Launching the Glory Years The 1959 GREEN BAY Packers

Description: Launching the Glory Years The 1959 Packers (Inside 1959- The Fractured Foundation of the Glory Years) Signed by JAY BENGTSON SOFTCOVER CONDITION GOOD - COPYRIGHT 2001-- 78 PAGES -- 7 3/4 X 10.. INCLUDED 2 NEWSPAPER OBITUARIES CLIPPINGS ON -JAY BENGTSON - by Len Wagner (Author)..Launching the Glory Years: The 1959 Packers: What They Didn’t Tell Us by Len Wagner (Coaches Books, 2001)This book is a collaboration of the highest order. Phil Bengtson’s son Jay found in his father’s papers player evaluations done on Vince Lombardi’s request by the Packers’ four assistant coaches following the 1959 season. Bengtson enlisted former Green Bay Press-Gazette sports editor to write the historical overview that frames the book, Packer memorabilia collector par excellence Tom Pigeon to provide scores of period photographs and Maribeth Conard to design the very appealing layout.The work of the collaborators is uniformly excellent, but the main draw, of course, are the coaches’ candid evaluations. The opinions of the four assistants (Phil Bengtson, Norb, Hecker, Bill Austin and Red Cochran) are not individually identified, but the key thing is reading what the coaches thought after coaching these players for one full season.Some of the views were happily reversed by reality over the next eight years. Ray Nitschke “has physical ability, but cannot think. Will never be able to play for us.” Max McGee is “no team player and bad for the team.” Bart Starr is universally regarded as “a number two quarterback at best.” Wagner makes the point that these coaches brought out the any hidden talent the players had, and the result was a dynasty.However, most of the assessments are pretty accurate as to who could play and who couldn’t. All in all it makes for very revealing reading for any Packer fan....Midway through that season, legendary Packers coach Vince Lombardi asked four of his assistants (Phil Bengtson, Red Cochran, Bill Austin and Norb Hecker) to evaluate the team's roster. Some of the comments make you wonder how Green Bay would win five NFL titles over the following eight seasons:On Bart Starr: "A No. 2 quarterback at best. ... I do not believe we can win with Starr."Ray Nitschke: "Will never be able to play for us. Trade him."Max McGee: "I would like to see us replace him. We need someone dependable."..Paul Hornung. "I don't see how he can help a good pro club. We need better backs than this."In their defense, the coaches were right about predictions of greatness for running back Jim Taylor and offensive linemen Jerry Kramer and Forrest Gregg.The 78-page book was written by retired Green Bay Press-Gazette sports editor Len Wagner, who was given the reports by Bengtson's son, Jay. Jay found them after his father's death in 1994.

Price: 89.95 USD

Location: Luxemburg, Wisconsin

End Time: 2024-09-07T02:30:34.000Z

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