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Shula: The Coach of the NFL's Greatest Generation
Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1997, Don Shula remains the winningest coach of all time with 347 career victories and the only undefeated season in NFL history. But before he became the architect of the Dolphins dynasty, Shula was a hardworking kid selling fish on the banks of Lake Erie, the eldest of six children born during the Depression to Hungarian immigrant parents. As acclaimed sports biographer Mark Ribowsky shows, Shula met serious resistance at home when he asked to play high school football, but when his parents finally relented, they discovered that their son, though perhaps short on the physical gifts of the truly blessed, had an unmatched mind for the game’s strategy and a stomach for its brutality.
With rugged determination, the jut-jawed Shula started as a defensive back in the 1950s, later beginning his thirty-two-year coaching career as the then-youngest coach ever with the Baltimore Colts. The Colts had several successful years, but Shula never quite recovered from the historic loss to the upstart New York Jets in Super Bowl III, and when a lucrative job opened in Miami, he took his talents to South Beach, where he led the Dolphins to the first perfect season in NFL history.
Tracing Shula’s singular rise from his blue-collar origins to his glory days in the Miami heat, Ribowsky reveals a man of grit and charisma who never lost sight of a simple creed: “All I’ve ever done is roll up my sleeves, figure out what to do, and start doing it.”
With rugged determination, the jut-jawed Shula started as a defensive back in the 1950s, later beginning his thirty-two-year coaching career as the then-youngest coach ever with the Baltimore Colts. The Colts had several successful years, but Shula never quite recovered from the historic loss to the upstart New York Jets in Super Bowl III, and when a lucrative job opened in Miami, he took his talents to South Beach, where he led the Dolphins to the first perfect season in NFL history.
Tracing Shula’s singular rise from his blue-collar origins to his glory days in the Miami heat, Ribowsky reveals a man of grit and charisma who never lost sight of a simple creed: “All I’ve ever done is roll up my sleeves, figure out what to do, and start doing it.”
400 pages, Hardcover
First published August 22, 2019
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47 people want to read
About the author
Mark Ribowsky
44 books60 followersMark Ribowsky is the author of seven books, including the New York Times Notable Book Don't Look Back: Satchel Paige in the Shadows of Baseball. He lives in Plainview, New York.
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
October 17, 2019
Kind of boring.
December 21, 2022
Before I review the book, I should state for the record that I am a 55 year-old Dolphins fan from the northeast who had the great fortune of attending 4-6 Dolphins road games and a home game every year from 1987 to 1995 (and every playoff game in that span), including attending practices and even shooting minicamp practices for the team in 1990 as I had befriended their video director. That said, I met Shula many times and he was a great influence on my eventual career in sports. I am also a collector, so I only bought the book to add to my collection of dozens of books about the Dolphins. So I know things...
With that in mind, this was the worst sports book I've ever read with many factual errors. For just one example, in recapping the 1990 playoff loss in Buffalo - a game I watched from the sideline with the team photographer - Ribowsky refers to the weather as "blustery," a word meaning windy, when in fact the game was played in a lake-effect blizzard. Further, in his recap of that game, Ribowsky claims that Dan Marino threw touchdown passes to "spare halfbacks Roy Foster and Tony Martin," but neither was a halfback. Ever. Foster was a starting offensive lineman (left guard) who famously caught that TD on a tackle-eligible play and proceeded to dance in the snow after that catch while Martin was the team's third-string wide receiver. Errors like that are all over this book.
He also took Fins owner Joe Robbie to task - sometimes justifiably so, other times stupidly. For example, he mocks Robbie's construction of a new stadium in the 80s, calling it a "vanity stadium." Fact is, Robbie set the standard for modern stadiums both in private funding through PSLs and in having many suites with restaurant areas. Most stadiums and arenas built today follow the model Robbie introduced decades ago. Robbie should be in the Hall of Fame for charting the league's - and pro sports' - future.
