He's Covered Every Super Bowl...

Edwin Pope, who has been a sports columnist at The Miami Herald for more than 45 years, is one sports journalism's most honored writers. He was the ninth winner of the Red Smith Award, is a member of the National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Hall of Fame and has received a record four Eclipse Awards for the nation's best columns. He's a member of the Florida Sports Hall of Fame and in 1996 received a Knight-Ridder Excellence Award.

He's one of only a handful of writers to have covered every Super Bowl.

Ed Pope spoke with Director of Communications David Silverstein to talk, what else, the Pro Bowl and Super Bowl coming to South Florida. His compelling Q&A is a must read.


David Silverstein: You've covered every Super Bowl for the Miami Herald. Do you have a favorite?

Ed Pope: The Super Bowl in 1973. (The year of the 1972 Miami Dolphins Perfect Season). It was not a particularly exciting game. It was a 14-7 win over Washington. That game was played in Los Angeles.

In fact, the 1972 season was not a gripping season. Believe it or not, it was pretty Hum-drum. They just went out there and won. There weren't any hysterical games. Hysterically great or hysterically bad.

They (the 1972 Dolphins) just went out there like a bunch of businessmen going to work every game.

Not a great deal of emotion before, during or after the game. They were just a bunch of businessmen doing their job.

They never got distracted and never got out of bounds, socially or professionally. The best part of the Perfect Season is they were all a great bunch of people, and that's a great part of the reason why they won.

DS: Your thoughts on South Florida's record-breaking 10th Super Bowl.

Ed Pope: I am happy it's here even though they (Super Bowls) are harder to cover in your hometown. When the game is out of town, (the media) stays at the same hotel, there's a bus to take you there and back from press conferences.

But it's nice to have it.It shows this is the best place to host a Super Bowl.
Number two is San Diego. But we have so much more to do, the weather is better and so is our stadium.

DS: What's your favorite memory about Coach Shula and Dan Marino?

Ed Pope: Nobody has ever asked me that before.

Shula, I always thought, was the most admirable person I've ever covered in any sport, at any time.

I want people who are the same kind of person every day. That's the way Shula was, honest.

He could get touchy and abrasive; we got abrasive with each other. Usually we were absorbed with what we were trying to do. We had arguments and we had great times together.

Shula was the perfect guy.
A roll-up-your-sleeves type of guy. Never said he was genius. He would recoil if anyone called him a genius.

He's my favorite guy to cover. He was informative. He lights up the room, he has great command and great presence.

Dan Marino didn't have a lot to say. But I found him a delight to cover. Although he never gave any great quotes. He didn't try to be clever. He was not comfortable trying to think up clever things to say. I felt for him. He didn't try to fake it. Not the most colorful talker by any means. But he gave me his honest feelings. And he left it all on the field every game. He was a real artist. I don't think there's ever been a more gifted player or passer.

Not since Sammy Baugh.


DS: Your thoughts on the Pro Bowl being played in South Florida.

Ed Pope: The Pro Bowl brings tourists to South Florida, and that makes me happy to see. But I've never been very interested in the Pro Bowl. I've never covered one.

DS: What does South Florida need to do to land more Super Bowls?

Ed Pope: We lead the league in Super Bowls, and we need to keep up (our) standards.

The stadium has made a huge difference.
It's very simple why we get it.
We have the best weather, the best housing for players, the best fans.

It wouldn't make any sense for the Super Bowl to come here less, and it makes a lot of sense for it to come here more often. I realize the league needs to spread it around.

But this is the perfect place to play it.
I've never heard an owner say an unkind word about Miami.

Mr. Pope then said he wanted to mention the Orange Bowl:

Ed Pope: The Orange Bowl Classic, as I like to call it, is the greatest sports attraction South Florida has ever had, and ever will. In terms of the money it brings in, in terms of prestige, in terms of how the Orange Bowl Committee and the weather treat all of our visitors.

I'm a big Orange Bowl Committee fan and I think the Orange Bowl plays a big factor in bringing the Super Bowl to town. Their unselfishness dazzles me.