Mt. Rushmore of the Green Bay Packers: Legends of Lambeau

With ESPN doing their state-by-state Mt. Rushmore, here are my choices for the Green Bay Packers' four iconic figures that would most deserve being carved into the side of a mountain.

In my opinion, this honor should not be about statistics, but about leadership. Heroic or iconic figures only need apply.

#1: Curly Lambeau - The Founder of the Green Bay Packers.


MY COMMENTS: This man started it all. A classic entrepreneurial story of vision, indomitable spirit and against-all-odds success. A football pioneer, he is credited with inventing the first pass-oriented offense and the idea of daily practices.

He was an owner, player, head coach, general manager – he did it all. A Pro Football Hall of Fame member, Curly is the person most responsible for keeping football alive in small-town Green Bay. Without Curly Lambeau, there would be no Green Bay Packers— enough said.

MINI-BIO: Curly Lambeau was a standout player at Green Bay East High School before attending Notre Dame University, where he played for the famous Knute Rockne. Lambeau made Notre Dame's varsity squad as a freshman.

In 1919, Curly was back in Green Bay for a few months, recovering from an injury. He convinced his employer, the Indian Packing Company, to let them use their athletic field and to supply jerseys for a football team he was starting. The team was so successful, he was awarded a franchise the next year in the newly formed Pro Football League.

However, the team lost money and he had to forfeit the franchise. But the next year, with new backers, he bought back the franchise for $250, including $50 of his own money.

Lambeau played for the Packers from 1919 to 1929. Although Lambeau played halfback, he was the player who took the snap from the center, as was common practice during that period. Lambeau threw the Packers' first official pass, first official touchdown pass, and kicked the Packers' first official field goal.

Lambeau coached the Packers as an NFL team from 1921 to 1949. As head coach, he led the Packers to six NFL championships (1929, 1930, 1931, 1936, 1939, 1944). Lambeau's regular season record as head coach of the Packers was 212–106–21 (.656) overall). These official records do not include the Packers' 19–2–1 record under Lambeau prior to joining the NFL.

Besides being a part owner, player, and head coach all at the same time, Lambeau is credited with pioneering daily practices and the forward pass in the NFL. Three months after his death in 1965, the Packers renamed City Stadium to Lambeau Field.

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