As a 6 year old - my dad took me to the newly re-named 'RFK Stadium' in October 1969 to see Coach Lombardi lead the Redskins to a big win over the St. Louis Cardinals - a few months before that - got to see Ted Williams as manager of the Washington Senators - '69 was the year of living legends in old D.C.
No, it was the stress and chain smoking that killed him. He was dying even before he took the coaching job with the Redskins. The cancer probably started while he was still at Green Bay.
If Vince Lombardi had lived he and Sonny would have re-written NFL history. Vince had tabbed Sonny as his quarterback and was amazed at his arm and his play calling on the field. As well as his leadership of the team. Sonny also had some great and potentially great players behind him (like Bobby Mitchell for one) and the Redskins would not only have been contenders they would have won it all. But, sadly, Vince died and so did the dream of a Redskin powerhouse.
ABSOLUTELY!!! What saddens me is if he would've gotten a colonoscopy in 1965-66, no telling how much longer he would've lived! He refused saying he didn't want something stuck up my ass.
Lombardi even had an impact on the Senators. The same year, the Senators hired Ted Williams. Lombardi had known about Williams' accomplishments as a baseball player. But, as a manager, he had much to learn. Lombardi advised Williams on how to organize a coaching staff. Williams took Lombardi's advice, and led the Senators to their only winning season (86-76), as well as winning American League Manager of the Year (1969).
Sonny Jurgensen was injured and George Allen wouldn't allow him to even be in the team photo in 1972 when they lost to the Dolphin's in the Super Bowl!
Bill Moyer yes sir. George was bogus the way he treated him. Wouldn’t allow him in the team picture and the sidelines when they went to the super bowl. George like Billy cuz he was a yes man. Billy is good but this was Sonny
The merit OF HARD WORK DRILLED DISCIPLINE SIMPLICITY EXECUTING EXCELLENCE ALL OUT TEAM EFFORT. LIVES. GOD BLESS MR. LOMBARDI. AMEN TEACH THAT TOUGHNESS IN SKILLED LEADERS ACROSS AMERICA. GENTLE FIRM KIND TOUGH AS NAILS WITH MEANINGFUL INTEGRITY. AMEN.
As a kid growing up with Skins season tickets in our family since they first went from Griffith stadium to then the new DC stadium (my first game at DC stadium as an eleven year old was 67, Skins vs Giants, a 38 to 34 win if remember right) it was such an amazing time when Lombardi came to Washington and equally as sad when he became ill. I remember it so well, playing freshman football at JEB Stuart high when the news came that Lombardi had cancer. It was incredibly sad that he was dying. We didn't care how well the Redskins did that year under Lombardi it was just that he was going to be gone. And as for George Allen, it's hard to argue what a great coach he was, but it's not just Cowboy fans who didn't like him! I will always hold against Allen the way he left the team and the way he treated Sonny Jurgensen. Allen wanted to go back to Los Angeles after the 77 season and he screwed over Skins owner Edward Bennett Williams by evading signing a contract and then after Williams decided to just let him go, Allen said it was like being stabbed in the back! As for Jurgensen, Allen was such an over the top control asshole. He didn't like Jurgensen because he would do what quaterbacks always had done before, and that is change plays if they knew it would work. Lombardi understood that. I remember there was a famous play where Allen chewed out Jurgensen for not running the play he wanted, a run which would result in a field goal attempt. The play Jurgensen called resulted in a touchdown over a field goal, but Allen was pissed just because he didn't just go out there and hold to kick the field goal. That's why he always preferred Kilmer. Then I'll never forget Allen put Jurgensen in against the Dolphins in 73 at RFK and let him call the last plays only because he knew it was the best chance to win. NFL films caught Allen standing beside Jurgensen, not saying a word, just listening as Jurgensen called the play, a short pass to Larry Smith over the middle to win it. Lombardi famously knew how great Jurgensen was and never would have done that. Last straw for me was Allen putting Jurgensen in against the Rams at the very end of that lost playoff game, which pissed off a lot of the players who thought Jurgensen should have started. And by the way, if Jurgensen didn't tear his Achillies in 72 I'd be willing to bet the Dolphins wouldn't have had that undefeated season! Sorry, just got carried away with this!
