JDG Posted January 3, 2006 Share Posted January 3, 2006 Are you saying that Marv was the only coach capable of being highly successful with a team full of HOF caliber players? Surely you jest.... 549954[/snapback] Obviously Marv isn't the only such Coach, there are what, 10 or so coaches in the HOF? So, there's a short list of other candidates right there. But do I think that Mike Mularkey would have taken that team to four straight Super Bowls? Heck no. Or guys like Mike Tice, Jack Del Rio, Norv Turner, or Jim Haslett? Uh uh. I'll even go so far as to say that I don't think that even a coach like Tom Coughlin would have done it either. I think this is a bit like the Indianapolis Colts this year. You could look at the Colts' schedule and say that they benefited from a really easy cupcake schedule. On the other hand, its also very hard to be a "weak" 13-0 and clinching the #1 seed. With a different schedule, the Colts would not have been 13-0, but they did have to be very, very, good to get to 13-0 no matter what the schedule. Thus, you could argue that Marv Levy benefited from a highly talented team that carried him to his gaudy won-loss record. On the other hand, I think that it is very hard to be a "weak" four-time AFC Champion. No matter how much talent Levy had, he had to be very, very, good to win four straight Conference Championships. JDG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Talonz Posted January 3, 2006 Share Posted January 3, 2006 aybe this age thing has real legs. We might have Marv as head coach, Dick Clark as GM and Doug Flutie brought back to quarterback...throwing to Elbert "Golden Wheels" Dubenion. Actually...Ernie Warlick was a good tight end. 550087[/snapback] ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt in KC Posted January 3, 2006 Share Posted January 3, 2006 Thus, you could argue that Marv Levy benefited from a highly talented team that carried him to his gaudy won-loss record. On the other hand, I think that it is very hard to be a "weak" four-time AFC Champion. No matter how much talent Levy had, he had to be very, very, good to win four straight Conference Championships. JDG 550126[/snapback] I agree. People often say either a coach or a player is good, and you can tell because of their winning record. It's amusing that much of this thread is people saying Levy was a good coach, followed by disagreeing "it was the HOF players" responses. Well, you have to win to go to the HOF. For a given play or game, player talent alone could make the difference, but not for a whole year, let alone 4+. To absurdly state the flip-side: Levy could not have won any games if his O-Line were monkeys (and would never have gone to the HOF if they played them). Jim Kelly could not have won many games if those Bills had Fred Rogers calling the plays (and would never have gone to the HOF ). In order to win consistently, especially over time, requires both good coaching and good talent, compared to the competition. This is how I know Marv was a good coach. Judging his individual Bills is harder (though I am certain Bruce was a monster in his prime). I for one would be happy to have Marv advise the Bills, to minimize the chance that our team coaching / leadership is our "monkey" | Mr. Rogers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kelly the Dog Posted January 3, 2006 Share Posted January 3, 2006 I love Marv, don't get me wrong, and love what he did for the Bills. But we need to deal with reality. he was 72 when he retired, and he CLEARLY was not motivating his players like he did when he had an entire team of stars and terrific role players. he clearly was not hiring great people around him. He clearly had lost a little of his magic touch and his leadership abilities. That was eight years ago, folks. I don't want to start an age bias thing, or say that people in their 80s are not very smart, which Marv clearly is, but you lose a lot, and you can lose a lot very fast. He's 80 or 81 years old. I listening to him talk 12 years ago, and he was the most lucid, intelligent, on the mark guys you ever heard in your life. I hear him talk now as an analyst on pre-season games and on sports talk shows and he sounds like lovable Uncle Mo you don't trust with a throw pillow. Maybe it's difficult being an analyst and sounding intelligent, because a lot of younger guys can't do it well either. But sorry, guys, marv levy does not sound like the trenchant, quick-witted everything-under-control guy we all remember when it was 1992, fourteen years ago. I love the guy, I just don't want him making decisions fr my team. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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