TXBRONC
03-30-2009, 10:41 PM
I didn't see this anywhere. If you know the history of the Broncos Saban was colorful coach. He wasn't particularly successful but he did have a way with words. :salute:
http://www.denverpost.com/broncos/ci_12026331
Former Broncos boss Saban dies at 87
By Mike Klis
The Denver Post
If he wasn't an all-time great, Lou Saban was at least an all-timer.
One of the NFL's most colorful coaching personalities and the first "name" head coach in Broncos history, Saban died Sunday at his home in North Myrtle Beach, S.C. Saban, who was 87, had suffered from heart problems and recently was hospitalized from a fall.
Saban is perhaps best remembered in Denver for coaching the "half-a-loaf" game to open the 1971 season, a 10-10 tie against the eventual AFC champion Miami Dolphins.
The Broncos got the ball back late, but Saban elected to run out the clock, accepting the tie in the days before overtime. Part of his rationale was poor footing because the Denver Bears' dirt baseball infield, which remained on the football field, had not yet been covered with turf.
After the game, Saban said, "Half a loaf is better than none."
He coached only eight more games in Denver before resigning with five games left in the season.
But Saban was remembered for far more than that.
Broncos owner Pat Bowlen said in a statement: "Lou Saban should be credited as the individual who first brought respectability to the Denver Broncos. Even though I was not here at the time, upon buying the Broncos in 1984, I began learning the history of the club and realized Lou's importance to this franchise. It was Lou who moved the Broncos into their first training facility and changed the team's helmet design to the style featuring the 'D' with the horse, a logo that became so symbolic with this franchise and its success for nearly 30 years."
Saban was the original coach of the Boston Patriots, directing that team in 1960 and 1961 before taking over at Buffalo. After leading the Bills to back-to-back AFL championships in 1964 and 1965, Saban suddenly quit to coach the University of Maryland in 1966, then just as suddenly returned to the AFL and the Broncos in 1967.
His first draft choice was a running back from Syracuse named Floyd Little.
"We had our differences, but at the end of the day we became great friends," Little said Sunday. "He once fired me in the Buffalo game, and I refused to go into the locker room. I wound up catching a long pass from Marlin Briscoe near the end of the game and we kicked a field goal to win it and on the way into the locker room, Lou hired me back."
Little was referring to the Nov. 24, 1968, game when he fumbled late, setting up a go-ahead field goal by the Bills. The fiery Saban admonished Little in front of the home Bears Stadium crowd.
Fired? Suffice to say it was a different time when many coaches believed the best way to motivate players was to belittle them. Saban often took this tactic to an extreme, although Little considered him a players' coach.
"He could not have coached in the National Football League today," Little said. "He told you how long you could wear your pants. You couldn't wear sideburns, you had to wear a shirt and a tie. He was old school. And I loved it. He hollered and screamed at me as much as anyone else. But at the end of the game, he'd put his arm around me and say, 'I love you, man. Just hang in there and we'll get you some help.' "
Saban's competitiveness also was shown in a famous clip. He was filmed yelling "They're killing me, Whitey!" to assistant Whitey Dovell.
Little's heroics after he refused Saban's termination order set up a Bobby Howfield field goal that rallied the Broncos past the Bills 34-32 in one of the last games Denver's home field was called Bears Stadium (it was renamed Mile High Stadium a few weeks later).
But it was an all-too-rare win in the Saban era. He was 20-42-3 in Denver.
He returned to Buffalo the following season and again enjoyed success while getting the full potential out of running back O.J. Simpson. Saban coached the Bills from 1972-76, a period when Simpson had his only five 1,000-yard seasons, including his historic 2,003-yard season in 1973.
Saban continued to coach in college, most recently in 1983-84 for Central Florida. He also was the head coach at Northwestern (1955), Western Illinois (1957-59), Miami (1977-78) and Army (1979). If Saban's teams didn't always win, his unique spirit has never been forgotten. Little said he talked to his former coach usually once a year, most recently last September.
"On Mondays he'd run the game film, and he'd point out mistakes with a flashpoint that had an antenna on it — nobody ever sat in the first three rows," Little said, laughing at the memory. "He would challenge you. I remember once at halftime of a New England game, he wanted to fight us all. But I liked that. I'm very sorry to hear he has passed because I have lost a great friend."
