Miami Continues to Find Ways to Lose!

Hello Dol-Fans!

In yet another epic collapse by our beloved Miami Dolphins, the Coaching Staff is left to pick up the pieces.

I have to wonder why? Why is our team able to lead through three quarters, then lose at the end of games? Why is the play calling so obvious, predictable, and “vanilla?” Why aren’t they employing new strategies to find ways to win instead of lose?

I realize these are deep questions for a Monday however, they’re all fair and honest questions that deserve quality attention and answers. Coincidentally, they all have the same answer; lack of genuine leadership. From the GM down to the individual player, there is no true leadership.

Coach Sparano is clearly out of ideas and vision. He can’t even dial-up a good “gimmick play” to throw opposition off. DC Mike Nolan is failing to change up the Defense late in games, allowing opposing Offenses to adjust at Half Time and win late. OC Brian Daboll has yet to call a complete Offensive game, and utilize his players effectively to their strengths. Finally the players… they’re so out of touch and confused, you could line-up any quality College team in front of them, and they’ll still find a way to lose!

Yes, we’ve finally hit “panic” in South Beach, and it’s time for drastic changes. Are you listening Mr. Ross? We have roughly one “winnable” game remaining on the schedule this season next Sunday (vs. Kansas City), otherwise we’ll (Dolphin Nation) will be in a neck and neck race with Indianapolis in the “Andrew Luck Sweepstakes” come April.

What Could've Been for the Miami Dolphins

Hello Dol-Fans,

After posting a blog earlier today regarding our Dolphins’ colossal 4th quarter meltdowns, it left me wondering… “what if?” What could’ve been different if our idiotic GM had drafted wisely, even as recently as this year? Would it have made a difference?

Let’s take a gander and see.

1st Round – Ireland chose C Mike Pouncey. A solid choice however, his impact has been minimal. Quite honestly, Richie Incognito filled-in admirably last season and presumably would’ve been able to do the same this year. WHAT COULD’VE BEEN: Drafting a quality starting QB of the future (if not present). I stated in a previous posting, that I truly believed that Andy Dalton (CIN) was the most “NFL Ready” QB in this year’s draft, and he’s proven me correct (5– 2 as a starter)! Drafted in the 2nd Round (35th overall), he would’ve been available to Miami, even if they’d traded back to the bottom of the 1st Round or top of the 2nd Round to get him. While he doesn’t have the gaudy stats of Cam Newton’s, his win total eclipses Newton’s in a heartbeat. Isn’t that what matters (winning)?

2nd Round – Ireland chose RB Daniel Thomas. This was Ireland’s most solid pick, and I honestly agree with it wholeheartedly. When healthy, this workhorse back is the “real deal” and will produce for years to come.

3rd Round – No Pick. WHAT COULD’VE BEEN: Trading up from the 4th to the bottom of the 3rd could’ve yielded S Chris Conte (3rd Round, 93rd Overall Pick - CHI); a starter for the Chicago Bears. While inexperienced, is proving that he can play above the level of our current FS, and will only improve as his learning curve improves.

4th Round – Ireland chose WR Edmond Gates. While a legitimate blazer, he has yet to prove his speed translates into the “deep threat” he was imagined to be. WHAT COULD’VE BEEN: By trading up into the 3rd to grab Chris Conte, Miami would’ve most likely dropped to the bottom of the 4th Round, but could’ve still landed CB Davon House (4th Round, 131st Overall Pick- GB). While not a spectacular CB at this juncture, he would provide quality depth and could be an ace on Special Teams.

5th Round – No Pick. WHAT COULD’VE BEEN: Ireland again had opportunities to trade up from the 6th Round into the 5th or even may have acquired additional picks by trading back in the 1st round by selecting Andy Dalton. Had he done so, he might’ve landed someone like TE D.J Williams (5th Round, 141st Overall - GB) or S Ahmad Black (5th Round, 151st Overall Pick - TB). Either would be an upgrades at their respective positions, and would provide immediate youth and depth.

6th Round – Ireland selected FB/TE Charles Clay. WHAT COULD’VE BEEN: Drafting OLB D.J. Smith (6th Round, 186th Overall – GB). Hybrid Clay has sparingly been used this season and is clearly not what they envisioned him to be for the offense. D.J. Smith is a proven tackling machine and is currently buried in the Packers depth chart. Imagine what a sure tackler would’ve added to the Dolphins lackluster Defense.

7th Round – Ireland chose both DT Frank Kearse and DB Jimmy Wilson. WHAT COULD’VE BEEN: Depth at DT is necessary, however, adding immediate play makers on a talent depleted team is mandatory. TE Ryan Taylor(7th Round, 218th Overall - GB) was also available, and should’ve warranted the pick here. CB Jimmy Wilson was a okay depth pick, so I wouldn’t argue with it too much.

So there you have it Dol-Fans! If GM Jeff Ireland had imagination and creativity, this is what our Draft line-up could’ve looked like:

QB Andy Dalton (Starter, Bengals)
RB Daniel Thomas (Starter, Dolphins)
S Chris Canty (Starter, Bears)
CB Davon House (Back-up, Packers)
TE D.J. Williams (Back-up, Packers) or S Ahmad Black (Back-up, TB)
OLB D.J. Smith (Back-up, Packers)
TE Ryan Taylor (Back-up, Packers)
CB Jimmy Wilson (Dolphins)

This would’ve significantly upgraded and solidified the entire Roster, while adding two additional picks. Infusing quality talent, youth, and depth is the cornerstone for building a successful NFL team. Here’s hoping our next GM, will have the vision and foresight you lack Mr. Ireland.

Go ‘Fins, Go!

4 Years Later

4 years ago the Dolphins were a very bad team weren't they ? So I am going to make a few comparisons. First off will be the coaching and front office personnel. It is easy to see that Tony Sparano is better than Cam Cameron, but not by much. Randy Mueller I would say was better than Jeff Ireland and Bill Parcells together. The team that Randy and Cam put together was mostly Sabin's players. Randy was in the process of dumping the baggage and making cap space for the future. When the trifecta came on board they had a clean slate and no cap issues to work with. They have no excuses for what has happened to this team, this entire mess is of their doing.

The scouting department is practically the same, there have been 2 changes to personnel and one of the scouts was promoted to the top spot from within.

Cams coaching staff was a joke, and what we have at this time is no better. Our QBs were Cleo Lemmon and John Beck for the most part. I think Chad Henne is better than either of them, but Matt Moore !! is not. Running backs at that time were R and R, not much of a difference in what we have today in Bush, Thomas, Slaton, and Hilliard. WR, were Camarillo and Ginn from what I remember, but Marshall, Hartline, and Bess, haven't lit the world on fire either. The O-Line had 2 players Hadnot and Satalie (spelling), at this time we have Long, Pouncey, and Incognito. With Long hurt this line is no better than they were.

On Defence I can't remember a single player on the D-Line from that team oh wait JT was a DE, and the way these guys are playing today I don't want to remember a single player. The LBs were for the most part Thomas, and Thomas again, today we have Misi, Burnett, Dansby, and Wake, all of which are under performing. The CBs again my memory fails me for that team, the only thing I can say about this group is I wish I could forget who they are. For Safety we had Bell and ?, and today we have Bell and ?

So, 4 years later here we sit at 0 for the year, the same as that team was. Search your memory banks and then tell me we are any better this year than at that time ? 4 years and very little has been fixed. Every problem that plagued that team Plagues this team as well. Awful player evaluation, inept coaching, poor execution, no QB, no play makers, and no leadership any where either on the field, sidelines, or front office. So what has changed ?

Miami Dolphins at New York Giants Live Game Chat

Here's the link to the game:
http://www.firstrowsports.tv/watch/89281/1/watch-new-york-giants-vs-miami-dolphins.html

Don't forget the headphone giveaway.

Stanford (Andrew Luck) vs. USC (Matt Barkley) Live Game Chat

This will be a good game to watch one of the possible future quarterbacks for the Miami Dolphins: Andrew Luck and Matt Barkley.

Here is a link to the game.

