SPORTSDAY

With the Cowboys in the process of getting blown out by a bad team, it's time to try to put this tail-whippin' in historical perspective.

Is this the most embarrassing game in Cowboys history? It has to rank pretty high on the list. After all, they're playing the Rams, dude.

The worst margin of defeat in Cowboys' history was a 44-0 beating from the Bears at Texas Stadium in 1985. But the Cowboys were awful that season, and the Bears were en route to a Super Bowl title.

These Cowboys are supposed to be good. Even with Tony Romo standing on the sideline, nobody imagined that they'd get blown out like this by a sorry St. Louis squad.

So I'll let you folks be the judge: Is this the most embarrassing effort in Cowboys history?

I didn't know the address of the infamous Valley Ranch White House until I read Boys Will Be Boys, the book on the '90s Cowboys' butt kickin' and hell raisin'.

You'll have to buy the book to get the address of the two-story house, which is within walking distance of the Cowboys' practice facility. But, being football history nerds and nosey dudes, sworn blog enemy Albert "Einstein" Breer and I decided to stop by after eating some BBQ for lunch.

Man, that place is in rough shape. It doesn't look like the lawn has been mowed since Michael Irvin, Alvin Harper and Co. turned out the lights for the last time. The light above the garage is knocked sideways, same with a bunch of the window blinds.

The house is appraised for $277,000. Seems like a savvy entrepreneur could buy it at that price and make a bunch of money by turning it into a museum for folks who love sex, drugs and football.

I meant to read Boys Will Be Boys, the biography that details the on-field success and off-field shenanigans of the '90s Cowboys, during last weekend's trip to Wisconsin. But I cracked the book earlier in the week and had finished it well before the weekend.

This book is a real page turner, especially if you're interested in Cowboys history. Author Jeff Pearlman delivered a thrilling read about a team that won three Super Bowl rings and set NFL records for partying.

Follow the jump for a Q&A with Pearlman, who will hold book signings at the Borders on Preston Road at 7 p.m. Tuesday and the Barnes & Nobles on Mockingbird Lane at 7 p.m. Wednesday.

Date: Jan. 7, 1996

Score: Cowboys 30, Eagles 11 (DMN game story)

Prime Time was worth every penny he got from Jerry Jones during his first playoff game in a Cowboys uniform.

Deion Sanders scored his first touchdown as a Cowboy on a 21-yard reverse in the second quarter, when Dallas scored 27 consecutive points to turn the game into a blowout. He also shined at cornerback, his full-time job, picking off a Randall Cunningham pass to set up the Cowboys' final TD.

And, of course, Prime Time starred during the postgame press conferences. Deion seemed to take particular delight in pointing out that the 49ers, the team he helped win the Super Bowl the previous season, lost that day.

"Big guys have to come up in the big games," Sanders told reporters. "If we don't, you guys are damn sure going to let us know we're overpaid. I know all year I supposedly haven't earned a damn dime. But the big guys have to come out and set the tone in the big games because this is it. You lose this, you're going home. Ask Frisco."

Date: Nov. 15, 2004

Score: Eagles 49, Cowboys 21 (DMN game story)

This was probably the high point of T.O.'s relationship with Donovan McNabb.

Monday Night Football opened with T.O. sharing a warm embrace with a nude Desperate Housewife. By the end of the telecast, T.O. and McNabb were clowning around on the sideline after making fools of an overmatched Dallas defense.

T.O. caught six passes for 134 yards and three touchdowns, grandstanding on a star in the end zone after the second one. McNabb threw for 345 yards and four touchdowns.

The play everybody remembers from this game - and perhaps the most unforgettable highlight of McNabb's magnificent career - wasn't a pass to T.O. or a TD. It was his 14.1-second, zig-zag scramble and deep ball to Freddie Mitchell to set up the Eagles' fourth touchdown of the second quarter.

"We had a lot of fun tonight," T.O. said, a rare case of understatement for him.

Date: Nov. 23, 1989

Score: Eagles 27, Cowboys 0 (DMN game story)

A good team beat the stuffing out of a terrible team in a Thanksgiving game that wasn't very interesting until Jimmy Johnson's press conference.

Johnson accused Eagles coach Buddy Ryan of putting a $200 bounty on kicker Luis Zendejas and a $500 bounty on Troy Aikman. Zendejas, an ex-Eagle who was a cheap-shot target after his only kickoff of the day, backed up the story. Rookie Aikman shrugged it off after taking a vicious beating, which was the norm that season.

Jimmy's biggest regret seemed to be that he didn't get the chance to discuss the matter face to face with Ryan.

"I would have, but he wouldn't stay on the field long enough," Johnson said, his face turning bright red. "He got his fat rear end into the dressing room."

Date: Jan. 10, 1993

Score: Cowboys 34, Eagles 10 (DMN game story)

The game itself wasn't a classic, but the historical significance of the day makes it memorable.

The Eagles were the initial playoff speed bump to Super Bowl XXVII, the first one won by the Jerry Jones era Cowboys. And Jimmy Johnson was so confident the Cowboys would whup Philadelphia that he inquired about muddying the Valley Ranch practice fields (to simulate the conditions in San Francisco) days before the Eagles came to town.

The Cowboys gave Johnson no reason to worry. A 10-point burst just before halftime all but secured the win, and the Cowboys played scrubs late to make sure the stars would be healthy for the NFC championship game.

A playoff win on the road to a Super Bowl title is certainly memorable. Derek Tennell and Derick Gainer, the dudes who scored the Cowboys' last two touchdowns on this day, are about as forgettable as it gets.

BLOGGER'S NOTE: With the Eagles coming to Texas Stadium for the last time (barring a playoff visit), I figured this would be a fine time to reminisce about Philly's most memorable trips to Texas Stadium. We'll count down the top five throughout the day.

Date: Sept. 15, 1997

Score: Cowboys 21, Eagles 20 (DMN game story)

It had all the makings of a Monday night heartbreaker for the Cowboys.

Troy Aikman and Co. performed poorly most of the night, but they managed to take the lead for the first time with less than a minute remaining. Aikman scrambled and found Anthony Miller in the back of the end zone for the go-ahead TD with 51 seconds to go, only to watch from the sideline as the Eagles marched the length of the field.

