Don Shula: Jets' tarp accusations are nonsense

INDIANAPOLIS -- As today is the AFC championship game and the New York Jets are playing, there has been a ton of pre-game hype about this game. Part of that hype has included the Jets playoff history (which is short) and particularly their performance in championship games.

A couple of those championship games have connections to Miami. The Jets one and only Super Bowl title came in Super Bowl III against the Baltimore Colts. The Colts were coached by Don Shula, who went on to coach the Dolphins and is the winningest coach of all time.

Another game Jets fans and media speak much about is the 1983 AFC title game. Dolphins 14, Jets zippo. In typical New York fashion, this loss has been rationalized and blamed on, of all people, Shula. I'm not making this stuff up.

Google "Jets and tarp and Shula" and you'll get a ton of articles, including this one this week in the Newark Star-Ledger, in which an otherwise respected journalist claims Shula ordered the grounds crew at the Orange Bowl not to place the tarp on the field on a day it was raining in Miami in order to give the Dolphins an advantage.

Aside from how stupid that sounds based on the fact it means it was raining on ground the Dolphins as well as the Jets were using, I actually decided to do what journalists used to do, and go to a source on the topic to find out the truth.

"Tha'ts an insult to my intelligence," Shula told me moments ago when I asked if he ordered the tarp in the Orange Bowl not to be used on the field. "If there was ever a coach that wanted to play a game on a fast track, I was that guy. I've heard of the Jets accusing us of not putting the tarp on the field or some nonsense like that but it's ridiculous.

"I did a radio show where they asked me about that and one of the hosts was obviously a Jets fan and he said I did that. I told him, 'You've got to be stupid to think I would something like that.' I like playing a game in the best possible conditions. It's the truer test for both teams."

Well, that settles that. Shula isn't re-writing history here. He's got no agenda because his reputation has already been written, both good and bad.

And he recognizes that on the bad side of the ledger is that fateful Super Bowl III that, as he says, "was the Joe Namath guarantee game."

That was New York's one and only NFL championship. And it set the stage for Shula coming to Miami.

"That game had a big impact on my career because after we lost, my relationship with the owner was never the same," Shula said. "Carroll Rosenbloom was the owner than and he'd get on the phone and take a lot of heat from his New York buddies for losing the game and then he'd get on the phone and pass the heat on to me.

"I lasted another year in Baltimore after that, but it was never the same between us. It's the main reason I ended up in Miami."

Shula said he'll be watching the both title games today, including the AFC game between the Jets and Colts.

"What the Jets have done is pretty amazing with a rookie quarterback and to come the way they've come," Shula said. "Mike Westhoff is a is friend of mine and I'm happy for him. And I'm happy for Brian Schottenheimer because he's Marty's son and Marty Schottenheimer is a close friend of mine."

So Shula likes some of the folks on the Jets.

But ...

"They're going against one of the best guys to play the game and there's not a lot they can do about that," Shula said. "I would never pick against Peyton Manning. It's unbelievable what he does. Whatever the situation is in the game, you never feel like you're safe if Manning is the other quarterback. He's one of the best of all time and when he's done he'll probably have all the records.

"You can't pick against him."

And Shula doesn't. He's picking the Colts.

[BLOG NOTE: Yup, we'll have a live blog in the comments section during the AFC title game. Go there, discuss the action with fellow Dolfans and others, and enjoy a big afternoon of football.]

Comments

[NJ PHIN FAN]

birth 73. the US has given 5 billion dollars to haiti and that's a fact. To ask where you a country can hide billions is pretty naive.

[The Seer]

Fellas please!!! They need help now....let's debate the past another time. Pretty Please???

[hh]

favre is the man .

[NJ PHIN FAN]

Seer, i donated already through my church .

[smirish]

ill take the vikes saints winner over the colts by 10

[smirish]

why all the haiti talk? go to the cnn app for that. this is 4 football

[The Seer]

I know & I'm sure.....I did too, thru Red Cross (& also at WQAM fundraiser at Hooters w/ Channing Crowder & Troy Drayton & Lousaka. (it was a good afternoon: Titties + Charity).

Just saying let's talk football now....I mean we finally got rid of Tortured & co.(I think!?!), so let's enjoy.

Is Rick Spielman's involvement sufficient cause to root vs Vikes?

