Professional Football Opportunity Comes for George Halas

Sporting Chance Press Book

The following passage is from Pillars of the NFL  by Patrick McCaskey, Copyright Sporting Chance Press.

Halas was recruited to work at Staley Starch Company in Decatur in a dual management-training and athletic-director position. Staley had baseball, basketball, and football teams. Halas sharpened his sports management skills by running the Staleys football team. 

Scheduling games among unaffiliated teams was difficult; Halas sensed an opportunity to organize the teams that had been playing together to form a league. He sent a letter expressing such an interest to Ralph Hay of Canton, Ohio. Hay was working to improve the organization of Ohio teams. In many ways, Canton was the fertile crescent of pro football. 

Hay’s Canton Bulldogs had the 1912 Olympic Athlete Jim Thorpe as its player-coach at the time. Hay invited interested parties to Canton, where they outlined the basic league structure. On paper, the Staleys and 10 other teams pitched in $100 each and made up the new American Professional Football Association that would come to be called the National Football League in 1922. Halas said later that none of those at the meeting actually had $100 so the fee was never collected.

Like early professional baseball, professional football would be a precarious business investment. Popularizing professional Pillars of the NFL football was difficult because many Americans thought that college football was the highest form of the game and they believed professional football was a poor imitation of the sport that could have a corrupting influence. Halas’s Players Halas had seen many of the top players in action himself. He also traveled to  see others in whom he was interested. As professional football developed, Halas continued to look out for good recruits. He was drawn to tough competitive men who played aggressively.

Copyright Sporting Chance Press

Pillars and Post: Orders Coming in Now

GREATEST BOOK ON NFL COACHES

We published a football book in 2014: Pillars of the NFL: Coaches Who Have Won Three or More Championships written by Patrick McCaskey, the grandson of Papa Bear George Halas.  The book examines the football lives the 10 Greatest coaches in NFL history. 

Pillars is finally getting  some attention from coaches. It's about time! I'm not getting any younger. 

As a publisher, I am always concerned about the model used for each of our books--how we cover what we are covering, the depth of information--how it all looks and is organized.  A model is important because it give you continuity  and it makes it easier on the reader as he goes from topic to topic, chapter to chapter. And Pillars is a book that delivers one some succinct information about some of the most important men that helped form the National Football League. 

In Pillars, we cover the football lives of George Halas, Guy Chamberlin, Curly Lambeau, Paul Brown, Weeb Ewbank, Vince Lombardi, Chuck Noll, Bill Walsh, Joe Gibbs and Bill Belichick.  

We wanted to keep Pillars manageable and create useful and interesting information but only go so deep. We wanted to focus  on each coach's early life, schooling, key players, coaching with an emphasis on championships, contributions, and provide a historical timeline, and highlights.  I think the concise model kept us on task and helped us include the right information. 

Look of the Book

My friend Don Torres, a graphic artist, did the design and Bill Potter provided some illustrations of the coaches, some of which resemble those biographical montages that you used to see in newspapers. 

When you publish a book like Pillars, the art is in the details.  Many of the coaches are no longer around and you gather information from other books, news stories, and organizations. Hundreds of endnotes lead readers to more information. 

So if you know any coaches, or you have NFL fans on your shopping list, buy some copies of Pillars of the NFL. 

The Power of Pillars Principles

Author Patrick McCaskey

Pillars of the NFL  by Patrick McCaskey is about the top 10 coaches in NFL history. A study on the great men of the NFL is a worthwhile exercise. Great ideas came and continue to come from NFL thought leaders. Here are five personal principles (paraphrased in some cases) culled from NFL legends that coaches/trainers should help instill in their “players.” These are general principles that should be of interest to people in every walk of life.

1.    “Never go to bed a loser”—George “Papa Bear” Halas

George Halas's Chicago Bears became a premier sports enterprise and this little principle was his way to promote great effort every day. The Bears were the Monsters of the Midway and Halas knew the importance of good self esteem. He could be tough on is players, but he appreciated their efforts.  He wanted his players to be healthy people and this principle was a personal one that made sense to him.

2.    Treat everyone with kindness, but never let anyone mistake kindness for weakness—Art Rooney, Sr.

Rooney was a boxer, baseball player, and a sports promoter whose family continues to play a leading role in professional sports ownership along with many philanthropic causes. He loved his family and his players, but he was always looking for the proper expression of manhood and motivation from those he worked with in Pittsburgh. He was charitable, but he was no fool. 

