R I P Forrest Gregg

[Michael_ Gee]

Packer tackle and Hall of Famer dead at age 85. Vince Lombardi said Gregg was the best football player he ever coached, which is quite some accolade.

 

[exmediahack]

He looked like he was 75 when he was coaching the Bengals and Packers. Also a dead ringer for Roscoe P. Coltrane.

 

[John B. Foster]

 

[Baron Scicluna]

Always loved the story about how one time Lombardi was ripping on the team at halftime and Gregg stood up, cursed, apologized for doing so, then started yelling at him about how hard they were trying and Lombardi was fine with it.

 

[Slacker]

Always loved the story about how one time Lombardi was ripping on the team at halftime and Gregg stood up, cursed, apologized for doing so, then started yelling at him about how hard they were trying and Lombardi was fine with it.

Was it this?


On Oct. 26, 1965, the Tuesday after the win over the Cowboys, Lombardi confronted the Packers. His players were weary after a punishing practice, but Lombardi was hyper, roaming the big room with arms behind his back. He found virtually nothing that pleased him against Dallas. He berated players to their faces.

And then he said this:

“Winning, it doesn’t mean anything to any of you,” Lombardi bellowed. “I’m the only one in this room who wants to win.”

Lombardi stopped to savor a dramatic pause before ending his brilliant tirade.

“I ... am ... the ... only ... one!”

Gregg, exhausted, was sitting in front of his locker. He heard Lombardi’s accusations, which sliced him someplace deep and filled him with rage.

He knew he could not remain silent, but he also knew he was preparing to challenge the toughest coach on earth.

“I shouldn’t do this. I shouldn’t do this. Will he kill me?” Gregg said to himself as he contemplated standing up. He stood up, anyway.

“By God, coach, I want to win,” Gregg said, his voice rising with each word. “It tears my guts out to lose.”

The room went silent as Lombardi glared at Gregg, the men’s eyes locking for a long, tense moment.

Then Lombardi began shouting.

“Who else? Who else?”

One by one, each of the Packers stood and announced he, too, hated to lose and loved to win and would give anything – anything! – for victory.

RAMSEY: Former Packers great Forrest Gregg, a Colorado Springs resident, remembers Lombardi and 1st Super Bowl

 

[Baron Scicluna]

Was it this?


On Oct. 26, 1965, the Tuesday after the win over the Cowboys, Lombardi confronted the Packers. His players were weary after a punishing practice, but Lombardi was hyper, roaming the big room with arms behind his back. He found virtually nothing that pleased him against Dallas. He berated players to their faces.

And then he said this:

“Winning, it doesn’t mean anything to any of you,” Lombardi bellowed. “I’m the only one in this room who wants to win.”

Lombardi stopped to savor a dramatic pause before ending his brilliant tirade.

“I ... am ... the ... only ... one!”

Gregg, exhausted, was sitting in front of his locker. He heard Lombardi’s accusations, which sliced him someplace deep and filled him with rage.

He knew he could not remain silent, but he also knew he was preparing to challenge the toughest coach on earth.

“I shouldn’t do this. I shouldn’t do this. Will he kill me?” Gregg said to himself as he contemplated standing up. He stood up, anyway.

“By God, coach, I want to win,” Gregg said, his voice rising with each word. “It tears my guts out to lose.”

The room went silent as Lombardi glared at Gregg, the men’s eyes locking for a long, tense moment.

Then Lombardi began shouting.

“Who else? Who else?”

One by one, each of the Packers stood and announced he, too, hated to lose and loved to win and would give anything – anything! – for victory.

RAMSEY: Former Packers great Forrest Gregg, a Colorado Springs resident, remembers Lombardi and 1st Super Bowl

It may have been the same confrontation Maraniss wrote about in his book. I was mistaken about it being a halftime tirade.

When Pride Still Mattered

 

[cyclingwriter2]

Originally written in the Curry/plimpton book “one more July.” Curry is driving to training camp and plimpton is asking him about his career. Curry tells the story about Gregg saying something along the lines of “damnit, excuse me for cursing coach, but damnit I’m out there every week playing and I want to win.”

So it’s likely the same story from two different memories.