They are both blessed with cutesy dimples and with famous buxom blondes. Both dabble in golf. Both earned their reputations and their millions as charismatic captains and record-setting scorers for their respective local sports teams.
So I ask you, Dallas sports fans, who is No. 9—Tony Romo or Mike Modano?
Before you go throwing Tatu's jersey into the debate, how about Emmitt Smith vs. Rolando Blackman for No. 22, or Eric Dickerson vs. Juan Gonzalez at 19?
The criterion for determining which local athlete "owns" a specific number is as simple as it is subjective. It's not necessarily the best player to wear the number, but more so a combination of performance, personality, pizzazz and perseverance.
I say "12" and you immediately think Roger Staubach. Nolan Ryan will always be "34."
Easy, right?
But the tug-of-war for numerical immortality at, say, No. 20 is between a baseball MVP (Jeff Burroughs), a Stanley Cup champion (Ed Belfour) and an NFL Hall of Famer (Mel Renfro). Then there's Romo vs. Modano (Modano won a championship while Romo has yet to win a playoff game). Emmitt vs. Ro (The NFL's all-time leading rusher trumps the Mavs' second all-time leading scorer).
An assemblage of Dallas players most identified with uniform numbers 0-99 surely is worth a couple of lively debates. So grab a beer, choose a side and pick a number. Any number.
00 Eric Montross, Mavericks center
0 Al Oliver, Rangers outfielder
1 Rafael Septien, Cowboys kicker
Runner-up: Bump Wills, Rangers second baseman
2 Derian Hatcher, Stars defenseman
3 Alex Rodriguez, Rangers shortstop
4 Michael Finley, Mavs guard
5 Jason Kidd, Mavs guard
Runner-up: Josh Howard, Mavs forward
6 Tom Grieve, Rangers outfielder/GM/broadcaster
7 Ivan Rodriguez, Rangers catcher
8 Troy Aikman, Cowboys quarterback
9 Mike Modano, Stars forward
Runners-up: Tony Romo, Cowboys quarterback; Tatu, Sidekicks forward
10 Michael Young, Rangers shortstop
Runners-up: Jim Sundberg, Rangers catcher; Brenden Morrow, Stars forward
11 Danny White, Cowboys quarterback
Runner-up: Toby Harrah, Rangers shortstop
12 Roger Staubach, Cowboys quarterback
Runner-up: Derek Harper, Mavs guard
13 Steve Nash, Mavs guard
Runner-up: Clint Dolezel, Desperados quarterback
14 Julio Franco, Rangers second baseman
Runner-up: Craig Morton, Cowboys quarterback
15 Brad Davis, Mavs guard
16 Brett Hull, Stars forward
17 Don Meredith, Cowboys quarterback
Runners-up: Dock Ellis, Rangers pitcher; Quincy Carter, Cowboys quarterback
18 Chris Boniol, Cowboys kicke
19 Juan Gonzalez, Rangers outfielder
Runners-up: Eric Dickerson, SMU running back; Clint Longley, Cowboys quarterback
20 Ed Belfour, Stars goalie
Runners-up: Mel Renfro, Cowboys cornerback; Jeff Burroughs, Rangers outfielder
21 Deion Sanders, Cowboys cornerback
Runners-up: Mike Hargrove, Rangers first baseman; Ruben Sierra, Rangers outfielder
22 Emmitt Smith, Cowboys running back
Runners-up: Rolando Blackman, Mavs guard; Bob Hayes, Cowboys receiver
23 Mark Teixeira, Rangers first baseman
24 Mark Aguirre, Mavs forward
Runner-up: Everson Walls, Cowboys cornerback
25 Rafael Palmeiro, Rangers first baseman
Runner-up: Buddy Bell, Rangers third baseman
26 Johnny Oates, Rangers manager
27 Thomas Everett, Cowboys safety
28 Darren Woodson, Cowboys safety
Runner-up: Bert Blyleven, Rangers pitcher
29 Rusty Greer, Rangers outfielder
Runners-up: Pete Incaviglia, Rangers outfielder; Steve Ott, Stars defenseman
30 Dan Reeves, Cowboys running back
31 Fergie Jenkins, Rangers pitcher
32 Josh Hamilton, Rangers outfielder
Runners-up: Jamal Mashburn, Mavs forward; Craig James, SMU running back
33 Tony Dorsett, Cowboys running back
