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Have the Miami Dolphins hit rock bottom?

Discussion in 'Miami Dolphins Forum' started by Bumrush, Sep 6, 2011.

  1. Bumrush

    Bumrush Stable Genius Club Member

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    I know many of you will say that 2007 was the absolute worst, but it was quickly fixed when we brought in Parcells..

    Fast forward 3 years later, and the mood is about as grim as I've ever seen, not only from our fanbase, but the national media as well that has suddenly determined that the Buffalo Bills are the favorite to finish third in the AFCE..

    Objectively, it is easy to see why people are trapped in to this mindset and have practically given up on this team and this season...

    - We have been mired in mediocrity for over 20 years and the fanbase is simply sick and tired of alternating between rebuilding efforts and trading away drafts to plug holes.

    - The coaching "search" fiasco and the vote of no-confidence in Sparano.

    - Our running game which is starting took Shula era-ish without the leadership and talent of Marino to mask how poor it looks.

    - Chad Henne. Enough said.

    - BMarsh- Another incident and admission that he suffers from an incurable and debilitating mental disorder that will rear it's ugly head again, sooner than later.

    - Massive gap in talent when you compare the Dolphins to top tier AFC teams like the Patsies, Jets, Steelers and Ravens.

    - Irrational hatred towards Ross for bringing in celebrity owners while ignoring the fact that this team has failed in the business of attracting celebrity coaches and was mediocre well before Ross came on as an owner.

    We basically have a perfect storm brewing.. The lockout, a dismal offseason, a fanbase tired of the old "Hope and Change" routine..

    I'm not buying it! In fact I just purchased two firesale season ticket packages to support the team and to show that I don't believe the hype and cloud hanging over this franchise. We have a top 10 D in the making. Henne is a good QB and was handcuffed by poor playcalling and disruptive Wildcat gimmicks. We may not start strong on offense but we will get better as the season progresses..

    It's time to get over all this crap and cheer for this team..Ignore these idiots in the media that are predicting 4-12 and understand that this team went through severe growing pains last year (especially #7) and that it will get better.. At the start of 07 we were coming off a 1-15 season, and for the past three years have rebuilt this roster.. We have the talent on D, and if we can play mistake free football can make a run at the wild card spot.. Time to get behind this team and forget about this dark cloud, win or lose.
     
  2. 5thAmendment

    5thAmendment Banned

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    Fine by me. I'd rather go into the season underrated than overrated.
     
  3. fin13

    fin13 Season Ticket Holder Club Member

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    Very Nice when I started reading the thread I thought it was another **** storm.
    It's hard to believe in what the FO has done when you read all the hate write ups all the negative opinions by amateur critics who have nothing to loose by second guessing what happens with the team.
    But I have to admit some of the moves by the FO seem illogical.
    If these guys don't get results they'll be gone.
     
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  4. pocoloco

    pocoloco I'm your huckleberry Club Member

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    How do I put this delicately? Miami Dolphins fans, compared to a few other notable fan bases I've lived amongst (Pittsburgh, Green Bay, Chicago), are downright bad fans. There's two types. First, the crazies. An ounce of bad luck, and they get near suicidal or jump ship. When a September game against Buffalo, and we're Superbowl bound. It's the most schizophrenic fan base I've ever seen. I've never seen such a down in the dumps attitude with a competitive team, especially when we have the greatest news of all, our developmental QB appears to be coming around (as developmental QBs sometimes do).

    The remainder of Dolphins fans are too apathetic. They don't go to games, or show up late to games, and don't know how to make noise when they are there. If I ever had the good fortune to live in Miami, this would drive me insane. They don't deserve a competitive team, to be honest.

    As for where we are on the emotion meter, it really doesn't matter since I'm not concerned with the financial end of things. Win, and everything solves itself.
     
