Views from the Loon: The Secret to the Dallas Cowboys Future Success – More Thugs!
By Tonni Shook
Terrell Owens, Michael Irvin, Ray Lewis, Rae Carruth, Lawrence Phillips, Nate Newton, Roy Williams, Randy Moss, Adam “Pac Man” Jones, Bill Romanowski, Jack Tatum, the 1990 LA Raiders fans, and the list could go on and on. What do these bad boys have in common? Other than the obvious that many of these men have played football for the Dallas Cowboys, several can claim championships, be it conference or a super bowl.
Do the Dallas Cowboys need more thugs on the roster for a return to the Super bowl?
A resounding NO! I may be crazy, but I’m not stupid. What I really wanted was to stir up controversy and get your attention.
A thug is a criminal, who treats people violently and aggressively. Some of the men on the list below didn’t necessarily act like hoodlums during football games, but were more disruptive off the field. T.O., Michael, and Randy were never violent on the field, but their bad boy images were intact away from the game. If they went to school at the University of Miami, they are, by definition and by enrollment into the college, automatically deemed a thug. Below is a list of the top 12 “bad boys” compiled (in no particular order), by me, via Twitter feedback and general conversation:
Bad boys
Terrell Owens – The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga – 2004 NFC champion
Michael Irvin – University of Miami – 3x super bowl champion
Ray Lewis – University of Miami – super bowl champion
Rae Carruth – University of Colorado – not a champion – currently in prison
Lawrence Phillips – University of Nebraska – not a champion – currently in prison
Nate Newton – Florida A&M – 3x super bowl champion
Roy Williams – University of Oklahoma – 5x Pro-bowl (horse-collar tackle aka Roy Williams Rule)
Randy Moss – Marshall University – 2007 AFC champ
Adam “Pac Man” Jones – West Virginia – 2006 All-Pro selection
Bill Romanowski – Boston College – 4x super bowl champion
Jack Tatum – Ohio State University – super bowl champion
The 1990 LA Raiders fanbase – severely injured Pittsburgh fan during game
The flip side of this topic is that there are championship teams with “good guys.” The list below is made up of 12 of the nicest or friendliest guys in the league:
Good guys
Drew Brees – Purdue University – super bowl champion
Peyton Manning – University of Tennessee – super bowl champion
Larry Fitzgerald – University of Pittsburgh – 2008 NFC champion
Joe Montana – Notre Dame – 4x super bowl champion
Aaron Rodgers – University of California – super bowl champion
Tony Romo – Eastern Illinois University – 3x Pro-bowl
Jerry Rice – Mississippi Valley State University – 3x super bowl champion
Roger Staubach – Navy – 2x super bowl champion
Barry Sanders – Oklahoma State University – 10x Pro-bowl
Steve Young – Brigham Young University – 3x super bowl champion
Kurt Warner – University of Northern Iowa – super bowl champion
The entire Green Bay Packers fanbase – a consensus of fans and experts on NFL.com
One glaring note on the good guys list – NO University of Miami alumni. Shocker!
While this is all fun to discuss and argue, it’s not about the Michael Vick’s (who did not make the thug list) or even the Eli Manning’s (who did not make the angels list), making it to a super bowl comes down to leadership, chemistry, and a lot of luck.
What the Dallas Cowboys’ not-so-secret to future success is (1) for a few good men to stand up and lead the team, (2) to draft a strong and united defense, (3) to rally the fanbase, and (4) to instill a confidence similar to those 1990’s Cowboy teams.
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