3.    Love and respect all, but fear no one.—Wellington Mara

Wellington Mara owned the New York Giants football team and he was one of the most advanced thinking owners. His family became wealthy, but he worked tirelessly to improve the NFL--at times he sacrificed time to the League that might have been spent on the team. But it was necessary.  Sometimes people criticized him for ridiculous reasons and he famously fought back on occasion. Sometimes it takes courage to go to battle over something important where you are in the limelight because he know chances are the press will not always be fair. 

4.    You don’t necessarily have to like your players, but as a leader you must love them—Vince Lombardi

School-teacher Lombardi was a legendary motivator who focused on basics and preparation. Shades of meaning were important to him. He was tuned into emotions like no other coach. You could understand how Lombardi might not like some of his men, but he loved them all. He wanted them to excel, to be the best. 

5.    Focus on your job—focus on what you do and do it right—Bill Belichick

Bill Belichick runs the tightest of organizations. He can often be heard in key situations telling a player, “just do your job.” He wants focus rather than everyone worrying about what other people are going to do. Players worrying about what others are doing are hurting the organization and the team. 


Principles are often short and sweet, but have a deeper meaning for people as they consider their implications. 

Copyright Sporting Chance Press

Papa Bear George Halas in World War I and World War II

World War I Service

Anxious to serve his country at the start of World War I, with only six credit hours remaining to graduate from the University of Illinois, George Halas joined the Navy.  The University granted him a degree and sent his diploma on to the family.  George Stanley Halas entered Officer Candidate School and ended up serving at Great Lakes Naval Station as recreation officer.  A far cry from the sea duty he had envisioned, but it was a providential assignment that brought him together with many great college players.  His duties involved playing and coaching football as well as playing baseball and basketball.  The Great Lakes football team was a powerhouse in 1918.  This second “college career” gave Halas another opportunity to shine and play with a terrific group of athletes.  It also provided an opportunity to size up the best talent in football for the future.

Rose Bowl MVP

The highlight of his Great Lakes career was playing the Mare Island Marines in the Rose Bowl on January 1, 1919.  On that particular day, Halas played exceptionally well on both defense and offense, perhaps the best of his long career.  He scored a touchdown on a 45-yard pass from Paddy Driscoll.  On defense, he tackled Marines all over the field and he intercepted a pass that he ran back 77 yards.  He was named the Rose Bowl’s Most Valuable Player; Great Lakes won, 17–0.

New York Yankees

Halas also played baseball at Great Lakes and he made an impression on the diamond.  After the war ended, he was invited to the Yankees’ spring training.  He was an excellent outfielder, but he had difficulty hitting the curve ball—a malady that has ended many a professional baseball career.  But because he showed so much promise in the field and he was a switch-hitter, Yankee manager Miller Huggins kept him on. 

A hip injury threatened his career early, but his condition improved after treatment by the famous hands of “Doctor” Bonesetter Reese of Youngstown. Unfortunately, he continued to have difficulties hitting and he was sent down to the St. Paul Saints, a minor league team coached by renowned manager Mike Kelley.  He was making good progress but not quick enough for his high expectations.  The Yankees were acquiring a young man named Babe Ruth and they had plenty of veteran talent on the team.  They simply did not have room for a player who needed more time to develop.  When Halas was asked to return to the minors for one more season, he declined.

Bears’ 1941 Season

Two decades after his service during World War I, Halas was the owner and coach of the NFL's Chicago Bears football team.  In 1941, the Bears  ended the regular season 10–1 on the strength of a powerful, balanced offense and a very good defense.  They didn’t just beat their opponents; they dominated them—with one exception.  The Green Bay Packers had also finished out their season at 10–1, tied with the Bears for the Western Division crown.  During the season, the Bears and Packers had split with each other.  But this season, the competitors won while away and lost at home. 

As the 1941 season was closing, the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor on December 7, and the United States became a combatant in World War II.  Just 7 days later, on the December 14, the Bears played the Packers in a playoff game to determine the Western Division crown.  After the Packers scored first on a short run by Clark Hinkle, the Bears came back with 30 unanswered points.  Hugh Gallarneau started the rally with an 81-yard punt return for a score.  After Bob Snyder kicked a field goal, the Bears’ 6-foot-2, 238 pound first-round draft choice, Norm Standee, crashed in for two scores to finish off successful drives.  Bob Swisher ran one in from the 9-yard line to give the Bears a 30–7 lead before the Packers answered with a 10-yard touchdown pass from Cecil Isbell to Hal Van Every.  Snyder kicked another field goal to give the Bears a final 33–14 victory.  Although he did not score, George McAfee logged in a terrific 119-yard rushing performance. 