Steve Ross Isn't Going To Make The Same Mistake Again

Yesterday, there were reports on NFL.com that the Miami Dolphins had contacted Bill Cowher about the Dolphins Head Coaching job. I know we all remember the Jim Harbaugh crap last offseason, and I was afraid that Steve Ross was making the same mistake this time with Bill Cowher, especially when the news is coming from such a reliable source.

But, according to Dave Hyde of the Sun Sentinel, Ross said that the report was "Not true". Here is his full quote:

"Not true, I'm not going to reach out to anyone while Tony is the coach. I hope he wins and stays the coach. Neither I nor anyone involved with me has contacted Cowher, his agent, or anyone around him."

It's a good thing, too. No coach would want to come coach for the Dolphins if their boss has a habit of shopping for another coach to replace him while he is still working. Ross has obviously learned from his mistakes and isn't going to do anything until Tony has been let go.

If I had to make a prediction, though, I would say that Steve Ross hires Cowher to coach the Dolphins this offseason. He will let Tony finish out the season so he can hopefully get Andrew Luck, and then he will fire Sparano for Bill Cowher.

That's just what I think though. I obviously can't see into the future (or can I?)

By the way, if anyone wants to watch the Stanford-USC game tonight that can't I will have a link to a stream for you guys. I think they're showing it in Miami, but not in some other areas, so I will have it here as well as a live chat, just like if it were a Dolphins game.

Thanks for stopping by, and let me know what you think about this. Don't forget to like our Facebook page by next Thursday to be entered into a chance to win a pair of custom Miami Dolphins headphones. Click here for details.

Jeff Fisher to Coach The Dolphins?

The Coach’s series continues…

A few facts have been established in the search for the next Dolphin coach; many great coaches have been retreads, coaching longevity most often includes the presence of a great QB, no coach has ever won the Super Bowl with two different teams, and coaches who have walked away from the game for more than a couple seasons, have never been able to duplicate their success.

Many great coaches came from inauspicious beginnings; Tom Landry’s career in Dallas began with a 0–11–1 record, Chuck Noll was 1-13 his first season with the Steelers, Bill Walsh was 2-14 with the 49ers, Bill Parcells, 3-12-1, Jimmy Johnson, 1-15, Belichick was a little better at 6-10. Each went on to win multiple Super Bowls and are easily recognized among the greatest coaches of all time.

With one win in his first season, Cam Cameron equaled the likes of Landry, Noll and Johnson and had only one fewer win than Bill Walsh. The coaching profession hasn’t changed as much over the years but the media and fan’s need for instant gratification has grown exponentially. If Tom Landry was to coach the Dolphins to 0-11-1 record today, imagine the size of the rocks hurled at his escape vehicle. It begs to wonder whether Cameron could have become a good head coach given the opportunity.

Perhaps going 11-5 in his first season set the expectations way too high for Tony Sparano. The gimmick that got Sparano to 11-5 was ultimately his undoing in many ways. Thinking he had a winning formula with the wildcat, he tried to develop his team around that flawed strategy. What started with Jake Long and Chad Henne turned into Pat White and Brandon Marshall and a team without direction. Building with a great offensive tackle and good QB, turned into a circus-show that defenses easily caught up with. The stroke of brilliance when the Dolphins beat the Patriots, eventually turned into Tony’s demise.

The same media and fans that ran Cam Cameron out of town would not have hounded Sparano as hard because of the presence of Bill Parcells and the low expectations set by Cameron. By winning, Sparano set the tone of expectations and by doing so with a gadget, set himself up for disaster. The game of football has always been, and will always be about the basics, running, throwing, catching, blocking and tackling. Schemes will come and go, but the basics will always remain. Great coaches build the foundation on basics and use schemes to optimize talent. Building a team based on a scheme doomed Sparano to failure and that leads us our next coach, Jeff Fisher.

Jeff Fisher’s NFL playing days ended when he broke his leg while being tackled by Bill Cowher on a kickoff return. It’s ironic these two marginal football players would mirror each other throughout their careers. Fisher played on the iconic Bears teams of the 1980’s but spent the Super Bowl season on injured reserve due to the hit by Cowher. As NFL coaches, they faced each other twice a year in the same division. The situational similarities end there, the Titan organization was nothing like the Pittsburgh Steelers.

While the Rooney’s epitomize stability in the NFL, Bud Adams comes from a much different background. Adams is chairman and CEO of Adams Resources & Energy and made his billions in the oil fields of Oklahoma. He was the CEO of Phillips Petroleum for years and was appointed chief of the Cherokee Nation by President Harry S. Truman in 1949. To say he led an interesting life would be an understatement.

In 2009 at the ripe old age of 86, Adams returned to the role of Tennessee Titan team president. The NFL fined him $250,000 that year for displaying an obscene gesture at the Bills game on November 15. Afterwards, Adams remarked, "Oh, I knew I was going to get in trouble for that." A promising start to 2010 fell apart amid conflicts between Adams, Jeff Fisher, and QB Vince Young. The Titans finished 6-10 with the contracts of Fisher and Young terminated in January 2011.

Adams is a meddling eccentric owner and placed himself between Fisher and QB Vince Young. It is amazing Fisher was able to handle Adams for 15 years as the Oiler and then Titan coach. When Fisher refused to play Vince Young after the Young had quit on his team, his relationship with Adams ended when Adams demanded Young play. Fisher knew only tough love would mold Young into an NFL QB, but Adams gave Young the out he needed to continue his childish behavior.

Fisher is a hardnosed defensive minded coach who comes from the line of Mike Ditka and Buddy Ryan. He went 1-5 in 1994 after taking over as interim coach from Jack Pardee. Hired that off-season, he instantly selected Steve McNair in the first round of the 1995 draft and Heisman Trophy winner Eddie George the following year. In 1995, there were not many black QBs in the NFL and selecting a guy from Alcorn State was highly questionable. Fisher never wavered and in 1999, the Titans lost 23-16 in the Super Bowl to the St. Luis Rams with Kevin Dyson tackled one yard short of the goal line as time expired.

Fisher’s Titans would reach the playoffs 5 more times over the next 10 years but a return to the Super Bowl eluded him. Fisher did not start Steve McNair until his third season, grooming the young QB before throwing him to the wolves. McNair had several stellar seasons but trouble began with an arrest for DUI and illegal gun possession in May 2003. In December 2003, McNair’s season ended with a calf injury and he played only 10 games in 2004 with a bruised sternum. In 2006, the Titans traded McNair to the Ravens for a 4th round pick and drafted Vince Young.

Drafting Young may have been Fisher’s undoing but once again he showed his understanding of the NFL and the need for a franchise QB to be successful. At 54 years of age, Fisher is still a young coach who has yet to win a title. Of all the retreads, Fisher shows the most promise. He immediately goes after a QB to lead his team; he is a good drafter, including the likes of Chris Johnson, Jevon Kearse, Albert Haynesworth, Randy Starks, Chris Henry, Kenny Britt, Eddie George and the aforementioned QBs, among many others.


Steven Ross’ penchant for celebrity owners has nothing on Bud Adams. Handling Adams for 15 years shows the environment will not be too big for Fisher. Kicking Vince Young off the team and cutting Albert Haynesworth in mid-season shows Fisher has little patience with players who think they are larger than the team. Most of all, Jeff Fisher will take action. He will not tolerate his teams playing without emotion and he will draft a QB to lead his team. Fisher has not shown up on any pre-game telecast and has no interest in broadcasting. He is a coach, still hungry to win the big prize. For these reasons, Jeff Fisher is best choice of the retreads to coach the Miami Dolphins.

Next installment, the coordinators…

2012 Miami Dolphin Quarterbacks battle for the honor!!

Hello All,
Lil-Bit of must view Fin-fo for all my fellow FIN-addicts!!
Saturday night on ABC at 8 pm est!!

For those interested in witnessing productive quarterback play from the next Miami Dolphin Quarterback along with a face of the franchise well into the 2020's preview..

The practically guaranteed(one way or the other)2012 Miami Dolphin Quarterback in Stanfords Andrew Luck and USC's Matt Barkley are going head to head with an inner-state rivalry Pac 12 match up between 7-0 Stanford at 6-1 USC's Los Angeles Coliseum..

