20 Year Anniversary of Biggest Thanksgiving Game Blunder: Just Lett it Go

Let it snow and Lett it go

As thrilling as the Clint Longley Thanksgiving Day victory over the Redskins was for Cowboy fans, is how painful it was watching the Leon Lett FG blunder in the Dolphins loss on that cold, snowy Thanksgiving Day.

An interesting video that looks back at that game. A game you will never forget if you watched it in 1993, no matter how long you live. Or how hard you may try for that matter.

Leon “The Big Cat” Lett was the large but very quick defensive tackle (hence the nickname) that Dallas found at Emporia State University. Out of H.S., Lett was offered a scholarship to Auburn but a low score on his ACT, sent him to Hinds Community College in Mississippi. Now I’m not saying Lett wasn’t smart but when Auburn can’t get you in to play football, well it must have been a really low ACT score. Just sayin’.

No one accused Lett of being intellectual but on the field, he played with tremendous effort.

Lett wasn’t normally on the FG block team but on that fateful day special team coach Avezzano decided with all the snow, it would be a good idea to have Lett provide a push up the middle. So for that game, it was decided to put him out there. Lett was unintentionally put in a bad situation.

With the Dolphins FG attempt blocked, all the Cowboys had to do was nothing and they win the game. But out of no where, Lett who is the only player out of 22 on the field running toward the ball, slides awkwardly on the snowy field and kicks the ball with his foot while trying to recover it. It allowed the Dolphins another FG opportunity and they won the game.

We learn that Lett was devastated and completely avoided the locker room after the game. Couldn’t face the coaches or his teammates. Humiliated no doubt.

The story goes that a little girl sent Lett a letter and told him that everyone makes mistakes. She pointed out the ridiculous fumble in the super bowl where the Cowboy defender had the ball slapped away while going in for a score.

But that player happened to be Leon Lett too! Anyway the girl’s words of encouragement were what Lett needed to hear.

I like the way coach Jimmy Johnson handled it too. A great coach knows when to apply a boot to the rear of players but they also know when a guy needs to be picked up too. At that time Lett needed to be picked up. Jimmy reassured Lett that he was not going to be cut from the team. Coach Johnson pointed out that other players had made mistakes in the game too.

The Cowboys went on to win another super bowl and I’m convinced they couldn’t have done it without “the big cat” on that defense. I’m also convinced that Lett played with a lot of motivation knowing he cost them the Dolphins game. He played with a purpose to make up for his blunder.

My take away from this unforgettable blunder 20 years later is this:
1. Don’t dwell on mistakes no matter how stupid they are. Everyone makes them. So just move on to the next play, the next game, the next day, and life. Just keep pushing. Good things will come.
2.Encourage those who screw up. If they are beating themselves up already over it, no need to pile on. An encouraging word will go a lot farther. Besides, the next big screw up may be one you make.
3. Have a sense of humor. Being able to laugh at your mistakes can help you get through some tough times.

Last but not least, whatever you do, don’t make any last second changes to the special teams. Just asking for trouble.
Happy Thanksgiving!

It’s official you can stick a fork in the Cowboys. It’s just not working and here is why.

If any Cowboys fans came away from the Redskins game debacle on Thanksgiving Day still believing in what the Cowboys are trying to do, then you are not an optimistic person, you are simply delusional. It’s time to face the reality that this team isn’t going to the playoffs any time soon and instead are headed down hill quickly.

GM Jerry Jones: Let’s start at the top and it’s actually where I want to spend the least time because this one isn’t going to change any time soon. I would prefer to focus on the controllable. Jerry is in charge and he isn’t going to fire himself.

First of all, Jerry is an excellent salesman (it’s how he made his fortune) and when it comes to getting a deal done, Jerry is as good at it, as you will see.

Now for the bad news. Jerry is terrible at evaluating NFL talent. He doesn’t know near as much about football as he thinks he does and that is a big problem when you are the GM of an NFL team. Jimmy Johnson has pointed that out before.

