Gots to give him proper credit when we won SBIII. People tend to forget how good it was. Namath certainly knew it.
Buddy called Gilbride's O 'the Chuck and Duck offense'...instead of 'the run and shoot'...lol I always thought he was entertaining and followed his coaching career. Can't say the same for Rex tho.
Man, they don't make 'em like Buddy Ryan anymore. Love em or hate em. RIP fella. Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G900A using Tapatalk
I was watching that documentary last night and holy fuck was Buddy a dick. Buddy was a cancer in that locker room and caused a complete rift between offense and defense. Now I see why Rex doesn't give a shit about offense. RIP to Buddy but damn lol dude was a savage. Sent from my SM-G930T using Tapatalk
Ryan was the same way with the legendary 85 Bears. There was a huge rift between the offense and defense that Buddy caused on that team. They steamrolled people so it didn't matter but the stories back then about how Ditka and Ryan hated each other was just crazy. The offense and defense traveled on different buses to games! and Ditka and Ryan had virtually nothing to do with each other - basically 2 separate teams. Almost unimaginable how it worked and how well it worked for them but with two animals in Ditka and Ryan at each others throats on a daily basis I'm sure practices were insane. pretty cool article on that looking back in the Wall St Journal a couple years ago: http://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052702304441404579121952540266032
Thanks for the article, well put together. That truly is unbelievable, different buses Jesus. Buddy was able to get away with pretty much anything because of his relationship with the owner. It's just like the Oilers in a way. It appears somehow Ditka was probably able to "handle his ego" in comparison to the Oilers HC. Watching the documentary, the Oilers coach was definitely was scared of confrontation and couldn't handle Buddy in the locker room, that rift was really bad. I thought the Jets had issues in 2011, but the 2011 Jets is NOTHING in comparison to that Oilers team holy crap dysfunction galore. Imagine if the Bears ran a similar offense to the Oilers at that time? There would be more then punches thrown that's for sure. His relationship with the Jets seems to be like night and day. Joe Namath had major respect for Buddy it appears. Well before my time!
Yeah great run with the Jets, and the Vikings (purple people eaters).. He had a good relationship with players on both sides of the ball with the Bears as well. Watch the 85 Bears documentary if you haven't seen yet. He and Ditka butted heads, but respected each other, and still do. The defensive players of course absolutely loved him. they get emotional just discussing him. The Oilers situation was not a good one, and Buddy certainly played a big part in that. Seems like there wasn't much respect or communication going on, and the HC didn't have a personality to handle it. not sure why you mentioning 2011 tho, as Rex's teams here always backed each other and the coaching staff. There wasn't a harmony issue, so much as a Holmes issue. Rex likes to get along with everyone, where Buddy was often a tough nut to crack. He made you work for his respect, and didn't always give it. very different personalities in that way.
It was on a smaller scale but that off-season was pretty hectic, then that Collision Low Crossers book came out. I wish he was able to handle it better, but it's probably more-so nitpicking on my end. Just how he handled the offense also bothered me.
yeah no doubt both guys were all about defense, with almost little regard to offense. Buddy was just more contentious about it, sometimes causing team divides like in Houston. Rex liked to get along with everyone. I think he supported some people he shouldn't have (Holmes), which was a very different approach in that regard. Even though Buddy often came off like a prick publicly, he must have been a wonderful mentor behind the scenes tho. It always amazes how highly his former players just rave about him, and even get emotional in discussing him. Even Cris Carter credits Buddy and his wife for saving his career by cutting him. they let go of a really good player, because they knew it was the best thing for him.
Forgot how funny he was. That "trade him for a six pack, it doesn't even have to be cold" is one of the top lines in history.
I remember in '99 when the Ravens were defensively steamrolling most of the league, ESPN brought Buddy in for an interview to talk defense, and they obviously brought the '86 Bears up half a dozen times, and near the end of the interview he says something like "Well I'm proud of that Bears team, but the best defense I ever coached on was the 1968 Jets". My heart just about jumped out of my chest. I've been looking for that clip for more than a quarter of a century, unsuccessfully. ESPN can suck my dick.
RIP Buddy. Thanks for Super Bowl III and your son for 2009 and 2010. Anyone else Think Rex will say something like "I'MS GOINGS OUT THERE AND WINNING THE SUPER BOWL FOR MY DAD THIS YEAR!" Then the Bills go (4-12)?