Professional Football Researchers Association Forum

Think he would of been happy for the Eagles today?

I'm doubting it because of what he said at the end of this Sports Century episode.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1WAy2lth2Ac

I doubt it. Thirteen years ago, right before Super Bowl XXXIX when the Eagles lost to the Patriots, Bednarik was quoted as saying the he hoped that his 1960 team would remain the last one to ever win the NFL championship and that "I hope it stays that way". He was angry at the Eagles for almost 20 years before he passed away because of a dispute over a his autobiography.

Bednarik wanted Lurie to buy a bunch of copies of his book, which he told Chuck he couldn't do as it's prohibited. This of all things caused the grudge.

He was back in their good graces in 2006, but clearly his mind had been failing him for some time

I have a friend who belonged to the same country club as Bednarik, and said he was not well-liked by the other members. Said he was an insufferable blowhard who would tell the same stories over and over again using the exact same wording and expressions. He also always expected special treatment, just like today's entitled players who he constantly criticized. And that was what I didn't like about him...he would harp on how much better he thought the game was when he was playing than it was in the modern era. Art Donovan was the same way.

1 thing that bothered me was his daughter mentioned how her children were afraid of him.

It's 1 thing if you're afraid of what a parent grandparent might do if you misbehave but it's quite another when they're just unkind.


Even in football he seemed not much different. Sometimes you wonder what made some of these people like Hardy Brown, Decan Jones or Dick Butkus who they were.

I know there were a lot of ways players played which were considered legal then but some of then went out of their way to hurt others. People have said that about Butkus though I never heard him admit it.

Shipley wrote: And that was what I didn't like about him...he would harp on how much better he thought the game was when he was playing than it was in the modern era. Art Donovan was the same way.

Seeing plenty of film on him, and Tj and Nick can confirm, the whole iron man thing was real, but overblown. There were some games, especially in 1960 where he did go both ways, but put on any game from the 1950s and he will be playing either center or linebacker, but not both. No there may be a series on defense when he was a center, you'd have to look close to see those, but the way old films are organized you see all the offense, then all the defense, so you'd generally see him for half the game, not all the game. Yes, there were exceptions but I bet the ironman thing was about 10-20% (if that) of the time in the 1950s.

In the early 1960s, he actually did it more... and that has been well documented.

Question: which position did Bednarik play better? Just curious.

Bednarik despised Cosell (not necessarily a bad thing) because the latter continually brought up the hit on Gifford and promoted the idea that it was a cheap shot.

Here's an article from 2008 that shows his less-than-desirable side:

https://deadspin.com/5012968/the-sadnes ... te-charlie

JohnTurney wrote:

Shipley wrote: And that was what I didn't like about him...he would harp on how much better he thought the game was when he was playing than it was in the modern era. Art Donovan was the same way.

Seeing plenty of film on him, and Tj and Nick can confirm, the whole iron man thing was real, but overblown. There were some games, especially in 1960 where he did go both ways, but put on any game from the 1950s and he will be playing either center or linebacker, but not both. No there may be a series on defense when he was a center, you'd have to look close to see those, but the way old films are organized you see all the offense, then all the defense, so you'd generally see him for half the game, not all the game. Yes, there were exceptions but I bet the ironman thing was about 10-20% (if that) of the time in the 1950s.

In the early 1960s, he actually did it more... and that has been well documented.

I always called it "The Myth of Bednarik" as the last ironman player.

bachslunch wrote:Question: which position did Bednarik play better? Just curious.

my opinion is linebacker. easier to see the big plays. I always list him more as LBer than center...I wish we had a snap count...as LBer played middle, played outside in a way with that "Eagle" defense, over a tackle...to me less a middle linebacker than an outside stack backer.