Runner-up: Jose Canseco, Rangers outfielder
34 Nolan Ryan, Rangers pitcher
Runner-up: Herschel Walker, Cowboys running back
35 John Wetteland, Rangers pitcher
Runner-up: Marty Turco, Stars goalie
36 Gaylord Perry, Rangers pitcher
37 Doak Walker, SMU running back
Runner-up: Kenny Rogers, Rangers pitcher
38 Roy Williams, Cowboys safety
39 Mike Henneman, Rangers pitcher
40 Bill Bates, Cowboys safety
Runners-up: James Donaldson, Mavs center; Jeff Russell, Rangers pitcher
41 Dirk Nowitzki, Mavs forward
Runners-up: Charlie Waters, Cowboys safety; Kevin Brown, Rangers pitcher; Terence Newman, Cowboys cornerback
42 Roy Tarpley, Mavs forward
43 Cliff Harris, Cowboys safety
Runner-up: Don Perkins, Cowboys running back
44 Shawn Bradley, Mavs center
Runner-up: Robert Newhouse, Cowboys running back
45 A.C. Green, Mavs forward
46 Mark Washington, Cowboys cornerback
47 Dexter Clinkscale, Cowboys safety
48 Daryl Johnston, Cowboys fullback
49 Charlie Hough, Rangers pitcher
50 D.D. Lewis, Cowboys linebacker
51 Ken Norton Jr., Cowboys linebacker
52 Dexter Coakley, Cowboys linebacker
53 Mark Stepnoski, Cowboys center
Runner-up: Bob Bruenig, Cowboys linebacker
54 Randy White, Cowboys defensive lineman
Runner-up: Chuck Howley, Cowboys linebacker
55 Lee Roy Jordan, Cowboys linebacker
56 Thomas Henderson, Cowboys linebacker
Runner-up: Sergei Zubov, Stars defenseman
57 Vinson Smith, Cowboys linebacker
58 Mike Hegman, Cowboys linebacker
59 Jeff Zimmerman, Rangers pitcher
60 Don Smerek, Cowboys defensive lineman
61 Nate Newton, Cowboys offensive lineman
Runner-up: Chan Ho Park, Rangers pitcher
62 John Fitzgerald, Cowboys offensive lineman
63 Mike Ribeiro, Stars forward
Runner-up: Larry Cole, Cowboys defensive lineman
64 Tom Rafferty, Cowboys offensive lineman
65 Andre Gurode, Cowboys offensive lineman
66 George Andrie, Cowboys defensive lineman
67 Russell Maryland, Cowboys defensive lineman
68 Herb Scott, Cowboys offensive lineman
69 George Hegamin, Cowboys offensive lineman
70 Rayfield Wright, Cowboys offensive lineman
Runner-up: Dennis Rodman, Mavs forward
71 Mark Tuinei, Cowboys offensive lineman
72 Ed "Too Tall" Jones, Cowboys defensive lineman
73 Larry Allen, Cowboys offensive lineman
74 Bob Lilly, Cowboys defensive lineman
75 Jethro Pugh, Cowboys defensive lineman
Runner-up: Tony Casillas, Cowboys defensive lineman
76 John Niland, Cowboys offensive lineman
Runner-up: Flozell Adams, Cowboys offensive lineman
77 Jim Jeffcoat, Cowboys defensive lineman
78 Leon Lett, Cowboys defensive lineman
79 Harvey Martin, Cowboys defensive lineman
Runner-up: Erik Williams, Cowboys offensive lineman
80 Alvin Harper, Cowboys receiver
Runner-up: Tony Hill, Cowboys receiver
81 Terrell Owens, Cowboys receiver
Runner-up: Jackie Smith, Cowboys tight end
82 Jason Witten, Cowboys tight end
83 Golden Richards, Cowboys receiver
Runner-up: Kelvin Martin, Cowboys receiver
84 Jay Novacek, Cowboys tight end
Runner-up: Doug Cosbie, Cowboys tight end
85 Kevin Williams, Cowboys receiver
86 Butch Johnson, Cowboys receiver
87 Jay Saldi, Cowboys tight end
88 Michael Irvin, Cowboys receiver
Runner-up: Drew Pearson, Cowboys receiver
89 Mike Ditka, Cowboys tight end
90 Alonzo Spellman, Cowboys defensive lineman
91 Brad Richards, Stars forward
92 Tony Tolbert, Cowboys defensive lineman
93 Peppi Zellner, Cowboys defensive lineman
94 Charles Haley, Cowboys defensive lineman
Runner-up: DeMarcus Ware, Cowboys defensive lineman
95 Chad Hennings, Cowboys defensive lineman
96 Ebenezer Ekuban, Cowboys defensive lineman
97 LaRoi Glover, Cowboys defensive lineman
98 Greg Ellis, Cowboys defensive lineman
99 Kevin Brooks, Cowboys defensive lineman
