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I'm 19 years old and I went trick-or-treating this past Halloween. I know I am a bit old, but the candy to me is only a bonus. My real thrill is thinking of an amazing costume, something no one would be doing, and if they were, then they stunk at it...

Why I Dressed Up as Tom Landry for Halloween

by James Williamson (Columnist)

40

893 reads

Opinion

November 03, 2008


I'm 19 years old and I went trick-or-treating this past Halloween.

I know I am a bit old, but the candy to me is only a bonus. My real thrill is thinking of an amazing costume, something no one would be doing, and if they were, then they stunk at it.

Last year I was the Joker. This was before the latest Batman movie came out, so I had to use the animated version of Mark Hamill's Joker as a role model. I got the laugh and the "Hello Batsy!" down pretty well.

But the weirdest thing happened. Only two people knew who I was. I had the red lips, the ugly purple coat, and the albino skin. Yet, only two people out of 50 could recognize the costume.

A year later, I decide to be a Dallas Cowboy. But why wear a silver and blue uniform when I have a nice tweed suit? I decided to surprise people by becoming the man who symbolizes the Dallas Cowboys. No, not Jerry Jones. I was Tom Landry.

I get the suit, a tie, a very neat dress shirt, and the fedora. The fedora was Tom Landry's trademark. He was even known as "the man in the funny hat" by many people.

I go trick-or-treating and immediately start asking people who I am. The responses I got were ridiculous. I tell them it has to do with the Dallas Cowboys, and they still don't get it. One lady thought I was Justin Timberlake!

"What the!!!!!!!!" was what I said to that answer. Two thought I was Jerry Jones, another said Clark Kent, and others just looked at me like I had completely lost my mind. Four out of 20 to 30 people knew who I was. I couldn't believe it.

One guy who was a Redskins fan (yes, we have Redskin fans in Texas) was ridiculous. I gave him not one, but several hints. I told him he was the guy who kicked their rears for many years. He is the big man in Dallas, and Redskins coach George Allen hated his guts.

My fellow writer and friend Craig Garrison would have guessed it immediately, but here I am in a tweed suit and fedora, and this man still can't guess it correctly. I finally told him and he looked like he was disappointed in himself.

He should have been disappointed. He was old enough to have seen Landry on the field and yet he couldn't even recognize him. How pathetic is that?

It actually makes me sad in a way. How many of us remember Tom Landry? Because if Dallas Cowboy fans can't, then what about others? Not just Landry, either.

How many Steelers remember Ernie Stautner? Have any Redskins forgotten Sammy Baugh or John Riggins? Have any Browns forgotten Otto Graham or even Paul Brown? How many Chicago Bear fans can remember Sid Luckman or Willie Gallimore? Is Paul Hornung forgotten by the Packers? Hey Viking fans, do you remember Jim Marshall?

You know that saying in Sandlot where Babe Ruth says, "Heroes are remembered, but legends never die." Is that true?

How many of us football fans can name every single Hall of Fame player from their franchise? Granted, Chicago and Green Bay have a tough one since they have 20-plus each, but what about the Buccaneers or the Broncos? Hey all you Baltimore fans, can you tell me the Baltimore Colts Hall of Fame guys? How many Dolphins are there?

I love football. I love every bit of it except the injuries and the dynasties.

I love writing articles on this marvelous website and counting down the days till Sunday. I love watching great men playing a great game. I love watching my favorite teams and favorite players like DeMarcus Ware, Antonio Cromartie, Ray Lewis, Zach Thomas, Hines Ward, and so many more.

But it makes me sad to see history forgotten. That is why I became Tom Landry. I wanted to see how many people would remember the days when Dallas could say they were America's Team, and not have critics say, "How bout those felons on that team?" I wanted to remind people to never forget the men who made football fun.

I ask any who read this article to look back at your team's history again. Look at a player who symbolized your team that you may have forgotten. Whether it is Ray Guy or Randy Gradishar. Tony Dorsett or Willie Gault. Even Anthony Munoz.

Tell your kids, friends, and fellow fans to never forget the history of your team. I know a lot of you have families. Never let them forget the guys of the past. The guys who made your team the team it is.

I am going to tell my kids whenever I have them. I hope you tell yours, because I believe a true fan should know at least one player from every generation of his team.

What do you believe?

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40 comments Last one added 5 months ago — Leave a Comment

  1. Isaac Barrow 8 months ago

    Hey when you say it was a guy who kicked the Redskins rears for years, it could be a list of about 3,000,000 people! Nice article and creative costume.

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  2. Sean O'Brien 8 months ago

    Landry was a pioneer and a legend for sure. Nice article but where's the pic of you in the costume?

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  3. Roberto Alvarez-Galloso 8 months ago

    Great article.

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  4. Craig Garrison Sr 8 months ago

    James, I agree with Sean's question, where's the pic? I wanna see!

    Excellent trip down memory lane you created for me here James, and you are so right! I spend a lot of time dealing with fans of a lot of different teams that just don't get it. There is real history for most teams, "great men playing a great game", that's exactly it James.

