Don Shula Interview Part 2

The following is a transcript of Sunday’s FOX Game Time interview, released by the radio network, with Dolphins legendary coach Don Shula.

Q: Nick Saban, any chance that he can make amends with your family and your franchise with what he did?

SHULA: “I think he’s burned all his bridges. He came in here and said a lot of things and none of them were true. They were just found out to be blatant lies. He goes and does something completely opposite of what he said he was going to do. He was here for two years. He was 15-17 in those two years so he didn’t fulfill the promises that he made when he left LSU to come here. And then his agent and the people that were talking to Alabama on the sly when my son Mike was up there. I found out a lot about that also, so there aren’t a lot of good thoughts I have about Saban.”

Q: Don, which part of that story makes you more angry? What he did to the Dolphins in terms of the way he treated that franchise, or how he kind of went in a certain door there in Alabama and helped maybe facilitate the exit of your son?

SHULA: “Well I think both of them. The fact that he came in here and Wayne Huizenga showed great faith in him and did an extensive search before he hired him and then he comes in and he just lets everyone down. He’s entitled to make whatever decisions he thinks are best for his future. I certainly understand that. The thing that I don’t understand is for him to say one and thing and do another. And a lot of the things that he said were blatant lies.”

Q: Cam Cameron – your impression of that hire, and your impression of their decision to pass on Brady Quinn?

SHULA: “I think Cam Cameron was the right guy for the job. He’s got an offensive background, he was with Marty Schottenheimer – a good friend of mine out in San Diego who was an excellent coach – he’s out of it now too. He said good things about Cam Cameron. I met with him one time and I was impressed with him. He’s got that offensive background and that’s what the Dolphins need – that offensive background. As far as Brady Quinn’s concerned, we have to just wait and see. If Beck, their second-round pick, turns out to be as good as Brady Quinn as a quarterback, or maybe even better, then they get Ginn – the exciting, electric guy from Ohio St. punt and kickoff returns as a receiver, a big-play player – that’s going to add some excitement to this football team. If Brady Quinn turns out to be a Dan Marino or a world-beater of a quarterback, then everybody’s made a mistake to pass him up.”