Undeniably, Vincent Thomas Lombardi was the greatest football coach ever! This Sunday in front of millions of viewers who will assault their bodies with beer, chicken wings, and chip dip, one team will be presented with the trophy honoring his name. The other...Well, maybe someone will toss'em a string of beads as they make their way from the Superdome in New-Orleans to the airport. By that time we will have already tweeted and blogged about whether or not Beyonce fumbled the halftime show, voted for the most ridiculous commercial, and sent the MVP of the game to Disney World. Lombardi, who led the Green Bay Packers to five championships including the first two Super Bowls ever played, could give a rat's behind about all the hoopla that the game has become today. Repetition and the pursuit of perfection was Coach Lombardi's secret to winning. His teams would out condition you, frustrate you, and eventually break you down mentally and physically. Lombardi once said, “People who work together will win, whether it be against complex football defenses, or the problems of modern society.” Pro-football and our society in general could learn a thing or two from the man in the trench coat, large bifocals, and funny hat who roamed the sidelines from 1947 at his alma mater, Fordham University, until he stepped down as the head honcho for the Washington Redskins in 1969. He never had a losing season while coaching in the pros. His players loved him and hated him all at the same time. He demanded more of them than they demanded of themselves. With that in mind, this year's trophy will go to the team that best exemplifies the Lombardi rules... "I firmly believe that any man’s finest hour, the greatest fulfillment of all that he holds dear, is the moment when he has worked his heart out in a good cause and lies exhausted on the field of battle – Victorious." Ravens 24 - 49ers 20...Now pass the wings!
