Hostile;2927819 said:
dcfanatic shared something with me via PM that was posted on the forum, but got way too few comments.
Gil Brandt was asked by Bill Belicheck one time how Landry managed 17 straight seasons (an incredible record) of opening the seasons with a win. It seems the Hoodie had done some research and his research indicated that a team that teams that win that first game have a 50% better chance of making the playoffs than teams who lose that first game.
Also on that show Gil talked about how Chuck Howley became a Cowboy. Gil said he was on his way to visit a potential recruit or FA(can't remember which) and he stopped at a gas station I believe in West Virginia..
He noticed that a sign read that the store was owned by a Chuck Howley. Chuck had been drafted 2 years earlier in 1958 in the first round by the Bears.
After a knee injury he decided to retire. He then bought and ran his store. Gil located Chuck at the store and asked him about his decision to retire. He said his knee was fine but that George Halas refused to pay him anymore than $5000 and he could make more than that at his store.
Gil offered him (IIRC) $9500 to come and play for the Cowboys assuming they could work out a deal with the Bears to trade for his rights. They later agreed on a 2nd and 9th rd picks in the 1963 draft for Howley's rights. And the rest is history.
When Gil told Tex Schramm what he offered to pay Howley he said he thought Tex was going to fire him on the spot. He said there's no way in hell we can stay in business paying people that kind of money.
