George Halas story

ivo610

Cheesehead
Joined
Feb 13, 2010
Messages
16,588
Reaction score
2,250
Location
Madison
Taken from this mornings MMQB written by Redskins GM Bruce Allen:

Of course, it would be irresponsible of me to mention NFL owners and not bring up the original -- the one and only George Halas. Halas' list of contributions to the game is endless. Beside being the leader in the formation of the NFL, his coaching accomplishments will never be surpassed. Ironically, Coach Halas taught me my first "cuss" word.
In 1964 I was sitting in the back seat of his car on the way to Bears training camp at St. Joseph's College in Rensselaer, Indiana while he and my father were discussing personnel and objectives for the team. I caught him staring at me in the rear view mirror, noticing how intently I was trying to follow the conversation. He turned to me at one point and said: "That's great you want to learn about the team, I think it's time you learn your first cuss word."
After a slight pause, Halas looked at my father for approval (not that he needed it). He continued: "You can only use this word on a really bad person, someone you really hate or who did something very very bad." He then made me acknowledge that I understood, to which I responded: "Yes, Coach!" After what seemed like the longest minute ever, he turned around and said one word with an intensity that I had never seen: "PACKER." And then he added: "Don't tell your mom I told you!"
 

JBlood

Cheesehead
Joined
Dec 5, 2004
Messages
3,159
Reaction score
467
Great story. They say Halas hated the Packers 2 Sundays per year, and had a soft spot for them the rest of the time. Halas was instrumental in getting the league to re-admit the Packers in 1922 after they had been kicked out for using college players. The Packers returned the favor by loaning Halas $1500 in 1932 when he was strapped for cash, and Halas apparently never forgot that. He was the guy that convinced Dominic Olejniczak to hire Lombardi as head coach, and Lombardi beat Halas 13 of 18 games from '59 to '67. A true Love/Hate relationship if there ever was one. I like Halas now; but I still hate the Bears.
 

Darth Garfunkel

Cheesehead
Joined
Dec 26, 2010
Messages
563
Reaction score
228
Location
denver
If you haven't checked it out Mudbaths and Bloodbaths is a great read about the Packers/Bears rivalry. Lots of good stories like this.

I don't remember the details but there was a story in there about the old days where the Bears were in Green Bay for a game and the night before someone from the Packers hired a marching band to go up and down the hall of the Bears hotel playing at like 3 am so they couldn't get any sleep!

There was another story about Halas tripping a Packer player running along the sideline on a kick return.
 
OP
OP
ivo610

ivo610

Cheesehead
Joined
Feb 13, 2010
Messages
16,588
Reaction score
2,250
Location
Madison
If you haven't checked it out Mudbaths and Bloodbaths is a great read about the Packers/Bears rivalry. Lots of good stories like this.

I don't remember the details but there was a story in there about the old days where the Bears were in Green Bay for a game and the night before someone from the Packers hired a marching band to go up and down the hall of the Bears hotel playing at like 3 am so they couldn't get any sleep!

There was another story about Halas tripping a Packer player running along the sideline on a kick return.

The jets trainer should have brought that up when he got killed for it
 

JBlood

Cheesehead
Joined
Dec 5, 2004
Messages
3,159
Reaction score
467
If you haven't checked it out Mudbaths and Bloodbaths is a great read about the Packers/Bears rivalry. Lots of good stories like this.

I don't remember the details but there was a story in there about the old days where the Bears were in Green Bay for a game and the night before someone from the Packers hired a marching band to go up and down the hall of the Bears hotel playing at like 3 am so they couldn't get any sleep!

There was another story about Halas tripping a Packer player running along the sideline on a kick return.
On my "to read" list. I like Christl's writing.
 

Members online

No members online now.

Latest posts

Top