'72 Dolphins happy to be alone in perfection

0 Comments | USA TODAY, February, 2008 | by Skip Wood

PHOENIX -- His team's 1972 legacy about to be matched, and even surpassed, former Miami Dolphins coach Don Shula watched Super Bowl XLII from a suite at University of Phoenix Stadium and was prepared to offer congratulations to the New England Patriots afterward.

But when the Patriots' final comeback attempt failed, their upset defeat to the New York Giants ensured, Shula simply smiled and hugged his wife, according to Dolphins publicist Harvey Greene, who also was in the suite.

"You could just tell he was really, really happy," Greene said. After all, the '72 Dolphins, at 17-0, remain the only team in NFL history to run the table en route to the championship. The Patriots finished 18-1 after the 17-14 loss.

"What I learned today was how tough it is...