    Landry was a true football pioneer, and for ANY Cowboys fan to not KNOW HIM WELL is a sad, sad thing.

    Good piece James, keep it going man, you should probably start doing a piece once a week, looking back at the 'Boys players and coaches that made a difference for that organization, educate James, spread the word!

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  5. John Lorge 8 months ago

    "The ghost of Tom Landry" I think that's from a King of the Hill or Simpson episode.. good stuff

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  6. Buddy Smith 8 months ago

    You didn't have a party to go to?

    Tom Landry would have been more noticed a few years ago. I think you would've had a better shot with Jimmy Johnson.

    Even the Tuna.

    I really miss the Landry days. It was nice knowing they were going to make the playoffs every year. Now we're like any other franchise. It's sad.

    Between getting fired and "retirement" it's hard to keep top level head coaching talent anymore. I hope we end up locking up Garrett for a long time. We need to adopt a more Pittsburgh like model. Keep a guy for a decade, then talk. Ya know?

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  7. Kristin Hamlin 8 months ago

    James--I LOVE YOUR PASSION! Great article--could by your best yet!! My POTD

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  8. RG Yoho 8 months ago

    I had nothing but the greatest respect for Tom Landry as a coach and a man! Nice to see someone remembers this fine and principled human being.

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  9. Eric Quackenbush 8 months ago

    Hey James, I'm 25, I hate Dallas (mostly because I'm jealous), and I have seen Landry in highlights with his tweed jacket and infamous fedora hat. It's synonymous with Lombardi with his white dress shirt with the sleeves rolled up, those black rimmed glasses, and the gap in his upper teeth...Or like Joe Paterno, with the coke bottle glasses, slacks with the rolled cuffs, and a marvelous man and coach. Awesome article, and POTD!

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  10. Andrew Elterman 8 months ago

    I agree with your statement of knowing your teams history, and that must have been a great Halloween

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  11. David Arreola 8 months ago

    Hornung is alive and well in Packer country. Just like Hutson, Starr, Kramer, Davis, Nitschke, Lombardi, McNally, Lambeau, Taylor, Gregg, Canadeo, Adderly, Wood, Jordan, White and the latest....Brett Favre.

    The Cowboys have no class so it doesn't suprise me that they don't remember one of the greatest coaches in NFL history.

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  12. Gail Hall 8 months ago

    I would have known who you were!

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  13. Ray Bogusz 8 months ago

    I'm very glad you explained this to me because I needed an explaination. After reading the title I thought "Wait, why didn't he go as Weeb Eubank?"

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  14. Nick Stanojevic 8 months ago

    I feel for you man, people have forgotten about the past.

    But on a side note, some little kid was out trick or treating with his father, and he is one of those kids who learned from his father to be a Packers fan.... IN CHICAGO!

    He was a cute little cheeseball, but when I asked him who he was, he made a mean face and said, "Ray Nitschke." Except he was like 3 so it sounded like "Way Nichke." His dad meanwhile is laughing at me and has the ignorance to ask me, "Do you even know who that was?" So I give the little Sh*t an Almond Joy my little cousin brought back from trick or treating, because... Well nobody likes those, and I yell to the father, "Forget Nitschke, don't make me go Mike Singeltary style and moon you in front of your son."

    All in all - Do not take shots with buddies and hand out candy to little kids.

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  15. T.W. Krems 8 months ago

    Heres to the Chicago Bears Greats. Sayers, Butkus, Payton, Ditka, Singletary.

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    • James Williamson 8 months ago

      Ditka was a Cowboy too. That is why he's my favorite player. He played for my two favorite teams.

      Don't forget Red Grange, Dent, Marshall, Hampton, Osmanski, Gallimore, Luckman, and Papa Bear himself.

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    • T.W. Krems 8 months ago

      The Fridge too, I cant beleive I forgot to put Papa Bear up there. GSH

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  1. Dan Boquard 8 months ago

    Great article, and I coudlnt' agree with you more!! I was gonna be Hank Stram for halloween but I knew no one would get it. (Doesn't help that I'm in Buffalo) But I can name every player in the Hall of Fame for the Bills. Landry was a great coach, who, even though he did coach the Cowboys I can't hate on, because after all, it wasn't landry who whooped our a** in back to back superbowls.

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  2. chad lamasa 8 months ago

    as usual this is very good. At 37, I'm old enough to remember when the Cowboys really were America's team with Dorsett, White, the tail end of Staubach's career and yes Tom Landry as the coach. He was one of the classiest guys in the game.

    I think it's great that he is immortalized on King of the Hill, as Bobby goes to Tom Landry middle school. LOL

    I may not have gotten the costume as soon as you came to my door only because I wouldn't be thinking of him. Had you told me it was related to the Cowboys I probably would have once I was focused on that.

