Recalling Jethro Pugh

Jethro Pugh, a great Dallas Cowboys player, who in 14 seasons (1965-1978) was on playoff qualifying teams 12 times, died this week at age 70.

Those Cowboys’ teams did more than just qualify for the playoffs as they played for the NFL, or at least NFC crown, an incredible 9 times. They won 2 Super Bowls.

Pugh was a classy, modest man, who stood as tall in defeat as any, best exemplified by his handling the disproportionate amount of blame he took for the 1967 NFL championship game loss, which coincidentally was the last time the Cowboys ventured to Green Bay to face the Packers in a playoff game, which they will again tomorrow.

Green Bay’s winning play, a ONE yard touchdown sneak by Bart Starr, featured a key block on Pugh by Jerry Kramer (why is he not in the NFL Hall of Fame?!!).

First of all, it was one yard and the odds are a player will make that one yard, and second, films have indicated Kramer may well have been ahead of the play.

In any case Pugh, who did so much winning handled any adverse publicity with class. One can only hope for half as much from the players involved in tomorrow’s game.