Dolphins lack ability, stability

[Landshark]

Dan LeBatard hits it right on the head with this article.

You know the very best way to short-circuit a young quarterback’s confidence, no matter how talented he is? Give him very little help. This while the Patriots get Randy Moss and Welker and now Brandon Lloyd and a stack of monster tight ends. How’s that for a painful articulation of how much the Dolphins must climb just in their own division? The Patriots are making the game a lot easier for Brady while the Dolphins make it harder for a quarterback who has never made a start.

It’ll make any Dolphins fan want to scream and quit before a football has even been snapped even though this time of year is supposed to be about hope and excitement. Marshall is going to be great in Chicago, isn’t he? Davone Bess would be Welker in New England, wouldn’t he? The adrenaline and enthusiasm of starting a new race, fresh and eager though it should be, can’t help but be diluted when you have to start it from this far behind

Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/2012/09/02/2980521/miami-dolphins-lack-ability-stability.html#storylink=cpy

[el diablo]

Amen, bro.

"Here comes the new boss. Same as the old boss."
I get the feeling I'll be saying the same thing in about 3 yrs.

[MikeO]

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2012/writers/don_banks/08/23/afc-east-preview-2012/1.html

Don Banks I thought was good too with his analysis.

[el diablo]

That was a good analysis of the upcoming season. However, LeBatard's article spoke of the core problem. That problem is the failure in building a team. Team building comes from a core philosophy. They changed the window dressing in that instead of a good running game, they now have an unproven short passing game. A hurry up at that. They're still going to have to rely on their defense to keep them in games. As opposed to the offense going out to win a game. The main similarity in both is the inability to "stretch the field".  The next glaring similarity will be a tired defense, from the numerous 3 & outs that are coming. Its easy to point at "character" as a hihndrance. The problem is the talent went away with it. If you're going to get rid of talent, you can't   hope that people step up, youve got to know. Or have talent on standby. That's part of teambuilding.

[MikeO]

True. But also unrealistic to think they were going to re-shape/overhaul an entire roster in 1 offseason. WR was clearly put off and not a priority this offseason. Agree or disagree with that but it was. Many believe you build from the inside out (QB, O-line, D-line, LB first) and then worry about CB's and WR's last. That is clearly the avenue Miami took when they hired Philbin and blew up Sparano's roster.

There was no quick fix because Miami was in terrible cap shape. YES, Ireland is to blame for most of this. But since he was kept on there was only so much that could be done from the end of last season. NEXT offseason when they have over $40 mill in cap money and a boatload of draft picks is the indicator of if this NEW coaching staff who might/most likely will change Ireland's thought process positively..."GETS IT" and begins moving in the right direction.

[miamid45]

Still would like to see Cooley or even Winslow added to the roster, at least this would provide Tannehill with suome much needed veteran depth.

[hordman]

Dan LeBatard hits it right on the head with this article.


Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/2012/09/02/2980521/miami-dolphins-lack-ability-stability.html#storylink=cpy

I like LeBatard, he's good for a laugh and he does make for some good article on the Miami sports scene, but this whole article is 20/20 hindsight which every Phin fan has.

I believe Welker was an unrestricted FA and we were gonna lose him anyways (not pay him they way they should have) and the Pats were gonna get him anyways.  We got the Patriots 2nd and 7th round choices in the 2007 draft to Miami for Welker.  Now, the picks sucked, Samson Sateale and Abraham Wright.  Who do you blame for that, the coach, the GM, management?

He talks about Marshall and how he's gonna be great in Chicago.  Really??? Dan knows this for a fact?  Marshall was distraction and a diva.  The man DROPPED 5-6 TDs last year!!!!!!!!!!  Read that sentence gain.  The man was a blowhard and a distraction to the team.  I am not sad that he left.  He would have had Tannehill crying and cringing in a corner this year if he didn't throw the ball to him.  Good riddance.

As for Ted Ginn.  We can we all just agree that he sucked at WR?  I mean seriously, he SUCKED at WR.  Great PR and KR, no doubt, but we spent a 1st ROUND pick on him.

1st ROUND pick on him
1st ROUND pick on him
1st ROUND pick on him

Read that sentence out loud five times and get back to me.  I saw Teddy Ginn fall to the ground after a KR TD in the BCS title game vs. the Gators and NEVER come back into the game.  Your last collegiate game and you dont return because you tweaked your ankle.  Really??  He was not  tough.  Mentally or physically.  

Now, if we got that pick in the 4th, 5th round, that's a good pick for the value.  A guy that change the field and score some TDs in a game.  But not a 1st round pick.

Dan better started smelling what he's shoveling because it's revisionist history on his part and he can't do that.

Go Phins!!!!

[Pappy13]

Expect nothing and you won't be disappointed. Is that LeBetard's message?

