Part I: Air Coryell’s flight to Pro Football Hall of Fame began with simple team meeting on a chaotic day turned tragic

PHOTO: Don Coryell and Dan Fouts on the Chargers' sideline. Click here: Coryell's influence on first-time Cardinals and Chargers Pro Bowlers Click here: Walsh to Coryell on Super Bowl XVI: Old Man Winter spared the 49ers Visit my website homepage, TomShanahan.Report By TOM SHANAHAN Football game plans decide matchups, but football seasons are won or lost when a coach meets his new team. Don Coryell was a master at quickly winning over the players he inherited en route…

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Remembering John Madden as a coach and teacher of the game

Visit my website homepage, TomShanahan.Report By TOM SHANAHAN The passing of John Madden Tuesday at age 85 reminded me of how he was such a good teacher of football when he switched to TV analyst. Most stories about Madden will focus on his career as a head coach with the Oakland Raiders and as a TV analyst. I'm choosing to remind readers of his time working under Don Coryell at San Diego State. Madden showed at a memorial…

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Bobby Bowden on the night Florida State gained an iconic identity

The news that College Football Hall of Famer Bobby Bowden died on Sunday at age 91 reminded me of my 2010 interview with him. We discussed how he copied q San Diego State tradition on what became a landmark night for Florida State’s national identity despite suffering a loss at San Diego State. By TOM SHANAHAN Bobby Bowden vividly recalls Nov. 19, 1977 when his 13th-ranked Florida State team played at San Diego State. Bowden returned home with…

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