Does Sparano deserve blame or credit for our recent run?

[Cathal]

He gets too much blame when the team plays like shit, and he'll get too much credit when they win.  No different than any other coach. 

However, the fact that he hasn't completely lost the team and that he's got it to where they're actually playing well again, that's something he should absolutely get credit for. 

I don't doubt that he should get credit for it, but I have a hard time seeing how he can come back next year. Unless he just blows out the remaining opponents (assuming the opponents don't lay down) and makes the Dolphins look like they could be a playoff contender this year, I don't see him returning.

[Pappy13]

Actually judging by what has been written lately, the team started doing better when Sparano quit coaching so much and turned over the direction of the team to the players and just let them play. Can't remember what article I was reading but it said that when Miami was 0-7 Sparano had a meeting with the players and basically told them if they wanted to be 0-16 that was up to them and they had to start being accountable for the way the season had gone up to that point and how the season would end up was in their hands. I think it was Burnett who was talking about the meeting. Burnett said that was a turning point in the season as Sparano actually lightened the load in practices, but expected more studying by players and more accountability by players.

So I'll give Sparano some credit for realizing that maybe he didn't have all the answers and started to give the players the freedom to start making plays, but maybe he should have done this years ago. I complained for a solid year that he needed to take the reigns off Henne and just let him play, that he was overcoaching protecting the ball and Henne was playing scared of making mistakes. I blame that on Sparano and the OC. Daboll has become more aggressive and it shows. There's more downfield throws and there's more downfield completions. DB's aren't so eager to jump routes anymore which means fewer INT's and they're actually backing off receivers which has allowed more room for them to work underneath and more running room for Bush. It's finally working as it should have all year, but it took Sparano 7 straight losses to unleash the team and just let them have some fun and start playing football.

Maybe he has learned a lesson, but then again maybe this team is talented enough that if they had a great coach instead of just an average one we'd be thinking about playoffs rather than next year right now.

[Dave Gray]

CF, I don't disagree with you.

I do.

"Sparano has obviously gotten better."

I refute this statement.  I'm not saying that he hasn't, but it certainly isn't obvious to me.  It's easy to coach well when you're winning big.  He is still not showing that he can win close games.  Dallas showed that yet again.  I don't think he's yet figured out to manage a team that isn't firing on all cylinders.  A good coach can "find" wins.  Sparano has never been able to do that.

[EKnight]

Dave- how many coaches are there currently who can do that? I'm being facetious or argumentative, here. It's an honest question. If there's not a better available option who can fix that problem, then there's not that much of an upside to blaming/firing Sparano when the season ends at this point. -EK

[masterfins]

I give partial credit to Sparano for the recent run, however he still should be replaced.  My only fear is that a new coach comes in and wants to replace most of the players, even the good ones, with players he is familiar with.  I also don't like the idea of bringing in all new offensive and defensive schemes for the players to learn.  Hopefully, the Fins get a guy like Cowher or Gruden who will work with most of the existing parts.

[Dave Gray]

Dave- how many coaches are there currently who can do that?

Oh I don't know.  I could start rattling off guys, but then the group discussion would move to those individual coaches and blur the point.

I still have that sinkin' feeling when the game is coming down to the wire that we're going to find a way to blow it.  So far, Sparano hasn't helped me feel any better about that.  This probably isn't indicative of a normal situation, but we did give up 2 TDs really late in the game (granted, it was garbage time). 

You may be right.  Sparano might be figuring it out and on the way to becoming a good coach.  However, I just don't have any faith that that's the case.  It's his 4th season now and the team seems to get worse every single year.

[sampras66]

And yet we don't still have a Q.B. got fucked for luck!! Sure the colts are gonna try to win one unless they want to join the bucks??  Or did they wait to late?

[BigDaddyFin]

Sparano did mediocre with mediocre talent.   In the words of Bum Phillips, he couldn't take hisn beat yourn and he couldn't take yourn and beat hisn.  He'll probably be the modern day equivalent to a Chuck Knox.

[MikeO]

Recent Run was a result of 3 things....

1) Defense giving up 2.9 yards per carry average over the last 7 games (including Philly game). Defense raised its level of play to carry the offense.

2) Moore while not great is better than Henne and he converted more times in the Red Zone and led more TD drives. Which makes life easier on everyone.

3) Softer schedule and got some bad teams (KC, Wash, Buffalo, Oakland, even Dallas was banged up that game we got them)


Period that's it.  It had nothing to do with coaching.

[masterfins]

^^^ Agree for the most part, also note that Moore wasn't throwing INT's, which was a big factor.

One thing that annoys me that various users keep noting is how the Fins beat teams that were banged up.  HELLO, the Fins are using a second string QB and have had players banged up all year.  In spite of that, they played several games close which they lost, and blew out a couple of those weaker teams.  It would be nice if we gave the Fins as much consideration as we seem to give all the teams they play against.

[EKnight]

Having a second string QB (who, for the most part played better than your starter) isn't exactly the same as having an MVP caliber RB out (J. Charles) and your best defensive player and Pro Bowl safety (E. Berry) in the Chiefs game. The Redskins were also missing their starting RB in Hightower and their best TE in Cooley. Buffalo lost Jackson during the game, and he was only leading the league in rushing when he went down. The Raiders were without their starting RB, and another Pro Bowl player in McFadden, no Jacoby Ford, and no Denarius Moore. Every team we beat had at least one (or usually a couple) significantly better players out before or during the game. That's not in any way similar to Miami having guys "banged up" (every team has this, but they're still on the field playing) or having a more efficient Moore in place of Henne. It's not that I'm not giving credit where it's due- I'm being realistic. Miami lost the only two games it played against relatively healthy teams, and one of those got blown out at home by a 4-8 Philly team. -EK

[MikeO]

Having a second string QB (who, for the most part played better than your starter) isn't exactly the same as having an MVP caliber RB out (J. Charles) and your best defensive player and Pro Bowl safety (E. Berry) in the Chiefs game. The Redskins were also missing their starting RB in Hightower and their best TE in Cooley. Buffalo lost Jackson during the game, and he was only leading the league in rushing when he went down. The Raiders were without their starting RB, and another Pro Bowl player in McFadden, no Jacoby Ford, and no Denarius Moore. Every team we beat had at least one (or usually a couple) significantly better players out before or during the game. That's not in any way similar to Miami having guys "banged up" (every team has this, but they're still on the field playing) or having a more efficient Moore in place of Henne. It's not that I'm not giving credit where it's due- I'm being realistic. Miami lost the only two games it played against relatively healthy teams, and one of those got blown out at home by a 4-8 Philly team. -EK

Hell has frozen over, I actually agree with all of this.

Don't get used to it. It may never happen again