What's more, the book's introduction begins with no less than three references to Donald Trump - all extremely, and often unfairly, negative. I didn't choose to read this book to read about the author's personal politics. Then in the first paragraph of Chapter 1, another negative and nasty Trump reference. The book was released in 2018 and clearly the author has a really bad case of Trump Derangement Syndrome.
Ribowsky ties in politics throughout, negatively referencing Republican presidents without ever mentioning Democrat presidents LBJ and Jimmy Carter and their failed terms. If Riboswky refuses to be fair to both parties, don't mention either. What really made me shake my head was his references to Nixon and Vietnam when failing to mention LBJ with regard to Nam since LBJ put us there and had us fighting with one hand tied behind our backs - I've read enough books to know. But again, in this sports book, I'd rather not have read any of the author's political opinions.
Equally annoying is Ribowsky's penchant for using big words where they're not necessary - "jejune" appeared not once, but twice. As a post-grad degree recipient who's been teaching at university for 12 years now, I find this kind of writing as obnoxious as it is unnecessary. I think he simply selected random words while writing in Microsoft Word, right clicked, and looked in the thesaurus for words he thought would impress readers.
So skip this book. It's trash. And I learned nothing new by reading this book - everything here has been written in other books. Larry Csonka has a new book release upcoming that will surely be a helluva lot better than this crappy tome.
With that in mind, this was the worst sports book I've ever read with many factual errors. For just one example, in recapping the 1990 playoff loss in Buffalo - a game I watched from the sideline with the team photographer - Ribowsky refers to the weather as "blustery," a word meaning windy, when in fact the game was played in a lake-effect blizzard. Further, in his recap of that game, Ribowsky claims that Dan Marino threw touchdown passes to "spare halfbacks Roy Foster and Tony Martin," but neither was a halfback. Ever. Foster was a starting offensive lineman (left guard) who famously caught that TD on a tackle-eligible play and proceeded to dance in the snow after that catch while Martin was the team's third-string wide receiver. Errors like that are all over this book.
He also took Fins owner Joe Robbie to task - sometimes justifiably so, other times stupidly. For example, he mocks Robbie's construction of a new stadium in the 80s, calling it a "vanity stadium." Fact is, Robbie set the standard for modern stadiums both in private funding through PSLs and in having many suites with restaurant areas. Most stadiums and arenas built today follow the model Robbie introduced decades ago. Robbie should be in the Hall of Fame for charting the league's - and pro sports' - future.
What's more, the book's introduction begins with no less than three references to Donald Trump - all extremely, and often unfairly, negative. I didn't choose to read this book to read about the author's personal politics. Then in the first paragraph of Chapter 1, another negative and nasty Trump reference. The book was released in 2018 and clearly the author has a really bad case of Trump Derangement Syndrome.
Ribowsky ties in politics throughout, negatively referencing Republican presidents without ever mentioning Democrat presidents LBJ and Jimmy Carter and their failed terms. If Riboswky refuses to be fair to both parties, don't mention either. What really made me shake my head was his references to Nixon and Vietnam when failing to mention LBJ with regard to Nam since LBJ put us there and had us fighting with one hand tied behind our backs - I've read enough books to know. But again, in this sports book, I'd rather not have read any of the author's political opinions.
Equally annoying is Ribowsky's penchant for using big words where they're not necessary - "jejune" appeared not once, but twice. As a post-grad degree recipient who's been teaching at university for 12 years now, I find this kind of writing as obnoxious as it is unnecessary. I think he simply selected random words while writing in Microsoft Word, right clicked, and looked in the thesaurus for words he thought would impress readers.
So skip this book. It's trash. And I learned nothing new by reading this book - everything here has been written in other books. Larry Csonka has a new book release upcoming that will surely be a helluva lot better than this crappy tome.
January 30, 2024
Don Shula is my favorite coach ever, so any book with a picture showcasing his famous jaw line and a spine with SHULA emblazoned in Dolphins colors seems made for me. As the cliché goes, you can’t judge a book by its cover. Using Trump as a framing device robs the book of its focus and what should be a timeless feel, and the author has an angry, cynical edge that doesn’t play well, with unnecessary asides and cheap shots. Most of the best stuff also seems to come from other sources. Sadly, I’m not going to finish this, at least not now.
