OT: RIP Marty Schottenheimer
Marty Schottenheimer has passed away. He won at least ten games eleven times, made the playoffs thirteen times, and was a class act. He could never quite make it to the Super Bowl, but he was one of the best coaches of his generation nonetheless.
February 9th, 2021 at 10:33 AM ^
WTF??? This seems sudden, although I know he was quite old. He had a great career...
RIP, coach.
Edit: He was 77 and had been suffering from Alzheimer's since 2014. So maybe not unexpected from the family's perspective. But it still sucks and my thoughts go out to his family.
February 9th, 2021 at 10:36 AM ^
I think he went into hospice care last week or the week before.
February 9th, 2021 at 10:37 AM ^
Yeah when they said he moved into hospice care the other week, you sorta just assumed the end was near.
Reminds me of Pat Summit in how fast they both died once they got the diagnosis. I believe Pat died within 5 years, and Marty here in about 6.
February 9th, 2021 at 11:21 AM ^
I've seen studies that infer patients actually have Alz for two years prior to their actual diagnoses.
Going through this with my 83 year old mother now and it ain't any fun at all to see her capabilities grind lower.
February 9th, 2021 at 12:04 PM ^
"I've seen studies that infer patients actually have Alz for two years prior to their actual diagnoses."
It makes sense when you think about it. When those first signs show up, forgetting a few things here and there, its easy to just write it off as saying "Ehh I'm just getting old, and old people forget things sometimes." There isn't an immediate symptom that makes you think this must be what's going on.
By the way, I'm sorry you have to go through this. My mom went through it with my grandfather a few years back and I know it was a terrible experience for both her and my uncle to watch his decline. He worked in NYC for nearly 50 years, knew every nook and cranny of the city, every bar, restaurant, seemingly every little detail about every little street corner, every little shortcut. When my Mom and I were in the city visiting colleges for me, about 15 years ago, we were going to meet him for dinner afterwards somewhere in Little Italy. I think my Mom had an idea something was wrong when he picked us up, apologized for being late, and said he got lost trying to find us. That was a man who never got lost.
February 9th, 2021 at 1:55 PM ^
FLETCH: Oh, I don't belong formally. I've gone with my aunt.
DR. DOLEN: Your aunt?
FLETCH: Mrs. Smith.
DR. DOLEN: Joan or Margaret Smith.
FLETCH: Right.
DR. DOLEN: Well, which one?
FLETCH: Margaret.
DR. DOLEN: Funny old bird.
FLETCH: Is she ever. I've got some stories....
DR. DOLEN: I'll bet. Shame about Ed.
FLETCH: It was. Really a shame. To go so suddenly.
DR. DOLEN: Oh, he was dying for years.
FLETCH: Sure, but the end was so sudden.
DR. DOLEN: He was in intensive care for eight weeks.
FLETCH: Yes, but the very end, when he actually died, that was extremely sudden.
February 9th, 2021 at 2:47 PM ^
Classic!
February 9th, 2021 at 10:36 AM ^
Glad his, and his family's suffering is over. Hellish disease.
February 9th, 2021 at 10:55 AM ^
The family suffering is so brutal. My grandfather had Alzheimer's and for a while he just needed to be reminded of who we were and it would come back. In his final days, he had zero recollection of my mother and actually called for the nurse because a stranger was in his room going through his things. Even a photo of my grandmother, to whom he was married for 60 years, got the response of "I've never seen this person in my life." You could see my mother's heart break in real time the moment my grandfather permanently lost all memory of her.
Gut wrenching.
February 9th, 2021 at 10:57 AM ^
Brother, so sorry for your / your family's experience. Cannot even begin to imagine.
February 9th, 2021 at 10:47 AM ^
There was an ESPN piece on him just a couple years ago. It showed how quickly his memory was deteriorating. He was talking about things that happened years ago thinking he experienced that this morning. I remember he mentioned someone in their family who they were either going to see or just had seen, but his wife had to let him know that person passed away years ago.
February 9th, 2021 at 10:58 AM ^
Saw that as well. He was speaking about living in PA, and his wife had to interrupt him during the interview to remind him they have been living in NC for several years. So sad to see.
February 9th, 2021 at 11:20 AM ^
Alzheimer's sucks. My Mom had it for 5 years before her death in 2018. She had macular degeneration, so she could not see. Fortunately, she invested in a lifetime care facility and was able to receive care. I visited here every evening to assure that she received proper care for the last five years of her life. If you can, and you are located close to a loved one receiving care at a skilled nursing unit, visit them as often as possible and critically review the care being given. Not that there is an intent to neglect, but there is that possibility for those without active caring family.
February 9th, 2021 at 4:16 PM ^
My dad died from stroke-related dementia, which is different from Alzheimer's in clinical details but still was hellish for him. He also suffered from macular degeneration as well, and I believe that losing his sight accelerated his dementia-caused decline.
