Landry: The Legend and the Legacy

After looking through this book it changed my attitude and outlook on a lot of items. Very good read.

If you are a Dallas Cowboy fan, then you will truly enjoy what Mr. St. John did in this wonderful biography. Having received this book as a birthday present, I completed this touching tome in three days.During this journey inside of Landry's fedora, anger raced through me as I pictured myself in the bowels of Texas Stadium at the time of Landry's dismissal. That someone who touched so many in spite of his stoicism would be uncerimoniously canned the way he was is one of the greatest travesties this sports world has ever known.I went with Tom and Alicia Landry back in time, from his days as a defensive mastermind with the New York Giants (can you actually Imagine Tom Landry and Vince Lombardi as assistant coaches? WOW!!! BTW- I'm currently reading my other birthday present - When Pride Still Mattered.) and marveled as his innovative genius. From the 4-3 system he implemented to the "Flex" defense he employed in Dallas, he was ahead of his time.Reading about the Cowboys through his eyes brought back so many memories. Remember how the offensive line used to do their "Set" in unison after breaking the huddle? How about the Shotgun formation in the 70's? I was almost ten years old when watching the "Hail Mary" break the hearts of many Viking fans in Metropolitan Stadium, even younger on that Thanksgiving Day in 74 when Longley hit Drew Pearson for the winning touchdown. I won a bet with my brother over Super Bowl XII. Having watched all those Green Bay/Cleveland heartbreaks on NFL FILMS on numerous occasions, I found myself rooting for his eventual breakthrough as if I were transported back to the late 60's early seventies. That ICE BOWL loss was something. But as champions do, Landry steered his team through the mental anguish, further adding to his legacy. That he also stayed the course with his father-like image to so many of his players definitely impressed me, for he was cognizant that Professional Football is only a small portion of a man's like. (He later proved this is his last decade on earth after football.)However the things that touched me the most about this tome is his Christianity and the love he shared with his wife Alicia. I felt his goodness burning through the pages, as his EVERYDAY Virtues inspire me to aspire for greatness when doing life's simple things. Perhaps the best tribute of this man came in his passing. So many of his players came back; from Eddie Lebaron to Danny White, Don (MEREDITH), Craig (MORTON) and Roger (STAUBACH) mixed in between. When my day comes to shuffle off, I can only hope that I made a difference in lives as this man did. What a great man!!!! What a great Book!!!

If you are a Dallas Cowboy fan, then you will truly enjoy what Mr. St. John did in this wonderful biography. Having received this book as a birthday present, I completed this touching tome in three days.During this journey inside of Landry's fedora, anger raced through me as I pictured myself in the bowels of Texas Stadium at the time of Landry's dismissal. That someone who touched so many in spite of his stoicism would be uncerimoniously canned the way he was is one of the greatest travesties this sports world has ever known.I went with Tom and Alicia Landry back in time, from his days as a a defensive with the New York Giants (can you actually Imagine Tom Landry and Vince Lombardi as assistant coaches? WOW!!! BTW- I'm currently reading my other birthday present - When Pride Still Mattered.) and marveled as his innovative genius. From the 4-3 system he implemented to the "Flex" defense he employed in Dallas, he was ahead of his time.Reading about the Cowboys through his eyes brought back so many memories. Remember how the offensive line used to do their "Set" in unison after breaking the huddle? How about the Shotgun formation in the 70's? I was almost ten years old when watching the "Hail Mary" break the hearts of many Viking fans in Metropolitan Stadium, even younger on that Thanksgiving Day in 74 when Longley hit Drew Pearson for the winning touchdown. I won a bet with my brother over Super Bowl XII. Having watched all those Green Bay/Cleveland heartbreaks on NFL FILMS on numerous occasions, I found myself rooting for his eventual breakthrough as if I were transported back to the late 60's early seventies. That ICE BOWL loss was something. But as champions do, Landry steered his team through the mental anguish, further adding to his legacy. That he also stayed the course with his father-like image to so many of his players definitely impressed me, for he was cognizant that Professional Football is only a small portion of a man's like. (He later proved this is his last decade on earth after football.)However the things that touched me the most about this tome is his Christianity and the love he shared with his wife Alicia. I felt his goodness burning through the pages, as his EVERYDAY Virtues inspire me to aspire for greatness when doing life's simple things. Perhaps the best tribute of this man came in his passing. So many of his players came back; from Eddie Lebaron to Danny White, Don (MEREDITH), Craig (MORTON) and Roger (STAUBACH) mixed in between. When my day comes to shuffle off, I can only hope that I made a difference in lives as this man did. What a great man!!!! What a great Book!!!

Tom Landry was the first, longest-tenured and most winning coach of the Dallas Cowboys, having guided them to 5 Super Bowls, 9 straight playoff appearances and 20 straight winning seasons -- pro football feats that were unprecedented at the time, and which may never be matched again by a single coach. His tactical innovations on offense and defense changed the strategies and techniques of football as no others have. Landry, arguably the greatest coach in NFL history, was also a great person -- beloved father and husband, decorated war combat veteran, powerhouse in charitable fundraising, unflappable in the face of pressure, and universally respected for his devotion to God and family (without being sanctimonious). In short, Landry was a rare man of rock-solid honor, class, self-discipline and dignity. Landry was also a human with human frailties over which he stumbled at times, a surprisingly sharp sense of humor, and a measure of professional stubbornness which may have undermined his final years with the Cowboys. St. John vividly depicts all these facets of America's Coach in a strong (but not fawning) style. This is the best and most thorough Landry biography around, despite a few minor flaws. It reveals the many sides of Landry that the fans never saw, including an assortment of interesting personal milestones and events from childhood, college, and the years after his coaching career ended. St. John's presentation engenders a new level of respect and admiration of Landry, even for the fan already familiar with the coach's many accomplishments in football and in life. I finished this book in awe of Landry's personal character, inspired and determined through his example to be a better Christian, husband, father and worker. That is how powerful St. John's portrayal of Landry is. The broken chronology seemed a little jarring at first -- with the final part of Landry's life depicted in reverse followed by a switch to childhood. In retrospect, though, it yielded a more sweeping perspective of his roots and life than would a strict chronology. The text is blemished slightly by poor editing: for example, a few incorrect scores, several typos and spelling mistakes (mainly with a few players' names). [Otherwise, this would be a solid 5-star assessment.] That aside, St. John's book is mandatory material for any Cowboys fan, and for any aficionado of sports biographies.

A MUST HAVE for all Cowboys fans! But more importantly, a good read for any one that has given their heart and devotion to an NFL team week after week.For Cowboys fans, it's a little disappointing that the Boys aren't covered in more detail. But the parts that were written in are great stories. Perhaps the best sections are the chapters covering Landry's playing and coaching days with the New York Giants. Many classic "old school" football stories are in that part that will keep you laughing for hours. The type of stories that remind you when guys played this game for about a buck-fifty. The one problem I had with the book was it's emphasis on preaching. The author feels compelled to remind us that Landry was a -Good Christian- time and time again. Don't get me wrong, I doubt many people could be placed on a higher moral pedestal than Landry, but the book becomes "preachy" at times. (Although the funeral depiction puts a tear to your eyes.) I wish the author would have left out his many arguments trying to prove that Landry was a good Christian, man of integrity, etc. and concentrated more so on the football stories. We all know Landry had the best character in the game - it's a fact that was evident to any NFL fan. A great read for any football fan. If you're not a football fan, I wouldn't bother with the book, but a MUST HAVE for all Cowboys and "old school" NFL fans.