  5. rafael

    rafael Well-Known Member

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    I think many fans have become disheartened. Ironically, I am more excited about this team's prospects than I have been in years. The changes they made this season in philosophy and getting the personnel to fit that is the most substantial I've seen in a long time. These are the kind of changes that turn teams into perennial winners. Having a QB friendly system makes average QBs look good and good QBs into winners. Fans chanted for Orton or wanted us to reach for a QB in the draft, but either of those would have made little difference without the system change. That's why teams like Philly and NE can have injuries and keep winning regardless of what average QB they have in there. The old philosophy of run and play defense isn't enough to get you there. There are simply too many play makers and too many rules favoring the passing game. If you can't pass efficiently then you're facing long odds from the outset. That's just a fact of life in what has become a passing league. Now obviously you still need to be able to stop the pass, but I feel we've amassed talent towards that end as well. That's why I'm optimistic about this team. There are things I don't like (and complained about), but if our regular passing game resembles our preseason passing game then I foresee a good season for us. And frankly, I've been in and around football for a long time and I can't recall a single passing offense that looked fluid in the preseason and then did poorly during the regular season. Not one (absent a QB injury, of course). I'm not talking about the records translating or the WR who has a good preseason and then is never heard from again. I'm talking about a passing game being in rhythm in the preseason and then being out of rhythm during the regular season. Come to think of it, even a major injury to the QB can often be overcome. That goes back to what I said about a QB friendly system being able to make an average QB look good and .... So yes, I'm optimistic about this team.
     
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  6. Bumrush

    Bumrush Stable Genius Club Member

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    I disagree about our fanbase..Fans at the stadium love this team... We have good energy.. In fact, pre JRS it could be argued we were amongst the top 5 fanbases in the country, even top 3...

    Save the apathy for the Miami Heat or Florida Marlins.. NFL is king in South Florida, I don't care how many rings LBJ/Wade bring to Miami, the Dolphins will always be the top dog... The fans have taken a beating since Shula left, but I think this is rock bottom... Blacked out games.... Even with all these negative factors I think people are overlooking the fact that this team has made significant improvements on D and that Henne is NOT a lost cause.. Time will obviously tell if I'm wrong or right, but I think it's a 50/50 proposition.
     
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  7. GridIronKing34

    GridIronKing34 Silently Judging You

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    I truly don't think we have hit rock bottom... and I think the ones that have been preaching that song could probably ace any drama course they could imagine taking. I mean the overreaction in this place is getting to be downright sad. We magnify our mistakes and ignore our successes with our team but the exact opposite with any other team.

    Our defense was good last year and it is bound to get better. The defense line has another year under their belt with Langford, Soliai, and Starks leading the way. I don't know about you but the depth with Jared Odrick and Tony McDaniels is extremely good. Our pass rusher Cameron Wake appears to have worked on becoming more of an all-around player so I expect him to have a good year. Koa Misi and Jason Taylor will definitely help this team as well. Dansby is in his 2nd year in the system so that can only equal good things and I feel that Kevin Burnett is an upgrade of Channing Crowder... and I am a Crowder fan. Sean Smith and Vontae Davis are coming into their third year and they show a lot of promise. Yeremiah Bell is a good strong safety in this league and I believe that Chris Clemons will only improve in his 2nd season starting as free safety (I don't know if it's been announced, but I believe he will be the starter). I think our defense has the makings to be a top five defense and we will have an opportunity to show that on Monday night.

    The offense has some question marks, but I like what Henne has shown in the preseason and during the offseason to make me think that the lightbulb turned on. He hasn't been making perfect decisions, but honestly find me a quarterback that does. Even Peyton Manning makes his fair share of mistakes and we sit back here and scrutinize over every single little mistake Henne makes (whether he doesn't throw a perfect pass, misses a receiver that was open for a split second, etc.) Every quarterback has their fair share of criticism but Henne seemingly has went through a lot compared to others. Our wide receivers have big play potential starting with Brandon Marshall who has worked on his speed and even showed that off in the Tampa Bay game. Davone Bess is still going to do the dirty work of getting those tough yards and Hartline will get his fair share of plays. I don't know if Clyde Gates will bring a lot to the table this year, but he has the speed to get open at any given time. Reggie Bush gives us an X-Factor where teams HAVE to gameplan against him even if they don't respect what he brings. You put a linebacker or safety on Bush and it's a mismatch. At running back and offense line, things begin to wear thin but I believe that in the offense that Daboll is installing, a power running back doesn't look to be a necessity. I think our line will look better with Jake Long and time to gel.

    I think we'll be surprised how Miami looks on Monday, whether they win or lose. I don't see how people aren't looking forward to the game, that's for sure.
     
