Aikman, Irvin, Smith will enter Ring of Honor together

IRVING, Texas -- Of all the accolades and honors that Troy Aikman, Michael Irvin and Emmitt Smith earned throughout their careers with the Dallas Cowboys, their favorite was something simple: their shared nickname, "The Triplets."

While the phrase linked them in the minds of others, the teammates really were as tight as brothers. Each inspired, cajoled and teased the best out of the other two and their entire team was better off for it. Dallas went from 1-15 the year before they became a threesome to Super Bowl champions in their third, fourth and sixth years together.

Now that all three are retired, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones has found another way to get the trio back together, announcing Wednesday that on Sept. 19 they'll become the 13th, 14th and 15th recipients of the club's Ring of Honor.

"Honestly," a teary-eyed Irvin said, "this is the best way."

Aikman, Irvin and Smith shared their memories for more than an hour in a news conference at Texas Stadium. The franchise's five Super Bowl trophies gleamed on a table in front of them and the field was visible behind them; from the right angle, banners commemorating the three Super Bowls they won were flapping high over their heads.

Aikman recalled that the last time he was in this setting was his retirement press conference and he mentioned then how much he loved the "Triplets" nickname.

"So when Jerry called me up and said we want you to go into the Ring of Honor and we've got a couple of special people we've got to go in with you named Michael Irvin and Emmitt Smith, to me it was really the way that it should be," Aikman said.

"We're so connected," added Smith.

Irvin mocked the current "Triplets" in Indianapolis, Peyton Manning, Marvin Harrison and Edgerrin James.

"We are the Triplets because we won three Super Bowls," Irvin said. "I need some championships in there somewhere!"

As fitting as their shared tribute is the timing of their ceremony: a Monday night game against their top division rival, the Washington Redskins.

"The Redskins are going to hate it. They better hate it because I don't care much for them," Smith said, smiling wide. "Jerry is going to showboat in front of them."

The trio arrived separately over three straight summers, 1988-90, each a first-round pick. Irvin, drafted by Tex Schramm and Tom Landry, got hurt his rookie year and the team went 3-13, so bad that Dallas got the next No. 1 overall pick. Jones arrived in time to choose Aikman, but the Cowboys went 1-15.