Agreed, but one odd thing about Allen and Sonny is what Allen says on the Nixon taped phone calls. Nixon is going on about Sonny's greater arm and his drinking, Kilmer's leadership, etc., and asks Allen about Sonny's rehab work ethic, attitude, and Allen is positively enthusiastic, saying the comeback from the Achilles injury has made Sonny "a better man", and that he has a "great attitude." The tapes used to be up here on youtube, but I haven't seen them recently. Update, just found them; here's the first one: czcams.com/video/b0Z8ZwjXpW4/video.html
If Lombardi wouldn't have died he definitely would have led the Redskins to probably at least 2 super bowls,the rivalry with the Cowboys would have been more intense. Of course Jurgenson would have to be injury free and a couple good solid drafts would be needed to make all of this to happen.
I literally mourned every day that the NY Giants let this guy get away. One wonders what track the Giants would have taken if Lombardi have stayed with them and been their HC.
I 'm old enough to remember that when Washington had signed Vince Lombardi to coach the team , it was a huge deal. Big enough to entice two Hall of Famers to play some more. I bet neither Sam Huff, nor Sonny Jurgensen, two of the recognized best players at their positions, ever made more than a coupla hundred thousand a year. That versus 8 million for the best linebacker and 18 million for the best quarterback nowadays. Point being, even considering inflation, they got fucked.
Check out Micky Mantle's top salary of $75,000 in 1961. That's $1,773,000 in today's dollars. Alex Roderiguze is making $29,000,000 a year today. In later life Mickey was asked about the then current large baseball salaries. He said he did not begrudge the salaries paid any player at all. He was asked what he thought he would be paid if he were playing now. He replied "Oh, at least 3 million." The reporter was shocked and said "But Mick the top salary is over 6 million and an average fielder is making 3 million." Mick replied "Yeah Bob, but I'm 61 years old now!" 😃
Good Doc. but to not mention drafting and developing Larry Brown was a mistake.Best back of the early 70's and he owed it all to Lamardi's faith and a hearing aid Vince had made for him.
Oh what a different story pro football history may keep today had Lombardi not died so soon. Who knows, had he been able to stick around with Washington, then the Redskins could have become the team of the '70's. Imagine Lombardi's Redskins playing Shula's Dolphins in Super Bowl VII. Maybe 17-0 would be 16-1. And Noll's Steelers......the what if's that could never be.
Jason Wise not sure they would of beaten the Dolphins in those early 70’s or Noll’s Steelers. But they would of been in the mix of the NFC for that decade
I believe in my heart had Vince Lombardi lived the Washington Redskins would have won a couple of Super Bowls instead of Pittsburgh Steelers in the 70's
Lombardi's method was motivation. The carrot and the stick. Some players respond to that, some don't. If they do, he takes them to the next level. Many are now in the HOF.
You saw the result of Vince's work through George Allen getting the Redskins to the playoffs continually throughout the early 70's. Vince took two terrible teams when he first started out and made them winners in a short period of time.
If Vince were here today he would be fighting against some of the most stupid rule today i.e. The two calls especially the call on Matthews that last two weeks. If you weren't wrapping the quarterback as a pass rusher, he'd fire you in a heartbeat.
Lombardi inspired players like no other coaches but George Allen and Daniel Snyder thought they could sign older veterans that could still play and we could have drafted players instead of throwing that money away to over the hill players and build for the future!!!
Vince Lombardi is on top of Mount Everest. Every other coach is and will always be on Blueberry Hill. By Sonny's own words, we hear that everything was about Sonny, but not about team. After all the ensuing years, Sonny had learned nothing.
Airsoftcleaner There are others, George Halas, Curley Lambeau and a few more from the 1920s and 1930s, Paul Brown, Chuck Noll, Tom Landry, Bill Walsh, Bill Belicheck... but Vince will always be the non-pareil.