All Philadelphia needed to win was for ex-Cowboy kicker Chris Boniol to make a chip-shot field goal. He never got the chance.

Holder Tom Hutton bobbled the snap, then fumbled the ball as he tried to run before becoming the foundation of a Cowboy dogpile.

Cowboys fans might consider this a fonder memory if not for that Seattle Slip thing that happened a couple seasons ago.

We've pretty much steered clear of Brett Favre talk on this here blog lately, because ... well, the Cowboys give us plenty to write about, and he's a Packer, sort of.

But old pal Matt Mosley managed to tie in an interesting Cowboys story in his Favre column. (Why is an NFC East guy writing a Favre column? Because everybody at ESPN.com apparently has to pitch into the Favre/Packer breakup coverage.)

It reminds me of a story I once heard about former Cowboys quarterback Don Meredith. He walked into Tom Landry's office in 1969 and said, "Coach, I'm thinking about retiring."

Not missing a beat, Landry answered, "Don, I think that's a good idea."

Years later, Bud Shrake, the newspaper man turned famous author, told me Meredith was crushed that Landry didn't try to talk him out of retiring.

In Meredith's case, though, he walked away from the game for good. Favre retired briefly and then began a comeback campaign in which he leaked information through selected family members and farm workers. In this three-ring circus, Favre tried to play ringmaster from the comfort of his home in Mississippi, but he eventually had to come out of hiding. The Packers had taken the unfair step of taking Favre at his word, and general manager Ted Thompson would play the role of the villain.

Doesn't make the way Jerry Jones ended Landry's legendary tenure seem so heartless, huh?

From Rick "Goose" Gosselin's Inside the NFL column:

I received an advance copy of Jeff Pearlman's book Boys Will Be Boys, detailing "the glory days and party nights of the Dallas Cowboys destiny." I've been a fan of Pearlman since reading his biography on Barry Bonds, Love Me, Hate Me. He's a gifted storyteller. Pearlman doesn't pull any punches in documenting the rise and fall of the 1990s Cowboys. What they did on the field was admirable, but what they did off the field was at times despicable. This is a tale of self-destruction - and not just publicly at the top where Jerry Jones and Jimmy Johnson could no longer co-exist. This team self-destructed in the locker room as well. Pearlman dug deep in his research, speaking with the likes of Rob Awalt, Cory Fleming, Derrick Lassic and Clayton Holmes in addition to franchise A-listers Michael Irvin, Jay Novacek, Mark Stepnoski and Darren Woodson in printing what went right and wrong during the dynasty. More went wrong than most Cowboys fans would care to know. It's a real page-turner.

You might recall Pearlman's gut-wrenching story on Clayton Holmes for ESPN.com. I don't know how pleasant this book will be to read, but it ought to be mighty interesting.

A pal of mine at ESPN.com wanted me to link to this survey asking that question.

I'd go with:

1) Emmitt Smith -- NFL's all-time leading rusher carried Cowboys to three Super Bowl titles.

2) Roger Staubach -- Captain Comeback is on the short list of best QBs in NFL history, a bit above Troy Aikman.

3) DT Bob Lilly -- Mr. Cowboy, the team's first draft pick and foundation of the Doomsday Defense, played in 11 Pro Bowls

Not everyone gets to sit down with a Hall of Fame receiver in their daily job, but Calvin Watkins gets to. And he gets to do it in California. Must be nice.

Check out the video of Calvin's discussion with Michael Irvin, and read Todd Archer's impressions of Irvin's day at camp.

Just got off the phone with Kevin O'Neill, the former Cowboys trainer who followed Jimmy Johnson to Miami.

O'Neill was a good friend of former Cowboys player personnel director Bob Ackles, who died Sunday at 69.

"In a tough industry, he was a good guy who you just liked being around," O'Neill said. "Whether he was dealing with the equipment manager or the club president, he was genuine in the way he treated people."

Ackles was a bit of a renaissance guy, as an author and accomplished painter, O'Neill noted. The two last spoke about three weeks ago. O'Neill said that Ackles sounded upbeat and didn't mention any health problems.

Bob Ackles, who spent six years with the Cowboys and helped rebuild the team's talent base as director of player personnel, died today.

The 69-year-old Ackles, who was president and CEO of the Canadian Football League's B.C. Lions, suffered a fatal heart attack.

He worked in the Cowboys' front office from 1986-92. Ackles was originally hired by Tex Schramm as the club's first director of pro personnel following 32 years in the CFL. After Jerry Jones bought the team in 1989, Ackles became director of player personnel. Jones fired him in May 1992, a surprise to Ackles and an unpopular move with some.

Here is an excerpt from Frank Luksa's column on Ackles' firing:

He answered a routine summons to Jones' office Thursday morning. Larry Lacewell had been hired to replace the resigned Dick Mansperger as director of scouting. Lines of authority in Ackles' province required discussion.

"We talked about reorganizing and restructuring,' Ackles said. "I questioned a couple of things. It upset him [Jones]. He fired me.'

Ackles was stunned.

"I was surprised, yes, although I've been in the business 40 years and nothing should surprise you. But it's the first time in my life I've been fired.'

Co-workers were shocked. "A tremendous, tremendous worker,' one said of Ackles. "Everyone in the country likes him. Everyone in the field of professional sports.'

Well, almost everyone. Another recalled how hard Ackles did work.

"If Bob's wife hadn't brought him a noon meal, he'd never have eaten lunch. He'd be in the office at seven in the morning, work until eight or nine at night and then go home."

First, I'd like to thank Tim for the gracious welcome to the ol' Cowboys blog. You won't get much Patriots talk out of me. If memory serves, my first Cowboys game was a preseason scrum against the Packers in 1984. That has to be right, because the next season was `85 when the Bears administered the 44-0 spanking. I just remember thinking, "Holy you-know-what! The Cowboys lost 44-0 at home?!"

I need to pull Jacques aside and ask him a question I've been wondering for years: Which practice field is the "asthma" field anyway? There's only one man who knows for sure.

Granted, we're about to hit July but I've got a lot of other questions about the Cowboys. I may not have all the answers, but here's a promise. By the end of training camp, I will have made many trips to In-N-Out Burger all while steering clear of the Hard Knocks cameras.