With being a Northern Californian in the Bay area surrounding the Stanford campus for 25 years of my life between 74-99, and Ca teams having been my second favorites throughout life.. I'm very familiar with both teams while I don't wanna bore'ya with details seeing that realistically most Fin-fans will (rightfully so in this case) have tunnel-vision to only the QB play.. I'll simply suggest that Stanfords a much better team, but it should be a classic battle and an extremely exciting opportunity for all Dolphin fans to get a glimpse into our future!!
I believe that one of these two Quarterbacks will bring to Miami in 2012 what you'll see in this high profile, ever important Big Game, no-matter who the owner, GM, Head coach, or where we pick in the 2012 draft!!

IMHO, I don't think we can go wrong with either prospect though we all know that ALuck is the ultimate and likely better than Peyton Manning was at the same point in time.. However,(seeing that Dan Marino at pick 27 ended-up being far better than the number one pick of John Elway in 1983, and Aaron Rodgers at pick 27 is far better than the number one pick of Alex Smith in 2005).. Do yourselves a favor and learn to appreciate what Matt Barkley is capable of while giving him an open-minded chance to win-over your hearts..(While hoping for the best,you have to prepare for the possibility and acceptance of not quite the best), because Indy is really bad and hasn't even come close to victory while we could'a, should'a, would'a possibly had at least a few victories..How awesome would 3-3 be?? We'd practically be on top of a world!!

Luck and Barkley's stats within the same conference are equally impressive for the most part!!
http://espn.go.com/ncf/preview?gameId=313020030

Thanks for reading, and I hope you'll all be watching with the excitement and anticipation of a college fan base, ENJOY the game and what's "practically guaranteed" to be THE 2012 MIAMI DOLPHIN QUARTERBACK!!

Must see TV for one and all Miami Dolphin fans!!
Saturday night on ABC at 8 pm est!!

Enter For A Chance To Win A Pair Of Miami Dolphins Colored DJ Wang Headphones

I am really excited to announce that in a week from today I will be giving away a pair of Brand New Miami Dolphins Colored DJ Wang 2001 Over Ear headphones.

I have partnered with the Fanny Wang headphone company, and they have sent me a pair of the custom headphones to give away. Here are some pictures of the headphones

As you can see these headphones are really high quality and stylish. If you want, you can click on this link to go to the Fanny Wang website and look at the info for their 2001 model.

Over Ear Headphones.

They also have other models too. You can check them all out at http://www.fannywang.com/.

Some Dolphins players even have their own pair. Both Vontae Davis and Sean Smith have a pair, and players from a total of 29 different NFL teams have gotten a pair of their own.

I found a video on Youtube that you guys can watch. This is the best one I could find, but it gives you an idea of exactly what the headphones look like.



The headphones come with a foam carry case, a 3.5mm connecting cable with iPod, iPhone and iPad control, a conversion plug for aircraft use, and a 6mm adapter.

How To Enter
To enter all you have to do is like Dolphin Shout's facebook page. That's it. If you have already liked the page, then you don't have to worry. You're already entered. Here is a link to the page:

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Dolphin-Shout/260064574033824

There is also an option to Like us at the top of this page or at the bottom of this post.

Next Thursday afternoon, November 3, I will pick a number out of a hat and count down the list of 'People who Like Dolphin Shout' to that number.

The winner will have a week to get in touch with me by email (paul@dolphinshout.com) or through Facebook to claim their prize and give me the address to ship to. If I can't get a hold of you I will have to pick a new number and award the new winner.

The only requirements that I have for the winner is that they be 13 years old or older.

Thanks for stopping by, and I hope you guys are as excited as I am about this giveaway. These are some really, really nice headphones.

Here is another like button for you guys. Also, be sure to follow me on twitter @PaulDSmythe. To contact me for any reason at all, please send me an email at paul@dolphinshout.com

Cowher Will Never Coach The Dolphins

Hiring the right coach in the NFL can seem mysterious and even Einstein’s famous definition of insanity, does not hold true in the murky waters of the NFL. The truth is many of the league’s most successful coaches have been retreads. Don Shula was essentially a retread. Bill Belichick failed miserably in Cleveland. Jon Gruden moved from Oakland to Tampa before winning a Super Bowl. Tony Dungy went from Tampa to Indianapolis. The list goes on and on…

Joe Gibbs and Bill Parcells are exceptions to another historic fact; they are the only two coaches in Super Bowl history to win with more than one QB. The difference between these two and the experienced head coaches the Dolphins are courting is, they both won amid a single coaching run with the same team. They both had established teams with established systems. To put the accomplishment in perspective, Don Shula could not pull it off, even with Dan Marino.

Winning the Super Bowl is the pinnacle of a coach’s career and without a franchise QB, few are able to climb back up the mountain. The rigors of today’s NFL are extraordinarily taxing on head coaches. Free agency has turned the game almost college like, where teams are forced to turn over their rosters every four or five years. A few exceptionally great players are paid huge sums to remain but at the expense of the roster as a whole. Winning rosters picked over in free agency more readily than losing rosters make it nearly impossible to build the dynasties of the past.

These factors and the pressure to win, take their toll on NFL coaches and many simply burnout or are run out by an ever aggressive media. Andy Reid is one of the best coaches in the NFL and the pressure to win forced him away from his tried and true method of building through the draft into an all out assault on free agency. If Philadelphia does not win this year, the local and national media will run him out of town. Coaching in the NFL is a tenuous existence and without a franchise QB any coach is as good as gone.

Bill Cowher got to the top of the mountain when he drafted Ben Roethlisberger. It is very telling that Cowher stepped down after winning the Super Bowl with a young franchise QB. After taking over for Chuck Noll in 1992, Cowher was exceptional. Paul Brown was the only other coach in NFL history to lead his team to the playoffs in each of his first six seasons as a head coach. In 1996 at the age of 38, he led the Steelers to the Super Bowl but lost to the Cowboys. It would be another 10 years before Cowher returned to the big dance.

Bill Cowher left Pittsburgh because he wanted to spend more time with his growing family, but what he was willing to leave behind, raises the red flags. After 14 years with the Steelers, Cowher had reached the goal he set for himself, winning a Super Bowl. Like Joe Gibbs and Jimmy Johnson before him, the sweet taste of victory lingers but the will to achieve it again, has eluded those men, as it did Bill Parcells and even Vince Lombardi. The quest to regain those heights is ever-present in a man who has been there before, but the hunger has subsided. Cowher may truly feel he is ready to climb back in the game, but defeat is a bitter pill on the heals of victory.

Art Rooney founded the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1933. Rooney then passed the team on to his son Dan Rooney, who is passing it on to his son Art Rooney II, because of this; the Steelers epitomize stability in the NFL. Since the NFL merger in 1970, the Steelers have had 3 coaches. This is the type of organization Bill Cowher is used to working for, Miami has had as many owners since 1970.

The Steeler history allowed them the patience to wait 14 years for Cowher to bring them back to prominence and the Rooney’s faith in Cowher never wavered. Yet, it wasn’t until a franchise QB arrived that the Steelers and Cowher won another Super Bowl, after nearly 20 years. That will not happen in Miami, Cowher will walk into a maelstrom that will demand immediate results. For these reasons, Cowher will not accept the coaching job in Miami.

When Cowher said it was disrespectful for the owner to seek out another coach with one still under contract, his actual thoughts were much deeper. The glitz of South Beach and celebrity owners mean nothing to Cowher, this is a steel town kind of guy and if he returns, it will be to a steel town kind of team, not Miami. Forget it Dolphin Fans, Bill Cowher will never coach the Miami Dolphins.

Next installment, Jeff Fisher…

Miami Dolphin Coaching Search Begins

This is the first in a series, finding a coach in Miami…

Albert Einstein once said, “the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.” It doesn’t take a genius to figure out, hiring a retread coach is not going to work. Jimmy Johnson, Dave Wannestedt and Bill Parcells should be history enough to eliminate the retreads. However, Miami has also learned the hard way; inexperienced coordinators such as Cam Cameron and Tony Sparano are not the answer and Nick Saban’s midnight run out of town should leave a bad taste for high profile college coaches.

