Way before the New England Patriot's stretch of dynastic domination of the NFL was derailed by a blitzing Kansas City Chiefs safety, there was what many consider to be the first dynasty in the NFL – the Green Bay Packers of the 1960s. While the beginning of the 21st Century has the 'genius' of Bill Belicheck, the 1960s had the man after whom the Super Bowl trophy is named, Vincent T. Lombardi. Coach Lombardi guided the Packers to 5 NFL championships, including the first 2 Super Bowls. Lombardi was also a member of the Seven Blocks of Granite, the moniker given to the offensive line of the 1936 Fordham University offensive line, for which he starred at center. That's right, the football factory currently known as Fordham University… Based on his offensive line play, the Rotary Lomdardi Award is given to the nation's best offensive or defensive lineman and linebacker. The physical award is actually a block of granite on a pedestal paying homage to Lombardi's time as a Block of Granite.[1] It is fitting that the award for the best linemen is clever, since offensive linemen are the smartest and most clever players to step on a football field. Tackles, centers, and guards entering the NFL draft fill 3 of the 4 top scoring spots on the Wonderlic test, a 50 question problem solving test administered during the NFL Combine.[2] Sadly, their defensive counterparts tend to perpetuate the idea that linemen as a whole are dumb. Getting back to the topic at hand – Vincent T. Lombardi was born in Brooklyn and obviously must have spent some time living in the New York area since he played at Fordham University and coached at Army. Clearly, he must have lived in Wisconsin at least during the football season. But the famed coach does not live anywhere now, having succumbed to cancer at the age of 57 in 1970. Vince Lombardi, along with his wife, is currently buried at Mt. Olivet Cemetery in Monmouth, NJ.[3] Considering Vince Lombardi is an immortal in the game of football and my 26 year obsession with the game of football I hold high esteem for the man, the myth, and the legend that Vince Lombardi was and is. I was proud to learn that high school near my current apartment plays football on Vince Lombardi Field. I was also pleased to learn through Findagrave.com the exact location of the Lombardi gravesite and with the beginning of the football season decided to make a pilgrimage in hopes of providing a blessing to those most important to me i.e. Penn State, Juniata College, and the Philadelphia Eagles. Despite being a luminary in the football community, there is no Lombardi Taj Mahal. More importantly, because Coach Lombardi was a luminary in the football community and not in the international community there is no Lombardi Taj Mahal.
So I visited the Lombardi grave in Monmouth, NJ with my best high school football face and college football jersey with me. The beautiful autumn background reminded me of the wonderful falls I spent running into other large young men and cheering with my best friends. While I was there, I took my picture since this is http://www.picsofmeinfrontofstuff.blogspot.com/, said a little prayer, and went on my way.
I can only wish when I am long gone that I have done enough in life for some young man to come get his picture taken next to his grave.Hooray, football!
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