So says Cold Hard Football Facts, which ranked all 32 NFL franchises in a historical context. Makes for fun reading during this oh-so-slow time of the off-season.

The site makes the claim that America's Team is often overrated because of its media-darling status. But CHFF acknowledged that the Cowboys are behind the Packers by 1 yard -- the distance of Bart Starr's winning TD sneak in the Ice Bowl.

USA Today went through a lot of trouble to try to figure out the worst team in the Super Bowl era. The first Cowboys team of the Jerry era fell just short, losing to the eventual champion (or however you want to word it) 1990 Patriots in the semfinals.

Here's how the '89 Cowboys were remembered:

Jerry Jones' first season as the Cowboys' owner was eventful for all the wrong seasons as the franchise endured its worst campaign since its inaugural season in 1960, when Dallas finished 0-11-1.

Jones' decision to dismiss the wildly popular Tom Landry, the only head coach in team history to that point, was the first of many lowlights.

Quarterback Troy Aikman began his Hall-of-Fame career in 1989 and lost all 11 of his starts while suffering numerous beatings behind a leaky line. Running back Herschel Walker, the team's best player, was traded to Minnesota in the middle of the year.

Given that, it's little surprise Dallas averaged 12.8 points per game, worst in the league, and was outscored at a nearly 2-to-1 ratio.

Of course, Aikman improved, the draft picks netted in the Walker deal were used to restock the franchise, and the Cowboys were Super Bowl champions three years later.

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution has a story about ex-Cowboys starting QB Quincy Carter, who is now a backup for the Arena Football League's Kansas City Brigade.

Saying his mind and his body are right after spending nearly six months working with former Dallas Cowboys linebacker and drug-addiction survivor Thomas "Hollywood" Henderson, Carter, 30, is attempting to approach this comeback with a very simple attitude.

"I'm living a day-to-day life now. I can't take it beyond that," he said, repeating the mantra that was central to his most recent stay in drug rehab.

"I have to control what I can control today and not worry about tomorrow. When I do that, that's when I get in trouble."

Each stop along Carter's career seemingly has represented a crisis-rich crossroads. From leading Southwest DeKalb to a state title in 1995 to his three-year run at Georgia and on into professional football, Carter has been a lightning-rod figure. Scrutiny and controversy and negative headlines have followed him much of the way.

He would take the Cowboys to 10 wins and the postseason in 2003, only to be released in training camp the following year after failing a drug test and opening himself to questions about leadership. The New York Jets let him go after one season, the Montreal Alouettes of the Canadian Football League released him after just a month, amid more reports of drug problems. Back in Dallas, he was arrested on a marijuana charge in late 2006.

The backstory is much the same this time.

Former Packers general manager Ron Wolf thinks so. Here's what Wolf told Sports Illustrated's Dr. Z about Woodson in a column about Hall of Fame candidates.

"Played a unique position for the Cowboys. Did everything a safetyman had to do, strongside or weak. Hell of a special teamer, too. Yes, a terrific player, a Hall of Famer."

Woodson, a five-time Pro Bowler and three-time Super Bowl champ who holds the franchise tackles record, darn sure deserves to be in the Ring of Honor. Perhaps he could join Drew Pearson and Charles Haley in the first class to be inducted at JerryWorld.

That comes from a pretty good source: Jerry Jones himself.

Jerry said this is the best that he's felt about the Cowboys' cornerbacks since the 1995 season. That's when they signed Deion Sanders and had Kevin Smith and Larry Brown returning. But Smith tore his Achilles tendon in the season opener, knocking that cornerback crop from phenomenal to good.

Pacman Jones, who has the potential to be Terence Newman's Pro Bowl partner, could be gone in the flash of a cop's sirens. Even without him, the Cowboys could have an outstanding crop of corners if first-rounder Mike Jenkins and fifth-rounder Orlando Scandrick come along as quickly as anticipated.

Unless Jerry Jones changes his mind, Texas Stadium has seen its final Ring of Honor ceremony.

"We've got our thoughts on timing, as we go through the year, as we play each of the games," said Jerry, the one-man selection committee. "We want to give a lot of sensitivity and we didn't think it would be the right timing for the Ring of Honor, for a player going in the Ring of Honor, for what we're doing in leaving Texas Stadium. So we won't be doing anything in the Ring of Honor this year."

I can't think of a better way to honor the history of Texas Stadium than to give a couple great players who came before Jerry's reign their long overdue day in the sun.

Drew Pearson, who made the biggest catch in America's Team history, deserves that. You could make a strong agument that Pearson belongs in the Hall of Fame. He has a Super Bowl ring and stats that compare favorably with Canton-enshrined Lynn Swann's numbers. He should join Bob Hayes and Michael Irvin as Ring of Honor receivers.

Deceased DE Harvey Martin, the South Oak Cliff product who was co-MVP of Super Bowl XII, would be next on my list. His franchise sacks records -- a would-be NFL-record 23 in a season (in 1977, before sacks were an official stat) and 113 in a career -- might never be broken.

But Jerry plans for The Triplets, who were inducted in 2005, to be the final Ring of Honor class inducted in Texas Stadium. That's a shame.

From the Associated Press ...

TAMPA, Fla. -- A Tampa judge has sentenced former NFL running back Troy Hambrick to five years in prison for selling crack cocaine.

The former Dallas Cowboys and Arizona Cardinals player was sentenced Tuesday by U.S. District Judge Steven D. Merryday.

Hambrick pleaded guilty on Feb. 26 to one count of distributing 50 grams or more of crack cocaine.

Court documents show Hambrick sold the drugs in 2007 to a confidential informants near his home in Lacoochee, about 40 miles north of Tampa.

Hambrick's NFL career spanned five seasons. His best year was 2003 when he rushed for 972 yards and five touchdowns for Dallas

Hambrick joins Sherman Williams as ex-Emmitt Smith backups sentenced to prison for selling drugs.

Darren Hambrick, Troy's older brother and the ex-Cowboys LB best known for a gramatically incorrect request for the definition of "voluntary," is no stranger to the Lacoochee police department, either. After his rookie season, he was charged with fleeing a law enforcement officer and resisting arrest without violence after jumping from his moving truck and running into the woods when an officer tried to pull him over for speeding. The officer noted that there was a strong odor of burnt marijuana in the truck, and Hambrick was arrested when he showed up in another car claiming he had loaned the truck to a friend. His muddy socks ruined his alibi.

