Armando Salguero: Miami Dolphins finally have a game that matters

[DolFan619]

http://www.miamiherald.com/sports/football/miami-dolphins/story/665178.html

Armando Salguero: Miami Dolphins finally have a game that matters

BY ARMANDO SALGUERO
Miami Herald

Early next week, the building buzz surrounding the Dolphins and Jets will become full-throated hype, and South Florida will have a chance to recall what it is like to have an important, anticipated NFL game again.

It has been a while.

Not since Miami last was a playoff team in January 2002 has the national media whipped itself into such a frenzy about a Dolphins game -- or anything else Dolphins -- for the right reasons.

Sure, the glare of the spotlight turned on the Dolphins several times since the franchise slipped from elite status, but that always was meant to shed light on their dark times.

NEGATIVE PLAY

The Dolphins got plenty of attention when Ricky Williams quit before the 2004 season.

They got their share of national coverage when Nick Saban infamously found a imaginative new way of turning the phrase, ''I'm not going to be the Alabama coach,'' into a job with the Crimson Tide.

And last year, as the winless Dolphins seemed headed toward a meeting with undefeated New England, there were a record number of credentials requested for that game because it would have matched teams chasing history from opposite directions. (Thank you, Greg Camarillo, for spoiling that one.)

But this time, the interest in the Dolphins and their game is different. Thankfully.

This time, the country will notice a Dolphins game because the contest offers texture and subplots and drama that have nothing to do with how awful the Dolphins are, but instead how good they might be.

The Sept. 7 regular-season opener against the dastardly Jets will mark Brett Favre's debut for Gang Green. If you believe the New York propaganda machine, the Jets are expecting a great season with Favre, maybe even a Super Bowl season.

MEGA MEDIA ATTENTION

So the Favre television network, otherwise known as ESPN, will be out in full force. The NFL Network, all the big New York newspapers and all of the country's major sports websites will attend, as well.

All will be in town for Favre as much as the game itself. But the fact the Dolphins will start Chad Pennington at quarterback will add to the plot.

Think of it: Favre goes to New York and displaces Pennington as the starting quarterback. Pennington, discarded from the Jets, signs with the Dolphins and becomes their starting quarterback. And in his first game as Miami's starter, Pennington has the opportunity to play and beat . . .

The Jets.

Delicious!

CBS obviously thinks so. Before Favre's arrival in New York and Pennington's landing in Miami, this game between teams that combined for a 5-27 record last season was scheduled to be shown in 16 percent of the country.

But the network called an audible, and now the game will be televised to approximately 40 percent of the country. Top broadcast team Phil Simms and Jim Nantz, who didn't attend one Dolphins game last year, will call this one.

We are big-time again.

And it is only a matter of time before the tickets that remain for this opener -- sizable as the amount might be -- will be snatched up in the swirl of excitement and publicity.

All of this attention, of course, offers the Dolphins the proverbial double-edged sword.

Yes, folks are now paying attention to Miami's New Beginning under Bill Parcells, Jeff Ireland and Tony Sparano. Everyone will be eager to see how far these three have raised the Dolphins from last season's depths.

On the other hand, if the Dolphins don't fare well, the scrutiny might uncover this team as a restoration project that is still missing a few parts and needs polishing.

That probably is a risk the Dolphins welcome. Because win or lose, for one weekend at least, they will matter again for all the right reasons.