Nixon White House Tapes — Conversation 015-124
Date: Tuesday, November 23, 1971 at 6:10 PM
Participants: Nixon, Richard M. (President); White House operator; Allen, George E.; Nixon, Richard M. (President); White House operator; Allen, George E.
Recording device: White House Telephone
Source: https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/015-124

This transcript was generated automatically by AI (WhisperX) and has not been reviewed for accuracy. Do not cite it as authoritative.

[0:00] Hello.
[0:01] Mr. President, I have Mr. George Allen here.
[0:05] Yeah.
[0:06] Mr. President, sir.
[0:07] Hello.
[0:07] Mr. President.
[0:07] I just hope that my visit helped your team a little, George.
[0:10] I'll tell you what.
[0:11] We had a great practice today.
[0:13] Did you?
[0:13] Good.
[0:13] Good.
[0:14] You know, on Tuesday, you have bumps and bruises.
[0:17] Yeah.
[0:17] Sore.
[0:18] Gosh, I can see that.
[0:21] And then after a loss, you know, it's even... Oh, boy.
[0:24] Depressing.
[0:24] But we really had a fine practice and...
[0:29] The feeling throughout the team was that it was just so great of you to take time to come with them, and you were with us for about 40 minutes.
[0:42] Latham remarked to me that they were amazed that you knew so much about him, you see.
[0:48] And then I told Pat Fisher I have a meeting with the defense every day after practice.
[0:53] We meet before practice and after practice.
[0:54] I told Pat Fisher that you asked about him right at the end there.
[0:58] That's right.
[0:58] I saw him over there.
[0:59] And that you wanted to say something to him.
[1:04] I thought it went very, very well.
[1:07] And everything was...
[1:10] And I wanted to make sure that you met... Well, you handled it extremely well, I thought, with meeting.
[1:15] I was so glad to meet so many of the guys, too.
[1:19] So that there wouldn't be any say, well, you need to meet this guy or that guy.
[1:23] That's right.
[1:24] And I thought it was good, too.
[1:27] One thing I did want to do was to build up those offensive linemen, you know.
[1:30] It was tremendous.
[1:32] Because they are the unsung heroes, and unless they open those holes and...
[1:36] and protect that pass or you aren't going to make it.
[1:38] I tell you what I did, I got all the offensive linemen together and I said, you know what?
[1:43] I said, you guys arranged this with the president, see?
[1:47] And I said, I'll be gosh darned.
[1:49] I said, how many people will get a plug around here of the offensive linemen?
[1:54] And I said, well, if we win the next four games, we'll have to take the presence of vice and give you all a raise.
[2:00] And they all got a big kick out of that.
[2:02] So that was great for them because they have been taking a beating.
[2:05] Oh, they're playing against the toughest.
[2:06] Yeah, and see, our line is not as big as some of the lines.
[2:10] It's agile, but it's not as...
[2:13] big and strong.
[2:14] I met Jim Snowden today.
[2:15] Well, he's only about 235 pounds.
[2:19] Well, let me say that against the Eagles, it seems to me, having seen the last game,
[2:27] time you would open them up though, don't you think?
[2:30] I think so.
[2:31] They were awfully good defensively last time, as I recall, but I just can't believe that they can hold you this time.
[2:36] Well, what we did is we gave them the ball, so we threw four interceptions.
[2:40] Oh, that's right.
[2:40] That's what did it.
[2:41] We're not going to do that this time.
[2:43] And then we fumbled Larry Brown, fumbled twice.
[2:45] I know.
[2:45] I know.
[2:46] That won't happen.
[2:47] Won't happen.
[2:48] I think that, in fact, even my coaches, when we were finishing up with our showers, the coaches said,
[2:56] I don't know what made practice so good today, but... And one of them said, well, the president was here.
[3:06] Because I have been giving them Tuesday off.
[3:09] Yeah, I've heard that, yeah.
[3:10] Because we've had so many injuries, and it's the first time we've worked out probably in three weeks.
[3:15] I was going to show you around the whole facility, but I didn't.
[3:20] No.
[3:20] Well, I had a 3 o'clock appointment, George, so I had to get back.
[3:23] But I'll see you again someday.
[3:25] We've got a nice setup out here to help us win.
[3:27] Yeah, it's beautiful.
[3:28] And we don't have the distractions, you see.
[3:30] Nope.
[3:30] That's right.
[3:30] People come out.
[3:31] That's right.
[3:32] Are you going to try to come to the giant game?
[3:34] Well, the giant game is a possibility if I'm in town.
[3:38] But as I told you, the main thing you can count on me is when you need me, you see.
[3:42] This is the week, huh?
[3:44] Boy, I think this...
[3:45] Being there today was a heck of a lift.
[3:48] Well, I'll tell you, before you, and you're going to win this week, I can assure you.
[3:52] And you'll win next week.
[3:54] You beat the Giants.
[3:55] I mean, you can't, two scramblers have done you in, but Tarkenden won't do you in.
[4:02] Just rushing from the outside.
[4:05] You know what we're going to do?
[4:06] I told Kilmer, I said, I want you to open the ballgame with a screen.
[4:09] That's right.
[4:10] Against the Eagles.
[4:12] So listen, when we open that ballgame with a screen pass, it's going to be your play.
[4:17] Oh, boy.
[4:19] Well, okay.
[4:19] All right, George.
[4:21] Thanks a million.