March 3, 2020
A solid, if not spectacular biography about the winingest head coach in NFL history, this work attempts to explain the life story of one Don Shula. Son of Hungarian immigrants, the one-time candidate for the priesthood found his calling in the game of football, playing for several years as an NFL defender before getting into coaching. From there, his career was one of extremes. While his teams generally won more than they lost, he did have some of his worst defeats on the biggest stages, especially Super Bowl III. Yet, he also helmed the only team to (so far) go through a season undefeated in the Super Bowl Era (1972 Dolphins). He was as much a part of Miami as palm trees and South Beach. That the Dolphins have not even come close to the success level since his retirement over 25 years ago is a testament to many factors, but Shula had his part to play.
This work is primarily football focused. For me, I had heard much about his time in Baltimore and the great Dolphins teams of the early 1970s, but this filled in the gaps, from his playing career to the years between the early 1970s and the Dan Marino years (1983-1995). However, there wasn't as much about his life outside of football, and much of the football focus was usually better described in other venues (A Football Life and the America's Game documentaries offer much greater insight into the football-side of the man and this greatest teams). Shula was not perfect, but in his specific realm of being an NFL head coach, few are better, and many of his former players, who didn't like him much before, do have much respect for him now.
A decent read and one that football fans, particularly Dolphins fans might appreciate, but not the greatest work about the man or a head coach in the NFL.
This work is primarily football focused. For me, I had heard much about his time in Baltimore and the great Dolphins teams of the early 1970s, but this filled in the gaps, from his playing career to the years between the early 1970s and the Dan Marino years (1983-1995). However, there wasn't as much about his life outside of football, and much of the football focus was usually better described in other venues (A Football Life and the America's Game documentaries offer much greater insight into the football-side of the man and this greatest teams). Shula was not perfect, but in his specific realm of being an NFL head coach, few are better, and many of his former players, who didn't like him much before, do have much respect for him now.
A decent read and one that football fans, particularly Dolphins fans might appreciate, but not the greatest work about the man or a head coach in the NFL.
April 11, 2023
Solid bio on one of the giant's in NFL history. The book traced Shula's ancestors all the way back to Hungary. I was fairly familiar with his history through the mid 70s. I enjoyed reading about the years after that. Ribowsky doesn't shy away from controversy. The Dolphins had drug users on the team and it's very likely Shula looked the other way. There were also drugs that were used under the supervision of the team doctor that let the players play through injuries. But the Dolphins were not the exception in the league. I would have liked to know more about his relationship with Marino but I suppose that's for another book.
January 7, 2022
An epic biography on one of the greatest coaches ever, Don Shula. Shula took his teams to six Super Bowls, winning two and losing four. His first Super Bowl loss was in 1969 and his last appearance in 1985 so this book covers a lot of years, up to his retirement around 1996. There is at least a few pages on each of his teams he coached and played on but the focus of the book is his coaching with the Dolphins in the 1970s and 1980s. Doesn't get TOO detailed but with so many years coaching the reader will find that rewarding. Well written and researched.
July 24, 2022
My parents were dating in 1972. They are Miami Dolphins fans. My mom. Bet my dad. How many games. Miami Dolphin is going to win. Miami Dolphins won every single game and the Super Bowl. My dad lost the bet. He won my mom's heart. They have been married for forty-nine years. Thank you. Don Shula.
January 23, 2023
I really enjoyed this sports bio. I remember Shula's name from my childhood when my dad watched football every Sunday. I recently read Csonka's autobio and wanted to know more about this legendary coach. The book fulfilled my expectations.
November 14, 2019
all the stories of this icon
January 27, 2020
It's a great read!
October 13, 2020
Decent
April 13, 2021
Solid biography, really immerses you into the life of Don Shula, just took me way to long to get going with this one.
