Paul Brown, Greatest Football Coach in History, Born 100 Years Ago

Paul Brown was born 100 years ago today. Paul Brown was the greatest coach in football history, I think (as do others), and I think that I can make the case.

Brown might not have been the greatest coach in high school football history. But he did create the myth and legend of the Massillon Tigers High School program, which lays claim as the greatest high school program in football history. It is certainly among the top high school teams in football history. Brown was 80-8-2 in nine years at Massillon, with six state championships. Combined with his 16-1-1 mark at Severn, a Naval Academy prep school, before taking over the Massillon program, Brown was 96-9-3 record in 11 years as a high school coach. Maybe not the greatest … but maybe.

Brown was not the greatest coach in college football history. But he did win a National Championship in his second season as Ohio State's coach, in 1942. He lost most of his team to the war effort the next year, and his Baby Bucks went 3-6 in 1943, his final season as a college coach before going into the Navy. He was 18-8-1 in three years as the Buckeye's head coach. Good … not the greatest.

Brown might not have been the greatest coach in pro football history. But in his first 13 season in the NFL, as head coach of the Cleveland Browns, Brown was 111-44-5. If I am calculating that correctly (I'm not sure how to calculate ties … I think you throw them out), he had a better-than 71 percent winning percentage. In those 13 seasons, he won three NFL titles, went to the Championship Game seven times, and went to the postseason eight times. Vince Lombardi was 89-29-4 in his nine years as the Packers head coach (.754 winning percentage), with five NFL titles (two Super Bowl wins) and an additional appearance in the Championship Game. Brown's first nine years in the NFL compare very favorably. Brown was 81-25-2 (.764 winning percentage?), three NFL titles (pre-Super Bowl), and an additional five appearances in the Championship Game. Maybe not the greatest … but maybe.

There are other things, of course, including the four AAFC Championships, the Great Lakes Naval Station teams, and the Cincinnati Bengals. Brown, a member of the Cradle of Coaches at Miami University, was innovative, using classrooms and inventing the facemask, etc. Taken all together, certainly a very good argument can be made that Paul Brown was the greatest football coach of all time.

Miami Redhawks football ... livin' the dream

Miami Redhawks play at the larger-than-average hizzy in Michigan Saturday. This is my dream upset ... The Redhawks beating the old blue and yellow giant weasels in their place making the fans of the old blue and yellow very very sad. But, there are several problems with this dream. 1) Appalacian State came in a year before and did a masterful job in destroying the weasels. Even if the Redhawks were to beat the weasels, it would be bad but not rank as the big upset. 2) Lloyd Carr either was forced out or just had it, and the new coach doesn't run the circa-1989 pro style offense that old Gary Moeller had devised. Thus, Utah beat the weasels at the larger-than-average hizzy. 3) Daniel Raudabaugh, the Miami QB, may not have the ability to do those things to take an underdog on the road and beat a bigger-school team. He has a pretty good arm, but he isn't that accurate. And he doesn't have great feet, which is problem when you are running the spread option. So he doesn't really move the chains. And, yes, as far as it goes, the blue and yellow giants weasels offense, which doesn't look all that great, will score against the Redhawks D. So keeping the ball and moving the chains will be important to the Redhawks. A dream deferred. (Photo is from Ohio.com ... Paul Tople/Akron Beacon Journal)

Bill Doran is 50

Bill Doran turned 50 years old yesterday. He grew up in Cincinnati, was a Mt. Healthy Owl, and played for Miami. He is the best major league player that Miami ever produced (sorry Charlie). When Billy was a Houston Astro, Bill James had what I think can best be described as a little crush on him. James used to talk and talk about how Bill was the second best second baseman in the NL, next to Ryne Sandberg, but nobody knew it. Bill was on the Reds in 1990 when they won the World Series, but he was on the DL during the postseason run. Happy Birthday Bill. The image is from Astros Daily.