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https://www.panthers.com/video/watch-sam-mills-a-football-life-19578866
I know it has been mentioned on here before but this film is incredible. Loads of contributions from Saints legends and some amazing insights into Sam’s life, his setbacks, and his ultimate victory.
If you are severely Pantherphobic go to 1:42 to start…(Link at top)
On his height
Sam Mills: ‘Actually I’m 5-9 and ¾’
Jim Mora on first seeing him: ‘How we gonna win with a 5’9 ¼ linebacker?’
Great quotes:
Bobby Hebert: ‘If someone didn’t get along with Sam Mills they need to look in the mirror!’
Sam Mills: ‘I always wanted to be the first person to know how bad I am and the last person to know how good I am’.
Teammate at Montclair St: ‘You look like a mouse in a herd of elephants’
Herschel Walker after being battered by Sam: ‘Who the hell are you and where did you come from?’
Wonderful facts:
He didn’t make the NFL until he was 27 and still had 12-year career.
3 seasons in the USFL made all-league team all 3 seasons. 592 tackles. Two championships
In his first Saints practice Mora was worried he was too short. He lined up against a guard and beat him three straight plays…..Mora: ‘The Saints players went….woah!’
NFL all-pro at 37. Five pro bowls.
Getting cut:
1981/2 cut by the Browns, 1983 cut by the Toronto Argonauts of the CFL
Sam Mills: ‘I was running out of leagues’.
Cleveland head coach Sam Rutigliano to his friend Carl Peterson of the Philadelphia Stars on taking a chance on Sam: ‘We are cutting a player I don’t think we should cut. I think the only reason we are cutting him is because he is too short, but I really think this guy can play. Do not let him go until you see him play!’
He had been cut a few times in his career and so when he turned up in NOLA he decided to rent an apartment rather than buy a house. He only thought about something more permanent after a complete first year with the team.
Vince Tobin, DC with the Stars: ‘If he had had one bad practice he’d have been gone, but he never had one’
How good was Sam?
Jim Mora said: ‘(Sam was) the best player I ever coached. When you think about everything you’d like in a player on the field, off the field, everything….he’s the best – and I coached Peyton Manning for four years!’
Jim Mora: ‘(Jim) Kelly, (Steve) Young, Reggie White…Sam was every bit the player these guys (were).’
The Dome Patrol
Rickey: ‘Nobody, no better than us.’
Vaughan: ‘We were gonna make you pay when you came and played the Dome Patrol.
Sam was on child-minding duties on the night of the famous Dome Patrol photo. He hauled his son Sam along with him and the poor kid had to sit for hours watching on.
Vaughan Johnson believes Sam was standing on his tip-toes for the photo
Sam used psychology to fire up his fellow LBs. He used to tell Rickey that they must be the best side of the defence and get more tackles that Vaughan and Pat.
Rickey: ‘Sam was like an extra coach on the field.’
Great moments on the video:
16:43 Sam coaching Vaughan and making him analyse the replay
17:13 the most iconic sight in early Saints history.
I know it has been mentioned on here before but this film is incredible. Loads of contributions from Saints legends and some amazing insights into Sam’s life, his setbacks, and his ultimate victory.
If you are severely Pantherphobic go to 1:42 to start…(Link at top)
On his height
Sam Mills: ‘Actually I’m 5-9 and ¾’
Jim Mora on first seeing him: ‘How we gonna win with a 5’9 ¼ linebacker?’
Great quotes:
Bobby Hebert: ‘If someone didn’t get along with Sam Mills they need to look in the mirror!’
Sam Mills: ‘I always wanted to be the first person to know how bad I am and the last person to know how good I am’.
Teammate at Montclair St: ‘You look like a mouse in a herd of elephants’
Herschel Walker after being battered by Sam: ‘Who the hell are you and where did you come from?’
Wonderful facts:
He didn’t make the NFL until he was 27 and still had 12-year career.
3 seasons in the USFL made all-league team all 3 seasons. 592 tackles. Two championships
In his first Saints practice Mora was worried he was too short. He lined up against a guard and beat him three straight plays…..Mora: ‘The Saints players went….woah!’
NFL all-pro at 37. Five pro bowls.
Getting cut:
1981/2 cut by the Browns, 1983 cut by the Toronto Argonauts of the CFL
Sam Mills: ‘I was running out of leagues’.
Cleveland head coach Sam Rutigliano to his friend Carl Peterson of the Philadelphia Stars on taking a chance on Sam: ‘We are cutting a player I don’t think we should cut. I think the only reason we are cutting him is because he is too short, but I really think this guy can play. Do not let him go until you see him play!’
He had been cut a few times in his career and so when he turned up in NOLA he decided to rent an apartment rather than buy a house. He only thought about something more permanent after a complete first year with the team.
Vince Tobin, DC with the Stars: ‘If he had had one bad practice he’d have been gone, but he never had one’
How good was Sam?
Jim Mora said: ‘(Sam was) the best player I ever coached. When you think about everything you’d like in a player on the field, off the field, everything….he’s the best – and I coached Peyton Manning for four years!’
Jim Mora: ‘(Jim) Kelly, (Steve) Young, Reggie White…Sam was every bit the player these guys (were).’
The Dome Patrol
Rickey: ‘Nobody, no better than us.’
Vaughan: ‘We were gonna make you pay when you came and played the Dome Patrol.
Sam was on child-minding duties on the night of the famous Dome Patrol photo. He hauled his son Sam along with him and the poor kid had to sit for hours watching on.
Vaughan Johnson believes Sam was standing on his tip-toes for the photo
Sam used psychology to fire up his fellow LBs. He used to tell Rickey that they must be the best side of the defence and get more tackles that Vaughan and Pat.
Rickey: ‘Sam was like an extra coach on the field.’
Great moments on the video:
16:43 Sam coaching Vaughan and making him analyse the replay
17:13 the most iconic sight in early Saints history.
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