The Dolphins Make Me Cry.com - Forums

I'm talking to"Dave Gray" and he is arguing that we are comptetive enough not to make wholesale changes...I disagree. I think we're one of the most uncompetitive teams in the league. We can't argue that we're better than teams that have won (he says we're more competitive than cleveland). Discuss...

We lost to the Browns when the Browns didn't have their best player on the field for the game.

What's to discuss?

We suck in every aspect of the game...passing, running on both sides of the ball.  Who's our superstar?.....

Exactly...no one!

I think we are a team where if we had a good QB can win between 8-10 games depending on bounces. Then again, our defense has been terrible this season, so who knows?

You know Randy Quaid in Major League?  How he starts off as a huge homer, then snaps and turns on the team?  Ya, I'm thinking that's me right now.


(http://exburgher.com/art/stories/July06/MajorLeague2/RandyQuaidHappy.jpg)

I think Dave is right. We have been competitive in every game we have played, but not good enough. I believe if we had a better coach, this team would be 2-2 right now. Tony is in the bottom third of the league in coaches if not in the bottom 5.

This team has quit playing for Sparano. You can see it on the defensive side of the ball. There was a LOT of give up out there on the defensive side of the ball. They simply don't know how to change things.

It's at the point where terrible signifies hope. That went out the window with San Diego's first TD.

He's misrepresenting my point.

I think that we are competitive, and that's kinda the problem.  The potential that we have is keeping us from looking at our biggest issues.  We're not making widespread changes.  It's masking our ability to really address things.

But, we're better than many of us want to believe.  There are teams in the lead with better records that I believe we're actually better than.  It speaks to our ineptitude at management, that we're losing games that we should be winning.  It also speaks to our lack of trustworthy superstars, since our key positions aren't stepping up in win/lose situations.

 our key positions aren't stepping up in win/lose situations.


Like for example Brandon Marshall, who leads the league in dropped passes.

Prior to this season, I would agree with you. However, these last four games have completely unmasked the need for an overhaul.

I see your point Dave but I still disagree. Houston, NE, and SD are playoff teams. Who are we losing that we shouldn't be too?

And we lost to the Browns when the Browns didn't have their best player. How much more of a gift do ya want?

I think we are worse than many think we believe. I really think this is at most a 2 win team and what I saw out of KC and Denver today maybe an 0-16 team. We won't be favorites in a game once this year. Maybe its an EVEN spread vs Denver, maybe. The secondary is brutal and in a league where everyone passes the ball that is a bad thing. A very bad thing.

you are what you're record says you are... i mean that is all that matters in this game.

you can't say, oh we only lost by a little to this great team therefore we are decent. winning in the nfl against anyone is hard. joe rose was saying on the radio that paterno would tell them all the time at penn state that there are really only a handful of plays that matter in a football game. the dolphins don't have players that make a difference on those plays.

There is talent on this team...      Problem is....there isn't enough talent to get us over where we're lacking. We have a offensive scheme that's built for a team with a good offensive line... our line is not that good!   We have talented starting CB's that are still developing and a decent safety in Bell... our other CB's and safeties are not that good.  We don't have a solid QB that could mask some of our problems...

look at our team position by position and count the number of players you think could start for other teams.... I don't think you'd get enough to field a offense or defense.  Marshall is really a disappointment!    I can understand at times he and the QB not being on the same page but the drops and lack of effort at times is really bothersome.

Aside from Long....where is the talent? Dansby has been OK since coming over but hasn't lived up to his contract. Marshall has been awful. Pouncey looks OK but only 4 games.

Where is the talent? Not being sarcastic, its a serious question.

Yeah, we're worse than the teams we've been playing (short of the Browns).

NE, SD, and Houston are much better teams, and should win.  But we should have (and we outplayed) the Browns.  I also suspect that there will be a similar outcome with teams like the Chiefs and Broncos.  We're probably better, but we may lose those games.

I think we can't just see 0-4 = sucks.  Because we still have big, big, big problems had we managed to squeak out wins today and in Cleveland.

Well, I didn't say a lot of talent...  I think  Pouncey, Vontae Davis and Smith are young players that are developing.  Hartline has shown that he can be a #2 and Bess is compared to Welker as a slot guy.  Clay showed today that he can be a match up problem... but he's a rookie.

We have a decent LB core but no real D-line so that can really make your LB's look bad.  The D-line is not providing any pressure and they are not keeping O-linemen off our LB's either.  Add that to poor safety play and... well you get the point!

Let me try this again, to clarify.  We have enough good players to be competitive, from game to game.

However, we've tied ourselves to good players that aren't playing great like we expect.  It's a systemic problem, because we're building our team around players and systems that are doomed to fail.

