This was a jolt. Garo was one of the beloved members of that team, perhaps behind only Csonka. When we shopped for ties at Christmas time there were always Garo jokes. And that applied to the community in general. Would Garo approve of this tie? Maybe it is a Garo tie.
Garo saved the Perfect Season long before anyone was contemplating the possibility. That's an aspect that always annoys me. Younger fans hear about certain plays, like Seiple's fake punt against the Steelers, but so many of the most vital plays from 1972 are seldom if ever mentioned. One of them is Morrall's deep crossing pattern to Warfield in the 4th quarter of the playoff opener hosting Cleveland. The Orange Bowl crowd was tense and all but silent before that play. We trailed 14-13 and the offense was all but stalled. Months earlier at Minnesota the Dolphins were physically outplayed for the vast majority of that game. It was like a prize fighter hanging on by the ropes, hoping the referee won't wave it off. Miami had no points at halftime. Somehow we trailed only 14-6 in the middle of the 4th quarter. No 2 point conversion in those days. I remember the lack of energy in our Florida room when Shula sent Garo out there for a 51 yard attempt. Nobody made kicks like that outdoors at old dusty Metropolitan Stadium. We waited for the miss, and the game to be all but over.
Somehow Garo connected. Nothing during those glory seasons surprised me more than that kick. The bench erupted. The team noticeably rejuvenated as a result, as did the attitude in our home, and among Dolphin fans everywhere. Highlight packages invariably show Griese's winning late touchdown pass to Mandich. Lazy and pathetic. That drive didn't carry nearly the unlikely odds of Garo's kick. Check field goal percentages in those days, for Garo himself and for anybody at that distance or beyond. At no point of that 1972 season were our true odds of victory as low as prior to the snap on that lengthy field goal.
Garo takes all the grief, including from some teammates, for that blundered pass. Meanwhile, nobody would care much about a long-ago 16-1 team. Garo played a huge role in the ongoing legend and mystique of that jealousy-inspiring team.
RIP