Irv Moss contributed to this report.
Mike Klis: 303-954-1055 or mklis@denverpost.com
http://www.denverpost.com/broncos/ci_12026331
Former Broncos boss Saban dies at 87
By Mike Klis
The Denver Post
If he wasn't an all-time great, Lou Saban was at least an all-timer.
One of the NFL's most colorful coaching personalities and the first "name" head coach in Broncos history, Saban died Sunday at his home in North Myrtle Beach, S.C. Saban, who was 87, had suffered from heart problems and recently was hospitalized from a fall.
Saban is perhaps best remembered in Denver for coaching the "half-a-loaf" game to open the 1971 season, a 10-10 tie against the eventual AFC champion Miami Dolphins.
The Broncos got the ball back late, but Saban elected to run out the clock, accepting the tie in the days before overtime. Part of his rationale was poor footing because the Denver Bears' dirt baseball infield, which remained on the football field, had not yet been covered with turf.
After the game, Saban said, "Half a loaf is better than none."
He coached only eight more games in Denver before resigning with five games left in the season.
But Saban was remembered for far more than that.
Broncos owner Pat Bowlen said in a statement: "Lou Saban should be credited as the individual who first brought respectability to the Denver Broncos. Even though I was not here at the time, upon buying the Broncos in 1984, I began learning the history of the club and realized Lou's importance to this franchise. It was Lou who moved the Broncos into their first training facility and changed the team's helmet design to the style featuring the 'D' with the horse, a logo that became so symbolic with this franchise and its success for nearly 30 years."
Saban was the original coach of the Boston Patriots, directing that team in 1960 and 1961 before taking over at Buffalo. After leading the Bills to back-to-back AFL championships in 1964 and 1965, Saban suddenly quit to coach the University of Maryland in 1966, then just as suddenly returned to the AFL and the Broncos in 1967.
His first draft choice was a running back from Syracuse named Floyd Little.
"We had our differences, but at the end of the day we became great friends," Little said Sunday. "He once fired me in the Buffalo game, and I refused to go into the locker room. I wound up catching a long pass from Marlin Briscoe near the end of the game and we kicked a field goal to win it and on the way into the locker room, Lou hired me back."
Little was referring to the Nov. 24, 1968, game when he fumbled late, setting up a go-ahead field goal by the Bills. The fiery Saban admonished Little in front of the home Bears Stadium crowd.
Fired? Suffice to say it was a different time when many coaches believed the best way to motivate players was to belittle them. Saban often took this tactic to an extreme, although Little considered him a players' coach.
"He could not have coached in the National Football League today," Little said. "He told you how long you could wear your pants. You couldn't wear sideburns, you had to wear a shirt and a tie. He was old school. And I loved it. He hollered and screamed at me as much as anyone else. But at the end of the game, he'd put his arm around me and say, 'I love you, man. Just hang in there and we'll get you some help.' "
Saban's competitiveness also was shown in a famous clip. He was filmed yelling "They're killing me, Whitey!" to assistant Whitey Dovell.
Little's heroics after he refused Saban's termination order set up a Bobby Howfield field goal that rallied the Broncos past the Bills 34-32 in one of the last games Denver's home field was called Bears Stadium (it was renamed Mile High Stadium a few weeks later).
But it was an all-too-rare win in the Saban era. He was 20-42-3 in Denver.
He returned to Buffalo the following season and again enjoyed success while getting the full potential out of running back O.J. Simpson. Saban coached the Bills from 1972-76, a period when Simpson had his only five 1,000-yard seasons, including his historic 2,003-yard season in 1973.
Saban continued to coach in college, most recently in 1983-84 for Central Florida. He also was the head coach at Northwestern (1955), Western Illinois (1957-59), Miami (1977-78) and Army (1979). If Saban's teams didn't always win, his unique spirit has never been forgotten. Little said he talked to his former coach usually once a year, most recently last September.
"On Mondays he'd run the game film, and he'd point out mistakes with a flashpoint that had an antenna on it — nobody ever sat in the first three rows," Little said, laughing at the memory. "He would challenge you. I remember once at halftime of a New England game, he wanted to fight us all. But I liked that. I'm very sorry to hear he has passed because I have lost a great friend."
Irv Moss contributed to this report.
Mike Klis: 303-954-1055 or mklis@denverpost.com