SPORTSDAY

Posted by SRVBob @ 1:20 AM Sat, Aug 18, 2007

If you're judging BP's popularity based on what pansy sportswriters think of him, I don't think that's the most accurate of measuring sticks.

Posted by Andrew @ 1:32 AM Sat, Aug 18, 2007

No ruffled feathers here. Aikman was a bus driver ... and a damn good one.

Posted by Goober @ 2:45 AM Sat, Aug 18, 2007

How about "Field General". That's what a lot of folks call Bart Starr, another on the short list of the best "bus drivers", ever.

Posted by DCFanatic @ 2:45 AM Sat, Aug 18, 2007

How about you stop thinking that anyone cares about Tim McMahon and realize that everyone cares about the Dallas Cowboys.

You insult people on this blog, can't see how your editors let you get away with that crap.

Jerry Jones let's you use the AC'd booth overlooking the practice field and then you throw a dig at him on the blog in the same day.

Pathetic.

I can already see that you will be gone soon and hopefully it happens before the season begins.

Posted by Saint Jimmy @ 4:08 AM Sat, Aug 18, 2007

A luxury RV? What like Robin Williams? I'm not even sure that term fits. If I just had to come up with a term that fits Aikman it'd be the Chauffeur of the Cowboys. All clean in a sweet tuxedo while driving Dallas in style with a stretch Hummer.

I just think people are upset about the term bus driver because Aikman had the skills to put up Steve Young and Brett Favre type numbers. It's just that Dallas happened to have one Emmitt Smith who would break oppenents backs in the 2nd half and keep the ball away from their offense.

Posted by LarryBud @ 5:08 AM Sat, Aug 18, 2007

You are not inaccurate when you refer to Troy as a bus driver. He wasn't spectacular but operated to near perfection under Norv Turner's offense. He was a perfect fit in an outstanding team oriented offense. The TEAM won 3 super bowls not Troy. Lest we forget Troy struggled to throw deep passes. He was notorious for the underthrown ball. Every qb no matter how good has his weakness and that was his. Anything but a bus driver would not have fit the Cowboys of the 90's.

Posted by dave j @ 5:56 AM Sat, Aug 18, 2007

I am really ticked off at howe you are dismissing Aikman's willingness to put his ego aside. Wake up and realize that it takes something special to do that.

I am almost to the point of thinking that the DMN hired you from clown college Tim. I can understand wanting to have posts and discussions be fun, but this is getting to the point of not knowing what you are talking about.

This one really bugs me because what you are doing is glorifying players who weren't willing to trust their teammates and coaches and disregarding Aikman's willingness to put team ahead of personal stats and glory. You call that a bus driver.

Troy was not a gunslinger as you put it, but it wasn't because of a weak arm. GO WATCH SOME OLD TAPE!!! His throws were precise and tight with a lot of zip on the ball. One of the reasons why Troy had so few comeback wins and unimpressive stats are that the team was rarely in a position where it had to come back. They routinely had two touchdown leads by halftime.

During the Super Bowl years, his stats at haltime would typically be something like 13 of 17 for 180 yards or 11 of 14 for 135 yards. At that point, the team just went into cruise control for the second half and fed Emmitt.

While he may not have the stats or glory of an Elway, Favre, or Marino, he also didn't have their ego. That's one reason why even when Jimmy Johnson went to Miami, Marino couldn't win - he wasn't willing to put his ego aside for the benefit of the team. He wasn't willing to let the running game develop - which takes some time - and he wasn't willing to reduce his passes. Same with Elway - he didn't win a championship until he got a running game with Terrell Davis and stopped trying to do it all by himself. Gunslingers put up impressive stats, but how much do they win? In the end, it is still a team sport.

Posted by Chris @ 6:54 AM Sat, Aug 18, 2007

I love how the stats list only Oklahoma as his alma mater. Someone forget the other school or what? :0)

Posted by Steve @ 7:14 AM Sat, Aug 18, 2007

How about your refer to him as the Pilot/Commanding officer of a warplane? Each crew member has important responsiblities, the aircraft can defend itself and inflict devastation on its enemy, but HE is the commanding officer. I'm sure this description will irritate the Peace and Love crowd, but its better than Bus Driver.

Posted by mjryan @ 8:10 AM Sat, Aug 18, 2007

How about a chauffeur since he was steering such high quality talent?