1941 NFL Championship

The Bears played the Giants in the championship game at Wrigley Field.  It was a surprisingly balmy 47° when the teams met on December 21.  As the reality of a long war and its resulting impact on everyone seemed to settle in, the attendance was only 13,341 for the Championship Game.

Bob Snyder led off the scoring for the Bears on a 14-yard field goal.  Hall of Famer Tuffy Leemans of the Giants hit George Franck on a 31-yard touchdown play.  In the second quarter, Bob Snyder kicked two field goals, one from 39 yards and a second from 37 yards, to give the Bears a 9–7 lead heading into the half.  In the third quarter, Ward Cuff kicked a 16-yard field goal for the Giants.  The Bears’ big back, Norm Standlee, muscled his way into the end zone for two scores, one from 2 yards out and the second from 7 yards out.  The Bears’ defense closed down the Giants’ passing game with interceptions by Danny Fortmann and Bulldog Turner.  Hall of Famer George McAfee scored from 5 yards out.  Ken Kavanaugh picked up a fumbled lateral and rumbled 42 yards for another Bears’ score.  The final was 37–9, in favor of the Bears. 

Bears’ 1942 Season

Halas wanted to contribute more actively to the war effort than his assignment had allowed him in World War I.  After he coached his near-perfect Bears to their first five wins in 1942, he left for duty at the Naval station in Norman, Oklahoma, and then on to the South Pacific.  In the South Pacific, Commander Halas, USNR, used his considerable organizational, persuasive, and leadership talents to serve as recreational and welfare officer of Admiral Thomas Kincaid’s Seventh Fleet.  Kincaid supported McArthur’s command and the commander was kept pretty busy.

Back at home, the Bears were undefeated in the regular 1942 season.  They beat the Packers by scores of 44–28 and 38–7, although the Packers had been the one team to challenge the Bears in 1941.  Only the Cardinals and Rams came within 14 points of the Bears that entire season.  Halas was gone, but most of the Bears starters from 1941 were still on the roster. 

1942 NFL Championship Game

At season’s end in 1942, the 11–0 Bears took on the Washington Redskins for the championship.  The Bears scored first in the second quarter when defensive tackle Lee Artoe recovered a fumble by Redskins’ halfback Dick Todd at the Bears 48-yard line and ran it into the end zone. Todd lost the ball when tackled after catching a Sammy Baugh pass.  The Bears missed the extra point.

Baugh threw a 39-yard touchdown strike to Wilbur Moore.  Fullback “Anvil Andy” Farkas, who is believed to be the first player to wear eye black to reduce glare, rushed for the Redskins’ second score from 1 yard out after carrying the ball nine times on an 11-play bone-crushing drive. Bears’ quarterback Sid Luckman threw two interceptions and was ineffective.  The Redskins prevailed, 14–6.

Bears’ 1943 Season

The 1943 Bears would play without Halas as the war continued.  The league suffered financially and players were in short supply.  Assistants Hunk Anderson and Luke Johnsos coached the Bears to another great season.  They were helped immeasurably when Bronko Nagurski was coaxed out of retirement after leaving football in 1937.  Nagurski had become a wrestler.  Nagurski at 6-foot-2, 235 pounds, had the size to play fullback today and the heart to play it in any era.  In his first professional football stretch, he played fullback and defensive line.  When he came back to the Bears, he played tackle.  When the Bears were trailing the Cardinals in a must-win game at the end of the season, Bronko returned to his fullback position, scored a key touchdown, and turned the tide in favor of the Bears.  He returned again as fullback in the championship game in which the Bears beat the Washington Redskins 41–21.  The Bears had won three of the last four championships. 

Bears’ 1944-1945 Seasons

The Bears had done well in the early war years, but NFL teams were struggling to survive and even the best run teams were starting to unravel.  Sid Luckman had joined the Merchant Marine in 1943.  Although he was not able to practice, he was able to play on Sundays.  In 1944, the Bears were 6–3–1 and they scored 258 points and allowed 172 points from their opponents.  Green Bay beat the Giants for the 1944 championship.  In 1945, the Bears ended the season 3–7–0.  They scored 192 points and allowed 235 from their opponents.  The Cleveland (soon-to-be Los Angeles) Rams won the championship.  The Bears had dropped down in the standings in 1944 and 1945, but came back strong at war’s end as their premier players and Coach Halas returned from war.  

Copyright, Sporting Chance Press.
Material taken from Pillars of the NFL: Coaches Who Have Won Three or More Championships by Patrick McCaskey, grandson of Papa Bear George Halas. Pillars in on sale right now on Amazon (8/17).