March 28, 2023
I really enjoyed this book. It was a fair and honest biography of one of the greatest coaches in NFL history. Don Shula was a great head coach for over 30 years. He tried to treat his players fairly, though not always equally. He was not perfect, but got the most out of his players and most of his former players are highly complimentary of him. He was also a good family man, raising 5 kids.
Though known for his loss as coach of the Colts in Super Bowl III, he also coached the only undefeated, untied team in NFL history, the 1972 Dolphins. There are a few annoying factual errors in the book by the author. He says Tom Landry's Cowboys waited 6 years for another Super Bowl appearance after defeating Miami in Super Bowl VI, when it was actually only 4. He also says Jim Kelly lost 3 Super Bowl's as Buffalo's QB, when everyone knows it was 4. He says Jimmy Johnson won his first Super Bowl with Dallas after the '93 season, when in fact it was after 1992. Also he mentions two weeks off for the Dolphins leading up to Super Bowl XVII against Washington, when in fact the Super Bowl was played 1 week after the Conference title games that year. The only off putting thing about this book is the author attempts to validate all of Shula's accomplishments by seeming to belittle those of Shula's rivals. When the Dolphins lose in playoff games, the author is quick to point out how those teams went on to lose the AFC title game or the SB. He seems to say that the Shula family has had more success in the NFL than the Mannings, pointing out Archie only played a decade (in fact, he played 14 years). Don't know why anyone would care. He points out Jimmy Johnson had so much success in Dallas due to all of the draft picks Dallas had. That is true to a point, but a lot of those picks were due to shrewd trades made by JJ and without his great evaluation of talent, those picks wouldn't have amounted to much. He also refers to Jimmy Johnson taking his job as Dolphins coach due to a "palace coup", which is just complete false. Wayne Huizenga bought the team after Joe Robbie died and wanted to hire his own coach after sticking with Shula for several years. At the time, the Dolphins hadn't been to a Super Bowl in 10 years and hadn't won one in 20. You also couldn't argue with Jimmy Johnson's success in Dallas, though the author tries. I thought these examples, and others, seemed to suggest Shula's career needed validation, which it clearly does not. One amusing story is on the first page, when the story of Shula meeting with Trump was recounted. It said Shula could take the measure of men he respected-and discard those he clearly didn't. All that time ago, Shula could tell Trump was nothing but a charlatan. Anyway, this was a very entertaining book for someone who is a not a Dolphins fan. I grew up rooting for Washington, as my dad was from DC and still have fond memories of John Riggins running over Don McNeal on 4th and 1 in the 4th quarter of Super Bowl XVII, a story painfully recounted by Shula in this book.
Though known for his loss as coach of the Colts in Super Bowl III, he also coached the only undefeated, untied team in NFL history, the 1972 Dolphins. There are a few annoying factual errors in the book by the author. He says Tom Landry's Cowboys waited 6 years for another Super Bowl appearance after defeating Miami in Super Bowl VI, when it was actually only 4. He also says Jim Kelly lost 3 Super Bowl's as Buffalo's QB, when everyone knows it was 4. He says Jimmy Johnson won his first Super Bowl with Dallas after the '93 season, when in fact it was after 1992. Also he mentions two weeks off for the Dolphins leading up to Super Bowl XVII against Washington, when in fact the Super Bowl was played 1 week after the Conference title games that year. The only off putting thing about this book is the author attempts to validate all of Shula's accomplishments by seeming to belittle those of Shula's rivals. When the Dolphins lose in playoff games, the author is quick to point out how those teams went on to lose the AFC title game or the SB. He seems to say that the Shula family has had more success in the NFL than the Mannings, pointing out Archie only played a decade (in fact, he played 14 years). Don't know why anyone would care. He points out Jimmy Johnson had so much success in Dallas due to all of the draft picks Dallas had. That is true to a point, but a lot of those picks were due to shrewd trades made by JJ and without his great evaluation of talent, those picks wouldn't have amounted to much. He also refers to Jimmy Johnson taking his job as Dolphins coach due to a "palace coup", which is just complete false. Wayne Huizenga bought the team after Joe Robbie died and wanted to hire his own coach after sticking with Shula for several years. At the time, the Dolphins hadn't been to a Super Bowl in 10 years and hadn't won one in 20. You also couldn't argue with Jimmy Johnson's success in Dallas, though the author tries. I thought these examples, and others, seemed to suggest Shula's career needed validation, which it clearly does not. One amusing story is on the first page, when the story of Shula meeting with Trump was recounted. It said Shula could take the measure of men he respected-and discard those he clearly didn't. All that time ago, Shula could tell Trump was nothing but a charlatan. Anyway, this was a very entertaining book for someone who is a not a Dolphins fan. I grew up rooting for Washington, as my dad was from DC and still have fond memories of John Riggins running over Don McNeal on 4th and 1 in the 4th quarter of Super Bowl XVII, a story painfully recounted by Shula in this book.