Sonny was always a team man. When injured he helped his buddy Billy solve defenses with his super-savvy advice. Lombardi said Sonny was he best ever, a winner, and courageous. Sonny gives Lombardi his props during this vid.
Coach Lombardi continues to inspire 45 years after passing on way too soon. He will continue to inspire for generations to come.
There are many coaches...but only ONE Vince Lombardi...
RIP Vince.
1perfectstrangerr he was the man.
Lombardi's daughter before he got hired by Green Bay: "Where's Green Bay Wisconsin, it's not even on the map."
Lombardi, "It will be, when I leave."
He didn’t lie
If Vince did not pass away he would've won a Superbowl with the Skins
Absolutely
As a 6 year old - my dad took me to the newly re-named 'RFK Stadium' in October 1969 to see Coach Lombardi lead the Redskins to a big win over the St. Louis Cardinals - a few months before that - got to see Ted Williams as manager of the Washington Senators - '69 was the year of living legends in old D.C.
Thanks for loading this up. What a tragedy that this great coach passed away too early ... if only he had sought medical treatment earlier.
Even if he had, I'm betting the treatment he got was nothing compared to today
No, it was the stress and chain smoking that killed him. He was dying even before he took the coaching job with the Redskins. The cancer probably started while he was still at Green Bay.
We will never see another coach like him. The Best.
When the season started, Sam Huff told his defense: "There's going to be blood on this field. Either ours or theirs."
If Vince Lombardi had lived he and Sonny would have re-written NFL history. Vince had tabbed Sonny as his quarterback and was amazed at his arm and his play calling on the field. As well as his leadership of the team. Sonny also had some great and potentially great players behind him (like Bobby Mitchell for one) and the Redskins would not only have been contenders they would have won it all. But, sadly, Vince died and so did the dream of a Redskin powerhouse.
ABSOLUTELY!!! What saddens me is if he would've gotten a colonoscopy in 1965-66, no telling how much longer he would've lived! He refused saying he didn't want something stuck up my ass.
+elwin38 I understand and agree with his distaste of the procedure. :-)
Charles Cloninger I do too. Had it done 2yrs ago. The technology back then was probably very different but it might have saved Lombardi.
I've got an old Redskins jersey with Jurgensen on the back. Ol #9
Oh I think so.
Those old S.I. covers, classic.
Lombardi even had an impact on the Senators. The same year, the Senators hired Ted Williams. Lombardi had known about Williams' accomplishments as a baseball player. But, as a manager, he had much to learn. Lombardi advised Williams on how to organize a coaching staff. Williams took Lombardi's advice, and led the Senators to their only winning season (86-76), as well as winning American League Manager of the Year (1969).
Father was biggest Lombardi fan .He went with a freind to see giants redskins to see sam huff play for skins against Lombardi old team the giants
Awesome note!
Lombardi built a great team for George Allen.
A lot of trades by Allen also built that team.
Sean G snd destroyed his team
@@AlejandroSanchez-pl6jw Allen was eventually blackballed by NFL for mortgaging the future for veterans.
rockvilleraven good
Imagine if those players were coached by Allen. They would a great deal from him
Although they had an off year of 6-8 in 1970
Damn, this is a great video. Sets the stage for George Allen coming in.....magnificent sports journalism.
Had sonny had Vince instead of George Allen , he'd be mentioned among the greats .
Sonny Jurgensen was injured and George Allen wouldn't allow him to even be in the team photo in 1972 when they lost to the Dolphin's in the Super Bowl!
He is in the Hall of Fame and any conversation about 'the greats' that does not include him is a conversation not worth having.....!
Sonny was as good as anyone!
Don Snodgrass wouldn’t let him on the sidelines
Bill Moyer yes sir. George was bogus the way he treated him. Wouldn’t allow him in the team picture and the sidelines when they went to the super bowl.
George like Billy cuz he was a yes man. Billy is good but this was Sonny
Now i see why the NFL trophy was named on his behalf.
