Flores’ Core Principles Mirror the Great Jim Kiick

M.J.

4 years ago

While the face of the 70’s Phins was Czonka and Morris, Kiick was the heart

As all football fans know Miami Dolphins’ great Jim Kiick passed away a couple of days ago. With Don Shula also passing away near two months ago as well, it’s been a hard offseason for the legends of the Phins ‘golden years’. But, while the accomplishments of Don Shula are well known to the vast majority of football fans, many Phins fans know Kiick more by name than his deeds… and who he was a man.

Jim Kiick was far more than just the 3rd Running back

Sadly, this Phin fan was one of the ‘uninformed masses’ when it came to Kiick. As a Dolphins fan since 1978, I knew of Jim Kiick in general terms… but I didn’t really have a clear picture. My first book report in elementary school was on Csonka and when I played pee-wee football, I always tried to emulate Morris; Kiick never entered the equation. This dumb ‘whipper-snapper’ just knew Kiick as the ‘third back’ and later as the ‘funny guy’ in his interviews alongside Csonka and Morris.

That was until an email from Phinsnews subscriber Robert Blackwell prompted me to write this article.

It wasn’t that I didn’t have any interest in writing about Kiick’s passing. I figured with so little knowledge of him, what more could I say that wasn’t being said? But, Robert’s email prompted me to spend plenty of time watching interviews of Kiick, clips of his play, and reading about him.

The light bulb quickly went off.

Kiick is now far more than just the ‘third back’ and ‘funny guy’ to me.

Thanks, Robert.

Jim Kiick the football player

Drafted in the 5th Round, Kiick earned All-Pro in both his rookie & sophomore season.
In 1969 Kiick led the AFL in touchdowns with 9 and total yards in 1970.
In 1971, Kiick generated a combined 1076 yards with a rushing 4.6 avg. and was a learning force that took Miami to the championship game.
As per Robert Blackwell, “During the playoffs of the Undefeated Season, Jim Kiick scored all of the winning touchdowns”.
The Dolphins 5th leading rusher and 2nd in RB receiving yards.

Team first kinda’ guy

Kiick was a star out of the box and had it all: moves, power, hands, blocking, intelligence, and character. Kiick was the leading offensive threat that took the young and terrible Dolphins franchise to the heights of the league in 1971. And for all that production, Kiick was asked to take a backseat and support Csonka and Morris. And he did… for the rest of his career in Miami.

In 1971, Morris had 62 touches, Kiick had 202. The 72′ Season Morris ballooned to 205 touches and Kiick dropped to 158, followed by 103 and 104 in 73′ and 74′, respectively.

Clearly, both Csonka and Morris were more talented, but on any other team, Kiick would have been option 1a or 1b. A lesser, more selfish man would have been less inclined to accept the diminished role. And it’s not like Kiick loved it. He once said to Shula, “Why is a guy weighing 215lbs blocking for a guy weighing 250lbs? I never could quite understand that?”

In the end, ‘it’s what coach wanted’ and Kiick gave his all. And out of his selflessness greatness was achieved.

Minkah Fitzpatrick and Jim Kiick

Brian Flores is cut straight from the cloth of Don Shula in so many ways. One of the biggest similarities their unyielding demand that a roster must be built by selfless players: No ifs, ands, or buts about it.

I couldn’t help but think of Minkah Fitzpatrick as I ‘boned up’ on Kiick. The parallels are there… as are the opposite forks in the road each man took. It’s not about whether Flores or Fitzpatrick right or wrong. Rather, it’s about how both Kiick and Minkah responded to the concept of “team first” when it meant sacrificing ego.

Kiick was flamboyant, Minkah quiet, but the inside of the two men was the opposite of their appearance. just starting his sophomore season, Minkah forced his way off the team to play in a way that best suited him. On the other hand, Kiick a star who let his role diminish so others could shine and the team could succeed.

You can bet with the best pay per head software like www.AcePerHead.com that starting from pee-wee on, every player is told at its core the game of football is all about putting the team first! In the pros, especially today, this motto is rarely true.

Sadly, the same could be said of society as well.

Brian Flores’ unyielding demand that only selfless, team-first players will play for him is a noble trait to be commended… as should the players who hold to this core belief in this jaded, materialistic, and turbulent world.

Coach Flores would have loved to coach Jim Kiick because few men have talent and humility.

Sorry, it took so long for this dummy to recognize your greatness, Mr. Kiick. God bless and rest in peace, sir.

Go Phins!!!

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