Question for Plaino regarding Troy Aikman.....

[CTOkie]

Was there ever any bad blood between Switzer and Aikman after Aikman's season-ending injury in 1985 vs Miami ? Some members of the media over the years have said there was.
All I know is that with true freshmen Jamelle Holieway and Eric Mitchell on board, Switzer decided to go full time wishbone after the Miami loss and after the season he helped Aikman find a school to transfer to (UCLA). I never heard anything about a conflict between the two.
I will always wonder how OU's fortunes would have played out had Aikman, only a sophomore in 1985, not been injured.....and how the outcomes of the two Miami games (in 1986) and in the Orange Bowl following the 1987 season would have been affected with a passing QB guiding OU. I believe Aikman was running and passing (6 of 8 for 131 yards) with great efficiency in the Miami game prior to breaking his leg in the second quarter.
It is my opinion that the three losses to Miami in three seasons (1985, 1986, 1987) spelled the beginning of the end of the wishbone era for OU, even though OU used it for a few more seasons. The wishbone was not effective against Miami's big and fast NFL caliber defenses. Cale Gundy's recruitment in 1990 marked the beginning of OU employing a more balanced offense.

 

[Salt City Sooner]

Was there ever any bad blood between Switzer and Aikman after Aikman's season-ending injury in 1985 vs Miami ? Some members of the media over the years have said there was.
All I know is that with true freshmen Jamelle Holieway and Eric Mitchell on board, Switzer decided to go full time wishbone after the Miami loss and after the season he helped Aikman find a school to transfer to (UCLA). I never heard anything about a conflict between the two.
I will always wonder how OU's fortunes would have played out had Aikman, only a sophomore in 1985, not been injured.....and how the outcomes of the two Miami games (in 1986) and in the Orange Bowl following the 1987 season would have been affected with a passing QB guiding OU. I believe Aikman was running and passing (6 of 8 for 131 yards) with great efficiency in the Miami game prior to breaking his leg in the second quarter.
It is my opinion that the three losses to Miami in three seasons (1985, 1986, 1987) spelled the beginning of the end of the wishbone era for OU, even though OU used it for a few more seasons. The wishbone was not effective against Miami's big and fast NFL caliber defenses. Cale Gundy's recruitment in 1990 marked the beginning of OU employing a more balanced offense.

Not Plaino, but I have to think there was. I was watching Barry's Super Bowl win over Pittsburgh just now, & one of the announcers made the comment that he'd asked Aikman how his relationship with Switzer was, & he replied (& Enberg said this with a good deal of emphasis, FWIW) "Strictly professional." Didn't strike me as a guy who'd be going out with his coach for a brew any time soon.

 

[Scottsdale.Sooner]

I attended OU coaching clinics in Norman through the mid to late 80s. I am not a coach nor have I played organized sports past C Class high school baseball and basketball. C Class is/was under 100 people in high school so playing sports was more about head count than talent. This is my observations during that period. Aikman was all business and never seemed to be close to anyone during practices. If I had to guess the "strictly professional" relationship was maintained by Aikman through nothing more than his personality. The Switzer charm was hard to resist. He treated the high school coaches from all over the US as if they were his best friends. Especially a Socal coach named Ferragamo (Vince's brother). I recall the defensive guys being very tight knit. Boz, Brown, Migliazzo, Vickers, Reed and others having fun. Offense was much more business like. As I recall, the recruiting of Aikman came down to Switzer versus Donahue and OU won out because of proximity to home (Henryetta) or that was what was reported at the time. I believe Aikman started high school in California before moving to Oklahoma. Aikman considered playing baseball and football at OU. I have heard but have no means of confirming that Aikman and his dad had a serious meeting with Switzer and they decided to transfer to UCLA where he was greeted with open arms. I could be completely wrong in my observations!

 

[BillyRay]

Good posts so far. Would love to see what Plaino's experience with this is. All I've known over the years are the rumors and what you hear in the media (we all know how that goes) in regards to Aikman holding some sort of grudge against Switzer. If there is any bad blood between the two, I can see it being 100% on Aikman's side and there is no reason why Switzer would have any dislike for Aikman. And if Aikman dislikes Switzer over the transferring thing after how the 85 season turned out after he broke his leg, then that says alot about what kind of self-absorbed ego he has about himself.

Great thread CT!!

 

[Oklabama]

Nothing Switzer did as a coach while Troy was at OU should have given Aikman reason to dislike Barry. My God, Troy broke his leg and a freshman QB took over and won a national championship. After that Troy could see the handwriting on the wall like any other kid in that position would have. Neither of the two should have had hard feelings. When Troy got drafted and played for Jimmy Johnson, he fell in love for the first time. He never wanted Barry to replace Jimmy and he made that apparent. Their relationship at Dallas was probably a mutual dislike but I think it was more to do with Troy's preference toward Jimmy more than anything Switzer did. I not sure Troy would have embraced any one after the way Jerry Jones handled Jimmy leaving. I know that when Troy was at OU, Barry Switzer was his biggest fan, and that's from someone that should know.

