Nixon phone call with Allen on Washington Redskins and Dallas Cowboys

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Hello.

Mr. Allen, sir.

Hello, Mr. President.

George, how do you feel?

Oh, I feel great.

It's nice to hear from you.

I saw the game and I was in Florida and saw it on television.

We played a great defensive game, Mr. President.

We just, we weren't on defense, we were on offense, you see, and we just...

dictated to them and had them confused and bewildered.

And we really gave them a lesson in how to play brutal physical defense.

You know, Brockington's long run was three yards, and he had to break a tackle to make that.

Can you imagine that?

Here's a guy that made 1,027 yards.

He's a great runner, too.

Yeah, a great back.

And we held him to nine yards the entire ballgame.

And his long run was three yards.

How do you think you'll do against Hill?

Boy, I tell you, this is the best.

See, this team is tougher than any of the Super Bowl teams that'll get in the finals.

They're the best team in football.

Who?

Dallas.

They're the best team in football.

And we're going to have to play over our heads to beat them.

And we're going to have to score more points.

What about Staubach?

Do you think he's going to start?

I think they'll start him.

Although if they don't start him, we know he'll play and he gives them another dimension.

He can really run if he has to.

Yeah, right.

He didn't run much against the Browns because they didn't want to get him hurt.

Yeah, right.

You'll be more prepared this time, huh?

I think so.

Yeah, I think so.

Well, of course, we weren't emotional for that game.

We had already wrapped up the election, so to speak.

And they were high because they had to beat us to make the playoffs.

But we can beat them.

We can beat them.

What's the situation on the physical condition of the boys, how they all feel?

Well, Larry ran well today.

We worked out on the AstroTurf today, and Larry ran, I thought, better than I anticipated.

He's still limping.

That's Larry Brown.

But you're not going to play AstroTurf.

You're going to play grass, yeah.

You prefer that?

Yeah, skewer injuries.

And the players take it.

knee pounding, you know, just like running on the boards indoors.

You know, you get your legs sore and shit.

Is Wilbur going to be able to play?

He's still passing a little blood, but it's every morning he has a test of the urine, but we think he's got a chance to play.

He worked out, but he's got to take it easy.

He can't have any contact.

Right.

He got kicked in the kidneys.

Boy, that's rough, rough, rough.

But I think we'll be in as good a shape as we can be.

And Talbert's sprained an ankle.

Oh, did he?

Yeah, and Biggs.

But do you think Talbert will be all right?

Well, he's got to be.

These guys, they just...

If you have to, no matter what you have to do, they've got to get ready.

Right.

How about Biggs?

Biggs has sprained an ankle also, and it's the same ankle sprain he's had for two or three weeks, but it slows him down.

But they'll play.

They won't be as active, you know.

And those big guys, when they hurt their legs, it bothers them more, you know.

But Dallas has got a few problems.

They've got...

Well, they'll start him to keep his string intact, you know, and how effective he'll be, I don't know.

But can you come to the game?

Well, I probably can't, George.

I've got a few things I have to do, but don't worry, I'll be watching.

You know, you'll get a kick out of this.

I told this to the squad today.

I said, you know what?

I said, Dallas is a defending world champ.

But I'll tell you one thing.

If we want this game badly enough, if everyone in this room wants this game badly enough, no matter what they do, they can't get it.

No matter what they do on offense or defense, they can't beat us if we want it badly enough.

And you may want it more than they do.

And that's the other thing.

I said, we should want it more than they do because they're the defending champ.

That's right.

And then I told him, I said, I want to see how alert you guys are.

I said, there were two reporters in the dressing room after the game that were upset because we won.

You could tell it, and you could tell the way they wrote it.

And I said, I just want you to... Yeah, that's right.

You know, as a matter of fact, you read these goddamn reporters, and you'd think they don't really...

They sort of don't want Washington to win.

That's right.

And I said...

It's a damnedest thing.

And I said, don't think that these guys...

necessarily your friends they're only interested in you to get some information to help them do their job see and uh so then a couple of players said yes there were two guys in there that were really upset because we win it was so obvious you know you got to keep hammering that into them otherwise they those guys can bother you you know that's right never never let them let the press bother you just go on and you know play your best yeah you'll win it so uh

Well, I tell you what, Mr. President, when we win, and I mean this with all sincerity, I really feel that what you gave us last year, they all feel that, that we have, sure, we're playing for, you know, everyone's playing for their own interest, but they also feel they've got an obligation to the capital, you know, and to

And it's more than just playing for the Chicago Bears or the Rams, see?

Right.

And we're trying to use that, you see?

That's good.

For whatever it's worth.

And I think there's something there, see?

Right.

Well, the main thing is don't get any of them hurt this week, you know?

Well, I tell you what.

If you can avoid that.

Yeah, if we can just...

This is going to be the toughest game of all.

Keep everybody well.

Yeah.

And...

Well, Dallas isn't going to jump off the 21-0 lead this time in any event.

We're going to have to be physical with them.

They've got the most talent of any team in football.

Oh, that's right.

You know, another thing is we've got some Texans on our team.

I said, I want to tell you one thing.

I said, I don't want to offend anyone, but I hate the state of Texas.

I hate those big cowboy hats.

I hate Dallas more than any team in football.

And I said, I hope everyone in this room hates Dallas as much as I do.

And I said, why do you think the Pro Bowl is in Dallas this year?

I said, it's...

It's a deal between Tex Ram and Roselle, see?

That's true, too.

Sure it is, see?

It's all... And so I want them to feel that way, you see?

Right.

And because if you don't get that little of that heat, then you're shaking hands with those guys.

That's right.

Well, you just, you know, keep them cool, and if whatever happens, don't let them...

get discouraged.

And, you know, one thing I do hope that Bragg and your field goalkeeper, if they do half as well as I did, they were at their best, good God.

I mean, they were fantastic.

They came through.

They were just beautiful.

Take Bragg, nobody.

Very few mention him, but those kicks of his probably made the difference in the damn game.

That's right.

That's exactly right.

He boomed them out there when it counted.

I gave him a clock radio today.

Did you?

As an award, yeah.

I gave him a clock radio.

He's a good boy, is he?

Yeah, he's a good boy.

Right.

And night finally came through.

Yeah.

He just put his head down and hit the damn ball through the uprights.

And his kickoffs were out of the end zone.

I know.

Right.

So the fans...

Mr. Preston were fantastic.

They were, I've never seen fans like this.

Not even in L.A.?

No, all better than L.A. Really?

Yeah, much better.

I guess it's maybe the acoustics in our stadium compared to the Coliseum, you know.

They were just something.

Well, they hadn't won for so many years or two.

Well, anyway, you'll have a hell of a game.

We wish you well.

Win or lose, we're for you, okay?

Thank you, and let me know when you'd like to come.

All right.

We'd love to have you.

I'll be there when you need me.

Well, regards to Mrs. Nixon.

All right.

Good luck.

Thank you.

Nixon phone call with Allen on Washington Redskins and Dallas Cowboys

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Nixon Library Finding Aid

Also recorded on December 26, 1972

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