiders Newsletter from the mailbox, and read every word. You could always trust the opinions of Blackie Sherrod at the old Dallas Times Herald as well. The newspapers were all we had.

 

[DBOY3141]

I remember playing golf with a good friend of mine in '89 during the preseason and he is also a fellow Cowboys fan and him saying to me 'gee, they have some young guys with talent. I like where they are headed this season.' And I remember agreeing with him and then they went 1-15.

To me, the team had to get rid of Landry. I am big of a Landry supporter as there is, but the game had passed him by. What was surprising is how sudden that happened. My dad used to take me to the newspaper stand that had almost all of the major city newspapers and the DMN was bashing Landry left-and-right. Then he gets fired and they couldn't believe he was fired. It was about the most hypocritical and two-faced thing I've ever read.

Everybody thought the Cowboys were NUTS for trading away Hershel Walker. And then they claimed that Jerry and Jimmy didn't know what they were doing as they wheeled and dealed in the draft.

For me, I was embarrassed by the '89 season. Poor Troy took the worse beating I've ever seen a QB take in a full season. I wasn't overly optimistic heading into 1990, but I also realized that they needed to tear things down and start over again. I wasn't ecstatic about Emmitt, but liked him nonetheless. Never would have imagined he would have turned into the player he did. Still wondered who was going to block for him and whoever was going to play QB (Aikman's status was somewhat in doubt).

The main thing I remember from the media is that Jimmy was considered a 'high school coach' and neither him nor Jerry knew what they were doing. And that the only reason why Jimmy was able to stick around after going 1-15 is that he and Jerry were college buddies.

That's why Jimmy always sticks in my craw a bit. He was very much an ingrate in the end because everybody saw him as a 2-bit college coach that wouldn't hack it in the NFL and that his defensive scheme wouldn't work here. He then goes 1-15 and Jerry still keeps him around. I don't know of any other owner that would have done that. 1-15 is a death sentence for coaches.






YR

Thanks for the insight. Huge Landry fan as well, but it was time to go. Didn't follow the draft only the games back then, but liked Emmitt in college so was glad he was a cowboy. 1989 was the worst year ever to be a Cowboy fan, the hounding I took from friends was brutal, but it worked out a few years later.

 

[tideh20heel]

man that's long time ago. Was the draft even televised back then or did you read about it in paper the next day? What is extraordinary about the Jimmy Johnson drafts was his ability to draft impact/HOF players in 1st round.

1988 - Michael Irvin (HOF)
1989 - Troy Aikman (HOF)
1990 - Emmitt Smith (HOF)

The best draft of them all might be 2005.

DeMarcus Ware
Marcus Spears
Kevin Burnett
Chris Canty
Jay Ratliff

That was a monster draft for Parcells.

No you could watch it but I think that one started Tuesday morning at 11. Not kidding

 

[Doomsday101]

With the draft over and a thousand different opinions on the DLaw trade. Just wondering how many folks were around in 1990.

I ask because of the Emmitt Smith trade. A team just coming off a 1 win season, a thousand more holes than this current team and yet they give up a "walk in starter" 3rd round pick for what some believed was a slow average RB.

Did the Dallas media and fans threaten to burn the city down? or was there not much coverage because of lack on internet.

Myself I was excited. I had seen Smith at Florida and was really impressed. I had to call my dad up and tell him to turn the TV to the game telling him man I would love to have that guy. So when Dallas took him I was shocked and thrilled

 

[DBOY3141]

man that's long time ago. Was the draft even televised back then or did you read about it in paper the next day? What is extraordinary about the Jimmy Johnson drafts was his ability to draft impact/HOF players in 1st round.

1988 - Michael Irvin (HOF)
1989 - Troy Aikman (HOF)
1990 - Emmitt Smith (HOF)

The best draft of them all might be 2005.

DeMarcus Ware
Marcus Spears
Kevin Burnett
Chris Canty
Jay Ratliff

That was a monster draft for Parcells.

Irvin was drafted by Landry. But yes, Johnson has an eye for talent.

 

[hornitosmonster]

Pre-internet days cut out a lot of the nonsense. It was still America's team and everyone watched but no one followed the draft like they do now, only hardcore fans played fantasy football, and the basement GM's were minimal and had no platform to be disgruntled on.

 

[viman96]

man that's long time ago. Was the draft even televised back then or did you read about it in paper the next day? What is extraordinary about the Jimmy Johnson drafts was his ability to draft impact/HOF players in 1st round.

1988 - Michael Irvin (HOF)
1989 - Troy Aikman (HOF)
1990 - Emmitt Smith (HOF)

The best draft of them all might be 2005.

DeMarcus Ware
Marcus Spears
Kevin Burnett
Chris Canty
Jay Ratliff

That was a monster draft for Parcells.

Jimmy did not draft Irvin. Landry did in 1988. He did play for Jimmy in college though.

 

[PJTHEDOORS]

man that's long time ago. Was the draft even televised back then or did you read about it in paper the next day?

I downloaded the Emmitt selection awhile back from youtube. ESPN covered it. Mel Kiper was on it. Joe Theisman too, and the other ESPN regulars.