Ghosts of the Orange Bowl

Happy 53rd birthday to former Miami Dolphins kicker Olindo Mare. Although Mare played 10 seasons with the Dolphins from 1997 to 2006, his only appearance at the Orange Bowl came as a member of the Syracuse Orangemen (Now Syracuse Orange) in 1995. Mare's Syracuse team lost to the Miami Hurricanes 35-24 to close out the 1995 regular season.

The Orange Bowl played a huge role in Mare's personal destiny. His parents were immigrants from Italy who settled in Broward County. His father Gino grew up a huge soccer fan in Italy. When the Mare family arrived in South Florida, Gino purchased tickets to watch the legendary Pele of Brazil's Santos Football Club play an exhibition match against the Miami Toros at the Orange Bowl. The match was scheduled for June 6, 1973. But Gino Mare would never make it to the Orange Bowl that night. That's because his wife Angela gave birth to Olindo that same day.

Like his father, Olindo Mare grew up a huge soccer fan. His favorite team was the Italian club Juventus. Mare played soccer his entire life. He had no interest in American football. But during his junior year at nearby Cooper City High School, the football team's kicker was struggling. Mare had never kicked an American football until he was 16 year old. He proved to be a natural and became Cooper City's kicker and punter. His leg strength was off the charts. But because of his lack of experience and game film, very few colleges knew about him.

He sent video tapes to colleges hoping to get a scholarship. Mare ended up at tiny MacMurray College in Jacksonville, Illinois. After a tremendous freshman year, he transferred to Syracuse. By his senior year, Mare had blossomed into one of the better kickers in the Big East Conference. During his senior year, he boomed 38 of his 55 kickoffs into the end zone and showed outstanding accuracy.

But when the 1996 NFL Draft came and went, Mare never heard his name called. His agent Drew Rosenhaus arranged for a tryout at St. Thomas Aquinas High School. Among those who showed up was Dolphins special teams coach Mike Westhoff, who was tipped off by the New York Giant's special team's coach. Mare's leg strength was so impressive, Westhoff never forgot about Mare. The Giants initially signed Mare in 1996. But he spent the year on practice squad and was released. When Westhoff heard Mare was let go, he immediately informed Jimmy Johnson to sign Mare.

Despite growing up in South Florida, Mare attended only 1 Dolphin game his entire life. At the time, the team's field goal kicker was Pete Stoyanovich. Now he was about to replace Joe Nedney, who had replaced Stoyanovich. Mare would become the all time leading scorer in Dolphins history. He made the Pro Bowl in 1999 and led the NFL field goal percentage in 2001. He is a member of the last Dolphin team (2000) to win a playoff game. After his time with the Dolphins, he continued to kick in the NFL for 5 more years with the Saints, Seahawks, Bears and Panthers.

Happy 59th birthday to Michael Timpson. In the fall of 1984, Michael Timpson of Hialeah-Miami Lakes High School (pictured below)was the most sought after recruit in South Florida. A Prep All American in football and track, Timpson was named Dade County Athlete of the Year in 1985 by the Miami Herald. Timpson was in such high demand, his mail carrier probably needed a dump truck to deliver all his recruiting letters from college coaches around the nation. Timpson would end up choosing Penn State.

During his freshman year, Timpson saw action for the #1 ranked Nittany Lions which played Oklahoma in the 1986 Orange Bowl. It would be a bittersweet homecoming for Timpson. Penn State would lose 25-10 to the Sooners. The following year, Penn State went undefeated during the regular season again. The Nittany Lions upset Miami in the Fiesta Bowl. However, Timpson did not get to play due to injury. Due to Penn State's conservative offense, he finished college career with 53 receptions for 846 yards and 2 touchdowns. He also returned 2 punts for touchdowns. Timpson was even better on the track. He set the Penn State record in the 200 meter dash and competed in the 1992 U.S. Olympic Trials.

Because of his outstanding speed, Timpson was considered a NFL prospect. He was selected in the 4th round of the 1989 NFL Draft by the New England Patriots. Timpson played 9 seasons with the Patriots, Bears and Eagles. He finished his career with 300 catches for 4,047 yards and 12 touchdowns.

Happy 64th birthday to former Florida State quarterback Eric Thomas. FSU quarterback Eric Thomas is pictured below in action during a 38-3 victory over the Miami Hurricanes in 1984. Also pictured are University of Miami defensive linemen #95 Kevin Fagan and #86 Derwin Jones. The loss spoiled the home debut of new Miami head coach Jimmy Johnson. It would take another 12 years (1996) for the Noles to beat the Canes again at the Orange Bowl. Photo from Christopher Holder.

A native of Valdosta, GA, Eric Thomas was a hometown legend where high school football is an obsession. A 1981 graduate of Lowndes County High School, he played in one of the most intense rivalries in the nation against crosstown Valdosta High School. During his senior year in 1980, he led Lowndes County High to its first state championship. Thomas was named to the Adidas High School All America Team and was one of the nation's top quarterback recruits.

