Tono Romo, Cowboys Legacy, and Danny White...

The Professor · 09-20-2009, 01:21 PM

After a fine, career best even, first week performance, there has been plenty written about Tony Romo's sticking it to critics, exorcising the ghost of Jessica, and glowing in T.O.'s absence. And, as usual, when Romo is going good, there is no end to writers drumming up the memories of other great Cowboys quarterbacks. Romo, we are told, is the worthy heir to the tradition of Staubach and Aikman.

One writer even lumped Romo in with the "legendary trio", adding Dandy Don Meredith to the mix.

But Romo's biggest criticism, I thought, was that he can't win when it counts. That he puts up nice numbers, but folds in big games.

And yet, while Romo is tagged as the heir to the great legacy of Dallas passers, nobody ever mentions the guy who owned almost every Dallas passing record before Aikman came along, and who probably still owns a few. Nobody links Romo's fine statistical output and unfortunate inability to "win big games" with that other guy's similar makeup.

On one hand, I've got to wonder: if Danny White had pulled out just one of the three straight NFC Championship games he guided the Cowboys into, would he be mentioned along with Staubach and Aikman (and Meredith, who retired after two failed NFC title game trips...what is he doing here?) As it is, he is almost totally forgotten. In the Cowboys history it goes straight from Staubach, retiring at the end of '79, to Aikman's 1-15 trial-by-fire in 1989. An entire decade, in which the Cowboys were competitive (3 title trips) early and then awful late, erased from memory. White is forgotten along with them.

So, on that hand, I guess I'm saying: why isn't Danny White given at least a little more credit.

On the other, I'm supposing that the reason he is not is that he failed to steer the Cowboys into a Super Bowl despite having three good chances to do so - and that he was at the helm, off and on, when the Landry era finally spiraled towards its sad end.

Tony Romo is the heir to a fine tradition of Dallas quarterbacking while White is unheard of and unsung. Isn't that funny, since Tony Romo - big numbers, can't win the big one, is, to date, the second coming of Danny White in a lot of ways.

Left-handed Badger · 09-20-2009, 08:02 PM

Naw, Romo cant punt like Danny White.

Actually, Danny White is always the first QB I think of when it comes to Dallas. Since he was their QB when I first started watching football as a wee one. Also, why, Tony Dorsett comes to mind before Emmitt Smith.

But, look on the bright side. At least Danny White gets more love than Craig Morton.

mlyons · 09-20-2009, 11:24 PM

He's doing his best to choke away a big game tonight. Switch quarterbacks and the Cowboys are up by twenty at the half.

09-20-2009, 01:21 PM	#1
The Professor Hall Of Famer Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: East of East Posts: 3,020	Tono Romo, Cowboys Legacy, and Danny White... After a fine, career best even, first week performance, there has been plenty written about Tony Romo's sticking it to critics, exorcising the ghost of Jessica, and glowing in T.O.'s absence. And, as usual, when Romo is going good, there is no end to writers drumming up the memories of other great Cowboys quarterbacks. Romo, we are told, is the worthy heir to the tradition of Staubach and Aikman. One writer even lumped Romo in with the "legendary trio", adding Dandy Don Meredith to the mix. But Romo's biggest criticism, I thought, was that he can't win when it counts. That he puts up nice numbers, but folds in big games. And yet, while Romo is tagged as the heir to the great legacy of Dallas passers, nobody ever mentions the guy who owned almost every Dallas passing record before Aikman came along, and who probably still owns a few. Nobody links Romo's fine statistical output and unfortunate inability to "win big games" with that other guy's similar makeup. On one hand, I've got to wonder: if Danny White had pulled out just one of the three straight NFC Championship games he guided the Cowboys into, would he be mentioned along with Staubach and Aikman (and Meredith, who retired after two failed NFC title game trips...what is he doing here?) As it is, he is almost totally forgotten. In the Cowboys history it goes straight from Staubach, retiring at the end of '79, to Aikman's 1-15 trial-by-fire in 1989. An entire decade, in which the Cowboys were competitive (3 title trips) early and then awful late, erased from memory. White is forgotten along with them. So, on that hand, I guess I'm saying: why isn't Danny White given at least a little more credit. On the other, I'm supposing that the reason he is not is that he failed to steer the Cowboys into a Super Bowl despite having three good chances to do so - and that he was at the helm, off and on, when the Landry era finally spiraled towards its sad end. Tony Romo is the heir to a fine tradition of Dallas quarterbacking while White is unheard of and unsung. Isn't that funny, since Tony Romo - big numbers, can't win the big one, is, to date, the second coming of Danny White in a lot of ways. __________________ History isn't really about the past - settling old scores. It's about defining the present and who we are." Last edited by The Professor; 09-20-2009 at 08:01 PM.

09-20-2009, 08:02 PM	#2
Left-handed Badger Hall Of Famer Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: at the altar of the baseball god praying for middle infield that can catch the ball Posts: 2,036	Naw, Romo cant punt like Danny White. Actually, Danny White is always the first QB I think of when it comes to Dallas. Since he was their QB when I first started watching football as a wee one. Also, why, Tony Dorsett comes to mind before Emmitt Smith. But, look on the bright side. At least Danny White gets more love than Craig Morton. __________________ -Left-handed groundball specialist -Strikeouts are for wimps

09-20-2009, 11:24 PM	#3
mlyons Hall Of Famer Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Philadelphia Posts: 3,725	He's doing his best to choke away a big game tonight. Switch quarterbacks and the Cowboys are up by twenty at the half. __________________ Things can always be worse.