Dallas Cowboys quarterback is always on the hot seat
Cowboys QB perhaps No. 1 among job holders who ride a blazing saddleSpotlight remains intense for some jobs while others fade
By RAY BUCK
rbuck@star-telegram.com
Mikan, Wilt, Kareem, Shaq. Meredith, Staubach, Aikman. Mickey, Willie and the Duke. For some, they even wrote a song. Certain teams, certain places, just seem to have a knack for creating a "hot seat" at a particular position. You can find an example in almost every sport. This job can be rewarding or tormenting, depending on how the heat is handled. Fabled lineage, great expectations and pressure are just three things involved in playing the "Toughest Position" in sports.
Seat still hot
Cowboys quarterback
Guys who made it famous: Dandy Don Meredith, Roger Staubach, Troy Aikman.
Others who showed: Craig Morton and Danny White never get enough credit. Ditto for Li’l Eddie LeBaron, who allowed Tom Landry to line up his 1960 expansion team and get off a snap. Gary Hogeboom, Steve Pelluer, Chad Hutchinson and Quincy Carter, so to speak, all fell off the wagon, along with a few easy-to-forget names following Aikman.
Current job holder: Tony Romo
Comment: This entry appears No. 1 on the list because maybe it is. It doesn’t matter if the Cowboys are contenders, or pretenders, the QB spot gets a ton of sizzle. Faithful Cowboys fans know that 12 years have passed since the team won a playoff game. Serious Cowboys fans know that Romo is 0-3, including last year’s no-go.
Lakers center
Guys who made it famous: George Mikan, Wilt Chamberlain, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Shaquille O’Neal.
Others who showed: Mel Counts was tall — and that’s about all. Elden Campbell couldn’t keep the ’90s Del Harris Lakers from being a playoff disappointment. Vlade Divac was one of the first Euro-league stars to have an impact on the NBA.
Current job holder: Andrew Bynum
Comment: Bynum has an NBA ring, averaging a modest 6.0 points and 4.2 rebounds in the ’09 NBA Finals. With Kobe on your team, maybe you can get away with career numbers of 8.8 points and 6.2 rebounds per game.
New York center fielder
Guys who made it famous: Joe DiMaggio, Duke Snider, Willie Mays, Mickey Mantle. (Lyrical lines "Willie, Mickey and the Duke" and "Where have you gone, Joe DiMaggio" immortalized in song.)
Others who showed: The late Bobby Murcer couldn’t possibly live up to the hype of being another Oklahoma-bred center fielder expected to follow in the steps of Mantle. Bernie Williams was a fixture on those Joe Torre teams that won four World Series in five years. The crosstown Mets had a couple of World Series cult heroes in Tommie Agee and Mookie Wilson. Lenny "Nails" Dykstra (Mets) and Mickey Rivers (Yankees) were fan favorites, as well.
Current job holder(s): Johnny Damon, Yankees; Carlos Beltran, Mets, or so they were hired to do.
Comment: The mega-contracts of Beltran (seven-year, $119 million) and Damon (four-year, $52 million) have been splashier than their production. In CF at new Yankee Stadium, you’ll see Melky Cabrera or Brett Gardner. Damon was moved to left. Beltran has been out (knee) more than a month. Maybe New Yorkers are just as happy not to have center fielders in triplicate anymore.
Venezuelan shortstop
Guys who made it famous: Chico Carrasquel, Luis Aparicio, Dave Concepcion, Omar Vizquel
Others who showed: Ozzie Guillen, Alex Gonzalez, Carlos Guillen
Current job holder: Elvis Andrus
Comment: The 20-year-old Texas Rangers shortstop is the youngest starting position player in MLB. Teammate Vizquel, who wears No. 13 in honor of countryman Concepcion, recently eclipsed Aparicio for the most career hits by a Venezuelan player. Carrasquel, a former Fort Worth Cats fan favorite, became the first Latin American player selected to an All-Star Game (’51).
Heisman-winning QB
Guys who made it famous: Staubach (again), Jim Plunkett
Others who showed: (And bombed in the NFL) include Terry Baker, Gary Beban, Pat Sullivan, Andre Ware, Danny Wuerffel, Chris Weinke
Current job holder: Carson Palmer, Matt Leinart and Troy Smith have NFL jobs.
Comment: Always a wait-and-wonder. Doug Flutie, Vinny Testaverde and Ty Detmer demonstrated perseverance in the pros. But, overall, the NFL has been an occupational graveyard for Heisman winners at the QB position. Charlie Ward chose to play in the NBA instead. Obviously, he was the smart one.
