She said, "dad, why do you keep watching the Dolphins when all they do is lose and make you mad"? "The Bucs won, why don't you like them?" Then I started thinking. I have been a Dolphins fan since the late 70's. I respected the tradition, Don Shula was one of the greatest coaches of all time. Marino made the team a perennial powerhouse. Every Sunday I KNEW we had a great chance to win. For most of my time as a fan they were the winningest franchise in all sports. I was PROUD to be a Dolphins fan. I waved my flag proudly. Then Don retired, then Dan retired and things went downhill fast. Do you guys realize we haven't won a playoff game in 10 years??? I now get PITY from BUCS fans for how bad the Fins are. That's the bottom of the barrel. So I answered my daughter's question. "You wouldn't understand" Well, neither do I anymore. Kids are smart.
We have been fumbling around in the dark for over a decade since Marino retired. I am just about at my limit after yesterday. The Patriots are going to be good AT LEAST, if not well after, Brady retires. And Rex Ryan in two seasons has made it to the AFC championship 2 times and at least competes with the Pats. WTF is our excuse now? We need an elite class coach just to compete in this division. Sparano, as much as I like him personally, isn't showing signs of approaching that category.
They say insanity is doing the same thing over again and expecting different results.I think I am a nut case for thinking they will win also.
Yeah...even my 5 year old nephew asked me "why aren't the Dolphins winning at home?". I just stayed quiet for a while and said I don't know...I wish I knew. He's very active in sports (football, baseball, soccer) and has watched football since he was 2. His dad is a hardcore Steelers fan, but I'm trying my hardest to get him to be a Dolphins fan...since he's also my godson.
As sad as it is the Dolphins are starting to not even make me mad anymore. They have lured me into apathy, unfortunately I think that is worse. Judging by the empty seats in the stadium I think that is happening to a lot of fans.
The interesting part about this is, us fans who have been around since the 70s, or even very early 80s, like myself, grew up thinking our team was at least respectable every year, without a doubt. It's been a tough toll the past 10 years - especially since '04, as we're not wired to deal w/ what we've been going through. We just don't know how to deal, whereas fans of other teams (Jets, Bills, for example) know how to deal w/ losing seasons because they have for much of their existence. We just don't, and it is a BITTER pill to swallow! I don't think we'll ever get used to it!
There is a fair amount of truth in that. For the most part, for 25 years or so that was our division. The last 10 years have indeed been a bitter pill to swallow.
I'm numb to it. Don't even have fits anymore. I expect us to lose every game and just hope to be mildly entertained and see some players do well.
It goes back to what I have said all along.... 38 Years from our last Super Bowl victory 27 Years since our last Super Bowl 19 Years since our last AFC Championship Game 11 Years since our last playoff win 1 Playoff appearance in the past 10 seasons 1 winning season in the last 5 seasons We are as irrelevant as it gets on the NFL scale. No clue why I put myself through it every year, or raising my son this way, but I do.
I was nearly apathetic watching the game yesterday. I got excited when Marshall scored the TD. But outside of that, I really had no emotion. Even the missed FG's...I was just like "par for the course".
Apathy is the worst possible thing for a professional sports franchise. And that's what Ross has on his hands now.
'Tastic, answer your daughter as follows: "Loving your team is like loving your wife or daughter. It's irrational and emotional. Once you love someone, there's no trading that person in for a better model. You love that person unconditionally, just as I love you no matter what you do. You may make me angry or frustrated, but I'll always love you. It's the same with the Dolphins. They are my team. I have grown up with them. They are part of my city and I am part of them, for better or worse. They may send me into red rages for any number of reasons, but I could no more love the Bucs than I could go to your school and love another little girl instead of you." She will understand and she will love this very sick franchise because you do. And you will once again have reproduced yourself.
This is the part that sucks haha. You expect mediocrity at best. I've been watching the fins for ~15 years, from as young as I could understand the game. My mid to high level comprehension has been the last 10 years... I don't know how I can even stomache NFL at this point =P Nonetheless, I keep having faith and believing in the team. Maybe one of these years itll pay off???
Been a fan since I was born, 39 years ago. Went to games during the perfect season in the OB as a newborn. I have bled this team my whole life. The pain is of watching the suffering is gone. The anger is gone. Now I know we suck. I know there is no hope with this leadership. I try to care, but it is really hard to care.
As 23rd would say.. "no more excuses". The Jets just go get talent...they flat out just pay for good players or players that fit what they do, and despite being an obnoxious blow-hard, Rex can coach some football. We keep trying to polish turds and turn chicken sh!t into chicken salad.
What's with you, dude? :-) Reproduced himself AS A FIN FAN. Ensured another fanny in the stadium seat after he is gone. Giant fan families have fights about who gets the season tickets in the will.
My wife is asking me the same thing, along with my dad (a Pats fan). The last season I was actually able to semi follow was the 1999 season, then I enlisted and went to Japan for a while. This is the first season I've actually been able to immerse myself in every aspect of their game, and man, this is tough. But I'll stick with it. It's just really, really hard when it seems that all the peices are there.
First off, welcome to the site Fintastic. Glad to have you aboard. Second, I feel your pain. I've had a similar conversation with my son. It's hard to explain to an eight year old why you still root for a team that was once the gold mark standard for a perennial powerhouse in the AFC to what it is today. It's even hard to justify to myself anymore. I go back to the glory days of the early to mid 70's when the Dolphins epitomized what a great "team" was. Then there was the Marino era which was so much fun to watch, not to mention the legitimacy that he and Shula brought to the franchise just by being here. To see how much (and how badly) things have changed in the last forty years is really hard to swallow. It's gotten to the point where I rarely wear any colors anymore, and I try to avoid the question of "who's your favorite team?" at all costs. It's just too embarrassing. You're right...I just don't understand anymore.
Take the part above and talk about the history, then tell her to do the dishes be quiet and talk to me in 15 yrs. Its called dedication
Its going to be difficult for this team to attract new fans when your current fans starting to give less and less of a **** and when the team itself is mirred in mediocrity year after year, yet we are not bad enough to suck ***.
Maybe we are being taught a lesson for hating on Wanny? I would take our record any year with Wanny over this mess now. Lobster traps notwithstanding!
It's only a matter of time before my nine year old daughter asks me the same question about the Ravens. I think I'll steal your answer if you don't mind.