Fritz Shurmur raised his family in Laramie while coaching football at the University of Wyoming for 13 years. His 45-year coaching career included back-to-back Super Bowl appearances (XXXI and XXXII) with the Green Bay Packers. At his death in 1999 at the age of 67, he was the longest tenured defensive coordinator in the NFL.
"I hate the term 'defensive genius.' I can't stand the term. My God, this is only a game. That term is to be used for people who make significant contributions to human nature. To people who come up with ingenious ways to feed the poor, or the guy who goes to work every day and finds a way to feed a family of four on $200-$300 a week. The guys who solve significant health problems. Those are the guys who are the real geniuses . . .
. . . The fact that I didn't get a head coaching job (in the NFL) doesn't cause any bitterness in me. I've said many times, and I said it before we went to the Super Bowl, this game doesn't owe me a thing. It's been awfully good to my family. For an old gym teacher, I've had a pretty damn good life."
Posted in Words_of_wisdom on Thursday, August 20, 2009 12:00 am Updated: 8:05 am. | Tags: Fritz, Shurmur, Words, Wisdom, January, 29, 2009
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