Today is...

[Maikeru-sama]

Oh okay, I thought that was him with his Hall of Fame Induction Class. Nice pic though.

- Mike G.

[FolsomCowboy]

I was fortunate to meet Bob Lilly a few times as a child, my dad was best friends with Al Ward who was directly under Tex Schramm I believe and we used to go stay in the same hotel they did in Dallas for a couple of games a year, I recall eating breakfast in the hotel and Bob Lilly and Dave Manders came and sat down next to me, one to the right and one to the left, I felt like a dwarf, they were such great guys to take the time to listen to a starstruck kid who cherishes the memory 33 years later. On that same trip Craig Morton was late to a meeting and got totally chewed out.

[Chocolate Lab]

Neat story, pbthal...

I remember a teammate of Lilly's saying how Bob was almost lanky and had no muscle tone at all... But on the field, he was amazingly strong and powerful, and in all different planes, not just in one (like, say, some guys are on the bench press). Plus he supposedly had super strong hands, and of course was very quick.

And growing up in Throckmorton and going to TCU... Pretty nice when the local boy does more than make good, he becomes one of the best of all time.

[Sarge]

Originally Posted by Hostile

...Bob Lilly's 65th birhday.

For those of you who never saw him play, my apologies. He was simply awesome.

Hard to believe - wow.

Cheers.

[MinnesotaCowboy]

Awesome is a great word but he was more than that......he had unbelievable quickness and strength. I can remember a story about him and another player getting with it one day after practice. It seems the other player (who will remain nameless) was griping about something and Lily told him to quit "b--ching and the nameless one took a swing at Bob who took offense and flattened him with two punches! He was undeniably one of the best defensive tackles to play the game! At 6'5" and about 260 I think he would have been a stud even with the huge bemoths of today. I would have loved to seen him and the "Manster" playing together on the same line. Both were undersized but oh the agility and quickness. When in college Bob overturned a VW beetle by himself. :p

[Chief]

I have to chime in here.

He's an all-time favorite of mine and just a super nice, down-to-earth guy. I met him when he lived in Las Cruces and have talked to him a time or two since he moved.

The guy was just a natural football player ... naturally strong and quick and his instincts were top notch. He was not a body builder and had that sort of lean body (6-4, 260 as a player). His balance was tremendous.

And the man is as good a photographer as he was a football player. I have one of his black-and-whites above my desk here at work.

[Sarge]

Originally Posted by Chief

I have to chime in here.

He's an all-time favorite of mine and just a super nice, down-to-earth guy. I met him when he lived in Las Cruces and have talked to him a time or two since he moved.

The guy was just a natural football player ... naturally strong and quick and his instincts were top notch. He was not a body builder and had that sort of lean body (6-4, 260 as a player). His balance was tremendous.

And the man is as good a photographer as he was a football player. I have one of his black-and-whites above my desk here at work.

Chime in more often, will ya?

Miss your input.

[Hostile]

Originally Posted by Chief

I have to chime in here.

He's an all-time favorite of mine and just a super nice, down-to-earth guy. I met him when he lived in Las Cruces and have talked to him a time or two since he moved.

The guy was just a natural football player ... naturally strong and quick and his instincts were top notch. He was not a body builder and had that sort of lean body (6-4, 260 as a player). His balance was tremendous.

And the man is as good a photographer as he was a football player. I have one of his black-and-whites above my desk here at work.

Is his restaurant still open? I had no idea he wasn't living there any more. See what happens when you move away?

[Mike 1967]

Originally Posted by Roughneck

Ya damn right. He lives right here in my hometown. I have had the chance to meet him on a couple different occasions and there aren't many kinder gentlemen in the World.

Dang roughneck....we might be neighbors.

I live up in Northlake off Williams Drive

[Roughneck]

Originally Posted by Mike 1967

Dang roughneck....we might be neighbors.

I live up in Northlake off Williams Drive

Nope it looks like we're still 10/15 minutes apart from each other.

I live over in Quail Valley near Southwestern.

At the very least, it's good to know that there is another Cowboys fan in G'town. I've been seeing a lot of Houston Texans gear ever since I got back from Finals.

[Mike 1967]

Originally Posted by Roughneck

Nope it looks like we're still 10/15 minutes apart from each other.

I live over in Quail Valley near Southwestern.

At the very least, it's good to know that there is another Cowboys fan in G'town. I've been seeing a lot of Houston Texans gear ever since I got back from Finals.

Yep

I have a buddy at work that lives over in that area.

I actually grew up in Austin...went to Westwood high in the early 80's. But the town got too crowded. About to move farther out because of the expansion in this area.

Oh well....resale value is great :- )

[Chief]

Originally Posted by Hostile

Is his restaurant still open? I had no idea he wasn't living there any more. See what happens when you move away?

I didn't know about a restaurant.

He used to have a photography gallery in Mesilla and was at least part owner of an RV park.

He moved back to Texas to help take care of his mother. He moved to Graham, then on to wherever he is now.

At one point, Lilly, Duane Thomas, Don Meredith and Don Perkins all lived in New Mexico. Meredith and Perkins are still here. I think Duane has moved on.