It’s been 15 years since Wayne Huizenga and the media horde forced Don Shula to step down in 1995. The Dolphins have gone through 6 coaches, including interim coach Jim Bates since Shula and none has duplicated Shula’s success. The lesson they all have failed to learn from Shula is that winning in the NFL comes from the QB position. The last 1st round QB drafted in Miami was Dan Marino in 1983.

Since then the Dolphins have used the 1st round to draft running backs, John Avery (1998) and Ronnie Brown (2005), they gave up two first rounder picks for Ricky Williams (2002). They’ve drafted defensive backs, Jamar Fletcher (2001), Jason Allen (2006) and Vontae Davis (2009). They’ve drafted offensive tackles, Vernon Carey (2004) and Jake Long (2008). They’ve drafted wide receiver, Ted Ginn Jr. (2007) and defensive end Jared Odrick (2010).

For 27 years, the Dolphins have failed to address the most important position in the NFL, QB. Jimmy Johnson had some success with Marino, but since Huizenga and Dave Wannestedt forced Marino into retirement after a 62–7 defeat to the Jacksonville Jaguars in the 2000, Miami has made a steady progression to the cellar of the NFL.

Many pundits will argue that the coach is the most important person in the organization. Six consecutive losers solidify the notion, the QB, not the coach determines winners from losers. When a team goes 27 years without selecting a QB in the 1st round, it only serves to reason that team will not be playing in January. The same media horde that ran Johnson, Wannestedt, Bates, Saban, Cameron and now Sparano out of town is missing the root of the problem. Not drafting a QB is the real reason for Miami’s demise.

If Steven Ross is going to change the trend, he must understand why the previous coaches have been unsuccessful. Probably the two smartest guys in Miami since Shula were Nick Saban and Bill Parcells. Both of these men ran for the door when they realized Daunte Culpepper and Chad Henne respectively were not going to be the player they needed to build a winning team. Ross has to understand, the QB will bring Miami back to prominence and a good coach is along for the ride.

The term “franchise QB” came into being for a reason, that player is what makes a franchise. Teams like Tampa or Baltimore have won a Superbowl without a franchise QB but the overwhelming reality is, continuous success in the NFL comes from the QB position. Dredging up examples where this has not held true is argument for argument’s sake. Steven Ross must understand this and realize a coach can only be as good as the player he has under center.

This thought process would give Ross a very clear direction when he goes about selecting a coach. When hashing around names like Jon Gruden, Bill Cowher or Jeff Fisher it would be very important to understand whether these coaches have an eye for QBs. Taking the time to research their history would give Ross an indication of what to expect if he were to chose one of them. The first on the list, Jon Gruden…

Jon Gruden likens himself as a QB guru, but his history is less than stellar. In Oakland, Gruden signed free agent Rich Gannon in 1999 and the two began a run of three straight playoff seasons. Gruden was “traded” to the Bucs in 2002 for Tampa Bay's 2002 and 2003 first-round draft picks, 2002 and 2004 second-round draft picks, and $8 million in cash. Gruden ended up beating his former team in Superbowl 37 with a team largely made up of players drafted by Tony Dungy and renowned Tampa personnel director Rich McKay. Dungy and McKay signed QB, Brad Johnson as a FA in 2001.

The Bucs released Johnson a couple years later and Gruden floundered with such QBs as Shaun King, Chris Simms, Brian Griese and Bruce Gradkowski. Gruden never selected a 1st round QB and that was partly due to the price Tampa had to pay to lure him away from Oakland. Gurden could not get along with Rich McKay who was responsible for drafting such players as Warren Sapp, Derrick Brooks, Warrick Dunn and John Lynch among many others.

Gruden forced McKay to leave the Bucs and brought in Bruce Allen who had worked with him in Oakland. Allen, like his father George Allen, built a reputation of resurrecting the careers of aging veterans. It is hard to say what Gruden would do in Miami with the opportunity to draft Andrew Luck but his draft history with Allen in Tampa is not flattering. Like the Dolphins, he passed on Aaron Rodgers in 2005 and selected running back Cadillac Williams. The truth is, in the 1st round from 2005 through 2008, only Aaron Rodgers and Jay Cutler have been consistent starters.

Gruden is an excellent coach, but he has been out of the league for several years and his success, as broadcaster will leave an easy out if things get rough. Having never drafted a QB in the first round, a preference for older players and a history of poor drafting are indications he would not be a very good fit for the Miami Dolphins. History is not on his side as well, as no coach has ever won a Superbowl with two different teams.

The next installment, Bill Cowher…

The Miami Dolphins Really Might Be The Worst Team In The NFL

When it seemed that the Miami Dolphins had finally found a team that they were better than, a team that they had shut out for the first 57 minutes of the game, they proved to us yet again that they were not better, and in doing so they slid to the very bottom of the pile in the NFL.

No other team is lower than them. Not even the Colts. Maybe the Colts are right there with them tied for last, but they aren't worse. The Dolphins lost to a far worse team yesterday in a (I would argue) worse way.

Everything about yesterday's game was embarrassing. From Gator day to allowing a 15-0 shutout to turn into a 15-18 loss in the last three minutes of the game. I don't know how it can get much worse.

Like it or not, "Suck for Luck" is gaining more and more ground. What else do we have to look forward to this season? We sure as heck aren't going to have a winning record or make the playoffs. Why not root for the team to tank? I am not committed to rooting for Miami to suck just yet, but I am leaning more and more towards it as the losses continue to pile on.

That's it for today. I am planning on forgetting that this game ever happened now.

Disgusting !!!

I don't what else to say. I called my Brother and asked him what he thought I should write about, he had no ideas either. The one thing I'm not going to do is recap of the game. Do you really want to hear any thing about how a lousy team came in here played poorly and won the game in over time.

The only thing I can tell you for sure is, this is a team that plays with no heart, no passion, and doesn't seem to care if they win or not. They can say what ever want in the post game interviews, because just like them, I don't care. We watch them every week on the field, we know what they are. Do they think we are blind ?

Every part of this team is broken. We already know Ireland doesn't know what he is doing, The coaching staff is no better, and that includes everyone of them on each side of the ball. What gets passed over is the Scouting Department. If this isn't the most clueless scouting staff in the NFL, who is worse ?

I think it's time for a new mantra for this team. Something that will help the team as much as Andrew Luck. It goes something like this.

Step down Tony. do us all favor and step down. You are in over your head. You are not an NFL Head Coach, and while you are at it, you can hold hands with Ireland as he goes with you followed by the Scouting Department. None of you are any good. Step down Tony.

Miami Dolphins vs Tim Tebow Live Game Chat

This game has a lot of meaning despite the combined 1-9 record.

Here is a link to the game.

Complete This Survey for a Chance To Win Two Miami Dolphins Tickets.

Hey Guys. I recently received and email from Fan Beat offering you guys a chance at winning two lower-level tickets to a Dolphins game. If you fill out a survey for them, they will give you a chance to win the tickets.

I have done the survey myself. It doesn't take very long to do and you can win tickets. I figured that you guys would be interested, so here is what they wanted me to say:

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The website’s creators have requested your input and are offering those who help them the chance to win 2 lower-level tickets to see any NFL, MLB, NBA, NHL, or MLS team, in addition to early VIP access to the site when it launches.

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Good luck!

Well, there it is. They will ask for your first name and email, so you don't have to give away a lot of info. Thanks for stopping by. I am going to be doing a Dolphin Shout giveaway very soon, so stay tuned for that.

The Miami Dolphins Can Beat Tim Tebow

There’s a reason Tim Tebow started the season number three on the depth chart, he is limited as a NFL QB. Playing in the spread offense from the shotgun did not prepare him for taking snaps under center. In the college game, a QB like Tebow can dominate with his physical presence, as an extra running back with the ability to throw on the run to improvised pass routes. He’s a Rambo sized Michael Vick without the quick-flick throwing motion. Because of this Tebow can be beat and here’s how.

Forget the hype. Tebow is not a conventional QB and trying to make him into one, is foolish. John Fox is anything but foolish. Tebow does not have the footwork to make timing throws from the pocket. He does not have the quick release needed to beat DBs to a spot on the field. Because of this, it is necessary to design an offensive scheme to take advantage of his strengths. His ability to run with power and throw while moving makes him into something the Dolphins are very familiar with, a wildcat QB.

