To mic the coaches or not in the Super Bowl? That is the question. 

They got it right the first time they tried and never came close again.

It was Super Bowl IV and the man they picked was a natural.

Hank Stram had to be coaxed into wearing a mic by NFL Films founder Ed Sabol.

His Kansas City Chiefs were taking on the Minnesota Vikings on Jan. 11, 1970 at Tulane Stadium in New Orleans.

His exhibition that day has never been remotely approached by any other coach on any level.

He lived the three hours or so of that game as if he were being paid by the word. If he were, then he made a fortune.

Early in the first quarter, Stram reminded quarterback Len Dawson of how the Minnesota defense was susceptible to the short out route.

“That stuff in front is like stealin’,” he said. “We gotta do more of it. They can’t cover it in a million years. No way they can cover that. That’s why it’s stealin’.”

It was decades before political correctness came into vogue and he sounded comfortable saying, “Kassulke (Vikings defensive back Karl) was runnin’ around out there like it was a Chinese fire drill. They look like they’re flat as hell.”

He had already conveyed more information and comedy for the viewer than had ever been seen or would ever be seen, and he still had three quarters to go.

The most often imitated of his phrases that day is “Keep matriculating the ball down the field, boys.”

He was vehement on a call giving the Vikings a first down, insisting, “They didn’t make it. Aw, the ref definitely gave them an extra foot. Really bad.”

When a Minnesota fumble was returned to the Vikings, he took on the entire crew.

“We got six people out there and they can’t see the ball. How can all six of you miss a play like that? Mr. official, how can all six of you miss a play like that?”

The Chiefs made the score 16-0 in the second quarter on one of the Super Bowl’s more famous plays. Mike Garrett scored from the four-yard line after Stram calls the play.

“65 toss power trap,” he repeated several times to anyone in sight. “It might pop right open,” and it did.

Stram leads the jubilation on the sideline with the greatest Super Bowl grin ever, yelling, “Yeah! 65 toss power trap. Yes sir. It was there, wasn’t it, boys?”

He kept moving the length of the sideline, giddily yelling, “65 Toss Power Trap.”

There were a multitude of luminaries for the Chiefs in the 23- 7 victory, but if a star was born, it was Hank Stram.