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  8. arsenal

    arsenal Sunglasses and advil

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    yeah count me in the group of people more excited about this team in a while...

    though its just a preseason, seeing improvement there is better than not seeing it at all... the change in offensive philosophy will only help this team...

    to me its simple, is our offense better than last year? even with oline questions i say definitely yes, more speed, better philosophy and more matured QB...

    if our 30th (or whatever horrible O ranking we had), ranked offense got us to 7-9 with a schedule that was just as difficult, we have to be better than last year... no way our offense ranks as low as it did in 2010, just cant happen with the talent, speed, and philosophy behind it... thats why i see improvement, thats why i see an upward swing coming...
     
  9. Ohio Fanatic

    Ohio Fanatic Twuaddle or bust Club Member

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    Nice BR, I also started reading it and rolled my eyes, but went back and read the second half luckily. well said. agree with you 100%
     
  10. rdhstlr23

    rdhstlr23 Season Ticket Holder Club Member

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    1-15 was rock bottom. That year was just brutal. It made you gloss over any talent that was remaining on the team in 2008. Enough talent to win the division, I might add. The feeling of everyone that year was just utter despair. I mean we were talking about 3-4 year plans for gosh sakes.

    What has brought about the uncertainty and angst among the fans now, is that the QB situation is so murky. You just don't know what we're gonna get. Unfortunately, Miami has done nothing but harbor champions in football. From the U, to the Dolphins of yester-year, it's a city that loves the football team more than any other sport and is used to seeing winning. And they're used to a big name QB driving the team. It's been 12 years since Marino and the fan base & media still act like it's 12 A.D. (After Dan).

    Plus, you're starting to see a much different demographic in Miami. You were starting to see it in the early 90's. All the moves made from the Northern birds, all the moves made from Cuban & Puerto Rican descent, have developed the fan base, into one of the most diverse. That makes it the most challenging. Ask most Latino's, that while they love the Miami Dolphins and go to many of the games, their passion is still baseball & that other kind of football, soccer. The Northern birds (New Yorkers, Boston, etc.) have started to move families, have families of their own, so the dispersion of those fans have grown in numbers.

    I can tell you this. If Miami puts together a string of winning seasons, where they're consistently in the playoffs, consistently competing for a Super Bowl year in year out, say for 5 years, you'll see the landscape change. People will begin to care about the Miami Dolphins again.
     
  11. dolfan7171

    dolfan7171 Well-Known Member

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    All I have to say is that the Dolphins are back!!!
     
  12. pocoloco

    pocoloco I'm your huckleberry Club Member

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    I have a hard time believing the fans shake the stadium like in KC, Green Bay, Pittsburgh, or Dallas (in that order). Seattle really brings it, believe or not. Throw in the Bears, Jets, Raiders.. I have a difficult buying that we are top 5, or even top 10.

    We are, however, one of the most storied franchises in the NFL (top 5 by my count) and have a surprisingly broad fanbase around the country (also probably top 5 by sheer numbers). There's no reason to be this down, like 'game blackout' down, on what is ultimately a decent team in a very good division. If only we played in the NFC West.
     
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  13. AbideN703

    AbideN703 Yes, I'd hit it

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    I have been since last season ended. What else is there as a fan? Live in the now, support 'em no matter what.
     
  14. Vendigo

    Vendigo German Gigolo Club Member

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    Or maybe there is and it's just beyond the scope of the average die hard fan (read: someone who would frequent a board like this) to comprehend why.
     
  15. JMHPhin

    JMHPhin Season Ticket Holder Club Member

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    great OP imo spot on

    Like I said before, by our actions, to an outsider, it looks like a team in disarray, that is divided and discombobulated. That we are acting in desparation mode. ESPN doesnt take the time to dig deep. If they did they would see that a plan of action was formed after the debacle and was followed. Yes it has risks, but we didnt have a full proof option available.

    They would have seen sign additions on offense

    Bush provides speed, a player with a chip who wants to prove his worth. He helps Chad big big time

    Marshall who is facing his issues and has regained his burst. Who is now communicating well with the qb.

    Gates who is lightening fast but opposite of Ginn will go after the ball and take a hit.

    Better backup qb for our system


    A good young back.

    a top 5 defense based on additions and experience

    Chad Henne showing better poise, confidence, better feet, better decisions, more aggressive. This is their biggest risk. But they considered other options factoring cost v what they had and felt what they had was better than what they got factoring cost.

