MintBaconDrivel
9 years ago
Archive.

"Probably messier (or) as messy as the Lambeau departure, messier even than the Favre departure."

Perhaps that phrase seems impossible for the departure of the Green Bay Packers' legendary coach, Vince Lombardi, to be real.

However, Packers historian Cliff Christl recalls how acrimony ran rampant with the coach who brought Green Bay five NFL championships in the 1960's, but who ended that decade in Washington D.C. with the Packers' playoff opponent on Sunday.

"I think fans were unhappy that he was leaving. A lot of people would have liked to seen, if he wanted to get back into coaching, to just take over the reins of the Packers again," said Christl.

The process of Lombardi's departure organically started a year before his actual move to Washington, with his move off the coaching sidelines after nine years, the last three including a record-setting three straight titles in Green Bay.

"He announced his resignation in early February (1968) as head coach, shortly after winning Super Bowl II. That had been his goal throughout his coaching career, to win three consecutive NFL championships. He had succeeded, (then) decided to step aside and become general manager only," said Christl.

"Family friends have told me that by the start of training camp, he knew he had made a mistake. I don't know that he ever did very much at all as general manager that year. I don't think he wanted to interfere with (coach Phil) Bengston, so he kind of observed most things from a distance."

He observed a painful 1968 campaign, where the Packers went from a 9-4-1 Super Bowl champion the year before to 6-8 and out of the playoffs. It was the type of year that, many recall, made Lombardi regret his decision to leave coaching - for which an inner fire burned.

An outlet finally seemed available for that inner fire, on the east coast where Lombardi grew up. The New Yorker was being courted in Washington, D.C.

"The Packers played at Washington on November 24, 1968," said Christl.

"From what I've been told, there were discussions between the Redskins and Lombardi by that time. People had the impression he might be leaving. I think Edward Bennett Williams and Lombardi probably talked about the job at that point."

Those discussions finally spawned a move that shocked Packers Nation and gave Washington hope after 12 years without a winning season.

"Things weren't finalized until early February. That's when he announced he was leaving, shortly after the NFL Draft. It took about 4-5 days before things were resolved between the two clubs. The Redskins, at that point, were hungry for a winner," said Christl.

The legacy Lombardi left, in the end, cannot be overstated. However, Christl also remembers how Lombardi's last draft, and his lack of involvement in it, left the Packers' cupboard of talent bare for years.

"The NFL Draft that year had been held just prior to him leaving. (It was) one of the worst drafts in Packers history," explained Christl.

"Their first round pick was Rich Moore. He was a complete bust. (They) took a guy by the name of Dave Bradley, an offensive lineman, in the second round. He was a bust. (They) took a wide receiver in the third round, John Spills. He wasn't any good, either."

Lombardi, Christl says, didn't even sit in on the draft - a major point of contention on the Packers staff that he was leaving for Washington.

"He let Phil Bengston make his picks. Pat Peppler, who was the personnel director, was quite upset. Contrary to how they had operated under Lombardi, (where) the scouts and the personnel people would discuss these players, they weren't excited about drafting them, and Bengston went ahead and drafted them anyway. Lombardi wasn't even in the room to exercise his authority."

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Jay Sorgi wrote:


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yooperfan
9 years ago
Back in those days most of the information that we had here in the U.P. came from reading the "Milwaukee Journal" or the "Milwaukee Sentinal". We couldn't even get the "Green Bay Press Gazette" up here in those days.
We would gather at my friends dads gas station to discuss and argue all things Packers. This was a tough time for Packers fans. The Brett Favre fiasco didn't hold a candle to this mess. The mess created by Lombardi's departure lasted 20 plus years.
Friendships were lost and relationships strained.
Thankfully there was no internet back in those days.
R.I.P Vince.
Cheesey
9 years ago
I remember it, and how upset it made me to think that Lombardi would coach anywhere but Green Bay.
I was only 11 years old, and didn't understand all of the politics of the situation.
But I get how wrong it would have been for him to try to take back the coaching job from Bengston.
Besides, most of the great players in the Packers were either gone or over the hill. No coach could have got them to another super bowl.
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Zero2Cool (2h) : Matthew Golden cahanged 81 to 22??
TheKanataThrilla (4h) : Sam Howell to Vikings...guess no Aaron
Martha Careful (9h) : 1 round 7 min, with one extra minute if there is a trade. 2nd round 4 minutes, 3rd -3, 2 thereafter IMO
Martha Careful (9h) : Agree
dfosterf (10h) : Great idea imo
dfosterf (10h) : 1st round to 7 minutes with one extension
dfosterf (10h) : NFL comissioner wants to shorten the 2st
Mucky Tundra (15h) : @jalenreagors They’re discussing if Sheduer can go back to college on NFL Network LMFAOOOOO
beast (17h) : Great point Martha
beast (17h) : Buddy Ryan used to say if a candy bar goes missing, there are two to blame, Rex and Rob 🤪 jk 😁
Martha Careful (19h) : Bum Phillips used to say there are two ways to get better. Get better players or get players to play better. We have a new DL coach
Zero2Cool (20h) : Yes. Look at the losses last year. They can win.
beast (20h) : Can Packers win with their current DL?
bboystyle (21h) : waiting for a pass rusher.
dfosterf (25-Apr) : 5 minutes between picks in the 3rd
dfosterf (25-Apr) : 3rd. Hate this phone
dfosterf (25-Apr) : 4rd
dfosterf (25-Apr) : 5 minutes in the 4
dfosterf (25-Apr) : 7 minutes between picks in the 2nd round
Martha Careful (25-Apr) : Sorry to bitch, but the headline writers in that section absolutely mislead, or don't know how to read. It is maddening
Martha Careful (25-Apr) : No thanks. Not a dependable guy to be in the right place and run the right route. Dumb as a box of rocks.
Zero2Cool (25-Apr) : Losing 2nd round pick for a one year rental, not ideal. Especially a headcase.
TheKanataThrilla (25-Apr) : Pickens for Jaire may be interesting. Definitely not sure we want Pickens long term.
dfosterf (25-Apr) : No.Absolutely not
Zero2Cool (25-Apr) : NO NO NO NO NO NO!!1 🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬
dhazer (25-Apr) : scenario: Our main prospects are off the board when our pick comes around, do we just throw a 2nd round pick at Pittsburgh for Pickens
TheKanataThrilla (25-Apr) : Hopefully she had some comfort that her son will be live his dream when she passed away. Sad news.
Mucky Tundra (25-Apr) : Damn that sucks
Zero2Cool (25-Apr) : News about Derrick Harmon mom, saddening.
Zero2Cool (25-Apr) : Mark Murphy: "I predict we will trade up once and down twice."
beast (25-Apr) : Rip the Packers and getting the fans yelling and booing him
beast (25-Apr) : Super competitive Bears fan and WWE "superstar" wrestler, Seth Rollins is supposed to announce a Bears pick and absolutely rip Packers
packerfanoutwest (25-Apr) : Golden
beast (25-Apr) : I want DT Derrick Harmon, Oregon
Mucky Tundra (25-Apr) : And I can't be looking at my phone
Mucky Tundra (25-Apr) : Hey I'm at work lol
Zero2Cool (24-Apr) : btw, new site chat won't delete auto like
Zero2Cool (24-Apr) : because everyone left like wimps
TheKanataThrilla (24-Apr) : I am wondering if there is some type of autoclear when there isn't activity after a certain amount of time.
Mucky Tundra (24-Apr) : What happened in the chat? Me and Zero posted a few things earlier and they're all gone
dfosterf (24-Apr) : 10-15 min bs plus flyover
dfosterf (24-Apr) : Yes
Zero2Cool (24-Apr) : 7pm is when this kicks off????
buckeyepackfan (24-Apr) : I told him. IT'S VONTE MACK , no matter what!
buckeyepackfan (24-Apr) : He asked me who I thought The Browns were taking.
buckeyepackfan (24-Apr) : 2. Would of had to wear Browns gear all week. NOPE I'll watch from my living room.
buckeyepackfan (24-Apr) : He wanted to know if I would go. 2 things, would have had to fly from Detroit to Green Bay. Nope
buckeyepackfan (24-Apr) : All expense paid trip to the draft. He will be in the Browns section. I told him to say hi to J-10VE for me 😃😃i
buckeyepackfan (24-Apr) : For a call from my nephew, he won an sllexp
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