Breakthrough 'Boys: The Story of the 1971 Super Bowl Champion Dallas Cowboys

by Jaime Aron

Overview

The Dallas Cowboys of the 1970s were one of the most dominant teams in pro football history, appearing in five Super Bowls and claiming two championships in a nine-year span. But during the late 1960s, the Cowboys were known as the team that couldn’t win the big one, getting close to the top but failing to seal the deal—they were perpetually “next year’s champions.” That all changed in 1971 when the Boys rallied to capture their first-ever title and put the franchise on its way to becoming “America’s Team.” In Breakthrough 'Boys, Jaime Aron gets the inside stories from former players, coaches, and other key figures to explore the fascinating and tumultuous road the Cowboys took to their first championship in 1971 under coach Tom Landry. Eight years after the assassination of JFK and seven years before the arrival of J. R. Ewing, this team gave the city of Dallas the new identity it needed and changed the face of football forever.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781610597401
Publisher:	MVP Books
Publication date:	10/15/2011
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	304
File size:	18 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.

About the Author

Jaime Aron has been covering the Cowboys for The Associated Press since becoming Texas Sports Editor in 1999. He has also covered the Super Bowl, World Series, NBA Finals, Stanley Cup Finals, the Final Four, and several Summer and Winter Olympics. He was named the AP\u2019s Sports Writer of the Year in 2001 and has written several books, including one about former Cowboys coach Tom Landry. Aron grew up a Cowboys fan in Houston and then earned a journalism degree from the University of Texas. He lives in Dallas with his wife, Lori, and three sons.

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

Booklist
By 1971, the Dallas Cowboys were a reputation as regular season dynamos for folding in the playoffs. They were getting closer, though. In 1970, they lost in the Super Bowl to the Baltimore Colts. The core of the team returned, but there were issues to be resolved. Star running back Duane Thomas was feuding with mangement, and Head coach Tom Landry was vacillating between Roger Staubach and Craig Morton at quarterback. After seven games the team was a disappointing 4-3. Then, roughly coinciding with the decision to play Staubach exclusively at quarterback, the team won its last seven regular season games and crushed three opponents in the playoffs, including a 24-3 thrashing of the Miami Dolphins in the Super Bowl. Aron, who has covered the Cowboys for the Associated Press since 1999, relies on print sources and first-person interviews in this vividly detailed account of the tumultuous 1971 season. Thomas' turmoil and the quarterback controversy receive a large amount of attention, but little escape's Aron's scrutiny, including the midseason opening of the then state-of-the-art Texas Stadium. Great reading for any fan of the NFL's golden age.
 

Library Journal
Before they became "America's Team, " the Dallas Cowboys were derisively called "Next Year's Champions " because they seemed unable to win the big one. Now it's easy to forget Dallas's early struggles to get over the hump. Aron (Texas sports editor, Associated Press; Dallas Cowboys: The Complete Illustrated History) here revisits the Cowboys' first championship in 1971 and puts into perspective how important that season was for the legacy of Tom Landry as he led a team roiled by the alienating antics of star runner Duane Thomas. In retrospect, it's hard to believe how long it took before Landry chose to go with daring Roger Staubach over erratic Craig Morton as quarterback. That season was about the emergence of Staubach; the vindication of longtime Cowboy stalwarts Bob Lilly, Chuck Howley, and Lee Roy Jordan; and the essential leadership provided by key veteran acquisitions Herb Adderley, Lance Alworth, and Mike Ditka.

Editorial Reviews

Booklist
By 1971, the Dallas Cowboys were a reputation as regular season dynamos for folding in the playoffs. They were getting closer, though. In 1970, they lost in the Super Bowl to the Baltimore Colts. The core of the team returned, but there were issues to be resolved. Star running back Duane Thomas was feuding with mangement, and Head coach Tom Landry was vacillating between Roger Staubach and Craig Morton at quarterback. After seven games the team was a disappointing 4-3. Then, roughly coinciding with the decision to play Staubach exclusively at quarterback, the team won its last seven regular season games and crushed three opponents in the playoffs, including a 24-3 thrashing of the Miami Dolphins in the Super Bowl. Aron, who has covered the Cowboys for the Associated Press since 1999, relies on print sources and first-person interviews in this vividly detailed account of the tumultuous 1971 season. Thomas' turmoil and the quarterback controversy receive a large amount of attention, but little escape's Aron's scrutiny, including the midseason opening of the then state-of-the-art Texas Stadium. Great reading for any fan of the NFL's golden age.

Library Journal
Before they became "America's Team, " the Dallas Cowboys were derisively called "Next Year's Champions " because they seemed unable to win the big one. Now it's easy to forget Dallas's early struggles to get over the hump. Aron (Texas sports editor, Associated Press; Dallas Cowboys: The Complete Illustrated History) here revisits the Cowboys' first championship in 1971 and puts into perspective how important that season was for the legacy of Tom Landry as he led a team roiled by the alienating antics of star runner Duane Thomas. In retrospect, it's hard to believe how long it took before Landry chose to go with daring Roger Staubach over erratic Craig Morton as quarterback. That season was about the emergence of Staubach; the vindication of longtime Cowboy stalwarts Bob Lilly, Chuck Howley, and Lee Roy Jordan; and the essential leadership provided by key veteran acquisitions Herb Adderley, Lance Alworth, and Mike Ditka.

From the Publisher

Before they became "America's Team," the Dallas Cowboys were derisively called "Next Year's Champions" because they seemed unable to win the big one. Now it's easy to forget Dallas's early struggles to get over the hump. Aron (Texas sports editor, Associated Press; Dallas Cowboys: The Complete Illustrated History) here revisits the Cowboys' first championship in 1971 and puts into perspective how important that season was for the legacy of Tom Landry as he led a team roiled by the alienating antics of star runner Duane Thomas. In retrospect, it's hard to believe how long it took before Landry chose to go with daring Roger Staubach over erratic Craig Morton as quarterback. That season was about the emergence of Staubach; the vindication of longtime Cowboy stalwarts Bob Lilly, Chuck Howley, and Lee Roy Jordan; and the essential leadership provided by key veteran acquisitions Herb Adderley, Lance Alworth, and Mike Ditka. A nicely researched look back at a pivotal point in Cowboys' history. Of interest to all football fans.

Library Journal