Undoubtedly, Denver has been watching film of the Dolphins from 2008. They will be using Miami’s own scheme against them and if the Dolphins are unprepared, they will have not done their homework. Miami was more than likely prepared to draft Tebow in the second round before Denver jumped in front of them. The Dolphins must remember why. Tebow is a perfect fit for a wildcat type offense and Denver will be using many of those concepts.

The wildcat is a shotgun attack with a back coming in motion across the formation from a wide receiver position (the wildcat). The tackle on the side of the wildcat moves to the opposite side creating an unbalanced line with two tackles on the strong side. It is a pure power run formation and the back is already at full speed as he crosses in front of the QB. The problem for Miami was Ronnie Brown’s inability to throw the football with consistency or accuracy.

Denver will not use the wildcat’s unbalanced line concept, but the QB being a primary runner from the shotgun is Miami’s main concern. Tebow is not a drop back passer who can throw from the pocket and Denver will not be using the timing patterns so prevalent in the NFL. Denver will use choice routes allowing the receivers to improvise based on the coverage and movement from the QB. For this reason, Miami must play most of the game in zone defense.

Man coverage requires the DB to follow his man with his back to the QB. This would allow Tebow to take off before the DBs can react and will open large gaps in the defense. Zone coverage requires DBs to face the offense and cover areas of the field while maintaining eye contact with the QB. Timing patterns beat zone coverage because DBs react to the ball and not the man, creating separation. When a QB has a long throwing motion, the extra tenth of a second it takes to release the ball is enough time for the DBs to make up for the separation. By facing the offense, DBs can also react to the run much faster and can contain Tebow when he turns into a running back.

Miami must make Tebow think about where pressure will be coming from. Tebow does not have the NFL experience to make pre-snap reads and confusion at the snap will put him in immediate run mode. Miami must take a page from the amoeba defense and not come set until the last second before the snap. Miami should blitz on nearly every down but those blitzes must come from different angles with different players. These should not be all out blitzes, they should be a single player from different locations across the front.

The front seven must play with controlled aggression. Tebow is a full back disguised as a QB, sacking him will not be easy and missing an attempted sack leaves running lanes for him to exploit. Allow the single blitzer to apply pressure while the rest of the front maintains gap responsibility. Take away the running lanes, force Tebow to throw the ball and make plays using his arm. Unlike other QBs, Tebow is not afraid to mix it up between the tackles, Miami must hit him hard every time he ventures inside and must be acutely aware of the QB draw in the redzone.

Tebow is a half the field thrower. He moves out of the pocket to one side and uses only the receivers on that side. Where he becomes dangerous is when he reverses direction and comes to the backside. In this situation, it is pure improvisation by the entire offense. When things break down, Tebow is at his best and for this reason, backside containment is critical. The Dolphins must set and maintain the backside edge. Do not chase Tebow around from behind and leave the backside empty, this is Tebow’s bread and butter, either to run or throw.

The keys for Miami…

Play zone coverage.
Take away the pre-snap read.
Maintain gap responsibility.
Be constantly aware of the QB draw.
Set and maintain the backside edge.

These keys will force Tebow to win using his arm and send Touchdown Jesus home a loser on Gator day in Miami.

The Miami Dolphin Suck-for-Luck Campaign

Boss Ross holds a team meeting and in his best Knute Rockne voice says… “I know you enjoy your fancy cars and all the fun on South Beach, but I need you to take one for the team! You’re stinking up the league and we need to draft this kid out of Stanford. For the future of the Miami Dolphins, you must get out on that field and SUCK! I need you to roll over and make this community proud by giving it a franchise QB! Do it for the fans, do for all the little kids who can no longer watch your pathetic play, do it for a once great franchise I have run into the ground!

“SUCK-FOR-LUCK!”

Jason Taylor stands up, “guys, I know I’ve been invisible on the field, but I’m going to take it to a new level. I want to see every one of you getting knocked ten yards off the ball. I want you, Mark Columbo, to bring a cape and wave it at the rushers as they go by, OLE! Daniel Thomas, you need to get with the program and step it down, this running hard must stop. Reggie, just take it between the tackles a few more times and we’ll come visit you in the hospital.”

Before Taylor has a chance to finish, Brandon Marshall jumps up, “I can drop it, I can drop it, I can run out bounds, I can get manhandled by a guy half my size. Come on Jason all you have to do is get me the damn ball and I’ll fumble it. Look, I can show you guys how to play like crap, it’s easy, shoot off your mouth, piss off the other team and then don’t show up!”

Sparano walks in, “now wait a minute guys, why do I have to micromanage everything around here? I want the DBs doing interception dropping drills. Backs we will begin fumbling drills after you fully understand how to allow a blitzer to get a free shot at the QB. O-line I have set up dummies, each represents a defensive lineman, your job is to avoid blocking them at all cost. Defensive line and linebackers, continue what you’ve been doing, the arm tackling dummies are in the bubble. Matt Moore, we will have four receivers going into routes, if I see your eyes move off the primary one time you will owe the team fifty wind sprints. Any receiver who catches the ball will join Moore doing sprints Now let’s go!”

“Coach, coach…”

“What do you want NOW Carpenter? Can’t you see I don’t have time for a kicker!”

“But coach, the only thing we’ve been able to do this season is kick fieldgoals. I don’t feel like I’m doing my part in the Suck-for-Luck campaign. It’s about time you allowed me to shank a few, I feel like I’m letting the team down, and you, and Boss Ross as well.”

“Carpenter, how the hell am I going to do a fist pump and make it look like this team is actually playing if you start shanking fieldgoals?”

“It’s not fair coach, everyone else is stinking up the field and I have to go out and ruin it for everyone. Can’t we just have a botched the snap, I’ll slap the ball up in the air right to a defender then miss the tackle.”

“Carpenter, I like your spirit, but we all have to make sacrifices to Suck-for-Luck and yours is to continue making fieldgoals. Look, by the end of the season, you will have broken the NFL points record and we can trade you for a seventh round draft pick. I’ll talk to the holder, maybe just once he can allow the ball to hit him in the face instead of catching it. Will that make you feel better?”

“Thank you coach,” Carpenter says while stubbing his kicking toe on the doorstop…

“And tell that punter I want to see him in my office, these kicking teams have been performing too well and it’s high time I put an end to it.”

And so, with absolutely no fanfare, the Dolphins begin the Suck-for-Luck campaign.

Would you cheer for Tebow ?

If you were able to see this game. Would you cheer for Tebow when he stepped on the field this weekend ? I find repulsive to cheer for any player that isn't wearing the Miami Dolphins colors. That includes Wes Welker whom So. Florida fans still have a love affair with. Read what this guy had to say about Tebow.

" Former president of the Broward County Gator Club. "I don't want him to win, but if he makes some great plays it's worth the price of admission." "If someone's going to beat us, it might as well be him. We're getting kind of used to that around here."

We have gone around and around about loyal fans on this site, and most of the times I defend the fans that are fed up with the team, because I feel the same as they do. One thing you will never see me do is cheer for a player on the other team. This is one game I am glad I am not going to. Mostly because if I sat next to someone that attempted to stand up when Tebow entered the field, I would kick him in the knee caps.

You can chant suck for Luck as much as you want, you can hope the team loses for that reason. I don't like that, but I can live with that. What I can't deal with is someone praising or cheering for a player on the other team to score TDs and run all over the Dolphins defence, when they are wearing a Dolphin jersey or Dolphin gear.

So if you are one of those fans that cheer for the Dolphins, and this week you cheer for Tebow. Thank your lucky stars that I am not sitting next to you. Because one of us is leaving the game early on a stretcher.

Have Vontae Davis and Sean Smith Fallen Off?

Most of the Miami Dolphins team this year has been disappointing. With the exception of a few players, the Dolphins roster has extremely underperformed.

Two of those players that I believe have not been playing near as well as I thought they could are Vontae Davis and Sean Smith, but the biggest surprise to me has been Vontae Davis' performance.