Bronko Nagurski and the Greatest Coaches of the NFL

In 1930, George Halas and co-owner Dutch Sternaman of the Chicago Bears hired Ralph Jones, who was athletic director at Lake Forest Academy, to coach the Bears.  Jones made innovative adjustments to the Bears’ offense that gave the team a more mobile attack.  The Bears also added University of Minnesota standout, Bronko Nagurski, who gave the team one of the greatest power-runners of all time as well as a bone-crushing tackler and a terrific blocker.  With Red Grange, Bronko Nagurski, and several other excellent players on the roster, the Bears were a formidable power.  

Bronko Nagurski was a one-of-a-kind fullback and linebacker who played in the 1930s.  “Bronk” had the size, strength, and speed of modern fullbacks coupled with the toughness of a freight train.  Like many players of the Era, he played both side of the ball. He was what the media would call a complete player. On offense, sometimes Nagurski would also throw a jump-pass--he would fake the run, pedal backwards, jump for a clear view of the receiver, and throw. He later became a professional wrestler.  He was a professional athlete for three decades.

If you are every up by International Falls, Minnesota, you might like to visit the Bronko Nagurski Museum at 214 6th Avenue.  The museum is attached to the Koochiching Historical Museum.  Nagurski never moved from the area. He farmed on property his family had owned and ran a gas station. His family donated much of his memorabilia to the museum after his death. 

About our book.  On sale now on Amazon. 

Pillars of the NFL on Sale Now

Much has been written on web sites about who are the greatest coaches in NFL history. Much of the information is awful in that it relates more to the press current sports writers give to coaches than their records or accomplishments.  I saw a new one today that listed coach who had never won a NFL Championship over coaches who have won multiple. And frequently, the article and list never even mention Guy Chamberlin, the coach  from Nebraska who was one of the earliest and the best. 

Whether you are a football coach, journalist, or fan, Pillars of the NFL: Coaches Who Have Won Three or More Championships  (published 2014)  a football lovers bible that offers brief biographies that examine the football lives of the greatest coaches in NFL history. These are the game's 10 greatest legends who outsmarted the field, time and time again. It is not a book of strategies and drills, it's a book about the greatest coaches and their players. It a priceless book for those closest to the game. Right now (7/11/17), Amazon has the book on sale for $21.99 per copy.

Pillars of the NFL: Coaches Who Have Won Three or More Championships is published by Sporting Chance Press and written by Chicago Bears Vice President Patrick McCaskey.  The Pillars themselves are the greatest coaches in NFL history--determined strictly by the number of championships.  Ten coaches have won three or more championships: George Halas, Guy Chamberlin, Curly Lambeau, Paul Brown, Weeb Ewbank, Vince Lombardi, Chuck Noll, Bill Walsh, Joe Gibbs, and Bill Belichick.

1. George Halas was a great man and great coach, but every once in a while he recharged his batteries and stepped back and watched others coach. He was a master at so many things, but he never felt like he knew everything and was always learning. He would bring college coaches into his camp and would pay attention to their ideas. He was very competitive and made it through some very tough times by tightening his belt. 

2. Curly Lambeau was a fine judge of character and he was able to recruit players to his club. His training and demands were tough. He saw  the passing game as something to be developed even before the rules were created that would allow for much of it in the league. He kept in touch with his former coach at Notre Dame, Knute Rockne, and they shared ideas and discussed players. 

3. Guy Chamberlin was a Nebraska farmer, but he knew the way the game was played. He played both defense and offense.  He saw football as great escape for a few years from the farm and the dry spells that happened. He loved the game and he would have expected his players to show the same passion. 

4. Paul Brown father was a railroad man with a watch--he learned to use his time wisely. Brown scripted his practices and made the most of the time he spent on the field. His players were skilled and he had classroom sessions and playbooks. He wanted smart players who were focused on learning and bringing discipline to the game. The color of a man's skin was irrelevant. 

5. Weeb Ewbank was a small man who loved working with men. He never let his ego get in the way of creating a winning environment. Whether teaching players, handling salary relations, or negotiating a player's return, he kept his wits and his sense of humor. He succeeded in different played with different teams and he was at his best building a team. 

6. Vince Lombardi has been hailed as a disciplinarian. His methods were considered old fashioned and not workable for the modern player until he made them work for championship after championship. He learned high school and college coaching before the pro game. He was middle aged before he led the Packers. He grilled his players on plays until they became perfect at executing them.  He came very close to pushing them too hard and having a revolt, but he learned to back off at just the right time.  Once his methods were successful on the football field his team was practically invincible. 

