Sunday brings the 51st edition of the most-watched sporting event in America, and possibly the largest-watched annual single-game domestic sports championship event in the world – the Super Bowl.
The Green Bay Packers won the first edition of it in a contest that helped define the course of the National Football League.
Jerry Kramer, the five-time All-Pro guard for the Packers, started at right guard in that contest that, at the time, was not considered the biggest of games.
“It really wasn't that big a deal. It was a championship and it meant $15,000…doubled and half-again our years' salary,” said Kramer on WTMJ Today Monday afternoon.
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“This was our fourth championship. It was not like the first time.”
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The Packers had just defeated the Dallas Cowboys in the NFL Title Game and WERE facing the AFL champions for the first time. It was considered an inferior league compared to NFL standards.
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“We didn't know who the Kansas City Chiefs were,” explained Kramer.
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“We were watching the films one night and saw two of their safeties collide…we started giggling like were watching Looney Tunes.”
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Yet Coach Lombardi was not exactly humorous with his description of the game, because of pressure he was receiving from the top level of the NFL.
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“Coach Lombardi was nervous. He was very nervous,” said Kramer.
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“It isn't enough to beat them. You have to humiliate them.”
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Listen to the entire interview with Kramer in your audio player above.
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