New plan for 2012

[MikeO]

He didn't hire Henning- that was an Ireland/Parcells move. He didn't draft Ricky or Ronnie. Didn't draft Henne either. Didn't trade for Marshall. Way to dodge every one of those points. Talk about a laugh. -EK

So the Head Coach the last 3 years in Miami was a puppet. He had nothing to do with the outcome of any game....win or lose. Not his fault. LOL LOL

That's too much

[Dolphin-UK]

First point, writing "LOL LOL" just sounds lame...LOL inflation, what is the World coming to.

Onto footballing matters, Sparano deserves credit for getting the team working after a disasterous start.

I am willing to accept that the talent pool he has at his disposal may not be ideal, to his liking or whatever and that may not be his fault.

The best course of action is to replace Sparano with a suitable, good quality HC if someone is availible. And before you say it (I'm looking at you MikeO) no, ANYONE is not better than Sparano.

Whatever his flaws and weaknesses, at the moment he has the team playing for him despite the detractors earlier in the season suggesting he'd lost the dressing room.

[EKnight]

Do you seriously ONLY read what you want and view everything in black and white? Are you honestly that ignorant? I never said he was blameless. I said that the last three games of last season are not even closely the same as the first seven of this year and shouldn't be held in the same light. Different circumstances warrant different evaluations. Do you seriously think that KC or Chicago will fire their head coaches if they lose out this year? By your logic they should- even though they are dealing with different circumstances than they started the year with. They both won their divisions last year, so any and all losses should be pinned on the head coach right? Never mind the fact that they have had a slew of injuries. Same applies to those last three losses last year. Different offense in every possible way- from coordinator to qb to rb's to injured receivers. It's not an apples to apples comparison to what happened the first seven games this year. You can't honestly be that blind can you? Or are you just so insecure about your own knowledge that you have to presume anyone who disagrees win you is wrong? -EK

[JVides]

I think getting rid of him just when he gets going is a mistake.  And, I think you let him start next season on a short hook, and get rid of him the second the team slips up.

Brian, I know what you mean and, being an optimist, I am hopeful that you could be right.  On the flipside, however, I must consider that this same level of optimism must have been being expressed on San Diego Chargers message boards over the last 4 years.  Yet year after year Norv Turner's teams underachive despite having an excellent offense and a stellar defense.  At some point, you have to shoot for something better.

[el diablo]

So the Head Coach the last 3 years in Miami was a puppet. He had nothing to do with the outcome of any game....win or lose. Not his fault. LOL LOL

That's too much

No, what is too much are people mistaking this head coach with a GM. Or a college head coach that recruits his own players. Twice in the last year, management tried to replace him behind his back. He starts 0-7 this year. He could have quit trying then. Instead, he found a way to turn things around. Considering next year's schedule (vs. NFC West & AFC South) and the stability of building off of this year's momentum. Tweaking the roster with a new GM is a way I would go. Again, look at Industry. Then look at this team. They have a "franchise QB with the possibility of drafting another. It will still take years to get them where they used to be. The Dolphins could make the playoffs next year. Industry can't say that.

[suck for luck]

You would need a degree in psychology to properly access all this keep Tony talk but as a layman I'm thinking maybe Stockholm Syndrome.

[EKnight]

I understand what you're getting at, but I'm not quite as convinced that throwing the baby out with the bath water is the best solution if Miami finishes strong. The Stockholm Syndrome analogy wasn't even close to appropriate for this situation. -EK

[Spider-Dan]

He didn't hire Henning- that was an Ireland/Parcells move.

Sparano is in charge of his own coaching staff.  For evidence, look at Pasqualoni's abrupt dismissal at the end of '09.

He didn't draft Ricky or Ronnie.

He had 2 years to find other options if he didn't want them.  This is not year one.

Didn't draft Henne either. Didn't trade for Marshall.

He also didn't draft Pouncey, or Davis, or Long, didn't sign Dansby or Burnett, didn't re-sign JT.  I mean, as you are clearly pointing out, he is not the GM.  Fine.  But then you can't use personnel as an excuse at all; even if Miami kept him, he's still not going to be the GM.

