Tom landry vs vince lombardi biography

American football coach and actor (–)

American football player

Thomas Wade Landry (LAN-dree; September 11, – February 12, ) was an American clerical football coach, player, and Globe War II veteran.

Regarded type one of the greatest tendency coaches of all time,^[1] elegance was the first head guardian of the Dallas Cowboys consider it the National Football League (NFL), a position he held chaste 29 seasons. During his work career, he created many newfound formations and methods, such bit the now default 4–3 redoubt that is used by deft majority of teams in rendering NFL, and the "flex defense" system made famous by birth "Doomsday Defense" squads he means during his tenure with high-mindedness Cowboys.

His 29 consecutive duration from to as the master of one team is cease NFL record,^[A] along with ruler 20 consecutive winning seasons, which is considered to be fillet most impressive professional accomplishment.

In addition to his record 20 consecutive winning seasons from put on , Landry won two Great Bowl titles in Super Dish VI and XII,^[2] five NFC titles, and 13 divisional awards.

He compiled a ––6 snap, the fourth-most wins all-time confound an NFL coach, and sovereignty 20 career playoff victories designing the third-most of any instructor in NFL history. Landry was also named the NFL Instructor of the Year in last the NFC Coach of nobility Year in

From to , a span of 17 lifetime, Dallas played in 12 NFL or NFC Championship games.

Moreover, the Cowboys appeared in 10 NFC Championship games in rank year span from to Influential the Cowboys to three Chief Bowl appearances in four ripen between and , and fin in nine years between pole , along with being union television more than any alcove NFL team, resulted in dignity Cowboys receiving the label conduct operations "America's Team", a title Landry did not appreciate because be active felt it would bring send off extra motivation from the sleep of the league to bust a gut with the Cowboys.

He was inducted into the Pro Grassland Hall of Fame in trade in a head coach.

Early life

Born in Mission, Texas, to Bilk (an auto mechanic and move fireman) and Ruth (Coffman) Landry, Tom was the second be beneficial to four children (Robert, Tom, Ruthie, and Jack).^[3] Landry's father difficult to understand suffered from rheumatism, and change place to the warmer climate flawless Texas from Illinois.^[4] Ray Landry was an athlete, making rule mark locally as a twirler and football player.^[5] Tom artificial quarterback and punter for Function High School, where he dejected his team to a 12–0 record in his senior season.^[3] The Mission High School common stadium is named Tom Landry Stadium and is home picture the Mission Eagles and Calling Patriots which also bears nobleness Pro Football Hall of Villainy logo.

Landry attended the Code of practice of Texas at Austin slightly an industrial engineering major. Landry had given thought to enrolling at Mississippi State University, at his friend John Tripson was an All-American, but did band want to be far come to nothing from his friends and kinsmen in Texas. The main dynamical force in keeping him do too much enrolling at Mississippi State Installation was the notion that bring into disrepute would be too long spick travel for his parents retain see him play college football.^[5]

U.S.

Army Air Corps

He interrupted rulership education after a semester enhance serve in the United States Army Air Corps during Fake War II. Landry was expressive to join the armed repair by his brother Robert Landry, who had enlisted in rank Army Air Corps after illustriousness attack on Pearl Harbor. At long last ferrying a B over call by England, Robert Landry's plane confidential gone down over the Northmost Atlantic, close to Iceland.

Many weeks passed before the Host was able to officially aver Robert Landry dead.^[5] Landry began his basic training at Sheppard Field near Wichita Falls, Texas (now Sheppard AFB), and realm preflight training at Kelly Offshoot (now Kelly Field), located not far off San Antonio, Texas. Landry's pass with flying colours experience as a bomber introductory was a tough one.

Great few minutes after takeoff, Landry noticed that the pilot seemed to be working furiously, initiating him to realize that say publicly plane's engine had died. Regardless of this experience, Landry was determined to flying. At the revealing of 19, Landry was transferred to Sioux City, Iowa, position he trained as a co-pilot on the Boeing B Fugacious Fortress heavy bomber.

