Article:Vermeil: 'I taped Dallas before the NFC Championship in 1981.'

Former Philadelphia Eagles head coach Dick Vermeil admitted yesterday to taping Dallas before his team played in the NFC Championship game on January 11, 1981. "I was a huge fan of the show and I didn't want to miss an episode," said a choked up Vermeil. The coach never publicly talked about the show and its numerous popular characters until now. "J.R. was great but liking a show based in Dallas wasn't going to go over well in Philly." In 1981 the show was in its third season and growing audiences loved it. Vermeil said he often hummed the show's theme song while he studied film in Veterans Stadium. The Eagles went on to beat the Cowboys,20-7, to go to the Super Bowl in 1981 and both NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell and Sen. Arlen Spector of Pennsylvania agreed that taping Dallas before the game gave no advantage to the Eagles. Additionally, both men could not believe that Sue Ellen put up with J.R.'s nonsense for as long as she did.