Allow me to tell you my Roger story and it is well worth the read.
His first commercial real estate venture was a group of office buildings on 635 at Hillcrest and we had just started a new company and we're his first tenants in one of the two buildings. Once they filled out the offices, they had a welcoming party for all of the people that worked in the buildings. Roger would be hosting and joined by Cliff Harris.
My oldest son was 8 at the time and his two favorite sports figures were Roger and Harvey Martin, who I had taken him to meet and they talked Star Wars for almost 10 minutes while he signed autographs, what a big kid.
The reception was in the other building so I walked over and just as I walked in there stands Roger with his hand out. I shake his hand and move on as the line is forming but as the party wears on, I get the chance to chat with him for only a couple of minutes. I tell him that my son is his biggest fan and imitates him out in the front yard with me striking Roger poses as he makes passes and has even worked on Roger's jump pass. He laughs and asks his name and I tell him Josh. He does not make a note of it and doesn't have a name keeper walking around with him. Needless to say I am a celebrity at home that night, at least with my oldest son, because he got to shake the hand that shook Roger's hand.
The next morning, the receptionist calls me up to the front and there is a young lady up there with an envelope addressed to me and she tells me that Roger enjoyed meeting me last night and wanted Josh to have this. I am speechless as I open it and there is an autographed 8 x 10 of Roger signed To Josh, Keep those jump passes coming, Roger.
I was a nobody, not the owner of the company, just a working guy in one of his buildings and from a short few minutes he remembered my name and my son's name and remembered the jump pass. I brought that home and not only was I a hero with my wife, Roger was with her as well and she never watched him play the same way again.
Roger embodied what I wanted all sports "heroes" to be as I had grown up as a kid only to find many had feet of clay when I was an adult. I think he is more responsible for the legion of Cowboys fans and the America's Team label than any person ever with the team, including Landry. Lilly might have been the #1 draft pick and Mr. Cowboy but to me Roger Staubach will always be Mr. Cowboy.
A Football Life got this thread started, make sure you see the one on Drew Pearson for another good Roger story. He was more than just Drew's QB.