I may be the only one who thinks this, but I feel like Davis has been consistently beat one on one this season. The best shut-down corners don't get beat like he has been beat so far. I honestly thought that he was among the best corners in the NFL, like Darrelle Revis and Nnamdi Asomugha, but he hasn't showed me that he's even close to them.

I have no numbers to back up my point. I can't think of any specific example that makes me feel like he has fallen off. I just feel like whoever Davis is covering is getting open pretty frequently.

I'm sure you guys remember when Vontae said that he and Sean Smith were the best cornerback tandem in the NFL. Well, we obviously know that isn't true.

I believe that Vontae's comments reflected a bigger problem among the rest of the Miami Dolphins defense. They spent the entire offseason and preseason talking about how good they were, and they obviously didn't put in enough work to be that good. I don't really blame the players, either. Their coaches were the ones telling them how good they were. I can remember hearing numerous times from numerous players about how highly the defense would have been ranked if you eliminated the last game of last season against the Patriots. I am almost positive that it was Mike Nolan who told them this, too.

There are a few problems with that argument, but the biggest is that you're playing the Patriots to open the season. Instead of acting like the game never happened, why not acknowledge that it did and focus on how to stop the Pats? They obviously didn't prepare enough, because Tom Brady set a new career-high in passing yards.

If Mike Nolan and whoever else hadn't spent so much time telling the players how good they were last year, maybe we wouldn't be in the same hole that we are in this year. The Dolphins defense came in to the season feeling like a million bucks, only to find that that million bucks was just monopoly money. You can't win football games without a lot of preparation, and the conditioning of the defense in that season opener tells me all I need to know about their preparation before.

I'm sure some of you disagree with me, but I am also sure that I am not alone in my thoughts that I have put up above.

Thank you for stopping by, and let me hear your reaction. I am sure that you have thoughts on this topic.

Be sure to like Dolphin Shout on Facebook and follow me on twitter @PaulDSmythe.

Gator Day in Miami... Stupid

The Great Gods of football are laughing at the Miami Dolphins… They are sitting up on Mount Lombardi with a divining rod directing Matt Moore’s pass to hit Revis between the numbers. The snakes of Kenny Stabler (Medusa) willing the words from Marshall’s “heads” out of his mouth. There is no way to make this stuff up.

Gator day in Miami, with Tim Tebow making his first start of the season, explain that? It’s like a steamroller coming down Mount Lombardi with no brakes, aiming straight at the Dolphins. Is it the curse of Joe Robbie? Is George Halas twisting pins in his aqua and orange voodoo doll? Maybe beating Buffalo 20 times in a row set off an epic chain of karma that can only be broken by complete humiliation.

The worst team in the NFL is dedicating a game to a college team from 3 years ago. The QB from that team walking into a starting role in the Dolphins own stadium. The Hurricane team not being celebrated plays its home games in that very stadium and is a rival. The Gators are farther from Miami than Tampa, the next celebration will be for the Bucs Superbowl victory 10 years ago!

It’s like Darrell, Darrell and Darrell, stupid, stupider and stupidest… The assumption is that people with billions of dollars must somehow be smarter than the rest of us, but as Forest Gump said, “stupid is as stupid does.”

Real Dolphin fans can only throw their hands up and lament how far this franchise has fallen. The prospect of making short-term money is worth alienating every local fan that ever walked through those turnstiles. There is no way to make this stuff up. It can only come from pure stupidity.

Brandon Marshall is a Cancer

Brandon Marshal has become a detriment to the Miami Dolphins. No matter how good his intentions may be, no matter how much potential he may possess, no matter how well he may have played in the past, Marshall is not good for the Miami Dolphins.

Marshall cannot be so unaware of his position on the field he runs out of bounds, when there is nothing in front of him but the endzone. He cannot call himself an elite receiver when he allows a catchable pass to slip through his hands in the endzone. He cannot be the monster he claims when a defensive back forces him off his route and jumps him for a pick 6 from the endzone. He cannot be a go-to receiver when he allows a smaller man to establish position and repeatedly knock the ball away in the endzone.

Marshall told the press he was going to play with reckless abandon and not make halftime. Instead, Marshall took the Dolphins out of the game, not by his passion, not by his play being so exceptional it forced the Jets to fight, he took the Dolphins out of the game by not living up to the ridiculous expectations his compulsive personality set for himself. It was clear the Dolphin game plan was to feed the beast and the coaches should be ashamed of themselves.

What do the rest of the players on the team think when the coaching staff designs a game plan exclusively around a man who claims he will abandon them before the first half is over? What do the players think when the GM signs this borderline personality to a mega-contract? The Dolphins ignored Devon Bess who has established himself as one of the best 3rd down receivers in the NFL. The Dolphins ignored Anthony Fasano who has been finding openings in the seams. The Dolphins ignored Brian Hartline who may have the best hands on the team.

The Dolphins are playing like a diseased team and the cancer is wearing number 19. The coaching staff allowed Marshall to take over the head of a quarterback who was starting his first game with Miami. They placed the cancer in front of every other player on the squad and the disease spread to every corner of the field. The defense held up its bargain until it was clear there was no cure for the cancer on offense.

Marshall warranted a suspension when he said he would not make it till halftime. Waltzing out of bounds should have landed him on the bench the rest of the game. Removal is the only option when one man’s borderline personality takes over a team. The cost is irrelevant because Marshall is done with the Dolphins the moment another coach steps in the locker room.

The only way to regain some respect in the locker room is to cut Marshall. A trade may have been possible but the Dolphin’s GM could not see the blight staring at him and allowed the trade deadline to pass. Choosing to make a game plan around Marshall simply shows the ineptitude of the entire organization, from the GM who traded for him to the coach who staked his career on him.

Brandon Marshall is a cancer… Tony Sparano and Jeff Ireland will find that out soon enough when they are looking for another job. Meanwhile, some of the most loyal fans in the NFL will continue dropping off, one after another…

Game recap

I don't exactly know what to say about that game. If I were going recap the game with one sentence I would say. Think back to the play of Brandon Marshall and I think that will say it all. Didn't it seem the entire team played as he did ?

Yes there were some glimpses of good play ( not hope ). Jake seemed to me to play a bit better this week, not great but better. Hey at this time I'll take what ever I can get !! That was about all I can say good about the offensive line. There was a Reggie Bush sighting he actually caught a few balls had one nice run, and fumbled a time or two. The passing game !! Well what is there to say about that. Matt honed in on Brandumb Marshall like I do when I go fishing for Pompano. Why look for any other fish when Pompano is what I want. Did Bess ever get targeted, or Fasano ? That was simply an awfully offensive game plan. Daboll is trying to rectify that mistake of having been the 30th ranked offence in the league last year, and figured he can put the Dolphins at rock bottom. Matt Moore ? Matt Moore ? need I say more ? Which brings me back to Marshall. If people are going to go after someone this week with a tongue lashing this guy served his own head up on a platter. For now I will leave him up to you guys.

The defence. They quit on the team, or at least it seemed to me that they did. The defensive line was offensive, the linebackers although the inside guys played a little better this week the OLB did a vanishing act, Misi made a few plays. Mark Sanchez would have been in big trouble if the Dolphins could have put any pressure on him at all. Unfortunately the DL was wearing Harry Potter's cloak of invisibility. ( The damn thing works !!! ) The defensive backs didn't look to bad, I think Davis being back helped then a little. I have one tip for Sean Smith. Please locate Brandon Marshall, and then find some Pop Warner coach that can teach both of you the fundamentals of catching a football. I think that covers it. I will leave you on a high note !!!

Brandon Shields should be going to the Pro Bowl...

Miami Dolphins at New York Jets Live Game Chat

This should be interesting. Here is a link to the game.

Behind Enemy Lines: What Jets Sites Are Saying About New York's Matchup Against The Miami Dolphins

I am going to do the "Behind Enemy Lines" segment for the Miami Dolphins Monday night game against the Jets. I got the feeling that you guys really liked it when I put this up against Cleveland, so I figured that this would be a good game to do it. Thank you Gary for suggesting this idea to me.

For anyone who doesn't know, I will be looking at websites for the opposing team and posting what they said were their keys to beating the Dolphins. Then I will post my reaction right below each quote.

