Vince Lombardi: The Lombardi You Thought You Knew

Reprinted from the Maysville Ledger Independent. edited by Zack Klemme

Me as a little guy, pretending to be Lombardi's Packer QB, Bart Starr

I’ve been fascinated with Vince Lombardi my entire life. When I was little, Bart Starr was my favorite NFL player and the Packers were my favorite team. I switched to Fran Tarkenton & the Vikings when Starr retired. As an American icon, there is more information than a person can sort through in a lifetime on Coach Lombardi. I’ve read several books about and written by Lombardi. If I listed them all, that would complete my word count for this column! 

The commonly held view of Coach Lombardi is of a hardnosed, win at all costs, dictatorial leader who had incredible success and many regard as the greatest NFL coach, and possibly the greatest football, or for that matter, coach of any sport. Ironically, one rival for the title of the greatest coach of any sport could be John Wooden. From the outside, the two men are very different- emphasis on the outside. On the inside, they share many similarities.I would argue that Lombardi is like all of us – a complex personality who does not fit into an easy to label category. 

Herb Adderly became a Hall of Fame defensive back for the Green Bay Packers. According to Lombardi’s Run to Daylight, the coach was convinced that Adderly’s skills were best suited for offense but he continued to struggle. When Lombardi found out that Adderly wanted to play defense, he switched him to that side of the ball. Most of us given that scenario might envision Lombardi believing that he knew best and insisting that Adderly continue to play offense but that is not what happened. He listened and adjusted his plan.

For me, this picture is a more realistic look at Lombardi. Most great leaders listen to the people around them. In fact, of all the books on Lombardi, Run To Daylight is my favorite. Coach Lombardi wrote it as a diary of one week in the season. I think it gives a much more accurate picture of who he was and how he operated- or at least how he saw himself and/or wanted others to see him. When I read the book, it was not what I expected at the time. But now, his words sound like the words of an outstanding leader and it makes a lot more sense to me in how he was able to accomplish the things he and his teams did.

A common mistake we all make is to assume we know what a person thinks based on their political party, religion, etc. Almost every president, at some point in his term(s), has members of his own party angry because he did not believe or do what they thought he should. Lombardi was a great coach but still a human being like all of us- a complex mixture of ideas and beliefs that have nuances that are, at times, even difficult for us to articulate.

From a football perspective, one of Lombardi’s most lasting and significant influences is the idea that you do a FEW things extremely well as a football team as opposed to trying to do several things, or trying to trick your opponent. In Run to Daylight, he says, “every game boils down to doing the things you do best and doing them over and over again.” At Mason County, we may try to make things LOOK different, change the tempo, etc. but we try to do the same things our kids have done from the beginning when playing for the Knights. Most very good coaches believe in this philosophy and it is a big part of the culture of football.

Of course Lombardi was a great leader and understood football. To me, the Lombardi “mystique” came from, for lack of a better term, his spirit and connection to the essence of what makes football a GREAT game. In David Maraniss’, When Pride Still Mattered, Lombardi shares an experience he had as a player in the locker room after a game in high school which his team had lost. He called it a “locker room epiphany.” 

“He was overcome by joy, a rare feeling for him…He understood he was not a great player, but he had fought hard, given his best and discovered that no one on the field intimidated him, no matter how big or fast. He was 
confident…He felt fatigue, soreness, competitive yearning, accomplishment- and all of this, he said later, left him 
surprisingly elated. …It was an intoxicating sensation, one that he would want to experience again and again for the rest of his life.” (p. 30)

For me, what he describes, is why guys talk about HS football long after it is over. It is why for some guys they continue to play the game as long as they can play. And, although coaching is a long way from playing, it is part of the reason that coaches keep walking through that office door long after their family and friends think they have lost their mind and need to move on. As a coach, when you see your players have that type of experience or as Lombardi said, “epiphany”, you have helped them get what your players want and need most from football. For some guys, the football field is the first time you ARE the man you want to BE as an adult. Lombardi got that.

The Day I almost got my tail kicked bad at Bright Leaf Pool

In the spring of 1983, I was hired at Bright Leaf as a lifeguard and also to take care of any odd jobs or maintenance that was pretty simple. I don't know how to do a whole lot, but I was at least strong enough to replace a motel room AC unit. When it would be really hot, it seems like most days were spent carrying those AC units up and down the steps of the motel on a dolly. Those things could get heavy pretty quick.

Early in the spring of 1983, I was picking up trash in the parking lot. While doing so, an older guy drives up in a beat up pick up truck. His clothes are dirty and looks like he couldn't rub two nickels together. He gets out of his truck and is not happy about how the parking lot or grass in front of the parking lot looks. He says, "You tell Jerry (my boss) this needs to be cleaned up immediately"... in so many words. I have no idea who I'm talking to. I say, "Sir, can I tell Jerry who all of these instructions are from?" He says, "Sure. My name is Blankenship. I own the place." It was Buck Blankenship the owner of Bright Leaf.

