Namath Comments on Shula

[Pachyderm_Wave]

Coach Bryant said he was the best athlete he ever coached. Joe Namath was an incredible athlete. Amazing basketball player on a team where he was the only white kid to start.

Bear also suspended him and even kicked him off the team at one point. Namath used to always sneak out of the room at night and go cat around all night during road games. Bryant finally got tired of it and kicked him off the team. He used to put guys in charge of being responsible for Joe sneaking out but it never worked. Finally at the end of his rope, Bear flipped the script on Joe. He decided to put the least responsible guy in charge. He put Namath in charge and made him responsible for everyone else's behavior and making sure they were in their rooms at curfew. Coach Bryant loved Joe Namath.

They don't make 'em like Joe anymore.

 

[1972forever]

I recently heard Namath say that the Dolphins defense was the smartest defense he ever faced. Not the biggest or the strongest, but the smartest. It all started with Shula.

Not to take anything away from Shula because I think he was a great Coach. Yet the reason reason the Dolphins defense was so good in the 1970’s was because of Bill Arnsparger.Arnsparger and Belichick are the two best defensive coordinators in NFL history, IMO.
Without Arnsparger as the Dolphins defensive coordinator, the Dolphins defense was never the same.

 

[tay0365]

Hard to admit but as a kid Broadway Joe was my idol

The first game dad ever took me to was an Orange bowl classic with Texas vs Alabama and Joe as the QB for Bama

I actually was also until told he was the QB OF the JETS.

My Dad who was not a fan of football fan (Huge Baseball Traditionist who disliked anything that competed with Baseball) took me andna friend to see C.C & Company, and I thought he was very cool...Once told he played for Alabama (I was a big Bear Bryant fan), I was a fan of his...Until another friend pointed out he played for the JETS a few years later.

 

[coalesce]

Not to take anything away from Shula because I think he was a great Coach. Yet the reason reason the Dolphins defense was so good in the 1970’s was because of Bill Arnsparger.Arnsparger and Belichick are the two best defensive coordinators in NFL history, IMO.
Without Arnsparger as the Dolphins defensive coordinator, the Dolphins defense was never the same.

Yes and no. Yes, the defense was clearly not as good when Vince Costello took over after Arnsparger left the first time, but when Arnsparger came back a few years later, they came up short more times than we'd like to admit. The Oilers in 78. The Chargers in 81. Swept by the Jets four consecutive years. Super Bowl XVII (but without that defense, there's no way they would've gotten that far).

Scheme will only take you so far. You need the players, and they had some great players in Arnsparger's second tenure, but not enough to get them to that untouchable level they achieved in 72-73.

 

[BigNastyFish]

Not to take anything away from Shula because I think he was a great Coach. Yet the reason reason the Dolphins defense was so good in the 1970’s was because of Bill Arnsparger.Arnsparger and Belichick are the two best defensive coordinators in NFL history, IMO.
Without Arnsparger as the Dolphins defensive coordinator, the Dolphins defense was never the same.

Certainly agree Arns was a monster. But going back to the epic era of the Dolphins we had an org
that was top shelf across the board -- Joe Thomas then Bobby Beathard in charge of personnel
with position coaches like Monty Clark... Shula was literally surrounded by talent on all sides...

Historically speaking, it's hard to reconcile the disparity between an Arnsparger vs Studley or Olivadotti.

 

[Mach2]

Certainly agree Arns was a monster. But going back to the epic era of the Dolphins we had an org
that was top shelf across the board -- Joe Thomas then Bobby Beathard in charge of personnel
with position coaches like Monty Clark... Shula was literally surrounded by talent on all sides...

Historically speaking, it's hard to reconcile the disparity between an Arnsparger vs Studley or Olivadotti.

Wow.....Monte Clark.....you are pulling out blasts from the past.

Excellent line coach, but he was a horrible HC for the Lions and Niners.

I doubt 10% of our forum even have a clue about who we are talking about ....

Wayne Fontes and his cigar anyone???......lol

 

['Deep]

Always liked Joe! He certainly got his ass handed to him plenty by Shula once Don came to Miami. Shula always said that the SB III loss was the biggest disappointment of his career and for good reason. I've watched that game a couple times and the Colts defense only gave up 16 points, Namath didn't throw a TD. The Colts offense couldn't do ****. Morrall started and threw three picks, Johnny U came in and threw one. No passing TDs. Ugly ugly offensive game by the Colts.

 

[1972forever]

Yes and no. Yes, the defense was clearly not as good when Vince Costello took over after Arnsparger left the first time, but when Arnsparger came back a few years later, they came up short more times than we'd like to admit. The Oilers in 78. The Chargers in 81. Swept by the Jets four consecutive years. Super Bowl XVII (but without that defense, there's no way they would've gotten that far).

Scheme will only take you so far. You need the players, and they had some great players in Arnsparger's second tenure, but not enough to get them to that untouchable level they achieved in 72-73.

The only time Shula was in the Super Bowl when Arnsparger was not on his staff was in 1984 and the defense was fairly mediocre that year. They made it to the Super Bowl because of Marino and the offense and not because of the defense.
I take nothing away from Shula. He was the person who hired Arnsparger and the other talented coaches
in the 70’s and early 80’s. Unfortunately once Arnsparger and the other top tier coaches left the Dolphins, Shula was not as fortunate with many of the coaches he hired after they left.

I agree also that Arnsparger was not as effective the second time around with the Dolphins but the talent on the defense the second time he was with the Dolphins was no where close to the talent the Dolphins had in the 70’s. In fact the talent when he came back was fairly average and he got the most out of limited talent he had on defense.

 

[SF Dolphin Fan]

An unlikely friendship to be sure. I bet they didn't talk much about Super Bowl III, though.

 

[royalshank]

Wow.....Monte Clark.....you are pulling out blasts from the past.

Excellent line coach, but he was a horrible HC for the Lions and Niners.

I doubt 10% of our forum even have a clue about who we are talking about ....

Wayne Fontes and his cigar anyone???......lol

My favorite memory of Monte Clark was as HC of the Lions in the playoff game w a chance to upset Joe Montana and Niners. Eddie Murray (great kicker) was having a bad day and as he lined up for the game winner, the camera showed Clark praying on the sideline. Of course, Murray missed and sent the Lions packing.

 

[royalshank]

I had to go find it but this was a great Clark quote:

Clark was asked about Csonka's bruising running style, and responded with this great quote. "When Csonka goes on safari, the lions roll up their windows."