Yankees first baseman
Guys who made it famous: Lou Gehrig, Don Mattingly
Others who showed: Chris Chambliss became an indelible figure in Yankees lore for his ’76 ALCS, Game 5, bottom-of-the ninth home run that put the Yanks into the World Series for the first time in 12 years. Tino Martinez was a lefty-swinging clutch hitter for the Torre Yankees. Bill "Moose" Skowron added muscle to the ’50s and early ’60s teams.
Current job holder: Mark Teixeira
Comment: How unfair to be compared to "The Iron Horse" or "Donnie Baseball." Mattingly was one of the most popular players ever to wear pinstripes and legendary Hall of Famer Gehrig simply owns the most famous speech in baseball history. At 29, Tex has a big future ... also big shoes to fill.
Red Sox left fielder
Guys who made it famous: Ted Williams, Carl Yastrzemski, Jim Rice
Others who showed: Through the mid-’90s, Mike Greenwell never lived up to the expectations of media or fans who had seen a lot of great baseball in left field. Manny Ramirez later bedazzled/bedeviled Red Sox Nation, taking off plays right in front of the revered Green Monster.
Current job holder: Jason Bay
Ace of the Dodgers
Guys who made it famous: Sandy Koufax, Don Drysdale, Fernando Valenzuela
Others who showed: Hall of Famer Don Sutton and world-class prankster Jerry Reuss. Hideo Nomo paved the way from Japan for others by winning 43 games in his first three seasons with the mid-’90s Dodgers. Orel Hershiser wasn’t called "Bulldog" for nothing.
Current job holder: Chad Billingsley
Comment: Gone from LA are Koufax-and-Drysdale days. Same for the wildly popular ’81 NL Rookie of the Year/Cy Young winner from Mexico. But the "Big Dodger in the Sky" is always keeping a pitch count. And while Billingsley turns just 25 this week, he’s pushing 40 (wins) in his last 2 1/2 seasons.
Seat gone tepid
49ers quarterback
Then: Joe Montana, Steve Young.
Since: Jeff Garcia, Alex Smith (’05 No. 1 pick overall), Shaun Hill, J.T. O’Sullivan
Comment: Bill Walsh’s death marked the end of an era. This QB-rich franchise began with Frankie Albert, Y.A. Tittle and John Brodie, then peaked under Walsh’s tutelage. Montana and Young won a combined five Super Bowls.
UCLA center
Then: Lew Alcindor, Bill Walton
Since: Ryan Hollins (currently a Dallas Mav), Kevin Love
Comment: The Bruins won 10 national championships in 12 years under the legendary John Wooden, then took 20 years to win another. Guard play wins at the Final Four now.
Notre Dame QB
Then: Angelo Bertelli, Johnny Lujack, Paul Hornung, John Huarte, Joe Theismann, Montana
Since: Tony Rice, Rick Mirer, Ron Powlus, Brady Quinn, Jimmy Clausen
Comment: As the Irish have fallen, so has the PR machinery behind nationally acclaimed QBs.
USC tailback
Then: Mike Garrett, O.J. Simpson, Charles White, Marcus Allen, Anthony Davis, Ricky Bell
Since: Reggie Bush, LenDale White, Allen Bradford, Joe McKnight
Comment: John McKay and John Robinson made it Tailback U, but Pete Carroll is content to collect Heisman QBs (Palmer and Leinart).
Penn State linebacker
Then: Jack Ham, Greg Buttle, Shane Conlan, Brandon Short, LaVar Arrington
Since: Paul Posluszny, Dan Connor
Comment: JoePa once recruited Jim Kelly to play linebacker at Linebacker U. The future HOF quarterback of the Bills chose the University of Miami instead.
Syracuse running back
Then: Jim Brown, Ernie Davis, Jim Nance, Floyd Little
Since: Notable decline since this starry group put ’Cuse on the map between 1954-66.
Comment: HOF great Brown and Heisman winner Davis made No. 45 famous. The Express brought Davis’ story to the big screen in ’08.
Bears running back
Then: Gale Sayers, Walter Payton.
Since: Might explain why
Rashaan Salaam, Curtis Enis and Cedric Benson couldn’t hang.
Comment: Da Bears have had bigger problems than at running back in recent years. But enough about Jay Cutler now trying to end the curse at quarterback.
Philadelphia heavyweight
Then: Sonny Liston (temporary home), Joe Frazier, Rocky Balboa.
Since: Gentleman Chazz Witherspoon
Comment: Adrian! Smokin’ Joe keeps his Joe Frazier’s Gym up and running in North Philly. The troubled Liston fled St. Louis
for Philly before KOing Floyd Patterson for the title in ’62.
