Great Read on Bud Grant

[Fred C Dobbs]

http://mmqb.si.com/mmqb/2016/01/31/nfl-mmqb-bud-grant-minnesota-vikings-super-bowl-losses-vince-lombardi-disklike

Always heard he has a good sense of humour. Here's a teaser:

Lombardi vs. Grant: Round 3

So the story you probably heard is Fuzzy Thurston. He’s an all-time favorite Packer, and he owned a tavern when he was done. Everybody knew Fuzzy. Before that he played in Cleveland, and I had some friends in Cleveland, and I needed an O-lineman, so they released him, and I called him on the phone right away. He was upset, and I said, “Well Fuzzy, do you want to keep playing?” And he said yes, and I said, “Well, get on a plane and come to Winnipeg. We’ll pay you just as much as Cleveland.” He practiced for a week, and we didn’t have roster room that week, but we were going to activate him for the next ball game. Well, I get a call from Lombardi.

Lombardi: “We’re trying to locate this Thurston guy. Somebody said he’s in Winnipeg, and we can’t get a number for him.”

Grant: “Well, what do you want him for?”

Lombardi: “We got an injury, and we want him.”

Grant: “Well, he’s with us.”

Lombardi: “Oh, for Christ’s sake, who wants to play up there?”

As it turned out the guy who Fuzzy was going to replace was just about well enough that he was going to play that week or the next week. And I hadn’t seen enough of Thurston to make a definitive assessment. So I said, “Vince, is he going to start with you?” Vince said, “Well, Christ, we got a guy down. We need a guy. Just send him down here!” I said, “No, Vince, we’re not your farm club. I’ll tell you what I’ll do—I’ll talk to him.” So Fuzzy said, “I think I can play in the National Football League.”

I called Vince and said, “I talked to Fuzzy, and I’ll give you a number, but first of all we’ve got some expenses up here. We paid his way up here, paid a per diem, so that’s about $500. Plus he’s got a plane ticket, plus—now I was being facetious—we’re acting as his agent, so we’ll need $1,000 total before you get him. I’ll release him when you wire the money. He said, “Well, you no good son of a *****,” and he went on and on. And he hung up on me. He called back and said, “OK, fine.” The best part of the story is that Fuzzy was one of their all-time great players. I saw Fuzzy a lot after that, and every time he saw me he would give me a big hug.

[iso_55]

Things have sure changed.

[Jimmy Pop]

That's a real cool read. 

[johnzo]

The Dale Hackbart story is choice.

Don't just read the teaser, the best stuff is in the article itself.

[Jesse]

The Grant vs. Lombardi stories were fantastic.

Had no idea.

[Stickem]

....They didn't give the name 'fox' to Grant for nothing...As far as our talent in those days, compared to the nfl, Leo Lewis was a player Bud always referenced as one that could have suited up down there anytime, but preferred playing in the Peg...Yes things sure have changed.

[GCJenks]

If you haven't read Bud Grant's autobiography " I Did It My Way" you really need too. I have read many of sports related Auto's and his is by far the best.

[bearpants]

His views on concussions are quite out-dated... but otherwise an interesting and entertaining man to listen to/read about...

[Mark F]

Bud knew some guys at the border.... that really is funny....

I remember the Vikings weren't allowed to have heaters on  the sidelines.

good article, thanks.

[iso_55]

The Bombers couldn't have heaters either.