Panicky Miami Dolphins fans lose sight of the big picture - 09/12/2008 - MiamiHerald.com I have to agree with everything Gutierrez says in this article. Its a rebuilding team that will need time. We have a lot of holes on this team and not everything can be fixed in only one off-season. Despite last weeks troubles, we were still in the game and battled until the last play of the game. If you have high expectations for this team, you are fooling yourself. Be patient because we have the "right leaders" as Gutierrez said and they will help get this turned around. It may take a year longer than you would like but it will be turned around so sit patiently.
Great article. And it makes a good point that we shouldn't forget. We have the "right leaders". In years past we had good right be be nervous. Because the clowns in the front office couldn't tell their *** from a hole in the ground. If things were bad now, how could we count on them to make it better? But with Parcells and Ireland at the helm, I know the problems with this young team today will be addressed in the future. It makes losing a little easier. But only a little.
I hear you....BUT, I'm never going to not expect for them to win and not be bummed out when they lose. They are still paid millions to win.
Yes I agree Just hate seeing a game winable messed up with stupid penalties and poor play calling... Sadly it will take 3 years for this team to be the team we want..
Real nice read and a sound article. No the all the pieces aren't in place and the constant roster changes prove that the coaches know it to. They are also still trying to figure out what they got at the top end of the roster. We will see some mix and match each week until things click. Wilford did not start last week because he had not earned it. Having said that, I bet they wish he was available at the end. I would almost bet he is active this week. There was no quit in them last week. This team thinks it can win. This staff thinks they can win. Now, this week, in the grand scheme of things probably is not realisticly a "must win". But the mere fact that they are thinking that way make me feel good about where we are going.
Good points. My opinion, 1. fans never want to see a team loose, rebuilding or not. 2. Granted it was the preseason, but those games gave us hope, and our balloons were busted last week and we crashed back to reality. 3. loosing stinks
I hope our big picture follows the Cowboys example. Let Parcells and Co. build a foundation with Defense, DL, and OL, then acquire and start a dynamic QB and WR duo that Parcells hates to complete the puzzle, dump Parcells, and let the offense go wild jumping up and down on the shoulder that Parcells built.
preseason gave alot of false hope IMO...i didn't see any of the games so i didn't buy the hype as much
Its a mentality that has been molded by years of anguish and frustration. Fans have been conditioned to expect each change in staff and management to win immediately or a sense of failure and disappointment sets in once again. I think most fans, deep down, know this is a long process and will take time. But, the Phins have been a doormat and a laughing stock for so long its only natural for fans to expect immediate success and results or the sense of impending doom sets in once again. The Dolphins have not had an actual rebuild for a long, long time if ever and this is a new experience for all of us. All we have had in the recent past is a feeble attempt at a retool not an actual rebuild. When Parcells stated there was no talent on this team it was an acknowledgement that this was a major job but it seems they have a good foundation started. I can't wait to see the final results, and thats what is exciting.
I have to admit I fell into the trap after the game last week. So ingrained is the losing mentality, last Monday I actually was thinking we'd win 2 maybe 3 games. I think we may only win 3 more than that. I used to start games just "knowing" the Dolphins would win, and so changed is the culture, that now I actually think they will lose every game.....it will take a while to change my thinking, and Coach Sparano has to the same in that locker room. Today is a critical game, because if we lose this one today, is there anyone that doesn't believe we'll not be 0-4 eventually ? That will mean it will be a repeat of last year, and no one wants that. Today is just an absolute must win.
Panicky?! What do you expect from a bunch of fans that have been sitting on the side line watching their team get worse and worse for the last 8 years. Coaching staff after coaching staff, Qb after QB and poor draft after poor draft. We spend a small fortune on a number 9 WR that still isn't ready. A top ten WR should be a whole lot better than what we got. We got a PR/KR/WR that doesn't even PR any more and doesn't really run good routes. I know we're "rebuilding". I still think we have a long way to go. But don't call our fans "panicky" because we voice our concerns about our team that hasn't done much this entire decade. I think we probably know a bad team when we see it by now.
Great article, exactly what I have been posting/saying, we need to give the new regime time to get this thing turned around. We are going to lose more games than we win this year, that does NOT mean we haven't made significant progress. The fun this season IS going to be watching this team, this plan, progress.
We hope it does, but if it starts out 0-4, its going to get really sticky for the New Regime. I think Wayne just doesn't want to turn over a loser to Ross. He may back out if the team looks too bad, and even Parcells is unable to concoct a rebuild here.
Don't think that will happen. I believe part of the Parcells deal was that Wayne will not sell his share of the team while Bill is here, and I think that Parcells also got part ownership in the deal. I'm sure someone here will help me with the details of this...
Bad luck seems as stitched to the jerseys of our Dolphins as the logo itself- this is what bothers me. The freakish happenstances that occured from an injured kicker to Randy Starks slipping on the infield sand that culminated in a score on a prayer pass was so far-fetched it seemed as if written for the silver screen. We have a turnover bounce about 20 yards forward to pin us at our own 10. Pennington goes from the calmest, coolest, and most unfazed QB to get a late start on learning an offense to a QB who can't complete a pass to the flats. It feels as if I've been expecting such things on Sundays for so long that it surprises me that I still get surprised. I am extremely sore with our coaches though. They preach toughness, they went far out of their way to retool the offensive line, and they give up on the run faster than Ussain Bolt's 40 time. They also didn't do enough to get the ball in the hands of gamebreakers. Why didn't we run the reverse a few more times? Why didn't we screen to Bess? Where were the cross/slant quick hits? And what the hell were we doing running play action in a 2 minute drill? I can't even think about the play-calling at the goal line with out getting physically ill. The most frustrating thing is knowing that game was ours.
Couldn't have said it better. it pained me to lose to the Jests in week one... but the reality is, we're a 1-15 team that has been gutted and beginning to rebuild.. this time.. finally the right way. I honestly beleive that we'll see improvement over time this season.. slow start hurts the fan in me, but it was expected. We'll not be a 1-15 team again in the forseeable future...
I don't think we looked like a bad team last week. I think we looked mismanaged. This week? We look like we should be playing in 1-AA.
Just think, the negativity will only get worse and worse until the team gives something we can hang our hopes on. I think the fans only want hope and something to believe in and thus far we haven't had it. I know a rebuild is going to take time but I can't blame Dolphin's fans for getting frustraited and feeling hopeless and helpless.
That's the 1st I have heard of that one, Parcells as a minority owner. That would show some permanence on his part, and maybe he will be more patient with Sparano.....that could be good or bad.
DolFans have now entered the Realm of the Lions & Cardinals fans, and Bills fans of the 1980s, as the most abused by their Front Office. DolFans have so far stayed fairly loyal, still buying more than 50,000 season tickets, and while raising prices, and only winning 4 or 5 home games in 3 years. I think there has to be more friendly front office, and a more community oriented front office or they may end up completely turning off their fanbase, and turn many of the lukewarm ones, permanently against the franchise, ala The Florida Marlins. Making players and coaches more accessiable for community events would be a big step in helping heal the wounds a truly pathetic on-field product & fan unfriendly front office has caused to even the most loyal of DolFans.
