Pair of Packers fans reminisce about first-ever Super Bowl: "Green Bay proved they are the best"
MILWAUKEE -- The NFL will rebroadcast the very first Super Bowl Friday night, January 15th for the first time since it originally aired in 1967. Green Bay Packers fans don't need any spoiler alerts because they know how their story ends.
Super Bowl I
FOX6 News caught up with a pair of guys who remember that day especially well. One was wearing the green and gold, the other was there to cover the Pack.
"Dateline: Los Angeles, California. This was the day the old pros from Green Bay proved they are the best in the world of football," said Bud Lea, covered first Super Bowl.
Super Bowl I
49-years to the day, Bud Lea still has the story he filed for the Milwaukee Sentinel. At the time, the term "Super Bowl" hadn't fully caught on.
"This is before roman numerals," said Bob Long, former Packers receiver.
"It was called the AFL-NFL World Championship," said Lea.
Bud Lea
Bob Long says he remembers the day clearly. The former Packers receiver recalls pageantry that planted the seeds of what would become an American holiday.
"There was a guy on a jet pack," said Long.
Lea and Long also recall the unique nature of this game. It featured the champions of two different leagues and both men say the established NFL put a lot of pressure on the Packers legendary coach, Vince Lombardi.
"Lombardi got all these telegraphs from the owners, he was uptight all week," said Lea.
Vince Lombardi
"Vince, you can't lose to those guys, there's no way. You'll embarrass us," said Long.
Bob Long
Long also recalls the famous story of his teammate's antics the night before the game.
"Max McGee was just coming in for breakfast, he sat across the table from me," said Long.
"He closed the bar with these gals and then went to their place until 7:00 in the morning," said Lea.
"I looked at him and Max looked at me and his eyes were so bloodshot. He hadn't slept all night," said Long.
Yet Lombardi called McGee's number when starter Boyd Dowler got hurt.
"And one of the other teammates said, 'Max, you left your helmet in the locker room,'" said Long.
Long says that's when he lent McGee his lid.
"So that first touchdown Max scored in Super Bowl history, he was wearing my helmet," said Long.
The Packers would score four more touchdowns -- which was plenty.
"When the blocking and tackling was over, it was Green Bay 35, Kansas City 10," said Lea.
"It's been building over the years and now it's been 50 years. Time goes fast, right," said Long.
If you're wondering why tonight will be the first rebroadcast of the game, it's because both CBS and NBC deleted the original broadcasts. NFL Films has since pieced together it sown footage, play-by-play.