Noah.Dreams
10-28-2005, 01:06 PM
Can you imagine how a recruit feels standing on the sideline talking football with the winningest coach in NFL history?
Dad relishes role as fan - USA Today October 27, 2005
Don Shula is loving his stint as a college football fan. "Roll Tide" is part of his lingo. He's dined at The Waysider, where the Bear ate breakfast, and he's used plenty of paper towels at Dreamland, the local rib joint.
"He looks great in Crimson," Mike Shula says about his father, Don, who has become a doting father and fan in his retirement.
"He looks great in Crimson," says son Mike Shula. "He's decked out. He's very emotional during games, my wife tells me, my brother tells me. It's been great for me because he never had the chance when I was a player here to experience what this place is like. He came to one game my senior year, and that was out in El Paso for the Sun Bowl."
"When I retired I said I wanted to get to know my kids and my grandkids," says Don Shula, 75.
He's a regular at most of the games and marvels at the excitement. "I went to the Alabama-Tennessee game last year and there were 108,000 people," he says, as if still in awe.
Coincidentally, Shula and Bear Bryant's career paths are intertwined. In 1970, Miami owner Joe Robbie offered Bryant the Dolphins job.
"At the last second he decided to stay in college, and Robbie had to regroup," Don Shula says.
Of course, he turned to his second choice, a guy named Shula who finished his illustrious career with 347 wins, more than any coach in NFL history.
Dad relishes role as fan - USA Today October 27, 2005
Don Shula is loving his stint as a college football fan. "Roll Tide" is part of his lingo. He's dined at The Waysider, where the Bear ate breakfast, and he's used plenty of paper towels at Dreamland, the local rib joint.
"He looks great in Crimson," Mike Shula says about his father, Don, who has become a doting father and fan in his retirement.
"He looks great in Crimson," says son Mike Shula. "He's decked out. He's very emotional during games, my wife tells me, my brother tells me. It's been great for me because he never had the chance when I was a player here to experience what this place is like. He came to one game my senior year, and that was out in El Paso for the Sun Bowl."
"When I retired I said I wanted to get to know my kids and my grandkids," says Don Shula, 75.
He's a regular at most of the games and marvels at the excitement. "I went to the Alabama-Tennessee game last year and there were 108,000 people," he says, as if still in awe.
Coincidentally, Shula and Bear Bryant's career paths are intertwined. In 1970, Miami owner Joe Robbie offered Bryant the Dolphins job.
"At the last second he decided to stay in college, and Robbie had to regroup," Don Shula says.
Of course, he turned to his second choice, a guy named Shula who finished his illustrious career with 347 wins, more than any coach in NFL history.