{"id":7161,"date":"2017-01-06T00:57:04","date_gmt":"2017-01-06T05:57:04","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/newsinteractive.post-gazette.com\/thedigs\/?p=7161"},"modified":"2017-01-06T11:09:35","modified_gmt":"2017-01-06T16:09:35","slug":"can-terry-bradshaw-spell-cat-the-history-of-an-insult","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/newsinteractive.post-gazette.com\/thedigs\/2017\/01\/06\/can-terry-bradshaw-spell-cat-the-history-of-an-insult\/","title":{"rendered":"Can Terry Bradshaw spell ‘cat?’ The history of an insult"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Terry <\/a>
Terry Bradshaw mugs for the camera. (Morris Berman\/Post-Gazette) <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"Hollywood <\/a>
Hollywood Henderson romps in the waves (Morris Berman\/Post-Gazette) <\/div> <\/div>
\"Art <\/a>
Art Rooney with granddaughter Duffy, age 15. (Morris Berman\/Post-Gazette) <\/div> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"Tony <\/a>
Tony Dorsett, Pitt grad and Dallas running back, surrounded by admirers (Morris Berman\/Post-Gazette) <\/div> <\/div>
\"Fans <\/a>
Fans at the Steelers hotel. (Morris Berman\/Post-Gazette) <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"Steeler <\/a>
Steeler linebackers Loren Toews, Jack Lambert and Jack Ham. (Morris Berman\/Post-Gazette) <\/div> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"Myron <\/a>
Myron Cope, center, at the team’s hotel. (Morris Berman\/Post-Gazette) <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"Terry <\/a>
Terry Bradshaw during an interview session with sports writers. (Morris Berman\/Post-Gazette) <\/div> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"Cowboy <\/a>
Cowboy Ed “Too Tall” Jones (second from left) with friends on the beach. (Morris Berman\/Post-Gazette) <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"Steelers <\/a>
Steelers team picture. (Morris Berman\/Post-Gazette) <\/div> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"Steelers <\/a>
Steelers Joe Greene and Dwight White with Pittsburgh mayor Richard Caliguire. (Morris Berman\/Post-Gazette) <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"Steeler <\/a>
Steeler Lynn Swann signs autographs. (Morris Berman\/Post-Gazette) <\/div> <\/div>
\"Franco <\/a>
Franco Harris, Terry Bradshaw and Rocky Bleier. (Morris Berman\/Post-Gazette) <\/div> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"Defensive <\/a>
Defensive lineman Dwight White, Joe Greene, Steve Furness and L.C. Greenwood. (Morris Berman\/Post-Gazette) <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"Steeler <\/a>
Steeler coach Chuck Knoll addresses sports writers. (Morris Berman\/Post-Gazette) <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"Dan <\/a>
Dan Rooney. (Morris Berman\/Post-Gazette) <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"Cowboys <\/a>
Cowboys Tony Dorsett, Roger Staubach and Robert Newhouse. (Morris Berman\/Post-Gazette) <\/div> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\nThe idea that Terry Bradshaw lacked the brainpower to spell \u201ccat\u201d emerged in Miami in 1979, while the Steelers were preparing to play the Cowboys in Super Bowl XIII (that\u2019s no. 13, Terry). Playing linebacker for Dallas that year was Hollywood Henderson (his mother named him Thomas but the son thought Hollywood more appropriate).<\/p>\n

Hollywood Henderson liked to have fun. He was always talking. Some called him the NFL\u2019s Muhammad Ali. \u201cHe\u2019s the greatest, I\u2019m the latest,\u201d Hollywood said.<\/p>\n

The Latest said Bradshaw was so dumb \u201che couldn\u2019t spell \u2018cat\u2019 if you spotted him the c-a.\u201d<\/p>\n

Bradshaw\u2019s response: \u201cThis isn\u2019t nuclear physics, it\u2019s a game. How smart do you have to be?\u201d<\/p>\n

This all came to mind last week, after Bradshaw called Steelers coach Mike Tomlin a good \u201ccheerleader guy\u201d but not a great coach. Tomlin suggested this comment was unprofessional and added, \u201cBut what do I know? I grew up a Dallas fan, particularly a Hollywood Henderson fan.”<\/p>\n

Henderson was a trip. He stepped off the plane in Miami in January 1979 chanting, \u201cHey, hey, Hollywood is here.\u201d He and his teammates stayed at a posh new hotel close to the beach. He and his teammates, including Ed \u201cToo Tall\u201d Jones, posed with bathing suit models and romped in the ocean waves. We have a picture in the archive of Henderson doing just this — splashing through the water, a big smile on his face.<\/p>\n