Brandon Marshall is a good example.  He's a good receiver.  He's probably a very good receiver.  However, we're building our team around Marshall being an elite stud, and he's just not.  We need to admit to ourselves that we probably need to let him go and find another place to use our resources.  Thinking that this is a Henne or Sparano problem is missing the bigger picture.  Sure, we may be a few games better with a better coach or QB, but you'd still have your same core issues that need to be addressed.

It's almost better that we're losing these games and have a tough schedule, because even though I think we're probably better, skillwise, than our record indicates, that skill isn't enough to build around.  Anyone that thinks that "Henne is the problem" or "Sparano is the problem" just isn't right.  It's bigger than that.  The core of the team is the problem -- the strategy, the system, the identity, the mindset.

Sean Smith sucks! Seriously he is awful. Lost out to Jason Allen last year. And has been beaten time and time again this year. He his horrible.

Hartline is NOT a #2 WR on a decent team in this league. He is a marginal NFL player. Worth a roster spot, not worth lots of playing time.

QB and Head coach are 75% of your team in this day in age. Henne is a huge problem. Sparano is right there with him. It starts and ends at head coach and QB. The problem doesn't get fixed until you replace those 2 and put competent people in those 2 spots. THEN and ONLY THEN can you start to move in a forward direction.

I'm not trying to save Henne or Sparano.  I think that Sparano out is a foregone conclusion.

I think that it's a matter of getting new free agents and getting rid of some key players that we've built around.  Ask yourself -- does this player get us closer to a championship.  It's sad that I think Marshall, on paper, may be our best player, but he's got to go, because he's not performing at a level that we require to use up that capital.

This we agree on

I completely agree with everything you said up to here. No question if Sparano is fired, the first thing the new head coach should do is try to trade Marshall. He still has trade potential and Miami is deep at WR, get a draft pick for him and try to bring along the young guys.

Here I don't agree. It is a Sparano problem. He wasn't that great of a coach when Parcells was holding his hand, now that the Tuna is gone, he's floundering big time. He admitted just last week that he doesn't have any answers. All he has left is fist pumps and trying to get the team excited on FG's, but the players aren't buying into it anymore. They come off the field knowing they have to do better and here is the head coach acting like they are winning the freaking football game. He's a glorified chearleader at this point and the players know it.

Dave, just what do you think the head coach does anyway? He doesn't install the strategy, the system, the identity and the mindset? That's ALL he does. That's ALL on the head coach. Everyone under Sparano should be marching to his drum, but they aren't. I don't really know why or how that came to be, but he's lost the team and they are lost right now. I don't really care about winning games, but they MUST find themselves before next year. We cannot go into the off-season completely clueless again. Sure, another head coach is gonna make changes, but I'm not talking about finding a strategy or a system, I'm talking about finding some confidence. Some success. It doesn't even have to be wins, but the team has to come together and start playing for each other. Maybe a new coach does that and maybe he doesn't but clearly Sparano doesn't know how to do it. I can't believe you can't see that Dave. He's lost them.

Sure, get rid of Sparano...whatever.  I'm not trying to save him.  But I think that where we are is due to the principles and strategy of Parcells and Ireland (and Sparano, too).

I think that Sparano is not losing the game in the Xs and Os of games.  Even if Sparano were a better coach and that small difference made a difference between 0-4 and 2-2, we're still in bad shape either way.

In short, the fundamentals of the makeup of our team are weak.  It's bigger than bad coaching.  It's bad management (which coaching is a part of, but not the biggest part.)

No question. Get rid of Ireland too. Parcells is already gone. Bring in someone new and start fresh next year. Absolutely.

No, it's not X's and O's, it's execution of those X's and O's. Sparano knows what he wants the players to do, but they aren't doing it. That falls on him. He's got to get his team prepared. Perhaps these players just cannot be prepared no matter who the coach is, but you can't fire the players. Start with the head coach and then let him get the guys he wants. I know it means another rebuilding project, but it has to be done.

I disagree. Coaching and player personel are the biggest part of it. That's Sparano and Ireland and Parcells when he was here. The owner has nothing to say in any of that, all he does is hire the coach and GM and let them do their stuff.

We have in the last 8-10 years, picked up a top name or playmaker that has failed to produce in big situations or on a consistent basis. it seems as though the ones that have produced are no names or came out of left-field.  it's unfortunate, but seems to be the norm for MIA

I love how people create a firm number out of thin air for something that doesn't have a firm number, just so it sounds more "factual," and less "made up."


So, Ireland isn't part of the problem?

Funny isn't it? LOL

I was thinking the same thing.  In my line of work we are required to provide facts and data when we spew random numbers like that.

