DON SHULA

            Q.  What is your reaction to what's going on in Miami?  It's obviously a difficult situation for everybody concerned.  What do you make of it?

            DON SHULA:  Well, I think it is a difficult situation.  I know what Dave is going through.  He's frustrated.  They're 0‑4.  The Ricky Williams situation he had to deal with...those are things that he just somehow has got to figure out a way to put it together.  They've played everybody tough so far.  Offensively they're not generating anything.  Still played great on defense…0‑4, that hasn't happened for a long time in Miami.

            Q.  What are your thoughts of the Patriots' streak in this day and age?  Some people feel with parity the way it is now, some people think it's difficult to win that many than, say, it was in '72.

            DON SHULA:  Well, I don't know how much more difficult it is, but it's just a tremendous job that Bill has done in New England.  You know, two out of the last three Super Bowls, I think that that's what he cares about more than the streak at this time.

            We're very proud of our 18‑game winning streak because it happened in one year, and the first game of the next year, and the perfect season.  We felt that that was a great accomplishment.  Nobody had done it before; nobody's done it since.

            Bill now is tied, I think, with five or six other teams, with 18 wins in a row.  He's got a chance to break the record of the most consecutive wins.

            What I've done is just admired the tremendous job that they've done in New England from ownership on down, the coaching and then the players and especially Tom Brady and the way they play defense.  Defensively they remind me a lot of our perfect season defense.  They just don't make any mistakes and don't give up cheap touchdowns and make big plays.

            Offensively, Brady has just been unbelievable.  What he's done, pulling games out, including last year's Super Bowl.  You just take your hat off to the great job they've done.  I know that Bill will be proud of the record, or breaking the record.  The record that he's looking for is winning the big game at the end of the year.

            Q.  You've referenced the perfect season.  Is it apples and oranges to compare what they're in the process of doing now with overlapping seasons as opposed to it being confined in one season?

            DON SHULA:  I think you have to look at what's happened in one season because that's something that hadn't been done, except for our perfect season.

            Bill's winning streak over a two‑year period of time is something that's been done by five or six other teams.  If he wins another one, he becomes the coach that's coached the most consecutive wins in two seasons.  That's certainly a record that I'm sure that he's proud of.

            But I know, knowing Bill, the record he wants is the record that includes the Super Bowl at the end of the year.

            Q.  When you were going through that undefeated season, at what point did you begin to hear from the press about the possibility of going that far, particularly as that laps over into the 18 consecutive wins?

            DON SHULA:  You know, we didn't really think about that.  Our whole goal, we got beat in the Super Bowl the year before, and our whole goal was to go into the season and not only get to the Super Bowl but win the Super Bowl.

            Then somewhere along the line, you know, we felt that we could do something that no other team has ever done, and that's win all the games.  That was probably in the 12th, 13th ballgame.  When that became apparent, that certainly is something that we thought about and hoped that we could accomplish.  When we did, we were very proud of it because it came in a season where we won the game at the end of the year, which was our goal at the beginning of the year.

            Q.  As you look at pro football now, can you just talk about the kind of changes that you see from players to styles of play to the way you guys played back then?

            DON SHULA:  I've only been out of the NFL for nine years.  I don't think it's changed, the way that you're making it sound is that it's changed.  It's still a game of great players that are well‑coached and doing the job.  Free agency has changed the fact that you're not sure of how long you're going to be able to keep a team together.  The Steelers in the '70s, that was basically the same team that won four Super Bowls.  That's pretty hard to do now with free agency.

            But, you know, there are still teams that will figure it out.  New England is a team that's figured it out, no matter what the situation is.

            Q.  What are the chances of the Miami Dolphins as a football fan to win in New England?

            DON SHULA:  Obviously, they're 0‑4, they're not happy about that.  They haven't been able to put together any drives offensively.  If they can get something going offensively with the great defense that they play, I think they've got a chance to win some football games this year.  They've got a chance Sunday in New England.  But it's got to be a game that they play where they don't make the mistakes that they've made in these first four games, especially on offense.

            Q.  When you look at the Patriots, are you more impressed by what you see Charlie Weis and Tom Brady doing offensively or what Belichick and Romeo Crennel are doing with that defense?

            DON SHULA:  I'm impressed on both sides of the ball.  I just think they've done a wonderful job.  Defensively they're just outstanding.  You know, they just don't make mental mistakes.  They make big plays in big games defensively.  McGinest in the Super Bowl last year, McGinest in the Colts' opener this year, comes up with big plays.  Last week, end of the ballgame, they  strip the quarterback and run it in for a touchdown.  They gave up a bomb last week, but that's very uncharacteristic of them to do that.

            Offensively, Brady is a guy that you got to give the most credit to.  But they just do a good job.  They picked up a runner now that's helping them.  They’re getting it done on both sides of the ball.  Those coaches on offense and defense are doing a great job.

            Q.  When you see Brady, particularly if you're comparing him to Marino, Marino is more impressive physically, had the better arm, both great quarterbacks, but Brady has been compared to Montana and I think not unrealistically given that he doesn't dally with his physical tools, but the production end is so impressive.

