Philagape
01-05-2004, 10:32 PM
From Tuesday's paper:
By Leo Roth
Rochester (N.Y.) Democrat and Chronicle
Marv Levy, who won more games than any coach in Buffalo
Bills history and is a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame,
is interested in the team's current head coaching vacancy.
But he has not initiated any moves for the job and it's not
believed the Bills have or will contact him.
"Buffalo is a wonderful place. It's a great spot, a great
job," said Levy on Monday when contacted at his Chicago home.
"And I feel re-energized, more energized in fact than when I
stepped away. I had a bit of the Dick Vermeil syndrome, but I'm
in even better shape now than I was."
Levy, 78, retired in January 1998 after 12 seasons in
Buffalo and a record of 123-78 that included a record four
consecutive trips to the Super Bowl. He has worked in
television and radio in the six years since, a span in which
the Bills have posted a 46-50 record under Wade Phillips and
Gregg Williams.
Levy said he has contacted two of the seven teams currently
looking for head coaches but would not disclose them. They
reportedly are the Washington Redskins and Chicago Bears.
"I will neither confirm nor deny," Levy said with a hearty
laugh.
Levy was a guest of Bills owner and friend Ralph Wilson at
two home games last season and the two speak at least a half
dozen times a year socially. But Levy said he has never brought
up the prospect of coaching the Bills again to Wilson and
Wilson, who once gave Lou Saban two stints as his coach, has
never asked.
"I've shied away from it," Levy said. "I don't feel that
should be part of the conversation. I haven't initiated that
conversation."
Levy said Wilson has not called asking his opinion on any
potential coaching candidates either. President and general
manager Tom Donahoe has interviewed five so far.
"He's put a lot of trust and faith and rightly so in Tom
Donahoe," Levy said. "You don't need being told from someone
from the outside and I made it a point when I retired that I
didn't want to be, quote, 'a consultant.'?"
Levy, a prostate cancer survivor, said he's in excellent
health but he is currently recovering from recent knee surgery.
Seven weeks ago, he stepped off a curb awkwardly while on a
trip to Italy and injured his knee cap.
All though his credentials are impeccable and he was lauded
for his ability to deal with modern athletes, Levy's name does
not pop up on any team's ŠA‰ list of coaching candidates.
Indianapolis offensive coordinator Tom Moore, 65,
Philadelphia defensive coordinator Jim Johnson, 62, and
recently fired Atlanta coach Dan Reeves, who turns 60 this
month, are other successful older coaches not getting much run.
In the league's zeal to correct the lack of minority candidates
being interviewed for head coaching jobs, some are suggesting
that age is the new discrimination in the league, a point Levy
won't argue.
"It seems, but I don't know why," he said. "Call it a
prejudice, maybe there's a better word, but it (age) seems the
one thing that's acceptable. I don't know what to do about it
but to point to guys like Bill Parcells and Dick Vermeil and
(Florida Marlins manager) Jack McKeon and say, 'Hey, look.'"
By Leo Roth
Rochester (N.Y.) Democrat and Chronicle
Marv Levy, who won more games than any coach in Buffalo
Bills history and is a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame,
is interested in the team's current head coaching vacancy.
But he has not initiated any moves for the job and it's not
believed the Bills have or will contact him.
"Buffalo is a wonderful place. It's a great spot, a great
job," said Levy on Monday when contacted at his Chicago home.
"And I feel re-energized, more energized in fact than when I
stepped away. I had a bit of the Dick Vermeil syndrome, but I'm
in even better shape now than I was."
Levy, 78, retired in January 1998 after 12 seasons in
Buffalo and a record of 123-78 that included a record four
consecutive trips to the Super Bowl. He has worked in
television and radio in the six years since, a span in which
the Bills have posted a 46-50 record under Wade Phillips and
Gregg Williams.
Levy said he has contacted two of the seven teams currently
looking for head coaches but would not disclose them. They
reportedly are the Washington Redskins and Chicago Bears.
"I will neither confirm nor deny," Levy said with a hearty
laugh.
Levy was a guest of Bills owner and friend Ralph Wilson at
two home games last season and the two speak at least a half
dozen times a year socially. But Levy said he has never brought
up the prospect of coaching the Bills again to Wilson and
Wilson, who once gave Lou Saban two stints as his coach, has
never asked.
"I've shied away from it," Levy said. "I don't feel that
should be part of the conversation. I haven't initiated that
conversation."
Levy said Wilson has not called asking his opinion on any
potential coaching candidates either. President and general
manager Tom Donahoe has interviewed five so far.
"He's put a lot of trust and faith and rightly so in Tom
Donahoe," Levy said. "You don't need being told from someone
from the outside and I made it a point when I retired that I
didn't want to be, quote, 'a consultant.'?"
Levy, a prostate cancer survivor, said he's in excellent
health but he is currently recovering from recent knee surgery.
Seven weeks ago, he stepped off a curb awkwardly while on a
trip to Italy and injured his knee cap.
All though his credentials are impeccable and he was lauded
for his ability to deal with modern athletes, Levy's name does
not pop up on any team's ŠA‰ list of coaching candidates.
Indianapolis offensive coordinator Tom Moore, 65,
Philadelphia defensive coordinator Jim Johnson, 62, and
recently fired Atlanta coach Dan Reeves, who turns 60 this
month, are other successful older coaches not getting much run.
In the league's zeal to correct the lack of minority candidates
being interviewed for head coaching jobs, some are suggesting
that age is the new discrimination in the league, a point Levy
won't argue.
"It seems, but I don't know why," he said. "Call it a
prejudice, maybe there's a better word, but it (age) seems the
one thing that's acceptable. I don't know what to do about it
but to point to guys like Bill Parcells and Dick Vermeil and
(Florida Marlins manager) Jack McKeon and say, 'Hey, look.'"