Incomplete Passes
Reflections on Life, Love, and Football
by
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Since my friends and I were in Green Bay, Wisconsin, and not New York or Chicago, the Packers were constantly with us. Under Coach Lombardi, they were heroes, their names known nationwide. Yet, miraculously, they were accessible! In those days before shopping centers, they had to come downtown regularly. If we made the tedious journey on the East De Pere bus, we might run into them shopping at Prange’s or lunching at the Northland Hotel. And we made every effort to do so. We’re not proud of everything we did. But we sure had fun. The Packers were our Elvis, our Beatles—or at least our Ringo Starr. If the drummer’s name conjures Jim R. and Bart S., you’re first of all a Packer fan. The Packers’ influence was felt far beyond sports. The Lombardi philosophy and work ethic could be applied to every facet of life. We were fed a mix of sports coaching, religion, and family values that played well with our Midwestern upbringing. … But when you’re twelve or thirteen and the object of your affections is twenty-five, there’s just one problem: You’re bound to be throwing … incomplete passes.
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About the Book
Linda Lange turned twelve in 1959, the year Vince Lombardi arrived in Green Bay, Wisconsin, and changed everything. To say that Linda embraced the future kings of football would be an understatement. Her new passion transformed the way she viewed her hometown, the world, and most important, herself. In Incomplete Passes, Linda reflects on her coming-of-age journey as she grows into womanhood, experiences an unusual mid-life crisis, and embraces a friendship that spans fifty years.
In 1961, four girls united by their love for the Packers formed a lasting bond that would survive distance, marriage, divorce, careers, and motherhood. In her entertaining and often witty memoir, Linda chronicles the years the infatuated teens followed their heroes around Green Bay and shares an intriguing glimpse into how the Packers helped all of them face their journeys through life with courage and humor—even as Linda dives into a mid-life calamity that somehow results in the creation of a musical comedy.
Sometimes nostalgic, often wry, Incomplete Passes will resonate with anyone who fantasizes about romance with a celebrity, questions a life decision, or revels in the joys of reconnecting with old friends.
About the Author
Linda Lange grew up in Green Bay, Wisconsin, during the era when Vince Lombardi coached the Packers. She now lives in Cincinnati, Ohio, with her husband, Scott. They have two enormous black cats and a son who is not named after Mr. “A” in Incomplete Passes.