My questions is this:
Why is it that playmakers make plays on other teams, and just generally suck in Miami?
- Brandon Marshall in Denver was top 5 in the league
- Reggie Bush has always been talented and is getting outperformed by a 2nd-round rookie
- Bobby Carpenter is starting on the last undefeated team and returned a pick for a TD yesterday.
- How many players have left the Dolphins and went on to be superstars in New England and elsewhere?
- Anthony Armstrong couldn't even make the team here, and is starting in Washington

That's just a few. The only consistent variable is the MIAMI DOLPHINS.  Why is this team poison for any player that wears the aqua jersey?

and bad qb play... matt moore will make #16 to start since the end of marino. nothing will be consistent with the dolphins until they resolve the qb position with someone you will be able to plug in and play for the next 10 - 12 years at a high level.

I think we're using many of our players the wrong way!    We have match up that favor us but we don't exploit them enough in my opinion.  New England will Wes Welker you to death... we don't use Bess in that manor.  We look for Bess on 3rd downs or check downs.  You get Bess involved like N.E. with Welker and Hartline and Marshall will get more single coverage.  Despite what's said I don't think Fasano is a TE that stretches the field consistently... he gets open occasionally but he's not a real threat at that position.  

We have players that should be able to make some plays but they aren't utilized enough and then our poor O-line play doesn't help.  With Bush,Bess,Hartline, and Marshall on the field at the sametime you can't tell me there aren't mismatches out there.... either they aren't creating them or our QB's don't go through their progressions well!

Coaching, and Front Office will fix this.  Bill Parcells's staff needs to be shown the door.

Bill Parcells is another great example.  Let's look at coaching.

Everyone wanted Jimmy Johnson.  We got him.  He wasn't good enough, everyone wanted him fired.

After Wanny, everyone wanted Nick Saban.  We went and got him.  The top coaching prospect.  He sucked.
Everyone wanted Cam Cameron - the top coaching prospect.  We went and got him.  He sucked.
Everyone wanted Bill Parcells.  The legend!  Super Bowls!  We went and got him.  Now, "Bill Parcells' staff needs to be shown the door."

Next up - we go get Bill Cowher cause everyone wants him, and when he sucks then what?  All these coaches magically suck?  Or maybe - just maybe - there's some poison on the team somewhere.

^^ probably.  I have a theory that the Dolphins are due to suck until someone else goes undefeated.  Cursed if you will..

I myself would LOVE to see Tony Dungy get the job!

IMO We need to quit hiring "Regimes",giving full power away.....It's clear our owner is pretty football stupid.....He needs to hire someone that he trusts,and tell them what type of team he wants....That persons job is to report to Ross,He hires and fires the GM,and Coach,he's the man in charge of giving what Ross wants.Those are the only personnel decisions this person should have power to hire and fire.No Drafting,Free agent moves,No player decisions......This executive hires a GM,who hires the head coach he thinks can do it.The head coach builds his staff.....Define the roles...If the team's talent sucks,Fire the GM,if the team has more talent,but under performing fire the coach...This B.S. well who drafted this guy, and who wanted him,years later finding out who's decision it was is a crock...

I have to admit,Technically I've only wanted 2 of those guy's mentioned...I wanted Cam Cameron....I wanted Cowher,but that was before we hired Saban....(Back then there were rumors Cowher's job was on the line,and there were a few of us in the minority that wanted him) That was then...I don't want him now...

Hiring a Coach,that will pick his Gm,doesn't make a lot of sense to me...

That's just the way I see it...

Coaching...or lack thereof.

Ross has done exactly the right thing, IMHO, with the exception of the mishandling of the Harbough fuckup.

He's not getting involved in day-to-day operations. He has a GM (who is generally very well thought of around the league in terms of football smarts) and has let him do what a GM is supposed to do.

Once the season is over, Ross needs to decide if Ireland has failed at his job or if the fault lies with someone else (i.e. Sparano) and that the right move is to let Ireland stay and bring in a new head coach.

All this blaming the ownership is just a distraction. Ownership has hired top prospect after top prospect and let the football people make the football decisions. It hasn't worked out, but I'm not going to pin that on Ross.

You missed last weeks ESPN piece on how Ross was the one who VETOED the Orton deal. lol. That seems kinda hands-on to me.

And the Miami Herald article where it came out that he put a spending limit on the the roster.

I would be ecstatic.

If Ross actually vetoed the Orton deal, then I would think more people would like him now for not wasting our draft picks.

I like Tony Dungy too much to want him to coach the Dolphins. It's kind of like not dating a girl you really like while in High School. You know you will screw it up so it's better to stay friends. 

Apparently, yes. It is nice how you are always courteous when responding, though, and never snide.


That was reported as a rumor and since Miami has used its cap space quite well, I call BS on it.

Miami didn't use up its cap space they are $9 mill under roughly. I have no idea what your talking about.

Used *well*, not "to the max". (The latest numbers I saw had Miami $10M under, but whatever). It only makes sense for teams to be a bit under the cap at this point in the season. You never know when you might have to use some money on... say, a quarterback ;). The rest of the cap can be used by extending contracts, but teams usually wait until fairly late in the season to do that, since they want to see players actually perform first.

lol, late in the season to extend contracts. Not really how it works.