By RAY BUCK
rbuck@star-telegram.com
Mikan, Wilt, Kareem, Shaq. Meredith, Staubach, Aikman. Mickey, Willie and the Duke. For some, they even wrote a song. Certain teams, certain places, just seem to have a knack for creating a "hot seat" at a particular position. You can find an example in almost every sport. This job can be rewarding or tormenting, depending on how the heat is handled. Fabled lineage, great expectations and pressure are just three things involved in playing the "Toughest Position" in sports.
Seat still hot
Cowboys quarterback
Guys who made it famous: Dandy Don Meredith, Roger Staubach, Troy Aikman.
Others who showed: Craig Morton and Danny White never get enough credit. Ditto for Li’l Eddie LeBaron, who allowed Tom Landry to line up his 1960 expansion team and get off a snap. Gary Hogeboom, Steve Pelluer, Chad Hutchinson and Quincy Carter, so to speak, all fell off the wagon, along with a few easy-to-forget names following Aikman.
Current job holder: Tony Romo
Comment: This entry appears No. 1 on the list because maybe it is. It doesn’t matter if the Cowboys are contenders, or pretenders, the QB spot gets a ton of sizzle. Faithful Cowboys fans know that 12 years have passed since the team won a playoff game. Serious Cowboys fans know that Romo is 0-3, including last year’s no-go.
Lakers center
Guys who made it famous: George Mikan, Wilt Chamberlain, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Shaquille O’Neal.
Others who showed: Mel Counts was tall — and that’s about all. Elden Campbell couldn’t keep the ’90s Del Harris Lakers from being a playoff disappointment. Vlade Divac was one of the first Euro-league stars to have an impact on the NBA.
Current job holder: Andrew Bynum
Comment: Bynum has an NBA ring, averaging a modest 6.0 points and 4.2 rebounds in the ’09 NBA Finals. With Kobe on your team, maybe you can get away with career numbers of 8.8 points and 6.2 rebounds per game.
New York center fielder
Guys who made it famous: Joe DiMaggio, Duke Snider, Willie Mays, Mickey Mantle. (Lyrical lines "Willie, Mickey and the Duke" and "Where have you gone, Joe DiMaggio" immortalized in song.)
Others who showed: The late Bobby Murcer couldn’t possibly live up to the hype of being another Oklahoma-bred center fielder expected to follow in the steps of Mantle. Bernie Williams was a fixture on those Joe Torre teams that won four World Series in five years. The crosstown Mets had a couple of World Series cult heroes in Tommie Agee and Mookie Wilson. Lenny "Nails" Dykstra (Mets) and Mickey Rivers (Yankees) were fan favorites, as well.
Current job holder(s): Johnny Damon, Yankees; Carlos Beltran, Mets, or so they were hired to do.
Comment: The mega-contracts of Beltran (seven-year, $119 million) and Damon (four-year, $52 million) have been splashier than their production. In CF at new Yankee Stadium, you’ll see Melky Cabrera or Brett Gardner. Damon was moved to left. Beltran has been out (knee) more than a month. Maybe New Yorkers are just as happy not to have center fielders in triplicate anymore.
Venezuelan shortstop
Guys who made it famous: Chico Carrasquel, Luis Aparicio, Dave Concepcion, Omar Vizquel
Others who showed: Ozzie Guillen, Alex Gonzalez, Carlos Guillen
Current job holder: Elvis Andrus
Comment: The 20-year-old Texas Rangers shortstop is the youngest starting position player in MLB. Teammate Vizquel, who wears No. 13 in honor of countryman Concepcion, recently eclipsed Aparicio for the most career hits by a Venezuelan player. Carrasquel, a former Fort Worth Cats fan favorite, became the first Latin American player selected to an All-Star Game (’51).
Heisman-winning QB
Guys who made it famous: Staubach (again), Jim Plunkett
Others who showed: (And bombed in the NFL) include Terry Baker, Gary Beban, Pat Sullivan, Andre Ware, Danny Wuerffel, Chris Weinke
Current job holder: Carson Palmer, Matt Leinart and Troy Smith have NFL jobs.
Comment: Always a wait-and-wonder. Doug Flutie, Vinny Testaverde and Ty Detmer demonstrated perseverance in the pros. But, overall, the NFL has been an occupational graveyard for Heisman winners at the QB position. Charlie Ward chose to play in the NBA instead. Obviously, he was the smart one.
