February 10 2023
https://www.dallascowboys.com/news/spagnola-shedding-tears-during-nfl-honors

Back when he was just a kid, Chuck Howley's
son, Scott, without ever seeing his dad play
linebacker for the Cowboys, knew his career
had been something special.

He had read the stats, the accolades, & most
of all knowing Chuck Howley is the only player
in NFL history to be named Super Bowl Most
Valuable Player from a losing team. That was
back in 1970, when the Cowboys lost Super
Bowl V to the Baltimore Colts, 16-13, in their
first of five appearances that decade.

So the young Howley, like in middle school, took
matters into his own hands. He knew Chuck's
teammates, like Bob Lilly and Mel Renfro, had
been inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame
by 1981. Why, the Cowboys thought so much of
his dad, Howley became the 4th Cowboys player, ...

.... along with Lilly, Don Perkins & Don Meredith,
inducted into their very own Ring of Honor by
1977.

.... "I remember as a kid I wrote a letter to the Hall
of Fame at one point," Scott said, advocating for
his dad's cause, not exactly knowing the protocol
of how the vetting process works with the now
49-member voting committee.

"And I got a response, and they said he's always
had enough votes to stay on the ballot, but he never
really advanced beyond that."

Well, finally, at long-deserving last, Chuck Howley
has advanced all the way to Canton, Ohio, now 45
years later since his first year of eligibility, thanks
to the Senior Committee nomination, with the Pro
Football Hall of Fame announcement coming on
Thursday night during the nationally televised NFL
Honors show.

It is bittersweet.

Sweet that Howley, along with Cowboys defensive
end DeMarcus Ware, became the 21st and 22nd
members of the franchise heading into the Hall
of Fame, the ceremony scheduled for Aug. 5. The
committee finally righted a long-standing wrong,
the late Cowboys head coach and Hall of Famer ...

.... himself Tom Landry saying back then, "I don't
know if I've ever seen anybody better at linebacker
than Howley."

Finally, at least 80 percent of this year's voting com-
mittee agreed.

.... But the somewhat bitter part: At 86 years old & in
the late stages of dementia, Chuck Howley was un-
able to be in Phoenix for the ceremony, to hear his
name called in person, to walk onto that stage, one
of nine members in the Class of 2023 ... .

.... Now, the Hall of Fame came to the Howley's home
about a month ago to officially inform Chuck & fam-
ily members he was going into the Hall. And several
Gold Jacket Cowboys arrived for the announcement:
Roger Staubach, Bob Lilly, Cliff Harris, Mel Renfro,
along with Lee Roy Jordan & Charlie Waters.

.... "Roger came in and told Dad, 'Hey, you made it into
the Hall of Fame.' I think he understood," Scott said.

~~~

Alzheimer's disease
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alzheimer%27s_disease

--- --- ---