Texas Tidbits : Thomas Wade Landry

Any football fan worth his salt knows the name of the first coach of the Dallas Cowboys. The word "legend" is over-used on most occasions, but Tom Landry is a Legend, with a capital "L". He is the third winningest coach in NFL history with 270 lifetime wins, 2 Super Bowl Titles, 13 Division Titles, 20 consecutive winning seasons, an NFL record that may never be broken, a record 20 playoff wins and two Coach of the Year Awards. The man was a star player for the New York Giants and before that was a defensive stand out for the University of Texas. To bestow
"Legend" status on Tom Landry simply because of his achievements in football would be insulting to a great man off the field as well. Landry joined the Army Air Forces in World War II and as wikipedia.com tells us,"Landry earned his wings and a commission as a Second Lieutenant at Lubbock Army Air Field, and was assigned to the 493d Bombardment Group at RAF Debach, England, as a B-17 Flying Fortress bomber co-pilot in the 860th Bomb Squadron. From November 1944 to April 1945, he completed a combat tour of 30 missions, and survived a crash landing in Belgium after his bomber ran out of fuel." Thomas Wade Landry was a True Texan, a man forged of a hotter fire. He was also a devout Christian and was a not ashamed to say so when asked about it, but he was not one to push his religious beliefs on others. Coach Landry demanded excellence and dedication from his players and coaching staff, but he also demanded the same, if not more, of himself. The stoic man you see in the photo above is of a Coach who not only set records in the NFL, but left a lasting impression on many of the men who played for him as well as just plain old folks who came into contact with him in daily life. Quick story : my sister wanted to give her then-husband a special gift for his birthday one year, an autographed football from the Dallas Cowboys. She called the Cowboys' office in Dallas and set up an appointment. When she got there, she was invited into Coach Landry's office, where he talked to her for a few minutes then handed her an NFL football signed by the Dallas Cowboy players and Coach Tom Landry. That's the Tom Landry I know about. And before you get the idea that I am a fanboi  of the Cowboys, stop right there. I am 54 years old and have been a Green Bay Packers fan for almost 50 years.I salute Tom Landry not as a Coach, but as a Man. A good, decent man of Faith. Football is secondary considering the Man.

Texas Tidbits : The Six Flags of Texas

The Lone Star flag of Texas is instantly recognized by people all over the world as the defining symbol of our state. However, the same people probably don't know that the flags of six sovereign nations have flown over Texas, dating back to the 1500's. I would imagine that that is true for the vast majority of non-Texans. If you were to mention "six flags" and "Texas" in the same breath, non-Texans would say something like: "I've been there and I rode the roller coaster eight times!", thinking of the amusement park, Six Flags Over Texas, not the history of the state. Even if ignorant of our history, non-Texans (or "foreginers" a I call them :D) know the state flag. Here's a quick primer for our non-Texan friends. Study up and soon you can impress even Native Texans with your knowledge of the rich history of Texas.                                                                                                                                                                                     Spain was the first European country to claim Texas as their own, way back in 1519 by Hernando Cortez. The Spanish flag flew over Texas until 1685 when the land was claimed by the French. The French had control of Texas for only five years, when in 1690, the Spanish took over Texas again, this time until 1821 when Mexico declared independence from Spain.

From 1685 to 1690, the nation of France took over Texas from the Spaniards. But, the French ruled over Texas for only five years, then, as what has come to be expected of the Frogs, they tucked tail and ran, allowing Spain to once again call Texas theirs.

The Spanish rule of Texas this go 'round lasted until 1821 when Mexico declared its independence from the Mother Country, and Texas became a state of Mexico. The citizens of Texas didn't cotton to the iron-fisted rule of Santa Ana and on March 2, 1836, told him to shove it up his sombrero.

From 1836 to 1845, Texas was an independent nation and in 1839 the Lone Star Flag as we know it, became the official flag of the Republic of Texas. Texas gained statehood on December 29, 1845 and became a part of the United States.