Yankees first baseman
Guys who made it famous: Lou Gehrig, Don Mattingly
Others who showed: Chris Chambliss became an indelible figure in Yankees lore for his ’76 ALCS, Game 5, bottom-of-the ninth home run that put the Yanks into the World Series for the first time in 12 years. Tino Martinez was a lefty-swinging clutch hitter for the Torre Yankees. Bill "Moose" Skowron added muscle to the ’50s and early ’60s teams.
Current job holder: Mark Teixeira
Comment: How unfair to be compared to "The Iron Horse" or "Donnie Baseball." Mattingly was one of the most popular players ever to wear pinstripes and legendary Hall of Famer Gehrig simply owns the most famous speech in baseball history. At 29, Tex has a big future ... also big shoes to fill.
Red Sox left fielder
Guys who made it famous: Ted Williams, Carl Yastrzemski, Jim Rice
Others who showed: Through the mid-’90s, Mike Greenwell never lived up to the expectations of media or fans who had seen a lot of great baseball in left field. Manny Ramirez later bedazzled/bedeviled Red Sox Nation, taking off plays right in front of the revered Green Monster.
Current job holder: Jason Bay
Ace of the Dodgers
Guys who made it famous: Sandy Koufax, Don Drysdale, Fernando Valenzuela
Others who showed: Hall of Famer Don Sutton and world-class prankster Jerry Reuss. Hideo Nomo paved the way from Japan for others by winning 43 games in his first three seasons with the mid-’90s Dodgers. Orel Hershiser wasn’t called "Bulldog" for nothing.
Current job holder: Chad Billingsley
Comment: Gone from LA are Koufax-and-Drysdale days. Same for the wildly popular ’81 NL Rookie of the Year/Cy Young winner from Mexico. But the "Big Dodger in the Sky" is always keeping a pitch count. And while Billingsley turns just 25 this week, he’s pushing 40 (wins) in his last 2 1/2 seasons.
Seat gone tepid
49ers quarterback
Then: Joe Montana, Steve Young.
Since: Jeff Garcia, Alex Smith (’05 No. 1 pick overall), Shaun Hill, J.T. O’Sullivan
Comment: Bill Walsh’s death marked the end of an era. This QB-rich franchise began with Frankie Albert, Y.A. Tittle and John Brodie, then peaked under Walsh’s tutelage. Montana and Young won a combined five Super Bowls.
UCLA center
Then: Lew Alcindor, Bill Walton
Since: Ryan Hollins (currently a Dallas Mav), Kevin Love
Comment: The Bruins won 10 national championships in 12 years under the legendary John Wooden, then took 20 years to win another. Guard play wins at the Final Four now.
Notre Dame QB
Then: Angelo Bertelli, Johnny Lujack, Paul Hornung, John Huarte, Joe Theismann, Montana
Since: Tony Rice, Rick Mirer, Ron Powlus, Brady Quinn, Jimmy Clausen
Comment: As the Irish have fallen, so has the PR machinery behind nationally acclaimed QBs.
USC tailback
Then: Mike Garrett, O.J. Simpson, Charles White, Marcus Allen, Anthony Davis, Ricky Bell
Since: Reggie Bush, LenDale White, Allen Bradford, Joe McKnight
Comment: John McKay and John Robinson made it Tailback U, but Pete Carroll is content to collect Heisman QBs (Palmer and Leinart).
Penn State linebacker
Then: Jack Ham, Greg Buttle, Shane Conlan, Brandon Short, LaVar Arrington
Since: Paul Posluszny, Dan Connor
Comment: JoePa once recruited Jim Kelly to play linebacker at Linebacker U. The future HOF quarterback of the Bills chose the University of Miami instead.
Syracuse running back
Then: Jim Brown, Ernie Davis, Jim Nance, Floyd Little
Since: Notable decline since this starry group put ’Cuse on the map between 1954-66.
Comment: HOF great Brown and Heisman winner Davis made No. 45 famous. The Express brought Davis’ story to the big screen in ’08.
Bears running back
Then: Gale Sayers, Walter Payton.
Since: Might explain why
Rashaan Salaam, Curtis Enis and Cedric Benson couldn’t hang.
Comment: Da Bears have had bigger problems than at running back in recent years. But enough about Jay Cutler now trying to end the curse at quarterback.
Philadelphia heavyweight
Then: Sonny Liston (temporary home), Joe Frazier, Rocky Balboa.
Since: Gentleman Chazz Witherspoon
Comment: Adrian! Smokin’ Joe keeps his Joe Frazier’s Gym up and running in North Philly. The troubled Liston fled St. Louis
for Philly before KOing Floyd Patterson for the title in ’62.
posted by The Gryphon at 8:22 AM
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