Stiff of the Week: Don Shula

Ok, we're all tired of hearing about how good the New England Patriots are. They've destroyed everyone in their path accept the Colts who they managed to come back on in the final 8 minutes. The remainder of their schedule looks as if they could actually be the first team since 1972 to go undefeated. It's all over the national media, ESPN seems to be able to talk of nothing less so of course someone finally asked Don Shula coach of the 72 Dolphins what he thinks about a new "flawless" team. Shula's response....pretty much if they do go undefeated it should have an * beside the record because they got caught spying on the Jets in week 1. While this was and is a big deal and New England deserves all the negative press they are getting about it they never truly benefited from that scandal. The employee was caught mid way through the first quarter before he could share the footage with anyone else on the Pats staff. No one ever saw that footage other than the NFL and the guy that shot it so no advantage was truly gained. How long this has been going on and if it had paid off in the past is an argument for another day.

Shula's comments are at best childish and immature and definitely beneath the former great coach. He comes off sounding like a whiner holding on to something that doesn't mean anything to anyone accept the remaining members of that team. Every year they get together at Shula's restaurant to pop champagne and eat steak to celebrate the fact that they are still the only undefeated team in NFL history (or since the merger I'm not sure which). It reminds me of a line from one of my favorite movies Anchorman where Ron Burgundy says to Brian Fantana "We've been coming to the same party every year and in no way is that depressing" I think that about sums up the feeling of the remaining 72 Dolphins.

I'm not routing for the Patriots to go undefeated by any stretch, actually I hope they lose more than one and Tom Brady or Randy Moss gets their leg broken. I wonder if Shula heard the great NFL trivia question I heard on the radio today. The question "Which 5 teams in the NFL have a Cat as their mascot?" The answer??? Bengals, Panthers, Jaguars, Lions........can't think of the 5th one? Are you sure you've checked all of your divisions?? Ok, the 5th team is the New England Cheetahs!!!! It was later reported that Shula had to be changed upon hearing this joke as he shit himself laughing so hard...