Zelig

Recently I’ve become obsessive with finding out why the Dallas Cowboys of the Tom Landry era would perform a coordinated movement on the offensive line before each play. What I mean is that the center, guard and tackles, and maybe the Tight End, would come to the line, drop into what we’d normally call a pass defense block posture, hold it until Staubach or Morton yelled “Set!� and then they would all rise up to just about a full stand and then all drop to their three or four point stance.

I was usually pulling for their opponents, being a constantly battered NO Saints fan, but I always thought that when they did that move that they were showing their fans and the opposing team a few things. They were disciplined, tough and determined to stick with the little procedure until the game was over.

Let’s face it, after three quarters, that extra movement couldn’t have been fun, but I think it was an intimidation factor as much as anything.
So what’s the story behind it? Why did they start it? Who started it and when did it end and why did it end? Did rules changes ban it as a form of illegal movement?
It sure would be cool to see a team come out like that and do that for a game. I think it would throw the opponent right off their game. It’s like when Bum Phillips and Don Coryell ran the old college option in the pros periodically. NFL teams didn’t prepare for it and it would always keep them off balance.
I’d love to see our great Saints do the old Dallas line thing – it would be so very cool and I think intimidating in our all black uniforms. (Especially if we could wear black helmets with a bright gold fleur-de-lis.) And then with the speed of Reggie Bush, Freddie McAfee and the pounder of the Deuce, we could toss in a few option plays too.

San Diego ran this with Dan Fouts at QB and three backs in a tight trip behind him. A quick read and he’d either free them into pass routes or he’d pitch the ball to chuck Muncie and he’d do the option with the other two.
Anyway, just a few questions and a few ides.