HOUSTON _ I disagree with Curt Schilling, who says aura and mystique aren't real unless they are dancers at a strip club. I have seen aura and mystique up close and personal in sports. In the Penguins room when Mario Lemieux walks through and all eyes turn toward him. At a Washington County farm when Mel Blount is training his cutting horses, looking as if he still could play in the NFL at 68. And on Radio Row at Super Bowls when Dan Marino makes the rounds to talk a little football.
Not all athletes have presence.
Lemieux, Blount and Marino ooze it.
That was my first thought when Marino stopped by the 93.7 The Fan table early Wednesday at Super Bowl LI. Marino had plenty to say about Ben Roethlisberger, his struggles with walking away from football, Bill Belichick and Tom Brady, Matt Ryan and his experiences with diva wide receivers.
"I can understand what Ben's thinking, that maybe as time goes on you have to think about retirement," Marino said. "But, in my opinion, he still has a lotta, lotta game left. He can still do this for a long time. I doubt that he's going to retire."
Marino, always mentioned high on the list of great NFL quarterbacks, didn't get to retire on his terms. His final game with the Miami Dolphins was a 62-7 loss to Jacksonville in the playoffs after the 1999 season. He was 38 and had played 17 seasons when new coach Dave Wannstedt and the Dolphins organization decided he no longer could play. The divorce was ugly. Marino briefly flirted with the Steelers and Minnesota Vikings about a soft landing but ultimately decided he didn't want to play in another city. He is sports deity in South Florida. Think Lemieux in Pittsburgh.
"I definitely could have played another year at least, no doubt," Marino said. "It was real hard. It's something you do your whole life. I played quarterback from the time I was 7 years old and then, all of a sudden, you're 39 years old. Mentally and physically, when it's the time of year to go to summer camp and start playing games and you're not doing that, it's tough, real tough."
After a legendary career at Pitt, Marino played his first 13 NFL seasons in Miami for Don Shula, the league's winningest coach. They went to just one Super Bowl _ Super Bowl XIX after Marino's second season in 1984 _ and lost to Joe Montana's San Francisco 49ers. It was the only Super Bowl of Marino's iconic career. He has a hard time believing that Super Bowl LI Sunday night will be the seventh Super Bowl for Belichick and Brady.
"It's pretty amazing what Bill and Tom have been able to do in New England," Marino said. "I give them a lot of credit for it. It's the continuity between the head coach and the quarterback. The continuity is big. That's why they've had so much success. You can move players in and out and still have that same coaching staff and same quarterback. That combination works ...
"(Shula) was great with me. Sometimes during the season, I felt like I spent more time with coach Shula than I did with my wife. As a matter of fact, I probably did. We're around each other a lot. You have to find ways to get along. You're working for the same thing. He knew how to get me going."
Many, including me, have called Brady the greatest quarterback in NFL history. Marino wouldn't quite go that far but made it clear he is a big Brady fan.
"I've always liked Tom and the way he's played and the competitor that he is. He has everything you look for in a quarterback. Being a leader. Has a great release. He's tough. He's extremely competitive. He's really good as far as getting the ball out quick. He does what he needs to do to win football games. Sometimes, it's taking shots down the field. Sometimes, it's just getting the ball out quick. He has great presence in the pocket. He has it all."
Of course, there's another quarterback playing in Super Bowl LI. Atlanta's Matt Ryan is expected to be named the NFL's MVP Saturday night.
"He deserves it. He's had a great year," Marino said. "He's one of those guys with a big arm, a young strong guy who's going to continue to have success in the league for a long time."
Marino spent much of his Hall of Fame career throwing the football to Mark Duper and Mark Clayton. Marino laughed when asked if they were divas the way so many of today's receivers are.
"Every receiver is somewhat of a diva, somehow. They all want the football. But they were great to work with. You have that respect and friendship. But they complained sometimes if they didn't get the ball ...
"I tried to throw them the ball as much as possible. That's part of it. You have to realize that as a quarterback. The best way to do it, I would say, is manage it the best you can and throw them the ball as much as you can. But, if it keeps going, don't throw them the ball anymore."
I'm thinking there's a lesson there for Roethlisberger and Antonio Brown.
Marino's broken relationship with the Dolphins has healed. In addition to his many business and charity interests, he is an adviser to the organization.
"I've done some work the past couple years on the draft. I've been around practice. I've really enjoyed it and hope to keep doing it."
It's fair to say the Dolphins like having Marino around. He commands their attention with his presence and their respect with his accomplishments.
Again, think Lemieux in Pittsburgh.
