Don Shula passed away this morning at the age of 90. He was a HUGE part of my childhood. Down here in SoFl, Shula created the mold of a great leader who spans several generations. He coached for 30 yrs, won over 328 games. He is the winningest coach in NFL history. Period. And he wasn't flashy, married to 3 or 4 wives, running from the law, embroiled in scandal. He kept an impeccable reputation and standard of professionalism that went beyond just football. After 50 yrs of professional football, Shula is still the ONLY coach to lead a team to a perfect undefeated season.
If you don't love football you might think 'who cares, so what?' Well to put Don Shula in perspective, imagine being the most winningest person at ANYTHING. Now do that for 30 yrs, through 4-5 generations of changes, innovations, and new personnel. Imagine starting something in your 30s and being white hot and then doing it until your 60s and becoming a rock of trust and tradition. He is Sondheim if Sondheim was still cranking out classics, Michael Jordan...if MJ transitioned into being a good NBA owner (he isn't). The closest person he can be compared to is fellow Catholic icon coach, Pat Riley. But unlike Riley he didn't need flash or to switch around to different teams. He stayed and thrived (btw, love Pat Riley too.)
Shula outcoached/out-smarted EVERYONE, including Jimmy Johnson in the famous Thanksgiving Game when the Miami Dolphins were thoroughly mediocre, playing on the road, and in ice...and managed to trick play their way into victory. Shula was more respected than all the municipals mayors and commissioners combined and had a religious devotion to his craft. He was consistent, devoted, and focused. In his private life, Shula wasn't a hypocrite. He was a passionate Catholic who attended mass every day. He quietly raised 5 kids with his wife Dorothy and they stayed married until she passed away of cancer.
And the Miami Dolphins have been complete shit since they got rid of him in the mid 90s, while the NFL has become a coaching carousel of hot-young stars being fired en masse every few years. Great tradition does not exist in institutions. They reside in people like Shula. Rest in Peace....
If you don't love football you might think 'who cares, so what?' Well to put Don Shula in perspective, imagine being the most winningest person at ANYTHING. Now do that for 30 yrs, through 4-5 generations of changes, innovations, and new personnel. Imagine starting something in your 30s and being white hot and then doing it until your 60s and becoming a rock of trust and tradition. He is Sondheim if Sondheim was still cranking out classics, Michael Jordan...if MJ transitioned into being a good NBA owner (he isn't). The closest person he can be compared to is fellow Catholic icon coach, Pat Riley. But unlike Riley he didn't need flash or to switch around to different teams. He stayed and thrived (btw, love Pat Riley too.)
Shula outcoached/out-smarted EVERYONE, including Jimmy Johnson in the famous Thanksgiving Game when the Miami Dolphins were thoroughly mediocre, playing on the road, and in ice...and managed to trick play their way into victory. Shula was more respected than all the municipals mayors and commissioners combined and had a religious devotion to his craft. He was consistent, devoted, and focused. In his private life, Shula wasn't a hypocrite. He was a passionate Catholic who attended mass every day. He quietly raised 5 kids with his wife Dorothy and they stayed married until she passed away of cancer.
And the Miami Dolphins have been complete shit since they got rid of him in the mid 90s, while the NFL has become a coaching carousel of hot-young stars being fired en masse every few years. Great tradition does not exist in institutions. They reside in people like Shula. Rest in Peace....
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