A new kind of star

One of the most interesting things about Ray Nitschke is that he exemplified what it means to be a manly football player. Every thing about him exemplified what it meant to be an NFL player at the time period. But what is so interesting about him is the how the image of an NFL star has changed since his playing days. Today when you think of an NFL player you think of rich men with lots of money who have perfect white teeth with the exception of a few particularly Michael Strahan. What made Nitschke so interesting was that he was the complete opposite. He personified what it meant to be a linebacker in Vince Lombardi’s system. He was even recognized as the greatest player during Lombardi’s era. The packers teams coached by Lombardi’s in the 1960’s were considered to be some of the best all time and being considered the best player of that era really speaks to his ability as one of the greatest football players of all time. For many people the very image of a guy like Ray Nitschke staring at you across the field would inspire fear. The look on his face with his missing front teeth is one that can still inspire fear among people today when they look at his picture. Nitschke exemplified the prototypical star of the time period but the interesting thing is how drastically our perception of a star has changed since then.

One of the things that made Nitschke so great was the fact he did not care about his appearance. It did not matter to him about his front teeth. He did what he had to in order to get a job done. Today’s athletes are very often too concerned with their appearance and if something happens they try to fix it right away; athlete’s like Nitschke simply do not exist anymore. Football players used to be tough play every down no matter what kind of guys but the new breed of NFL players are too concerned with little bumps and bruises. Players such as Nitschke would have probably laughed at the idea of sitting out a game because of a toe injury or having the flu. Professional athletes today are paid astronomical amounts of money simply to play a game and the least that they could do is toughen up just a bit.

The saying they do not make them like they used to definitely could be applied towards NFL players. Today’s players are a totally different breed then they were in the early days of the NFL. It is amazing to think that when you were a kid you were taught it is only game but now it is the complete opposite. You never hear stories anymore about guys playing just for the love of the game. You are constantly bombarded with stories about how much money guys make or how they think their contract is too low so they are going to sit out and not play. The concept of not playing because they were not getting paid enough simply did not enter into the minds of players like Nitschke. They were out to play a game they loved and there was nothing that would stop them from doing it. It is unfortunate to see how much of a business football has become. It was definitely nice seeing guys more concerned with the game then money. The other obvious difference in the two eras is team loyalty. Today most players will go play to who ever will pay them the most and for the teams themselves when a guy has reached a certain age they simply get rid of him because he was “too old”.

One of the other ways that the NFL has drastically changed is the way they try to project a squeaky clean image of its players. Very often when you give a person too much money at a certain age bad things will follow.For some reason we want to come down so harshly on players that mess up but we really should be looking at the structure we have set up for them to live by. The NFL pays players today ridiculous amounts of money and we really should not be surprised when guys mess up. Having too much money, free time, and fame can be a lethal combination for some players. It was nice to learn that back in the beginnings of the NFL players were not in the poor house but at the same time they were not the multi millionaires they are today. Players had much more respect for the game back then they do today; as evidence by all the players that are constantly in trouble with the law. Guys today simply do not appreciate what they have. They very often take for granted what they have. It has to be very reassuring for them knowing that they only have to play a game until their 30’s then they are set for life. When players of Nitschke’s era retired or no longer could play many of them were forced to find other jobs. It must be a very comforting thought knowing that you could retire at such an early age and not have to work a normal job a day in your life. It is too bad though that today’s players don’t take advantage of everything that is given to them.

The old ways of the NFL are something that never will be forgotten by many that witnessed the class games of old. Games like the Ice bowl will go down in history as one of the greatest and worst games of all time. This game showcased the Greenbay Packers and the Dallas Cowboys in a game where temperatures plunged below -15 degrees. This game was unique because it really propelled the NFL into the modern Super Bowl era where the final game of the NFL season would almost become a national holiday. It was a great football game to watch from your home. The teams went back and forth all game with the packers winning the game on the final play. What made this game one of the worst was the obvious fact of how cold it was. It was so cold that when the referee went to blow his whistle to start the game it actually froze to his lips. As a result for the rest of the game the referees did not use a whistle the entire game. They had to scream stop just so they could get the play to end and the amazing thing is that they had no issues the players listened to whatever they said. It is an inconceivable thought in today’s NFL that a referee could go an entire game without a whistle and have no issues. Being able to go an entire game without using a whistle really speaks to the class of the players of the time and that is what in my opinion makes the old generation of the NFL so special.