With the advent of the Civil War in 1861, Texas seceded from the Union and was a member of the Confederate States of America for four years. After the War of Northern Aggression ended in 1865, Texas was eventually re-admitted to the United States.

And the rest , as they say, is history.

Texas Tidbits : Lost Maples No Longer Lost

The world today is a rat race and the rats are winning, as the old saying goes. From time to time we all need a place to escape to, to recharge the old batteries and not have to travel too far from home. I have found such a place. Lost Maples State Natural Area near Vanderpool in the Hill Country. It's a 5 to 6 hour drive from Dallas, depending on the route you take. Personally, I would take I-35 South to Highway 16 and head west to Vanderpool. Wild Texas' website tells us that "Lost Maples is "Located along the Sabinal River in the heart of the Texas Hill Country, 2,208-acre Lost Maples State Natural Area is an inspiring mixture of sheer limestone cliffs, deep canyons, dense woodlands, and numerous clear streams." Numerous clear streams? I'm in. FishFearMe. As I was looking for info on Lost Maples, I came across a website belonging to Brian Greenstone. Brian has some great tips for you so you'll have a game plan before you leave home. Remember, luck favors a prepared mind. The mad rush of summer vacation season is over, so a trip to Lost Maples during the week (weekends would be too busy for me) would be ideal for fishin' and camping in the 2200+ acre park, especially if the kids have a break from school for a few days. On the way home you could make a planned stop in San Antonio for some Mexican food and a visit to Texas' version of the Vatican, the Alamo. What a great trip to make. Lost Maples State Natural Area ain't so lost after all.

Three States Extra! A Blog is Born

A Home for Dumbasses

I am very happy to announce to the world (or at least to you and the other guy who reads this stuff) that my newest failure to be blog, Dumbass News, makes its who gives a damn much-anticipated debut today! I have written something really lame an introduction post to that gives you the Cliff's Notes version of what the deal is. I'll have an honest-to-goodness Dumbass News story up later today that will that'll make your chin hit the floor when you read it, especially if you are married or are in a committed relationship. It's that stupid. I guarantee that you'll laugh, cry and wonder why the heck you clicked the link to the story, which is the purpose of the link anyway. I think it's only fair to warn you before you click over, that Dumbass News makes liberal use of "colorful metaphors" (cussin') and may not be safe for work or kids or those who are offended by such language. If I had to rate the site like they do movies, Dumbass News would be rated PG-13, R at worst. In my dumbass professional opinion, it's pretty damn funny, too. But then again, I wrote it and I'd lie like a cheap rug in order to get a few blog hits. Click on over and have a look and let me know what you think.If nothing else, we'll have a boatload of fun. I'll see you there!

Working On the New Blog & Best of TSPO Sunday

Vs TCU for the Title?

Yesterday I made a Big Announcement about a new blogging endeavor I am undertaking. I am gonna spend some significant time today watching football tweaking the new digs (<----hint,hint) and gathering stories for the Big Debut tomorrow. Taking that into account, I have picked out some of the "best" (I am trying hard not to laugh here) and most-read (that is, somebody  besides my wife actually read it) posts from the past for you. So, grab your Pepto Bismol and enjoy endure what you can on a Best of Three States Plus One Sunday!

• Texas Tidbits : Remember When... - Cheap gas, neighborhood kids' baseball and when going out to eat was a treat.
• Maine Minutiae : I Saw the Future Ge On a Bus Today - I have faith that the future of our country is in good hands because I saw it (the future) get on the school bus today. 
• Colorado Chronicles : Caught - Me and God, we be mates.