Like many mega rich successful guys, Jerry has an enormous ego and will not be content to just be behind the scenes playing a low profile role. That’s not exciting enough for Jerry. He didn’t buy the team to watch some other guy get the credit. This is his toy and it provides Jerry an adrenalin rush to be in the war room making deals and picks. He is hooked on it like a drug and he can’t just drop it and let someone more qualified make the calls.

Think of it like this. Jerry would prefer to drive the car and wreck than let someone else drive and get to the destination safely. That is a big problem.

Enough on that topic. Until Jerry decides (if ever) to let someone better qualified run the show, this will continue to undermine the teams chances of success. When will winning become more important than being in the spot light? Where is that point? I don’t know but it is probably not going to happen.

Coach Jason Garrett: Jason was a back up NFL QB and he is now a back up NFL head coach. That’s all he will be too. He took over in mid season after the firing of Wade Phillips and so far it hasn’t turned the corner for the good. Things are getting worse actually.

Numerous, never ending offsides penalties on the offensive line are unacceptable. Real head coaches would clean that crap up in the preseason but the Cowboys still have it past the midpoint of the season. A real NFL head coach would do what is necessary to fix it even if it meant cutting players. Usually a coach only has to cut one player and then the rest of them get the message loud and clear.

This week former Cowboy Michael Irvin stated that Jimmy Johnson would have cut tackle Doug Free on the spot for his poor play against the Browns. Hey I’m not arguing with old number 88. He is right. HERE

Communication between the QB (Romo) and his WRs continues to be an issue every game. It never seems to get corrected. That is on the offensive coordinator and head coach and Jason wears both hats.

Jason a nice fellow? Yes, without a doubt and probably better suited to coach QBs only, and not the entire team. Garrett is the kind of guy anyone would want to call friend I think, but can he effectively mold and lead a group of men into a team? So far it isn’t happening.  Often I think Garrett is too nice and encouraging to players that could use a kick to the rear for their own good. His low key demeanor is not what is needed at times.

Players who played on the super bowl teams coached by Jimmy Johnson will tell you he was tough on them and pushed them very hard to be the best. They actually feared not doing their job right. That’s missing in Dallas these days where it is more like a country club environment which is how Johnson described it recently. His words not mine.

“All the players in this league think they’re self-motivated and that’s a bunch of bull because there are only a handful that are self-motivated,” Johnson said. “So you’ve got to motivate these players through some respect but the No. 1 motivator is fear. Fear of letting down your teammates, being embarrassed or fear of losing the job. Where is the fear in Dallas? There’s no fear in Dallas. It’s a country club where everybody is buddies.”

Jason uses a boy scout approach of where he wants players to “earn the star” on their helmet in preseason. Give me a break. This is NFL football. It’s a man’s game and there is a lot at stake so the sooner players learn they must produce to stay in the NFL, the better off they will be in the long run.

Rob Ryan: Like all the Ryans, Buddy and Rex too, they suffer from diarrhea of the mouth and constipation of the brain. Rob would be way better off getting involved in pro wrestling where he can talk up big matches and then not be held accountable for the results. But that’s just not the way it is in the NFL. In the end you either get it done or you don’t.

Last year we heard his excuses of how they didn’t have time to learn his complex defense. This season investments were made in the defense too. CB Carr cost them 50 million and they traded up to get another CB Morris Claibourne with the 6th pick in the draft. So far neither has had great seasons. Claibourne was awful in the Browns game where he just grabbed hold of the WRs. What was that about? Anyone can cover WRs in the NFL if allowed to grab them.

Ryan has a big heart for sure. He cares about winning and losing and I like that however he doesn’t seem to ever get it that the other team cares about it too. Too often his talk down plays his opponents’ ability and that only serves to motivate them while not motivating his own players. That’s pretty much the opposite of what a defensive coach should do.

Ryan has failed to pressure QBs without blitzing. Dallas must pressure QBs better for them to win and Ryan just hasn’t figured out how to do it.

ROMO at QB: A very polarizing topic but the fact is the gun slinger experiment is over. Romo can make some of the most exciting plays you will see in the NFL but his turnovers (leading the NFL in interceptions) just kill a team.