Here is what turnonthejets.com had to say about the game:

"The Jets need to run the football effectively to keep balance but take more than a handful of shots down the field against a suspect Miami Dolphins secondary. The main thing I want to see out of this game is zero turnovers from Mark Sanchez."

In all likelihood, Sanchez probably won't have more than one turnover. The Dolphins don't seem to be able to create many turnovers. Even last year when they really played well, they just could not seem to take the ball away.

This is also from turnonthejets.com:

"Come after Matt Moore from the first snap of the game until the final seconds."

Makes sense. The Jets are a blitzing team, and Miami's offensive line hasn't really been great at protecting their quarterback.

And a final quote form turnonthejets.com:

"Reggie Bush isn't an every down back but he is dangerous out of the backfield as a receiver. The Jets must shadow him with a safety or Kyle Wilson. I'd be worried about Brandon Marshall but we have that Revis guy and it sounds like Marshall will be gone by halftime anyway. If Miami scores 17 points on Monday night, the Jets defense underachieved."

He's obviously having some fun with this one. He mentions that Marshall will be gone by halftime, and you can't help but see him smiling behind his keyboard on that one. One thing he failed to mention was Daniel Thomas. The Jets have a very bad run defense, so Thomas should have a good chance to really carve New York up. He may be able to score over 17 points all by himself this weekend against the suspect Jets run defense.

This next quote is actually from a Patriots site that talks about the Dolphins Jets game, saying that it is a must win for both teams. But, the quote that I am going to share with you doesn't necessarily have to do with Monday's game. I just found it interesting. Here it is from 60maxpowero.com written by Dana Draper:

"We're still trying to figure out why the Dolphins have been so bad. They have solid running backs in Daniel Thomas and Reggie Bush, a very good WR corp with a standout in Brandon Marshall, and a decent offensive line. Okay, the QB situation is a bit messy, but Matt Moore has had two weeks to get ready for the Jets."

I agree with Dana on this analysis. At the beginning of the season I honestly thought that our team was really good and that we would be able to make the playoffs. A lot of Patriots fans admitted to being nervous before that opening Monday night game against the Dolphins. They knew who Miami had and what they were supposed to be capable of. They obviously didn't play like they were capable of playing, though.

Thanks for stopping by. Let me know what you think about all of this.

Be sure to like Dolphin Shout on Facebook and to follow me on twitter @PaulDSmythe.

Must Win for Tony Sparano

I believe this is a pivotal game for Tony Sparano and the Miami Dolphins. The Jets - Dolphins rivalry stirs up Miami fans more than any other game on Miami’s schedule. The Bills and the Patriots games are important but Miami fans hate the Jets.

I remember Miami losing to the Jets in Joe Robbie stadium during the Marino era. At the end of the 3rd quarter and I had to relieve myself. It was one of those games where the Miami defense made Ken O’Brien look like a world-beater even with Marino throwing for some ungodly numbers. The lines were about 10 deep and this obnoxious Jets fan (are there any worse?) started mouthing off. He was talking so much smack the guy in front him, told him to STFU or he would kick his ass. The Jet fan continued and without warning, the guy in front of him decked him. Hit him in the mouth as hard as I have ever seen a man hit.

The idiot Jet fan went down like a sack of potatoes and the men in the bathroom went crazy. They kicked him, punched him, just beat this jerk to a pulp. I didn’t participate because I was blocked out by the main mass, but I often think I would have taken a shot if I could have gotten close enough. It’s not something I’m proud of but it illustrates the pure hatred Miami fans have for the Jets.

This is the passion Tony Sparano and the Dolphins must understand when playing this game. Miami fans are generally docile and used to fans from other teams being around them in the stadium. The Jets are a different story, fights breakout in the stands every time the teams play in Miami. This game is in New York so none of that will happen but the passion of the Miami fans watching will not change.

If the Dolphins do not show up for this game, I believe Miami fans will be calling for Sparano’s head. If the Dolphins cannot show passion against the Jets, they do not belong in the NFL. Miami has been going through the motions on the field this season and it is time to get out of the funk and play this game as if it is their last. Losing badly could mean just that, because Miami fans will question the heart of every player.

I’m calling out the Miami Dolphins, if you have any heart, if you have any will to win, then show up for this game. There are no excuses for not playing hard. Play this game for us, your loyal fans who have followed you through thick and then. Beating the Jets can give us one reason to continue believing. All we ask is play with passion! Don’t give us lip service about being thrown out in the second quarter. Get on the field and show all of America there is still a heartbeat in Miami.

Turning Around the Miami Dolphins

The presence of a great coach and a great QB, tied at the hip like a set of Siamese twins, often defines NFL dynasties. The phrase, “leadership starts at the top,” rarely goes beyond the coach of these teams, but this is far from true. Strong leadership above the coach is the cement that holds the organization together. Any successful endeavor begins with an impassioned leader at the very top whose ethic and determination funnels down through the organization.

In its infancy the NFL came into being by the persistence of men who did not view their team as a toy or a status symbol, these were men of passion. Joe Robbie was one such man. He built the Miami Dolphins with his own blood, sweat and tears, into one of the most successful franchises in NFL history. There is a direct correlation to the demise of the franchise with the loss of Joe Robbie.

Like any great leader, the keys to success are seeing that same greatness in others and providing the tools, guidance and respect, those people need to succeed. Steven Ross did not rise to his current pinnacle without understanding these basic principles. This cannot happen if the team is merely a toy or a status symbol. He must approach the Dolphins with the same passion that led to his success in business.

Breaking down those four keys can provide insight into where the Dolphins came from, where they are now and how to dig out of the current hole.

Recognize Greatness
Provide the Tools
Give Proper Guidance
Respect Others

Recognize Greatness

On January 12th 1969, Don Shula led the heavily favored 13-1 Baltimore Colts into the Orange Bowl for Superbowl III against the New York Jets. The Colts were a juggernaut that season, which culminated with a 34-0 crushing of the Cleveland Browns in the NFL championship game. The season began inauspiciously with QB Johnny Unitas injuring his throwing shoulder and the team having to resort to little known back-up Earl Morrall. Morrall led the team to one of the greatest seasons in NFL history and Shula chose to start Morrall in the Superbowl even though Unitas was now healthy. This fateful decision changed the fortunes of Don Shula and the Miami Dolphins.

The Colts lost that game 16-7 when Morrall could not muster the Colt’s offense and Joe Namath became a NFL icon by guaranteeing a Jet victory. More importantly for the Dolphins, the relationship between Colts owner Carroll Rosenbloom and Don Shula deteriorated to the point where Shula was “allowed” to resign. Joe Robbie saw an opportunity and seized the moment so readily the Dolphins were forced to give the Colts a 1st round draft pick for tampering when Robbie and Shula negotiated prior to Shula’s resignation from the Colts.

Joe Robbie recognized greatness, even at the cost of a 1st round pick and the largest coaching contract in NFL history at the time, Robbie did not hesitate. Shula would then lead the Dolphins to an undefeated season and nearly 30 years of unparalleled success. Under Robbie and Shula, the Dolphins became a model NFL franchise and Shula’s 347 victories is a record that may never be broken.

Steven Ross duplicated Robbie’s tenacity by negotiating with Jim Harbaugh, but did so, while still having Tony Sparano under contract. It was an ill-fated attempt to land the coach, but Harbaugh’s instant success with the 49ers shows Ross correctly recognized Harbaugh’s potential for greatness. Tony Sparano may not be a bad coach, but he clearly will never be a great coach in Miami. Ross didn’t get his guy, but he must not allow failure to stop him from boldly pursuing a great coach. It is his team and he must couple himself with a coach, of his selection, who shares his passion.

Provide the Tools

Joe Robbie did not start by hiring Don Shula, he started by hiring GM Joe Thomas. Thomas was responsible for acquiring a core of players that Shula would later lead to greatness. Thomas became infuriated with the spotlight shining on Shula and Robbie fired him in 1971 but not before Thomas found such players as Bob Griese, Larry Czonka, Nick Buoniconti, Dick Anderson, Manny Fernandez and may others. Thomas began to place himself above the team and Robbie quickly removed the problem hiring Bobby Beathard in 1971. Thomas actually inserted himself as the interim coach of the Baltimore Colts in 1974 before his arrogance finally landed him out of the NFL.

