Lombardi would have been ashamed of Reggie White

[AlienGirl]

Quote:

"This faith in individual excellence led Vince Lombardi to look upon his fellow humans with an open-minded frankness remarkable for its (or any other) day. Paralleling the artist's dictum that "the man is nothing, the work is everything," Lombardi centered human value on individual character and performance, not on the trivialities of birth. In 1959 he announced in his locker room that "If I ever hear 'nigger' or 'dago' or 'kike' or anything like that around here, regardless of who you are, you're through with me. You can't play for me if you have any kind of prejudice." When the Packers went to Columbus, Ga., in 1960 for a summer game against the Washington Redskins, he lodged the players at the nearby (and integrated) Ft. Benning Army post so that they could all stay together.

He coached homosexual players long before the term "gay" was heard, and when behind-the-back talk started (as it did in Washington over a No. 1 draft pick) Lombardi slammed the door on it, telling his coaches: "If I hear one of you people make reference to his manhood you'll be out of here before your ass hits the ground." As it happened, Harold Lombardi -- Vince's brother -- was gay."

Link: http://www.valleyscene.com/Books/book1099.html

It's tragic that anyone dies, but I'd rather remember Lombardi's legacy than Reggie White's.

Tucker

[Uzybone]

1. Wow

Vince was a heck of a guy.

[AlienGirl]

2. Yeah--I hate football, but

Lombardi was way ahead of his time. That book isn't a bad read.

Tucker

[Droopy]

3. I didn't know that about Lombardi

He sounds like he was a good liberal. Thanks for bringing this to light.

I think White was a confused man. Being black, he should have known what hatred for being different feels like. If he would have taken the time to get to know some gay people he would have figured out that they are just being who they are. The way his god made them.

[fortyfeetunder]

4. You think Vince might now be taking Reggie to task?

If there is a heaven...you never know whether Vince might be giving Reggie a fatherly word or two.

I respected Lombardi, he was a class act all the way.

[Prodemsouth]

5. "Winning isn't everything it 's the only thing"- Know a few people you

wish could live by that disputed quote- How about Democrats-nah they might get a stain of their pink tutus

[jmowreader]

6. In Lombardi's situation, it was the truth

Vince Lombardi coached a professional football team. No one goes to a professional football game...no one turns on a professional football game...to see their team lose gracefully. They want to see them win!

Lombardi understood that he manufactured a product--football wins.

[RetroLounge]

7. Wow! Nice quote.

Thanks for posting this.

While I take no pleasure in Reggie White dying, I also do not mourn the loss.

He was no role model.

RL

[capriccio]

8. Two Things

Vince Lombardi was a Be Clean for Gene guy in '68...in other words he was for Gene McCarthy and against the Vietnam War. So the image of him as some Neanderthal was only for those who were really never playing attention.

Same for Reggie White... a truly extraordinary player who later said he regretted his anti-gay comments. He was on a serious lifelong quest for his god, and never faltered in his struggle to be as good a human being as he could.

People are sometimes more complex than we give them credit for...even at DU.

[regnaD kciN]

9. That's surprising...

...not to mention about the only good thing I've ever read about "Ol' Blood-and-Guts" Lombardi -- who had a reputation at the time as the meanest guy in the sport.

[RevCheesehead]

10. No way. Vince was a bigger man than you give him credit for.

Vince would have seen the good in Reggie. He'd also probably call him one of his best players ever.

Dream team: Nitscke and White! God, our defense sure could use them now!

[roguevalley]

11. that's when football was great. Remember the Raiders and

George Blanda? Sonny Sixkiller and Joe Namath? All of the Rams and Raiders were personalities and interesting. Long before rap sheets and
crap. SIGH! I miss the days when Dick Butkis was wherever the ball was. Now there was a player.

[RevCheesehead]

12. Yeah - the days before Free Agency ruined the game for us all!

I also hate the "supply the new teams" rule (whatever it's called). We (Packers) lost Vonnie Holliday that way - and he was amazing.

I don't know if that's correct or not. Hell, it's 4 am, and I need to get to sleep!!!

[Forkboy]

13. Kick for the ones who feel the need to scold those of us who aren't

sufficiently sad.