Skybolter won the first two super bowls.
HTTR FOREVER REDSKINS FOOTBALL FOR LIFE 💯💪
Those helmets were the best ever!!!
Agree
R.I.P. Vince
GO PACKERS!!
The merit OF HARD WORK
DRILLED DISCIPLINE SIMPLICITY
EXECUTING EXCELLENCE
ALL OUT TEAM EFFORT.
LIVES.
GOD BLESS MR. LOMBARDI.
AMEN
TEACH THAT TOUGHNESS IN SKILLED LEADERS ACROSS AMERICA.
GENTLE
FIRM
KIND
TOUGH AS NAILS
WITH MEANINGFUL INTEGRITY.
AMEN.
Thanks for posting this well-done video.
From 1970 to 1979 the Skins only had 1 losing season, won 10 or more games 5 times and made it to the playoffs 5 times.
As a kid growing up with Skins season tickets in our family since they first went from Griffith stadium to then the new DC stadium (my first game at DC stadium as an eleven year old was 67, Skins vs Giants, a 38 to 34 win if remember right) it was such an amazing time when Lombardi came to Washington and equally as sad when he became ill. I remember it so well, playing freshman football at JEB Stuart high when the news came that Lombardi had cancer. It was incredibly sad that he was dying. We didn't care how well the Redskins did that year under Lombardi it was just that he was going to be gone.
And as for George Allen, it's hard to argue what a great coach he was, but it's not just Cowboy fans who didn't like him! I will always hold against Allen the way he left the team and the way he treated Sonny Jurgensen. Allen wanted to go back to Los Angeles after the 77 season and he screwed over Skins owner Edward Bennett Williams by evading signing a contract and then after Williams decided to just let him go, Allen said it was like being stabbed in the back! As for Jurgensen, Allen was such an over the top control asshole. He didn't like Jurgensen because he would do what quaterbacks always had done before, and that is change plays if they knew it would work. Lombardi understood that. I remember there was a famous play where Allen chewed out Jurgensen for not running the play he wanted, a run which would result in a field goal attempt. The play Jurgensen called resulted in a touchdown over a field goal, but Allen was pissed just because he didn't just go out there and hold to kick the field goal. That's why he always preferred Kilmer. Then I'll never forget Allen put Jurgensen in against the Dolphins in 73 at RFK and let him call the last plays only because he knew it was the best chance to win. NFL films caught Allen standing beside Jurgensen, not saying a word, just listening as Jurgensen called the play, a short pass to Larry Smith over the middle to win it. Lombardi famously knew how great Jurgensen was and never would have done that. Last straw for me was Allen putting Jurgensen in against the Rams at the very end of that lost playoff game, which pissed off a lot of the players who thought Jurgensen should have started.
And by the way, if Jurgensen didn't tear his Achillies in 72 I'd be willing to bet the Dolphins wouldn't have had that undefeated season!
Sorry, just got carried away with this!
Agreed, but one odd thing about Allen and Sonny is what Allen says on the Nixon taped phone calls. Nixon is going on about Sonny's greater arm and his drinking, Kilmer's leadership, etc., and asks Allen about Sonny's rehab work ethic, attitude, and Allen is positively enthusiastic, saying the comeback from the Achilles injury has made Sonny "a better man", and that he has a "great attitude." The tapes used to be up here on youtube, but I haven't seen them recently. Update, just found them; here's the first one: czcams.com/video/b0Z8ZwjXpW4/video.html
If Lombardi wouldn't have died he definitely would have led the Redskins to probably at least 2 super bowls,the rivalry with the Cowboys would have been more intense. Of course Jurgenson would have to be injury free and a couple good solid drafts would be needed to make all of this to happen.
I literally mourned every day that the NY Giants let this guy get away. One wonders what track the Giants would have taken if Lombardi have stayed with them and been their HC.
Super Bowl VII would have been AMAZING if Coach Lombardi had lived a little longer...