Of course, now the bus drivers are going to be insulted because people think the term is deragatory. You just can't win for losing, can you? ;)

Posted by Conor @ 8:12 AM Sat, Aug 18, 2007

Aikman is *not* a bus driver. Perhaps you meant no offense by the comment, but I think that a bus driver also follows the route someone else plans out, is replaceable, etc. In Parcells' world, it was not meant as a compliment.

The only thing that matters in Dallas is winning Super Bowls. Under those rules, Aikman is a god 3 times over. I *like* my football to be a "boring" second-half running game, ahead by 3 touchdowns. That means you can beat any team. That means we can win Super Bowls. It means you don't have to scramble to come back in the second half all the time (Elway).

Now stop using the name of 3-time Super Bowl champions in vein and get those derogatory Parcells swear words out of your vocabulary. No more busdriver comments unless you are talking about Bledsoe or Vinnie.

Posted by Noman @ 8:13 AM Sat, Aug 18, 2007

Tim....you try way to hard. Just keep blogging on the cowboys practice, forgot about all this other stuff. It exposes your flaws.

Posted by Bob @ 8:15 AM Sat, Aug 18, 2007

Don't worry Tim, those of us who understand the terminology knew exactly what you meant. And your analogy was right on the mark. And a 50/50 mix would make a great QB. That is what we are hoping Romo can be, and knowing when to be.

Posted by bgaines @ 8:22 AM Sat, Aug 18, 2007

You may very well be the worst journalist in the history of the world...

Posted by William @ 8:53 AM Sat, Aug 18, 2007

The intelligence levels of Aikman, Johnston, Michael Irving, Emitt Smith and Jay Novacek were awesome. It was necessary for all these players to be bus driving types in order to incorporate them into the game. Irving practiced until he threw up, Johnston blocked more than he ran or caught, Emitt was more of a north to south runner than Barry Sanders.

Posted by John @ 9:11 AM Sat, Aug 18, 2007

LOL... Great article. I love my Cowboys but you are right. Aikman was good and he did just as you said.. he drove the bus!!!

Posted by Sean @ 9:23 AM Sat, Aug 18, 2007

More of a jet pilot than a bus driver.

Posted by Bill in DC @ 9:26 AM Sat, Aug 18, 2007

Maybe its the term 'bus'. The 'Boys team he was driving wasn't a 'bus'. I'd describe him more like 'the best Rolls Royce Pierce Arrow driver' in the history of the game.

Posted by D.B. from N.M. @ 9:49 AM Sat, Aug 18, 2007

I dont know what a "bus driver" means anymore. Its been twisted to mean several different things now. How about we stop using Bill Parcell's terminology since he isn't with the organization anymore.

Posted by Jeremy @ 10:24 AM Sat, Aug 18, 2007

Tim, the correct term for Troy Aikman would be "Field General". Anybody can be a bus driver, including you.

Posted by Creth Davis @ 10:47 AM Sat, Aug 18, 2007

Tim, not fair.

Bus drivers win championships with teams like the Ravens, Steelers, Bucs, etc.

there has never been a bus driver to win THREE Super Bowls.

Aikman, you're #1, don't listen to tiny Tim...

Posted by TROT @ 10:50 AM Sat, Aug 18, 2007

Tim, it looks like you have a pretty big fan base here. dave j is your #1 fan

Keep up the good work Timmy!!

Posted by Avery210 @ 10:55 AM Sat, Aug 18, 2007

Jebus...so many angry people. Just chill out everyone and please refrain from commenting with five paragraphs. That's ridiculous.

Tim, keep it coming. There are some of us here that love to see the ruffled feathers. I just picture these people having a horrible day because of how angry they got at a simple blog.

I like buses...

Posted by Mike G @ 11:06 AM Sat, Aug 18, 2007

Tim, please stop writing things just to get everyone in an uproar and than the next day you try to validate what you meant. Stick to the facts and stop being so judgemental. You jump on Roy Williams every chance you get because he is a fan favorite so you know you will get a reaction. Now you go after the ultimate fan favorite and call him a "bus driver". You are showing your lack of knowledge and your inability to complete your job with integrity.

Posted by Izzy @ 11:29 AM Sat, Aug 18, 2007

There is a difference between being a bus driver and driving the bus. Troy may have driven the bus for the good of the team, but by no means was he a bus driver.

Posted by dan @ 11:50 AM Sat, Aug 18, 2007

AIKMAN =80 million dollar bus driver

Posted by Jeff L. @ 11:51 AM Sat, Aug 18, 2007

This whole bus driver thing has already gotten out of hand, but I'm jumping in anyways.

First, I don't see it as a bad description. Troy was a good bus driver, and the Cowboys of that era were an awesome bus.

Could anyone have been the driver? No, not anyone, but there are several who could have. I love Troy and all the memories, but don't forget, those teams were all about Emmitt. Without him, they wouldn't have won, and it wouldn't have mattered who was driving.

Posted by brent Wilson @ 12:02 PM Sat, Aug 18, 2007

Tim, big fan iof the work. But your 100% wrong on this one.

Posted by playmaker @ 12:21 PM Sat, Aug 18, 2007

Tim??? Bus Driver???
You must have never ever watched any Cowboys games during the 90's. If Troy wasen't a gun slinger then why did he connect with Irvin more times than not on 50 or more yards passing. Do you also remember when Dallas was playing Atlanta when we had Deion Sanders and Deion lined up as a WR. He over threw the fastest player in the game. My point is Troy had a cannon and he did sling it. As far as coming from behind and having to sling it like Steve Young, Bret Farve, Marino and Elway, I get sick to my stomack watching those games. I prefer dominating and opponent and forcing my will ala Cowboys of the 90's!!!!

Tim my 9 year old son knows better than you, he could probably out write you too!!!!

Posted by Saint Jimmy @ 12:25 PM Sat, Aug 18, 2007

I still say that "Chauffeur of the Cowboys" fits best..better than jet pilot anyway. Jet pilot is lame because it doesn't work on other levels. Mine does.

Troy is driving a stretch Hummer which represents the Cowboys organization cause stretch Hummers are the coolest of all stretch limos.

Emmitt Smith would be the 26 inch spinner rims...and without wheels no car is going anywhere and Emmitt got the Cowboys there in style.

Michael Irvin is all the tricked out chrome on the Hummer...flashy, keeps the Hummer together, and makes it look gooooood.

Then there are the lights on the roof clearing a path from the darkness would be the incredible offensive line that Dallas had.

And the fact that it's a Hummer and could crush other limos and cars is the fantastic defense Dallas had.

Posted by howard weinberg @ 2:25 PM Sat, Aug 18, 2007

My fondest hope is that Tony Romo turns out to be as good a busdriver as Troy.

Posted by David @ 4:00 PM Sat, Aug 18, 2007

After reading these responses I must remind you that mostly idiots respond to your kind of comments. I agree that Aikman was a great bus driver, just like Unitas or Starr. Stats aren't everything and Aikman or Staubach didn't have the stats of Marino or Elway or Graham or any of the other " Gunslingers ". The only reason Aikman is in the Hall of Fame is because he won three SBs and for that he should be recognized as the consummate team player, plus there was a guy named Smith on his team. I recently stated that Smith was a better runner than Sanders to a fellow and you would have thought I slapped his grandmother in the mouth, so again be careful when talking to idiots, which of course a sports fanatic can be.

Posted by Jason @ 4:53 PM Sat, Aug 18, 2007

Bus Driver is fairly accurate, but a little offensive. Jet pilot is a much better term. Aikman did exactly what he needed to do to win championships, use his weapons and minimize mistakes. If that's your description of "bus driver" then give the man the keys and look out for that little stop sign. After three trophies you can call the man a crossing guard or cafeteria lady and I'm sure it won't hurt his feelings. Besides he's moved beyond the star.

Posted by True Blue @ 5:14 PM Sat, Aug 18, 2007

You responded David. So what does that say about you big boy? You freaking IDIOT!!!!!!! Next time keep your mouth shut, unless you like being embarrassed. If you want to rip people, atleast show them some respect without calling them names. Go back to your cave. I think I speak for the rest of the bloggers on this subject.

Posted by paul karam @ 5:49 PM Sat, Aug 18, 2007

Parcells' term "bus driver" refers to someone who manages the game,stays away from accidents (read: mistakes) etc. Aikman did not have the flashiest stats, but he had Novacek,Irvin, E. Smith, et al whom he could rely on and USE to win games and championships. To me, that is a good "bus driver" by the BP definition.

Posted by David @ 10:33 PM Sat, Aug 18, 2007

I think true blue just made my point for me. LOL