6 Degrees Of Don Shula

We have all played the 6 degrees of Kevin Bacon game.  Whether we will admit it or not but 6 degrees of Don Shula?  It’s true you know.  Bill Belichick?  Romeo Crennel?  How about Bill Parcells?  Yep.  They all can be traced indirectly back to our very own Don Shula.

Follow along here if you will.  This appeared in the on-line issue at the Sun-Sentinel.

We all know that Bill Beilichick is responsible for Crennell and Weiss.  We all also know that Bill Parcells is responsible for mentoring Belichick.  Here is where it gets interesting.

Bill Parcells’ NFL mentor was George Young.  In fact it was Young who hired Bill Parcells for his first NFL HC gig.  Young was the man behind the talent that was brought in to the NY Giants when the team won 2 Super Bowls.

Young however did not appear out of nowhere.  He was a talent guru.  His first gig in the NFL came way back in the late 60′s when he was hired for his first job by none other than Don Shula with the Colts.  In fact, at one point, Young served as Shula’s offensive co-ordinator.  Later when Shula was hired in Miami, Shula hired Young to run the personnel department from 75-78.

So while Miami history starts and ends with the Don Shula years, it appears that one of his coaching offspring has brought the Miami Dolphins full circle.  Will the results be the same in the win column?  Maybe, maybe not.  The Dolphins had a long tradition of winning.  They don’t anymore.  Perhaps as we look at the Dolphins today we can look at HC Tony Sparano as that 4th or 5th cousin. 

Don Shula – George Young – Bill Parcells – Tony Sparano.  I was able to do the move in 4.

Tags: Bill Parcells, Don Shula, George Young, Kevin Bacon, Miami Dolphins, Tony Sparano