I 'm old enough to remember that when Washington had signed Vince Lombardi to coach the team , it was a huge deal.
Big enough to entice two Hall of Famers to play some more.
I bet neither Sam Huff, nor Sonny Jurgensen, two of the recognized best players at their positions, ever made more than a coupla hundred thousand a year.
That versus 8 million for the best linebacker and 18 million for the best quarterback nowadays.
Point being, even considering inflation, they got fucked.
Check out Micky Mantle's top salary of $75,000 in 1961. That's $1,773,000 in today's dollars. Alex Roderiguze is making $29,000,000 a year today.
In later life Mickey was asked about the then current large baseball salaries. He said he did not begrudge the salaries paid any player at all. He was asked what he thought he would be paid if he were playing now. He replied "Oh, at least 3 million." The reporter was shocked and said "But Mick the top salary is over 6 million and an average fielder is making 3 million." Mick replied "Yeah Bob, but I'm 61 years old now!" 😃
Just not fair, things like this happen, in life...
Good Doc. but to not mention drafting and developing Larry Brown was a mistake.Best back of the early 70's and he owed it all to Lamardi's faith and a hearing aid Vince had made for him.
Oh what a different story pro football history may keep today had Lombardi not died so soon. Who knows, had he been able to stick around with Washington, then the Redskins could have become the team of the '70's. Imagine Lombardi's Redskins playing Shula's Dolphins in Super Bowl VII. Maybe 17-0 would be 16-1. And Noll's Steelers......the what if's that could never be.
Jason Wise not sure they would of beaten the Dolphins in those early 70’s or Noll’s Steelers. But they would of been in the mix of the NFC for that decade
I believe in my heart had Vince Lombardi lived the Washington Redskins would have won a couple of Super Bowls instead of Pittsburgh Steelers in the 70's
Sam Huff is from my home state of West Virginia.
Coaches coach. Inspiring until the end.
still the best coach
Lombardi's method was motivation. The carrot and the stick. Some players respond to that, some don't. If they do, he takes them to the next level. Many are now in the HOF.
Lombardi was tech savy!! He used computer graphics hearing aids for his players and had an underground heating system for Lambeau field installed!!!
That heating system was mysteriously "out of order" during the Ice Bowl game in 1967
You saw the result of Vince's work through George Allen getting the Redskins to the playoffs continually throughout the early 70's. Vince took two terrible teams when he first started out and made them winners in a short period of time.
If Vince were here today he would be fighting against some of the most stupid rule today i.e. The two calls especially the call on Matthews that last two weeks. If you weren't wrapping the quarterback as a pass rusher, he'd fire you in a heartbeat.
Lombardi inspired players like no other coaches but George Allen and Daniel Snyder thought they could sign older veterans that could still play and we could have drafted players instead of throwing that money away to over the hill players and build for the future!!!
We the Pack are at 1-1-1 can we bring Vince back?
Ross A Peot NOPE
Lombardi would hwve won superbowls in Washington had he not gotten sick and gotten cancer
I wonder why New England is so successful? Vince style of coaching.
Ross A Peot I guess coaches idolize Vince Lombardi.
Vince Lombardi is on top of Mount Everest. Every other coach is and will always be on Blueberry Hill. By Sonny's own words, we hear that everything was about Sonny, but not about team. After all the ensuing years, Sonny had learned nothing.
He was THE Greatest NFL Head Coach that ever lived
Airsoftcleaner Purely right.
Walkie Wawtmire
Its like in College when you have your Bear Bryants,Your Eddie Robinsons, Your Knute Rocknes, But in The NFL there was only one
Airsoftcleaner There are others, George Halas, Curley Lambeau and a few more from the 1920s and 1930s, Paul Brown, Chuck Noll, Tom Landry, Bill Walsh, Bill Belicheck... but Vince will always be the non-pareil.
Sonny was always a team man. When injured he helped his buddy Billy solve defenses with his super-savvy advice. Lombardi said Sonny was he best ever, a winner, and courageous. Sonny gives Lombardi his props during this vid.