Thomas entered FSU in 1981. He first emerged in 1983, leading the Noles to victory over North Carolina in the Peach Bowl and was named the game's MVP. By 1984, Thomas was the team's full time starting quarterback. The highlight of his career was beating the Canes in 1984. Unfortunately, injuries caught up with Thomas by his senior year in 1985. He had suffered a broken collarbone, a broken finger, a pair of separated shoulders, a strained knee and underwent 2 rotator cuff operations since entering FSU. Thomas was eventually replaced by Danny McManus and freshman Chip Ferguson and rarely played in 1985.

Thomas would earn a Bachelor of Science degree in Sport Management. He later started his own company Thomas Investments in Lake Park, GA. He currently resides in Cincinnati.

Happy 72nd birthday to Larry Brinson. A 1973 graduate of Miami Northwestern High School, Brinson is part of an exclusive club of players to play at least one game at the Orange Bowl at the high school, college and professional levels. Brinson became the starting running back for the Florida Gators in 1973 when Nat Moore suffered a fractured tibia. By the end of his college career, he was one of three running backs used in Florida's wishbone formation. Brinson finished his college career with 1,105 yards rushing and 9 touchdowns.

After a solid college career, Brinson signed with the Dallas Cowboys as an undrafted free agent in 1977. He made the team and was a member of Cowboys squad that captured Super Bowl XII as a kick returner. In his second season, the Cowboys returned to the Super Bowl, this time in a 35-31 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers at the Orange Bowl. Brinson played 5 total NFL seasons with the Cowboys (1977 to 1979) and Seattle Seahawks (1980-81).

After his playing career, Brinson went on to a long career as a running backs coach at the college level with stints at Air Force (1983), Arkansas (1984-89), Clemson (1990-1993), Rice (1994-2005) and Kentucky (2007-2010).

Happy 83rd birthday to Ken Hatfield. University of Arkansas head coach Ken Hatfield is pictured below at the Orange Bowl before a game against the Miami Hurricanes in 1988. Hatfield and the Razorbacks fell just short of pulling off a huge upset, losing 18-16 to the Canes. Hatfield also led Arkansas to the 1987 Orange Bowl Classic, losing 42-8 to Oklahoma.

A native of Helena, Arkansas, Hatfield was a standout defensive back and kick returner for the Razorbacks , then coached by Frank Broyles in the early 1960s. He was a senior on a 1964 Arkansas team that went undefeated. Among his teammates were Jimmy Johnson and Jerry Jones. The Arkansas coaching staff included assistants Barry Switzer and Johnny Majors.

After an outstanding college career, Hatfield went into coach. He was an assistant at Tennessee (1968-1970) and defensive backs coach at the University of Florida from 1971 to 1977. In 1978, Hatfield joined Bill Parcells staff as offensive coordinator at the United States Air Force Academy. He later replaced Parcells as Air Force head coach and transformed the Falcons from a struggling program into perennial winner in the 1980s. Hatfield returned to Arkansas in 1984 when he was chosen over his old college teammate Jimmy Johnson to replace the fired Lou Holtz by then athletic director Frank Broyles. Hatfield led the Razorbacks to a 55-17-1 record from 1984 to 1989, winning 3 Southwest Confernce titles. Hatfield also had head coaching stints at Clemson (1990-1993) and Rice (1994-2005). His career record was 168-140-4.

The late Billy Proulx was born 85 years ago today. A native of Coventry, Rhode Island and a graduate of the United States Air Force Academy, Proulx was a longtime member of the University of Miami football staff from the late 1960s to the early 1980s. During that time, he worked under 5 different head coaches as an assistant coach, recruiting coordinator before finishing his career as an administrative assistant for Howard Schnellenberger. Proulx's responsibilities were primarily in recruiting. He was a major part of helping to build Miami's 1983 national championship team. Proulx also coached and taught at the high school level with stints at Monsignor Edward Pace High School in Miami Gardens and Miami's Christopher Columbus High School.

Proulx eventually returned to Trimble County in Kentucky, where he and his wife owned several small businesses. He created and continued to produce the National championship Coaches Trophy for the American Football Coaches Association as well as the National Championship Coaches Trophies for the men's and women's collegiate basketball trophies that featured Waterford Crystal balls through his company Black Dog Sports LLC. Proulx passed away on February 9, 2012 in Bedford, Kentucky. He was 70 years old.

Here's a classic shot of Jim Kiick running with the ball at the Orange Bowl in 1971. While Larry Csonka grabbed the headlines and Mercury Morris brought the lightning, Kiick was the invaluable glue that held the legendary 1970s Miami Dolphins backfield together. He was a versatile, blue-collar weapon who could grind out a crucial third-down conversion, block like a fullback, and catch passes out of the backfield with elite reliability.

​Without "Butch," that historic 1972 undefeated run simply doesn't happen. He was the ultimate team-first player—unselfish, durable, and tough as nails.