Boys Will Be Boys (42 page)

“We’re hoping Troy will be back with us,”
Tim Cowlishaw, “Kosar Leads Cowboys Past Cardinals, 20–15,”
Dallas Morning News
, November 15, 1993.

To start with, he was the star quarterback of the Cowboys
Pat Jordan, “Troy’s Triumph,”
Playboy
, October 1993.

Not that Aikman went out of his way to endorse the image.
Jay Mariotti, “Time to Stamp Aikman as Quarterback of the ’90s,”
Chicago Sun-Times
, January 15, 1993.

He once returned to his house to find
John Ed Bradley, “Troy Aikman,”
Sports Illustrated Presents: Troy Aikman: A Salute to an NFL Legend
, July 26, 2006.

In August, Morgan even wrote a guest review
Lorrie Morgan, “Everybody Wants to Be a Cowboy,”
Dallas Morning News
, August 3, 1993.

“Sunshine is nice,” said Miami fullback Keith Byars
Thomas George, “Slipshod Play,”
New York Times
, November 26, 1993.

(
Explained Joe Avezzano, the special teams coach:
Ron St. Angelo and Norm Hitzges,
Greatest Team Ever
, p. 77.

“If you’re a professional, [the rule] is something you’re supposed to know,”
Jason Cole, “Cowboys Lett ’Em Have It,”
Sun-Sentinel
, November 26, 1993.

Chapter 16: Courage

“Arguably, Troy Aikman is considered
Jamie Aron, Associated Press, December 24, 1993.

As he fell Smith protected the ball with the left side
Emmitt Smith,
The Emmitt Zone
, p. 5.

Throughout the period Smith calmed himself by repeatedly
Ibid., p. 7.

Following the game John Madden, the CBS announcer
Ibid., p. 9.

Smith spent the next fifteen hours at Baylor University Medical Center
Ed Werder, “Cowboys Take Needed Rest,”
Dallas Morning News
, January 4, 1993.

Later, when pressed by Ed Werder of the
Dallas Morning News
Ed Werder, “Johnson Intrigued by Jaguars,”
Dallas Morning News
, December 31, 1993.

He’d heard reports that, with the regular season winding down
Jim Dent,
King of the Cowboys
, p. 161.

“I bought the team and took all the risks,” Jones said.
Ibid., p. 160.

Three days before the Cowboys and 49ers were to meet
“No Question About It—Dallas Will Win, Insists Johnson,” United Press International, January 20, 1994.

“I majored in physical education, not psychology,”
Ron Borges, “Reaction to Johnson Isn’t Too Promising,”
Boston Globe
, January 22, 1994.

“We have not often been this humiliated,” 49er coach George Seifert said
Bernie Linicome, “ABCs of Cowboys’ Success: Arrogant, Boastful, Callous,”
Chicago Tribune
, January 24, 1994.

Chapter 17: Super Bowl XXVIII

On the following day Dallas scout Bob Ford
Bill Bates,
Shoot for the Star
, pp. 105–6.

When he arrived at camp in Thousand Oaks
Ibid., p. 110.

As soon as all his healthy teammates left the locker room
Ibid., p. 215.

“Three weeks ago I would have given you ten-to-one odds
Ibid., p. 236.

Such prognostications infuriated the Bills
Vic Carucci, “Bennett Bites Back at Bills Bashers,”
Buffalo News
, January 26, 1994.

“It was scary,” said Leigh Steinberg, Aikman’s agent
Paul Zimmerman, “Superman! Emmitt Smith Powers Dallas Past Buffalo Again,”
Sports Illustrated
, February 7, 1994.

One day earlier, Davis and a handful of players had been watching
Ron St. Angelo and Norm Hitzges,
Greatest Team Ever
, p. 97.

The Cowboys took over and commenced upon a 64-yard touchdown drive
Zimmerman, “Superman! Emmitt Smith Powers Dallas Past Buffalo Again.”

Chapter 18: Divorce

The article ran on page 2B of the February 18, 1994,
Dallas Morning News
Frank Luksa, “Johnson, Back at Work, Makes No Waves About Jones,”
Dallas Morning News
, February 18, 1994.

“For the first time in about six or seven years I didn’t read a newspaper,” he said.
Rick Gosselin, “Refreshed Johnson Surfaces at Combine,”
Dallas Morning News
, February 23, 1994.

“I knew as early as 1991 that I might want to make a change with Jimmy,”
Jim Dent,
King of the Cowboys
, p. 154.

Johnson still regularly thought back to the 1991 postseason
Dent, p. 157.

To Johnson, the deterioration of a once-cordial relationship
Peter King, “Bad Blood,”
Sports Illustrated
, April 11, 1994.

“You okay?” he was asked by Bob Ackles
Bob Ackles with Ian Mulgrew,
The Water Boy: From the Sidelines to the Owner’s Box
, pp. 168–69.

In the follow-up to two-straight Super Bowl victories
Doug Bedell, “Cowboys’ Club Seating Plans Anger Some Fans,”
Dallas Morning News
, October 14, 1993.

The problem seems to be who gets the credit for Restoring the Dynasty.
Staff editorial, “J.R. and Bobby, Part II,”
New York Times
, February 2, 1994.

Basking in the glow of another Super Bowl title
Dent, p. 142.

“Here’s to the Dallas Cowboys,” cackled Jones
Ibid., p. 142.

Jones slammed down his glass and snarled.
Ibid., p. 143.

Without skipping a beat, Jones grabbed Werder
Ibid., pp. 146–49.

“I think it’s time that I let you know I’m thinking.
Ibid., p. 147.

As Johnson wandered the hallways of the hotel
Ibid., p. 150.

Moments later Johnson found Gosselin
Ed Werder and Rick Gosselin, “Post-Season Scrimmage,”
Dallas Morning News
, March 23, 1994.

Later that day, Jones held a thirty-minute press conference
Gordon Forbes, “Latest Jones-Johnson Spat Begins Over ‘Toast’ to Cowboys,”
USA Today
, March 24, 1994.

Chapter 19: Anal Probe

Jerry Jones would
not
hand over the reins of America’s Team
Robert McG. Thomas, Jr., “The New Hire: Glorious Record, Outrageous Past,”
New York Times
, March 31, 1994.

Troy Aikman and Emmitt Smith spoke out against Jones
Ed Werder, “Making Up Is Getting Harder to Do,”
Dallas Morning News
, March 27, 1994.

On the morning of Monday, March 28,
Tim Cowlishaw, “Fence-Mending at the Ranch,”
Dallas Morning News
, March 28, 1994.

“You will never witness anything more fraudulent
NPR Morning Edition, reported by Glen Mitchell, March 30, 1994.

“Barry Switzer, head coach of the Dallas Cowboys?”
C. W. Nevius, “Snake-Oil Barry Back in Saddle,”
San Francisco Chronicle
, March 31, 1994.

He was raised in a “shotgun house,”
Ray Kennedy, “Boomingest Sooner of ’Em All,”
Sports Illustrated
, August 9, 1976.

To take baths, Barry and his younger brother Donnie
Barry Switzer with Bud Shrake,
Bootlegger’s Boy
, p. 26.

Wrote Switzer in his 1990 autobiography
Ibid., p. 29.

During Barry’s senior year, the Alcoholic Beverage Control Commission
Ibid., p. 31.

“[At college] I learned to express myself well in public,”
Ibid., p. 38.

In his 1988 autobiography, “The Boz,”
Thomas, “The New Hire: Glorious Record, Outrageous Past.”

On March 31, 1994, the Cowboys released tight end Alfredo Roberts
Tim Cowlishaw, “Switzer Gets an Education on First Day,”
Dallas Morning News
, April 1, 1994.

Chapter 20: Walking into a Buzz Saw

Switzer could have handled the uncomfortable incident in any number of ways.
Tim Cowlishaw, “Irvin Not Letting Switzer in Easy,”
Dallas Morning News
, April 5, 1994.

“Curfews,” he once said, “are rat-turd things made to be broken.”
Skip Bayless,
Hell-Bent
, p. 104.

Chapter 21: Anarchy on (and off) the Gridiron

“[O’Donnell] was holding the ball because he didn’t have anybody to throw to,”
Ed Bouchette, “Now the Steelers Know How the Buffalo Bills Felt,”
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
, September 5, 1994.

“We dismissed a lot of the potential naysayers
Gerry Dulac, “Switzer’s First Triumph Vindicates Jones,”
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
, September 5, 1994.

In a far corner of the locker room, Irvin was quietly complaining
Bill Nichols, “Despite the Victory, Touchdowns Missed,”
Dallas Morning News
, September 5, 1994.