When I did get to lifeguard, instead of "work", most of the time it was pretty good. One Sunday afternoon, though, I was in over my head. A group of golfers was finishing their 18 holes by playing bumper cars with their golf carts on the putting green.  Apparently they had enjoyed drinking a few beers through the day. Lucky me, they decided to come to the pool after playing golf. In this group, a handful of them were pretty big..... 6'4 or 6'5... probably around 250 lbs, etc.  They sat at a corner table with an umbrella at the pool and were having a pretty good time and loud.

My Boss's wife was an attractive lady. As she walks by those guys, they begin whistling and hollering. My boss comes walking down the sidewalk next to the pool. He makes eye contact with me. He snaps his fingers, points at the table of guys, and says, "David, take care of that!" I'm thinking.... good grief, what am I going to do??

I walk over to the table and say to them, "Guys, that is my Boss's wife. You can't do that." They stand up and I am looking up at all of them. The one right in front of me says, "You know, we can set you on your ear right now." I said, "Yes, I know that. I am just doing my job. You can't yell at her."  I guess he felt sorry for me. He told me he understood and ok, that they would leave her alone. To say I was relieved would be an understatement!

If you go to Bright Leaf Pool for Memorial Day weekend, have a great day. And, please don't whip the lifeguard!

John's Grandson

Sunday JCB graduated from Centre. On Monday, he and Caroline got engaged. Here is a reprint of the last column I wrote for the Maysville Newspaper in 2014. It is also in Black Shoes & White Shoestrings. 

John Combs and the other #71, my Dad. Photo by Cheri Johnson

What got me writing this column was being a coach’s son. So, it seems that I should make my last column about a coach’s son- my son, John Combs Buchanan (JCB). 

The most unique part of raising JCB in Maysville has been to see him become an outstanding pianist. As a young dad, the thought never crossed my mind, “I hope my son can play the piano.” This community has helped to make that happen, and CJ Hunter was the biggest part of that development. Both sides of our family have wanted JCB to continue playing the piano. I know if Stephanie’s mom had been able to hear him play she would have been overwhelmed by his ability. This is one of the few places that appreciate his music more than his football. But, for me, it is a lot harder to find an inside linebacker in Mason County than it is to find someone that can play the piano.

It’s a great experience, as a dad to get a good look at the man your son will become. For me, that first moment came the Friday night at Highlands in JCB’s sophomore year. We had been 1-7 over the past 8 weeks, stretching from 2011 to 2012. That night in Fort Thomas, we were facing one of the best programs in the nation. 


Early in the season, I had decided that I did not need to choose captains or weekly awards any more because my son was on the team. That job would go to our assistant coaches. Moments before we would take the field, our coaches told me our captains for the night & one of them was JCB.

It was ironic they picked him because he & I were both in the doghouse with his mom and the rest of the family that night. They were not at the game and had hit the wall with me and my preference for making a tough schedule. I will admit I had made a mistake. The perfect storm had hit and the schedule had taken a toll on our team, players, coaches, and my family.

As we walked to midfield, I can’t describe the emotion of getting ready to face the challenge before us, together. That game had been talked about over and over again in our house during the past year. It struck me as we walked out for the coin toss JCB’s poise, confidence, excitement, and eagerness to face the challenge. He played very well and our kids did great. We didn’t win, but we played very hard and our kids were not intimated. After the game, JCB talked at length about how much he had enjoyed the total experience of playing the Bluebirds on their turf. That was his first night of being the man that God has called him to be- I could not have been happier or more proud.

JCB & Caroline after a big November Playoff Win in 2013. He is still mad I made him wear the neck roll from 1970.

Our first game his junior year was a strong reminder he was growing up on me a lot faster than I wanted. I was walking in to the locker room after taking care of some things on the field. As I turned the corner, I saw him talking to his girlfriend, Caroline, and a couple of her friends. He never saw me. We had won, he had played well, and I was glad he was so happy. Later that night I went back for a walk on our field, something I often do after a ballgame. In the past, I usually had JCB with me for those. But, this night I was by myself and I really missed him being there. It reminded me of something I had heard my dad tell my mom when I was growing up. He had said, these kids don’t belong to us, they belong to God, and it is our job to raise them for the day they are no longer here. Stephanie disagrees! But, I understand what he meant and I try to celebrate the memories and that I see him becoming the man God called him to be, even though I will really miss him when he is no longer under our roof.

One of the toughest conversations I ever had with my dad was when he told me we were leaving Boyle County. I was devastated. My dream had been to wear a gold helmet just like my heroes Charlie Mayfield, Robert Allen Yankey, James Terrance, Lee Glasscock, James Scruggs, Dickie Mayes, Monty Wilkerson and those other Rebel football players. As I look back on it, I realize God’s plan is the best plan and I would not trade the relationships and experiences I gained wearing a red helmet at Mercer. Still, I really wanted JCB* to get to wear a BLUE helmet, like his heroes wore when he was growing up. He wanted that and I did too. 

Most coaches don’t get to be in the same place for 19 years, but that has worked out for our family. There have been some great players (both in regards to talent & effort) and coaches, very supportive friends, and a community that made that happen. My son got to play for a great staff of assistant coaches and wear a blue  helmet. I was on the front row for every bit of it. Thank you.

*Trosper is as excited about being a Titan as John Combs was about being a Royal!

Photo by Arpan Dixit of the Harrodsburg Herald