Bob McGilligan
Cheesehead
- Joined
- Nov 17, 2011
- Messages
- 3
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Hello everyone,
Bob McGilligan, born and raised in the great state of Wisconsin, in a town a little to the south of Green Bay, Appleton. I am guessing that I first started to listen to the Packers in the mid 50's on the radio. Stayed a fan a the while I was in the Marine Corps. A little difficult to follow from Nam in the 60's, no TV. After my years in the Corps, I moved to Oregon where I have been ever since, we happen to have a team here, the Oregon Ducks, that you might have heard of, that used to run around in a yellow and green unfiorms. I have always said, I love the green and gold, only I'm not a quaker backer, I like to think of myself as a Packer backer. So far as my favorite player, I would go back into my past and maybe go with Starr or Hornung.
I have recently read a short story about Coach Vince Lombardi and interested to hear if this is a story based on fact or not. I have a brother that is telling me it is just that, a story, I would like to think it could be true. I couldn't thinkm of another way to check it out, so here I am looking for a good feeling. A little long, sorry about that.
Thank you everybody,
and GO PACK!!!!!!
A long-time friend of mine (we never refer to each other as “old” friends!) is an ardent fan of the Pittsburg Steelers. A long time holder of season home-game tickets, Norb” has often risked hypothermia during post season games. This past season, the Steelers played the Green Bay Packers in the Super Bowl—the Steelers lost. A few days after the game, I phoned him to inquire as to his recovery from the shock; his answer surprised me. “Although I’m a loyal Steelers fan, I always root for the Packers when they play the Steelers.” He then told me why.
Norb enlisted in the USAF in 1950 and became a fighter pilot. When he was later en route to Korea he stopped to visit his brother in Green Bay, Wisc. The Packers coach was pointed out to him in a restaurant; Norb made known his desire to attend the weekends Packers game. His brother said “Are you kidding? You’d have to be born in the stadium to see that game.” But Norb’s brother approached Vince Lombardi asking if there was a chance of obtaining a couple of tickets to the Packers’ game that coming weekend. He mentioned Norb’s being a fighter pilot and going to Korea. Lombardi exclaimed, “If that man can risk his life like that for us, I can certainly comp’ a couple of tickets to a football game for him!” Tickets were available at a prearranged gate.
That gesture put Lombardi a level or two up in Norb’s opinion. Fast forward a couple of years.
As a career pilot for the USAF, Norb became an instructor in one of the Carolinas; he was training some younger pilots who were soon to be sent to Viet Nam. One of his students asked if it were possible to be guaranteed the Friday and Monday of a certain weekend off, as the group wanted to attend a Green Bay Packers vs. Atlanta Falcons game on a Sunday. Norb agreed and advised them to write directly to the Packers office for tickets, which they did. An answer soon came back with 20 tickers for the guys and their wives.
The letter signed by Vince Lombardi, stated that additional benches would be placed among the Packers’ players at half time so that they all could sit among the team. Also inside the envelope was their check – torn in half!
Vince Lombardi with his mantra, “Winning isn’t everything, it’s the ONLY thing!” was known as the meanest coach in NFL football.
But, not in Norb’s opinion!
Bob McGilligan, born and raised in the great state of Wisconsin, in a town a little to the south of Green Bay, Appleton. I am guessing that I first started to listen to the Packers in the mid 50's on the radio. Stayed a fan a the while I was in the Marine Corps. A little difficult to follow from Nam in the 60's, no TV. After my years in the Corps, I moved to Oregon where I have been ever since, we happen to have a team here, the Oregon Ducks, that you might have heard of, that used to run around in a yellow and green unfiorms. I have always said, I love the green and gold, only I'm not a quaker backer, I like to think of myself as a Packer backer. So far as my favorite player, I would go back into my past and maybe go with Starr or Hornung.
I have recently read a short story about Coach Vince Lombardi and interested to hear if this is a story based on fact or not. I have a brother that is telling me it is just that, a story, I would like to think it could be true. I couldn't thinkm of another way to check it out, so here I am looking for a good feeling. A little long, sorry about that.
Thank you everybody,
and GO PACK!!!!!!
Vets get the best seats
By: Don Cavanaugh
A long-time friend of mine (we never refer to each other as “old” friends!) is an ardent fan of the Pittsburg Steelers. A long time holder of season home-game tickets, Norb” has often risked hypothermia during post season games. This past season, the Steelers played the Green Bay Packers in the Super Bowl—the Steelers lost. A few days after the game, I phoned him to inquire as to his recovery from the shock; his answer surprised me. “Although I’m a loyal Steelers fan, I always root for the Packers when they play the Steelers.” He then told me why.
Norb enlisted in the USAF in 1950 and became a fighter pilot. When he was later en route to Korea he stopped to visit his brother in Green Bay, Wisc. The Packers coach was pointed out to him in a restaurant; Norb made known his desire to attend the weekends Packers game. His brother said “Are you kidding? You’d have to be born in the stadium to see that game.” But Norb’s brother approached Vince Lombardi asking if there was a chance of obtaining a couple of tickets to the Packers’ game that coming weekend. He mentioned Norb’s being a fighter pilot and going to Korea. Lombardi exclaimed, “If that man can risk his life like that for us, I can certainly comp’ a couple of tickets to a football game for him!” Tickets were available at a prearranged gate.
That gesture put Lombardi a level or two up in Norb’s opinion. Fast forward a couple of years.
As a career pilot for the USAF, Norb became an instructor in one of the Carolinas; he was training some younger pilots who were soon to be sent to Viet Nam. One of his students asked if it were possible to be guaranteed the Friday and Monday of a certain weekend off, as the group wanted to attend a Green Bay Packers vs. Atlanta Falcons game on a Sunday. Norb agreed and advised them to write directly to the Packers office for tickets, which they did. An answer soon came back with 20 tickers for the guys and their wives.
The letter signed by Vince Lombardi, stated that additional benches would be placed among the Packers’ players at half time so that they all could sit among the team. Also inside the envelope was their check – torn in half!
Vince Lombardi with his mantra, “Winning isn’t everything, it’s the ONLY thing!” was known as the meanest coach in NFL football.
But, not in Norb’s opinion!