Troy Aikman and Jay Novacek are among those who will be inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in December.

ESPN's now presenting the counterpart to its "Draft Busts" feature with the 50 greatest draft steals of all-time.

And it seems like those in Bristol like what the Cowboys have done over the years. Only one Cowboy was on the "Bust" list, and that was at No. 48. Conversely, three former Cowboys made the "Steals" list. This Blog's founder and the archnemesis of Roger Goodell's security detail, Matt Mosely, has a column on one of them here.

Add all this up, and it makes for a pretty good ratio for Dallas. Here are the cases of theft ...

17. T Rayfield Wright (Fort Valley State) Drafted by: Cowboys, seventh round, No. 182 overall, 1967 One of only 15 players to play in at least five Super Bowls, Wright finally became a fixture at right tackle after also seeing action at tight end and on defense in his first three seasons. The massive blocker was named to six Pro Bowls and was a member of the NFL's all-decade team of the 1970s.

41. CB Larry Brown (TCU)
Drafted by: Cowboys, 12th round, No. 320 overall, 1991
When the Cowboys selected Brown in the 12th round in 1991, chances are they weren't expecting to land a future Super Bowl MVP. Brown became a starter for the Cowboys in 1991, was an integral part of their early '90s dynasty and was in the right place at the right time in Super Bowl XXX, picking off Pittsburgh QB Neil O'Donnell twice.

45. DT Leon Lett (Emporia State)
Drafted by: Cowboys, seventh round, No.173 overall, 1991
While Lett's name always comes up around Thanksgiving and Super Bowl time thanks to his blunders, it's often forgotten that he was a quality defensive tackle who went to two Pro Bowls and was part of an unsung Dallas defense that helped win three Super Bowls in four seasons.

UPDATE: How could Roger Staubach be left off that list? What about Bob Hayes? The top 10 steals in Cowboys draft history is here.

UPDATE No. 2: That update was Timmy Tabloid's stab at self-promotion. Unfortunately, he forgot to read the ESPN story, which analyzed all players drafted since the 1967 merger of the NFL and AFL drafts, thereby disqualifying Hayes and Staubach.

Former Cowboys running back, running backs coach and offensive coordinator Dan Reeves, at 64, hasn't stepped away from the game, as some of you may have suspected.

The man who served head-coaching tenures with the Broncos, Giants and Falcons is helping oversee the creation of a football program at Georgia State as a consultant. There has been speculation he will be the school's first coach. But he told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution no promises have been made on either end on that. Here's how he couched it ...

"I didn't want people giving money because they thought I was going to be the coach," Reeves said. "And I didn't want people not giving money because they thought I was going to be the coach."

Reeves indicated his 39 years in professional football wouldn't be as valuable to a new college program and that he still has desires to coach in the NFL. But he added, "I'd like to be part of it in some way. I'd like to see it through its realization."

ESPN.com slaps that label on TE David LaFleur. He's the only Cowboys pick on ESPN's list of the top 50 draft busts in NFL history, checking in at No. 48.

That's a good reminder for Jerry to get to wheelin' and dealin' to make sure the Cowboys avoid the Curse of 22, but LaFleur doesn't belong on that list. The guy had a seven-TD season and was at least a so-so pro before his back went bad. He's not even close to the worst draft bust in the Jerry era.

I'd probably give that dubious distinction to DE Shante Carver, the No. 23 pick of the 1994 draft. He wasn't even an impact player for the Dallas Desperados. You could make a strong case for CB Dwayne Goodrich (No. 49 overall in 2000), who was terrible on the field and killed a couple good Samaritans on the highway after a night at a strip club.

The NFL Network put together a list of the top 10 draft steals in league history.

There's at least one real head-scratcher on there -- Ray Guy was great, but how can you call a punter picked in the first round a steal? But they rightfully included 10th-round pick/Hall of Famer Roger Staubach, although I'd rank him a few slots higher than No. 10.

If nothing else, the above link is worth clicking to watch a video and reminisce about Roger the Dodger's greatness.

And I'll piggyback off the NFL Network's idea and present a list of the top 10 draft steals in Cowboys' history. (Note: Undrafted free agents not eligible.)

1. Roger Staubach, 10th round, 1964
2. Bob Hayes, 7th round, 1964
3. Rayfield Wright, 7th round, 1967
4. Emmitt Smith, 17th overall pick, 1990
5. Herb Scott, 13th round, 1975
6. Larry Cole, 16th round, 1968
7. Jethro Pugh, 11th round, 1965
8. Leon Lett, 7th round, 1991
9. Chad Hennings, 11th round, 1988
10. Larry Allen, 2nd round, 1994

It's a slow day in Cowboysland, but this is Tony Dorsett's birthday. Please join me in wishing him a happy 54th.

That gives good reason to post a video of Dorsett's 99-yard touchdown run.

"I think that's the longest run in the history of the league," Monday Night Football's Howard Cosell speculated on the air.

Way to go out on a limb there, Howard!

Dallas Cowboys File

Legendary local scribe Frank Luksa got furious when he saw ESPN.com's list of the top 10 receivers in NFL history picked by an expert panel.

If Bob Hayes isn't on this list, Luksa thinks it's a bunch of bull. And he wrote as much in a freelance piece for ESPN.com that should be required reading for young whippersnappers who don't know much about Hayes and will bring back fond memories for old-timers who do.

Thus the post-career fate of the fastest man ever to play pro football, or anything else, continued to languish as an historical footnote. Hayes should rate an everlasting headline as the player whose speed reconfigured how the game was played during the 1960s and influenced how the game is played today, almost a half-century later.

As rejections go, this was the third for Hayes in recent years. The Pro Football Hall of Fame was the first major entity to bar its door to him for reasons never made clear to me as a selection committee member from 1976-2000. He became the Veterans Committee candidate years later but again failed to gain approval. ...

"I doubt that there has ever been anyone who revolutionized the offensive game the way Bobby did," said Don Meredith, the first quarterback to team with Hayes. "His amazing speed forced the defense to do a complete re-evaluation of what it had to do to stop him.''

Last in a five-part series ...

