Pittsburgh Sports Legends - Jack Lambert
- Thread starter Alphalion75
- Start date
From Mantua, Ohio near where my wife grew up. In the off season he used to be seen around the area where he grew up. People who met him said he was a great guy, totally opposite of his on field persona.
I remember watching him play in the 1972 Tangerine Bowl under Coach Don James. Played for Kent State and held many records there for a few years, until a friend of mine (Jack Lazor) broke some of them (his cousin Kim later played BB for the Lady Lions).
Unfortunately Jack, considered to be likely a second round pick, suffered a severe knee injury the last game of his senior season and lost all his speed and mobility as there were not the surgical techniques back in the late 70’s they have today. He ended up being drafted, IIRC, by the Patriots in the 6th round but never made it in the NFL due to his knee injury. Otherwise there may have been a second Lambert type LB in the NFL for a few years.
I remember watching him play in the 1972 Tangerine Bowl under Coach Don James. Played for Kent State and held many records there for a few years, until a friend of mine (Jack Lazor) broke some of them (his cousin Kim later played BB for the Lady Lions).
Unfortunately Jack, considered to be likely a second round pick, suffered a severe knee injury the last game of his senior season and lost all his speed and mobility as there were not the surgical techniques back in the late 70’s they have today. He ended up being drafted, IIRC, by the Patriots in the 6th round but never made it in the NFL due to his knee injury. Otherwise there may have been a second Lambert type LB in the NFL for a few years.
Jack Splat…doesn’t matter where/how you rank them, he’s always going to be one of the best ever. Words from his HOF induction speech that will forever endear him to his many fans:
“If I could start my life all over again, I would be a professional football player, and you damn well better believe I would be a Pittsburgh Steeler!”
“If I could start my life all over again, I would be a professional football player, and you damn well better believe I would be a Pittsburgh Steeler!”
I remember going to the Steeler training camp one summer. After a morning practice we watched Lambert coming out of his dorm with a fishing rod. A bunch of girls ran over to him and had Jack autograph their underwear!
Dumbest Super Bowl move of all time....When Cliff Harris patted Roy Gerela on the helmet after he missed a FG. Jack just went off!
Was up for a game one season and was staying at the Penn Stater. Went to get coffee one morning and was riding the elevator with this person. The weather was cold and wet so I asked the guy if he was going to the game. He said yes. I then said that it was going to be cold and wet. He said that he was in a booth. I said boy that sounds great for today. He got out on his floor and I continued on my way. When I got to my room I realized that that might have been Jack. I look him up on the internet and it was him. After the game, my wife go to the bar in the hotel for dinner and drinks. He comes in and sits next to me at the bar. We talk and I remind him that I was the idiot in the elevator that morning. My wife and I ended up having dinner and drinks with him that evening. It was a great evening.
A real man’s LB. Tough as snails, smart, and played angry on every play. Man, I missed those 1970s Steeler teams. They were badass. Greatest teams ever and undefeated in Super Bowls (4-0).
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