That First Season: How Vince Lombardi Took the Worst Team in the NFL and Set It on the Path to Glory
Product DescriptionIn the late 1950s the once vaunted Green Bay Packers were a laughing stock. They hadn't fielded a winning team in more than a decade and were very nearly in jeopardy of losing their franchise to another city. The ultimate low came in 1958, when, with 7 future Hall of Famers on the team, they went a lousy 1-10-1 under a too-soft coach,  Scooter McLean. They were desperately in need of a savior, and he arrived via wood-paneled station wagon in the dead of winter from New York City.That First Seasonchronicles Vince Lombardi's remarkable first year as head coach with the franchise he would reinvent and etch forever in football history. In a single year, as the grizzled coach who took no bull, he would transform a team of underachievers into winners and reignite a city known for its passion for its sport.  Based on exhaustive new research and interviews,That First Seasonis the seldom-studied prequel to a football career marked by greatness. Eisenberg pushes away the mist that surrounds the Lombardi legend to bring readers the real story of how the seeds of a football dynasty were sown. He also brings alive an incredible  ensemble tale of a team, a town and their leader.Photographs fromThat First Season(Click to Enlarge)The Packer offense took off when Lombardi inserted Boyd DowlerPaul Hornung, a key player in Lombardi's offenseDon McIlhenny runs the ball against the ColtsA fan congratulates Lombardi as he leaves the field