Most frustrating time in history?

[EKnight]

Early to mid 90's.  Wasted Marino's last years, could barely break .500 and it had nothing to do with Wanny, Jimmy Johnson or Nick Saban.
So there.

Some of you need to go back and look at what was going on in Miami 1993 through, maybe, 1996?  It was an awful time to be a fan.  Huge signings, records decent, but not good enough to get a first round bye, disappointing playoff finishes, Marino getting hurt, Shula being ushered out...

Yet.  That period rocked.

I'm interested on your take on this. It doesn't seem to follow many other POV's, so I'm just curious. -EK

[Brian Fein]

^^ Simple history.  Jimmy took over in 1997, Wanny was after Jimmy, and Saban was after Wanny.  He clearly said 1993-1996 - Shula was the coach.

[EKnight]

Gotcha. Makes sense. Thanks. -EK

[Tenshot13]

I'm going to say today's game against the Pats.

[Downunder Dolphan]

Early 90's when the Dolphins were great, but could just never get past the Buffalo Bills.  Screw Buffalo.

For me this was the most frustrating too. 1990, 1992 & 1994 were exciting seasons where we really seemed to be on the verge of achieving something really big, but managed to stumble at one of the last hurdles (usually Buffalo).

The last few years there's been a feeling of futility as much as frustration - I'm rapidly losing whatever faith I had left in the Ross/Aponte/Ireland administration, not that there was a lot to begin with.

[Downunder Dolphan]

^^ Simple history.  Jimmy took over in 1997, Wanny was after Jimmy, and Saban was after Wanny.  He clearly said 1993-1996 - Shula was the coach.

Slight correction to whoever said this - Jimmy took over for the 1996 Season, Shula was "persuaded" to leave after we were knocked out of the Wildcard Game by the Bills December 1995.

Personally, it's a time that I remember being unhappy with what was going on - the J.R tags were removed off the sleves of the team uniforms, the name Joe Robbie was removed from the Stadium, Shula departed, it all seemed like WH was trying to re-write/trash all the prior history of the team in the space of a couple of years.

It also didn't help when I was told that a person working for the team who I was in semi-regular contact with (Willard) wasn't there anymore for no particular reason. Not too far off 20 years ago now... where did all that time go?

[Brian Fein]

Now.  Today.  Right this second.

Being stuck in the middle of a nation-wide - no, GLOBAL - scandal like this makes me ashamed to be a fan.  Its all anyone wants to talk about and all anyone will remember for the next 10 years.

I am looking forward to one day being a powerful team again.  But I can't tolerate continued mediocrity and no progress.  For the past 15 years, it has been nothing but revolving door at head coach, constant stream of failed retread players, and underperforming young players.  I feel like Bullygate is just putting a gallon of kerosene on a fire and its about to explode.

I am the die-hardest of die hard Dolphins fans, but I'm not sure how much more of this negativity I can take.

[MyGodWearsAHoodie]

Now.  Today.  Right this second.

 Its all anyone wants to talk about and all anyone will remember for the next 10 years.

This isn't a 10 year scandal.  It will hang around a lot longer than Trip-gate or Rex's foot fetish videos, but it won't last as long as camaragate. 

[Downunder Dolphan]

Now.  Today.  Right this second.

Being stuck in the middle of a nation-wide - no, GLOBAL - scandal like this makes me ashamed to be a fan.  Its all anyone wants to talk about and all anyone will remember for the next 10 years.

I am looking forward to one day being a powerful team again.  But I can't tolerate continued mediocrity and no progress.  For the past 15 years, it has been nothing but revolving door at head coach, constant stream of failed retread players, and underperforming young players.  I feel like Bullygate is just putting a gallon of kerosene on a fire and its about to explode.

I am the die-hardest of die hard Dolphins fans, but I'm not sure how much more of this negativity I can take.

I know this is drifting towards other board topics, but how much of the issue I've highlighted do you think comes down to leadership, or lack of it.

I can't help think of the sign on Incognito's locker, the pranking/hazing, the tabs in the thousands dropped on rookies, seriously how in the world can stuff like this genuinely build team morale and real respect for senior players?

Serious question - in the current era, apart from Jake Long and maybe Pouncey, when is the last time we've had a rookie make a big impact for the Dolphins? I'm really scratching my head to find one, yet "good" teams manage to come up with them year after year.

I've been a fan following the Dolphins for over 30 years, but I cannot think of a time when the team has ever been so low. It's getting to the stage where I'm almost embarrased and even ashamed that I support them, it's that bad.

[masterfins]

I know this is drifting towards other board topics, but how much of the issue I've highlighted do you think comes down to leadership, or lack of it.

I can't help think of the sign on Incognito's locker, the pranking/hazing, the tabs in the thousands dropped on rookies, seriously how in the world can stuff like this genuinely build team morale and real respect for senior players?

Serious question - in the current era, apart from Jake Long and maybe Pouncey, when is the last time we've had a rookie make a big impact for the Dolphins? I'm really scratching my head to find one, yet "good" teams manage to come up with them year after year.

I've been a fan following the Dolphins for over 30 years, but I cannot think of a time when the team has ever been so low. It's getting to the stage where I'm almost embarrased and even ashamed that I support them, it's that bad.

I've really felt the team was moving forward the past two years (draft picks, decent head coach, salary cap management, free agent acquisitions, etc), and the current scandal has the potential to set this team back three years.  The only way to pull out of this funk is to win games.  The remaining games are all winnable, but they are also evenly matched games that can be losers.

[MyGodWearsAHoodie]

I know this is drifting towards other board topics, but how much of the issue I've highlighted do you think comes down to leadership, or lack of it.

Serious thread drift.  But I am assuming from your name you are from Australia and not the USA. 

You have probably gathered that while this incident may have unique properties, hazing is part of the sports culture of the USA (although declining at the high school and college levels)

How prevalent is it in your country in sports? 

[Downunder Dolphan]

Serious thread drift.  But I am assuming from your name you are from Australia and not the USA. 

You have probably gathered that while this incident may have unique properties, hazing is part of the sports culture of the USA (although declining at the high school and college levels)

How prevalent is it in your country in sports? 

Yeah I'm from Australia. I guess it really depends on which sport and what level as to how much it exists.

At (arguably) the highest level AFL they take a zero tolerance policy to things like this. A bit of light pranking may occur, but generally senior players take on a serious mentoring role to juniors and rookies.

As far as veterans using rookies as ATMs, I've never heard of such a thing here, if anything it's the complete opposite (which to me makes a heck of a lot more sense anyway - it's the senior players who are loaded with cash, and treating younger players when they have earned their respect is more of an incentive than bleeding them dry).

Racism has evolved to a zero tolerance policy, on and off the field. This year a 15 year old spectator who called a player a "monkey" was pointed out and evicted from the ground, but not before being interrogated by security and made an embarrassing example of on national television. The player accepted her apology, but the law has been laid down - an adult could be looking at a serious ban for the same thing.

It's basically the same for players on the field. Go back 20 years racism was common at the top level, now if a player racially vilifies another once they're looking at a huge suspension from the game and a whopping great fine. It just isn't done anymore.

[dolphins4life]

This is definitely the most frustrating season I've ever seen