Stephen Ross calls fan at home explains teams moves thus far

[Cathal]

I am also in my right to not watch.  Its very simple.

If you go to the store and buy coffee and you take it home and it tastes like dog shit, you won't buy that coffee anymore.  Even if its your favorite coffee.  You wouldn't go protest their headquarters to make them make better tasting coffee.

Why is this any different?

If you don't like the product, don't buy tickets.  That's the only way Stephen Ross will learn to improve his product - by losing money.  The only way you convince a billionaire to change his ways is by threatening his billions.  Why do you think fans think they have control over one iota of team operations?

I think we all can agree that football (and any sport team for that matter) fits into a different category than your favorite grocery item. With sports, you generally have some emotional attachment to it, either you grew up watching it, your parents were fans, or whatever it is. It's a lot easier to switch to  different food item than it is a different team.

I'd say fans obviously have some control over team operations. Just look at Denver and Tebow this last season. I'm sure he's already losing money but it's still not changing things. Besides, if he's got billions already, I don't think him losing a few hundred thousand here and there is going to make him change his mind.

[Brian Fein]

That's not how teams should be run.  Just cause people in Denver are also buffoons doesn't make it right.

I'm not saying to switch allegiance.  I'm saying STOP BUYING TICKETS.  No one is forcing you to go through the hassle of going to the stadium every Sunday.  Prolonged periods of poor sales will force Ross to sell the team.  That's your strongest voice.  Not 10 fat guys in jerseys with bags on their heads outside the training facility.  Not banners flying behind airplanes or billboards on I-595.  Hit him in the wallet, and it will become financially impossible for him to keep the team on his books.

The team is already a league-wide laughing stock.  So what if the stadium is empty on Sundays.  Send your message that way.

[MyGodWearsAHoodie]

Do you think Bill Belichick calls up random Patriots' fans to tell them why he trades away draft picks every April? 

No.

I am not sure if this is a fair comparison.  Did BB win three superbowls because he give zero information during pressers and because he dresses on game day like he is about to go dumpster diving?  Or can BB get away with giving zero information during pressers and dressing like someone who is homeless and still have the NEP fans love him, because he won 3 superbowls?

I am going with the latter.   

My evidence  -- Jet fans reaction to Rex Ryan's loud mouth.  If you visit their boards when they are winning, they all love his confidence trash talking attitude and attribute the wins to the confidence he gives to the team. When they are losing Jets fans wish the clown would just shut up because he is a distraction. 

That being said, I really don't think it makes sense for an owner to be explain the teams football moves. Letting the other 31 teams know that Marshell would have been cut if not traded, might make them think next time the Dolphins are trying to trade away a player they should just wait and pick him up for free.   

[Cathal]

That's not how teams should be run.  Just cause people in Denver are also buffoons doesn't make it right.

I'm not saying to switch allegiance.  I'm saying STOP BUYING TICKETS.  No one is forcing you to go through the hassle of going to the stadium every Sunday.  Prolonged periods of poor sales will force Ross to sell the team.  That's your strongest voice.  Not 10 fat guys in jerseys with bags on their heads outside the training facility.  Not banners flying behind airplanes or billboards on I-595.  Hit him in the wallet, and it will become financially impossible for him to keep the team on his books.

The team is already a league-wide laughing stock.  So what if the stadium is empty on Sundays.  Send your message that way.

What should I do if I don't ever buy tickets or gear? I just watch because I like the Dolphins and want them to win. All I can do is sit back and watch everything unfold, which is exactly what I'm doing. I was just supporting the overall feeling that fans have, tis all. 

[Brian Fein]

^^ yeah, I hear ya.  But in reality, what are you going to accomplish by putting up a billboard, other than making Dolphins' fans look like a group of malcontent morons?

My point here is simple: Fans don't, and shouldn't have a say in team decisions, and thus, don't deserve an explanation from ANYONE in the front office. 

If Ross wants to have a press conference to convince the world that he's not a dummy, then fine, but that's not going to change people's opinions either.  Things happens behind closed doors for a reason, and those doors should remain closed, regardless of how many billboards fans waste their money on.

[Pappy13]

If Ross wants to have a press conference to convince the world that he's not a dummy, then fine, but that's not going to change people's opinions either.

It might, at least a few people's minds. At the very least it makes people like me who didn't think the sky was falling feel a little better about trying to defend them. There were mistakes, but the mistakes were mainly of the "media relations" variety which seems to be a major problem for them. If we could just get them to admit now that they have made mistakes in the past and are working on correcting them they might actually have a shot at cleaning up their image a bit. As long as they continue to put on this facade that they know exactly what they are doing, they will continue to be seen as guys that don't know what they are doing. Everyone makes mistakes, just come out and admit it and say that you're trying to do better. That's all that most fans want.

[Brian Fein]

Funny thing is - I don't think that any of the "mistakes" they have committed this offseason are bad for the team.  I think getting rid of Marshall when they did was a good move, and I wasn't ga-ga over Matt Flynn and his 2 NFL starts like most people were.  I don't think these were mistakes.  I think Philbin was a good hire at coach, and I want to see what they decide to do on draft day.

All that said, the local media wants to regurgitate the fan sentiments to gain appeal in the market, and so they spin every story to make these guys look dumb.  The LeBatard/Alex Smith story is a perfect example.  All other reports, including that from Alex Smith himself, show that he blatantly fabricated that story (or perhaps his source did, but still).  That will never change until Ireland is fired.  How many people have to be the scapegoat?
Henning -> Henne -> Sparano -> Ireland?
Where does it go after that?