The Steelers stayed at a Marriott by the Miami airport (pictures show a hotel that looks somewhat like a motor lodge). The closest body of water was the swimming pool. Players hung out with fans and local folks like Pittsburgh mayor Richard Caliguiri. Bradshaw was the most flamboyant Steeler. He ran around shirtless, mugging for a camera. A snakeskin belt held up his disco-era pants.<\/p>\n

Newspapers made a big deal out of the contrasts between the two teams and their fans who\u2019d made the trip to South Florida. It was kielbasa vs. escargot, said The Pittsburgh Press. Dallas fans were on an expense account; Steelers fans were blowing the rent money.<\/p>\n

Pittsburghers took pride in these comments. It fit our image of the city as home to hard-working folks. And then we beat Dallas 35-31. Take that, Hollywood.<\/p>\n

Actually, Henderson was considerably less biting in his remarks after the game. \u201cRight now I\u2019m on the verge of a heart attack,\u201d he said. \u201cI hurt. I gave it all I could, and the team gave it all.\u201d<\/p>\n

Henderson\u2019s career ended in \u201881, when he broke his neck in a preseason game. He was playing for the Dolphins. Cowboys coach Tom Landry had fired him in \u201879. Henderson was mugging for the cameras on the sidelines, and that was too much for the conservative Landry.<\/p>\n

Henderson developed a drug and alcohol habit, then got clean and sober in \u201884. He twice won the lottery, once for $28 million and then for $20,000. He\u2019s now a motivational speaker. And he\u2019s established a charity in Austin, Texas, called East Side Youth Services & Street Outreach.<\/p>\n

Bradshaw, of course, is a football analyst on TV. Sometimes people still question his IQ. He once said of Denver quarterback John Elway, \u201cIs he a great quarterback? Nope.\u201d<\/p>\n

To which Denver coach Dan Reeves responded, \u201cThose TV commentators, they\u2019re not quite as smart as they\u2019re given credit for.\u201d<\/p>\n

— Steve Mellon<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Behind the scenes at Super Bowl XIII, Hollywood Henderson calls the Steelers quarterback stupid.<\/p>\n

Look at the picturesCan Terry Bradshaw spell ‘cat?’ The history of an insult<\/span><\/a><\/p>","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":7156,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_is_tweetstorm":false,"jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true},"categories":[944],"tags":[963,1362,1339,1014,1342,1343,1363],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"acf":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/newsinteractive.post-gazette.com\/thedigs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/01\/Steelers1979020.jpg?fit=3900%2C2480&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":2658,"url":"https:\/\/newsinteractive.post-gazette.com\/thedigs\/2012\/08\/07\/jan-6-1980-steelers-quarterback-terry-bradshaw\/","url_meta":{"origin":7161,"position":0},"title":"Terry Bradshaw at Three Rivers Stadium","date":"August 7, 2012","format":"gallery","excerpt":"Terry Bradshaw represented a captivating image of concentration.","rel":"","context":"","img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/newsinteractive.post-gazette.com\/thedigs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/08\/tumblr_m8fv5uVN0r1rr5swxo1_1280.jpg?fit=1022%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":1865,"url":"https:\/\/newsinteractive.post-gazette.com\/thedigs\/2013\/04\/19\/steelers-draft-terry-bradshaw\/","url_meta":{"origin":7161,"position":1},"title":"Steelers draft Terry Bradshaw","date":"April 19, 2013","format":"gallery","excerpt":"It is hardly a stretch to say that the Pittsburgh Steelers owe everything to a coin flip.","rel":"","context":"","img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/newsinteractive.post-gazette.com\/thedigs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/04\/tumblr_mlgl23yTgo1rr5swxo2_1280.jpg?fit=1200%2C813&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":2655,"url":"https:\/\/newsinteractive.post-gazette.com\/thedigs\/2012\/08\/07\/jan-20-1980-in-super-bowl-xiv-bradshaw-was\/","url_meta":{"origin":7161,"position":2},"title":"Taking photos of Terry Bradshaw in Pasadena","date":"August 7, 2012","format":"gallery","excerpt":"Super Bowl XIV was quite special for PG photographer Joyce Mendelsohn and Terry Bradshaw.","rel":"","context":"","img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/newsinteractive.post-gazette.com\/thedigs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/08\/Screen-Shot-2014-12-17-at-12.49.01-AM.png?fit=1200%2C519&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":9751,"url":"https:\/\/newsinteractive.post-gazette.com\/thedigs\/2020\/01\/27\/50-years-ago-the-steelers-came-dangerously-close-to-not-drafting-terry-bradshaw\/","url_meta":{"origin":7161,"position":3},"title":"50 years ago, the Steelers came dangerously close to not drafting Terry Bradshaw","date":"January 27, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"Sorry to give you all a collective anxiety attack, Steelers fans, but you deserve to know exactly how fortunate it is that Pittsburgh both drafted and kept Hall of Fame quarterback Terry Bradshaw. 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