why Is Vince Lombardi considered the Greatest pro football coach that ever lived?
2007-02-06 11:22:03 · 9 answers · asked by Anonymous in Sports ➔ Football (American)
I think Don Shula is the greatest coach of all time, he went undefeated and I believe he also won back to back superbowls and he may even have the best record among coaches (check me on that).The Superbowl trophy is named after Lombardi because he won the first 2.
Andrew
The Trophy is named after him because he won the first 2 Superbowls. You dont just change the name because a better coach came along.
2007-02-06 11:32:15 · answer #1 · answered by MJMGrand 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Vince Lombardi played as one of the famous "seven blocks of granite" on the Fordham University line, then coached both in the US Army at West Point and for the NY Giants and Green Bay Packers. His army-style discipline techniques made him a great motivator and his teams were always considered well-coached. Lombardi emphasized fundamental skills and execution, which is basically doing things right and doing them well, every time. He is also credited with inventing zone blocking on the O line, which is where a blocker blocks their man in the direction the defender is already going, instead of trying to pry him the other way because the scheme says so. The running back the simply runs towards "daylight," if the defense has been blocked into his assigned hole. (IMO This has led to the development of "cutback" style running you see today.) His Packers won 5 NFL championships and two superbowls in 9 years during the 1960s, and he was universally beloved as a great guy and a great teacher. After tragic death from cancer, he was recognized as the prototype of the modern football coach (now semi-not modern). Wikipedia has a good entry on him and there is even a Vince Lombardi website. Check it out. By the way. Go Bears!!
2007-02-06 11:36:24 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Well first of all his record. His Packers teams won the NFL Championship five times, with the final two of those championships concluding with Super Bowl victories. His teams never had a losing record.
Second, the circumstances of his record. When he came to Green Bay, the Packers were terrible coming off a 1 win season. The NFL did not have shared tv money at the time, so the Packers were a weak financial team. So any success at Green Bay was considered to be a miracle.
Third his teams were not the most physically gifted. Only tailback Paul Horning, Heisman winner as a quarterback, was a star player in College. The rest of the Packers who became legendary players, were all over-achievers. Lombardi made them all play better than what their ability predicted they would.
Also Lombardi's personality had a lot to do with it. He could intimidate both his own team, and the opponent. He also was a master at pulling out surprises.
2007-02-07 12:09:56 · answer #3 · answered by mf52dolphin 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Lombardi took over a Green Bay Packer team that was so bad, the NFL was thinking about folding the franchise. In his first season the team went 7 and 5 and in the second season they made it all the way to the NFL championship game which they lost to Philly. Lombardi won 5 NFL championships in just 9 seasons with the Packers. For those who think Don Shula is the best coach ever, keep in mind that he was on the losing end of the biggest upset in Super Bowl history - Super Bowl III. He also only has 2 NFL championships to Lombardi's 5 despite coaching for over 30 years.
2007-02-06 13:08:00 · answer #4 · answered by mike p 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Lombardi head coached the Green Bay Packers to the first two Super Bowl Championships where, as NFL champions, they defeated AFL champions. So the trophy is appropriately named after him. Some consider him and others consider Shula as greatest ever. Tom Landry is also in the mix. It is all a matter of opinion. I think John Madden was pretty great with the Raiders, but he made commentating his claim to fame.
2007-02-06 11:41:54 · answer #5 · answered by Mr. Bodhisattva 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The Super Bowl Trophy is named after him...so, yes, he is the greatest coach in pro football history. It's not the Shoula Trophy or the Halas Trophy, it's the Lombardi Trophy.
2007-02-06 11:33:45 · answer #6 · answered by Andrew 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
yes, he is the greatest coach who has ever lived
I mean the greatest game (super bowl) trophy is named after him
2007-02-06 11:26:20 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
the 1950's for the Packers were awful, and he brought them back to the top
And he was a great strategiest
2007-02-06 11:33:46 · answer #8 · answered by Colton Y 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
He changed the strategy of the game and produced world champs out of a bunch of no names.
2007-02-06 11:25:26 · answer #9 · answered by Daddy Dave 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