Nestled deep in a central Jersey cemetery lies the body of legendary coach Vince Lombardi.
You might think it would have been adorned with memorabilia from his coaching days with the Packers and even before that – but that’s not the case.

It’s a simple grave – one you’d expect to see for a family member.

Now there’s talk of bringing the trophy that bears his name to the gravesite. For what purpose, I don’t know.
Just like there’s talk of bringing the trophy to the rest stop that bears his name.

Call it the trophy tour – symbolic perhaps, but wholly unnecessary.

Mount Olivet Cemetery in Middletown is about about a 32-mile — or 40-minute — drive from MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, the site where the Super Bowl will be played Sunday.

Would it be too much for the NFL to have someone make that trek and bring the big game's shining silver trophy to the gravesite of the man it's named for?

Such is the request of Ed Cardoza, the superintendent of the Monmouth County cemetery where legendary Green Bay Packers coach Vince Lombardi is buried, according to a report by the New Daily News.

"Bring the trophy here," Cardoza told Daily News columnist Filip Bondy. "It’s so close now. As far as I know, it’s never been here to his grave."

Lombardi led the Packers to victories in the first two Super Bowls in 1967 and 1968. Two years later, he died at age 57 of intestinal cancer.

In 1970, the two-foot, seven-pound statuette given to the game's winner was re-named the Vince Lombardi Trophy in his honor.

Before his NFL career, Lombardi — a Brooklyn native — was the coach of St. Cecilia High School in Englewood. He later was an assistant coach with the Giants, as well.

Football fans travel to the cemetery all time time to pay respects to Lombardi. Cardoza said the place will be mobbed this week leading up to the Super Bowl — making it the perfect time to place the trophy by the late coach's headstone, the report said.

"I mean, what are they going to do all week?" he told the newspaper.

Cardoza said he has asked the NFL but received no reply, according to the report. So, on Wednesday, he plans to visit Manhattan when the trophy arrives by FedEx to Super Bowl Boulevard to ask in person, the report said.

He also suggests that NFL films — based in Mountainside — should shoot a tribute if the trophy makes the trip, according to the report.

I feel for Mr. Cardoza. It sounds like it would be a fitting gesture – but in the end it’s probably not going to happen.

While the legendary coach’s gravesite probably has a few visitors on occasion – somehow I doubt anyone in town to attend the Superbowl is going to make the trek away from the center of all the action just to pay him homage.
Let alone a chunk of metal bearing his name.

Which leads me to wonder – how often do you visit the gravesites of loved ones? Do you expect you will somehow absorb their spirit? Or is it just a place where their remains lie?

As for the trophy visiting the gravesite – symbolic yes – but in reality: trophy, say hello to gravestone!

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