DALLAS — The passage of time has dimmed Cornell Green's athletic greatness.
But if you talk to former teammates like Phil Johnson, or coach Ladell Andersen, his accomplishments are still glowing in their minds.
The 1960s were a golden era for Utah State University sports. Mention a few USU athletes' names — Merlin Olsen (Los Angeles Rams), Clark Miller (San Francisco 49ers), the late Lionel Aldredge (Green Bay) and the late Bill Munson (Rams, and Detroit Lions) — and Utahns will remember their greatness.
But many would say Cornell Green's name should be mentioned in the same breath.
In 13 years with the Dallas Cowboys, Green was named to the NFL All Pro team eight times. In today's media market blitzes, the 6-foot-4, 205-pounder, a cornerback for 10 years and also strong safety, would be mentioned with the likes of a Deion Sanders.
And this is coming from an athlete who didn't play football for the Aggies. No, he was an All-American basketball player.
"Simply put," said Utah Jazz assistant coach Phil Johnson, "Cornell is the greatest player I ever played with and one of the greatest athletes I've ever been around. He was a Jerry Sloan-type of athlete, with his confidence, a no-nonsense attitude, and he was all business on the court.
"At 6-foot-4, Cornell played where he had to. I've always said he could have been a great NBA guard. I can remember when Dallas and Gil Brandt (former Cowboys director of player development) gave him the opportunity to try out. But Cornell didn't look at it as a tryout. He simply said, 'I can do this.' There wasn't any 'ifs' about it. He knew he could do it.
"I have admired him so much. It wasn't that he was the greatest player and star of the team. But he always wanted to include everyone and get all his teammates involved. That's why he was so successful on the court, and in life, too."
Green started for three years for the Aggies. His senior year the California native averaged 28 points and 13 rebounds per game, leading the Aggies into the NCAAs with a 22-5 mark.
"You always had to get your teammates involved if you wanted to be successful," Green said. "That's the key to winning. And that's why you play the game."
Not wanting to talk about his own athletic prowess, the only thing he would say about not being in the NFL Hall Of Fame was: "That's pretty political. You have to know someone. Or at least have someone to keep your name out there. I didn't. They have probably forgotten me.
"But I never doubted my ability to make the NFL, even though I didn't play college football. I knew I could do it. I never played the game for any selfish accomplishments. I played the game because I loved it. And of course, because I loved to win."
Green also was drafted No. 2, behind Utah's Billy "The Hill" McGill, by the same team, the Chicago Zephyrs, in 1962.
The former Aggie basketball great came from an athletic family. His older brother, Pumpsie, was the first African-American to play for the Boston Red Sox. Another brother, Credell, played running back for University of Washington and set the PAC-10's all-time rushing record at that time.
So, it was easy to see where Cornell got his confidence.
"If I picked out five major college basketball players which have played in the state, Cornell Green would be among that five," Andersen said. "He was our go-to guy. It was my first year at Utah State, and we were picked to finish last in the Skyline Conference. I was able to recruit three junior college players — Phil Johnson, Mark Hasen and Darnell Haney — and Reid Goldsbury returned from an LDS mission. But Green was our leader. And that's not because he was our best player, but he was so intelligent. I would have to say that Cornell might have given me my biggest boost in my coaching career."
For the last 15 years, the 60-year-old Green has been a scout for the Denver Broncos. "It's a great job. We're on the road for six months of the year, and we're practically home the other six months. Life's been great to me, and I'm still healthy.
"You know, with the exception of my friend, Mike Clark, and his wife, just about the only blacks at Utah State were athletes," Green said. "But everyone treated me with so much respect that I wouldn't have changed a thing. I loved Utah State. I still treasure those memories of being a student-athlete there."
E-mail: torch@uswest.net