Professional Football Researchers Association Forum

I had just one problem with the book. The stated subject of the book is hardly if ever looked into. It is a good overview of the Colts during the Shula era but the title is misleading. All you really find out is Unitas didn't like Shula but your never sure why and little evidence is presented to explain it. The book wanders into the issues that black athletes had at that time, you get an entire chapter on David Halberstam and Vietnam (which I am still not sure how this is supposed to fit into the book). When explaining Johnny Unitas martial infidelity, John Updike oddly is drawn into the story and his martial issues are used as an example. Vince Lombardi, Weeb Ewbank and Carroll Rosenbloom are mentioned more it seems at times than Shula. It just feels like at times the author runs out of material and fills it in with issues of the 1960's or deeper than needed background information of players.

So all that being said it is a good book if your looking to know something about the Colts in the mid to late 1960's. It's not focused on friction between Unitas & Shula.

According to a book co-written by Unitas, plus other biographies, John was upset about Shula taking away some of his play calling responsibilities with "suggestions" from him or the coaching staff and specifically, SB III.

John states that Shula told him to start the second half of that game but Shula must have changed his mind. Unitas felt Shula lied to him and held a grudge. Some people believe that Shula intended to start Morrall regardless but I believe what Unitas said. By the time he finally went into the game, the Colts were down 13-0 ...

The next season, Shula tried to save face by giving John his starting job back but he really never fully recovered and had a poor season. The team was still bothered by the loss and might have rallied more behind Morrall but at least Shula was able to give younger players a chance to gain experience which was crucial for their 70 Championship season.

Brian wolf wrote:According to a book co-written by Unitas, plus other biographies, John was upset about Shula taking away some of his play calling responsibilities with "suggestions" from him or the coaching staff and specifically, SB III.

John states that Shula told him to start the second half of that game but Shula must have changed his mind. Unitas felt Shula lied to him and held a grudge. Some people believe that Shula intended to start Morrall regardless but I believe what Unitas said. By the time he finally went into the game, the Colts were down 13-0 ...

The next season, Shula tried to save face by giving John his starting job back but he really never fully recovered and had a poor season. The team was still bothered by the loss and might have rallied more behind Morrall but at least Shula was able to give younger players a chance to gain experience which was crucial for their 70 Championship season.

From what I read at the time, Shula felt he owed it to Morrall to start the second half due to Morrall's great season in 1968. On the first series, Tom Matte fumbled and the Jets recovered. Since this wasn't Morrall's fault, Shula put Morrall back in on the next possession. Anyway, when Unitas came in, his arm was still below strength from his injury.

To this day, the Colts were lucky they were'nt shut out.
Unitas finally rallied them with 3:12 on the clock but on the previous Jet series, where Turner missed the field goal, the Jets had a third and two that would have possibly ate another two minutes of clock but rather than giving the ball to Snell, the Jets gave it to Mathis who got stopped a yard short. Had Snell not rested and carried the ball for the first down, I dont feel the Colts score in the final three to four minutes of the game because it took John awhile to get his arm going ...