WE HAVE LONG ago heard of a term used to describe the relation of the psychoanalyst to patient. It is called "the Wizard of Oz Syndrome." The term originates with one who is a feared sort of ogre, then believed to be nothing more than a fraud and finally, viewed as a trusted friend.
WE THOUGHT THAT this pattern of thought and evolving views of one's mentor applied here to the story of the first and longest serving Head Coach, Tom Landry. The parallel unfolded quite swiftly and in a very neat fashion as we screened this episode of the NFL FILMS program.
THE PRODUCTION TEAM did a fine job in tracing the roots of the man, both in and out of Football. His somewhat humble beginnings as a son of a blue collar family in Mission, Texas, high school athletics, the University of Texas (at Austin) and his service as a B-17 Bomber Pilot in the Army Air Corps in World War II, European Theater of Operations.
WE ALSO LEARN of his most unusual career as a defensive back for the New York Giants in the NFL. His intelligence and acumen called for his elevation to the almost unheard of position as a player-coach; having eventually ascended to the post of Defensive Cloach ()in today's terminology, Defensive Coordinator). Ironically, he served as coach with another now well known, iconic coach named Vince Lombardi.*
THE MAIN PORTION of the film's narrative chronicles the Dallas Cowboys from their first season as an expansion team in the National Football League, through their early seasons of floundering, gaining respectability, becoming "America's Team", falling off of Mt. Olympus and finally, dismissal by new ownership (Jerry Jones) after 29 years in the Head Coach position.
THE TWO ELEMENTS from outside the gridiron that molded the man into what he truly was were closely examined. They were: his dogged determination and loyalty; developed and perfected in his World War II experiences and his strong Christian Faith in God, which he displayed through example and humility.
AS AN ADDENDUM from outside of the real life, NFL experience, we have a sort of caricature of the Dallas team and its coach in the film NORTH DALLAS FORTY (from the novel by former Cowboy, Peter Gent). It also brings us a portrait of the Landry-like coach as not only being military and autocratic, but also somewhat sadistic in his handling of the team. Personally, we've never found any evidence of this trait anywhere.
THIS HOUR LONG installment of A FOOTBALL LIFE: Tom Landry is one of those truly "must see" episodes. Do you hear that, America?
NOTE: * It is truly amazing that both Lombardi and Landry were so closely linked in those early days and later would be opponents in so many all time historically important games.
WE THOUGHT THAT this pattern of thought and evolving views of one's mentor applied here to the story of the first and longest serving Head Coach, Tom Landry. The parallel unfolded quite swiftly and in a very neat fashion as we screened this episode of the NFL FILMS program.
THE PRODUCTION TEAM did a fine job in tracing the roots of the man, both in and out of Football. His somewhat humble beginnings as a son of a blue collar family in Mission, Texas, high school athletics, the University of Texas (at Austin) and his service as a B-17 Bomber Pilot in the Army Air Corps in World War II, European Theater of Operations.
WE ALSO LEARN of his most unusual career as a defensive back for the New York Giants in the NFL. His intelligence and acumen called for his elevation to the almost unheard of position as a player-coach; having eventually ascended to the post of Defensive Cloach ()in today's terminology, Defensive Coordinator). Ironically, he served as coach with another now well known, iconic coach named Vince Lombardi.*
THE MAIN PORTION of the film's narrative chronicles the Dallas Cowboys from their first season as an expansion team in the National Football League, through their early seasons of floundering, gaining respectability, becoming "America's Team", falling off of Mt. Olympus and finally, dismissal by new ownership (Jerry Jones) after 29 years in the Head Coach position.
THE TWO ELEMENTS from outside the gridiron that molded the man into what he truly was were closely examined. They were: his dogged determination and loyalty; developed and perfected in his World War II experiences and his strong Christian Faith in God, which he displayed through example and humility.
AS AN ADDENDUM from outside of the real life, NFL experience, we have a sort of caricature of the Dallas team and its coach in the film NORTH DALLAS FORTY (from the novel by former Cowboy, Peter Gent). It also brings us a portrait of the Landry-like coach as not only being military and autocratic, but also somewhat sadistic in his handling of the team. Personally, we've never found any evidence of this trait anywhere.
THIS HOUR LONG installment of A FOOTBALL LIFE: Tom Landry is one of those truly "must see" episodes. Do you hear that, America?
NOTE: * It is truly amazing that both Lombardi and Landry were so closely linked in those early days and later would be opponents in so many all time historically important games.
