AboutFred Goodwin Expertise My particular expertise is Cowboys history from 1960-1988 (the Landry era); I'm also a Cowboys book fanatic (I have almost 200 different Cowboys-related titles), and I also collect Cowboys football cards (but stopped in 93). But I am not an expert in the value of cards or collectibles – so please don't ask.
Before you ask: "So-and-so" almost certainly DID NOT PLAY for the Cowboys -- trust me! Before you ask me, ask the guy for proof!
Finally, I DO NOT ANSWER “PRIVATE” QUESTIONS! My work requires research, so the results must be made public.
Experience I had a Cowboys webpage recognized around the Internet as the authoritative list of Cowboys links, and I have a Cowboys book collection second to none (200 titles). In addition to my book collection, I have every Cowboys media guide back to 1960, which makes researching questions much easier.
Expert: Fred Goodwin Date: 9/2/2006 Subject: Dallas - Thanksgiving day game
Question How did the "Dallas Cowboys" acquire the 2nd Thanksgiving day classic football game back in 1966, as opposed to "another" NFL team?
I understand the Lions history, but do not have a realistic reply for Dallas.
Answer In the 60s, with the popularity of the NFL increasing on TV, the NFL looked around for another city to host a game on Thanksgiving Day, in order to give the NFL a Turkey Day Double Header.
None of the other NFL cities were willing to host the game, because of the potential disruption to their normal Sunday game schedule, especially coming late in the year when the playoffs were right around the corner (the NFL played only 14 games then, with the final regular season game coming in mid December).
But Tex Schramm, ever watchful for anything that would promote the popularity of the Cowboys, immediately saw the potential of Dallas hosting a Thanksgiving Day game, and how it might become a tradition like the Detroit Lions had established.
So Dallas agreed to host the game when no other NFL team would do it. It immediately became a fan favorite on TV.
Ironically, a decade later other teams complained to the NFL that Dallas' hosting the game, and the resultant 10-day break after the game, gave the Cowboys an advantage that other teams didn't enjoy.
So the NFL moved the '75 and '76 games to St. Louis. But fans responded with a lack of viewership, so CBS (the NFL's TV network back in the 60s) and the NFL asked Dallas to once again agree to host the game.
After the NFL merged with the AFL, NBC (the TV network for the AFL / AFC) also wanted to host a Thanksgiving Day game, and split the double header with CBS.
So the NFL agreed that, although Dallas and Detroit would still host a game, one of the teams would host an AFC team, and one would host an NFC team. NBC would broadcast the game in which either Dallas or Detroit hosted the AFC team. So Dallas hosts an AFC team every other year.
By the way, Tex Schramm agreed that Dallas would once again host a Thanksgiving Day game on the condition that the NFL never again move it. So despite the occasional complaint by other teams, Dallas has hosted a Thanksgiving Day game ever since.
