The New York Times-20080128-Former Patriots Coach Dies- -Brief-

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Former Patriots Coach Dies; [Brief]

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Mike Holovak, a longtime N.F.L. executive who coached the Patriots to their first championship game, died Sunday, a few hours before the team left for the Super Bowl. He was 88.Holovak died in Ruskin, Fla., of complications from pneumonia, the Boston College spokesman Reid Oslin said after speaking with Holovak's wife, Pauline Scudder Holovak. Holovak was a former football star and coach at Boston College.Holovak led the Boston Patriots to the American Football League title game after the 1963 season. They lost to San Diego, 51-10. Holovak had a 53-47-9 record as Patriots coach. Only Bill Belichick has more wins, with 105.Holovak later was vice president for player personnel and general manager of the Houston Oilers, a position he kept when the team moved to Tennessee to become the Titans.