The Legendary Don Shula Passes Away…
Don Shula may have passed away today, but his legend will live on… and on!
Don Shula, the legendary coach of the Miami Dolphins, has passed away today at the age of 90 years old. The ‘Perfect Season’, the ‘golden years’ of the Super Bowl championships, and Dan Marino’s Hall of Fame career were all guided by the leadership of Don Shula. Over his 33-year head coaching career, Don Shula earned every superlative that an NFL coach can have…
… and more.
Don Shula wasn’t just a great coach, his greatness extended beyond the X’s and O’s of the field, he was a man of great character. Oddly, it was in Shula’s final defeat as the Dolphins Head Coach that proved how rare a man he was.
Shula’s final defeat in football was his greatest victory as a man
Shula’s high principles and resolute character brought him NFL success… and also forced the end of his career. But, his final defeat as the Dolphins Head Coach proved he was a rare man of true character.
Wayne Huizenga gave Shula an ultimatum after the letdown of the 1995 Season: fire pariah defensive coordinator Tom Olividotti or resign. There’s no doubt that getting rid of Olivadotti was the right move because he was a terrible coordinator–terrible! But, Shula was loyal and prideful to a fault. Like the noble warrior who wouldn’t relinquish his honor to save himself, Shula refused to bend his loyalty and his football vision… even at the expense of his career.
A lesser man would have crumbled under the pressure and groveled to keep his dream job: Not Shula. Shula was just 66 years old (two years younger than Bill Belichick) when he retired. There was still tread on the tire, so this wasn’t an easy choice.
Only a man of these inflexible principles could have achieved his unprecedented greatness and consistency in coaching. What he preached to his players was simply how he lived his life. Not many can say that. Most people who have great success aren’t as equally successful as humans, but Don Shula was.
Like fine wine, Shula gets better with age
As a boy, I was furious over his decision to resign for Olividotti. I was also furious that he had kept him as long as he did. But, when I grew up into a man, I admired him even more for the strength of character it took to hold to his principles. From a football perspective, I still think he was wrong. Now though, I understand this was just Shula being consistent with his philosophy… being the man I admired.
One of my favorite poems is ‘IF’ by Rudyard Kipling. The poem is about the true qualities of man. Don Shula exemplifies this poem to a tee. The older you get, the rarer you realize men like this are.
Coach, thanks so much for the great memories and example of character. So many are grateful for the life you lived and you will be sorely missed. Rest in peace, Don Shula! Go Phins!!!
Yeap!
He had his misses True!
But having only two losing season out of 33 seasons is unreal. During Marino’s years though they could score 45 points a game the team was not complete lacking a solid (Defense to prevent scoring, keep your opponents of the field and top run game to create balanced to score, run the clock out etc.
Agree! I think he could have brought in some more mind in evaluation though. He had HR style with a little too low of a slugging %… still, he did better than 99-13 of the later evaluators.
Hello Admin and Dol-Fans
Listening to just a few players Don Shula has coached lets us know that Mediocrity was not on the field with Don Shula.
When Shula discussed his NFL career of 33 season and two losing seasons just let us know Don Shula was not the everyday NFL coached.
Don Shula stated that a coach life expectancy meant winning very soon and Constance. I recalled some of the players who said backed in the late 60’s early 70’s Shula would not let them drink water during practiced and you surely cannot do that this day.
I heard them say Shula when building the perfect team the practice field gate was locked and those who were late had to hop over the fence and Shula would fired them and that he would tell them to climbed backed over the fence because they were fired. One players Wife stated that after a game her husband was have seizure etc.That game they lost may have been the Supper Bowl, But the wife said after the game who was at the hospital checking on her husband Don Shula!
Many asked why so many coaches failed with the Dolphins? I believed it was Larry Csonka who said Shula was like a possess man demanding perfection from everybody.
Talked is cheap!
Shula made great players Greater and drafted the best. Shula was not afraid to change plans when opportunity to win was there! Meaning the year Shula drafted Dan Marina he already had a starting QB: Once he realized that Dan Marino would fall into their laps he did not hesitate to draft him, leaving many other coaches kicking themselves.
What I’ve seen with the Dolphins the last two decades is the Dolphins & many fans will put every egg in one basket meaning if Trevor Lawrence or Justin Fields were within reached the Dolphins would not draft either and say we have a QB. Then suffer a QB lost without a true winner to continue but excuses.
“Many asked why so many coaches failed with the Dolphins? I believed it was Larry Csonka who said Shula was like a possess man demanding perfection from everybody.”
YES!
“Shula made great players Greater and drafted the best.”
Shula did really good with some good big hits, but he missed a bit too much. And the Sammie Smith miss hurt. He was a far better coach than GM. That 95 draft hurt… 2-3 good pieces from that might have earned them an extra win or two… and that would have been critical. Still, he was better than most of the drafting since he retired.