W-b Owes To Two Firefighters

Albert Stravinsky 
Feb. 5, 1994 
Albert J. Stravinsky, Of Walnut Street, Luzerne, Died Saturday At Riverstreet 
Manor, Wilkes-barre.

Tuesday, February 08, 1994 &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Page: 





A method to his madness &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 By his own admission, new Phoenix Cardinals coach Buddy Ryan is a tough
guy, a no-nonsense fellow with whom disagreement could lead either to becoming
the recipient of either verbal or physical violenceWhen he was coach of the
Philadelphia Eagles, for example, it seemingly was against Buddy's policy to
hold a post-game press conference in which he didn't either swear at or
virtually laugh in the face of someone who asked him a question. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; This past autumn, as defensive coordinator of the Houston Oilers, he took a
swing at offensive coordinator Kevin Gilbride and verbally insulted just about
everybody else, including head coach Jack Pardee. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 If this sort of behavior carries over to his everyday life, Buddy
presumably is one of those guys who... &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Would bump into you at a shopping mall and not say "Excuse Me." &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Would start blaring his car horn if you were a second late in responding to
a green light in front of him. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Would show up in the supermarket's Express Lane with a basket full of
groceries and then want to pay with a personal check, to boot. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Why is it, then, that according to a number of reports, just about every
defensive player in the National Football League is calling his agent this
week to work out a way to get to Phoenix? &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 In addition to being named the Cardinals' new coach, Ryan was also named
the team's general manager. That gives him the authority he has always
coveted, the authority to bring in his own players and conduct his own drafts. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 But the way rumors are circulating about former Ryan pupils wanting to play
for him again, Buddy might be able to sleep in the next few draft days, he'll
have so many big-name players already on board. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 During the Pro Bowl on Sunday night, one of the ESPN announcers suggested
that Chicago Bears pass-rushing ace Richard Dent -- a member of Ryan's famed
defense with the 1985 Super Bowl champion Bears -- will soon be Phoenix-bound. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 So, too, some reports have said, will some of Buddy's players from Houston,
notably another former Bear, linebacker Wilbur Marshall. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 And at least one story out of Philadelphia has stated that linebacker Seth
Joyner will lead a virtual stampede of the little horse trainer's former
Eagles defensive players to Arizona. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 It is a contradiction that many people can't stand Buddy Ryan while many
others seem to revere him. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Actually, though, those who can't stand him are those to whom Buddy has
never owed allegiance. The media, other coaches, owners, some fans. They, in
Buddy's mind, have no relevance. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 But the players, they're different. They are the ones to whom Buddy and any
football coach owes the most. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Buddy Ryan never got his Eagles past the first round of the playoffs -- and
because he disregards offensive football, don't expect him to do much better
with the Cardinals. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 But if any of those guys who played for him at his previous stops join him
in Phoenix, it will be because he stuck with them through a strike, stuck with
them through frustrating losses, stuck with them when the media, owners and
fans got on them. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 For all we know, he may have lent them money when they needed it, bought
fur coats for their wives and girlfriends on Valentine's Day, or visited their
sick children in the hospital. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Whatever it was, he has their allegiance because they had his. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 And, courtesy of the Phoenix Cardinals, the rest of the NFL has to find a
way to co-exist with the whole bunch. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Bill Savage is a Times Leader sports writer. His column appears Tuesday and
Thursday.

A Method To His Madness 
By His Own Admission, New Phoenix Cardinals Coach Buddy Ryan Is A Tough Guy, A 
No-nonsense Fellow With Whom Disagreement Could Lead Either To Becoming The 
Recipient Of Either Verbal Or Physical Violence.

A Method To His Madness By His Own Admission, New Phoenix Cardinals Coach Buddy Ryan Is A Tough Guy, A No-nonsense Fellow With Whom Disagreement Could Lead Either To Becoming The Recipient Of Either Verbal Or Physical Violence.