Larry Csonka reminds us that Don Shula would not win at any cost

On Monday, the Miami Dolphins and most of the NFL world mourned the passing of Don Shula and it was Larry Csonka who reminded us of his integrity.

Larry Csonka took to Twitter on Monday to express his sadness on the passing of his friend and coach, Don Shula, in a Tweet that reminded us of Shula’s integrity.

Indeed, it is hard to believe he is gone. Many Dolphins fans, mostly the older fans who remember the stoic jaw walking the sidelines as a head coach, thought he couldn’t die. The fact that age took its toll on the one man who embodied perfection was not fathomable. Once again, however, Father Time remains the only unbeaten.

Csonka has never minced words or bit his tongue so is it a surprise that in his social media farewell that he makes it a point to express the fact that what Shula accomplished he did so within the constructs of the league rules? Of course not, he knew exactly what he was doing and in the process made sure that everyone knew that what Bill Belichick has done in New England has been done with black marks and cheating.

There have been stories through the decades but one stands truer than others. The Dolphins were visiting the Raiders when an assistant walked into Shula’s office with the Raiders game plan for Sunday’s game. A player had left in the locker room. Shula told the coach to throw it away that they don’t win by cheating. Miami lost the following day.

From Dan Marino to Richmond Webb to Larry Csonka and Mercury Morris, the same words always flow when talking about Shula. Integrity. Sportsmanship. Discipline. Shula was all of it. On Monday, Dan Marino tweeted a thank you to Shula for believing in him. Others did the same. Csonka continued being Csonka making sure we all remember that the wins by Shula were done so within the rules of the NFL not within the gray matter that lies between edges of legal and illegal.