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Re: Could Stabler had played for Lombardi?
Posted: Sat Apr 16, 2016 4:42 pm
by SixtiesFan
Google "Pat Toomay ESPN" for a series of articles Toomay wrote years ago on the team culture of John Madden's Raiders. Toomay couldn't believe how much better it was playing for John Madden than Tom Landry. John McKay, "acerbic and dismissive," was even worse, although the 1976 Bucs 0-14 season was a factor.
I'm not sure if it was in this series, but I recall Toomay saying Stabler, Biletnikoff, Upshaw, etc couldn't have played in Dallas.
Re: Could Stabler had played for Lombardi?
Posted: Sat Apr 16, 2016 5:39 pm
by 7DnBrnc53
Stabler could play for Lombardi, but I don't think he could have played for Paul Brown, who was an uptight a** who seemed to want to control the lives of his players.
Re: Could Stabler had played for Lombardi?
Posted: Sat Apr 16, 2016 6:44 pm
by JoeZagorski
7DnBrnc53 wrote:Stabler could play for Lombardi, but I don't think he could have played for Paul Brown, who was an uptight a** who seemed to want to control the lives of his players.
I agree wholeheartedly with that statement.
Joe Zagorski
Re: Could Stabler had played for Lombardi?
Posted: Sat Apr 16, 2016 6:47 pm
by conace21
Stabler wasn't that different from Jurgensen or the Golden Boy in terms of the off field lifestyle. Stabler definitely could have played for Lombardi.
Lombardi always demanded toughness, and Stabler showed that he had that by playing so long with such bad knees.
Stabler was no less an effective leader than Starr, though they had radically different styles. When Stabler spoke in the huddle, his teammates listened. And few remained cooler under pressure.