            DON SHULA:  The two out of three Super Bowls is a pretty good bottom line there.  That's what Tom Brady has done.  Of course, Montana was involved in four Super Bowl wins.  Dan, although he's got all the passing records, didn't win the Super Bowl at the end of the year.

            But as far as throwing the football, I don't think anyone compares to Marino and what he's done in his career.  He's got the numbers to back it up.

            Q.  I think most of us remember the '85 Monday night game when the Bears were undefeated, trying to break your record.  All your ex‑players came back.  How sacred is this streak?  If the Patriots win Sunday, they stand alone.

            DON SHULA:  That's a different streak than the one we're talking about.  If they win Sunday, and win 19 in a row, that's what they've done.  Our record is the perfect season, winning all the games in one year.  That's the streak that we're very, very proud of.

            If New England can go on and win all the games, then they're going to break our record because there are more games now.  But the streak that New England is on right now is a streak that you’ve got to compare with the other five or six teams that have done that same thing:  win 18 consecutive games.  We're one of those teams.

            But 17 of our wins were in the perfect season.  That's what I think makes ours a little bit different.

            Q.  Do you think New England is the very best team in the NFL?

            DON SHULA:  I don't think there's any question about it.  How do you determine that?  You determine it by records, your won/loss column.  They've won two out of the last three Super Bowls.  They're starting out this year with basically the same team.  They've added a running back.  They certainly have got to be favored to win this Super Bowl.

            Q.  Are you concerned that this Patriots team could be the team that finally takes your record as the only team to get a perfect season?

            DON SHULA:  I think they've got a real shot at it.  They've got to win a lot of games to do it.  They've got tough teams down the road.  Looking at what they've accomplished, you’ve got to think that they certainly are a legitimate threat to do it.  They're a team that's solid in every way, from the ownership to the coaching to the players.

            Q.  Part of you, I guess, will be pretty disappointed if that does happen.

            DON SHULA:  Well, that's a record that we're very proud of, and we protect.  But by the same token, if somebody does it, I'm going to be the first guy that calls that coach that does it, and our players I'm sure are going to be the first players that line up and call the players on the team that breaks our record because we feel it's been a great accomplishment.

            Q.  In terms of coaching, what are some similarities that you see between yourself and Bill Belichick?

            DON SHULA:  Well, basically I was a defensive coach when I came in.  I was a defensive coach for the Lions.  I got the head coaching job with the Colts.  Bill's background is mostly defensively.

            The way he teaches and coaches, I think there are a lot of similarities.  I believe that.  I give him credit for just staying with that one game at a time objective and not letting all of the outside influences interfere with his preparation and selling the team on that concept.  You hear Bill talking about it, then you hear Brady talking about it, they're virtually saying the same thing.

            Q.  In today's NFL, one thing that you don't see that you do see in other sports, especially probably baseball and hockey, are mid‑season coaching changes.  Why do you think that's so?  How difficult is it for teams to change coaches in the middle of the season in the NFL?

            DON SHULA:  If I understand your question correctly, I think ownership feels now that the best way to gain an edge is with coaching.  You have the salary cap.  You can only do so much in getting your players in place and staying under the cap.  If you can gain an edge, there's no cap on the salaries, with coaches.  And you go out and you try to find the best coach and have him come in and do the job for you, hopefully give you an advantage in that area because the game is so competitive.  That's one way you can gain an edge in the NFL.

            Q.  Is it more difficult in 2004 with all the free agency, with all the changes in the lineup, to put together a run like this when you are constantly ‑‑ you have almost a third turnover on teams every year?

            DON SHULA:  I don't think New England has had a one-third turnover.

            Q.  They've had several key guys not there from last year.  How much more difficult is it in this era?

            DON SHULA:  Free agency makes you coach in a hurry.  You lose a player, you might have to get a player in there and get him ready to play in a hurry where before you could groom somebody to step in there to take that job.  I think that's the big difference.

            Again, there's always somebody that figures out how to do it.  That's the guy that ends up with the Super Bowl trophy in his hand.

            Q.  What do you think Miami's defense will have to do to stop New England's offense?

            DON SHULA:  I think they just have to play their game.  You know, the game in Miami last year, and I witnessed it, was a game the Dolphins should have won.  Mare, who never misses a field goal, had one blocked and missed a chip shot off the baseball infield, that cost them the ballgame.  That gave Brady the chance to come back and win it in overtime.

            The Dolphins, I'm sure, are confident that they can go up there and play great defense like they've been playing, and then offensively if they can just eliminate some of the mistakes they've been making, make some plays, I think they can make it a real tight ballgame.

            Q.  How similar is this team to your team?  They called your defense the no‑name defense.  Belichick seems to plug in a lot of guys he's had before, play specific roles, not specifically all‑around pros, but just role players.  Is that similar to what you did then?

            DON SHULA:  I really think it is.  When I look at their defense, I admire them because I think that they're well‑coached, and they're intelligent, competitive guys.  They might not be physically as well‑endowed as some of the people that play defense for other teams, but they're a team that really doesn't make mistakes, take a lot of pride in not giving up the cheap touchdown.  They'll make some big plays on defense.

