I love a good quote. Who doesn’t? When you quote someone else, not only do you get to borrow from the genius or insight of another, you can do so without culpability.
If anyone takes issue with it, just say, “Hey, I didn’t say it. I was just repeating what so and so said.”
I also love sports and I love the fact that some of the most memorable American quotes have been the product of our obsession with the games of our American pastime and the men who play them.
Not everyone is obsessed with the games men play with their balls…
Is it a reasonable thing, I ask you, for a grown man to run about and hit a ball? Poker’s the only game fit for a grown man. Then, your hand is against every man’s, and every man’s is against yours. Teamwork? Who ever made a fortune by teamwork? There’s only one way to make a fortune, and that’s to down the fellow who’s up against you. ~W. Somerset Maugham
I do like teamwork. I think it is a beautiful thing—especially in the great game of American football. I especially love teamwork when it involves my team—America’s team— the Dallas Cowboys.
“Football incorporates the two worst elements of American society: violence punctuated by committee meetings.”
~ George Will, author, commentator, humorist
The game of American football – especially at the professional level – lends itself to copious and memorable quotes, like the one above.
The Dallas Cowboys organization has been home to great leaders, singular players, and colorful characters throughout its noble history. Many of them have, with their words, weaved a colorful and rich tapestry, a verbal masterpiece draped on the walls of our memories.
Meredith: Always Quotable
If you are old enough to have been there, and if you can quiet your spirit enough, you can almost hear the even, measured words of Tom Landry, uttered in that south Texas drawl, words of wisdom, words to play – and to live – by. You can hear the even more twangy Texas twang of the witty Walt Garrison deadpanning about his coach. You can hear the almost musical quality of Meredith’s smooth delivery of yet another masterful bon mot.
It is not easy to sift through these treasures and find the ten most memorable, or ten most representative quotes of the franchise’s history. I doubt I have succeeded in doing so. I am sure you will correct me…and add your own sweet memory to this tapestry.
Number Ten: “That was the triumph of an uncluttered mind.” ~ Blaine Nye on Clint Longley’s Thanksgiving Day performance
Number Nine: “If ‘ifs’ and ‘buts’ were candy and nuts, wouldn’t it be a merry Christmas?” ~ Don Meredith
Number Eight: “He couldn’t spell ‘cat’ if you spotted him the ‘c’ and the ‘a.’” ~ Thomas “Hollywood” Henderson on Terry Bradshaw
Number Seven: “There are no traffic jams along the extra mile.” ~ Roger Staubach
Number Six: “Leadership is getting someone to do what they don’t want to do, to achieve what they want to achieve.” ~ Tom Landry
Number Five: “He’s a perfectionist. If he was married to Raquel Welch, he’d expect her to cook.” ~ Don Meredith on Coach Landry
Number Four: “If the Super Bowl is the Ultimate Game, why are they playing it again next year?” ~ Duane Thomas
Number Three: “If it was third down, and you needed four yards, if you’d get the ball to Walt Garrison, he’d get ya five. And if was third down and ya needed 20 yards, if you’d get the ball to Walt Garrison, by God, he’d get you five.” ~ Don Meredith on Walt Garrison
Number Two: “Nope. But I have only been here nine years.” ~ Walt Garrison, when asked if he had ever seen Tom Landry smile.
Number One: “Texas Stadium has a hole in its roof so God can watch his favorite team play.” ~ D.D. Lewis
Like I said, it was quite difficult to narrow them down to just ten. These are my ten. It is entirely possible that the reader remembers ten others that were just as memorable, witty, or astounding. If so, feel free to reply and add your own list…or at least your own favorite quote.
As for me, I will let the most quotable Cowboy of them all get the final word…
“Turn out the lights: the party‘s over.”
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“what do voluntary mean?” – Darren Hambrick
“get cho popcorn ready, cuz they's gonna be a show!”. – TO
“where we live today. Sports.” – Jerry Jones
(these aren't worthy of this list, just for grins)
Hey Gene, this is an excellent top ten list. I like #2 the best, I think it sums up Coach Landry very well. Well, I rather have a pissed off and successful coach, then a happy one that can't win. You can cross-post this to our site http://www.toptentopten.com/ and link back to your site. We are trying to create a directory for top ten lists where people can find your site. The coolest feature is you can let other people vote on the rankings of your list.
Thanks! Will do.
hahaha. I actually had ALL THREE of those run through my mind, Rob.
I remember two comments Don Meredith made regarding players on the field. One was about a very aggressive offenceman for the Raiders. He said the individual had graduated from the Universty of Mars. Another time, a comment about a Dolphins receiver who was obviously slow, Don said that his 100yd. dash was measured with a calendar. He was an original who seemed to not have to answer to anyone yet kept his behavior from having to be questioned about.
The player from the University of Mars was the Oakland Raiders defensive lineman, Otis Sistrunk.
That was when the camera focused in on Otis Sistrunk's steaming bald head – pores and all. Most players went to college and are introduced with where they went to school. Mr. Sistrunk went from high school to professional football (not the NFL, as I recall, but pro ball nonetheless).
Dandy Don Made Monday Night Football, making Howard Cosell look like an Idiot
Cosell may know Boxing, but Dandy Don knows football
REST IN PEACE DANDY DON
dandy don ,was just that dandy
He was a dandy!
On MNF Frank Gifford announced that Kathy Lee was going to have a baby.
"Don't worry, Frank," said Dan Meredith. "No matter how long it takes – we'll get the guy who did it."
Hilarious!
It's sadly and profoundly true that, this day, the party is truly over !
Can anyone remember when MNF was scannig the crowd a lovely lady was caught picking her nose and Dandy Don commented "Well she was almost perfect.' I laugh about it to this day.We will miss you Don.
I don't remember it, but it must have been funny.
ONE OF MY FAVORITES WAS "WELL, HOWARD TELL US HOW YOU DID IT WHAEN YOU PLAYED FOOTBALL" THEN SILENCE IN THE BOOTH,YOU WILL MISSED BUT NOT FORGOTTEN,
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that guy above is a right ugo.
One of may favorites comments was from MNF–I think it was a Houston Oiler game and Houston was getting blown out. In the fourth quarter the camera was scanning the crowd as they were leaving in mass. As the camera scanned, one individual was shown "shooting the finger to the camera" and Don quipped "there's one fan that still thinks their number 1".
Priceless Meredith.
Walt Garrison when ask at his retirement news conference if he would miss football said "Playnig football is like screwing a skunk and I have enjoyed all I can stand"
Love it! Walt is one-of-a-kind…if you don't count Meredith.