Don Shula + *Unbeaten Pats = Sour Grapes

So should we put an asterisk next to the Dolphins because they played less games in their undefeated season?

Bitter old man.

 

Full disclosure, I'm a Phins fan.
OK, to all those who discount schedule strength, all I have to say is two things:
1) Other NFL champion teams (let's include the pre SB era too), have had easy schedules, why hasn't another team gone unbeaten?
2) Miami had to play the AFC title game against the Steelers at Three Rivers (the title games were rotated by division back then). Could the Pats beat the Colts in Indy again? I'd say the odds are 50-50.
And I'll add another tidbit that testifies how great a TEAM the 1972 Dolphins were: Bob Griese went down with a broken ankle in week 5. 38-year-old Earl Morrall came off the bench and kept the streak alive.
Griese didn't return to the AFC title game.
Would the Pats be undefeated if Brady had gone down in week 5?
I'm not saying the 1972 Phins are the greatest team of all time, but they deserve respect for their accomplishment.

 

Patchs, the 72 Dolphins had plenty of respect. Their childish antics over the past 25 years have eroded that respect.

 

No.

End of discussion.

Urban legend that you apparently among the many have perpetuated.

 

See, I don't think they got that much.
When you talk about the great NFL dynasties, you start 60s Packers, 70s Steelers, 80s Niners, 90s Boys and 00s Pats.
Miami was the first team to go to 3 straight SBs, and of course unbeaten in 1972.
They feel they're left out of that talk. Heck if the WFL didn't snatch Csonka, Kiick and Warfield, I bet the Steelers' dynasty would have a been a SB or 2 short.
Now I don't agree with what Shula said about the Pats and the *.
But this whole toast thing has been blown out of proportion. It's only a few players that live in S. Fla. that do it.
Of course now, if the Pats lose, ESPN will cover it live.

 

What a pile of shit.

 

I think you would lose that bet on the Dolphins cutting the Steelers' dynasty of the '70s short, but we're both biased fanboys on that one. It didn't happen. The Dolphins couldn't keep their team together while the Steelers did remain primarily the same team from 1974-1980.


Please note the years I listed. The Steelers were arguably the best team the Dolphins faced in 1972, but they were nowhere near the level of the championship teams that would follow.

Terry Bradshaw started that game, but he was still two years away from establishing himself as the undisputed No. 1 in Pittsburgh. More importantly, they were without the 1974 rookie class, which was arguably the best group of rookies in NFL history - including Hall of Famers Lynn Swann, John Stallworth, Jack Lambert and Mike Webster.

And your point comparing what the '72 Dolphins did without Greise to what the current Patriots would do without Brady is unfair. Old or not, Morrall was a veteran quarterback far more capable of stepping in than what the Patriots have behind Brady. More importantly, this is a very different NFL. The passing game is a much larger part of things than it was then. And the Patriots' are a passing team offensively, while those Dolphins won on the ground.

 

Amusing the way Jets fans have tried to perpetuate this myth that they were cheated in 82. Simon is correct that the Orange Bowl was one of the first stadiums ever with PAT which was supposed to be self-draining without need for a tarp. The field might've been a soggy mess in that game, but only because it poured during the entire game, a pre-game tarp would not have made the field any drier when that's happening.

And I'm not sure why Jets fans think a drier field would've changed the outcome anyways. It's not like they were the better team. The Dolphins had the better record and were the better team all season. And its not like the game was a nailbiter, it was 14-0 and the Jets never really threatened. I seriously doubt a pre-game tarp would've made any difference.

 

The thought of a Patriots fan thinking the Dolphins would have pulled such shenanigans in January 1986 is uproarious.

 

Don Shula is a bitter old man. The only reason that he is upset is because he sees exactly what I see. The Dolphins will not be popping open the champagne this year, because the Patriots are going undefeated. Thats right, the Patriots are going to join the Dolphins team that Shula coached, and only team in history of sports to go an entire season without losing a game. But hold on, here is the irony, the 2007 Miami Dolphins will not win a game this year. Thats right 0-16. Now hows that for karma!

 

Shula should pipe down. When he signed with Dolphins to coach in 1970 he was still under contract with the Colts. The 'fins were found guilty of tampering and were forced to give up first round pick.

 

Wow!!!!!!!!!!!!

I had no idea that might happen....