    So it doesnt matter what the media thinks, it comes down to execution. If we execute the way they think they can, they will suprise, if not the media looks genius. But all that matters is that the team sticks together and plays together.
     
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  16. rafael

    rafael Well-Known Member

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    Agreed and neither do those fans who have no hope. The level of analysis for both those groups is usually limited to, "did we sign a name QB".
     
  17. Bumrush

    Bumrush Stable Genius Club Member

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    Exactly.. The same ones that can't believe we didn't re-sign Ronnie Brown, who was due for a breakout year and will be in the Pro Bowl again now that he is gone.
     
  18. djphinfan

    djphinfan Season Ticket Holder Club Member

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    Rush, unless people take the time to really break down how this team was built, the variables inherited, identifying the weaknesses of it, and how they were addressed, and how that correlates to how they actually lost football games, and how the team could benefit from targeting those weaknesses..Bottom line, the pundits, the media have no clue of the proper plane of progression of this particular football team, cause they don't watch the film close enough to make such projections..They have regurgitated their own uneducated projections onto one another, basically making them fall for their own marketing..

    This season the Dolphins could teach a lot of people a lesson..

    This team went 8 and 8, beat the two best teams in football strait up, and did it with an unpredictable scheme, incredibly poor special teams, and 0 backs who could make a play on their own..Hey man, it takes more than 3 years to build the correct team,from top to bottom, for the long run, when you start at 1 and 15, with a prior draft history that is probably the worst in football before the inheritance.

    The ultimate motivation has been planted in this teams Psyche...''they must win the crowd''.......now that may sound cheesy to some because its a reference from a movie, but it is so appropo for this team it's not even funny..

    My favorite quote from our coach, who I have respect for because of it...''Were gonna win, with, or without our fans''.....FU%$ YEAH, THAT SH^% GETS ME HYPED because its the right motivational tool to use in a stadium that has no home field advantage for his players from an energy standpoint..I said last year Sparano needs to find alterior methods to motivate his team at Sunlife, I think his angle in all this is very smart and caculated..

    I don't have to win this game, but we need to go toe to toe, I think being 2 and 2 at the bye with everything that is new about this team would be about right, if we beat the pats, watch the fu%$ out.
     
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  19. djphinfan

    djphinfan Season Ticket Holder Club Member

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    anyone think that Tom Jackson is watching preseason tape on Chad Henne, or is he just copin the jock of the media and his fellow espn comrads who showed and talked about his 2 int's against atlanta..lol..
     
  20. SCall13

    SCall13 ThePhins QB

    I'm forever the optimist, though admittedly, my optimism has eroded a bit over the past decade. But I have a little more optimism this year than last. Henne seems to have improved, we have a less predictable offense and a defense that has the potential to be top 5 or EVEN top 3. I'm not thrilled with our line nor our RB corp. But as I watched the preseason games, it was great to watch Bush in space and see what he can do with the ball in those situations. No one has given us this dynamic out of back field in....well...ever. I love seeing Henne's aggressiveness. He is gaining confidence in himself and the players surrounding him. And if he can continue to to keep the mistakes at a minimum, his team mates will continue to have more and more confidence in him. Many players on the team have spoken highly about how Henne has really stepped up during the off season - including Marshall. We have as a good a WR group as any in the AFC east. Marshall, Bess, Hartline, and now Gates (who can stretch the field). We have a Bush who doesn't inspire a lot of confidence toting the rock, but is someone the defense is ALWAYS going to have to account for. Daniel Thomas I'm concerned about because he's a rookie and hasn't done anything to inspire me during the preseason. But if we can get an at least respectable running game, keep Henne upright, and let our deep and talented defense punish other teams we'll be in good shape. BUT, we have to create more turnovers. I can't imagine us having so many dropped INTs again this year. This issue, hopefully, will be resolved. How many more game would we have won had we brought in the plethora of dropped INTs last year?

    Like I said, I am an optimist. But realistically, I can see the Dolphins getting a Wild Card. Maybe more if the luck rolls our way this year as opposed to against like last year.
     
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  21. djphinfan

    djphinfan Season Ticket Holder Club Member

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    I think he's talkin about when we were at the orange bowl...Perception wise, we were considered the most feared....hmmmm, I wonder why..
     