Robbie again struck gold by hiring Bobby Beathard who worked seamlessly with Don Shula to complete the makings of a dynasty. Robbie knew he needed a GM who did not aspire to be a coach or a football czar, he needed a man who excelled at player acquisition and Beathard was that man. Beathard was able to understand the type of players Shula could mold and provided him with the tools he needed to be a successful coach.

Taking a close objective look at the job Jeff Ireland has done, Steven Ross will quickly see the difference between Ireland and Beathard. As an example, both traded for wide receivers, Beathard’s choice was Hall of Famer Paul Warfield, Ireland’s choice, Brandon Marshall. Beathard decisively traded the number one pick in the draft for Warfield, giving Shula the downfield threat he needed to go with a devastating rushing attack. Ireland traded for a troubled player, one-step from league suspension. Marshall is a good possession receiver who has never had the knack for finding the endzone.

Ireland has done a decent job of drafting, but with the exception of Jake Long, his picks have been okay. His work in free agency has been abysmal and has left Tony Sparano with a collection of okay players after 4 years. If Ross wants to provide his coach with the proper tools, it’s obvious; he needs to find a man with a keener eye for talent and the confidence to take bold action on his convictions.

Give Proper Guidance

When Joe Robbie saw Don Shula and Joe Thomas were not a good mix, he demonstrated his leadership to Shula by not hesitating to fire Thomas. Robbie never made an indecisive, Wayne Huizenga maneuver, by hiring a czar to find a coach or GM for him; he went out and found his own people. He never displayed the lack of confidence in his decision-making that has eventually led to the current lack of confidence throughout the entire organization. Robbie was a man of action and through confidence; he provided guidance to all the people who worked for him.

When the city of Miami refused to replace the crumbling Orange Bowl, Robbie built a stadium for the city. Talking does not provide guidance, action does, and anyone who worked for Robbie knew words meant little to the man, actions spoke much louder. Steven Ross must have this same resolution and demonstrate it through actions. He must realize the entertainment of football is football. If the action is to fill a stadium with celebrities, the guidance to Ross’ underlings is to find celebrity players. Under this guidance comes a player like Reggie Bush when a proven playmaker like Darren Sproles ends up in New Orleans.

Ross must make the decision that his football team is the priority, not the people who sit in the luxury boxes. This guidance will enable the people below him to make decisions based on football and those decisions will then fill the luxury boxes and the stands as well. The cart does not move every well when the horse is behind it. Demonstrate a commitment to building a football team and everyone in the organization will follow that guidance.

Respect Others

Joe Robbie had the decency to fire George Wilson before approaching Don Shula. The lack of respect Ross showed to Tony Sparano has gone a long way toward the situation the Miami Dolphins now find themselves. Taking Ireland with him in the quest for Jim Harbaugh also placed Ireland in a position of disrespecting Sparano. This example of disrespect is reprehensible and filters all the way through the organization.

Perhaps Steven Ross wanted to make a bold Joe Robbie type move by pursuing Harbaugh, but he lost his coach of choice by the lack respect he showed Sparano. This could continue to haunt Ross because every coach he tries to hire, from this point on, will wonder whether the owner will eventually show him the same lack of respect. The leader must make the hard decisions and if it means firing someone, then the deed must be done.

It doesn’t always make sense that people will respect someone who fires another man but this is the essence of leadership. If an employee is a non-performer and the leader does not take appropriate action, he loses the respect of the rest of the employees. If Ross felt strongly enough to jump on a plane and court Jim Harbaugh, it clearly meant he was unhappy with Tony Sparano’s performance. He owed it to every person in the Miami Dolphin organization to show his leadership by firing Sparano, by not doing so, he lost the respect of his employees.

There is no other option for Ross, he must fire Tony Sparano. Tony knows it, everyone inside the Dolphins organization knows it and the fans know it. The impending doom reflects on the field and in the locker room. The only way for Ross to regain respect is by stepping up and being the leader he should have been last year. Respect is a fickle thing not easily acquired but easily lost. Ross must prove his dedication to his football team before it is possible for him to earn their respect.

Here is your plan Mr. Ross…

Recognize Greatness
Provide the Tools
Give Proper Guidance
Respect Others

Bringing back the Miami Dolphins will not be an easy task but following these four keys will set the team on the right path. Miami fans will once again fill Joe Robbie Stadium and bask in the glory of victory.

Brandon Marshall: "Hopefully I get kicked out in the second quarter"

Wait, did he really just say that? Did Brandon Marshall just say that he hopes that he will be kicked out of the Miami Dolphins game against the New York Jets in the second quarter?

During his first public comments since the Dolphins lost to the Chargers, Marshall had all of this to say courtesy of Manny Navarro of the Miami Herald (I am just going to post all of his comments up for you, because you really need to see what he said).

"I think the past four games have been tough for me, trying to control some things, and, hey man, I'm just going to let it out"

"I don't care if I have two, three cameras on me. I don't care if I have penalties. It doesn't matter; I'm going to let it all out. I don't care what you guys write or what the commentators say. I'm just going to play football. That's what I’m best at. I'm best when I play emotional. I'm best when I play with passion. You guys are going to see that on Monday Night Football. I don't know if it's throwing a football 15 yards in the bleachers, or getting a 15-yarder [penalty], or punting the ball and getting thrown out of the game. But something is going to happen. I'll probably get kicked out after the second quarter."

"I'm not joking. I'm serious. They want to fine me, hit me with a $50,000 fine. I'm going to play. The quarter and a half I'm out there, I'm going to play like a monster. I might get into a fight with Bart Scott, Cromartie, we pretty much matured our relationship a little bit. We used to fight in Denver and San Diego. If that happens, it happens. We'll see."

Um, what? I really hope that he doesn't actually get kicked out. That would be really, really annoying. I understand that he is trying to figure out why he isn't playing like he used to, but getting kicked out won't help anything.

What are your thoughts? This seems really absurd to me, but then again, what about Marshall hasn't been absurd so far this year?

Oh, and he also wants to be known as the monster and not the beast anymore. Something about monsters only scare you and don't hurt you, but beasts do hurt you. Who knows.

Thanks for stopping by. Be sure to like us on Facebook and follow me on twitter @PaulDSmythe.

You Tell Me: If You Could Change It Now...

I have a great idea for a "You Tell Me" because there isn't anything else to talk about Miami Dolphins-related right now (which is kind of pathetic considering we are in Week 6 of the NFL season).

My idea is to see who you would rather the Miami Dolphins have taken in the second round of the 2011 NFL Draft.

With the pick they took RB Daniel Thomas, who has looked very good so far. He is one of the few bright spots on the team, and he has looked much better this year than Ronnie Brown did last year.

The alternative to Thomas, though, was to take QB Ryan Mallett, whom most of you know I was a GIANT supporter of. I strongly believe that Mallett is the real deal, no question about it. The Dolphins obviously didn't feel the same way though, and they allowed him to fall even farther.

So, what I want you guys to tell me is, with what you know now about Miami's offense, would you rather that the Dolphins had Ryan Mallett or would you rather that they still took Thomas. Let's pretend like Chad Henne is still healthy, too, because you can't predict injuries. I want you to say whether you think that Mallett would have been able to lead the Dolphins to more wins than Henne.

Thanks for stopping by, and I look forward to your responses.

Tim Tebow To Start Against Miami Dolphins

Tim Tebow has been named the Denver Broncos starter for their game against the Miami Dolphins in just over a week and a half.

Why is this important to us? Well, it could mean one of two things. It will either mean that Miami's defense will be able to hold the Broncos offense to minimal production and lead the Dolphins to a win (unlikely), or it will mean that Tim Tebow will lead Denver to a victory and gain even more support from his large fan base, thus embarrassing Miami even more (more likely).

The game against the Broncos isn't looking to good. Tebow will be making his first start of the season after an exciting second half last week, and on top of that it will be Gator day, in honor of the National Championship Florida Gators team that Tebow was QB for.

So, even though Denver isn't that great I am still expecting them to beat Miami.

That's all I've got for today. What do you think about Tebow coming to Miami?

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