No, it didn't. It's a bull**** standard to hold anyone too. Marshall and Davis were moved because they were at maximum value. If you can't replace them in a situation where the value is appropriate, you don't do it.
The overthrows may be a talent issue. Tannehill throws a poor deep ball at this stage compared to Moore,for example. May or may not be correctable, if not, it is a talent issue.
Naw, it's pretty much the truth. Acting like you're some sort of downtrodden, hard-luck fan that has been through a lot is an intense bit of lame self-pitying.
That era is relevant not because fans only started being fans when they arrived, but because fans STOPPED being fans since they arrived and failed to turn the team around. Not that the Dolphins were any great shakes before Parcells arrived, but they were still holding pretty steady in terms of attendance. The Dolphins losing records combined with a garbage home record plus the rise of the Heat has pretty much wiped out all hope of the Dolphins being the biggest show in town.
So you don't think losing games from 2004 to 2007 have anything to do with fan attendance and enthusiasm trends today? I strongly disagree.
I'm not saying it helped, but I don't think it hurt as much as the past 4 years (5 if you count this one, which is a lock for being another losing season if you ask me).
I think what happened over that time period 2004 to 2007 sets an important backdrop for fan sentiment today. If the team was GOOD over that period, they would have more patience today. This attendance and enthusiasm problem didn't just develop under Parcells' watch.
I think Moore throws a better deep ball, but Moore is particularly good at it. Tannehill normally throws a decent deep ball too. He's completed 47.2% of his deep passes, which is 9th best in the NFL, ahead of guys like Brady, EManning, Rivers, Roethlisberger, etc. He just missed on those. It's certainly not the case that he lacks the ability, i.e., the talent, to complete those passes.
I remember the start of the 2008 and 2009 seasons being really hopeful with plenty of enthusiasm, but that 2010 season just strangled the life out of any optimism that things were going to turn around. You add in the extension of Sparano and the retention of Ireland, and bam, terminally ill fanbase. That's all there is to it.
I can definitely see that, especially since Gaine has been mentioned recently as one of the hot GM candidates around the league.
Naw, you're pretty much ignoring what I'm saying. I'm saying I care too much and it has a negative impact on my life. What are you arguing? That I should continue to let something that I have no control over ruin my week? I didn't say I was going to stop being a fan. I said I have stopped caring so much / being emotionally invested. It's either that or be miserable and life is too short to be miserable. Has absolutely nothing to do with self pity. More like mental self-defense.
I think it's in the totality of the beat down over the years, probably made more severe by the fact that up until 2004 the fan base was probably spoiled by consistently good football.
Lol..YEAH BLITZ!!!. I laughed because I thought of Blitz being a sad clown with the dolphin blues....lol
Gaine being a hot commodity is a bit of a joke to me. I don't think the Dolphins' free agent acquisitions (Gaine was the head of pro scouting before being promoted to Ireland's right hand) have been particularly inspired, Cameron Wake aside. We also whiffed on 8 of 9 free agents this year, with the ninth (Marshall) on IR, and also playing out of position. If a team wants Gaine, they can have him, IMO.
I think Ireland's 2012 Draft class may save him, especially if the coaching staff truly sees a bright future for guys like Vernon, Martin, Miller and perhaps Egnew. But it certainly may not be a given, and you'd have to think those empty seats and continued apathy may be talking a bit loud. I also might wonder if and to what degree the inability to replace Marshall might play into this. Sec has posted his sources told him Ireland tried to get Maclin without success. There have also been rumors he went after DeSean Jackson. Who knows if and who he may also have gone after. But If true, does Ross look upon that as a negative or has he been convinced that they will get their receiver in the draft or free agency?
This season could yet determine a lot when it comes to his fate.. Couple curious things. Why is no one getting extended during the season?,seems like an inordinate amount of starters allowed to reach free agency, now that could be Philbins doing, as he wants to see who is going to fight before he gives his recommendation...Has Ross put a hault on expenses?...I mean Jason trunsik?? There's a whole quarter of a season left to play, they must beat the bills and jags/Henne at home.The jag game is going to be a PR disaster So sh&$ is not going to get easier, and I'm not sure it would matter if he selected a Qb in the first round, losses to either of those teams would probably seal his fate...now I know he cleared cap, and didn't overspend in free agency, but If I'm Ross, I'm wondering why there wasn't a plan on my desk to get RG3, why did'nt we sign Colin Kaepernik, why was'nt their a scenario that detected Russell Wilson being a hidden star and being able to get him in the 2nd thus allowing you to take two top players.. I wonder what Ireland deems more important, getting Egnew, Miller, and Matthews way more playing time, or wins..
Yeah I'm honestly not sure what to think of Gaine. It's really tough to make a call on a guy that works underneath a GM. We have no idea what his calls have been. Of course many people want to say the same about the GM, too. I know at verious points our free agent decisions have looked outright disastrous.
I'm not sure why that would be a credit to him though. I mean, if I'm a GM and I try and snag Larry Fitzgerald away from the Cardinals, do I get credit for that when there was no way in hell the Cardinals were going to part with him? Just sayin.
I think if you're looking for the biggest indictment against Ireland, not trading up for RG3 is the most obvious.
