I havent lived in Dallas for 35 years. It was the right thing for me. After Landry fired me I knew I had to leave. At the time I was so strung out on cocaine I didnt have the faculties to make sense of it all. The addiction intensified and spun out of control. There would always be Cowboys without Henderson. From a team stand point it was a mistake. I played a major role on Doomsday II. My talent didnt get me fired it was my inability to be treated like a 4th grader. I was 26 years old and felt insulted by petty rules and special rules for me. I got really sick with infectious hepatitis from eating shell fish. Training camp of 1979 I didnt workout much cause I was weak after a two week hospital stay. At the beginning of the season Coach Landry called me in for a meeting. He ignored how factually sick I had been and make a rule for me. If I missed any practice I couldnt be in the starting lineup. Early that season we went to Pittsburg to play the steelers. I had the Flu and the Doctor and trainer sent me home one day that week so I missed a practice. Im at my locker dressing when Landry walks over to my locker and said, you missed a practice so you arent starting today. As he walked away I called him back as I was taking off my uniform and said to his face, If I dont start I aint playing. He walked off. Several team mates over heard the verbal altercation. Ten minutes later Landry walks over and says to me, you win this one,you can start today. That was the beginning of my end of being a Dallas Cowboy. The sunday before thanksgiving 1979 we played the Red Skins. A team mate was promoting a rally towel and asked me to show it if I got camera time during game. We were losing game and lost. Coach Tubbs confronted me for mugging cameras while we were losing. I cussed him out and told others where they could go too. That monday morning Landry called my home at 7:00 am. He wanted to meet. I did a gram of cocaine on my way to meeting. I was so tired of him and his rules for me. I basically cussed him out and told him to do himself. I felt picked on . He wanted to put me on waiver and i wouldnt let hm. I quit. Retired. So,49ers who had worst record couldnt claim me off waivers. Dallas got a draft choice for me anyway later. That was my mistake. My last cuss at landry was this, You aint going to no mo superbowls without me. That came to pass. This whole episode was my fault cause I really screwed up. I didnt have the humility or ability to know who the boss was. Honestly though, history shows he made a mistake firing me. History also shows I was an arrogant addicted addict who had no clue of diplomacy. This story is one of the biggest regrets in my life. Landry confessed to me the same 10 years later. When its all said and done Tom Landry is and was a good man. He nor me knew my addiction was front and center that year and in that final meeting. At my 10 year sober celebration Coach landry attended and spoke. He said to me in front of 1500 people that if he had had me my whole career we may have won 5-6 more superbowls. He said that. This story is absolutely true. It was me who screwed it up. I forgot who the Boss was. He forgot how many roles I played on his football team. We were both to blame. TH
Posted on: Fri, 28 Nov 2014 06:00:04 +0000
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