7. Chuck Noll brought in critical players who would act as change-makers on his Steelers. These players would not accept poor play from their teammates. He started with Mean Joe Greene and was often working with black schools recruiting players that most teams would  have over looked. He created a mindset with his team that only exceptional hard-nosed play would be present. They all worked to win championships and to make their teammates Hall of Fame players. 

8. Bill Walsh was primed to be a head coach, but didn't get his chance until long after he thought it was due. And Walsh perhaps more than any other of the greatest coaches, had times where he suffered from a personal humiliation because of failure. Other times where he could walk out on a field and the opposing coach would worry so much about what Walsh's moves were going to be, he could not execute his own. Walsh seemed like he was a couple steps away from the abyss and a short leap to glory. He was hard to please and spend endless hour in preparation.  While he looked like a Physics teacher or a golf pro, he was a pugilist at heart--a former boxer with a passion for social justice. 

9. Joe Gibbs learned from every coach he worked with in football. He had a tough life as a child and then achieved a level of financial success that was almost unheard in both coaching and owning Joe Gibbs Racing. Gibbs was also a coach who played his hand as it came. He had certain ambitions when he started his NFL career, but he decided to create game plans to match his personnel not his own wishes.  He relied on a core group of coaches who he retained and he was considered especially brilliant at making half time adjustments. Like facing Bill Walsh, opposing coaches knew they had to be at their best to win against Gibbs.

10. Today's football fans know Bill Belichick's mantra: "just do your job." And that goes for everyone connected to the team. Players are better prepared, they are trained in multiple positions, teammates and coaches are constantly reviewing their performance, everyone is expected to "man-up" and accept criticism. Players on the practice field get coached on their play under a myriad of game situations. The Patriots are a proud organization and each year the rest of the NFL can never take them for

Pillars of the NFL is a coaching tool, a football researchers handbook

Whether you are a football coach, journalist, or fan, Pillars of the NFL: Coaches WhoHave Won Three or More Championships is a football lovers bible that offers biographies that examine the football lives of the greatest coaches in NFL history. 

And Amazon has it on sale now!

These are the game's 10 greatest legends who outsmarted the field, time and time again. It is not a book of strategies and drills, it's a book about the greatest coaches and their players. It a priceless book for those closest to the game.

Pillars of the NFL: Coaches Who Have Won Three or More Championships is published by Sporting Chance Press and written by Chicago Bears Senior Director Patrick McCaskey.  The Pillars themselves are the greatest coaches in NFL history--determined strictly by the number of championships.  Ten coaches have won three or more championships: George Halas, Guy Chamberlin, Curly Lambeau, Paul Brown, Weeb Ewbank, Vince Lombardi, Chuck Noll, Bill Walsh, Joe Gibbs, and Bill Belichick.

1. George Halas was a great man and great coach, but every once in a while he recharged his batteries and stepped back and watched others coach. He was a master at so many things, but he never felt like he knew everything and was always learning. He would bring college coaches into his camp and would pay attention to their ideas. He was very competitive and made it through some very tough times by tightening his belt. 

2. Curly Lambeau was a fine judge of character and he was able to recruit players to his club. His training and demands were tough. He saw  the passing game as something to be developed even before the rules were created that would allow for much of it in the league. He kept in touch with his former coach at Notre Dame, Knute Rockne, and they shared ideas and discussed players. 

3. Guy Chamberlin was a Nebraska farmer, but he knew the way the game was played. He played both defense and offense.  He saw football as great escape for a few years from the farm and the dry spells that happened. He loved the game and he would have expected his players to show the same passion. 

4. Paul Brown father was a railroad man with a watch--he learned to use his time wisely. Brown scripted his practices and made the most of the time he spent on the field. His players were skilled and he had classroom sessions and playbooks. He wanted smart players who were focused on learning and bringing discipline to the game. The color of a man's skin was irrelevant.

5. Weeb Ewbank was a small man who loved working with men. He never let his ego get in the way of creating a winning environment. Whether teaching players, handling salary relations, or negotiating a player's return, he kept his wits and his sense of humor. He succeeded in different played with different teams and he was at his best building a team. 

6. Vince Lombardi has been hailed as a disciplinarian. His methods were considered old fashioned and not workable for the modern player until he made them work for championship after championship. He learned high school and college coaching before the pro game. He was middle aged before he led the Packers. He grilled his players on plays until they became perfect at executing them.  He came very close to pushing them too hard and having a revolt, but he learned to back off at just the right time.  Once his methods were successful on the football field his team was practically invincible. 