The NFL has come a long way since the likes of Ray Nitschke. There is no doubt that the face of an NFL star has drastically changed since his playing days. Gone are the bloodied warriors like him. Instead you have a much more appealing star that in all honesty is much better to look at. There were a lot of people that said I want to play like Nitschke but there were very few that said they wanted to look just like him. Today’s NFL star has people wanting to be exactly like them in every way possible. NFL star’s in today society are greatly publicized for their looks something that was not done very often during Nitschke’s time. Players during that time period were idolized in a much different way. NFL players of the time were seen almost as working class heroes because the fan base could directly relate with them. Today’s NFL stars have a certain distance placed between them and their fans which in my opinion is partially in fact due to the amount of money players make. It is very difficult to personally relate to an NFL player who is making millions just playing a game a few months out of the year while you are working two jobs just to make ends meat for your family. The NFL has changed for the worse because fans are not as similar to their heroes’ on the field. It would not be uncommon to see a NFL star walking down a street during Nitschke’s time by himself but today you are lucky to even catch a glimpse of a star because they are often flanked by bodyguards. The bodyguard issue in my opinion is one of the things that puts the greatest distance between players and fans. The image of a 6ft 6in 250lb linebacker needing a bodyguard seems a little strange to me so it would be very difficult for fans to associate themselves with their favorite player if they can not even get near them. The changing face of an NFL star is ultimately one that has come to hide behind bodyguards and an entourage. Unfortunately the days of being shoulder to shoulder with an NFL star on the street are forever gone and if the packers former coach were around there is one thing he would definitely say about the current situation. (play video)

A new type of star

One of the most interesting things about Ray Nitschke is that he exemplified what it means to be a manly football player. Every thing about him exemplified what it meant to be an NFL player at the time period. But what is so interesting about him is the how the image of an NFL star has changed since his playing days. Today when you think of an NFL player you think of rich men with lots of money who have perfect white teeth with the exception of a few particularly Michael Strahan. What made Nitschke so interesting was that he was the complete opposite. He personified what it meant to be a linebacker in Vince Lombardi’s system. He was even recognized as the greatest player during Lombardi’s era. The packers teams coached by Lombardi’s in the 1960’s were considered to be some of the best all time and being considered the best player of that era really speaks to his ability as one of the greatest football players of all time. For many people the very image of a guy like Ray Nitschke staring at you across the field would inspire fear. The look on his face with his missing front teeth is one that can still inspire fear among people today when they look at his picture. Nitschke exemplified the prototypical star of the time period but the interesting thing is how drastically our perception of a star has changed since then.

One of the things that made Nitschke so great was the fact he did not care about his appearance. It did not matter to him about his front teeth. He did what he had to in order to get a job done. Today’s athletes are very often too concerned with their appearance and if something happens they try to fix it right away; athlete’s like Nitschke simply do not exist anymore. Football players used to be tough play every down no matter what kind of guys but the new breed of NFL players are too concerned with little bumps and bruises. Players such as Nitschke would have probably laughed at the idea of sitting out a game because of a toe injury or having the flu. Professional athletes today are paid astronomical amounts of money simply to play a game and the least that they could do is toughen up just a bit.

The saying they do not make them like they used to definitely could be applied towards NFL players. Today’s players are a totally different breed then they were in the early days of the NFL. It is amazing to think that when you were a kid you were taught it is only game but now it is the complete opposite. You never hear stories anymore about guys playing just for the love of the game. You are constantly bombarded with stories about how much money guys make or how they think their contract is too low so they are going to sit out and not play. The concept of not playing because they were not getting paid enough simply did not enter into the minds of players like Nitschke. They were out to play a game they loved and there was nothing that would stop them from doing it. It is unfortunate to see how much of a business football has become. It was definitely nice seeing guys more concerned with the game then money. The other obvious difference in the two eras is team loyalty. Today most players will go play to who ever will pay them the most and for the teams themselves when a guy has reached a certain age they simply get rid of him because he was “too old”.

One of the other ways that the NFL has drastically changed is the way they try to project a squeaky clean image of its players. Very often when you give a person too much money at a certain age bad things will follow.For some reason we want to come down so harshly on players that mess up but we really should be looking at the structure we have set up for them to live by. The NFL pays players today ridiculous amounts of money and we really should not be surprised when guys mess up. Having too much money, free time, and fame can be a lethal combination for some players. It was nice to learn that back in the beginnings of the NFL players were not in the poor house but at the same time they were not the multi millionaires they are today. Players had much more respect for the game back then they do today; as evidence by all the players that are constantly in trouble with the law. Guys today simply do not appreciate what they have. They very often take for granted what they have. It has to be very reassuring for them knowing that they only have to play a game until their 30’s then they are set for life. When players of Nitschke’s era retired or no longer could play many of them were forced to find other jobs. It must be a very comforting thought knowing that you could retire at such an early age and not have to work a normal job a day in your life. It is too bad though that today’s players don’t take advantage of everything that is given to them.