Sorry, I've done that for the last 3 years with Sparano as head coach and I haven't liked the results, I'd like to try something else if you don't mind. I've seen the ground and pound offense and rely on the defense approach and hope that other team makes more mistakes than you do for 3 years and I haven't like the results. Oh sure they've won a few games here and there where the other team actually did make more mistakes than Miami and the Dolphins actually managed to hold onto a 3 point lead until the last agonizing seconds when a 4th down pass fell incomplete by sheer dumb luck rather than anything the Dolphins managed to do. A win is a win, right?

Well actually no, it's not. I'd like to see this team actually get out to a 3 TD lead in the 4th quarter and coast to a win for once. Perhaps even better, I'd like to see them be down by a TD in the 4th quarter only to watch them rally with 10 points in the last 3 minutes to steal a win. Wouldn't that be FUN to watch for a change. YES! Yes it would be FUN to watch. Because yes there IS something more than just winning a game, there's winning a game on YOUR terms, not your opponents. There's a special feeling that comes from not just winning, but from BEATING the other team. Oh sure it counts the same as holding on for a victory, but it doesn't FEEL the same, it feels better. I know because I've seen it. I was there in '84 when Dan and the boys were simply imposing their will on defenses. Those weren't just wins, they were VICTORIES! We didn't just make fewer mistakes than the opponent, we made MORE plays. That's what I'm hoping for this year if only for a game or 2. A VICTORY, not just a win. A game where we take it to the opponent and simply beat them. And then I'm hoping we can do it for more than a couple times next year and the year after that. That's what I'm hoping for.

Will I be disappointed, perhaps but I rather be disappointed shooting for greatness rather than satisfied with mediocre.

[Landshark]

Expect nothing and you won't be disappointed. Is that LeBetard's message?

I don't believe so.  I believe LeBatard's message is that it's the same old story every time a new coach comes in.  My friend Mike wrote a piece about it on Phinfever detailing that, beginning with the Jimmy Johnson era, expectations were high with every new regime and every single time, for one reason or another, that regime managed to disappoint fans.

[Pappy13]

I believe LeBatard's message is that it's the same old story every time a new coach comes in.

Isn't that why you bring in a new coach? To change things? What's the point of bringing in a new coach that's gonna do things the same way you have been doing them. Meet the new boss, same as the old boss. If you want to change things you have to make changes.

[el diablo]

I don't believe so.  I believe LeBatard's message is that it's the same old story every time a new coach comes in.  My friend Mike wrote a piece about it on Phinfever detailing that, beginning with the Jimmy Johnson era, expectations were high with every new regime and every single time, for one reason or another, that regime managed to disappoint fans.

Exactly. Why has there been such disappointment. Because, they've been chasing other people's success as opposed to establishing their own. With Jimmy through Ireland, it was us chasing the Cowboys rainbow. Now with Philbin & Sherman, its the Packers. Its one thing to apply lessons from other's success. That's what you're supposed to do. Miami takes personnel and expect the same result to just happen. As we keep hearing these days, "We need a leader to lead. Not lead from behind."

[el diablo]

Isn't that why you bring in a new coach? To change things? What's the point of bringing in a new coach that's gonna do things the same way you have been doing them. Meet the new boss, same as the old boss. If you want to change things you have to make changes.

So, why keep the same GM?

[Pappy13]

So, why keep the same GM?

Apparently Ross didn't believe that Ireland failed to get Sparano the players he needed, they believed that Sparano failed to do anything with the players that Ireland got him. Once Philbin came in, he had a different vision for the team and they identified the players that didn't fit that vision and started to replace them with players they think will fit that vision. I give them credit for making some bold moves, now we'll find out how they work out. It's not going to be a painless transition, there are going to be some rough times at least for the first part of the year. You won't really be able to judge how Philbin and Sherman are doing until at least the 2nd half of the year. By then players should know the system well enough that they won't be making all the mistakes they are making in preseason and will hopefully look much better. You have to remember they have completely revamped both the offense and the defense. If they don't look better by the 2nd half of the season, then I'll start to worry, but for now I'm willing to give them a chance to convince me.

[EKnight]

It's understandable that Ross may think that. With the players he had they went 11-5 in Sparano's first year, after finishing 1-15. It's not inconceivable that Ross would expect similar results from the same group. -EK

[MikeO]

The only thing that nobody knows is in the time Parcells was in Miami who was making calls on draft choices. IF it was all Parcells, then yes Ireland gets a bit of a pass. I don't know IF it was all Parcells, and none of us probably will ever know. I am sure only Ireland, Parcells, and the people in those draft rooms know. It doesn't give Ireland a free pass forever but it does explain MAYBE why Ross is sticking with Ireland. Give him a few years to do it "his way" without Parcells pulling rank.

Only logical explanation really.