For many years, fans of the 1960s Buffalo Bills have wondered why former Bills head coach, Lou Saban, had been overlooked for inclusion on the team’s Wall of Fame. Saban led the Bills to their lone AFL championships with victories over the favored-Chargers.
The pro-Saban chants seemed to increase in recent years – several articles were written and an Add LOU SABAN to Buffalo Bills Wall of Fame Facebook page was created. But more years passed, and still Saban remained on the outside.
Things changed today, however, with the first game of the 2015 NFL season. In a surprise move, the Bills inducted Saban into the Wall of Fame at halftime of their 27-14 season-opening victory over the Indianapolis Colts.
Bills play-by-play man, John Murphy, put together a nice article for the buffalobills.com website:
Lou Saban named to Buffalo Bills Wall of Fame
The Bills are heading to the AFL championship game!
Better late than never. He was a great coach and those AFL Championships are still the greatest accomplishments of the franchise. The Jim Kelly / Marv Levy Super Bowl seasons are what many Bills fans today would consider their best teams…but they would be wrong. Beating the Chargers two years in a row (shutting them out in San Diego) changed the balance of power in the AFL. The rugged defense of those Saban teams and balanced offensive attack provided a winning formula for the AFLs greatest achievements ahead in Super Bowls III and IV. Just wonder how the Bills would have fared in 1964 against Jim Brown and Cleveland. We’ll never know but I would have liked their chances.
The 1990 Bills team was special. They were the best of those early ’90’s Bills teams that made–and infamously lost–4 straight Super Bowls. That 1990 team won some exciting games, and then they rolled over the Raiders in the AFC Championship, 51-3. Then came the Super Bowl: Giants 20, Bills 19.
It’s an injustice that people remember the Bills-Giants Super Bowl for the missed field goal. THE BIGGEST PROBLEM was the Bills defense allowing the Giants to hold the ball for 40 minutes ! ! ! It was Ottis Anderson grinding it out, and Jeff Hostetler throwing precision passes to Stephen Baker, Mark Bavaro, and Mark Ingram. Jim Kelly said it was the most frustrating feeling imaginable, standing on the sideline unable to do ANYTHING.
And that’s why the 1964 and ’65 Bills teams are the best Bills teams ever. They got the job done. Cookie Gilchrist was amazing, and Jack Kemp was a great leader. But ultimately, the defense sealed the deal. That defense allowed 7 points TOTAL in two Championship games. That’s excellent football.
A great move by the Bills that was long overdue.If you look at Lou Saban’s coaching resume, you have to shake your head in amazement. He coached after the pro stint, small colleges,high schools, and minor league football.Lou took his coaching journey in the opposite way of his peers.It tells you one thing , he had a burning passion to teach the game, and motivate players to their fullest potential.I also think that 64 Bills team would have beaten the NFL champ Browns.Cookie Gilchrist would have shown the country, if that game ever happened, there wasn’t much difference between him and Jim Brown.
Of feuds and pique… “Bills Add Saban to Wall of Fame”
– reason and common sense finally trumps pettiness…wasn’t a Bills fan (Chiefs, Raiders and Chargers my faves), but certainly respected what they accomplished and Saban was the guy who put the 1960’s teams together. That he left at all post ’65 sad, that he left on top a rarity, especially back then.
He might have been flighty, (may? was) a coaching gypsy, but, the Bills defenses the mid-1960’s (a notch ahead of the Boston Patriots defenses same) was the flip side SD Chargers offenses that period AFL: the best. Though it (apparently) took Ralph Wilson Sr. dying to make it happen, now it has. Alas, Saban too has passed, and like the plethora AFL players who died/will before get deserving enshrinement Pro Football Hall of Fame, disappointing in that it took so long; better late than never the only salve, this case & others, pray.
I certainly do pray that Otis Taylor, Cookie Gilchrist, and a host of other deserving AFL players will make the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
O-Taylor is the first player I want to see get into the Hall.
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