(Pictured: Designated Writers never knew this, but here Louisiana Tech teammates Tommy Spinks and Terry Bradshaw flank President Richard Nixon in the Oval Office. The president invited them because he is either honoring them for a bowl victory, for Bradshaw’s being chosen No. 1 in the NFL draft, or both of them were running for political office — ANOTHER thing Designated Writers didn’t know about — and this was a publicity still. You can discover the answer in a new book…)

Terry Bradshaw and Tommy Spinks were knotted by friendship and by countless passes the former threw to the latter. Much of that and a whole lot more is captured in a new book, “Dream Catcher — Based on a true story of Friendship, Faith, and Football.”

Nico van Thyn covered both as a sportswriter and classmate. He recently shared this: “As most of you know, they were teammates for nine years — at Oak Terrace Junior High for two, Woodlawn for three, Louisiana Tech for four, and briefly with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Until their senior year in high school, both were quarterbacks — with Tommy backing up Terry (but playing as the starter in junior high when Bradshaw twice broke his collarbone). Before their senior year at Woodlawn, Tommy switched to wide receiver … and you know the rest.”

We do, but the book figures to be more of “the rest.” Dream Catcher is produced by two of Tommy’s daughters, Kimberly Spinks Burleson and Teri Spinks Netterville, and is available now for $12.95 by pre-order at dreamcatcherbook.com. Only as many as you ask for will be printed at first, and the first edition will ship July 25.

The book began years ago as a letter Tommy, a few days before he died in 2007, wrote for Kimberly to give to Terry. Then the sisters’ mom found a large folder of their dad’s notes, stories of his life and thoughts on family and friends and faith. And football.

The girls thought that a compilation of these would be special to give to their families at Christmas. But the more they read, the more they felt as if they should make it available to anyone who wanted it, and they feel that anyone who went to Woodlawn, to Tech, who loves football, or who loves laughter and friendships, would probably enjoy the story..

Kimberly and Teri talk about the book on a short video on their Facebook pages..

designatedwriters@yahoo.com

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