Tony Dorsett
In the late 1970s, it seemed like you were either a Steeler's fan or a Cowboy's fan (no one cared about he Vikings where I grew up). I was a Cowboy's fan. And while they still are one of my teams today, I tend to enjoy their losses today simply because Jerry jones bought them in 1989 and fired everyone I loved as a kid who was still around, namely Tom Landry, the coach. Firing him would be like firing Tony Dungy today. It can be done, but most would simply think you a cruel, money hungry idiot for doing so.
While I loved Roger Staubach and Randy White as much as the next guy, Tony Dorsett was my hero, he was simply the greatest running back of his day. He won the Hesiman and the National Championship his senior year at Penn, then went on to win the Super Bowl for the Cowboys in his rookie season. He ran like a dancer on the field, he was so graceful to watch. And unlike so many football stars of today, he was quite and humble, never mouthing off to anyone publicly. He was dignified and classy: something you haven't seen from most Cowboys since 1989.