No. 5: 1988
No. 4: 1970
No. 3: 1975
No. 2: 1989
No. 1: 1964

First-round pick Scott Appleton, a DT from Texas, never played a down for the Cowboys. He opted to play for the Houston Oilers in the AFL instead.

So how could this possibly be the best draft in the history of such a storied franchise?

Simple: It's the only one that landed three Hall of Famers. OK, only two guys from the Class of '64 have busts in Canton. But the ridiculous omission of Bob Hayes wasn't considered in our rankings.

Roger Staubach, the Heisman Trophy winner from Navy who lasted until the 10th round because of his military commitment, is on the short list of the greatest quarterbacks in NFL history. He won two Super Bowl titles and, with a break here or there, could have had a fistful.

Oregon RB Mel Renfro, a second-round pick, ended up being perhaps the best defensive back of his time. He split his pro career at free safety and cornerback and still holds the franchise record for interceptions (52). He appeared in 10 Pro Bowls.

Hayes, an Olympic gold medal sprinter, was a steal in the seventh round. All he did was revolutionize the vertical passing game, resulting in the invention of zone defenses. He still holds the Cowboys record for TD catches (71), a stat that should appear on a plaque in Canton someday.

Third in a five-part series ...

No. 5: 1988
No. 4: 1970
No. 3: 1975
No. 2: 1989
No. 1: Friday

Any draft that bears a franchise quarterback, who ends up in the Hall of Fame with three Super Bowl rings, has to be a called a success. Doesn't matter Larry, Curly and Moe are you next three picks. So since Troy Aikman's involved, and because he was a six-time Pro Bowler, a Super Bowl MVP and a franchise icon, you can stop there if you'd like.

But you don't have to.

The Cowboys' next pick was fullback Daryl Johnston, who was the blood-and-guts fullback the team need for its running game, and who became the two-time Pro Bowl road-paver for the NFL's all-time leading rusher, Emmitt Smith, that arrived the next year. After that, came center Mark Stepnoski, who made three Pro Bowls as a Cowboy before bolting for big bucks across the state in Houston, and was the quarterback of one of the greatest collections of offensive line talent in league history.

And it doesn't stop there. In the fourth round, the Cowboys tabbed Tony Tolbert, who was a starter for all nine of his seasons in Dallas and made the Pro Bowl at defensive end in 1996. The only other notable name on this list, really, is now-Univ. of Miami head coach Randy Shannon, and he's not notable for anything he did in Dallas.

Still, if the old adage that you build a team up the middle holds, then the four aforementioned gave Dallas a heck of a foundation. Between them, there are 37 years of service to the team (40, if you count Stepnoski's second stint with the team) and 12 Pro Bowl trips. So it's hard to call Jimmy and Jerry's first draft anything but one of the best.

Third in a five-part series ...

No. 5: 1988
No. 4: 1970
No. 3: 1975
No. 2: Thursday
No. 1: Friday

ESPN named the "Dirty Dozen" one of the top four draft classes in NFL history, so you could certainly argue that we have 1975 ranked too low.

The Class of '75 was without a doubt the deepest draft crop in Cowboys' history. Twelve players made the team out of training camp. Eight were regular starters for at least one season, including five for the Super Bowl XII champions in the 1977 season.

DT Randy White, selected second overall in a pick obtained by trading Craig Morton to the Giants, was the headliner of the class. He was a nine-time Pro Bowler, the co-MVP of Super Bowl XII and a no-brainer Hall of Famer.

OLB Thomas "Hollywood" Henderson, the Cowboys' other first-rounder, might have joined White in Canton if cocaine addiction didn't cut his career short.

MLB Bob Breunig, a third-rounder, started for a decade and made three Pro Bowl appearances. Fourth-rounder Pat Donovan, a college DE converted into an OT, played in four Pro Bowls. OG Herb Scott, the steal of the draft in the 13th round, went to three Pro Bowls.

Second in a five-part series ...

No. 5: 1988
No. 4: 1970
No. 3: Tomorrow
No. 2: Thursday
No. 1: Friday

Duane Thomas was taken 23rd overall by the Cowboys, and led the team in rushing during each of his first two seasons, totaling 1,596 yards and 16 touchdowns on a 4.9-yard-per carry average. The latter of those campaigns brought a Super Bowl title, but was marred by Thomas' silence around the team, something brought about by a trade to New England that the running back sabotaged before the year. After the '71 season, the Dallas Lincoln High and West Texas A&M product was dealt to San Diego, sat out the next year, was subsequently traded to Washington, and rushed for just 442 yards in two seasons there. He was out of football after '74.

And when discussing the Cowboys 1970 draft, it's hard not to imagine how good this group would've been if Thomas had been content in Dallas, and if he'd fulfilled his considerable potential. Even absent that, the group provided the team a couple of bedrocks for its 1970s glory days.

Start with a third-round pick, 66th overall, the Cowboys acquired in a trade for quarterback Jerry Rhome. The team used that selection to take safety Charlie Waters, who became a 12-year Cowboy, a decade-long starter, a three-time Pro Bowler and two-time All-Pro. Paired with Cliff Harris to form one of the league's most feared safety tandems, Waters played in five Super Bowls, won two and still holds the league record for postseason interceptions.

In the fourth round, the Cowboys tabbed Boston College tackle John Fitzgerald, who became the team's starting center in 1973 and was strong in that role for eight years. Corner Mark Washington, perhaps most famous for being posterized by Lynn Swann in Super Bowl X, was nonetheless a contributor on championship teams after being plucked in the 13th round.

BLOGGER'S NOTE: It's a slow NFL week, so we figured this would be a fine time to count down the top five draft classes in Cowboys' history.

No. 5: 1988

Only three players in this class made significant contributions to the Cowboys, but they were all impact players on Super Bowl champions.

Michael Irvin, the 11th overall pick, is a Hall of Famer who was the soul of the Team of the '90s. His name is all over the franchise receiving record book, including most yards in a season (1,603) and career (11,904).

Ken Norton Jr., the second-round pick, was the best linebackers on Jimmy Johnson's two Super Bowl championship teams. He added another Super Bowl ring after signing with the 49ers in 1994.

DT Chad Hennings was a fantastic find in the 11th round. After serving his commitment to the Air Force, Hennings was a key cog in a deep defensive line for the Cowboys' three championship teams in the '90s.