In , Landry got his orders, near from Sioux City he went to Liverpool, England, where yes was assigned to the Ordinal Air Force, in Ipswich.^[5] Landry earned his wings and out commission as a Second Deputy at Lubbock Army Air Green, and was assigned to righteousness d Bombardment Group at Airforce Debach, England, in the involve Bombardment Squadron.

From November penny April , he completed well-organized combat tour of 26^[6] missions, (his entire crew went cosmos 29 missions and Landry outspoken not go on 3 go along with them), he also survived uncut crash landing in Belgium funds his bomber ran out forestall fuel.^[7]

He returned to government studies at the University acquisition Texas in the fall bazaar ^[7] On the football body, he played fullback and careful back on the Texas Longhorns' bowl game winners on Original Year's Day of and Finish even UT, he was a participant of the Texas Cowboys fairy story Delta Kappa Epsilonfraternity (Omega Letter chapter).

He received his bachelor's degree from UT in Accumulate , he earned a master's degree in industrial engineering pass up the University of Houston.^[8]

Playing career

Landry was selected in the Ordinal round (th overall) of excellence AAFC Draft. He played unified season in the All-America Province Conference for the New Royalty Yankees, then moved in be introduced to town to the New Dynasty Giants.

Landry was also hand-picked by the New York Giants in the 20th round (th overall) of the NFL first attempt.

After the season, the AAFC folded, and the Yankees were not among the teams buried by the NFL. The Advanced York Giants exercised their defensive rights and selected Landry wrench a dispersal draft. Under ethics guidance of Giants head omnibus Steve Owen, Landry got cap first taste of coaching.

As an alternative of explaining the 6–1–4 provide for to the players, Owen known as Landry up to the false front, and asked him to affirm the defense to his teammates. Landry got up, and explained what the defense would come loose to counter the offense, leading this became Landry's first guiding experience.

The season would aptitude a season to forget, run off with the lowest point coming summon a 62–10 loss at justness hands of the Cleveland Browns. This loss would ultimately expense Coach Owen his job, opinion would again have Landry musing his future.^[9] In , illegal was selected as an All-Pro. He played through the time, and acted as a player-assistant coach the last two mature, through , under the discipline of new Giants head omnibus Jim Lee Howell.

Landry ballooned his playing career with 32 interceptions in only 80 desirouss, which he returned for yards and three touchdowns. He additionally recovered 10 fumbles (seven defensive), returning them for 67 yards and two touchdowns.

Career statistics

Defense

Special teams

Coaching career

For the football season, Landry became the defensive coordinator energy the Giants, opposite Vince Lombardi, who was the offensive toastmaster.

Landry stayed on as ingenious full-time defensive coordinator after rulership retirement, and led one be beneficial to the best defensive units speedy the league from to Position two coaches created a rabid loyalty on a team wind they coached to three lip-service in the NFL championship operation in four years. The Giants beat the Paddy Driscoll-led Metropolis Bears 47–7 in , however lost to the Baltimore Colts in and

In , filth became the first head governess of the Dallas Cowboys, wonderful position he held for 29 seasons (–88).

The Cowboys begun with difficulties, recording an 0–11–1 record during their first term, with five or fewer gains in each of their following four. Despite this early impracticality, in , Landry was gain a year extension by landlord Clint Murchison Jr. It would prove to be a subsequently move, as Landry's hard outmoded and determination paid off, predominant the Cowboys improved to unadulterated 7–7 record in In , they surprised the NFL disrespect posting 10 wins and establishment it all the way emphasize the NFL Championship game.

Metropolis lost the game to Lombardi's Green Bay Packers, but that season was but a straightforward display of what lay vanguard.

The Great Innovator

Landry developed honourableness now-popular "4–3 defense" while ration as Giants defensive coordinator.^[10] Thunderous was called "4–3" because well supplied featured four down lineman (two ends and two defensive tackles on either side of class offensive center) and three linebackers – middle, left, and readily understood.

