Nick Buoniconti--Football Great

Nick Buoniconti--who played middle linebacker for the Miami Dolphins during the teams best years, which included being to this day, Pro Football's only undefeated team, has died at 78.  Buoniconti was the most and maybe only memorable name for what was known as the "No Name Defense", a unit of players, that were not really famous at the time, but as a unit, got the job done. The Dolphins appeared in 3 straight Super Bowls from 71-73, winning the last 2.

Buoniconti was also known for working to find a cure to paralysis.  His son was paralyzed in a college football game. 

I remember rooting for the Dolphins, partly because they were an expansion team that had many lean years before becoming a Super Bowl caliber team and also because Miami seemed like a cool town to visit.  I had always enjoyed watching college football's Orange Bowl.
Buoniconti was inducted into the Pro Football Hall Of Fame in 2001.

Super Reserve Quarterback Earl Morrall Dies

If Earl Morrall would be playing today, his accomplishments would make him a million dollar superstar.  As it happened, Morrall played when NFL football was played once a week (later twice) and there was no sports radio, twitter, or the like.   Morrall stepped in for legendary quarterback Johnny Unitas, to lead the Colts to Super Bowl III.  Of course, he had to shoulder the Colts loss in an upset by the New York Jets.  It was the first time an NFL team (in what is now the NFC) would lose to the AFL. 
Morrall later would redeem himself in Super Bowl V coming off the bench to lead Baltimore to it's first Super Bowl win.  He remains the only quarterback to come off the bench to lead a team to a come from behind Super Bowl victory.
When the Miami Dolphin's quarterback Bob Griese was injured in 1972, Morrall, stepped up and lead the Dolphins to an undefeated season and it's first Super Bowl victory. 
The common link to those 3 Super Bowl appearances was head coach Don Shula, who after moving from the Colts to the Dolphins, acquired Morrall, after the Colts cut him.
Earl Morrall died last week after suffering from Parkinson's Disease. There was a suggestion by a sportswriter that the Comeback Player Of The Year award be named after Morrall.  I think maybe he should be remembered as the "12th Man".

A Perfect Regular Season For The Patriots

This game was in my opinion more exciting than most Super Bowls, as the New England Patriots overcame a 12 point deficit and beat the New York Football Giants 38-35. This makes the team formerly known as the "Boston Patriots", the first team go undefeated in a 16 game regular season. The 1972 Miami Dolphins finished a 14 game season undefeated. To add insult to injury for Miami Dolphins fans, this years addition of the Dolphins are horrendous this year. They did not have a victory for the first several weeks of the season.