 

[barkingwater2000]

I've always gotten the impression that Troy never really cared too much for Switzer or his way of handing things. Seems like I've read some comments from Aikman about their time together with the Cowboys and he wasn't too happy about the loose ship Switzer had going on there. Its hard for me to even consider Troy a Sooner....I've never heard him talk much about it. Has he even been back on campus or to any reunion type of activities? I don't think he has much to do with the program.

 

[Oklabama]

Yet he has a NCAA Natuonal Championship ring bearing OU's name. Good point, Barkingwater.

 

[PryorFan]

Don't recall any bad blood between the two. Switzer went out of his way helping Aikmen land at UCLA. Worked out well for all parties concerned.

 

[Plainosooner]

I'm on my phone and can't be thorough. Big personality difference. Troy is close to anal in his view of practice. Works his tail off. That wasn't Barry's style.

Barry expected players to take care of business. Troy expected his coach to get others to work as hard as he did. He was an elite recruit who was recruited with the promise of an I formation, handing it off to an elite tailback. So even with the success of the wishbone after his injury, he still, I suspect, felt lied to. And while he was hurt on a passing play, they had him running some wishbone, which was Barry's passion.

In Dallas, the contrast of styles between Jimmy Johnson and Barry couldn't have been more pronounced. Troy loved Jimmy's.

Most of the black players in Dallas liked Barry or more. Michael Irvin loved him. Few of the white players did. And even Michael and most everyone on the team, thought they'd have won 3 or 4 straight Super Bowls had Jimmy stayed. And to this day still.

And then there was Blake flapping his gums about Troy being racist. That was Barry's old player, even though he actually was hired under Jimmy

But Boo would have been on the street the next day of JJ had still been around.

Keep in mind that when Jimmy drafted Steve Walsh, Troy became his 2nd favorite qb on the roster. An interesting irony. He thought Walsh was a winner, and Troy hadn't proven it yet.

The story in Dallas is that Troy and Jimmy settled it one off season weekend over a case of Heinikens.

 

[JConXtsy]

That's a heckuva post while on the phone. You must have been on one of those hour long waits with Time Warner or Cox.

 

[Dastardly Deed]

Aikman holds a bit of a grudge against OU (based on comments I've heard him make) but he never explained what it was based on. Probably the stuff above explains it ... he just didn't like the way Barry ran things. Nor did he like being replaced by a Black player who took the team to a national title. Yeah, I said it.

Aikman was a poor-to-average quarterback when Dallas was a poor-to-average team. Once they signed all those pro bowlers, he suddenly became an excellent quarterback. I seem to recall that the Cowboys had 9 or 10 of them one year. Funny how that works.

 

[barkingwater2000]

Aikman holds a bit of a grudge against OU (based on comments I've heard him make) but he never explained what it was based on. Probably the stuff above explains it ... he just didn't like the way Barry ran things. Nor did he like being replaced by a Black player who took the team to a national title. Yeah, I said it.

Aikman was a poor-to-average quarterback when Dallas was a poor-to-average team. Once they signed all those pro bowlers, he suddenly became an excellent quarterback. I seem to recall that the Cowboys had 9 or 10 of them one year. Funny how that works.

lol I highly doubt being replaced by a black player had anything to do with it. He may have not liked being replaced but what did he expect? Holieway was a huge reason we won the NC and there is no way he would not be our starting QB in the future. IMO, Aikman has always come off as kinda pouty and disengaged when it comes to OU.

 

[Plainosooner]

Aikman holds a bit of a grudge against OU (based On comments I've heard him make) but he never explained what it was based on. Probably the stuff above explains it ... he just didn't like the way Barry ran things. Nor did he like being replaced by a Black player who took the team to a national title. Yeah, I said it.

Aikman was a poor-to-average quarterback when Dallas was a poor-to-average team. Once they signed all those pro bowlers, he suddenly became an excellent quarterback. I seem to recall that the Cowboys had 9 or 10 of them one year. Funny how that works.

The Cowboys got Troy because the last week of the previous season, they lost their 13th game and the Packers miraculously won game 16, slipping to second in the draft. They got the guy who was considered a cinch ten year pro bowl tackle. Tony Mandarich, I think from Michigan or Mich State. He was all roided up and barely started. at all in the league.

Troy wasn't an average player. There are a lot of Hall of Fame quarterbacks who weren't great until the surrounding cast became great. Terry Bradshaw. Bart Starr. Dan Fouts. There are more than a few others.