A couple of football notes : Three words : Texas.Longhorns.Defense. Those guys are brutal. Holding Texas Tech to less than 200 yards total offense? And they are a very young defense. I'm sure the rest of the Big 12 is just thrilled to hear that. Texas 24   Texas Tech 14  Hook 'em! Next victim, UCLA at DKR-Texas Memorial Stadium, Saturday, September 25, 2:30 (CDT) on ABC. In the NFL, the Dallas Cowboys are home at the House That Jerry Built to tangle with the Monsters of the Midway, the Chicago Bears. Kickoff is at Noon, CDT on Fox. Here in the Northeast, the New England Patriots are in the Big Apple to battle the Jets in the late game (4:15 EDT) on CBS. The rest of the NFL schedule can be found here. Have a goodern, y'all and thanks for reading Three States Plus One!

Plus One : Christmas Comes Early! Or Not.

I have some sickening exciting news for you today! I am putting together another blog! There is a reason for this. I find myself at times drifting away from the original purpose of Three States Plus One, to the point where it was morphing into a whole other animal. Add to that the fact that I wanted a bit more "flexibility" to cover more material and be able to add some more "me" to the posts. As you may have noticed (clearing throat), I have some pretty strong opinions on life and the issues that it entails, and I feel like I could better express those opinions in a bit more "open" format. You'll also note that I have leaned a bit more towards what I call "Dumbass News", like this or this. Posting "Dumbass News" is all well and good but I'd like to keep the content on Three States as close to its format as possible. That doesn't mean that the occasional "dumbass post" will ride off into the sunset, it just means I am gonna try to refrain from posting them so often. HOWEVER, the new blog will cover all sorts of "dumbass topics", like stupid news (the guy who found a rocket launcher in his garden), some political dumbassery (anything about liberals) and just every day ordinary dumbass-itis. I feel that in the new format, I can cut loose a little more and air my thoughts on just about anything. I want Three States to still be a place you visit and I'll work my ass off to keep it a place you want to visit. The new place will be more of  no-holds-barred atmosphere, where I can, maybe, make you laugh out loud, provoke you to think, and get you (or somebody) mad as hell. That's the way I roll. I also have a surprise for you. Close your eyes. Now open them. Surprise!!! A sneak peek at the new place!!! Remember, the new joint is still under construction and won't be ready for launch until Monday, I hope. There are no posts up yet, just the makings of a Home Page, but it looks pretty cool. Let me know what you think in the comment section here on Three States or on Facebook. I am not averse to criticism or new ideas, so lay it on me! If I can get the new site up and running before Monday, I'll be sure to post about it on Facebook, Twitter, Buzz, etc. Stay tuned!!! And Merry Christmas. Kind of.

Thanks,
Toby

Plus One : We the People...

Visions of Freedom

On the heels of my 54th birthday yesterday, I had planned to get back to a regular blogging schedule. That is until Jerry Hunt reminded me on Facebook that today is Constitution Day. On this day in 1787, thirty-nine brave men signed what is, arguably, the most important piece of paper (other than biblical documents,etc) in the history of mankind. A document so powerful, that it changed the course of human history. The thirty-nine men who signed the Constitution had, like the signers of the Declaration of Independence, said in essence, "And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes, and our sacred Honor." Read these words and digest them for a moment : " We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.". When strung together, those fifty-one words have been the beacon of freedom, liberty and self-determination for literally billions of people throughout the world, people yearning to experience these most basic, yet most instinctual of human rights. It is ingrained by God in the soul of man that man live his life without government intervention into the minutiae of its citizens' daily lives. In reading the Constitution, I see nothing about the Federal Government being the National Daddy for the American people, yet our elected representatives time and again ram through/or try to ram through legislation that an overwhelming number or a clear majority of Americans oppose (Obama Care or amnesty for illegal aliens, anyone?) The Founding Fathers, I think, would be most unhappy about such things. Thomas Jefferson said, "A wise and frugal government, which shall leave men free to regulate their own pursuits of industry and improvement, and shall not take from the mouth of labor the bread it has earned - this is the sum of good government." But, that's an argument for another day. My whole point here is that we are a damn fine nation founded by some damn fine men, whose vision of their newly created country was, indeed, visionary. To those men, we owe nothing less than our " pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes, and our sacred Honor." God bless our founders and may God continue to bless America.