December 27, 2023
This book was about more than just how successful Don Shula was as an NFL head coach. The book was a study on the complexities of being a head coach, husband, father, widower, and polarizing public figure.
I already knew a lot about Shula before I even read one page in this book, but this book gave me a better appreciation for what Shula did for pro football and of course the Miami Dolphins franchise.
Pros of this book: The book was well written and objectively written about a complex subject, Shula. I liked the fact that Ribowsky never let his readers forget that Shula should have drafted better when it came to running backs after Larry Csonka, Jim Kiick, and Mercury Morris left the Dolphins after the 1974 (Csonka and Kiick) and 1975 seasons (Morris). Dan Marino might have had a Super Bowl ring or two if Miami had more A or B+ caliber running backs who were also durable from 1983 to 1999.
I also thought that Ribowsky did a good job explaining the love-hate relationship between Shula and the late Joe Robbie from 1970 to 1990.
Cons of this book: Could have did without the Donald Trump bashing (it's no secret that no really likes Trump) and I would have liked more than a few paragraphs on Dolphin seasons under Shula in the 1980s and 1990s. Whole chapters and/or huge chunks of this book were dedicated to Shula's 1970s era teams, but not so for the 1980s and 1990s teams.
Buy this book if you want to witness some objective writing about one of the best head coaches in NFL history.
I already knew a lot about Shula before I even read one page in this book, but this book gave me a better appreciation for what Shula did for pro football and of course the Miami Dolphins franchise.
Pros of this book: The book was well written and objectively written about a complex subject, Shula. I liked the fact that Ribowsky never let his readers forget that Shula should have drafted better when it came to running backs after Larry Csonka, Jim Kiick, and Mercury Morris left the Dolphins after the 1974 (Csonka and Kiick) and 1975 seasons (Morris). Dan Marino might have had a Super Bowl ring or two if Miami had more A or B+ caliber running backs who were also durable from 1983 to 1999.
I also thought that Ribowsky did a good job explaining the love-hate relationship between Shula and the late Joe Robbie from 1970 to 1990.
Cons of this book: Could have did without the Donald Trump bashing (it's no secret that no really likes Trump) and I would have liked more than a few paragraphs on Dolphin seasons under Shula in the 1980s and 1990s. Whole chapters and/or huge chunks of this book were dedicated to Shula's 1970s era teams, but not so for the 1980s and 1990s teams.
Buy this book if you want to witness some objective writing about one of the best head coaches in NFL history.
May 31, 2020
"Let's go boys! Make a play!" Don Shula would always say to one of the best teams at the time the Miami Dolphins. Don Shula was one of the greatest NFL coaches of all time, coaching one of the best quaterbacks of all time, Dan Marino. This is a briliant biography and really goes deep down into Don Shula's life especially his faith and football life. One of my favorite moments in the book is when he says that "When I was growing up, my parents wanted me to be a priest. That's kind of funny because I could not imagine Don Shula doing anything but coaching. If Don Shula had never coached, what would have happened to Dan Marino. Maybe Dan would've never been the quaterback that he was. The setting of this story was in Miami. I would recommend this to people who want to be involed with football when growing up because this book also talks about the responsibility of this kind of lifestyle.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews