Here are my top 10 Dallas Cowboys of all time, in no particular order. My list has nothing to do with talent; it’s just about how I felt about these guys. Yeah, it’s full of kids from the sixties and seventies.

1.Don Meredith

Dandy Don, the baby of Jeff & Hazel of Mount Vernon, Texas, was always the life of any band. I’m sure you’ve heard him when he was miked for games, when he was complaining about how picky the ref was, etc. He was so funny. And who has cared about Monday Night Football since Don left? Now then! Of course, he never won “the big game,” but we all forgive him for that, and even forgive him for his ill-timed interception against the Packers in the championship game, because that can happen to anyone.

2. George Andrie

My brother and I used to ask the Dallas Cowboys for autographs and sometimes we would go where some of the players were signing to build goodwill for the team. We ship by George Andrie’s by mail. He sent a photo of himself, all 6-6 to 6-7 of him, like he was rushing the passer, albeit without his helmet. Anyway, the good thing was how he signed: “Personal regards, George Andrie.” When he was a boy of eight or nine years old, I discovered that it was an impressive and elegant way of signing: “Personal regards”, in fact; I often close my own letters that way today.

3. Walt Garrison

The stout Walt Garrison often required nine or more men to finally bring him down. That was the detour in him that was shown; Soccer was probably child’s play compared to the rodeo circuit. I remember he used to dip and do commercials for Skoal snuff; I was a Copenhagen man myself, and it makes me sick when I think about how much money I wasted on that potentially lethal junk. I can still hear the radio announcers back then: “Giving Garrison…”; then you knew Walt was about to carry a charge of defenders on his back to midfield.

4.Tony Liscio

I’ve always admired this tough guy because he came to the team’s rescue, and since his retirement, to replace Ralph Neely, who had broken his leg in a silly motorcycle accident. Tom Landry just called you on the phone and Tony was there in two days. My type of team player.

5.Bob Hayes

No one could tear up a game like Bob Hayes did, relying solely on speed, which could put him behind all the defensive backs. He’s one of those players who changed the game, making defensemen have to respond to Don Meredith’s vertical jabs at him. It was such a beautiful thing to see him run in the open country, in the same way that one would stop at the side of the road to see a beautiful horse galloping in a country setting.

6. Alworth Spear

What can you say about “Bambi”? He gave 100% not only on every play, but every moment of every play. If you don’t believe me, look it up on YouTube back in his Arkansas days. I met him and shook his hand and got the autographed photo of him when he was about nine years old. Who is my favorite footballer of all time? An acrobat: Lance Alworth.

7.Dan Reeves

Dan Reeves was fun to watch because he was so versatile. You never knew when he might throw a running back pass (like the 50-yard TD pass to Lance Rentzel in the Ice Bowl), spread out as a starter, and pass a fake field goal. You had to keep a close eye on this guy with the slow southern drawl. Plus, he was about as firm a back as you could want in your offense.

8.Chuck Howley

Please remind me again why this guy is not in the Hall of Fame. I remember those classic high and low tackles that he and Lee Roy Jordan could take on any guy with. He was Super Bowl MVP in a losing effort against the Colts.

9. John Niland

Have you ever seen the pictures of John and Buck Buchanan, after an exhibition game? Buck had been vehemently cursing John, claiming that John had held him up throughout the game, only wearing him up and down. John Niland, without backing down from the mountainous Buck, assured him that he does not resist. “We hold,” John said, referring to the Cowboys as a team overall, “but me don’t hold on.” Buck seemed to have taken him at his word. Big deal on this weird bird Niland.

10. Lee Roy Jordan

Just because Lee Roy was always there, always, middle linebacker, backing the line, always. A real tough guy from Alabama. Small for a middle linebacker, Lee Roy could really be a ball carrier. and there it was forever, from 1963 to 1976, in between. He was lauded with Pro Bowl honors five times!

Well, those are my top ten Dallas Cowboys. Feel free to leave comments about anyone you think needs to be on this list.