During this journey inside of Landry's fedora, anger raced through me as I pictured myself in the bowels of Texas Stadium at the time of Landry's dismissal. That someone who touched so many in spite of his stoicism would be uncerimoniously canned the way he was is one of the greatest travesties this sports world has ever known.

I went with Tom and Alicia Landry back in time, from his days as a a defensive with the New York Giants (can you actually Imagine Tom Landry and Vince Lombardi as assistant coaches? WOW!!! BTW- I'm currently reading my other birthday present - When Pride Still Mattered.) and marveled as his innovative genius. From the 4-3 system he implemented to the "Flex" defense he employed in Dallas, he was ahead of his time.

Reading about the Cowboys through his eyes brought back so many memories. Remember how the offensive line used to do their "Set" in unison after breaking the huddle? How about the Shotgun formation in the 70's? I was almost ten years old when watching the "Hail Mary" break the hearts of many Viking fans in Metropolitan Stadium, even younger on that Thanksgiving Day in 74 when Longley hit Drew Pearson for the winning touchdown. I won a bet with my brother over Super Bowl XII. Having watched all those Green Bay/Cleveland heartbreaks on NFL FILMS on numerous occasions, I found myself rooting for his eventual breakthrough as if I were transported back to the late 60's early seventies. That ICE BOWL loss was something. But as champions do, Landry steered his team through the mental anguish, further adding to his legacy. That he also stayed the course with his father-like image to so many of his players definitely impressed me, for he was cognizant that Professional Football is only a small portion of a man's like. (He later proved this is his last decade on earth after football.)

However the things that touched me the most about this tome is his Christianity and the love he shared with his wife Alicia. I felt his goodness burning through the pages, as his EVERYDAY Virtues inspire me to aspire for greatness when doing life's simple things.

Perhaps the best tribute of this man came in his passing. So many of his players came back; from Eddie Lebaron to Danny White, Don (MEREDITH), Craig (MORTON) and Roger (STAUBACH) mixed in between. When my day comes to shuffle off, I can only hope that I made a difference in lives as this man did. What a great man!!!! What a great Book!!!

3 of 3 found the following review helpful:

The best all-around portrayal of Landry  Jun 06, 2001
By Roger Edwards

Tom Landry was the first, longest-tenured and most winning coach of the Dallas Cowboys, having guided them to 5 Super Bowls, 9 straight playoff appearances and 20 straight winning seasons -- pro football feats that were unprecedented at the time, and which may never be matched again by a single coach. His tactical innovations on offense and defense changed the strategies and techniques of football as no others have. Landry, arguably the greatest coach in NFL history, was also a great person -- beloved father and husband, decorated war combat veteran, powerhouse in charitable fundraising, unflappable in the face of pressure, and universally respected for his devotion to God and family (without being sanctimonious). In short, Landry was a rare man of rock-solid honor, class, self-discipline and dignity. Landry was also a human with human frailties over which he stumbled at times, a surprisingly sharp sense of humor, and a measure of professional stubbornness which may have undermined his final years with the Cowboys. St. John vividly depicts all these facets of America's Coach in a strong (but not fawning) style.

This is the best and most thorough Landry biography around, despite a few minor flaws. It reveals the many sides of Landry that the fans never saw, including an assortment of interesting personal milestones and events from childhood, college, and the years after his coaching career ended. St. John's presentation engenders a new level of respect and admiration of Landry, even for the fan already familiar with the coach's many accomplishments in football and in life. I finished this book in awe of Landry's personal character, inspired and determined through his example to be a better Christian, husband, father and worker. That is how powerful St. John's portrayal of Landry is.

The broken chronology seemed a little jarring at first -- with the final part of Landry's life depicted in reverse followed by a switch to childhood. In retrospect, though, it yielded a more sweeping perspective of his roots and life than would a strict chronology. The text is blemished slightly by poor editing: for example, a few incorrect scores, several typos and spelling mistakes (mainly with a few players' names). [Otherwise, this would be a solid 5-star assessment.] That aside, St. John's book is mandatory material for any Cowboys fan, and for any aficionado of sports biographies.

1 of 1 found the following review helpful:

A Wonderful Tribute to The Man in The Funny Hat  May 26, 2002
By William "FREDRICK" Cooper
If you are a Dallas Cowboy fan, then you will truly enjoy what Mr. St. John did in this wonderful biography. Having received this book as a birthday present, I completed this touching tome in three days.

During this journey inside of Landry's fedora, anger raced through me as I pictured myself in the bowels of Texas Stadium at the time of Landry's dismissal. That someone who touched so many in spite of his stoicism would be uncerimoniously canned the way he was is one of the greatest travesties this sports world has ever known.