As I see it, Sparano and Ireland are a team.  If Sparano wants to pin his (lack of) performance on the groceries Ireland is buying, he needs to say so.  Otherwise, the hatchet falls on both of them.

[EKnight]

That's fine. I just disagree. -EK

[masterfins]

My new plan for 2012 is to start talking with the Colts about acquiring Peyton Manning.  Given the Fins' recent win streak they are falling down the draft order, which means they probably won't be able to draft one of the top 4 QB's, and its probably a waste to use a #1 pick on a QB after that.  So, instead of trading away a bunch of picks to move up on an unknown, they should look at trading some picks to Indy for a healthy Manning.

Indy will draft Luck, that will piss off Manning, not to mention Indy won't want to pay millions to have one of them riding the pine.

A healthy Manning on the current team equals a deep playoff run.

[Doc-phin]

This is the problem...  We aren't only winning, we are winning in convincing fashion.  And Dallas was damn fortunate to win on Thanksgiving with some lucky completions as Romo was getting hit on the final drive.  Winning big is something we haven't done in a very long time.  It seems to be no coincidence that it came with a new QB.  Considering we are unlikely to get Luck, Moore has probably already locked himself in on our roster even if we draft a QB with our first pick.

Many people think that Sparano has no choice but to be fired due to attendance.  However, I think that all of this offensive production along with true star talent in Marshall, Bush, Dansby and now possibly Moore may bring people back to the seats.  The energy in the crowd on Sunday was better than I have seen in years and it wasn't even a division game.  If we outplay our division opponents the rest of the way this year, I think there will be an undeniable buzz in Miami that will have to be considered.

If we continue to win and play at a high level, I would strongly consider continuity over another rebuild.  Please read why I think we started slow this year in this thread - http://www.thedolphinsmakemecry.com/forums/index.php/topic,19474.0.html.

If we start to suck again and show that we are only good enough to beat the mediocre teams, fire Sparano.

No Henne, a true offseason to keep our defense in proper shape, rookie development, second year with the same OC, second year with Bush and a few tweaks on the right side of our O-line could make a substantial difference.  The only thing that I would have to know as an owner is the truth about one thing... Do the players truly believe in Sparano?  Only way to find out is private and confidential meetings with the team leaders and vets.

[EKnight]

^^Absolutely this. No chance in hell I would take Manning. He will never be the player he was, you can bank on that, and Moore is playing great ball right now. I think we should keep what we have, see where it takes us, and go from there. A revolving door of coaches and QBs over the past ten years hasn't really worked out too well. The product on the field right now- over the past month- is the best I've seen in a long while. Why junk that and start over yet again? -EK

[Pappy13]

Sparano deserves credit for getting the team working after a disasterous start.

And I'll give him credit for pulling the team out of a tail spin as long as you credit him with putting them into the tail spin in the first place. That's realistic. That's a fair assessment of the job he's done this year and pretty much what he's done since he's been here. There have been times when the team has seemed close to putting it together, but each time it's done that, it's then followed that up with long periods of looking totally lost.

[JVides]

As happy as people are that this team is finally playing well, I must remind everyone that the Dolphins were all but out of the playoffs by week three!

How is this forgivable?  Our season was submarined three weeks in and he may get another shot? 

The pro-Sparano types make some valid points, but at this point I view Sparano and his regime the way I view Norv Turner and his.  Talented roster, should be pretty good, can't get it done.  Fair or not, that's the impression that I get.

[MikeO]

First point, writing "LOL LOL" just sounds lame...LOL inflation, what is the World coming to.



The best course of action is to replace Sparano with a suitable, good quality HC if someone is availible. And before you say it (I'm looking at you MikeO) no, ANYONE is not better than Sparano.

Anyone isn't better....But change for the sake of change in Miami is needed this offseason! It's the same problems with the same mistakes every year. Time to give someone else a shot.

Does that mean bring back Wannstedt or something...no, than anyone wouldn't be better by you're words. But pretty much any "hot" assistant or out of work coach (Billick, Fisher, Gruden...etc) WOULD be better!