RIP Marion Campbell

Twice a head coach for the Falcons during some of their worst days.

Rich McKay on Marion Campbell (1929-2016) | Atlanta Falcons blog

 

Also had a stint with the Eagles for the lean rebuilding years between Vermeil and Buddy Ryan. He contributed to a lot of crappy bird-themed football in the 1980s.

 

Was he at least in The Client?

 

Was an NFL head coach for 9 seasons and never posted a winning record. Hard to do.

But anyway, RIP.

 

When my time comes, I am hoping for something a little more enthusiastic from my family and friends.

 

I want my friends to tell all the shitty and crazy things I did. And I want my family there nodding their heads like, yep, that was swingline. Fuck the maudlin, tearful testimonials.

 

I covered the Falcons for the now-defunct Gwinnett Daily News in the late '80s, during Marion's second term in Atlanta. He was just a low-key nice guy -- maybe too nice to succeed as a head coach. No matter how bad things were going -- and believe me, they got very, very bad -- he was always friendly and polite, usually smiling. His buddies called him "Swampy." I remember the writers covering the team used to joke about some of the dated phrases he used -- when he tried to tell us something was impossible for his defense to do, he'd say, "We don't have 11 Mandrakes out there," referring to a comic book magician from way back in the day -- the '40s maybe?

I also remember him telling us that every day he would turn to his wife -- and I can't remember if it was right when he woke up or right before they went to bed, but it was one of those -- and ask her, "Do you still like me?" Apparently, her answer was always "Yes."

His winning percentage was .300 -- 34-80-1. At one point, that was the worst record in NFL history for any coach with 60 or more games. Just looked it up and David Shula has since passed him (.268 in 71 games), but Campbell is still the worst for a coach with 72 or more games. (Edit: Tied with Joe Bugel, .300 in 80 games).

Marion was a really good defensive coordinator, an awful head coach and a very nice, decent guy. Football and the world are a little worse off without him.

I'll miss you, Swampy.

 

Given their pedigree it's astounding how bad the Shula brothers are as football coaches

 

But Dave Shula is remarkably decent as a restaurateur.

 

Muh when it comes to the great steak houses Shula's does not make my list.