The old ways of the NFL are something that never will be forgotten by many that witnessed the class games of old. Games like the Ice bowl will go down in history as one of the greatest and worst games of all time. This game showcased the Greenbay Packers and the Dallas Cowboys in a game where temperatures plunged below -15 degrees. This game was unique because it really propelled the NFL into the modern Super Bowl era where the final game of the NFL season would almost become a national holiday. It was a great football game to watch from your home. The teams went back and forth all game with the packers winning the game on the final play. What made this game one of the worst was the obvious fact of how cold it was. It was so cold that when the referee went to blow his whistle to start the game it actually froze to his lips. As a result for the rest of the game the referees did not use a whistle the entire game. They had to scream stop just so they could get the play to end and the amazing thing is that they had no issues the players listened to whatever they said. It is an unconceivable thought in today’s NFL that a referee could go an entire game without a whistle and have no issues. Being able to go an entire game without using a whistle really speaks to the class of the players of the time and that is what in my opinion makes the old generation of the NFL so special.

The NFL has come a long way since the likes of Ray Nitschke. There is no doubt that the face of an NFL star has drastically changed since his playing days. Gone are the bloodied warriors like him. Instead you have a much more appealing star that in all honesty is much better to look at. There were a lot of people that said I want to play like Nitschke but there were very few that said they wanted to look just like him. Today’s NFL star has people wanting to be exactly like them in every way possible. NFL star’s in today society are greatly publicized for their looks something that was not done very often during Nitschke’s time. Players during that time period were idolized in a much different way. NFL players of the time were seen almost as working class heroes because the fan base could directly relate with them. Today’s NFL stars have a certain distance placed between them and their fans which in my opinion is partially in fact due to the amount of money players make. It is very difficult to personally relate to an NFL player who is making millions just playing a game a few months out of the year while you are working two jobs just to make ends meat for your family. The NFL has changed for the worse because fans are not as similar to their heroes’ on the field. It would not be uncommon to see a NFL star walking down a street during Nitschke’s time by himself but today you are lucky to even catch a glimpse of a star because they are often flanked by bodyguards. The bodyguard issue in my opinion is one of the things that puts the greatest distance between players and fans. The image of a 6ft 6in 250lb linebacker needing a bodyguard seems a little strange to me so it would be very difficult for fans to associate themselves with their favorite player if they can not even get near them. The changing face of an NFL star is ultimately one that has come to hide behind bodyguards and an entourage. Unfortunately the days of being shoulder to shoulder with an NFL star on the street are forever gone and if the packers former coach were around there is one thing he would definitely say about the current situation. (play video)

A different kind of star

One of the most interesting things about Ray Nitschke is that he exemplified what it means to be a manly football player. Every thing about him exemplified what it meant to be an NFL player at the time period. But what is so interesting about him is the how the image of an NFL star has changed since his playing days. Today when you think of an NFL player you think of rich men with lots of money who have perfect white teeth with the exception of a few particularly Michael Strahan. What made Nitschke so interesting was that he was the complete opposite. He personified what it meant to be a linebacker in Vince Lombardi’s system. He was even recognized as the greatest player during Lombardi’s era. The packers teams coached by Lombardi’s in the 1960’s were considered to be some of the best all time and being considered the best player of that era really speaks to his ability as one of the greatest football players of all time. For many people the very image of a guy like Ray Nitschke staring at you across the field would inspire fear. The look on his face with his missing front teeth is one that can still inspire fear among people today when they look at his picture. Nitschke exemplified the prototypical star of the time period but the interesting thing is how drastically our perception of a star has changed since then.

One of the things that made Nitschke so great was the fact he did not care about his appearance. It did not matter to him about his front teeth. He did what he had to in order to get a job done. Today’s athletes are very often too concerned with their appearance and if something happens they try to fix it right away; athlete’s like Nitschke simply do not exist anymore. Football players used to be tough play every down no matter what kind of guys but the new breed of NFL players are too concerned with little bumps and bruises. Players such as Nitschke would have probably laughed at the idea of sitting out a game because of a toe injury or having the flu. Professional athletes today are paid astronomical amounts of money simply to play a game and the least that they could do is toughen up just a bit.