At the stroke of 5 p.m., I clicked on the comments section to tally up your vote on the greatest quarterback of all-time.

Before presenting you with the results, I thought we'd put one requirement in here -- It has to be an NFL quarterback. That means Cowboys PR man Rich Dalrymple (who actually was a quarterback, just not an NFL one), "Bill in DC" and Quasimodo, despite receiving first-place votes, are out.

But it also means Ch. 11's Babe Laufenberg is in, as are Quincy Carter and Joey Harrington.

Hit play on the video above to see the winner's acceptance speech, held by Cowboys Blog at an undisclosed location. And now, the moment you've been waiting for (follow the jump for "others receiving votes") ...

1. Joe Montana -- 87 points
2. Johnny Unitas -- 32 points
3. Roger Staubach -- 30.5 points
4. Troy Aikman -- 20.5 points
5. John Elway -- 19 points
6. Terry Bradshaw -- 12 points
t-7. Brett Favre -- 8 points
t-7. Dan Marino -- 8 points
9. Tony Romo -- 7 points
10. Tom Brady -- 5.5 points

We interrupt Albert "Einstein" Breer's heartbreaking breakdown of Super Bowl XLII to pass on something that should really perturb you folks.

Sports Illustrated's Dr. Z gave each Super Bowl a grade and accompanying comment. The following comment was so unprofessional that it even made me cringe.

XIII (1979) Steelers 35, Cowboys 31 -- Yeah, it was exciting, with a recovered onside kick at the end and then Rocky Bleier recovering the final one, but this was the heyday of the America's Team arrogance and I wanted to see the Cowboys crushed not merely beaten. Call it B-

So much for the golden rule about no cheering in the press box. But I'm sure Dr. Z is able to put that bias aside during Hall of Fame voting.

Getty Images

Dedicated readers of this here blog will recall a bunch of New Englanders badmouthing the '90s Cowboys, saying that Dallas' last dynasty would have no chance against the perfect Patriots. Refresh your memories right here.

I would direct you to the Boston Herald's Pats blog to rub it in their faces, but they're not accepting comments at the moment. So feel free to say your told-ya-so's right here, and I'll be sure to get Albert "Einstein" Breer to pass them on to his people.

The fact that the Super Bowl is still hours away hasn't stopped folks from debating whether these Patriots are the best team in NFL history.

Hall of Fame scribe Rick "Goose" Gosselin weighed in, saying he'd rank the Pats third if complete their perfect season. Goose ranks the '62 Packers No. 1 and considers the '92 Cowboys the best of the Super Bowl era.

Emmitt Smith's answer on ESPN was a bit surprising. He said the Pats are having the best season in NFL history, but he considers the '70s Steelers the best team. He didn't mention the dynasty he helped create in Dallas.

In other news, Keyshawn Johnson's scarf is one of strangest wardrobe choices in NFL history.

A lot of folks are fired up about this whole Spygate ordeal. Heck, a member of Congress even wants to chat about it in what couldn't possibly be a shameless publicity stunt.

It really is a shame that a proven bunch of cheaters like the Patriots is on the verge of becoming the best dynasty in NFL history. Why couldn't they win with integrity, like the Team of the '90s?

Oh, wait just a second ... what's that Jimmy said to the Boston Globe this week?

"The only thing I can say is so many people made such a big to-do about it, and everybody - and I mean everybody - went to the edge on rules in one form or fashion," Johnson said, reflecting on his coaching tenure with the Cowboys. "That's just part of the game, that's stealing the signals in baseball. This stuff has been going on for so long.

"When I came into the NFL, back in '89, I talked to a Kansas City scout and he said, 'Here's what we do, we videotape the opposing team's signals and then we synch it up with the game film.' So I did it."

I have a suggestion that should satisfy all Cowboy fans offended by Bill Belichick's cheating ways: All teams that cheated since the salary cap went into effect should be stripped of their titles. Pre-salary cap cheating is fine, since nothing about the NFL was fair in those days anyway.

Super Bowl XXVII (game story/highlights) was competitive for most of the first half before it turned into a big, old party for the Cowboys.

Nine turnovers fueled a 52-17 blowout of the Bills. Troy Aikman put on a precision passing show, completing 22 of 30 attempts for 273 yards and four TDs. Michael Irvin caught six passes for 114 yards, including two TDs in an 18-second span near the end of the second quarter that turned the game into a rout. Emmitt Smith rushed for 108 yards and a TD.

Leon Lett gave the world something to laugh about, letting Don Beebe chase him down and strip the ball while Lett was strutting into end zone on what should have been a rub-it-in fumble return for a TD. But the Cowboys' celebration had already started by that point, and so had their dynasty.

Super Bowl XIII (highlights) will always be remembered around these parts for Jackie Smith's drop in the end zone on the last pass thrown to him in his Hall of Fame career.

That play, however, didn't finish off the Cowboys in a 35-31 loss to the Steelers that ultimately determined the Team of the '70s title. It would have tied the score in the third quarter, but it was just one of many crucial plays that didn't go the Cowboys' way. Steve Pate's DMN game story also mentions a fumbled exchange between Tony Dorsett and Drew Pearson on what was supposed to be a reverse pass, CB Aaron Kyle's on John Stallworth's 75-yard TD, a pass interference call on Benny Barnes that led to a lot of (bleeps) in quotes and a fumble by Randy White on a squib kickoff.

And Terry Bradshaw, accused by Hollywood Henderson that week of not being able to spell "cat" if spotted the C and A, spelled MVP without any trouble after passing for 318 yards and four TDs.

The Cowboys scored the first 13 points of Super Bowl XII (game story/highlights), and the Doomsday Defense made sure the win was never in doubt.

Co-MVPs Harvey Martin and Randy White led a defense that held the Broncos to a then-Super Bowl-record low 156 total yards. Denver QB Craig Morton, who stunk it up for the Cowboys in Super Bowl V, was harassed into the perhaps most horrendous performance in Super Bowl history. Morton had as many interceptions as completions (four) when he was benched in the third quarter.

Roger Staubach, who split time with Morton at the start of his Hall of Fame career, was efficient in his second Super Bowl win. He completed 17 of 25 passes for 183 yards, including a beautiful post route to Butch Johnson for TD. But the knockout punch was a TD pass from fullback Robert Newhouse to Golden Richards, who seemed to take pleasure in beating a Bronco safety who badmouthed the Cowboys' receiving corps that week.

