Conrad Dobler passed away yesterday. I was a Cowboys fan in the 70’s and couldn’t stand the man. I didn’t realize he lived in Kansas City until I heard him on a sports talk show several years ago. He embraced the dirty player tag, but in finding out more about him, I came to be a fan and respect him. His wife was in a freak accident and became a paraplegic. It almost ruined him financially, but the man took care of his wife. Rookie out of college these days make more than guys like Dobler did in their entire career. He had a reputation of being dirty, but IMHO, he turned out to be a pretty good guy
A former vendor of mine had him as a client.
Said he was a really great guy.
He was great on that sports talk show. IT was way back and was on 1610. He was funny as hell. He was basically crippled from playing. But the way he stood by his wife and cared for her until she passed, not caring about the cost, showed me that he may have been a dirty player, but he was a decent human being.
Lots if dirty stuff goes on in football. Especially at the line where it is not clearly visible.
Growing up remember my Father telling me this story. Probably happened in the 1930’s or 40’s. My father’s friend played football and was a defensive lineman, not sure what level of football this was. Anyways, the ball gets snapped and someone spit a wad of tobacco into the guys face. Sure enough once the ball was snapped, it was a running play, Don’t need to say where the opponent ran the ball.
I don’t really remember him. Sounds like the Bill Lambeer of football.
After his career was over, did some commercials for Miller Light.
I guess if you have a schtick, may as well lean into it.
As a Buffalo Bills fan I have fond memories of Dobler in the 1980 season, when he was brought in to lend veteran leadership. In 1981 things didn’t go quite as well, as Dobler was out of control on a Monday Night game against Dallas and got pulled. Bills coach Chuck Knox benched Dobler the following week in the Bills’ road game against the St Louis Cardinals, which was Dobler’s homecoming game to his previous team. That had to hurt. The Bills were throttled in that game too, though Dobler did return to the starting line-up and the Bills did make the playoffs that year. He then retired.
Also, Dobler thought a bit much of himself in my opinion. I remember specifically him writing a book after he retired but prior to the Bills making the playoffs in 1988. Going on memory, he said that that both the Cardinals and Saints had regressed after he left and that the Bills had not made the playoffs since he had retired, and he then attributed that to the impact he had on all of the teams. I can speak for the Bills, and they would have missed the playoffs even if Dobler had played in every one of those non-playoff years.
I just remember him in an interview where he was asked about biting other players. He said it was because their hand was in his facemask.
I couldn’t stand him when he was with the cardinals in the NFC East with Dallas. But I found him on talk radio here, and although it was short, I really liked the guy., And as I had said, despite the reputation he had, what he did for his wife was admirable. He also fought to get more for the players of his era. He was basically crippled in his later years, but they weren’t paid all that well back than. After his wifes accident, he was financially wiped out and he wasn’t going to be able to send his daughter to college. Phil MIckelson (the golfer) heard this and he paid for his daughters college, Yeah, they can all be cocky, but I think time and circumstances mellowed the man. I respected that mellow guy.
My buddy told me the story of when he first met Dobler.
He went into his office and told him he had his book.
Dobler looked at him and said, “oh, your are the other one to buy it”.
I’ve said the very same thing to people.