IRVING, Texas - Hang in there with us, we've got about a month to go.
If you're like me, this is the hardest time of the year because there is no football. You try to get into baseball, even the College World Series, and this is the month of the year when things like Wimbledon and the NBA Draft become interesting.
It's because of this football-drought period that I've found myself a true NASCAR fan.
The fact is, we're just trying to survive this last month before the pads and helmets come on. But there're always a few topics that seem to perk up these Cowboys fans.
Nothing rattles their cage like talking about the history of the Cowboys and the legacies of the players that have made this franchise America's Team.
I've never seen that exemplified more than in the last six weeks as we've introduced our website-voted Top 50 Cowboys. Now, we just barely got into the Top 20, but it doesn't matter, judging by the comments I've seen here lately, every single pick will be debated.
Either the guy is too high on the list, too low or shouldn't be there at all. That's fine. That's what the list was designed to do.
But it's got me thinking. When all else fails, or you're just stuck in early July and desperate for some football, bring out a topic that piques everyone's interest.
That would be the Ring of Honor.
So let's play Jerry Jones for a day. No, not any random day where he's in the middle of owners meetings or dealing with budgets or stuff like that. Let's be Jerry on the day he decides about the Ring of Honor.
And on this day, we're not just going to grab one out of time. For some strange and odd reason, today in Jerry's world we've been told we have to come up with the next five inductees for the Ring of Honor. Let's blame that part on the new stadium.
(Timeout for a reality check. Jerry Jones did say this week there would be no Ring of Honor induction this season at the stadium. That's one of the reasons this topic got me thinking a little.)
OK, so back to my day as the owner. It's my job to decide on the next five Ring of Honor inductions for the Dallas Cowboys and Cowboys Stadium. No problem. Let's not waste any more time. Lord knows some of the guys on my list have been waiting long enough.
Unlike other lists where you usually count backwards with the most significant and important selections coming at the end, we're going the other way. You know how it is. We better get the most important guy in right away before someone changes their mind. Then again, we are the owner for the day, so we should get the final say.
Still, let's get started.
Let's make up for some lost time. The first Ring of Honor inductee will be none other than Drew Pearson. The former Cowboys wide receiver deserves to be in the Hall of Fame for sure. So obviously, the Ring of Honor is a no-brainer. It really makes no sense why Pearson isn't in there.
I've made this argument before - not that it mattered then or now - but if the Cowboys are an organization that thrives on its own history, then why don't they celebrate the players who really make up the history of the team?
Quick, name some of the best moments in Cowboys' history? If you picked a Super Bowl moment, you got me. If you didn't, you probably picked something that involved Drew Pearson.
He did catch the "Hail Mary," which might fall into the 'nuff said category. But there's more. We all remember the Clint Longley game. Well, Pearson caught the touchdown pass that won that contest.
Pearson caught the two touchdown passes from Danny White in the playoff comeback against Atlanta in 1980. And if you want another one, I can guarantee you Tony Dorsett doesn't run for 99 yards if Drew Pearson isn't down there blocking.
Not only has he made big plays, but he's got the stats to prove it. If Bob Hayes was the best receiver in the 1960s for the Cowboys and Michael Irvin was the best in the '90s, there had to be someone in the '70s and '80s. That was Drew Pearson. He deserves to be in.
For our second guy, let's fast-forward about 20 years. Whether or not he's been out of football for a year, it's already time to get Larry Allen in there. The most decorated offensive lineman in Cowboys history will eventually see his name up there. He'll be headed to Canton, Ohio as well. (Man I can't wait to see that speech. Not sure how many words he will say, but I can guarantee there will be a huge smile and probably a big dip of snuff as well.)
But there's really no need to argue this one. Larry Allen wasn't just the best lineman the Cowboys have ever had. He wasn't just the best of his era. You can sit here and realistically say he was the best guard to ever play. And that is just not something you can do with a lot of players in Cowboys history.
So big LA gets in, too. That's just a matter of time.
Ok next, let's stay with this generation and go to the defensive side of the ball. I see a lot of defensive players already in the Ring of Honor. No one made more tackles than Darren Woodson.
He was the defensive captain of a team that dominated the 1990s. Kind of like Larry Allen, you really don't need to argue Woodson's case that much. But something tells me he's not exactly a shoe-in for the Ring. I don't understand that one. If Cliff Harris made it (which was deserved), then Woodson should go in, too.
I would imagine that Cliff Harris did just as much for his team in the 1970s as Woodson did for the '90s. One difference is that Woody didn't exactly have a consistent Charlie Waters next to him like Harris did.
But I could sit here and argue that Woodson needs to be in the Hall of Fame, too. But to do that, he'll need to get that "Ring" first.
Anyone else? Of course there is. One thing I've noticed in looking up these older players for the Top 50, is that there are some darn-good football players who haven't been recognized yet.
Guys like Harvey Martin, Cornell Green and even Everson Walls come to mind. And, I know players like "Too Tall" Jones, Daryl Johnston, Bill Bates and Jay Novacek always get some love from the fans.
From that group, it's close, but I would lean towards Harvey Martin. Sure it was a Doomsday Defense, but you've got to put in someone other than Randy White from that line. Martin still leads the Cowboys in sacks, even though the NFL wasn't keep track of them until 1982, when his career was winding down.
That team had an attitude, especially on defense and Martin was the catalyst for creating that intimidating factor. Whether he gets in or not, it's sad that he's not here to see, having passed away in 2001 after a battle with pancreatic cancer. That's a huge shame considering that Martin had truly turned his life around after the drugs and alcohol demons controlled him soon after his retirement.
But when he played, Martin was a beast.
But with the fear of being called a hypocrite, I must include Deion Sanders somewhere on this list. The reason being I was the one who voted him No. 9 on the Cowboys' Top 50 list. Along the lines of Larry Allen, I believe that Deion Sanders can be argued as one of the greatest players to ever play his position.
Sure, it was just five years, but it was a very productive five seasons. He helped the team win a Super Bowl, something they did not do the year before. Not saying it was all Deion, but he certainly helped. Larry Brown had a career season in 1995, and if you think it was a coincidence, you're crazy.
Deion Sanders didn't play more seasons for any other team than the Cowboys. Whether or not you think he's a real "Cowboy" or not, he's got to be something. While I don't see his name ever going up in the Ring of Honor, I felt the need to include him on this list, simply because I voted him as the ninth best player in Cowboys history.
So there you have it. I got to play Ring of Honor God for a day.
If I just had to turn in one player, it would be Pearson. If I got two votes, it'd be Pearson and Allen, and Darren Woodson would be my third. If the list got extended out to five, then personally, I would include Harvey Martin and Deion Sanders.
I can hear it now. I know I'm going to get the emails that say, "I was with you until you said Deion." But that's OK. I'm not going to back down from that one.
Go ahead and let the debates begin. And please, make sure they last about another month.
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Nick Eatman - 