"I didn't see [Bernard] Jackson coming in, but I heard him," Richards said. "He talks a lot, you know."

You might recall the depressing story ESPN.com recently ran about former Cowboy CB Clayton Holmes. Jeff Pearlman penned a follow-up that to report that Holmes might be in the process of getting his life together.

Perhaps most important, Holmes says he is determined to make renewed efforts to reach out to his children.

"As an adult, you tend to forget how you felt as a kid," he says. "One thing I've thought about a lot lately is how I craved love and affection and support as a child. Well, my kids deserve to have what I didn't.

"When the ESPN story came out, the only former teammate I spoke to was (Cowboys safety) James Washington. No one else called or wrote. I'm not mad, but it hurt a little. They talk about a team being a family, but truthfully, it's just a team. Your kids … those are your real family. Your real blood. I need to embrace that again."

Super Bowl X (game story/highlights) is best remembered for the highlight every football fan has seen hundreds of times: Steelers WR Lynn Swann, the game's MVP, making an acrobatic, leaping catch on a deep ball over Cowboys CB Mark Washington. That play might have put Swann, whose career stats are pedestrian, in the Hall of Fame.

Another Hall of Famer had a shot to steal Swann's thunder, but Roger Staubach couldn't complete a comeback from an 11-point fourth-quarter deficit. The Cowboys' 21-17 loss ended with Staubach firing three incompletions into the end zone.

The Cowboys trimmed the deficit to four when Staubach hit rookie WR Percy Howard for a 34-yard TD with less than two minutes to go. That ended up being the only reception of Howard's NFL career.

Dallas got the ball back with 1:22 remaining, and had its best chance to take the lead on the second-to-last play. On second down from the Pittsburgh 38, Staubach threw a jump ball to the 6-4 Howard. It sailed over Howard's head, and he claimed after the game that he was pushed. A prayer to Hail Mary receiver Drew Pearson was picked off on the final play.

Why was Howard in the game? Starting WR Golden Richards' ribs were broken in the fourth quarter. "Mel Blount just slugged me in the ribs," Richards said.

There's a lot of discussion this week about the best quarterbacks in NFL history, because folks are trying to figure out where Tom Brady fits on the list. Troy Aikman and Roger Staubach, the Cowboys' Hall of Famers, are also in the discussion.

ESPN.com, relying on the opinions of a panel of experts, put together a top 10 list.

1. Johnny Unitas 2. Joe Montana 3. Tom Brady 4. Dan Marino 5. Peyton Manning 6. John Elway 7. Terry Bradshaw 8. Brett Favre 9. Otto Graham 10. Dan Fouts

You'll notice that no fella who wore a star on the side of his helmet cracked that list. But the panel picked Aikman as the best pocket passer and Staubach as the coolest customer.

ColdHardFootballFacts.com put together a top 10 list, too. It ranked Green Bay's Bart Starr, who was omitted from ESPN.com's top 10, as the best. No Aikman on this one, either, but Staubach is ranked seventh.

New England can stake its claim to that title by completing the first 19-0 season in NFL history with a Super Bowl win.

But Foxsports.com John Czarnecki isn't buying it. He ranks the '07 Pats third, behind the 1984 49ers and Jimmy's first Super Bowl champs.

2. 1992 Dallas Cowboys: This was the first of Jimmy Johnson's back-to-back Super Bowl teams. Yes, they lost three games during the regular season, but they were super impressive in the playoffs, whipping a 14-2 Niners team in San Francisco for the NFC title, and then demolishing Jim Kelly and the Buffalo Bills 52-17 in Super Bowl XXVII. These Cowboys were powerful on both sides of the ball, and offensive tackles Mark Tuinei and Erik Williams (maybe the best lineman of his generation not in the Hall of Fame) protected Troy Aikman and opened holes for Emmitt Smith. Cornerback Kevin Smith had the talent to shut down Jerry Rice, too.

The '93 Cowboys were my favorite America's Team squad, at least the post-Emmitt-holdout version. And I still believe those 'Boys were better than these Pats.

BLOGGER'S NOTE: We planned to have all kinds of Cowboys-centric Super Bowl coverage this week, but the Cowboys didn't exactly cooperate. So we had to scrap most of our grand ideas, but we can still do our review of America's Team's eight Super Bowl appearances. We'll link to the DMN game story and NFL Films highlights from each Cowboys' Super Bowl -- one per day, except for the to-be-determined bonus day that will have two.

This passage from Bob St. John's game story pretty much sums up the Cowboys' 24-3 win in Super Bowl VI (highlights):

Sometimes sidelights sound a theme. In the nearby French Quarter the night before this game a Miami fan was seen to give a Dallas Cowboy fan the choke sign. The Cowboy fan stood up and clouted the guy.

Tom Landry's Cowboys seemed a lot like that.

Roger Staubach (12-19 for 119 yards and two TDs) was named the MVP, but the key to the Cowboys finally be crowned NFL champions was kicking the Dolphins' butts in the trenches. The Cowboys, led by local products Duane Thomas (Dallas Lincoln) and Walt Garrison (Lewisville), rushed for a then-Super Bowl-record 252 yards. Dallas held a Miami offense featuring future Hall of Famers Bob Griese, Larry Csonka and Paul Warfield to 185 total yards.

And Bob Lilly, a legend who was the Cowboys' original draft pick, finally got to light up a victory cigar at the end of the season after coming close so many times.

BLOGGER'S NOTE: We planned to have all kinds of Cowboys-centric Super Bowl coverage this week, but the Cowboys didn't exactly cooperate. So we had to scrap most of our grand ideas, but we can still do our review of America's Team's eight Super Bowl appearances. We'll link to the DMN game story and NFL Films highlights from each Cowboys' Super Bowl -- one per day, except for the to-be-determined bonus day that will have two.

Super Bowl V (story/highlights), the Cowboys' debut on the big stage, is best remembered for three reasons.

*Colts kicker Jim O'Brien booted a 32-yarder with seconds remaining to give Baltimore a 16-13 win over the Cowboys.

*Dallas LB Chuck Howley, who picked off two passes and pretty much dominated, remains the only player from a losing team to be named Super Bowl MVP.