7. Chuck Noll brought in critical players who would act as change-makers on his Steelers. These players would not accept poor play from their teammates. He started with Mean Joe Greene and was often working with black schools recruiting players that most teams would  have over looked. He created a mindset with his team that only exceptional hard-nosed play would be present. They all worked to win championships and to make their teammates Hall of Fame players. 

8. Bill Walsh was primed to be a head coach, but didn't get his chance until long after he thought it was due. And Walsh perhaps more than any other of the greatest coaches, had times where he suffered from a personal humiliation because of failure. Other times where he could walk out on a field and the opposing coach would worry so much about what Walsh's moves were going to be, he could not execute his own. Walsh seemed like he was a couple steps away from the abyss and a short leap to glory. He was hard to please and spend endless hour in preparation.  While he looked like a Physics teacher or a golf pro, he was a pugilist at heart--a former boxer with a passion for social justice. 

9. Joe Gibbs learned from every coach he worked with in football. He had a tough life as a child and then achieved a level of financial success that was almost unheard in both coaching and owning Joe Gibbs Racing. Gibbs was also a coach who played his hand as it came. He had certain ambitions when he started his NFL career, but he decided to create game plans to match his personnel not his own wishes.  He relied on a core group of coaches who he retained and he was considered especially brilliant at making half time adjustments. Like facing Bill Walsh, opposing coaches knew they had to be at their best to win against Gibbs. 

10. Today's football fans know Bill Belichick's mantra: "just do your job." And that goes for everyone connected to the team. Players are better prepared, they are trained in multiple positions, teammates and coaches are constantly reviewing their performance, everyone is expected to "man-up" and accept criticism. Players on the practice field get coached on their play under a myriad of game situations. The Patriots are a proud organization and each year the rest of the NFL can never take them for granted. Rarely are they not at the best at season end. Rarely does Bill Belichick get out-coached. 

Pillars of the NFL is a coaching tool, a football researchers handbook, and an NFL fan's guide to the history of the game. 

Look at Favre's Contributions and Family

A couple weeks ago, Pro Football Hall of Fame 2016 induction ceremonies and speeches were held. There was a big crowd from Green Bay on hand to see Bret Favre become a Hall of Fame member. Favre gave the audience his personal reflections on the people who supported him in life including in his father Irv who was his high school football coach.  Favre was the worst nightmare of Packer's opponents, but one that visitors or home team could not take their eyes off.  I certainly couldn't, even as die-hard Bears fan.

There was also much to Favre that is contrary to today's quarterback lesson plans. Coaches seem to call for a machine-like ball tosser who is exploiting the opposing team by throwing with precision when the plan calls for deadly dull plodding up the field. Eliminate mistakes and win. Favre was too fun-loving for such an approach. And on most Sundays his methods worked.  

Brett Favre was certainly one of the best quarterback ever, although he sure threw a lot of interceptions.  In his 20 seasons, he led the league in interceptions 3 times.  His 29 interceptions in 2005 gives him the 12th highest mark for the single season interceptions for all time. If you watched Favre play, you knew he had a gunslinger mentality and he was going to do his best to resurrect a game even if it made him look foolish. And as good as Favre was, sometimes he did look foolish.

Favre threw 336 career interceptions. In this way, Favre was a QB equivalent of Babe Ruth. Ruth led the league in strikeouts, but holds several other more coveted records.

But the final tally on Favre has to be a winning number for fans, not his missed marks. Fahre's 1996 Packers won the Super Bowl; his 1997 Packers lost it. In his post-Packers years, in the 2009 season with the Vikings,  his team came within 3 points of winning the Conference Championship against the New Orleans Saints and going on to another Super Bowl.   The Saints were the only team to possess the ball in overtime and won the game on a field goal--this was before the rules were changed to give the opposing team another possession under such circumstance.

Packer fans had to be "in for a penny, in for a pound" with Favre.  He would work miracles in one game with his efforts, though heroic in some ways, and then in the next contest he might take more risks than necessary. But for Favre it was always a game, a sport, and a lifelong love--never a business.

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Copyright 2016 Sporting Chance Press 
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Greatest Coaches of the NFL

Pillars of the NFL looks at the great coaches and brings the reader into their world.  The coaches early life, schooling, playing days, coaching days and their contributions to the game are all there for you to see and examine.  Packer fans will appreciate Pillars of the NFL, which includes coverage of Vince Lombardi and Curly Lambeau.  Order this classic title from the publisher or order from Amazon. 