The innovation was the halfway linebacker. Previously, a lineman was placed over the center. Nevertheless Landry had this person feigned up and move back match up yards. The Giants' middle back was the legendary Sam Offence.

Landry built the 4–3 take care of around me. It revolutionized defence and opened the door guarantor all the variations of zones and man-to-man coverage, which emblematic used in conjunction with mould today.

—Sam Huff^[11]

When he came to Dallas, Landry refined rectitude 4–3 even further, specifically enrol counter Lombardi's "run to daylight" strategy. Lombardi's offense was arrangement around sending the running display through any open space, very than a specific assigned full. Landry reasoned that the outstrip counter was a defense dump blotted out the daylight.^[12] Position result was the "Flex Defense," which assigned the defenders brawny areas of the field suck up to cover.

When Landry first enforced it in , fans were initially mystified when they dictum the Cowboys defense not overflowing to the ball. However, primacy skeptics were won over what because ball carriers invariably ran licence into the arms of facial appearance of Landry's defenders.^[13] The Track Defense worked so well ensure Landry had to create demolish offense to score on full, one which disguised an simple play with multiple formations.^[14]

Landry did not always search soul the traditional college football conduit for talent.

For example, noteworthy recruited several soccer players stranger Latin America, such as Efren Herrera and Rafael Septién, give your approval to compete for the job give evidence placekicker for the Cowboys. Landry looked to the world scope track and field for accelerated skill-position players. For example, Flutter Hayes, once considered the copy out man in the world, was drafted by and played encyclopedic receiver for the Cowboys descend Landry.^[15]

Landry produced a very attack coaching tree.

In , quintuplet NFL head coaches were ex Landry assistants: Mike Ditka, Dan Reeves, John Mackovic, Gene Stallings, and Raymond Berry.

Coaching value the Super Bowl

While Tom Landry's Cowboys are known for their two Super Bowls against Chunder Noll and the Pittsburgh Steelers, Landry also led Dallas nominate three other Super Bowls, point of view they were a Bart Drummer quarterback sneak away from on account of the NFL in the next Super Bowl.

Tom Landry was 2–3 in Super Bowls, cute both in New Orleans at an earlier time losing all three at illustriousness Miami Orange Bowl.

Landry taught the Cowboys to their principal Super Bowl win, defeating grandeur Miami Dolphins 24–3, holding description Dolphins to a single existence goal. The Cowboys won their first Super Bowl a origin after losing to the Port Colts.

The Cowboys lost justness first battle with the Steelers, in a game that levelheaded heralded as a classic. Glory rematch would be just primate good, with the Cowboys churn out a Jackie Smith catch adopted from tying the Steelers soar keeping pace early in blue blood the gentry third quarter; instead, Pittsburgh scored twice in succession and support the game away.

Before illustriousness Super Bowl XIII rematch, Cowboys linebacker Thomas "Hollywood" Henderson excellently stated, "Terry Bradshaw couldn't period c-a-t if you spotted him the C and the T." Landry recalled in his life how he cringed when inaccuracy heard that, because he upfront not feel that Bradshaw necessary additional motivation in a far-reaching game like the Super Bowl.^[9]

Dismissal and legacy

During the s, dignity Cowboys won two division championships, made five playoff appearances, give orders to reached the NFC Championship Project in three consecutive seasons (–).

However, they failed to converse in the Super Bowl during authority decade. The team's NFC Backing Game loss was Landry's in response conference championship game appearance; grandeur preceding week's win was reward final playoff victory.

In , Dallas businessman Bum Bright the team from Murchison. Chimpanzee the Cowboys suffered through little by little poorer seasons (their record easy from 10–6 in to 7–9 in , 7–8 in , and 3–13 in ), Luminosity became disenchanted with the group.

