by Ray Sanchez 01.25.15
The more I watch replays of Dez Bryant’s catch against the Green Bay Packers that would have set up a winning touchdown by the Dallas Cowboys on Jan. 11 the more I’m convinced the Cowboys were robbed of a victory by the officials.
Bryant had taken three steps and had full control of the ball as he reached for the end zone. The ball hit the ground and popped out. First of all, the rules say a receiver has possession if he takes two steps with the ball secured. Secondly, the ground cannot cause a fumble — or a bobble.
The officials on the field ruled the play a catch but were overruled by the officials in the booth. The latter ruled Bryant had “bobbled” the ball and thus it was an incomplete pass.
“Bobble’ my foot. It was a catch all the way.
I FEEL SORRY for all the Cowboys and their fans, but especially for quarterback Tony Romo. He’s had such hard luck throughout his career. For example.
- In his first year as a starter Romo fumbled a snap on a field goal attempt that would have sent the Cowboys into the playoffs. He shouldn’t have been put in that position.
- A couple of years later, in the playoffs, Romo hit receiver Terrance Williams right in the breadbasket with a pass that would have resulted in a touchdown late in the game and advanced the team to the next round and maybe on to the Super Bowl. Williams dropped the pass.
- In 2013, Romo was hurt so badly in the next to the last game of the season that he needed immediate surgery. Without him, the Cowboys lost the finale and missed the playoffs.
- And this season there was the overruling of the catch by Bryant. It was a beautiful pass and it would have been immortalized in NFL history. It was nullified.
I guess super stardom just wasn’t ordained from above for Tony Romo.
STILL, IT WAS a great season for the Cowboys, who finished 13-5. I venture to say that at least 95 percent of the “experts” didn’t predict such a good outcome.
Which brings me to my crystal ball. You’ll have to excuse my bragging about it but it certainly deserves some kind of award. Not only did it predict that the Cowboys would win at least nine games but that the UTEP Miners would win at least six. Even fewer experts expected the Miners to do that.
I took my crystal ball out of its drawer and gave it a pat on the back and a lollipop. It smiled.
TRIVIA QUESTION: There are two boxers who knocked out the great Joe Louis. Can you name them? Answer at end.
FINALLY, Nolan Richardson will be inducted into the Texas Sports Hall of Fame.
It wasn’t easy getting him in but a small group of El Pasoans, headed by KVIA-TV general manager Kevin Lovell, never gave up. They kept pushing and pushing. Lovell, who has become a strong force for good in El Paso sports, even made calls and wrote letters to other members of the Texas Hall. Another major backer was El Paso sportscaster Tom Ciaburri.
It seems incredible that it took this long to get Richardson, the only coach to win all three major national basketball championships (NCAA, NIT and Junior College), inducted. Richardson was even inducted into the national Naismith Memorial Basketball of Fame before the Texas Hall.
BUT ALL’S WELL that ends well.
Others who will be inducted to the Texas Sports Hall of Fame on Thursday, April 9 include Prairie View A&M and NBA star Zelmo Beaty (deceased), former Dallas Cowboys Vice president of Player Personnel Gil Brandt, BYU Heisman Trophy QB Ty Detmer, Dallas Cowboys All Pro safety Cliff Harris, former University of Texas swim coach Richard Quick (deceased), Dallas Cowboys All Pro DB Everson Wall and Baylor NCAA & Olympic 400m champion Jeremy Wariner.
ANSWER to trivia question; Max Schmeling and Rocky Marciano.