04/16/24
March 29, 2009
Football Coach Lou Saban Dies: Lou Saban, who coached the Buffalo Bills to two American Football League championships in the 1960s, died today at age 87 at his home in North Myrtle Beach, S.C. Saban, who played for the Cleveland Browns in the '40s, coached for a dozen different college and pro teams over three decades and was trying as recently as 2006 to get back to the sideline. "I'd like to test myself again," he said. "There's nothing the matter with my brain."
He didn't start out too well as the head coach of the Patriots, but when you are stuck with the immortal Butch Songin (a better hockey player than football player) as your QB, there's not too much to build on. His Buffalo teams were the bane of the Patriots during the '60s, and the rivalry persists to this day. I remember watching Cookie Gilchrist shred the Patriots' defense while the announcers gleefully recited "lookie, lookie, there goes Cookie" over and over. Saban deserves any and all honors that have come his way.
What's up with Croatians and football coaching? Saban, Belichick, and probably others are of Croatian heritage. Did they invent the game?
posted by Howard_T at 11:54 AM on March 30, 2009
Lou Saban will always be remembered fondly by Bills fans in western New York. He was one of the classic, old-school football coaches that coached and let what went on on the field be the story. He didn't need to be a big-name act like some of these clowns roaming the sidelines nowadays. Rest in peace, Lou.