LittleSammy Posted May 4, 2020 Share Posted May 4, 2020 I had the opportunity to meet him in person one time. When he found I was a Bills fan he had nothing but praise for the Bills fans. He said the Buffalo fan base was among the toughest to deal with of any of his opponents over the course of his career. A class act all the way! 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Niagara Dude Posted May 4, 2020 Share Posted May 4, 2020 1 hour ago, BuffaloBills1998 said: It’s been reported this morning that Coach Shula passed away at age 90??. RIP coach, it was a great privilege to be able to watch you on the sideline. Respect and loved beating Shula coached teams, Shula and Marino were two biggest parts of squish the fish week. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rico Posted May 4, 2020 Share Posted May 4, 2020 27 minutes ago, SlimShady'sSpaceForce said: And as I hinted. He didn't need to cheat or have the Refs at his beckon call to win. Or Rodger destroying the evidence in SpyGate. Cheated just as much if not more than Belichick, you just didn’t hear about it back then. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve O Posted May 4, 2020 Share Posted May 4, 2020 1 hour ago, dorquemada said: A .658 career winning percentage! Wow! RIP coach. And to think they replaced him with the Pork Faced Satan Tickets to the game, $200 Parking, $20 Beer, food, drinks for the kids, $50 Watching Jimmy Johnson wig out, priceless! RIP coach Shula. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eball Posted May 4, 2020 Share Posted May 4, 2020 3 minutes ago, Rico said: Cheated just as much if not more than Belichick, you just didn’t hear about it back then. I seem to recall an undercurrent that he had the refs in his pocket, but nothing quite so overt as what BB has done. One of my favorite memories as a Bills fan was how Buffalo ended Shula's coaching career. When BB retires (or dies) I don't think you'll see nearly the level of respect expressed by, in particular, fans of other teams. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blacklabel Posted May 4, 2020 Share Posted May 4, 2020 Aw man, what a bummer. Even when he was beating up on our Bills it was still hard not to respect his greatness. RIP Coach Shula. All time great. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dean Posted May 4, 2020 Share Posted May 4, 2020 RIP, Mr. Shula. Marv wrote this nice piece on Shula back in 1996, upon Don's retirement. https://vault.si.com/vault/1996/01/15/the-last-of-the-legends-a-respectful-rival-wonders-if-we-will-ever-see-the-likes-of-don-shula-again 1 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Purplebulldog Posted May 4, 2020 Share Posted May 4, 2020 As much as he made Sunday's miserable for me when I was a kid, the rivalry of Kelly and Marino in my teens and 20's were incredible. Another part of my youth has gone. RIP coach class act on and off the field! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SlimShady'sSpaceForce Posted May 4, 2020 Share Posted May 4, 2020 (edited) 45 minutes ago, Rico said: Cheated just as much if not more than Belichick, you just didn’t hear about it back then. All coaches look for an advantage. Technology back then and now is way different. Belicheat broke rules. I can see when the Refs backed the Patriots when America needed Patriots after 911. but they carried it too far. How can a team lead the league in fewest penalties for 10 years straight (more)? That is just not feasible w/o getting the benefit from the refs. Pats 2 penalties, the other team 10 week after week. Edited May 4, 2020 by SlimShady'sSpaceForce Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dorquemada Posted May 4, 2020 Share Posted May 4, 2020 42 minutes ago, eball said: I seem to recall an undercurrent that he had the refs in his pocket, but nothing quite so overt as what BB has done. One of my favorite memories as a Bills fan was how Buffalo ended Shula's coaching career. When BB retires (or dies) I don't think you'll see nearly the level of respect expressed by, in particular, fans of other teams. It was alleged at the time (by my idiot teenaged peers and their drunk idiot dads) that Shula was the only coach on the Competition Committee so Dolphins always got away with cheating. I have no idea if any of it was true or not but kind of stinks of sour grapes Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rico Posted May 4, 2020 Share Posted May 4, 2020 7 minutes ago, SlimShady'sSpaceForce said: All coaches look for an advantage. Technology back then and now is way different. Belicheat broke rules. I can see when the Refs backed the Patriots when America needed Patriots after 911. but they carried it too far. How can a team lead the league in fewest penalties for 10 years straight? That is just not feasible w/o getting the benefit from the refs. Shula was on the Competition Committee. He didn’t have to break rules, he made them. He had a very, very favorable relationship with high-ranking people in the league office. 5 minutes ago, dorquemada said: It was alleged at the time (by my idiot teenaged peers and their drunk idiot dads) that Shula was the only coach on the Competition Committee so Dolphins always got away with cheating. I have no idea if any of it was true or not but kind of stinks of sour grapes Your peers and their dads were very savvy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob in STL Posted May 4, 2020 Share Posted May 4, 2020 Great HoF coach. One of the best ever. He had our number in the 70's … we kept him and Marino out of the SB in the late 80's and 90's. Another throwback coach who quietly went about his business. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chandler#81 Posted May 4, 2020 Share Posted May 4, 2020 32 minutes ago, The Dean said: RIP, Mr. Shula. Marv wrote this nice piece on Shula back in 1996, upon Don's retirement. https://vault.si.com/vault/1996/01/15/the-last-of-the-legends-a-respectful-rival-wonders-if-we-will-ever-see-the-likes-of-don-shula-again Thanks for this Deano! I laughed at him and his invincible Colts vs. NYJ in SBIII, when I was 14. I cursed him throughout the 70’s in my 20’s. Reveled in whooping him opening day ‘80. Cursed him again from ‘83 through ‘87 in my 30’s. Bought season tickets to witness 1st Hand his inability to beat the Bills for the next 8 years to his finale, despite coaching the next best team in the Conference during this time, in my 40’s. Today, I’m a sad old man. Rest in Peace, Don. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Figster Posted May 4, 2020 Share Posted May 4, 2020 RIP coach Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stuvian Posted May 4, 2020 Share Posted May 4, 2020 1 hour ago, Logic said: In 32 seasons as a head coach, Don Shula had only two losing seasons. That is beyond incredible. There is a legitimate case to be made that he is the greatest head coach of all time. that is simply astounding. I never knew that. His was a life well lived, in and out of football Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobbRiddick Posted May 4, 2020 Share Posted May 4, 2020 Such sad news. One of the things that sucks more and more as you get older is that so many people who played such a big part of your youth end up fading away one by one. He was a rival, but I always enjoyed his battles with Marv (thankfully Marv won most of them) and I liked his work as sportscaster. Thank God for YouTube so whenever we're feeling misty eyed we can go back and spend time with these guys. 2 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Returntoglory Posted May 4, 2020 Share Posted May 4, 2020 I grew up watching the Dolphins whenever a Bills game was not on. My Dad was a Dolphins fan. He absolutely admired Don Shula. Class act all the way. Rest in Peace Coach ❤️ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chaccof Posted May 4, 2020 Share Posted May 4, 2020 3 hours ago, SF Bills Fan said: He was a thorn in our side through the 70's but we had some great battles in the 80' and 90's. He was a true titan in the game. Boy, "thorn in our side" is a bit of an understatement considering the Bills were 0-1970's against the Dolphins.....but point well taken. Didn't his last playoff game as a HC result in a loss against the Bills? Or am I thinking of something else? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Manther Posted May 4, 2020 Share Posted May 4, 2020 RIP Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Franco_92 Posted May 4, 2020 Share Posted May 4, 2020 1 hour ago, eball said: I seem to recall an undercurrent that he had the refs in his pocket, but nothing quite so overt as what BB has done. One of my favorite memories as a Bills fan was how Buffalo ended Shula's coaching career. When BB retires (or dies) I don't think you'll see nearly the level of respect expressed by, in particular, fans of other teams. The funny thing about this is that I've read about 5 different fan forums' threads on this topic today. They were uniform in their respect and admiration. Except for one fan base. I'm sure you know which one I'm talking about - the nicest comment in the thread was "I could say some things, but I won't, and will just say RIP." or something to that effect. It was downhill from there. Scumbags over there in Bahhhhston Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
njbuff Posted May 4, 2020 Share Posted May 4, 2020 RIP Coach Shula. Fun fact................ Jimmy Johnson was the one who replaced TWO coaching legends in Tom Landry and Don Shula. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KD in CA Posted May 4, 2020 Share Posted May 4, 2020 RIP Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobbRiddick Posted May 4, 2020 Share Posted May 4, 2020 10 minutes ago, arcane said: The funny thing about this is that I've read about 5 different fan forums' threads on this topic today. They were uniform in their respect and admiration. Except for one fan base. I'm sure you know which one I'm talking about - the nicest comment in the thread was "I could say some things, but I won't, and will just say RIP." or something to that effect. It was downhill from there. Scumbags over there in Bahhhhston To be fair, most of them have only been fans since 2001 so they probably don't even know who Shula was 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Talley56 Posted May 4, 2020 Share Posted May 4, 2020 Much respect, RIP Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BuffaloBills1998 Posted May 4, 2020 Author Share Posted May 4, 2020 5 minutes ago, RobbRiddick said: To be fair, most of them have only been fans since 2001 so they probably don't even know who Shula was They’re the worst fans and the most disgusting. God how I wish the pats relocated like they originally planned before kraft bought them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Posted May 4, 2020 Share Posted May 4, 2020 Some of you may know that I have lived down here in Miami since law school. I used to work with one of Don Shula's daughters and became good friends with her. Because I grew up in Buffalo and am a lifelong Bills fan, she always knew that our friendship was genuine and had nothing to do with who her father was or the Dolphins. In short, Don was a great guy and was extremely nice to me. I remember having a great conversation in his office, which was filled with an amazing amount of trophies, cool photos, and other memorabilia. We talked about the Bills-Dolphins rivalry, how they beat us 20 games in a row, and that no matter how much us Bills fans disliked the Dolphins (as we now dislike the Pats), we always respected Coach Shula. He told me how impressed he was with us Bills fans and how much he respected us. Coach Shula is a legend. May his memory be eternal. 