Editing Curly Lambeau (section)

====Green Bay Packers====
[[File:Lambeau 1940.jpg|thumb|Lambeau with the [[Green Bay Packers]] in 1940|alt=A black and white image of a man standing with his hands on his hips]]
Ryan left the Packers after only one season, and Lambeau became player-coach. However, during the team's first season, Lambeau, as team captain, handled many of the duties associated with a head coach in modern times. In the early days of pro football, the head coach was not allowed to talk to the players during the game. Thus, Lambeau was the team's on-field leader during games, including play calling.<ref>{{Cite web | url = https://www.packers.com/news/packers-fan-from-ukraine-asks-about-team-s-first-coach | last = Christl | first = Cliff | author-link = Cliff Christl | title = Packers Fan from Ukraine asks about team's first coach | date = August 9, 2018 | access-date = January 10, 2020 | publisher = [[Green Bay Packers, Inc.]] | url-status = live | archive-date = August 9, 2018 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20180809153939/https://www.packers.com/news/packers-fan-from-ukraine-asks-about-team-s-first-coach}}</ref> He was also responsible for signing players and running practices. For these reasons, the Packers recognize Lambeau as the team's first head coach.<ref>{{Cite news | url = https://www.newspapers.com/clip/42026403/lambeaus_status_as_packers_first/ | title = Lambeau's status as Packers' first coach debated | via = [[Newspapers.com]] | type = clipping | date = January 10, 2004 | newspaper = [[The Sheboygan Press]] | page = B4 | url-status = live | agency = [[Associated Press]] | access-date = January 10, 2020 | archive-date = January 10, 2020 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20200110160922/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/42026403/lambeaus_status_as_packers_first/}}</ref>

In 1921, he led the team into the one-year-old American Professional Football Association, which became the NFL in 1922.<ref name="packershistory.net">{{cite web|url=http://www.packershistory.net/1919PACKERS.html|title=The 1919 Green Bay Packers - Independent Football (10-1)|website=www.packershistory.net|access-date=January 17, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170118065857/http://www.packershistory.net/1919PACKERS.html|archive-date=January 18, 2017|url-status=live}}</ref> After retiring as a player in 1929, he remained as head coach and general manager until 1949. For the better part of that time, he had near-complete control over the team's day-to-day operations and represented the Packers at owners' meetings.

Before joining the NFL, the Packers achieved an overall 19–2–1 record in 1919 and 1920.<ref name=PACKHOF/>  Under Lambeau in the NFL, the Packers won six [[History of National Football League Championship|championships]] ([[1929 NFL season|1929]], [[1930 NFL season|1930]], [[1931 NFL season|1931]], [[1936 NFL Championship Game|1936]], [[1939 NFL Championship Game|1939]], [[1944 NFL Championship Game|1944]]). He compiled an NFL regular-season record of 209–104–21 ({{winning percentage|209|104|21}}) with a playoff record of 3–2, 212–106–21 ({{winning percentage|212|106|21}}) overall. Lambeau is still far and away the winningest coach in Packers history. His 104 losses are also the most by a Packers head coach.

The Packers' most successful period came in the 1930s, thanks to the additions of quarterback [[Arnie Herber]] and receiver [[Don Hutson]]. Herber and Hutson pioneered the passing game, which allowed the Packers to dominate their competitors throughout the 1930s.<ref name="The Legend of Lambeau Field DVD"/><ref name=Britannica/>

In 1946, Lambeau purchased [[Rockwood Lodge]], a former [[Norbertine]] retreat, creating the first self-contained training facility in professional football. The purchase was controversial among the Packers' board of directors, many of whom balked at the $32,000 purchase price and $8,000 Lambeau spent on renovations, and some members of the financial committee almost resigned in protest.<ref name="blaze">{{Cite web |last=Fleming |first=David |date=September 19, 2013 |title=Blaze of Glory |url=http://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/9669836/mysterious-fire-1950-saved-green-bay-packers-espn-magazine |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180926122642/http://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/9669836/mysterious-fire-1950-saved-green-bay-packers-espn-magazine |archive-date=September 26, 2018 |access-date=August 5, 2018 |publisher=[[ESPN Internet Ventures]]}}</ref>

Lambeau's players also grew to hate the facility, partly because they were severely battered by the brick-hard limestone under the fields. On some days, Lambeau had to move practices to fields near [[City Stadium (Green Bay)|City Stadium]] due to the severe beating his players took at the Lodge.<ref name=BlazeofGlory>{{cite journal |url=https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/9669836/mysterious-fire-1950-saved-green-bay-packers-espn-magazine |title=Blaze of Glory |last=Fleming |first=David |journal=[[ESPN The Magazine]] |date=September 19, 2013 |access-date=March 21, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140207175756/http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/9669836/mysterious-fire-1950-saved-green-bay-packers-espn-magazine |archive-date=February 7, 2014 |url-status=live }}</ref>