About Sporting Chance Press:

Our goal at Sporting Chance Press is to provide entertaining books that can give readers a lift in sports and in life. We publish books that give readers insight into the hero within each of us. When sport is at its best, there is a payoff constantly taking shape – a payoff "at work." We are improving—whether it is building self esteem, improving health, developing strong social skills, or learning the habit of achievement. There is a discipline needed in preparing for sports contests and life contests. Getting our bodies and minds in shape for the competition is critical. If we can approach sports training and life with enthusiasm, the contest is pure joy. If we can approach sport and life with passion and not pressure, we can achieve and release that fearless hero within. 

Lawrence Norris

Greatest Coaches eBooks Available From Pillars of the NFL

Patrick McCaskey's encyclopedic 2014 print book, Pillars of the NFL: Coaches Who Have Won Three or More Championships covers the football lives of the greatest coaches in NFL history. Their selection is based on the number of NFL Championships won and these include seasons before and after the Super Bowl existed. 

Since we live the age of the digital book or eBook, we have also taken the individual chapters from the book and created 10 eBooks so you can pick and choose any content to read.  The chapters stand up by themselves. 

The volume on Bill Belichick has been updated to reflect the 2014 season and Super Bowl. Here are the eBooks available on Amazon Kindle:

George Halas: 10 Greatest Coaches of the NFL Series Volume 1

Guy Chamberlin: 10 Greatest Coaches of the NFL Volume 2

Curly Lambeau: Ten Greatest Coaches of the NFL Volume 3

Paul Brown: Ten Greatest Coaches of the NFL Volume 4

Weeb Ewbank: Ten Greatest Coaches of the NFL Volume 5

Vince Lombardi: Ten Greatest Coaches of the NFL Volume 6

Chuck Noll: Ten Greatest Coaches of the NFL Volume 7

Bill Walsh: Ten Greatest Coaches of the NFL Volume 8

Joe Gibbs: Ten Greatest Coaches of the NFL Volume 9

Bill Belichick: Ten Greatest Coaches of the NFL Volume 10

Pillars of the NFL Entertains and Informs Fans on the 10 Greatest Coaches in NFL History

Patrick McCaskey Author

Ten NFL coaching heavyweights are covered in Patrick McCaskey's Pillars of the NFL: Coaches Who Have Won Three or More Championships.  This is an important project because it entertains and informs--plus it helps keep the memory of many great coaches alive.

ESPN offered a great service to fans with their Greatest Coaches in NFL History series in which some of the best and the brightest in sports writing and analysis selected their 20 top coaches.  In Pillars of the NFL our selection of the top ten was made strictly by NFL championships won.

Our book covers the football lives of:

1. George Halas

2. Guy Chamberlin

3. Curly Lambeau

4. Paul Brown

5. Weeb Ewbank

6. Vince Lombardi

7. Chuck Noll

8. Bill Walsh

9. Joe Gibbs

10. Bill Belichick

Weeb Ewbank

Guy Chamberlin

We've gone to bat recently to try to call attention in particular to two great coaches who get much less attention these days than the others: Guy Chamberlin and Weeb Ewbank.  Chamberlin played for teams that have gone out of existence and he won his championships in the first decade of the NFL.  Ewbank was a team builder who started out with teams that needed complete overhauls.  He also had two great quarterbacks playing for him and most give credit for the championships his teams won to those two individuals:  Johnny Unitas and Joe Namath. 

Pillars introduces readers to each coach first with a "your are there" present tense feature that takes the reader to the coach's surroundings.  Each coach's early life is examined and then his school days and playing career is described.  The coaching life focuses on the professional venue, the key players, and the seasons.  A highlights and contribution to the game section ends each coach's individual coverage.  At the end of the book, championship tables are provided and a thorough index helps make the book most useful.  Readers have a book that distills the character and achievements of each man. 

Quiz on the Greatest NFL Coaches

Here's a quiz based on materials from out Pillars of the NFL: Coaches Who Have Won Three or More Championships. 

1. Who was the only coach and owner who was present at the beginning of the NFL and helped bring it into the modern TV age?  The only man who could rightfully be called: Father of the NFL.

2. Who brought football coaching into the modern age.  Didn't care about skin color, but cared about most every detail of running a football team.  Ran his organization like a business.  Successful at every level of football coaching from high school to college to professional.  Learned about timeliness and discipline from his father who was a railroad man.