The big problem, especially when you get into positions that are primarily administrative, is that nobody outside of the organization really has any idea what Brian Gaine actually does. Being head of pro scouting doesn't necessarily mean one has a lot of input in which free agents to sign.
I don't think it's so much that his 2012 draft class that will save him as it is the maturation of older picks. A lot of guys who were perceived as either failed picks or not particularly notable picks have improved dramatically.
I guess you and I are a different level of fan. I can accept that teams who have risen to the top will eventually fall and have to rebuild. My problem is that the Dolphins have basically been rebuilding since Shula was retired by Huizenga. They were a playoff team for a few years under Johnson and Wannstedt, but they were never really good enough to get to the SB during those playoff years. Since Wannstedt resigned, the Dolphins have gone through six coaches and a number of rebuilding periods. Except for 2008, they have basically been an afterthought in the NFL over the last decade. You obviously are completely satisfied with the Dolphins being merely mediocre, because as a reasonable fan, that is all you expect from them. I will admit that I am not a reasonable fan, by your definition, because I certainly don't accept mediocre over the the long term, as you seem so happy to do. The 20,000 former season ticket holders who no longer purchase tickets must also agree with me. So I'm obviously not the only unreasonable fan out there.
And yet we could put that on Ross perhaps more than Ireland. I mean with Philbin probably came Tannehill/Sherman right? And indications were that Ross made the call on Philbin. Had Ireland perhaps got his HC in McCoy, maybe McCoy would have wanted RG3. DJ does also bring up valid points about spending this year. Trusnik being the only extension seems to suggest that Ross (Aponte?) has put a freeze on spending. Which could be a colossal mistake if we go ahead and resign guys after the season ends and we can't use up some of the current cap space we have on those extensions. Last four games are huge and I think Ireland would want the Dolphins to win more than getting Egnew/Matthews/Miller on the field this year. Again, finish with 7 wins or more and I think he's safe.
Perhaps I didn't make myself clear enough. I didn't mean to infer that going after Maclin was a credit to him, but rather that not landing the fish could be a strike against him.
Hindsight is 20/20 though. Let's not forget that. To DJ's points. Ireland couldn't wait until the 2nd or 3rd round to address the QB because if he did and it didn't work out, he would be scrutinized for taking the DL or OLB with his first pick(s). If he traded up for RGIII, he would be heavily scrutinized for mortgaging the Dolphins' future on a high pick to secure his job in a win now scenario, with total disregard for the future. He is in a lose lose situation regardless just because people will be overly critical of whatever he does, regardless. Faults in his approach will be found - especially with hindsight being implemented. I mean, seriously, give me a 6 month glance into the future and I can be the best GM too.
RG3 is getting nailed alot in Washington. He's got ok weapons. He would get killed with our playcalling and weapons. RG3 already has a downhill RB with 1000yds. Big difference right there.
Not to mention the stuff that was said to be so obvious at the time but has fallen by the wayside. Like it being so stupid for Jeff Ireland not to draft a wide receiver in the 2012 draft. Meanwhile, none of the receivers appear all that productive or remarkable so far.
His RB looks good, because RG3 is drawing LBs away from him. Griffin has also been without Garcon for most of the year, and Fred Davis as well. He's been effective with guys like Logan Paulson, Aldrick Robinson, and Leonard Hankerson.
you don't think we could use a guy like TY Hilton or Chris Givens? seems like they make a big play every game. I know Tannehill would like having a guy that can get open deep without a double move or blown coverage. I think Stephen Hill would be productive here too, a big physical target with speed, his game is hampered by sorry *** Sanchez throwing him the ball and yet he still has more TDs than hartline and bess combined...i think RT and Hill would've been a nice tandem to have for years to come. but hey, who needs those guys, we have a GM that can find the late round gems like Clyde Gates, BJ Cunningham, and Rishard Mathews.
It seems every time I've watched the Jets I have seen at least two plays where Stephen Hill soundly beat the corner on a streak route and Mark Sanchez never saw him or threw the ball horribly. And I'm not talking about 24 inches off target like Tannehill was with his 4.5 receiver Brian Hartline. I'm talking 180 inches off target with a wide receiver that has 4.3 speed and therefore has a bigger accuracy bull's eye on his streak routes.
That is a good point as well. Take a look at the first five taken, Blackmon, Flyoyd, Hill Wright, Randle all underwhelming. I didn't really fault Ireland for not taking any of these guys, but I was upset he didn't address the WR position until the 6th round. I was looking for good value and was hoping for Sanu or Jeffrey. He did show a total disregard for the position, or his board vs. who was available didn't align for a WR to be taken earlier than the 6th. I still find that hard to believe and am quite curious why he didn't address the situation knowing, as per his own words, he didn't have a legit number 1 or 2. Going back to your point though, it appears he was correct in this regard, for now. Who knows, any one of those WRs mentioned can blow it up in years 2 and 3.
A GMs job is to project talent Tone, if you believe in RG you match what the redskins offered and a bit more..In hindsight, he looks to be wrong for not at least doing it?, I mean I'd feel better about knowing that he tried.. This is how we judge a GM right. Especially in light of the fact that he is a Baylor alum..
