Through it all, a good person
Bill Bidwill for a long time could reliably be found high on the list of the worst NFL owners. Amid franchise moves, name changes, stadium controversies and an endless parade of coaches and blown draft picks, his St. Louis-Phoenix-Arizona Cardinals lost a lot more than they won. The only constant through the years was Bidwill.
Wealthy by you-and-me standards, Bidwill is only modestly rich compared with most of his fellow NFL barons. Like the Maras in New York and the Rooneys in Pittsburgh, football remains his chief source of income. Some called Bidwill frugal. Many more called him cheap. And when he did dust off his checkbook, it usually was for the wrong player or coach.
Then, suddenly, everything changed. The term “Bidwillian,” used to describe some sort of bumbling move or bonehead act, faded from the conversation. Cracks about his beard or his weight or his bow ties became less frequent. Hiring the right people, getting a spiffy, fan-friendly stadium built, hosting the Super Bowl and then actually having your team play in the Super Bowl can do wonders for your reputation.
The thing is, through it all, Bidwill rarely was seen as a bad human being. Bad owner, perhaps, but basically a decent person. Naturally, he didn’t get along with everybody, and he kicked and screamed about the stadium, but that was business. He is shy in public, sometimes even with his players, but those close to him speak of his kindness, generosity and sense of humor. He loves to spin yarns about the old days, even with strangers. In his personal dealings, Bidwill by all accounts treats folks with courtesy and respect.
Incompetence and misguided decisions by a football owner are one thing. Arrogance, meanness and regarding most people as lint on your lapel are something else. Put all that together and you get the worst kind of owner, or person. If the football gods really do exist, it’s looking as if they take note of such things.
HE SAID WHAT?
“When I coached at Kentucky, I was Darth Vader in every arena. They hung me in effigy in Starkville. So do you think I’m going to face anything I haven’t faced before? When you coach at Kentucky, you’re hated by everybody.”
— Louisville basketball coach Rick Pitino addressing his turbulent offseason
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