Classic Walt Garrison stories! A must for any Cowboys fan.

[TruBlueCowboy]

I just read Garrison's autobiography and hot damn is that book a blast! Probably my favorite Cowboys read ever. I thought I'd post some of my favorite stories from his book. Feel free to add your own. The man is quite the storyteller. I'll add more as my lazy fingers get more energy.

Walt Garrison on how cool Don Meredith was:

Meredith was like nobody else they ever had at Dallas. Or probably ever will. In a word, Joe Don was cool. When I was a rookie in 1966, we took a plane ride out of New York after our first play-off game ever. After you're a veteran, you get to sit at the back of the plane. All the steak eaters sit in the front. If you're big-time press you sit in first class with all the coaches and the front-office guys -- Tex Schramm and Gil Brandt and Clint Murchison. The lesser crowd sits in the first two or three rows of coach. Then the rookies take up the next few rows sitting three to a row. The back third of the plane is where the veterans sit and they sit to two to a row. The back is the preferred seating because the players want to sit as far away from the coaches and the press as possible.

Well, we're at the back of the plane. I'm on the aisle and Meredith and (Pete) Gent are sitting in the last row of the plane where they always sit. Joe Don is sitting there drinkin him a beer, smoking a cigarette.

It was snowing like sh!t and this sunuvab!tch takes off and the whole plane shudders. It sounded like a bomb went off. BOOM! They tried climbing again and BOOM!

We'd been sitting on the ground for about two hours while they deiced the plane three or four times and, in the meantime, Lilly musta drank a case of beer. So Lilly was ripped. Lilly stands up in the aisle and says, "We've all had it, baby! It's allllll over!" And he's still chugging his beer.

The plane is flying at about a 45-degree angle because they cant get its *** in the air and all Lilly's beer cans start rolling down the aisle. One of the stewardesses comes skidding down the aisle and on her hands and knees. The beer cans are flying be her and she's screaming, "We're in trouble! We're in trouble! Oh no!"

Everyone is scared to piss. Pete Gent yells, "Joe Don! Joe Don! We're gonna crash!"

But Meredith is just sitting there and, finally, he takes a long drag off his cigarette and a big swig of beer and he says, "Well.... it's been a good un, ain't it."

Now that's cool.

I'm thining, "It's been a good one? What the hell are you talking about? We're gonna die!"

But Meredith never even blinked. He just kept sipping his beer. He could have cared less if that plane went down. I tell you, if I'd known we weren't gonna die, I'd have said something cool too. But I didn't think we were gonna make it. Nobody did. They were so scared they didn't even try to pretend they weren't scared. Afterward everyboyd said, "I was scared sh!tless."

Except Meredith. He actually didn't care. And everybody knew he wasn't bullsh!ttin either.

[trickblue]

Originally Posted by TruBlueCowboy

I just read Garrison's autobiography and hot damn is that book a blast! Probably my favorite Cowboys read ever. I thought I'd post some of my favorite stories from his book. Feel free to add your own. The man is quite the storyteller. I'll add more as my lazy fingers get more energy.

Walt Garrison on how cool Don Meredith was:

[View Full Quote]Meredith was like nobody else they ever had at Dallas. Or probably ever will. In a word, Joe Don was cool. When I was a rookie in 1966, we took a plane ride out of New York after our first play-off game ever. After you're a veteran, you get to sit at the back of the plane. All the steak eaters sit in the front. If you're big-time press you sit in first class with all the coaches and the front-office guys -- Tex Schramm and Gil Brandt and Clint Murchison. The lesser crowd sits in the first two or three rows of coach. Then the rookies take up the next few rows sitting three to a row. The back third of the plane is where the veterans sit and they sit to two to a row. The back is the preferred seating because the players want to sit as far away from the coaches and the press as possible.

Well, we're at the back of the plane. I'm on the aisle and Meredith and (Pete) Gent are sitting in the last row of the plane where they always sit. Joe Don is sitting there drinkin him a beer, smoking a cigarette.

It was snowing like sh!t and this sunuvab!tch takes off and the whole plane shudders. It sounded like a bomb went off. BOOM! They tried climbing again and BOOM!

We'd been sitting on the ground for about two hours while they deiced the plane three or four times and, in the meantime, Lilly musta drank a case of beer. So Lilly was ripped. Lilly stands up in the aisle and says, "We've all had it, baby! It's allllll over!" And he's still chugging his beer.

