What would the coaches need headsets for? Is someone upstairs telling them how to do their job?
I don’t recall Vince Lombardi using headsets, and we all know his record as a coach.
Ah come on all and I mean ALL NFL teams have coaches upstairs.
Huh? We had communications from the press box when I played in high school and in college in the mid to late 80s! I'm sure they also had them in the 70s!
I don’t get it either. Lombardi, Tom Landry, didn’t use headsets.
I think they are supposed to be using headsets to talk to their guys who are sitting upstairs in the stadium, who get a different view of the game. But again begs questions about why didn’t a great coach like Lombardi need to do this??? Has the game changed, has strategy changed that you need to talk to guys upstairs to make decisions down on the field???
That was then, this is now. It’s a vastly different league. When Lombardi was in the game plan consisted of 12 running and 12 passing plays plus their audible variation. Now that’s not even enough plays for the opening script.
The NFL needs to take better control of the headset situation. There’s really no reason with modern technology to ever have headset problems. Throw some money at it, install permanent triple redundant system in each stadium that are totally under control of the league and just make it happen. Or if that’s too complicated for the league make the TV network that’s broadcasting the game be in charge, they seem to be able to get constant uninterrupted signals from all over the stadium, I’m sure they can handle 4 more.
Vince Lombardi didn’t coach at a time when defensive lineups changed by down and distance.
Your starters went in and played until the ball was turned over by score or downs.
Lombardi also thought of the forward pass as an necessary evil where 3 things could happen, and 2 of them were bad.
1984 Superbowl, LA Raiders vs Skins.
The game was still close and the Skins had the ball.
Some assistant assistant coach upstairs had the notes the Raider staff had made from game film.
This assistant noticed that on 3rd and long in their own end of the field, the Skins would throw to a certain reciever to the left.
He gives this information to the coaches on the field.
Coach Flores pulled his starting right linebacker and subbed Jack Youngblood, who played the pass better.
Sho’nuff, Theisman drops back and throws to his left.
Youngblood intercepts and scores the TD.
The steam leaves the Skins machine and the Raiders go on to win 38-9.
Lombardi was a great coach, but the game has changed.
I don’t say for the better, but it has changed.