FROM THE DESK OF DON SHULA…


To Whom It May Concern:

The New England Patriots have a good chance of becoming the NFL’s first undefeated team since my 1972 Miami Dolphins, and it will be my pleasure to call their coach and congratulate him if and when they accomplish this amazing feat.*

  *They did get caught cheating, though.*

   *But it was in Week 1, so maybe that doesn’t impact the other 15 games*

    *Plus the two playoff games and the Super Bowl*

     *Wait, that would be 19 total games, and that Dolphins team was only 17-0, so…*

      *Nice try. Let me stop you right there. No, that would not make the potential Patriots
       accomplishment more impressive than that of the legendary Miami team.*

       *Sure. Assuming it’s just as difficult to win fewer games.*

        *A season is a season!*

         *Who are you, Roger Maris? Maybe the Dolphins should have the asterisk?*

          *That’s insane. It was much more difficult to go undefeated back then.*

           *Despite the fact that the lack of free agency allowed franchises to more easily stockpile
             talent.*

            *But not easily acquire key veteran role players.*

             *Because they could just keep all their original draft picks and pay them jack squat.*

              *Hold on. I have nothing to prove here.*

               *I should have never opened my big mouth and chimed in on this thing.*

                *It is nice to hear the phone ring again, though.*

                 *But do I want to be known as one of those cranky old guys?*

                  *Like Keith Olbermann.*

                   *Uh-oh, no one wants that. The only way to kill this story is to go out of my way to                     say something nice that I probably don’t mean about someone I don’t particularly                     like.*

                    * The New England Patriots have a good chance of becoming the NFL’s first
                      undefeated team since my 1972 Miami Dolphins, and it will be my pleasure to
                      call their coach and congratulate him if and when they accomplish this amazing
                      feat.



Sincerely*,

Don Shula



*Suck it, Belichick