[bobbyd12]

U have to seperate the government and the people..Haitian people are suffering like no people should ever suffer...US has thrown 5 billion down the toilet to a very corrupt government but that doesn't mean the people of the US won't help the people of Haiti... And we should

[phinfan from birth73]

seer, ppl dont realze ginn played defense before switching to offense his soph. year at ohio st. nobody complain last year when noodle arm was throwing those soft passes to him and he caught everything. i promise you if you give ginn somebody else on the outside to take away the attention he gets then he would be explosive. like i said yesterday ginn came in second as far as yards per touch at 17.7 with at least 100 touches and harvin was first with 17.8. dont blame the player blame the staff. ginn never had vet to show him the ins and outs of the trade. p.s. of course he needs to improve without a doubt

[bobbyd12]

Who likes who two win this game??

[phinfan from birth73]

nj phinfan reminds me of forrest gump! lol:) if i look at old pictures u probably in them too!!

[carlito from golfito]

vikings

[H8dpats]

I like old man farve. Give the guy cudos playing like he is at his age.

[NJ PHIN FAN]

What the f are you talking about ?? Did i hurt your feeling for calling you naive ???.

[bobbyd12]

By the way SMirish, we will talk about whatever we want here...

[phinfan from birth73]

you could never do that but for some reason you think everything you say is the word or final answer. you cool peeps but damn it seems like your opinion is the only one that matters. im not speaking on something i hear on TV or radio, i actually have many haitian friends who will beg to differ about what the u.s. do for haiti

[carlito from golfito]

The U.S. has occupied Haiti in the past

[Mark]

I want to congratulate the Colts.They've had a great season and fully deserve their place in the Superbowl.Lets hope the Dolphins can fix the WR,NT,OLB,ILB and S positions then have a real run next year.

GO DOLPHINS

[NJ PHIN FAN]

Birth73 , it's a well known fact , it nothing new . Go google it. Your haiten friends should no better. maybe you should ask wyclef jean instead of throwing insults around. get educated my friend.

[H8dpats]

I was in Coast Guard 24 years took thousands back to Haiti, we had agreement with their corrupt Governent where all their refugees get repatriated. Now we would take Cubans into Miami every day they never were made to go back because of Communism.

[NJ PHIN FAN]

The haiten govn is corrupt it's nothing against the people. i feel for them. The domn republic is right next door and their tourist industry is thriving. haiti should've been the same.

[NJ PHIN FAN]

We have a good game going on.

[NJ PHIN FAN]

Mando , where's some of the jet quote from the locker room. We're dying over here.

[H8dpats]

Nj it's hard to build when you have nothing. I remember this one time we picked up Hatians and Cubans on same patrol. In the morning we gave them all oatmeal for breakfast. The Hatians ate it like it was last meal, the Cubans tasted it and spit it out on the deck, one Cuban said this is what we feed our prisioners, I will never forget that.

[phinfan from birth73]

do you honestly think wyclef is going to speak how he truely feel!! get real, this country is good at building you up but even quicker to tear you down! ask tiger and anyboby else whom fallen from grace for petty stuff

[NJ PHIN FAN]

Hd8pats , I know , that's what happens when the govn. pockets all the money it's getting for help.

[H8dpats]

Yep you got that right. I hope one day Cuba will be friends with US again I want to vacation there and see all the old classic cars still running.

[bobbyd12]

Birth73...I can almost guarantee u the majority of the people on this blog have donated to the Haitian people in this disaster.... I mean, the Haitian Govt is corrupt and the US has given tons of money which has been stolen or diverted...

[NJ PHIN FAN]

tiger did it to himself , the corrupt haitian govn did it to the poor haitian people . Ok , i'm done with this.

[NJ PHIN FAN]

bobbyd12, amen !!! Be careful , birth 73 will call you forrest gump.

[bobbyd12]

Time to go enjoy the rest of this game, have a great night guys!!!

[phinfan from birth73]

FORREST GUMP regardless of what you say or how you might feel racism is alive and well STILL!! how does brad pitt step out on his wife and nothing happens but when tiger does it he lose endorsements and has been in hiding ever since! since you have all the answer or can i google that too.

[Gman050]

Had baby back ribs... Bottle of wine.. I celebrated and really enjoyed myself tonight... Hahaha a great day to be a phins fan.. Draft is on it's ways... We have many options... An of course the jets lost...Mando buddy your the man... To my fellow phins fans.. U guys are the best!!!

[Gman050]

NJ make sure to call ALL your clients hahah.. Goodnight gentlemen!!! I'm out

[NJ PHIN FAN]

Wow !!! birth 73. You've gone on to a completely different subject.

[NJ PHIN FAN]

Gman , they'll get it tommorrow.