  22. Bumrush

    Bumrush Stable Genius Club Member

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    I'm not worried about Henne's confidence, remember in 09 we were all drooling over the ice in his veins..

    I recall several times in 2010 when Henne was on fire, looked all world and was playing with confidence then made a ridiculous throw or threw an ill advised INT...

    It isn't confidence that I'm worried about.. He needs to settle down and make the right reads, even when he has that adrenaline rush flowing...
     
  23. Da 'Fins

    Da 'Fins Season Ticket Holder Staff Member Club Member

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    Here's the reality for me of watching football for 40 yrs.

    - The Dolphins have great pieces on defense. Clearly a top 5 D going into the season with potential to be a top 3 D. They will need a top 3 D, imo, to make the playoffs.

    - The Dolphins offense has talent at a few positions (Long, Marshall, Best, Bush). But, there are so many other positions where there is either just mediocrity (TE, LG), inexperience (RB, C), or significant question-marks still (QB, RT, RG, Head Coach).

    - In my experience, the more question-marks there are the more the odds are against a team winning. Even teams with few question-marks can miss the playoffs.

    I'll be rooting every game; rejoicing in victories and lamenting in losses. But that doesn't mean a fan has to take an unrealistic approach to the team's positives and negatives. They are there. They are a reality. We all hope and wish that Henne will blossom (I think there is more hope there today than there was 5 weeks ago). But the greatest question-mark here is the offensive line. I just don't see, realistically, how this line will do the job it needs to do for this offense to be really effective.

    If we had a dominating offensive line and showed that (they are basically, even at their best, mediocre at 4 of the 5 positions), it would be a different story. I would see real hope for a championship calibre season.

    As it is, I simply think - hoping I'm wrong - that Sparano will be done and despised by January 2012.
     
  24. Ozzy

    Ozzy Premium Member Luxury Box

    Fans in Kansas City and Green Bay are the only teams on your list that are good even when the teams is not.

    When the Dolphins are fielding teams that are almost assured to go to the playoffs this fanbase is EXCELLENT!
     
  25. rafael

    rafael Well-Known Member

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    IMO what the vast majority of people ignore (this is fans and media, even media "experts") in this sound byte society, is that it's not just about player talent, but the fit that the player has within the system. That takes a level of analysis that just doesn't fit in a sound byte. If I were to pinpoint the main reason that Bellicheck has been a good coach, it's his ability to take the talents a player has and maximize them. I'm talking about the way he can find a Danny Woodhead that nobody wanted and make him a valuable piece. Or the way he can take a Welker and take him from a good player to a star. That was what Shula and Arnsparger did in making the "no name" D so special. It was the ability that Bum Phillips described as "he can take his and beat yours and take yours and beat his". (off topic: I never realized how dirty that sounds). That's why most people don't get that Orton or Ryan probably would have been no better than Henne was. Their skill sets were too similar to have gotten much different results.
     
  26. MrClean

    MrClean Inglourious Basterd Club Member

    The Steelers have been good or better since the early 70s. Their fan base from before that time is mostly dead by now. How can we know how their fans would respond if the team sunk to the depths for a few years.

    The Raiders fans always seem totally fanatical no matter how bad the team is. They dress up in the crazy Raiders drag, and come out in droves every year.
     
  27. Dol-Fan Dupree

    Dol-Fan Dupree Tank? Who is Tank? I am Guy Incognito.

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    I think Detroit has amazing fans. Their teams have almost never been good and there are still fans who show up, especially since the economy there was failing when the economy was doing good everywhere else.
     
  28. MrClean

    MrClean Inglourious Basterd Club Member

    Yeah, Bum said that about Shula. "He can take his'n and beat you'n and he can take you'n and beat his'n". But, I read somewhere that before Bum said that about Shula, he said it about Bear Bryant too. I guess kind of ultimate compliment line for coaches he admired the most.
     
  29. Striking

    Striking Junior Member

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    Oops, wrong thread.

    Go Dolphins?!
     

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  30. Ozzy

    Ozzy Premium Member Luxury Box

    The Steelers have had some down seasons though and there fans are ok but nothing like KC, Denver and GB.

    The Raiders have some lunatics but they cannot sell out games to save their life...
     
