Bum Phillips, the homespun Texan who was caricatured as a cowboy but possessed a keen football mind that built the Houston Oilers into one of the N.F.L.s leading teams of the late 1970s, died Friday at his ranch in Goliad, Tex. He was 90. Outfitted in a white Stetson, work shirt, jeans and cowboy boots including a powder-blue pair to match the Oiler colors Phillips was a square-jawed, buzz-cut outsized character with a host of one-liners. When he became the Oiler coach and general manager in 1975, replacing Sid Gillman, who was long renowned as a master of passing attacks, Phillips was charged with rebuilding a downtrodden franchise. He did just that, developing an outstanding defense anchored by Elvin Bethea at end and Curley Culp at nose tackle, and an offense spurred by the brilliant running of Earl Campbell, all of them future Hall of Famers. And he made astute pickups of unheralded players in twice bringing Houston to the brink of the Super Bowl. HERE Rest in peace, Bum, you left us with many good memories.
And Bud Adams is dead today... http://blog.chron.com/ultimatetexans/2013/10/titans-owner-bud-adams-dies/?cmpid=hpfc Get ready folks, there's gonna be some football in heaven tonite