    Right now I can name all the Ravens Hall of Famers as we have none. That will change in a few years when Ogden is eligible. He will be a first ballot guy, as will Ray Lewis and Ed Reed, possibly Matt Stover (I made a good case for him in an article I wrote, check it out if you get a chance) when their playing days are through.

    As for the Colts, I was born too late to remember them being really good and was just getting into football when they up and moved in the middle of the night. I can name quite a few of their HOFers but probably not all of them. They are up there in numbers with the Pack and Giants I'm sure. Unitas was one of the greatest players of all time, Donovan, Berry, Ameche, Shula (not sure if he's in as a player, coach or both) Parker, are just a few of them.

    When I was growing up my hero was Bert Jones. If you don't know who he is look him up. Not a HOFer but a very solid QB that had the misfortune of being the Colts QB right after Johnny U. How do you follow that? My son knows a little about him because he has seen photos of him that I have hanging up in my house. I'll tell him more about him as he gets older and more into the sport.

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  3. L.J. Burgess 8 months ago

    The average American has a 15 minute memory as it is...you were pressing.

    Buck Baker?

    Herb Thomas?

    Cecil Gordon?

    Fugitaboutit.

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  4. Matthew Billard 8 months ago

    I enjoyed this article--but I want to see the costume man!!!

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  5. thomas moreland 8 months ago

    john brodie. steve largent, of course joe montana, jerry rice, john hadl, fuzzy thurston jerry kramer, landry lombardi,george allen coaching the rams in la. the fearsome foursome. with merlin olsen, purple people eaters jim marshall and company, 69 new york jets and broadway joe, lenny dawson and policek,, johhny unitas. 1976 tampa bay team john mackays unbelievable funny quotes like how did you feel about your tems execution today? oh im all in favor of it!!! or the kicker that told him i get real nervous with the coach watching me kick in preseason, mckay said thats a drag cause i plan on attending most of the games! lol or the classic when his son was on the team and asked if he had an advantage to makinf the team and mckay said well yeah i m sleeping with his mother! lol lol lol the catch, the immaculate reception, longest game with miami and kansas city.. steeler s 4 super bowls well 5 now! 49er s super bowls,, buffalo losing 4 super bowls in a row, i could go on and on and on and on lol thomas good costume idea wrong decade! lol i rode my bike into town where i live and left my helmet on hence i was evel knievel lol . thomas

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  6. Kevin Paul 8 months ago

    Cool costume idea. I love to come up with unique costume ideas as well... even now, and I'm older than you are. With that being said, it's pretty amazing how people recognize you and how others do not... one time I went out as the Blues Brothers with someone else fully expecting a lot of people wouldn't know what it was... and more people did than I thought. But anyway...

    By the way, I'm a 'Skins fan, but if you had the costume nailed, I would have been able to pick it out.

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  7. Scott Fairley 8 months ago

    Just a fantastic idea! Props to you for showing some historical respect!

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  8. Yoosof Farah 8 months ago

    good article.

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  9. Brad James 8 months ago

    Here's all the Broncos in the Hall of Fame. John Elway, Gary Zimmerman, Willie Brown and Tony Dorsett (technically, he was a Cowboy for the most part). We also need Shannon Sharpe and Steve Atwater in the hall. I remember watching a Cowboys-Eagles game with my mom when I was 6 (that would be the fall of 1988) and Tom Landry was there. A wiry rookie named Michael Irvin was as well and we all know what he became.

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  10. Brad James 8 months ago

    Of course Terrell Davis SHOULD get in. However, the prevailing sentiment among voters seems to be that his career was short. That's stupid as absolutely TD belongs. So many Broncos have been screwed out of the Hall of Fame, ot's not even funny. Perhaps I should write an article about it.

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    • James Williamson 8 months ago

      You've TD, Gradishar, and maybe a couple of others. If I were you, I would bring up Gale Sayers to combat the career length argument. He played only 68 games and got in. Go for it.

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  11. Porkman Delardo 7 months ago

    Silk pajamas and a pipe. Who am I? I went to a Halloween party once as Hugh Hefner and it was a no brainer. The bunny outfit my girlfriend wore, helped too. Landry was the same type of iconic figure to football fans everywhere. I grew up in Southern Cal, and was a Cowboy fan going back to the days of Roger "the dodger" Staubach. The men were gentlemen on and off the field and for that reason, I emulated them. And they were winners too. Football helped make me the man that I am today, and the great players and coaches and innovators of Landry's era should never be forgotten. Don Shula, Vince Lombardi, George Allen, Dick Vermiel, Don Coryell, Hank Stram, Bud Grant. The list goes on and on. Superbowl winners or not, these men represent all that is great about the greatest game in the world.

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  12. Roberto Arevalo 5 months ago

    I just caught this as I wrote on your bulletin board. Great article!

    Tom Landry is the pride and joy of South Texas and the Rio Grande Valley. Actually he is the pride and joy of the whole state of Texas and among the Cowboys faithful. What a great guy. Not only that, his records speaks volumes! That guy was one of the main reasons we became "America's Team."

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