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  31. HardKoreXXX

    HardKoreXXX Insensitive to the Touch

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    It's a weird fan base, to be sure. On one hand, I like the fact that fans don't go to games when the team is ****ty. You wanna pay your hard-earned cash to see a crappy product? Go ahead. Ask the Chicago Cubs how that's worked out for them over the last two decades.

    On the other hand, the emotional swings, as you said, are irritating. One week they're the best team in the league, the next the worst (in fan's eyes of course). Part of it, as I've said many times, is the nature of South Florida. You have a lot of transplants who are casual Dolphins fans, who turn into HUGE fans when the team is doing well, and are nowhere to be seen when the team is doing badly.

    I wouldn't call them bad fans. A bit too emotional, yes. But I can't disagree with fans who refuse to show up until the team is winning. I would actually be upset if the team I followed sold out every game yet failed to make the playoffs.
     
  32. ToddsPhins

    ToddsPhins Banned

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    Me, too. I was about ready to bust out the rubber hose on Bumrush!



    Nice post Bum.
    You should buy more firesale season tickets and sell those babies for a profit after we sock it to the Patsies Monday night!
     
  33. Vaark

    Vaark Si Hoc Legere Scis Nimium

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    It's friggin ponderous how a team with a top 6 Defense that won 6 out of 8 on the road, including beating basically the same roster that went on to win the SB, which has an upgraded ILB, the addition of a playmaker, a more mobile QB, an OC who didn't go to grade school with Teddy Roosevelt .. and who was a larcenous Pittsburgh homer zebra call away from being a legit .500 can garner so much pessimism and so little respect. It's like a hyena feeding frenzy.
     
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  34. RoninFin4

    RoninFin4 Season Ticket Holder Club Member

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    I don't think they've hit rock bottom per se. They surely would if they go 2-14 this year as there's too much talent on the team to have a record that bad.

    I'll just say I'm fairly neutral on them and my expectations for the team this year. There's certain things that I like, such as the amount of young talent on the defensive side of the ball. I like our receiving corps. We've been competitive under Tony Sparano, but it's almost like a dual-personality disorder. Last year, Miami beat some good teams like the Jets, Packers - at the time, they got hot later on in the year, and were competitive against teams like Pittsburgh. However, the thing that bothers me is that for the second year in a row, we lost three straight games to end the season, and had bad home losses to Buffalo, Cleveland, and Detroit.

    I'm not a fan of Tony Sparano - personally, I think he micromanages too many things and doesn't have a clear vision of the "big picture". I think the offensive line is a perfect example of that. Hell, even John Clayton had that as his tidbit in ESPN's Power Rankings today. I think you could make the same argument for Jeff Ireland with special regard to certain positions - QB, S, TE, to name a few. Back-to-back 7-9 seasons and getting further away from the Bill Parcells-led rebuild of 2008, I'm just not quite impressed enough with the overall body of work to borrow from Sparano. Had this offensive philosophy come on board last year instead of Sparano begging Hennign to return, I think I myself, and many others, would've been more inclined to not rake him over the coals.

    So for me, this year, I actually go in with no expectations. It wouldn't surprise me if this team went 11-5. It also wouldn't surprise me if this team went 5-11. It really wouldn't. I think the offensive line is a much bigger mess than Tony Sparano says it is, and I have an awful feeling that will rear its ugly head sooner rather than later. I like the offensive philosophy. I like the core of the defense, but I think depth in the back 7 could be an issue.

    My only hope for this year is that we're not mediocre. By that, I mean if we go 7-9 or 8-8 or 9-7 and miss the playoffs, I don't want any excuses to keep Tony Sparano and the gang around. If they're going to be bad, well, I think in the long-term future for the Miami Dolphins it's best that Stephen Ross cleans house (and in my opinion, he should've last year. I know he tried.) rather than give Tony another year. If the O-line isn't a mess and the Dolphins win a bunch of games with Chad Henne at the helm and make the playoffs, well, kudos to Tony Sparano. I'll enjoy the heck out of it.

    But, for now, I remain neutral. I'll enjoy each game as it comes. I see too many weaknesses to predict a record of 11-5, and I see too many strengths to predict a record of 5-11, which leaves us in the last place I'd want to be, right where we've been the last two years.
     
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