Turn out the lights, the party's over

[Colonel Flagg]

http://sports.espn.go.com/dallas/nfl...ory?id=5890812

[Dimnos]

[Colonel Flagg]

I'm curious, Dim - his wiki states his retirement in 1969 was "unexpected". Did he have a pressing reason that was generally known at the time? It seems a pretty quick segue, career-wise (at least for the times) in going from player to color commentator.

[Pentegarn]

commentary was just plain better in those days than it is now

Soon none of the old greats will be left

[Dimnos]

I always guessed he just wanted to retire while he was at the top of his game. Becoming a commentator was just a way to still be a part of football and get payed. Although my dad always said him and Landry were sort of at odds with each other.

[Colonel Flagg]

Originally Posted by Dimnos

[...] my dad always said him and Landry were sort of at odds with each other.

That would not surprise me. "Dandy Don" was very free-spirited (but in a good way!) while Landry was very much a "by the book" coach. In this day, they would probably get into a fistfight on the sidelines, but things were generally more civil in those days.

Or at least they were able to keep their disagreements quieter due to the dearth of television cameras on the sidelines.