5 3 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoeF Posted May 4, 2020 Share Posted May 4, 2020 RIP Coach Shula. Loved the fact that he migrated from Crash, Bash and Dash with Csonka, Kiick and Morris to Air Marino.. Favorite Shula quote was from Bum Phillips: He can take his'n and beat your'n and he can take your'n and beat his'n 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Let's Go Buffalo Posted May 4, 2020 Share Posted May 4, 2020 Coach Shula was one of the greatest coaches ever, and was a great leader on and off the field. RIP Coach Shula 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoeF Posted May 4, 2020 Share Posted May 4, 2020 3 minutes ago, Peter said: Some of you may know that I have lived down here in Miami since law school. I used to work with one of Don Shula's daughters and became good friends with her. Because I grew up in Buffalo and am a lifelong Bills fan, she always knew that our friendship was genuine and had nothing to do with who her father was or the Dolphins. In short, Don was a great guy and was extremely nice to me. I remember having a great conversation in his office, which was filled with an amazing amount of trophies, cool photos, and other memorabilia. We talked about the Bills-Dolphins rivalry, how they beat us 20 games in a row, and that no matter how much us Bills fans disliked the Dolphins (as we now dislike the Pats), we always respected Coach Shula. He told me how impressed he was with us Bills fans and how much he respected us. Coach Shula is a legend. May his memory be eternal. I was a grad student at Biscayne College/St. Thomas University. My graduate assistant job was supervised by a priest who said daily mass in the chapel. I rolled out of bed twice a week or so to make daily mass. Don and Dorothy were always there. He loved Fr. Gerry (the priest) and so I got to ride coattails in post-mass conversations. He gave me some great jabs during the losing streak but a man of faith, grace, class and generosity. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CowgirlsFan Posted May 4, 2020 Share Posted May 4, 2020 RIP Thank you for your contribution to the game of football. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pine Barrens Mafia Posted May 4, 2020 Share Posted May 4, 2020 4 hours ago, IDBillzFan said: RIP Shula. You represented the very best of NFL head coaches; you led, you won, and never once did you need to create a video production company to help you cheat. Truth! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Golden*Wheels Posted May 4, 2020 Share Posted May 4, 2020 He can crack a perfect season bottle of champagne in heaven. Something Belichick will never be able to do. For various reasons. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Posted May 4, 2020 Share Posted May 4, 2020 42 minutes ago, JoeF said: I was a grad student at Biscayne College/St. Thomas University. My graduate assistant job was supervised by a priest who said daily mass in the chapel. I rolled out of bed twice a week or so to make daily mass. Don and Dorothy were always there. He loved Fr. Gerry (the priest) and so I got to ride coattails in post-mass conversations. He gave me some great jabs during the losing streak but a man of faith, grace, class and generosity. Thank you for sharing. So true! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Albany,n.y. Posted May 4, 2020 Share Posted May 4, 2020 I, like I'm sure many others on this board, was at Shula's last game. The game was 12/30/1995. The Bills beat the Dolphins 37-22. To this date, it was the last time the Bills won a playoff game. 2 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
C.Biscuit97 Posted May 4, 2020 Share Posted May 4, 2020 Dude just seemed like a classy, good guy. He seemed so relaxed and chill. Players Must have loved playing for him. I had a lot of respect for the guy Marv owned. ? RIP to a great one. 55 minutes ago, Albany,n.y. said: I, like I'm sure many others on this board, was at Shula's last game. The game was 12/30/1995. The Bills beat the Dolphins 37-22. To this date, it was the last time the Bills won a playoff game. Now that’s depressing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LabattBlue Posted May 4, 2020 Share Posted May 4, 2020 RIP to an all time great whose team owned the Bills for the decade of the 70’s. ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eball Posted May 4, 2020 Share Posted May 4, 2020 Marv Levy: 17-6 vs. Don Shula (regular season and playoffs) Sorry, the Bills fan in me can't resist. Really remarkable given Shula's lifetime record. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillsPride12 Posted May 4, 2020 Share Posted May 4, 2020 A true legend. He will be forever linked to the Buffalo Bills for all the classic battles we shared in the late 80s and 90s(and yes I will give him his due for owning us during the 70s as much as that hurts) Does not matter to me how much time goes by, those Bills Dolphins games during my childhood in the 90s will always be legendary to me. RIP Coach, 90 years is a hell of a run 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobbyC81 Posted May 4, 2020 Share Posted May 4, 2020 6 hours ago, dorquemada said: A .658 career winning percentage! Wow! RIP coach. And to think they replaced him with the Pork Faced Satan I had forgotten that. So Satan replaced 2 icons in Landry and Shula. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
\GoBillsInDallas/ Posted May 4, 2020 Share Posted May 4, 2020 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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