Troy was special in part because Michael Irvin was special. And vice versa.

I don't think Troy was a great player, and not sure if he should have been a HOF guy. Really sure he shouldn't have been a first ballot guy. But you quarterback three super bowls, it kinda becomes automatic.

 

[Salt City Sooner]

Yet he has a NCAA Natuonal Championship ring bearing OU's name. Good point, Barkingwater.

I highly doubt that means a heck of a lot to him. I remember when 5-6 years ago, he & Joe Buck were doing a game, & the subject of the RRS came up. Buck casually asked him who he'd be rooting for. TA's answer (in a somewhat hesitant, put on the spot tone) was "well, I live in Texas, I guess I'm rooting for Texas." I thought for sure I'd mis-heard his reply the first time, so I replayed it 2 more times just to make sure; no mistake. JMO, but as far as I'm concerned, he turned in any fragment of a Sooner card he might still have had right there.

 

[Plainosooner]

I highly doubt that means a heck of a lot to him. I remember when 5-6 years ago, he & Joe Buck were doing a game, & the subject of the RRS came up. Buck casually asked him who he'd be rooting for. TA's answer (in a somewhat hesitant, put on the spot tone) was "well, I live in Texas, I guess I'm rooting for Texas." I thought for sure I'd mis-heard his reply the first time, so I replayed it 2 more times just to make sure; no mistake. JMO, but as far as I'm concerned, he turned in any fragment of a Sooner card he might still have had right there.

Troy would really like BStoops. But he's never going to have good feelings about Barry. No college history, but Darrell Johnston has the same feelings.

 

[Oklabama]

Of course he would like Bob Stoops, but Bob will never bring the great number of athletes to OU as Barry did. Barry won because he could convince truly gifted players to attend Oklahoma and that what separates Barry from Bob.....as well as his additional two national championship teams. I've never heard the story about Troy rooting for Texas over OU, but knowing that just settled how I feel about Troy Aikman. That's just not right.

 

[SoonerinLA]

I knew Troy personally when he lived in LA. I can tell you with 100% certainty he did not like Barry and wasn't shy about sharing his opinion. I don't think that has changed. Troy has nothing to do with OU.

 

[K2C Sooner]

I knew Troy personally when he lived in LA. I can tell you with 100% certainty he did not like Barry and wasn't shy about sharing his opinion. I don't think that has changed. Troy has nothing to do with OU.

I believe you. Many of the posts above have been dancing around the issue. I thought more posters would have stated what we all heard. You went there.......

I won't post anything about Troy's personal life that many may have heard. I only have heard hearsay............

Plaino, if you want to PM me, I'll tell you what I heard.............Not fit for the board.

 

[Oklabama]

I knew Troy personally when he lived in LA. I can tell you with 100% certainty he did not like Barry and wasn't shy about sharing his opinion. I don't think that has changed. Troy has nothing to do with OU.

Well that's Troy's problem. Whatever it was that made him not like Barry to the point he has distanced himself from the university he selected to attend and played for, I can't imagine. But really I don't think there are many fans that care enough for it to be a bother. I've never cared for Aikman, but that's because I hate the Dallas Cowboys. It wasn't personal toward Troy. To me he was a Sooner and I know former players that have told me Barry cared for Troy, at least while he was at OU. Thank you for bringing the truth to light.

 

[sybarite43]

I don't know how good we would have been in 85 if Aikman had not been injured. He was doing pretty well. But, we really didn't have the receivers or pass blocking that it took to be a good team for Aikman. We did have the line and backs to play the wishbone.

The Dallas situation was more than just Switzer and Aikman. The two voices of the Cowboys at the time were rather strong voices in the Dallas media, Brad Sham and Dale Hansen. Sham was a Missouri grad, and Dale was an Iowa man who began in Omaha. Both tended not to like OU, and Dale never hid his contempt for Barry Switzer,, whether at OU or in Dallas. I think both were strong JJ supporters, especially in his fight against Jerry Jones. All that could be stirred up was probably churned by Hansen.

There were some of the black players who weren't unhappy to see Johnson go. Some felt that he was a bit of a con man in how he motivated players, and they had had enough. They tended to welcome Switzer. A couple were on their last legs and probably gave Switzer what they had left.

It is interesting how much Dallas has changed since that time. Jerry Jones, always ridiculed as the man who fired Landry (wrong), is now despised, good or bad.

I don't really know how Aikman felt. I surmised, perhaps inaccurately, that Aikman had an ego that needed to be the center of attention, and he didn't really have the personality to make that happen. Switzer was the number one story wherever he went. I think Aikman could accept that about Johnson, but not about Switzer. I do think he harbored some resentment over not being given his job back after we won in 85. But, I also don't remember him as having tried to earn it back. Didn't he transfer before finding out if he could even play?