The plane is flying at about a 45-degree angle because they cant get its *** in the air and all Lilly's beer cans start rolling down the aisle. One of the stewardesses comes skidding down the aisle and on her hands and knees. The beer cans are flying be her and she's screaming, "We're in trouble! We're in trouble! Oh no!"

Everyone is scared to piss. Pete Gent yells, "Joe Don! Joe Don! We're gonna crash!"

But Meredith is just sitting there and, finally, he takes a long drag off his cigarette and a big swig of beer and he says, "Well.... it's been a good un, ain't it."

Now that's cool.

I'm thining, "It's been a good one? What the hell are you talking about? We're gonna die!"

But Meredith never even blinked. He just kept sipping his beer. He could have cared less if that plane went down. I tell you, if I'd known we weren't gonna die, I'd have said something cool too. But I didn't think we were gonna make it. Nobody did. They were so scared they didn't even try to pretend they weren't scared. Afterward everyboyd said, "I was scared sh!tless."

Except Meredith. He actually didn't care. And everybody knew he wasn't bullsh!ttin either.

That is the one I always remember from that book TBC... thanks for taking the time to post it...

ALL Cowboys fans should purchase this book if you want the insights to the mystique...

The young ones here don't realize the absolute cool factor that was Meredith... He was cool when Namath just THOUGHT about being cool...

[DallasCowpoke111]

Originally Posted by TruBlueCowboy

But Meredith is just sitting there and, finally, he takes a long drag off his cigarette and a big swig of beer and he says, "Well.... it's been a good un, ain't it."

I watched a reshowing of a local news special called "America's Team Turns Forty" the other day.

Walt told that story in a short piece at the end, and although I'd read/heard it a few times before, it cracked me up as if the first time.

That, and the Harvey Martin funeral wreath story are my two favs.

[trickblue]

Originally Posted by DallasCowpoke

I watched a reshowing of a local news special called "America's Team Turns Forty" the other day.

Walt told that story in a short piece at the end, and although I'd read/heard it a few times before, it cracked me up as if the first time.

That, and the Harvey Martin funeral wreath story are my two favs.

That is a great one too... didn't see anyone jump to the front to stop Harvey either... good stuff...

[Cbz40]

Have it on order ......looking forward to reading it

[Chief]

It's the funniest book I've ever read.

My favorite stories are the ones about Ditka ... especially the ski trip.

[trickblue]

Originally Posted by Chief

It's the funniest book I've ever read.

My favorite stories are the ones about Ditka ... especially the ski trip.

I agree... it is flat out laugh out loud funny...

I wish Walt would do another one... I'm sure he has more stories...

[TruBlueCowboy]

Helping Walt out.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/039...oks&v=glanc e

Another segment from his autobiography:

Walt meets Bob Lilly

The first week I joined the Cowboys I didn't know nothin. They let me run the ball every once in a while but mostly, like every other rookie, I spent most of my time on the kamikaze squads covering kicks.

So one day I'm lining up for a punt-coverage team and Bob Lilly lines up over me. My assignment is to fire out, hit the guy, stop him, release, run down the field 40 or 50 yards, turn around and block the same guy.

So the first play I fire out and Pow! I hit Lilly a good one. Then, Pew! down the field I go and here comes Lilly lumbering along. And I run up and Wham! I give him another good shot. And as I'm trotting back to run the play again I'm thinking, "Bob Lilly - All-Pro my arse! I could kill him if I wanted to."

[View Full Quote]Next play we run the same thing. Lilly lines up over me and I say to myself, "I'm gonna get him good. I'm gonna really nail him this time. He'll respect me when this is over." So I start to fire out and Lillly just reaches his big paw out and gives me a head slap and the next thing I know I'm flat on my back and Lilly takes off running down the field.

That pissed me off. I'm thinking, "You big son of a betch. I'm gonna get you for that." So I jump up and take off after Lilly. When I catch him I'm gonna drop him like a sack of spuds. Lilly's got a 2 or 3 yard lead but I'm a running back and Lilly's nothing but a big slow lineman. So I take off and I'm pumping as hard as I can and I can't catch him. He outruns me! When we get down to the other end of the field, Lilly's 10 yards in front of me! I couldn't have blocked him if I'd wanted to.

That was my introduction to Mr. Lilly.