[phinfan from birth73]

no my points are still the same trust me!! but sometimes you have to go a different route so some ppl can understand the point you are trying to make. i hope this is the end of our little spat cuz you make sense on somethings you have to say but sometimes i feel you just go overboard or dont give the person who might say something the benefit for having their own opinions especially on football matters

[NJ PHIN FAN]

One guy is getting a straight out divorce and the other cheated on wife multiple times , with multiple woman including call girls while still being married. Throw in he crashed his car while drinking , took some pills and also lied to the police DEPT and you have NO COMPARISON . There's no racism here. You make no sense and are reaching big time. Case closed.

[phinfan from birth73]

LOL:)lol:)lol:)lol:) LETS JUST END THIS ON A GOOD NOTE GUD NITE

[Nyabingi Dread]

Fiya bun the bumbo klaat Jets. Ya have to be a rass klatt madman fi tink dey a gwan mek it to the Super Bowl.

[NJ PHIN FAN]

Good - night and the good note was the jets losing. enjoy the 2nd half of this game.

[TomWillRule]

Good the JETS are done - tired of all the JETS trolls on here.

Hey Buddy Ryan - the JETS are going to shut-out the Colts? Yea, sure you dumb old man.

As for the JETS - enoy it this year. You won't see another run like this for 20 more years. Worse fan base in Pro Football, loudest big mouth fat HC and most over-rated QB...

[Akarojo]

Hey, where did all the jet fans go?! Cmon you little turds, let's talk football! RIP JETS!!!!!

[NJ PHIN FAN]

Farve is getting F'd up !!!

[el guru]

who cares about the sorry jets they got crushed today!

[bobbyd12]

Wow, what a game...Superbowl is going to be a shoot-out...I also think we just saw the end of a great carreer...Favre

[Kevin11c]

N Dread...huh?

[scalzo]

Jets lost! LOL beautiful.

[Gmaderas]

Congrats to the Saints!! Better hope it's not another rainy super bowl or GODdell is going to be piiiiissed.should be a good one..... Sad to think the fins coulda shoulda beat both these teams and beat the jets 2 x..... Mando, Sign of how far we've come? Or how far we have to go?

[LipsinToronto]

I was rooting for the Saint, but man, if they hadn't turned the ball over so many bloody times, the Vikings would have clobbered the Saints.. I mean, sure, the Saints D made some plays, but NO offense wasn't playing lights out like they were earlier in the season.

Anyhow, since the Colts won a few years ago, am hoping for a Saint victory.

And to the tourism jerk who wished for Miami to not make the Super Bowl, tell me how you like the Colts being back here only 4 years later (so less likely fans will make that trip again) and NO with folks who will drive in for the day..

At least if Dolphins had made it, Dolphins nation from around the world would have flocked to Miami to see them play on home turf.

[Gmaderas]

Hate to say it.... But I feel for Favre as well. He's an old man by football standards and shook of a leg injury to keep playing. Anybody else wish they were the NO kicker tonight on Bourbon Street??

[carlito from golfito]

Are you kidding? Favre threw away the super bowl... again.. he is why the vikings are not in the super bowl

[LipsinToronto]

My twitter prediction to Armando yesterday:

colts 24 jets 14
saint 31 Vikings 28

Not too shabby - but my predictions are always better when Miami is not playing and Money is not involved. lol

[NJ PHIN FAN]

You didn't beat my prediction if indy 31 - jets 17.

[NJ PHIN FAN]

" F " FARVE. I hope NO wins because of what happened to NO with Katrina. They deserve it.

[NJ PHIN FAN]

Enough with the miami shoulda beat NO and Indy. Miami isn't in their league YET !!

[LipsinToronto]

Ya, yours was close, NJ - but my Saints vikings was perfect, so neener neener. lol

[NJ PHIN FAN]

LMAO @ LIPS.

[Jncrdn]

Wow what a game . But through the whole the whole game I kept saying to myself we need to draft defense this year to go anywhere , can anybody me the last time a team had six fumbles two picks and a total of five turnovers and were still able to make a game of it ? Vikings defence even with the points they gave up still hadthe Vikings in the game so mayby a topnotch is not needed as badly ass top caliber defense

[LipsinToronto]

ya, we didn't beat but 6 teams this year, the sorry Jets twice, the bills and pats, the jaguars, the panthers and the Bucs.

We DID NOT beat the Colts, the Saints, the Texans, the Steelers, the Titans, the Falcons the Chargers or a game each against the Bills and Pats.

The scores in those games are meaningless.. we lost, let it go. We finished 7-9, we draft 12th and are likely going into a crazy uncapped year before a potential lockout..