*Legendary DT Bob Lilly, the Hall of Famer forever known as Mr. Cowboy, reacted to the loss by setting a world record for the longest helmet toss.

Craig Morton's miserable performance (12 of 26 for 127 yards and a TD with three picks, including one that set up the tying TD and one that set up the winning FG) isn't mentioned very often. One can only imagine what would have happened if Roger Staubach didn't watch from the bench.

The weather forecast for Green Bay this weekend has folks reminiscing about the Ice Bowl. (A Packers-Cowboys NFC championship game matchup would have done the trick, too, but that's another story.)

The great Frank Luksa, who froze his rear end off in the Lambeau Field press box that bitter winter day 40 years ago, penned a wonderfully entertaining Ice Bowl recollection for ESPN.com. Love reading details like the snot icicles dangling from legendary coach Tom Landry's nose.

EDITORS' NOTE: The game story from The Dallas Morning News can be found here.

In fact, the Cowboys beat the Broncos in 1978 on this date to win Super Bowl XII, their second league title. They ended the regular season with four wins (December momentum?) and won each of their three playoff games by 17 points or more.

History was made at Texas Stadium today. The NFL's longest playoff losing streaks:

6 N.Y. Giants 1939-1950

6 Cleveland 1969-1985

6 Minnesota 1988-96

6 Detroit 1991-current

6 Seattle 1984-2004

6 Kansas City 1993-current

6 Dallas 1996-current

Larry Allen, probably the best offensive lineman ever to wear a Cowboys uniform, will reportedly retire after playing the last two seasons in San Francisco.

Allen was selected to 10 Pro Bowls during his 12 seasons with the Cowboys. He said about 10 words during that time, preferring to let his punishing actions speak for him.

Don't want to be a bummer during the playoffs, so be warned that this ESPN.com story about ex-Cowboy Clayton Holmes is a sad one.

If Holmes' bicycle is emblematic of tough times, his living conditions serve as a neon billboard. The man who once owned a $250,000 Dallas home and drove a white Mercedes 560 SEC ("I went from a Benz to a bike," he glumly notes) now dwells in a decrepit shack in the front yard of his mother's trailer. It lacks both running water and electricity; the lone source of power is an orange extension cord that snakes its way from an outlet beside Claudia's door, through the yard, to a light above Holmes' bed. Here, amidst the tattered carpet and peeling paint and empty cereal and microwavable popcorn boxes, a man once gifted with everything ponders how an affinity for marijuana and cocaine prematurely destroyed his football career; how a suicide attempt nearly ended his existence; how his four children barely know their father; how the dreams of yesteryear have shriveled up and died; how he wishes he could step on the pedals of his red bicycle and roll off into a different town. A different world. A different … life.

NBC ran an interesting graphic after the Redskins took the lead. It noted that only two road teams in NFL playoff history had come from 13-plus points down to win: the '72 Cowboys and '80 Cowboys.

Roger Staubach was the hero of the 30-28 win over the 49ers in 1972. He came off the bench to relieve Craig Morton with the Cowboys trailing by 15 late in the third quarter and worked his Captain Comeback magic, throwing TD passes to Billy Parks and Ron Sellers in the final two minutes. Even stoic Tom Landry was visibly giddy after that game.

Danny White and Drew Pearson were the heroes in the 1980 squad's 30-27 win over the Falcons. They hooked up for a couple touchdowns -- called "miracles" by Landry -- in the fourth quarter.

It's been 11 long years since America's Team won a playoff game. That's still true, although Wade Phillips (0-3 as head coach in playoffs) has made a case that a bye should sorta, kinda count as a win.

I figured you folks would enjoy a quick review of the losing streak while enjoying New Year's Day bowl games.

Seahawks 21, Cowboys 20: Reckon you folks probably remember the Seattle Slip pretty well.

Panthers 29, Cowboys 10: It's a miracle that the Tuna took a team quarterbacked by Quincy Carter to the playoffs. Jake Delhomme, who considered signing with the Cowboys during the off-season, lit up the NFL's top-ranked defense.

Vikings 27, Cowboys 10: An 8-8 team went out with a whimper, ending the Chan Gailey Era.

Cardinals 20, Cowboys 7: You think the Cowboys' current playoff win drought is long? The Cardinals broke a 51-year drought with this win.

Panthers 26, Cowboys 17: The '90s dynasty was probably dead anyway, but it didn't help when Michael Irvin went down during the game's first series.

There have been many more meaningful games in the Cowboys-Redskins rivalry, but I challenge you to come up with one that was more entertaining than the 1999 season opener.

The Cowboys erased a 21-point deficit to force overtime and won the game when Troy Aikman fired his career-high fifth touchdown pass of the day, a 76-yarder to Rocket Ismail, who made quite a memorable debut as a Cowboy.

Brad Johnson and the Redskins rolled to 504 total yards against the Cowboys' defense. The Cowboys outdid Washington, racking up 541 yards and celebrating like they won the Super Bowl after Ismail's TD.

"This is one of the wildest football games I've ever been a part of," Aikman said after the game.

Troy Aikman said Tony Romo is having the best season by a QB in Cowboys' history, so that pretty much ends that debate. There's no arguing that Jason Witten is having the best season by a TE in team history, since he's shattered the record for catches and yards while blocking like a beast.

How about the best season by a WR around these parts? You can certainly make a case for T.O.'s 2007. The top three candidates (listed in chronological order):

Bob Hayes (1966) -- Caught 64 passes for 1,232 yards and 13 TDs for 10-3-1 team. Ranked first in NFL in TDs and second in yards.

Michael Irvin (1995) -- Caught 111 passes for 1,603 yards (both franchise records) and 10 TDs for 12-4 team.

Terrell Owens (2007) -- 81 catches for 1,355 yards and a franchise-record 15 TDs for 13-2 team.

The Cowboys' 14-7 win over the Redskins on Nov. 28, 1977 wasn't pretty.

But the Cowboys certainly weren't complaining on their way out of RFK Stadium. The victory snapped a two-game losing streak.

"This game puts an end to our losing habits," receiver Golden Richards said.

How right he was. The Cowboys didn't lose again all season, finishing the regular season with a four-game winning streak and rolling through the playoffs to the Super Bowl XII title.