What’s Your Team?

Actually met him once, and we got to talk for a bit- one of the nicest, most approachable guys I've ever had the pleasure to meet. On the field, however...
View attachment 1715987721"On September 1st, 1960, a steel coaching tower on the Packers practice field was blown over by a strong gust of wind on top of Nitschke. Lombardi ran over to see what had happened, but when told it had fallen on Nitschke, said, "He'll be fine. Get back to work!" According to Nitschke's biography, a spike was driven into his helmet, but did not injure him. The helmet (with the hole) is currently on display in the Packer Hall of Fame in Green Bay."
Nitschke was an out of control, mean, hard-drinking SOB before he got together with his wife. She's the one who deserves credit for bringing the good out of him.
I remember reading Run to Daylight as a kid, and the tower incident is described in the book. Last I saw the helmet was still there. I haven't been to the Packer Hall of Fame since '08. We're going to the Titans game in November, and the HOF has been completely re-done, so I hope we'll go before the game, which is a Thursday night.
Ray did an appearance at a shopping mall shortly before his death. It's about forty miles away, and I had every intention of going. That evening there were torrential storms, the kind of weather in which driving should be done only in dire circumstances. I figured I'd get another chance to meet him. I'm now older than he ever was.

My son on R&R in 2008. Five days earlier he was on an outpost in Afghanistan.
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