At the same time, the Packers began noticeably slipping on the field after Hutson's retirement in 1945. Still, the Packers remained competitive until [[1948 Green Bay Packers season|1948]], when they suffered their first losing season since [[1933 Green Bay Packers season|1933]], and only the second losing season in franchise history.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Daly |first1=Art |title=Packers Close Out 'Worst' Season in History With 42–7 Loss to Cardinals |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/24410295/packers_close_out_worst_season_in/ |access-date=October 10, 2018 |work=Green Bay Press-Gazette |date=December 6, 1948 |page=19 |via=[[Newspapers.com]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181010060806/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/24410295/packers_close_out_worst_season_in/ |archive-date=October 10, 2018 |url-status=live }}</ref> The bottom fell out in [[1949 Green Bay Packers season|1949]], when the Packers won only two games, at the time, their worst season ever.<ref>{{cite news |title=Green Bay Ends Worst NFL Year |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/24409874/green_bay_ends_worst_nfl_year/ |access-date=October 10, 2018 |work=Marshfield News-Herald |agency=Associated Press |date=December 12, 1949 |page=10 |via=[[Newspapers.com]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181010060840/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/24409874/green_bay_ends_worst_nfl_year/ |archive-date=October 10, 2018 |url-status=live }}</ref> This was at least in part due to Lambeau's refusal to abandon the [[Notre Dame Box]] that he had learned during his brief time in South Bend; the Packers continued to run this variation of the [[single-wing formation|single wing]] long after most teams began running the [[T formation]].<ref name=BlazeofGlory/>

The Packers were also suffering financially, mainly due to the Rockwood Lodge purchase. Early in the 1949 season, Lambeau largely turned over control of the team to his assistants to devote his attention to the team's financial situation, but even reducing the payroll and his own salary were not enough to stanch the bleeding: by the end of the season, the Packers were on what seemed to be an irreversible slide toward bankruptcy. Desperate for cash, Lambeau found investors willing to invest funds into the team on the condition that it abolished its then-unique [[Green Bay Packers, Inc.|public ownership structure]]. This proposal was considered rank heresy in Green Bay, and led to rumors that the NFL was using the pending merger with the [[All-America Football Conference]] as leverage to force Lambeau to relocate the Packers to the West Coast or shut down the team.<ref name="blaze" /><ref name="TURB">{{Cite news |last=Hendricks |first=Martin |date=August 18, 2016 |title=Rockwood Lodge had turbulent history |url=https://www.jsonline.com/story/sports/nfl/packers/2016/08/18/rockwood-lodge-had-turbulent-existence/88904044/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160824012535/https://www.jsonline.com/story/sports/nfl/packers/2016/08/18/rockwood-lodge-had-turbulent-existence/88904044/ |archive-date=August 24, 2016 |access-date=March 8, 2019 |newspaper=[[Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel]] |df=mdy}}</ref>

In response to these events, team officials offered him a revised contract that stripped him of nearly all control over non-football matters. Lambeau rejected this offer almost out of hand, effectively ending his 31-year tenure at the helm of the team he founded;<ref name=BlazeofGlory/> however, he did not formally resign until February 1, 1950,<ref name=clqtctc>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=WOMpAAAAIBAJ&pg=5757%2C11134 |newspaper=Milwaukee Journal |title=Curly Lambeau quits to coach the Cardinals |date=February 1, 1950 |page=1, part 1 |access-date=November 19, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151120134159/https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=WOMpAAAAIBAJ&sjid=ZyMEAAAAIBAJ&pg=5757%2C11134 |archive-date=November 20, 2015 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=nE9QAAAAIBAJ&pg=7269%2C4720741 |newspaper=Milwaukee Sentinel |agency=Associated Press |title=Lambeau quits for Card job; Isbell seeks Packer post |date=February 2, 1950 |page=5, part 2 |access-date=November 19, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151120133319/https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=nE9QAAAAIBAJ&sjid=Yg0EAAAAIBAJ&pg=7269%2C4720741 |archive-date=November 20, 2015 |url-status=live }}</ref> seven days after his beloved Rockwood Lodge burned down in a fire that was presumed to be intentional, but had been caused by faulty electrical wiring. The insurance money relieved the Packers' financial woes at one stroke, and ensured they would stay in Green Bay.<ref name=BlazeofGlory/>