Lombardi (Hardcover)

by John Wiebusch (Editor), Vernon Biever (Photographer), National Football League (Corporate Author) "WELLINGTON MARA: If you said good morning to him in the right way you could bring tears to his eyes..." (more)
Key Phrases: Green Bay, Vince Lombardi, New York (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review
His shadow was long, his legacy large, and his place in the pantheon immovable. Green Bay Packer coach Vince "Winning isn't everything; it's the only thing" Lombardi was such a legend in his life that even he had a hard time keeping himself in focus: "I don't know," he once said hauntingly, "what I am." This fascinating oral history, originally published in 1971, the year after Lombardi's death, helps unravel the conundrum. It brings a complex combination of benevolent father figure and tyrannical martinet back into view. What the hundreds of reminiscences from Lombardi lovers and haters both in and out of football don't completely capture--and that's not much--Vernon Biever's stark black-and-white photography fills in. The late poet James Dickey's surreal epilogue in the form of a free-verse eulogy is a curiosity for today's more politically correct world; it is daringly unafraid to charge through the neutral zone and tackle Lombardi's dark side.

From Library Journal
This work is a relatively in-depth profile of one of professional football's legendary coaches, the man who created the Green Bay Packers dynasty of the 1960s. Today, Lombardi is often better remembered for such pithy sayings as "No one ever remembers who finished second" than as the builder of one of the great professional football teams. Wiebusch (A Game of Passion: The NFL Literary Companion, Turner, 1994) offers an oral history, collecting the reminiscences of his players, peers, family, and friends. The excerpts certainly capture the essence of the man and will go a long way toward breaking down journalistic stereotypes that arose about Lombardi in the two and a half decades since his death and that have sometimes obscured his achievements. Of particular note are the comments from his wife, Marie, and his son, Vince Jr., which help illustrate his character. Could Lombardi survive in today's game? Probably, because, through all his bluster he was also flexible, and that is critical to success in pro football today. Recommended for public and school libraries.?William O. Scheeren, Hempfield Area H.S. Lib., Greensburg, Pa.
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 215 pages
• Publisher: Triumph Books (September 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1572430281
• ISBN-13: 978-1572430280
• Product Dimensions: 10.3 x 9.3 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.7 pounds
• Average Customer Review: No customer reviews yet. Be the first.
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,286,751 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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