http://vault.sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1090366/index.htm Shula was quite good at making do with absolute no names.
God i Love Shula and i forgot before the blogs and internet, sports writers actually wrote substantial pieces with facts and research
Despite the Eric Kumerows and Jackie Shipps, there are two things you cannot argue with. Career winning percentage - .665, including post-season play; .676 regular season. That's an average of almost 11 wins every season of his 33-year career. Career victories - 347. Show me a better pro coach.
To put that into context, even "if" the NFL goes with a 18 game season, a new Head Coach would have to have 19 consecutive 18-0 seasons to catch Shula's number. What struck me about the article is how HC Shula was able to take some no names, as in weren't on the roster the week before no names, and still win games with them. That was mostly due to having a solid core on the team, for example Shula could lose a Csonka and a Kiick, and still have Nottingham and Morris to take their roles, but the truth be told, by 1976 the core of the No Names Defense was mostly gone, that is when Duhe, Better and Bokamper were drafted and we went to two more Super Bowls.
IMO most of the blame for losing Warfield, Csonka and Kiick fell on Joe Robbie. He was notoriously cheap. IIRC their contract demands weren't outrageous. They were in line with similar players of the era. I could have understood if the Dolphins had lost one or even two of the guys b/c the WFL did overbid, but Robbie just flat out refused to talk with them. Robbie did a great thing in funding the stadium on his own, but IMO he screwed up in '74.
Don Shula brought pride and respect to the Miami Dolphins and I can remember how excited all of the fans were when he came to the Dolphins from the Baltimore Colts. I can remember when Czonka, Kiick and Warfield left and it was a real blow to the morale of the fans, I can just imagine how disappointed Shula was.. Don Shula also brought one of the greatest QBs in NFL history to the Dolphins in Dan Marino. Theres a lot of great memories connected to the name of Don Shula.
That's because he was there for only two seasons (maybe just his rookie season) I believe Debbie. He and Don Reese, were busted for cocaine and expelled from the team. Both were very promising players that delivered a huge blow to our defense for their stupidity.
