Shula's still a winner

Don Shula’s appearance last night in Chapel Hill was one of the nicest social events of the year. Not only did he make a few remarks to note the official opening of Shula’s 347 Grill at the Sheraton on Europa Drive, attendees put down enough bids on some Carolina and Miami Dolphin memorabilia and gifts to raise more than $5,000 for the UNC Children’s Hospital.
The restaurant, named for Shula’s record of 347 wins, (still the most ever in National Football League,) is his 29th nationwide since opening his first in 1989. His son, Dave Shula, actually presides over the family’s corporation, but Don and wife Marie still enjoy touring the holdings and making public appearances.
"When I went into coaching, I wanted to be the best. I’m proud getting the most wins, proud of the perfect (17-0) season and back-to-back Super Bowls," he said. "The restaurant business is totally different, but we still want to be the best. We want to serve the best meal in the world and the most satisfied customers."
Shula’s 347 is a hybrid of a sports bar and high-end steak house. Fittingly, Tuesday’s soiree featured a mix of crab cakes, beef filets, prawns, raw oysters and steamed mussels on the half-shell, smoked and soft cheeses, crudités and fruits. Guest were offered a commemorative bottle of Shula's Special Steak Sauce as they left.
Shula’s place atop the coaching pyramid was enough to draw a sizeable number of sporting types to the opening — from UNC coach Butch Davis and his wife Tammy to football alums Ken Huff and Ted Elkins to Lynda Baddour (flying solo for UNC Athletics, since her husband was with the UNC basketball team in Detroit at the ACC/Big Ten Challenge).
Shula’s relationship with Davis goes back to Butch’s time with the Miami Hurricanes. Shula drew applause when lauding Davis, as did master of ceremonies Ron Stutts.
"From 4-8 to 8-4 in one year … that’s pretty good," Shula noted.
There were plenty of reps from the local entertainment and tourism industries among the more than 100 attendees, including Top of the Hill founder Scott Maitland; the Sheraton’s Wes Collins (Director of Sales) and Nitin Khana (General Manager); Anthony Carey, General Manager of the Siena; marketing guru Dave Gephart; and Laurie Paolicelli, executive director of the Chapel Hill-Orange County Visitors Bureau.