Vince Lombardi

VINCE LOMBARDI, (6/11/1913 - 9/3/1970)

Lombardi! There may be no single word in the English language that communicates such strong visions of excellence, discipline, commitment and, of course…winning.

Vince Lombardi, at age 45, became the head coach of the Green Bay Packers. His previous NFL experience consisted of five years as an assistant coach with the New York Giants. In just nine years with the Packers, Lombardi became the symbol of excellence for an entire sport. In 1959, Lombardi was voted NFL coach of the year. For the next eight years, the Packers were in a class by themselves, winning five NFL championships and winning Super Bowls I and II.

Lombardi died in 1970 shortly after moving to Washington, where in his first year as a coach he led a struggling Washington Redskins team to a winning record of 7-5. The Lombardi philosophy, however, has lived on. It transcends football, and truly captures the fundamentals of success—in any sport, any business, or any life.