I went with Tom and Alicia Landry back in time, from his days as a defensive mastermind with the New York Giants (can you actually Imagine Tom Landry and Vince Lombardi as assistant coaches? WOW!!! BTW- I'm currently reading my other birthday present - When Pride Still Mattered.) and marveled as his innovative genius. From the 4-3 system he implemented to the "Flex" defense he employed in Dallas, he was ahead of his time.

Reading about the Cowboys through his eyes brought back so many memories. Remember how the offensive line used to do their "Set" in unison after breaking the huddle? How about the Shotgun formation in the 70's? I was almost ten years old when watching the "Hail Mary" break the hearts of many Viking fans in Metropolitan Stadium, even younger on that Thanksgiving Day in 74 when Longley hit Drew Pearson for the winning touchdown. I won a bet with my brother over Super Bowl XII. Having watched all those Green Bay/Cleveland heartbreaks on NFL FILMS on numerous occasions, I found myself rooting for his eventual breakthrough as if I were transported back to the late 60's early seventies. That ICE BOWL loss was something. But as champions do, Landry steered his team through the mental anguish, further adding to his legacy. That he also stayed the course with his father-like image to so many of his players definitely impressed me, for he was cognizant that Professional Football is only a small portion of a man's like. (He later proved this is his last decade on earth after football.)

However the things that touched me the most about this tome is his Christianity and the love he shared with his wife Alicia. I felt his goodness burning through the pages, as his EVERYDAY Virtues inspire me to aspire for greatness when doing life's simple things.

Perhaps the best tribute of this man came in his passing. So many of his players came back; from Eddie Lebaron to Danny White, Don (MEREDITH), Craig (MORTON) and Roger (STAUBACH) mixed in between. When my day comes to shuffle off, I can only hope that I made a difference in lives as this man did. What a great man!!!! What a great Book!!!

1 of 1 found the following review helpful:

A Blinding Tribute to a Great Man  Mar 29, 2002
By Chris K. Wilson "Chris Kent"
It has always been easy to hate the Dallas Cowboys. One can point to their arrogance spawned by an extraordinary success spanning four decades. Perhaps the gruff, bull-like intensity of Tex Schramm was never endearing. The egotistical hillbilly antics of Jerry Jones is certainly a factor. And then there's Michael Irvin, Nate Newton, Duane Thomas, Thomas "Hollywood" Henderson, Jimmy Johnson, Barry Switzer, Don Meredith, Dan Reeves and...my God.....the list never ends.

But it has never been easy to hate Tom Landry. A constant monument for 29 years as head football coach of the Dallas Cowboys, Landry in many ways became the leader of professional football and, more importantly, the community of Dallas. "Landry: The Legend and the Legacy" author Bob St. John embraces this theme with his loving tribute to a man he covered for many years as sportswriter for The Dallas Morning News. Anyone who ever stood in the presence of Mr. Landry could sense his strong character and kind nobility. Bob St. John, undoubtedly, stood in his presence many times and he was certainly blinded by that aura.

I know Tom Landry had his faults, but you will be hard-pressed to find them in "Landry: The Legend and the Legacy." And that's why Bob St. John was the wrong man to author this biography. What a story this would be if a writer from outside of Texas could pen this multi-layered tome. In many ways, a great American is still waiting to be discovered.

But let's not get too negative here. "Landry: The Legend and the Legacy" is a terrific account of the life and times of the one and only Tom Landry - high school football star in Mission, Texas; University of Texas football player and assistant coach; New York Giants defensive back and punter; New York Giants defensive coach; friend and rival (and personal opposite) of Vince Lombardi; head coach of the Dallas Cowboys; loving family man; community volunteer; strong Christian; heartbreaking victim of modern-day business/sports.

Mr. Landry's story is never boring, though one of the most defining moments of his public life - his disturbingly insensitive firing at the hands of Jerry Jones - takes up a large portion of the first quarter of the biography. This is the highlight of the book. Bob St. John (and his editors) would have been better served to tell Landry's story in chronological order.

Certainly the most memorable and harrowing passages of the book are the retelling of those traumatic days leading up to his dismissal - termed the "Saturday Night Massacre" by Dallas sportswriters. These pages (and the long, overly-detailed chapter describing his funeral) should have closed this biography.

The greatness of Tom Landry was, if anything, strengthened by his own handling of his abrupt firing. This is properly detailed by Bob St. John, but once again, far too early in the book. What for many was a professional tragedy of mythic-like proportions, which to this day echoes in the minds of many long-time Dallas residents, should have been left for the closing and final chapters.

"Landry: The Legend and the Legacy" is a loving tribute to Coach Landry. If it was rushed to publication following his death in 2000 (it was), then perhaps after a few years of retrospection, a definitive account of this man's life can be written.

Tom Landry  Dec 29, 2011
By timjim
Tom Landry is a hero to me and I look forward to reading this book about him. His philosophy of "Faith, Family and Football" can be applied to any way of life and he set such a great example for anyone to follow.

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