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Murphy Martin Commentary
August 10, 2006

 "Cowboys Control Canton"

I am not sure it has ever happened before and I am not sure it will ever happen again but last Saturday in Canton, Ohio the spotlight was on the Dallas Cowboys! Long overdue you say? Many will agree with that. Not that two-thirds of the induction class into the National Football League Hall of Fame should always be Cowboys, as it was Saturday, but as much as Dallas Cowboy candidates have been shunned in Hall selections of days gone by, a giant step was made Saturday to start balancing the Hall of Fame roster with a greater Cowboy presence.

Rayfield Wright and Troy Aikman stole the show Saturday. Wright, from Griffin, Georgia and Fort Valley State and the Tom Landry era, and Aikman, the first of perhaps many, who will come from the Jerry Jones-Jimmy Johnson et al era that followed Landry's impeccable reign through 20-consecutive winning seasons and five Super Bowl appearances.

Both men held the thousands in the HOF stadium spellbound as they fought back tears while giving thanks for careers that placed them indelibly into professional football lore. Wright, the big basketball player drafted as a defensive player before Coach Landry switched him to offense where Assistant Head Coach Jim Myers made a six-time All=Pro out of him during his 13-year career as a Cowboy.

Aikman, the most accurate passer in Super Bowl history, led the Cowboys to three Super Bowl titles in the '90s after being a first-round pick in '89 and going almost a year before winning his first game.

Wright chose his college coach, L.J. (Stan) Lomax, to introduce him. Lomax said he had rather "see" a sermon than "hear" one and said Rayfield Wright produced a visual sermon every game he played with the Cowboys.

Lomax said Wright had two admonitions with the Cowboys: "One, you shall not touch Roger (Staubach), and two, thou shall not impede the forward progress of Calvin (Hill) or Tony (Dorsett)!"

Dorsett and Staubach were among more than sixty-five members of the Hall of Fame present Saturday in addition to dozens of other former Cowboys including those who played with Wright and those who played later with Aikman.

Wright and Aikman thanked former coaches, team-mates, and family members for their untiring support.

Wright was like an evangelist as he traced his career. He said when he was 10-years old he got on his knees and simply asked God something. " I asked him if he would give me the ability to do something to help my mother and my grandmother and to help other people!" With national television cameras on his mother in the audience, he thanked his mother and his family and said he was also taking all his team mates (and he named many of them individually) into the Hall with him. He also recognized his other "angels", one of whom was Tom Landry. He said "you may not recognize Coach Landry today because he is smiling!" Rayfield also said he hoped someday former team mates Harvey Martin and Bob Hayes would join him in the Hall of Fame.

Perhaps the most quoted thing Wright said was his reference to the 22-years he had to wait before he made it into the HOF. Referring to the wait Wright said: " Some say patience is a virtue and after waiting 22-years I can say I am not a Saint, but I am a Dallas Cowboy!"

Wright was not the only Cowboy who had difficulty controlling his emotions in Canton on Saturday afternoon.

Usually in total control, outwardly at least, Troy Aikman fought back tears numerous times. He chose his former quarterbacks coach for three years, Norv Turner, to introduce him. Turner said Aikman never let personal goals get in the way of team success. He said Aikman was the first of what he thought would be many from that era to enter the HOF.

Calling Norv Turner "the brother I never had", Aikman said there was no doubt that he would not be in Canton were it not for Turner's coaching. Troy mentioned many team mates by name and said he was fortunate to have "the best seat in the House while watching the triplets perform' for the Cowboys. He also said: " Daryl Johnston is a blue collar guy who was better at his job than anybody else was at theirs including myself!"

Aikman's voice broke several times while giving thanks to the many who made his day possible. When he mentioned his mother and father and sisters but he had to pause for a few seconds to gather himself to continue when he spoke of how his life had changed during the last eight years since he married Rhonda and his life now with her and three daughters. Then his closing words: "I am humbled to be welcomed to the Pro Football Hall of Fame!"

Like we said in the opening paragraph: I am not sure it ever happened before and I have no idea how long it will be before it happens again--if ever! But last Saturday the COWBOYS CONTROLLED CANTON! It couldn't happen to two more deserving gentlemen! Two eras--Two champions! Both Dallas Cowboys!

If you look up the meaning of "class" in the dictionary, you will find the names of Rayfield Wright and Troy Aikman very near the TOP of the definition!

That's my time--I thank you for yours!
 

Murphy Martin

Your thoughts and comments forwarded to my website will be appreciated.

e-mail   murphy@murphymartin.com

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