3.  Very tough man for a very tough city.  Never thought the press needed to know everything about a man's personal life.  Thought players and coaches needed a life outside of football--he had many interests himself.    Grew up in Cleveland.  Who was this coach who led many Hall of Famers to a dynasty in the 1970s.

4. Little man who managed two superstar quarterbacks in two different cities to NFL championships.  His people were Quakers.  He worked towards results, not notoriety. Who was this cradle of coaches favorite who lived until age 91?

5. Very tough coach who was influenced by his tight knit family and the Jesuits at Fordham.  Another coach who embraced diversity and mandated respect for everyone in the locker room.  In fact, he mandated a lot of things.  His team practiced fundamentals until they knew them in their sleep.  He was so tough some players said they hated him while playing for him, but all seemed to love him for what he helped them become.  Who was this coach who created a small city dynasty in the 1960s?

6. A master at coaching quarterbacks. This man was very good with his fists as a  young man, but he looked like he walked off the country club on the sideline of a football game.  Who was this man who many came to call the Genius?

7. Nebraska farm boy who was himself one of the top professional players when he coached and played to four championships in the 1920s for three different teams. He did not see a long term  future in professional football  so he went back to his family farm outside of Lincoln.

8. His daddy was in law enforcement in North Carolina.  The family moved out west to California where he went to school and began his coaching career.  He was a master at adaptation and although he had learned Don Coryell's wide open offensive schemes, he based his game plan on the talent at hand.  When he and his coaches prepared for games, they worked incredibly long hours developing master plans for victories. He was also a master at making adjustments during a game and was always willing to toss out things that weren't working and incorporate the new.  This coach was super competitive in everything he did.  Who was this man who is also a member of the professional auto racing community?

9. His father was an exceptional football thinker who settled into a life time of scouting at the Naval Academy.  This coach has always displayed a military mindset that mandates that each player focuses on doing his job and the team is always more important than any player.  Although his coaching approach is somewhat old fashioned in our Super Star age, he is the most successful NFL coach of the 21st Century.  Who is he?

10. A superb athlete and demanding coach,  he competed against George Halas in the early days of professional football through World War II.  He had a great eye for talent and brought some of the greatest football players of the era to his small city club.  Newspapers from all over the world covered his David and Goliath sports story that featured a small city team winning championships against the big city teams.  Who was this man?

Answers  Below

1. Papa Bear George Halas is the father of the NFL.

2. Paul Brown saw the importance of discipline in most every aspect of running a football team.  He could have run General Motors.

3.  Chuck Noll was the Pied Piper of Hall of Fame players at Pittsburgh and the perfect coach for the Steel City.

4. Weeb Ewbank lived a joyful life and was always prepared to let his players take the top billing in the papers.  But he was vastly underestimated as a tremendous coaching talent and manager of men who built teams from the ground up. 

5. Lombardi wanted his men to become the best they could be and he drove them to it.  Like the Jesuits, he believed each person's talent should be developed for maximum use. 

6. Bill Walsh was a dashing figure on the side lines and he knew how to develop quarterbacks.  He focused on what his players could do and coached them to become consistent.  Despite his outward appearance, Walsh was  boxer all his life and he took every loss personally. 

7. Guy Chamberlin stepped off a Nebraska farm to become one of the best athletes and coaches in professional football.  He played end on offense and defense.  He was extremely fast and although the early football's bloated rugby ball shape made it difficult to develop a passing game, the end around was used liberally--he excelled at it.  On defense he was known as a disruptor of the first order.  He was tall, lean, and mean on the field.

8. Joe Gibbs just seemed to be smarter, more hardworking, and more adaptable than most other coaches.  If there was a plan that could spring victory from defeat, Gibbs was generally the man who could come  up with it.

9. Belichick has a military no-nonsense coaching persona that has made old fashion management schemes seem new again. Everyone in Belichick's Patriot's organization is responsible for their piece of  the pie--no excuses. 

10.  Lambeau's name is well known because the Packers named their stadium after him, but not much is understood about him now.  He learned coaching on the job and he managed and willed his team to greatness.  He was a scrapper and his fight was needed to keep the Green Bay franchise alive.  He is credited with managing the only surviving small city professional football team in the game. Few men were his coaching equal.

Copyright 2014, Sporting Chance Press 

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Sporting Chance Press's Pillars of the NFL: Coaches Who Have Won Three or More Championships by Chicago Bears Senior Director Patrick McCaskey now available--published March 2014!  Pillars examines the football lives of the top ten coaches in NFL history.  Available from select bookstores, Amazon or  here  for immediate shipment. Ask your local bookstore and library to carry this great book!