But Griese, Csonka and Shula were all in attendance at the White House. They, at least, realize the occasion was about achievement, not politics.
Were Obama the testy type, he might have used the snubbing he got from Langer, Fernandez and Kuechenberg to point out that the 1985 Chicago Bears were better than the 1972 Dolphins, and that the 1972 Miami squad, undefeated record notwithstanding, wasn’t really all that good.
Members of the 1972 Dolphins team probably never ponder this, but have they considered they haven’t received the respect they deserve because discerning sports fans and pundits have actually LOOKED at their schedule for that year?
I have, and believe me, it ain’t a pretty picture.
Of the Dolphins’ 14 regular-season wins, only two came against teams that had winning records. And those teams – the Kansas City Chiefs and the New York Giants – only barely had winning records. Both finished 8-6.
Two more of those 14 regular-season wins came against teams that had only mediocre records: the 7-7 New York Jets and Minnesota Vikings. And two of those victories were close.
The Dolphins beat the Jets by only 28-24 in one of their two games. Miami beat the Vikings – on a late Dolphins touchdown – by only 16-14.
The other 10 regular-season Dolphins came against these teams:
1. Houston Oilers: record 1-13
2. San Diego Chargers: record 4-9-1
3. Buffalo Bills: record 4-9-1 (The Dolphins beat the Bills by only 24-23 in one of their two games.)
4. Baltimore Colts: record 5-9
5. New England Patriots: record 3-11
6. St. Louis Cardinals: record 4-9-1
Do the math: the combined won-loss record for all the teams Miami faced during the 1972 season came to 51-86-3. Ten of the Dolphins 14 regular-season victories came against losing teams with a combined record of 21-60-3.
Truth is, the Miami Dolphins of 1972 FEASTED on teams with losing records. The question isn’t how they went through an entire NFL season undefeated.
The question is – or should be – with such a pathetically weak schedule, how could the 1972 Miami Dolphins NOT go undefeated?
SHAME: Three of the ’72 Miami Dolphins Choose Politics Over Respect was originally published on blackamericaweb.com
