Vince Lombardi

  b. 1913; d. 1970 | American Football Coach

At The Bottom

— 1946

"No future in coaching. Try something else."

Vince Lombardi, football coach at a small Catholic high school in New Jersey, opened a letter from an old college teammate, hoping for good news.  His friend was working as the head coach at a Midwestern college, and Lombardi — who’d enjoyed great success at St. Cecilia — was hoping to break into the collegiate ranks as an assistant coach.  Though Lombardi projected an image of always being in control, he was in fact constantly doubting his own choices and often changed his mind suddenly.  The previous year, he had nearly left St. Cecilia to take a job at another New Jersey high school before a group of his players pleaded with him to stay through their senior seasons.  Lombardi agreed, committing himself to another two years, but he was eager to be more than a high school coach.  Unfortunately, the rest of the football world seemed uncooperative.  One rejection after another poured onto his desk, until his friend’s letter arrived in the mail.  It brought another rejection, along with some painful words of advice:  “No future in coaching.  Try something else.”