The saying they do not make them like they used to definitely could be applied towards NFL players. Today’s players are a totally different breed then they were in the early days of the NFL. It is amazing to think that when you were a kid you were taught it is only game but now it is the complete opposite. You never hear stories anymore about guys playing just for the love of the game. You are constantly bombarded with stories about how much money guys make or how they think their contract is too low so they are going to sit out and not play. The concept of not playing because they were not getting paid enough simply did not enter into the minds of players like Nitschke. They were out to play a game they loved and there was nothing that would stop them from doing it. It is unfortunate to see how much of a business football has become. It was definitely nice seeing guys more concerned with the game then money. The other obvious difference in the two eras is team loyalty. Today most players will go play to who ever will pay them the most and for the teams themselves when a guy has reached a certain age they simply get rid of him because he was “too old”.

One of the other ways that the NFL has drastically changed is the way they try to project a squeaky clean image of its players. Very often when you give a person too much money at a certain age bad things will follow.For some reason we want to come down so harshly on players that mess up but we really should be looking at the structure we have set up for them to live by. The NFL pays players today ridiculous amounts of money and we really should not be surprised when guys mess up. Having too much money, free time, and fame can be a lethal combination for some players. It was nice to learn that back in the beginnings of the NFL players were not in the poor house but at the same time they were not the multi millionaires they are today. Players had much more respect for the game back then they do today; as evidence by all the players that are constantly in trouble with the law. Guys today simply do not appreciate what they have. They very often take for granted what they have. It has to be very reassuring for them knowing that they only have to play a game until their 30’s then they are set for life. When players of Nitschke’s era retired or no longer could play many of them were forced to find other jobs. It must be a very comforting thought knowing that you could retire at such an early age and not have to work a normal job a day in your life. It is too bad though that today’s players don’t take advantage of everything that is given to them.

The old ways of the NFL are something that never will be forgotten by many that witnessed the class games of old. Games like the Ice bowl will go down in history as one of the greatest and worst games of all time. This game showcased the Greenbay Packers and the Dallas Cowboys in a game where temperatures plunged below -15 degrees. This game was unique because it really propelled the NFL into the modern Super Bowl era where the final game of the NFL season would almost become a national holiday. It was a great football game to watch from your home. The teams went back and forth all game with the packers winning the game on the final play. What made this game one of the worst was the obvious fact of how cold it was. It was so cold that when the referee went to blow his whistle to start the game it actually froze to his lips. As a result for the rest of the game the referees did not use a whistle the entire game. They had to scream stop just so they could get the play to end and the amazing thing is that they had no issues the players listened to whatever they said. It is an unconceivable thought in today’s NFL that a referee could go an entire game without a whistle and have no issues. Being able to go an entire game without using a whistle really speaks to the class of the players of the time and that is what in my opinion makes the old generation of the NFL so special.

The NFL has come a long way since the likes of Ray Nitschke. There is no doubt that the face of an NFL star has drastically changed since his playing days. Gone are the bloodied warriors like him. Instead you have a much more appealing star that in all honesty is much better to look at. There were a lot of people that said I want to play like Nitschke but there were very few that said they wanted to look just like him. Today’s NFL star has people wanting to be exactly like them in every way possible. NFL star’s in today society are greatly publicized for their looks something that was not done very often during Nitschke’s time. Players during that time period were idolized in a much different way. NFL players of the time were seen almost as working class heroes because the fan base could directly relate with them. Today’s NFL stars have a certain distance placed between them and their fans which in my opinion is partially in fact due to the amount of money players make. It is very difficult to personally relate to an NFL player who is making millions just playing a game a few months out of the year while you are working two jobs just to make ends meat for your family. The NFL has changed for the worse because fans are not as similar to their heroes’ on the field. It would not be uncommon to see a NFL star walking down a street during Nitschke’s time by himself but today you are lucky to even catch a glimpse of a star because they are often flanked by bodyguards. The bodyguard issue in my opinion is one of the things that puts the greatest distance between players and fans. The image of a 6ft 6in 250lb linebacker needing a bodyguard seems a little strange to me so it would be very difficult for fans to associate themselves with their favorite player if they can not even get near them. The changing face of an NFL star is ultimately one that has come to hide behind bodyguards and an entourage. Unfortunately the days of being shoulder to shoulder with an NFL star on the street are forever gone and if the packers former coach were around there is one thing he would definitely say about the current situation. (play video)