Good afternoon West Texans and all you good, fine, friendly folks out there who wish you were . . .
In honor of Presidents Day (Washington’s Birthday) , a day that has been compromised and shamefully reduced to a bank holiday, we ask you to weigh in today on who you would put on the Mt. Rushmore of Texas Sports Legends.
You get to put four Texas Sports Legends up on the Mt. Who do you choose and why? You can go any sport, college or pro, athlete, coach or other. Tom Landry or Roger Staubach? Earl Campbell or Sam Baugh?
Looking forward to the results today on The Show. Be sure and tune in via live streaming on SportsRadio 1340 The Fan if you live outside the Hubbaplex!
Now, go try and explain to your kids why we have a holiday that celebrates George Washington that can never fall on his actual birthday. . . Good luck.
UPDATED 8:40P.M.
Ok, after a great day of talking to callers, debating the finer points of life, liberty and the pursuit of the top four sports icons in Texas, I’m ready to write mine down.
Tom Landry and Nolan Ryan are givens. Landry was a star at Mission H.S. and that little cow college in Austin before becoming a War Hero and playing some pro ball up in that city that smells funny during the summer. He also impacted offense and defense like no other in NFL history. Some did one side of the ball or the other, but no one like Landry. He’s in.
Ryan starred for both the Rangers and the team down in Houston, which I suppose counts for Texas. More importantly he beat the hell out of Okie, Robin Ventura. He also managed to figure out how to get the Rangers to the World Series. Twice. They didn’t win, but he’s just a man, not a god. He’s in.
After that I struggle, but we’re gonna go with Ben Hogan and A.J. Foyt. Dan Jenkins told me Hogan was the best he ever saw. That’s good enough for me.
As for Foyt, he drove fast as hell, won everything there was to win and I’m just afraid that if I don’t put him in he’ll kick my ass.
So there. That’s my four. Who you got?
Hyatt
Landry and Ryan (Nolan Ryan, not Ryan Hyatt) are good choices. I’d add Earl Campbell and Blackie Sherrod.
Don Haskins
Donny Anderson
Lamar Hunt
Babe Didrickson Zaharias
Hyatt, your Mt Rushmore came out very close to mine: Tom Landry, Nolan Ryan, Ben Hogan and Sammy Baugh.
I also considered Byron Nelson and Lee Trevino for the golf representative. Bobby Layne (college) and Earl Campbell (college and pro) were strong considerations. “Babe” Didrikson Zaharias was a consideration so as to include a woman worthy of the honor. Staubach, Aikman, Schramm, Lilly and other Cowboys were considered. George Gervin, David Robinson and Don Haskins were given consideration to represent basketball.
Fortunately, I had all of the above available before I had to seriously consider someone like Darrell K Royal…..