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Lawlor: Why Buddy Ryan Is So Beloved

Buddy Ryan passed away this week. While he hadn't coached a game for the Eagles since 1990, Ryan still feels like part of the organization. You have to understand where the Eagles were before his arrival to truly appreciate the impact Ryan had.

The Eagles beat the Packers in the NFL Championship Game in December of 1960. In the 25 seasons between that and Ryan's arrival, the Eagles had just six winning seasons. Losing was the norm. The Eagles were bad and not a whole lot of fun to follow. There was a lull in the losing when Dick Vermeil came to town and turned the Eagles into winners, highlighted by a trip to the Super Bowl in 1980.