Famous quotes by Vince Lombardi During Football Annual Bowl Season
Copyright © 2007 Ed Bagley
College football's annual bowl season is full of surprises and spectacular moments. Famous coaches have had some memorable remarks about American's most popular sport, and here are some for the legendary Green Bay Packer coach Vince Lombardi, who many regard as the best of the best.
Lombardi, head of the training records in the National Football League was second to none. In 9 years with the Green Bay Packers, Lombardi won the regular season loss rate was 73% (96-34-6), the postseason was 90% (9-1) and their total was 75% (105-35-6).
Took a 1-10-1 team in 1958 to an NFL title in 3 years and won 5 NFL titles in 9 years (1961, 1962, 1965, 1966 and 1967) and three consecutive titles. He led the Packers to two Super Bowl titles in 1966 and 1967.
Lombardi discipline was legendary. A lifelong Catholic, he spent 4 years at Cathedral Preparatory Seminary to become a Catholic priest before becoming a standout football player at St. Francis Preparatory High School.
A guard less than 5 feet 8 and 185 pounds, he was offered and accepted a football scholarship to Fordham University in the Bronx to play "Sleepy" Jim Crowley, one of the four horsemen of Notre Dame in the 1920s . To become part of the "Seven Blocks of Granite", held the opposition scoreless Fordham several times during a 25-game winning streak.
After coaching at Fordham, Lombardi became the offensive line coach at West Point under another legendary coach, Colonel Red Blaik. Lombardi was the offensive coordinator for the New York Giants, with defensive coordinator Tom Landry and head coach Jim Lee Howell, before becoming Green Bay's coach in 1959.
Lombardi was 59 years when he died of cancer in 1970. Men and Hall of Fame football players openly wept at his funeral.
These are some of Vince Lombardi of the most known:
"If it does not matter who wins or loses, then why keep score?"
"I firmly believe that any man in the best time, the greatest fulfillment of all that he says, is that the timing has worked his heart in a good cause and lies exhausted on the field of battle, victorious."
"There is no room for second place. There is only one place in my game and that is the first place. He finished second twice in my time at Green Bay and never want to finish second again. "
"Winning is not everything, is all."
"Confidence is contagious. So is lack of confidence. "
"The most difficult work, the harder it is to surrender."
"Show me a good loser and I'll show you a loser."
"Once you learn to quit, it becomes a habit."
"If you can accept losing, you can not win."
"Perfection is not attainable, but if we can catch excellence pursue perfection."
"Practice does not make perfect. Only perfect practice makes perfect. "
"Success requires unity of purpose."
"Not if shot down, if it were built."
"It's easy to have faith in yourself and discipline when you're a winner, when you're number one. What you have is faith and discipline when you're not a winner. "
"The measure of who we are is what we do with what we have."
"Do not lose the game, just ran out of time."
"Teamwork is what the Green Bay Packers are. Do not do it for individual glory. They did so because they loved one another. "
"The difference between a successful person and others is not lack of strength, not a lack of knowledge, but rather a lack of will."
"Coaches who can outline plays on a black board are a dime a dozen. Those who win get inside their player and motivate. "
Here are some quotes from Lombardi's players:
"When Lombardi said 'sit,' not looking for a chair." - Forrest Gregg, Hall of Fame tackle.
"He prepared us very well, so well because I felt he was a part of me in the field." Fuzzy Thurston.
"He pushed the end of their endurance, and beyond. And if there are reserves, and it was found that too. " Henry Jordan, Hall of Fame defensive tackle.
"He made us better than we thought it might be." Jerry Kramer.
"Coach Lombardi showed me that by working hard and using my account, I could overcome my weakness to the point that could be one of the best." Bart Starr, quarterback of the Hall of Fame.
"The fear in my mind was not him, but for some reason it would not be a part of the team and be with this man." Forrest Gregg.
"He made you a believer. He said that what the other team is going to do, and he told her he had to do to win, and always right. "Willie Davis, Hall of Fame defensive back.
(Editor's Note: I have read and studied one of the best biographies about Lombardi: When pride still mattered: A Life of Vince Lombardi. Written by Pulitzer Prize-winning author David Maraniss, I recommend his book as a great read.)