Give me a heart attack any day.
February 9th, 2021 at 11:22 AM ^
One of the best "mic'd up" clips ever IMO. RIP Marty - you were the best HC the Browns had since Paul Brown
February 9th, 2021 at 11:32 AM ^
I thought of you when I posted this. I lived in the KC area when he was there. I always liked him a lot.
February 9th, 2021 at 11:43 AM ^
Damn shame he never made it to the SB while in Cleveland. I liked his style and I loved his teams.
February 9th, 2021 at 12:41 PM ^
For one season, he was the best coach Washington had, both before and after Gibbs. He should be in the HOF.
February 9th, 2021 at 1:00 PM ^
Agreed but unfortunately the voters focus on the 2nd stat line, not the first.
Regular season:NFL: 200–126–1 (.613)
Postseason:NFL: 5–13 (.278)
February 9th, 2021 at 11:22 AM ^
Alzheimers is the worst. I hope his family finally has some peace.
February 9th, 2021 at 11:39 AM ^
Still can’t believe he went 14-2 his last year with the Chargers...and was fired!
great guy and coach
February 9th, 2021 at 2:13 PM ^
What if Marlon McCree never fumbles? A very haunting question for Chargers fans.
Despite the 14-2 record, Marty unfortunately had to go after that game. Most folks watching the game even then KNEW - especially when the Chargers went 3-and-out on the possession after New England tied the game - that San Diego wasn't going to come back from that. Either in the short- or the long-term.
RIP Marty.
February 9th, 2021 at 3:39 PM ^
Funny you mention that. Local sports talk mentioned that game and play...
February 9th, 2021 at 4:27 PM ^
Among Chargers fans, that game still has a "The Day The Music Died" feel.
That was THE moment. So damn close, but they lost it at the key moment, and the team wasn't going to get that close again any time soon, if ever.
1992 Pittsburgh Pirates, Andy Roddick at 2009 Wimbledon, Greg Norman at the 1996 Masters, 2000 Blazers, 2002 Kings. All the same sort of deal.
2012 Cincinnati Reds, for something less well-known nationally but much closer to my heart (why the hell did Dusty let Latos pitch to Posey???????)
February 9th, 2021 at 8:34 PM ^
Well, they did advance to the AFC Championship the very next year under Norv.
February 9th, 2021 at 10:02 PM ^
They did. The 2002-03 Kings were also a good team, 3rd most wins in the NBA.
The 2007 Chargers also lost 38-14 to the Patriots in Week 2 in a game that felt like a 98-14 type of game. It was nothing like the previous season's NE/SD playoff game --- SD didn't belong on the same field as NE and it was apparent from the game's 1st minute.
As I recall the 2007 NFL season and the 2002-03 NBA season, there was no real point, even from Day 1, where anyone really thought "the Chargers/Kings are the league's best team, they'll be able to avenge that missed opportunity versus New England/Los Angeles from last year." The moment had simply passed.
February 9th, 2021 at 10:17 PM ^
There’s a clip from pregame where he specifically tells Marlon if they’re up late and he gets a turnover just go down. Don’t try to run it back.
February 9th, 2021 at 11:44 AM ^
The Chargers had a great thing going with him... was shocked they had fired him... they were quite formidable.
February 9th, 2021 at 11:53 AM ^
Underrated coach in retrospect.
It's an awful disease.
February 9th, 2021 at 12:03 PM ^
Marty Schottenheimer and Mary Wilson on the same day. RIP I wonder who the third person was.
February 9th, 2021 at 12:29 PM ^
I moved to KC in late 1991 and was there through the summer of 94. My first NFL game was at Arrowhead watching Schottenheimer's teams. I watched guys like Derrek Thomas and Neil Smith and the twilight years of Joe Montana and Marcus Allen. This one hurts.
RIP Coach
February 9th, 2021 at 2:01 PM ^
It's going to be a banner day for the human race when they find a cure for Alzheimers. I don't know how far off it is. Years, decades, I don't know. But they will find a cure one day, and it will be one of the most important dates in human history.
There are few ways worse to watch a loved one go than watching them succumb to Alzheimers.
February 9th, 2021 at 4:21 PM ^
Former Lions assistant Schottenheimer should have been hired by the Lions as HC at some point in his career.
He was a Byner fumble and a John Elway HOF drive away from getting the Browns into two Super Bowls.
February 9th, 2021 at 8:42 PM ^
If I recall correctly, Schottenheimer was going to be offered the Lions' job in '89 but WCF decided to go with Fontes because of the win at Green Bay. So Marty went to KC.
One of the greatest what ifs in NFL history is what would the Lions' fate have been with Barry in a Marty offense instead of the run 'n' shoot.
February 10th, 2021 at 11:49 PM ^
I'm buzzin', Dirty Dozen, naughty rotten rhymer
Cursin' at you players worse than Marty Schottenheimer