Landry's game strategies and loyalty during these seasons left him open to public criticism.^[16]

Landry shipshape a three-year contract in magnanimity summer of However, general managerTex Schramm brought in Paul Hackett as a new offensive tutor in , and in , he hired offensive line educator Jim Erkenbeck and special-teams omnibus Mike Solari.

Some^[who?] suggested dump Schramm's moves divided the employment staff, a plan to prime undermine and then dismiss Landry. Bright, who usually stayed run faster than the scenes, publicly criticized Landry after a home loss envisage the Atlanta Falcons in , saying that he was "horrified" at the play-calling and querulous, "It doesn't seem like we've got anybody in charge who knows what he's doing, bug than Tex."^[17] Bright's belief go off former first-round draft picks Danny Noonan and Herschel Walker were not being used enough too put him at odds learn the coaching staff.^[18] On picture day after the Cowboys misplaced to the Detroit Lions, unadorned team that had entered goodness game tied for the beat record in the NFL, Schramm said on his radio disclose, "There's an old saying, 'If the teacher doesn't teach, goodness student doesn't learn.'"^[17] Nonetheless, Luminosity maintained his hands-off approach patronage the team while Schramm reserved his confidence in Landry.^[17]

Landry's Cowboys finished the season 3–13, influence worst record in the corresponding person.

His record as head master fell to ––6. It was the Cowboys' third consecutive misfortune season and the fourth generation in five years that they had missed the playoffs. Withal, Landry felt confident he could correct the mistakes he locked away been making in recent years.^[9] In February , before rendering start of the season, tempt he dismissed or reassigned assistants, he remained determined have knowledge of coach into the s "unless I get fired." Landry locked away one year left on surmount contract, which paid $1 bomb per season.^[16][19]

Meanwhile, Bright had greeting major losses in his money, real estate, and oil businesses;^[19] during the savings and encroachment crisis, Bright's Savings and Money up front was taken over by prestige FSLIC.

With most of depiction rest of his fortune inept up in the Cowboys, Shining was forced to put excellence team up for sale. Flare ultimately sold the team regard Jerry Jones, who fired Landry on February 25, , tune day after closing on leadership purchase. Jones hired Jimmy Lexicologist, his former teammate at rectitude University of Arkansas, who challenging been serving as head guru at the University of Miami.^[19] Schramm was in tears irate the press conference that declared the coaching change;^[19] he was forced out as general supervisor shortly afterwards.

Schramm and Landry had been together for 29 years, each being the one person to serve in their respective position since the Cowboys' inception in When Landry reduction with his players two era later to tell them extent much he would miss them, he began to cry, take the players responded with clever standing ovation.^[16][19][20] He had all in 40 consecutive years at grassland level in the AAFC spell NFL: five as a artiste (–53), two as a player-assistant coach (–55), four as rule out assistant coach (–59), and 29 as a head coach.

Jones received immediate backlash for diadem decision to fire Landry, eventually the former coach received finish outpouring of public support.^[21][22][23] Undeterred by Landry's recent poor performance, Cowboys fans felt disillusioned that excellence only coach in the team's history had been removed inexpressive unceremoniously.^[21] NFL commissioner Pete Hibiscus compared the firing to interpretation death of former Green Bark Packers coach Vince Lombardi.^[19] Governor George H.W.

Bush, who abstruse previously represented Texas in representation House of Representatives, called Landry "an inspiration to all who ever watched or played loftiness game of football."^[23]

Jones stated explicit never considered retaining Landry captivated that he would not fake purchased the team unless good taste could hire Johnson as coach.^[19] In , Bright said focus he regretted the backlash consider it Jones had faced for adjournment Landry.

Bright recounted that lighten up had been willing to aroma Landry himself as early style , but that Schramm difficult told him that there was no suitable replacement who was ready to assume the job.^[20] By , relations between Engineer and Landry had improved, sports ground Landry was inducted into honourableness Ring of Honor at Texas Stadium.^[24]

Landry's last work in salaried football was as a conclusive partner of the San Antonio Riders of the World Contemporary of American Football in

Head coaching record

In popular culture

• On Dec 24, , while defensive educator of the Giants, Landry alleged to be Catholic missionary Pa William A.

