Vince Lombardi passed away in 1970. Many of his players from the 1960's "Glory Years" Packers have also died.
Their words about Lombardi live on. All of these following comments came during television interviews I conducted between 2007 and 2011.
I asked Bart Starr in 2007 if he still thought about Lombardi every day. "Yes, I do. If I'm making a note about something or paralleling something else with a point over here, it pops up. We learned so many great lessons from him because the man never talked football, except in a football meeting. He always talked about life. Very emotional and a great learning experience for all of us. We were blessed with a fabulous leader, with a wonderful staff around him. Very talented assistants. Our teammates, the great people that you want to start any organization. I don't want this to sound trite, but I personally believe if you're gonna build anything successful, you start with great, full of integrity, committed people working together. This is what he was able to put together. I'm blessed that we played when we did. I don't want to overstate this, but it's hard not to. We were with the organization at a time when all of us would benefit. Coach Lombardi made that change when he came in and held his first meeting with us. We knew instantly things were gonna change."
The late Paul Hornung was one of Lombardi's favorites. In 2008, I asked him why. "He had the special love for McGee, too. Exactly the same feeling with Max."
Hornung told the story of Lombardi asking the two of them to come to Washington to see what turned out to be his last game as coach in 1969.
"He said, 'I want you to stay at the house.' I said no. I want the best suite in town. We want two suites. I don't care what it costs, I'm not gonna stay at your house. I've had enough curfews in my life. We don't need any now. We're retired. We're gonna go out and have dinner. Then, we're going out in the streets of Washington."
Hornung says Lombardi grumbled 'you never change.' "He got us the two suites. Got (a) limo, went to the game. Then we went over to his house for a cocktail party. He wouldn't make us a drink. Max asked him for a Scotch on the rocks." According to Hornung, Lombardi bellowed "No! I'm not giving you a Scotch on the rocks. Come back here and get it yourself."
I asked some of the former Packers about the first time they encountered Lombardi. In 2011, Willie Davis told me: "I was upset on the phone. I couldn't believe Cleveland had traded me. The first thing he said to me was 'Willie, I want you to know that we made the trade for you because we think you can help us.' I went on a little ways and I said: Coach, I gotta be honest. I'm considering a couple of things. One, in particular, is going to Canada. It was almost like he didn't even hear me. The rest of the conversation was 'Willie, come to Green Bay. You're gonna play left end for us. Think about it, but you're coming to Green Bay."
In 2010, Jim Taylor shared his first meeting with Lombardi. "I met him going into a meeting at St. Norbert College. He was just straightforward. No frills. No thrills. Just 'we're gonna move the ball and we're gonna get Ray Nitschke and our defense out there and do things. Move those chains and be productive and do the things that maximize the ability of the players that we have. The motivation, the hard work. We're gonna be productive in that fourth quarter."
When Taylor went into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1976, since Vince Lombardi was deceased, he selected Vince's widow Marie as his presenter. "There was no other choice. I wanted her to be with me and be part of my induction. I was first of about eight or 10 Packers Hall of Famers the following years, so I wanted her to be there. I was very proud for her to be there with me and represent Coach Lombardi. This was very special to me."
Davis had a special perspective because he not only played for Lombardi, but for two other coaching legends in Eddie Robinson at Grambling and Paul Brown in Cleveland. "Coach Robinson got me right out of high school. Just turned 18 years old. I was one of the youngest guys at Grambling. It was also the first night I had ever spent away from home. I was literally almost shocked at the experience of being away. The next thing you know, you're in front of big guys (at practice) knocking the crap out of you. Oh my God, I want to go home. Where's mama?
I learned a lot of football under Paul Brown, but I have to tell you that Coach Lombardi was the most instrumental person I had ever played for. He could say things to you, you were so emotionally charged and ready to play."
Jerry Kramer told me in 2007 about what Vince Lombardi meant to him. "Coach Lombardi had a profound impact on my life. Playing for the Green Bay Packers had a profound impact on my life. The years with Coach Lombardi made you think of other aspects of your life. Be a better brother, a better husband, a better neighbor, a better member of the community. You just tried to be a better person."
I asked Zeke Bratkowski in 2007 what he thought of when he remembered Lombardi. "Great coach. Great teacher. Great Christian. Great man. Motivator. I think of the ideals and all the things he talked about. I think we didn't realize it until after we were done playing and get to what we were going to do. I think it's obvious because you see what the guys did with themselves after they left football. I would say 99 percent of them were highly successful at what they were doing. I think the principles he laid down for us got us that way. Didn't realize it at the time, but now we do."
Bratkowski also told me that he still heard Lombardi's voice in his head almost on a daily basis. "Definitely. Some phase of your life, whatever it is. You almost sound like him, because people want to know what he was like. The work ethic, the demanding style that he had."
Dave Robinson shared with me in 2010 that Lombardi was a father figure to him after his dad died when Dave was 15. He also credited Vince's wife Marie with helping him mature in Green Bay. "She talked to me quite a bit. She tried to correct and guide you, keep you from making mistakes."
Robinson admitted that negotiating a contract with Lombardi was tough. Still, Robinson wanted to make clear that Vince was not a tyrant. "No. He was tough, but he loved us. I respected Vince Lombardi. As long as I did what was right for me, and for the team, he would do anything for you."
The next time you see the Vince Lombardi statue outside of Lambeau Field, try to appreciate not only his on-field impact on the Packers but his off-field impact on the many men who played for him.