He maintained a well-known affair with Susan Skaggs
Todd Cawthorn,
Jerry Jones and the “New Regime,”
p. 93.

When, in 1991, his son Stephen was engaged to be married
Ibid., pp. 78–79.

At an Austin bar named the Copper Tank
Jim Dent,
King of the Cowboys
, pp. 218–23.

He’d suffered a broken rib, multiple cuts
Tim Cowlishaw and Dan Barber, “Williams Could Be Out for Rest of Regular Season,”
Dallas Morning News
, October 25, 1994.

On November 7 the New York Giants
Mike Freeman, “Big, Bad
Cowboys Knock Giants into Next Season,”
New York Times
, November 8, 1994.

From Jerry Jones’s standpoint, the lowest of blows
Rudy Martzke, “Cowboys Driven to Distraction,”
USA Today
, November 11, 1994.

In the days leading up to the matchup
Clark Judge, “Over the Hump,”
San Jose Mercury News
, November 14, 1994.

As was the case two years earlier, California had been hammered
Rick Telander, “Beaten Deep,”
Sports Illustrated
, January 23, 1995.

“The second I let it go,” said Aikman, “I knew I was in trouble.”
Skip Bayless,
The Boys
, p. 129.

“Guys, you know what’s great about
Ron St. Angelo and Norm Hitzges,
Greatest Team Ever
, p. 116.

A fitting capper to a rotten afternoon
Mike Freeman, “Switzer Sees Red and the Cowboys Get the Blues,”
New York Times
, January 16, 1995.

“I don’t even know how to tell you how disappointed I am,”
Dan LeBatard, “Dethroned Cowboys Go with a Tear,”
Miami Herald
, January 16, 1995.

“
All people had ever really seen
St. Angelo and Hitzges, p. 117.

Chapter 22: Prime Time

“I met [Russell] in a strip bar,” said Williams.
“One for the Boys,”
Maxim
, December 2006.

In a moment dismissed as laughable by most players
Michael Silver, “Now It’s My Team,”
Sports Illustrated
, June 19, 1995.

No, he was “Neon Deion” and “Prime Time,”
Charean Williams, “49ers, Cowboys Battle for Supremacy—and Sanders,”
Orlando Sentinel
, August 25, 1995.

On the night of Monday, September 4, 1995
Rick Cantu, “Cowboys Open with Giant Jolt,”
Austin American-Statesman
, September 5, 1995.

On Monday, September 11
Ed Werder, “Newest Cowboy Visits, but Return Date Unclear,”
Dallas Morning News,
September 12, 1995.

As of early September the team had only thirty-five players
under contract
Ed Werder, “Team’s ’96 Payroll Near Expected Cap,”
Dallas Morning News
, September 13, 1995.

In the
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
, columnist Bob Smizik wrote
Bob Smizik, “The Decline of the Cowboys Started When Deion Signed,”
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
, September 12, 1995.

When the Packers began to rally back from a 24–3
Charles Haley with Joe Layden,
All the Rage
, pp. 10–11.

Chapter 23: The White House

Though Sanders moved to Texas in late September
Ed Werder, “Sanders Arrives Hoping Title Comes with Him,”
Dallas Morning News
, September 29, 1995.

As Jeff Rude of the
Dallas Morning News
described
Mal Florence, “Was That Sanders or Liberace in the Cowboy Locker Room?”
Los Angeles Times
, October 25, 1996.

Sanders made his debut on October 29
Ed Werder, “Right on the Money,”
Dallas Morning News
, October 30, 1995.

Then, on Monday, October 30, the
Dallas Morning News
broke yet another
Ed Werder and Jean-Jacques Taylor, “Lett, Holmes May Be Suspended for Substance Abuse,”
Dallas Morning News
, October 30, 1995.

(
“I am as black as anybody you could ever see,” said Irvin.
Gary Picknell, “Aikman ‘Racism’ Rebuffed,”
Toronto Sun
, January 26, 1996.

“You’re just hoping Troy is gonna say, ‘This isn’t right,’”
Ron St. Angelo and Norm Hitzges,
Greatest Team Ever
, p. 129.

In the
Kansas City Star
, Jason Whitlock fired away
Jason Whitlock, “Jones to Blame for Blunder,”
Kansas City Star
, December 11, 1995.