  Lightning on say publicly panel gameTo Tell The Truth.^[25]

• The Machiavellian coach in Peter Gent's novel North Dallas Forty comment based on Tom Landry. G.D. Spradlin played the role referee the film of the duplicate name.
• In the animated sitcom King of the Hill, the order school in Arlen is name "Tom Landry Middle School", take up Landry is a personal lead of the show's main brand Hank Hill.

  He mentions gaze "mortified" because he went utter work on the date disbursement Landry's death after his cousin-german Dusty (guest star Dusty Comedian of ZZ Top) had in advance tricked him into thinking Landry had died, and he contemplating it was a repeat fail that prank. Hank also has a Tom Landry ceramic scale 2 that he sometimes consults expansion times of need, on single occasion saying, "Where did Unrestrained go wrong, Tom?" Landry further occasionally appears to Hank attach importance to dream sequences to counsel him in times of need, specified as during Hank's varnish-induced optical illusion in the episode "Hillennium" vital in "Trans-Fascism", when he tells Hank the consequences of discontented the law.

• In an episode addendum The Simpsons ("You Only Energy Twice"), Homer Simpson buys Break Landry's trademark fedora in fraudster effort to improve his direction qualities, and is shown withdraw several later episodes wearing honourableness hat.

  Landry is also featured in the season 7 phase "Marge Be Not Proud" rightfully one of the Christmas carolers introduced by Krusty the Berk early in the episode.

• In a-one Campbell's Chunky Soup commercial, justness game takes place in excellent fictional Reginald H. White Cenotaph Park, on the corner fanatic Landry Road and Halas Drive.^[26]

Awards and honors

Personal life

Landry married Alicia Wiggs on January 28, They had a son and deuce daughters.^[32] He was a Christian.^[33] On January 22, , justness Dallas Cowboys announced that Alicia had died the previous apportion at the age of ^[34]

When coaching on the sidelines Landry always wore a suit extra tie with his trademark fedora.^[35]

Death

Landry died on February 12, , after battling leukemia.

Landry's inhumation service was held at Soaring Park United Methodist Church, neighbourhood he was an active snowball committed member for 43 existence. He was interred in glory Sparkman-Hillcrest Memorial Park Cemetery family tree Dallas. A cenotaph dedicated unearthing Landry, complete with a drawing of his fedora, was fib in the official Texas Bring back Cemetery in Austin at high-mindedness family's request.^[36]

The Cowboys wore splendid patch on their uniforms lasting the season depicting Landry's make fedora.

A bronze statue albatross Landry stood outside of Texas Stadium, and now stands hard cash front of AT&T Stadium in that the Cowboys relocated in Nobleness section of Interstate 30 halfway Dallas and Fort Worth was named the Tom Landry Road by the Texas Legislature minute The football stadium in Landry's hometown of Mission, Texas, was named Tom Landry Stadium class honor one of the city's most famous former residents.^[37] The same, Trinity Christian Academy's stadium overfull Addison, Texas, is named Negro Landry Stadium in honor keep in good condition Landry's extensive involvement and survive of the school.^[38][39] An concealed school in the Carrollton-Farmers Pinion arm Independent School district, very to all intents and purposes the Cowboys former training accomplishment in Valley Ranch, is likewise named in honor of Landry.^[40] The Tom Landry Welcome Spirit at Dallas Baptist University, place he was a frequent national park speaker and award recipient, was posthumously dedicated to him manifestation ^[41]

In , a major in mint condition biography of Landry was available, entitled The Last Cowboy.^[42]

See also

Notes

References

Bibliography

Further reading

• Summerall, Rap, and Michael Levin ().

  Giants: What I Learned About Be from Vince Lombardi and Turkey Landry. Hoboken, New Jersey: Bathroom Wiley and Sons. ISBN&#;

External links