Buddy Ryan Dead at 82

[SantaHog]

Legendary NFL Coach, Buddy Ryan, has passed away at the age of 82.  Coach Ryan was most renowned for his Chicago Bears defenses in the 1980s and is credited with the 46 defense.  If you haven't seen the ESPN 30 for 30 on the 85 Bears, it is a must see.  Former Razorback and NFL Hall of Famer, Dan Hampton, was one of the mainstays for the Bears defense in the 1980s and is interviewed several times in the 30 for 30 show. 

[hogcard1964]

A great, great coach.

RIP

[GunnerHawg70]

A defensive juggernaut...changed the way we see complex defenses...RIP 
:razorback:

[BigSexyHog]

He was an ass.  Never cared for him or his attitude.   Regardless any death is sad for the friends and family.

[k.c.hawg]

Buddy was on the best T-Shirt I've ever seen. January 1994 and the Chiefs and Oilers are in the 2nd round of the playoffs I'm in a huge bar here in KC called The Levee. Tim Grundhard used to do his weekly show from there on Thursday nights and that night as special guests he had Joe Montana, Marcus Allen, Derek Thomas and others. The place was packed to the rafters. The 6 pm sportscast for a tv station is going live there and they drag this guy out of the crowd and he has this shirt on with a huge Buddy Ryan caricature on the front with his head making up 80% of the picture. Pained look on that huge face, pants around his ankles, sitting on a small toilet. Caption:

Here I sit my buns a flexxin, giving birth to another Texan.

Shirt cracked me the hell up, anytime I looked at Buddy after that.....that is what I saw!!

[IronMountainHog]

He was an ass.  Never cared for him or his attitude.   Regardless any death is sad for the friends and family.

I second that. Sorry to hear of his passing though.

[DLUXHOG]

All I remember is the "Bounty Bowl" against Dallas in 1989 (JJ & JJ's first year)... and hearing pathetic eagles fans yelling "iggles, iggles" inside Cowboy Stadium.......

[cosmodrum]

Buddy was on the best T-Shirt I've ever seen. January 1994 and the Chiefs and Oilers are in the 2nd round of the playoffs I'm in a huge bar here in KC called The Levee. Tim Grundhard used to do his weekly show from there on Thursday nights and that night as special guests he had Joe Montana, Marcus Allen, Derek Thomas and others. The place was packed to the rafters. The 6 pm sportscast for a tv station is going live there and they draq this guy out of the crowd and he has this shirt on with a huge Buddy Ryan caricature on the front with his head making up 80% of the picture. Pained look on that huge face, pants around his ankles, sitting on a small toilet. Caption:

Here I sit my buns a flexxin, giving birth to another Texan.

Shirt cracked me the hell up, anytime I looked at Buddy after that.....that is what I saw!!

LOL

My cousin's band plays the Levee quite a bit. Cool place.

[TUSKtimes]

Great defensive innovator but  a lousy team player. Watched as he punched away at his  offensive coordinator on the sidelines during a tough game.

The Bears winning only one title. That team, those Hall of Famers, one freakin title. Here's how you do it.

You hire a defensive coordinator so egotistical he refuses to show loyalty and honor to the head coach who hired him. The Bear's team became so fractured the defense was their own team, literally putting the nitwit on their shoulders and ignoring their head coach after the Superbowl. They got just what you get when it's all about you, the minimum.

Now that I think about it, it's kind of amazing they won one.
 

[hawgrunner]

Rip Buddy.

[JethroB.]

He was an ass.  Never cared for him or his attitude.   Regardless any death is sad for the friends and family.

It seems that a lot of great coaches are.....

[hogwild6700]

First Cowboys game I ever went to was 1994 against the Cardinals. Buddy Ryan was their Head Coach. Cowboys fans were still bitter over the whole Bounty Bowl fiasco. I remember the fans chanting "Buddy, Buddy, Buddy!!" and him losing his cool. The Cardinals actually went through more QBs that game than they scored points. Cowboys won 38-3.

[SamBuckhart]

I'm sorry. Didn't know he was still alive. Was not a fan of his.

[hogcard1964]

First Cowboys game I ever went to was 1994 against the Cardinals. Buddy Ryan was their Head Coach. Cowboys fans were still bitter over the whole Bounty Bowl fiasco. I remember the fans chanting "Buddy, Buddy, Buddy!!" and him losing his cool. The Cardinals actually went through more QBs that game than they scored points. Cowboys won 38-3.

Wasn't Switzer there then?

[EastexHawg]

Great defensive innovator but  a lousy team player. Watched as he punched away at his  offensive coordinator on the sidelines during a tough game.

The Bears winning only one title. That team, those Hall of Famers, one freakin title. Here's how you do it.

You hire a defensive coordinator so egotistical he refuses to show loyalty and honor to the head coach who hired him. The Bear's team became so fractured the defense was their own team, literally putting the nitwit on their shoulders and ignoring their head coach after the Superbowl. They got just what you get when it's all about you, the minimum.

Now that I think about it, it's kind of amazing they won one. 

Yep, I remember that game.  He was the Oilers' defensive coordinator and took a swing at Kevin Gilbride, the offensive coordinator.  Bush league move by a bush league, egotistical man.  Standing between them was Bob Young, the Oilers' offensive line coach, power lifter, and verifiably one of the strongest men in the world.  I remember thinking at the time what a shame it was that Buddy didn't accidentally hit Young with that punch.  The result would have been enjoyable and memorable.

Buddy Ryan was a jerk's jerk.  Good coach, miserable man.  Still, I'm sorry to hear of his death...or anyone's, for that matter.

[HogBreath]

I recall the time Buddy almost got took out by a porkchop ran amok.

I also recall a story about when he was with the Eagles I believe it was, it was during training camp, they had a running back, Earnest Jackson I think, played at A&M, the guy was a decent back, but wasn't making a good impression that day on Buddy.   Buddy blew a fuse and ranted get that guy out of here, trade him for anything, even a six pack, and it doesn't even have to be cold.

[DLUXHOG]

Was Buddy really that good of a coach or did he just happen to be at the right place in the same time as a once in a lifetime collection of players?

With the group he had, did the scheme really matter that much?

He did have Dan Hampton ("the danimal"), weren't any better than Dan......

[EastexHawg]

Was Buddy really that good of a coach or did he just happen to be at the right place in the same time as a once in a lifetime collection of players?

With the group he had, did the scheme really matter that much?

Dan Hampton.  Mike Singletary.  Richard Dent.  Steve McMichael.  Wilber Marshall.  Otis Wilson.  Gary Fencik.  Dave Duerson.  The Fridge.  That's three Hall of Famers and about 5-6 first team All-Pros.

As someone already said, Buddy Ryan cared more about his defense...and his defensive statistics, and the acclaim he received...than the team as a whole.  That's why he took a swing at Gilbride, because Houston's Run n Shoot offense was lengthening the game and hurting his defense's statistics.