NORTH DALLAS AFTER FORTY

There was a sequel to the book, which was also written by Peter Gent, the author of North Dallas Forth. I read the book, North Dallas After Forty, and it is a total train wreck. It's a glop of conspiracy theroies and leftover material from the first book mixed into an updated plot. Needless to say, that wouldn't provide much for a movie sequel. Combine that with the fact that the movie wasn't huge hit (I LOVED it...I've seen it about twenty times, but that's my opinion)with the critics and I doubt if you could get much of the original cast back together. Besides, it's been nearly thirty years since this film was made, so the general public would have to be resold on the film again. I seriously doubt if a sequel will ever be made of this film, though don't count out a remake.

I was 11 years old living in Texas, and therefore a huge football and Cowboy fan when 'North Dallas Forty' was originally released in the summer of '79. So, like a lot of fans of 'America's Team' in Texas, and across the country, I was extremely angry and offended by how the media described the film, as a scathing indictment of not only the Dallas Cowboy's organization, but professional football as well. And, I vowed then, to never ever watch that blasphemous film that dared criticized the sacred sport of football and its most important team.

I guess, I was in a rather sacrilegious mood when I later watched 'North Dallas Forty' on cable some 15 years after its original theatrical release. And, to my surprise, became a big fan of the movie. Watching it every chance that I could when it was re-broadcasted.

Unfortunately, I think the window for a potential sequel which continues the story line of Nick Nolte's character (Phil Elliot). Or, at least one of the main characters of the original film. Like Mac Davis's colorful character (Seth Maxell/Don Meredith for example) closed sometime in the mid-late 80's.

The Seth Maxell/Don Meredith story might have been an interesting way to go with the sequel? After all, Don Meredith was a far more talented and famous player than Peter Gent ever was, who was forced to retire early from his professional football career (and later went into broadcasting) due to the constant criticism by the local media and fans for not winning a championship. While ignoring the fact that Meredith was constantly playing with severe injuries that nearly caused his early demise (on a few occasions) while on the grid iron during those heavily criticized failed championship runs.

However, like I mentioned before, the opportunity to make that type of sequel to the original movie (that people could still relate too) has probably ended some 25-30 years ago.

Therefore, I'm recommending a movie based on ex-Cowboy player Thomas Henderson's '87 autobiographical novel "Out of Control: Confessions of an NFL Casualty" as the main source material for a sequel to 'North Dallas Forty'.

For those of you who don't know? Thomas Henderson was the extraordinarily athletic and media-darling strong side linebacker for the Dallas Cowboys from '75-'79. Who was on the cover of Time Magazine in January of '79 for an article on Super Bowl 13. But, was later released the next season from the Cowboys in November of '79 for erratic play due to drug abuse. Then wound up playing in only a few games with other NFL teams until retiring after a career ending neck injury in '81.

So, in other words, he was at the pinnacle of success in the NFL just 7 months prior to North Dallas Forty's original release in August of '79, and at its lowest depths just 3 months afterwards.

And, let me tell you, the stuff Thomas Henderson covers in his personal account of his experience in the NFL, makes 'North Dallas Forty' controversial indictment of the Cowboy's organization and professional football as a whole, look like a white wash by comparison.

Most of the events in Thomas Henderson's book take place during the mid-late 70's, just before the over-the-top deifying worship of football players and professional athletes in general began in the 80's by means of new cable channels like ESPN and HBO for example. That served to heavily augment the local sports news and talk radio that already existed at the time, along with national magazine articles commenting on games and sports celebrities leading up to national TV broadcasts of the games of the week. Eventually growing into the constant bombardment of sports media entertainment monster that exists today.

So, one can perhaps imagine that the mine field of problems and worldly temptations that players are constantly confronted with, and have to negotiate through to maintain not only an athletic career, but a normal sense of humanity has only increased exponentially as a result of their athletic accomplishments since Peter Gent's or Thomas Henderson's NFL careers in the 60's and 70's.

The cinematic version of Thomas Henderson's "Out of Control" can also serve as an explanation for why celebrated athletes on all levels get themselves caught-up in so many controversial and tragic events ranging from the goofy, love myself behavior of Terrell Owens, to drug overdoses of young athletes in professional and collegiate sports, to murder convictions. That is if the modern mass-media actually had an interest in educating the public about the people and the sports organizations that they worship?(which, apparently they don't)

So, to sum up, I imagine the sequel to North Dallas Forty as staying true to the overall theme of the movies scathing indictment of the NFL, its players, coaches and the owners directly involved in putting on the weekly gladiatorial show. Rather than a simple continuation of the characters depicted in North Dallas Forty that are now out dated and largely forgotten.

Along with an indictment of the over-the-top mass media coverage that's responsible for over-hyping the importance to gigantic proportions the sporting events, without providing one iota of "REAL" insightful information concerning the actual day-to-day operations of the organizations and athletes themselves.

And, if someone was to use Thomas Henderson's "Out of Control" as the main source material for a kind of sequel to "North Dallas Forty"? Then I imagine the movie beginning with an over middle aged ex-NFL star who played for a franchise in Dallas, TX as the main character. Who, after being the keynote speaker of an anti-drug and alcohol seminar is listening to a sports talk radio program, or watching a TV satellite channel debating (ad-nausem) the most recent "controversial" conduct by the latest and greatest batch of sports celebrities. Causing him in turn, to reflect on his own conduct during his professional career back in the day.

Sort of like, "The Raging Bull" meets "Any Given Sunday". And, I hope that you're listening Hollywood?!? After all, I'm giving away these great ideas for free.