            Q.  When records are approached in sports, usually the one holding the record is pretty gracious about the person approaching it.  Your players seem to openly and passionately root against anybody who comes close to that perfect season.  How do you feel about that when you see that?  Do you have those same type of feelings?

            DON SHULA:  You know, I think that's really overblown about the popping the champagne.  I think Dick Anderson and Nick Buoniconti lived across the street from each other in Coral Gables.  Many years ago when one of the teams that had a chance to go unbeaten got beat, the two of them went out in the driveway and popped the champagne.  They're so cheap, they didn't invite anybody else down to the party (laughter).

            I was at a golf tournament two years ago when that last team got beat, and Jack Nicklaus was our host.  He brought out a bottle of champagne.  It was a charity outing for Nick Buoniconti's Miami Project.  Nick and I toasted with a bottle of champagne with Jack Nicklaus.

            Getting together and openly rooting for the other team to lose, I think everybody has their own thoughts.  If somebody does it, we're going to be the first to congratulate them.

            Q.  Could you comment on what you think Joe Gibbs is risking, what kind of risk he's undertaking with his legacy with this comeback?

            DON SHULA:  Well, I was frankly surprised when he decided to come back because I thought when he walked away, he did it for a reason, that he was stressed out, he wanted to spend more time with his family.  He was very successful in racing.

            But the family has now grown.  I think one of his sons his coaching for him.  Another one is running the racing business.  It gives him an opportunity to get back in the game that I think he probably loved more than anything else.  By doing so, you are at risk.  He's going through some tough times right now.  I think he's lost three in a row.  You can see a little bit of stress showing up on him on the sideline.

            Knowing Joe, what a great coach he is, he's surrounded himself with some of his old assistants, other people that have been up to speed on what's happening in the NFL, I think it's just a matter of time till he gets everybody playing the kind of football that he wants to teach and coach and win with.

            Q.  Did you ever consider coming back after you hung it up?

            DON SHULA:  Yeah, I'm going to be 75, I've been out now nine years.  I went 33 straight years.  That's giving up a lot of your life, 33 straight years, being a head coach in the National Football League.

            When I walked away, I felt that I had given the game a lot and I got a lot back from the game.  But I'm enjoying life now.  We watch and root for certain teams.  I'm still a big fan of the NFL.  I spent 43 years in the NFL as a player and assistant coach and a head coach.  It's a great league.  I watch it and I'm very proud of having been a coach and player in the NFL.

            Q.  What do you remember about game No. 19 of your streak, the 12‑7 loss at Oakland?

            DON SHULA:  Who brought that up?  I figured somebody from Oakland would sooner or later bring that defeat up.  They beat us with four field goals.  I think the game was played at the University of California.  Maybe baseball was at the stadium.  They beat us.  They beat us without scoring a touchdown, which means that we didn't score as many points as they did.

            Q.  As happens when a team is 0‑4, there's been a fair amount of criticism directed at the head coach.  In Dave's case, how much of it do you think is valid?  How much is he a victim of circumstance with Ricky Williams' retirement?

            DON SHULA:  I think a lot of tough things have happened to Dave.  Everybody thought he made a great move when he picked up David Boston, he would be the guy that would help them ignite their attack.  Then, of course, Ricky Williams is a great football player, there's no question about that.  Why he made the decision to do what he's doing right now is something I'll never understand, but he made that decision, and that hurt Dave at the beginning of the season. He thinks he's all set there.  All of a sudden he doesn't have Ricky.  Then his other backs, Travis Minor gets hurt, other back gets hurt.

            The quarterback situation hasn't been settled.  I know some of those things, it seems like everything that can go wrong is going wrong.  Hopefully he'll fight through it and be able to salvage the season and go from there.

            Q.  Your '72 season, first playoff game against the Browns, the coach of that team, Nick Skorich, passed away over the weekend.  That was one of the toughest games you played all year.  What do you recall about that game?

            DON SHULA:  Well, I didn't know Nick had passed away, first of all.  I'm sorry to hear that.  He was a good friend for a long time in the coaching profession.

            I remember that was a tough game, one of our tougher games during that perfect season.  We managed to pull it out and move on from there.

            Q.  What do you think the chances are of Miami actually pulling out a win against New England?

            DON SHULA:  As I said earlier, I think defensively Miami is as good as anybody in the NFL.  Offensively, if they could just put together a couple of drives, score some points, help the defense out, help make some plays in the kicking game, they've got a shot to be in the game with them there.

            They know that last year when they played them in Miami, that that game could have been theirs.  That could have been their ballgame.  They played them tough also up in New England when the intercepted pass at the end of the game sealed the win for the Patriots.

            Q.  Do you think your undefeated team could beat these Patriots?

            DON SHULA:  You know, our undefeated team beat every other team we played that year.  We beat everybody that lined up against us.  I think you’ve got to give those players that credit.  Comparing teams from different times, it's just so tough to do.  Not only that year, we went 15‑2 in back‑to‑back Super Bowls, then the next year we only lost four ballgames.  We lose six games with those same players in a three‑year period of time.  When somebody comes along and does that, I think we would say they're better than we were.

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