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PRO FOOTBALL HALL OF FAME ENSHRINMENT FESTIVALAugust 8, 2015Ron WolfCANTON, OHIO RON WOLF: Thank you. Thank you. Ladies and gentlemen, as my friend Kenny Chesney so happily sings, "This is our moment, this is our time, this is our destiny." It's our night to shine. I want to thank the Hall of Fame committee for bestowing this phenomenal honor on me. I also want to congratulate my fellow classmates on their induction into the Hall of Fame. To think that Ronnie Wolf from New Freedom, Pennsylvania, who graduated 101st in a class of '83, from Susquehannock High School is being inducted into this fabled hall is remarkable. The goddess of victory comes about only once or twice during the course of a contest. There is that moment when a play is needed to be made. These gentlemen seized that moment and exhibited that ability throughout their careers. It is truly an honor for me now to be included in their company. I would like to acknowledge my wife, Edie, who permitted me to live my dream. My two sons, Jonathan, and you've met Eliot, Eliot's wife Regan, my three daughters, Saralyn and her husband Paul, Celli and husband Steve, Joan, my grandson Owen, and my brother Guy. And that's it, folks. Further, I want to thank the current Packers organization for all their support. I had the good fortune to begin my career working for the legendary Al Davis. Not only did he set a standard of excellence for five decades in the NFL, as commissioner of the American Football League, he brought about the merger between the two leagues. I spent 24 seasons working for him and appreciate deeply all I was able to learn. He was a remarkable teacher and I am forever in his debt for providing me with an opportunity to work in this extraordinary game. In 1990, I left the Raiders and joined the New York Jets. There I met Dick Steinberg who taught me there are many different approaches to achieve the same goal of winning. I was able to take what I learned from him, tweak it, and use it in my next position. Around Thanksgiving of 1991, I was hired by Bob Harlan to become the executive vice president and general manager of the Green Bay Packers. When I was hired by the Packers, I did not realize what a wonderful place I was moving to. The history of this magnificent franchise is unparalleled in the anales of the National Football League. Those great names that surround Lambeau Field epitomize excellence achieved on the gridiron. I was fortunate enough to be able to hire Mike Holmgren, trade for Brett Favre, sign Reggie White, and because of those three people, plus an excellent supporting cast, the Packers started to become a force once again in the NFL after over two decades of mediocrity. At that time there was always a threat to players of other teams that if they didn't shape up, they would be traded to Green Bay. We work hard to eliminate that stigma. Suddenly players wanted to come and be a part of football's most illustrious franchise and to play in pro football's most storied cathedral, Lambeau Field. There are several people from the so‑called Ron Wolf tree who have had great success recently in this profession, and you know who you are. I'm very proud of your accomplishments. Congratulations on all you have done for the sport of professional football and on a personal note, thank you for all your help in resurrecting the Packers. Here's wishing you continued success as you pursue your own destiny throughout your careers in the NFL. There are several individuals who played a huge role in my life in pro football. I was very fortunate to be able to work in the AFL and NFL for 38 years and oh a great deal to too many people to mention. But I do want to thank every member of the green pay Packers organization from 1992 to 2001. Bill Parcells for his counsel and friendship, and Mike Ornstein for his efforts on my behalf. To succeed in this game, you have to love it, respect its history, and understand you have a responsibility to make it better. Michael Jordan said that, but the same applies to professional football. Football has such a broad appeal. I think it is the ultimate team game. It is a game of human will coupled with unbelievable athletic skill and grace. Nothing expresses that any better than watching receiver catch a ball, tap his two feet down inbounds for a completed pass. It is still, however, a contest of blocking, tackling and kicking. No matter how hard people attempt to change the rules to get more scoring, it still comes down to those three basic components. To me, that is the uniqueness of the NFL and the wonderful aspect of the game of pro football. It is the reason behind a tremendous appeal the game has achieved nationally. Because this night is long with lots of other presentations, and those of you who know me well know my reputation for extraordinarily brief speeches, as my dad would say, I love a good speaker. I really do. Not one who is polished, but one who is through. Thank you, thank you very much. Go Pack go! FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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