The Cowboys would be better served with a well disciplined less exciting QB that is well coached. Kind of like Alex Smith in San Francisco. Not making ESPN with a spectacular play all the time or making ESPN with a horrible play either. Alex just “drives the bus” as coach Parcells preached. Parcells (a super bowl winning coach) made Romo better but even he couldn’t win a title with him.

Time for a QB to just drive the bus.

O LINE: If there is one thing Dallas had back in the day, it was a physical offensive line that would crush opponents. They do not have it now at all. This line today was patched together as an after thought by the GM (Jerry) and consist of guys that other teams simply didn’t want. (I called Jerry out for this in a blog in April) It is the weakest part of the team but I would argue it is the most important area where a GM can spend money. The O-line is critical to success.

The inability to run the ball and protect the QB starts and ends right here. The foundation to building a winning team will be the offensive line.

Is there hope of a better Cowboys team in the future?

I’m convinced that the combination of Jerry Jones and Jimmy Johnson was successful because Jimmy made the personnel decisions while Jerry cut the deals behind the scenes. I’m convinced it stopped working because Jimmy started getting more credit for their success than Jerry the owner. I also believe both were better together than apart.

Change must come at the top for the Cowboys to improve. When Jerry’s desire to win super bowls becomes greater than his desire to be in the spot light and get the credit, that is when things will get better. That means putting his ego on the shelf and playing an important but lower profile role.

For now, this Cowboys fan is not holding his breath for that to happen any time soon….

NFL Supplemental Draft: A Selection That Helped Cowboys Build Dynasty in 1990s

The NFL supplemental draft will be held Thursday July 12. It is a draft of players not eligible for the regular NFL draft back in April. A team must give up a pick in next year’s draft to select a player in the supplemental draft. Most of the prospects come with some issues and red flags. Often they are academically ineligible. Sometimes, although rare, value can be found in this draft.

Larry “Little Late” Lumpkin

It has been reported by the Huntsville Times  that Dallas and Denver are looking at prospect LB Larry Lumpkin who played at Carson Newman last year. Lumpkin led his team in tackles but didn’t seem to be able to get to meetings on time previously while at Alabama A&M. His position coach at Alabama A&M explained that Larry didn’t want to be there and displayed a poor attitude.

The kind of guy that would interest Jerry Jones perhaps but Jason Garrett talks of wanting the “right kind of guy” and I don’t think this would be what he has in mind. If you can get “Little Late Lumpkin” with just losing a seventh round pick next year, then maybe you go for it. Just keep the risk very low.

Has the supplemental draft paid off for Dallas in the past? Yes but in an indirect way.

Steve Walsh – First Round supplemental pick:

In 1989, Cowboys Head Coach Jimmy Johnson selected his QB at the University of Miami, Steve Walsh, in the supplemental draft. It cost him a first round pick in the next draft. Looking back, it seems like a strange move because Johnson had just selected UCLA QB Troy Aikman in the NFL draft. Walsh actually started his rookie season for the Cowboys over Aikman but after 5 games, Troy became the starter and 3 Super Bowl victories later, you know the rest of the story.

Supplemental pick Steve Walsh

Walsh trade started a dynasty:

In 1990, Walsh was traded to the Saints and became basically a career back up journey man in the NFL. Was he a bust pick? It’s hard to consider Walsh a bust since they got 3 draft picks for him in the trade with the Saints and those picks helped build the Championship teams in the next draft. One of the picks was used to get OT Erik Williams.

In fact, that 1991 draft formed the building blocks for a Cowboys dynasty in the 1990’s.

So how did the 1990 draft go after Dallas traded their first pick to get Walsh? Well they were able to obtain the #17 pick from the Steelers (part of Hershel Walker deal) to pick a RB named Emmitt Smith…..

Interestingly, Johnson was actually trying to draft Baylor LB James Francis however fortunately for Dallas, the Bengals drafted him before Dallas could so Johnson had to settle for the eventual hall of fame RB from Florida, Emmitt Smith. Good story about that HERE.

James Francis went on to have a decent nine year NFL career with 33.5 sacks. According to Wikipedia,  James Francis was in 2007 being held by the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Department as he owed nearly $905,000 in delinquent child support.

I wouldn’t recommend giving up a first rounder in the supplemental draft but hey, sometimes things just have a way of working out.