Jeff Ireland, a positive spin on our GM

"Win if you can, lose if you must, but always cheat" ~ Bobby 'The Brain' Heenan

 

lmao

 

Remember the dirty little Meggett? Martin is not a Parcells RT but is a Philbin one.

 

Ireland and Philbin work together closely I've heard in several interviews with Ireland. What I take is this: Parcells blueprint was extremely outdated, but he wanted players that fit his mold for the team. Kind of like someone giving you a shopping list for ingredients but letting you choose the brand. Or in football terms, Parcells said "I want a WR who is x, y and z. Ireland I need you to find me the best player who has those traits". Parcells blueprint didn't work, he left and Sparano is now gone. Enter Philbin. Now Ireland is finding players that fit an entirely different and much more dynamic mold. I mean honestly think about this:

Your head coach is going to try and run a spread offense. Do you try and find the next Jerome Bettis at halfback or the next Marshal Faulk? Ireland was shopping to fit a very poor mold for Sparano/Henning as well as having to take in a lot of input from Parcells.

It's why I really believe Ireland should get this year and next. The team doesn't have as many holes as some would believe, and I think Ireland/Philbin seem to have a good working relationship with personnel moves.

 

Disagree that this is a great defense , a lot has to trend up to actually have that be a reality imo. Bottom tier safeties , corners below average to average , LB's have 2 "stars" that haven't played essentially this pre season , and had poor first halfs season last year ,Misi is at best slightly below average , no second rush presence , a dearth of playmakers and virtually no turnovers.

A lot has to improve significantly the reach great imo.

 

Why does Ireland get next year? If this year doesn't warrant it , he shouldn't. Parcell's liked playmakers and turnover producers and had them on other teams, and I am NOT a Parcells fan at all , so that doesn't wash for me . If the results on the field don't show he clearly deserves yet another year , why , why trust him with the deepest off season we have had in how long?

Unless the play on the field clearly indicates he deserves another year I can't envision giving him control , and that isn't just wins and losses . What players has he drafted that have exploded ? that have generated superior return on equity?

 

Here is my argument : Under Ireland's stewardship Dolphins have 31 wins and 32 Losses .......mediocre results from a mediocre GM.

Or to quote Forest Gump " Stupid is as stupid does "

 

I disagree with a lot of that.

Not much changed from last season and we ranked 6th in PPG. This is a great D.

 

Because in my opinion if you evaluate the roster based on what it could be next season it's actually pretty damn good. I like the core of players we have on both sides of the ball. We are a situational pass rusher, a safety, a WR and a developed Tannehill away from being a perennial playoff team in my opinion. That isn't bad at all and this team isn't hopeless.

I'm not judging the roster by our performance this season. That seems silly, we are starting a rookie QB and need a WR badly. That doesn't mean the entire roster is flawed.

 

Ok.

The safties aren't bottom tier , the corners are above average , we have a secondary pass rush , Dansby and Burnett haven't missed virtually all the pre season and had good first half seasons last year , we have playmakers and turnover producers , Misi is average . I missed a lot of that , you caught it though?

This isn't a GREAT defense .

Are you saying it could be? or should be? or saying it is as it stand? If it is as it stands we view the term great differently.

 

I think what he is saying is that at the end of the day, the only thing that matters is how many points your defense gives up. Turnovers, yards, none of these things matter in the end. Points allowed per game is the ultimate measure of defensive success. By that standard we were the 6th best defense when it came to not allowing the other team to score. Considering how inept the offense was, that is no small accomplishment.

 

I'm saying based on the play last season, it was a great defense. I expect it to be again this season.

It has its problems. Mainly the lack of turnovers and pass rush opposite Wake. I don't think that will prevent it from being great.

 

The entire roster is not flawed , but you said based on what it could be .... banking on could be isn't prudent imo . Basing it on what actually is and likely will be is. Again , please show me some players that were superior wins for Ireland.

 

Again we differ on the term great , the way you view great we need double great , maybe it will be double great.

 

Considering Ireland has said himself the last two seasons were the only ones he had full control going into the draft, that is all I can judge on. I like our first two picks from last season and am thrilled with our round one through four picks this season as well as possibly Matthews in the 7th. The Reggie Bush trade was a big success as well.

If we want to count the Parcells years how about Cameron Wake? Jake Long? Sean Smith looks to be stepping up nicely. What about finding Bess? Hartline has proven to be a competent NFL receiver. Our defensive line as a whole is very nice aside from lacking one last pass rusher. I like our line backing core as well.

I guess it helps that I'm ecstatic about this draft class.

 

I can't lie to you. I'm having trouble reading your posts.

What is double great? Or that editing thing you did with your previous post? That was hard to read?

 

Because the CB corps is minus Davis and added Stanford. Unless one believes that is a wash ability and productivity wise, then our DBs as a group are worse now that Davis is gone.
Does a quartet of Smith, Marshall, Carroll and Stanford = a quartet of Smith, Marshall, Davis and Carroll? IMO, no, it does not. And it is not that close.

 

Do you ever watch the defense? Koa Misi is a very good player. I'll laugh in the face of anyone who says otherwise, because they are an obtuse fool.
Reshad is on "show me" status this year. I was not one bit impressed last season, and there were a couple of real head scratching decisions he made this preseason too. It is pretty hard to have very good players at all 11 starting positions. We have 10 and Jones IMO. If you want to count the nickel, I'm not yet sold on Carroll either, when it could have been Davis.

 

I wouldn't say 10. I'm not impressed with either of our safeties. I think that is a major position of weakness.

I agree with the rest, though. Especially regarding Misi. A very solid player who fits the bill of a Sam to a T.

 

well, we lost Davis and coach Nolan. I think one could guess our D will be worse, just as one can that it will be better (I think worse is just more credible, at the moment, because Nolan has a history as a succesfull D coach, Coyle not yet)
we have also to consider that last year we had Jason Taylor as a pass rush specialist and we lost him too (7 sacks) and we need someone to provide at least the same (limited, I know ) amount of pressure

 

So word is BJ Cunningham chose the Eagles practice squad over ours...damn even Ireland's draft picks hate him lol.

 

Today's NFL is a different game. Ireland is just playing catch up...

 

You can have either perhaps the NFL's best defensive player or an impact pro bowler or Odrick and Misi , what would you prefer? That is worth your trust?

 

Here is the problem with Ireland, his philosophy involved running away from elite skill position player in favor of drafting large, blue collar, players, and that has proven destructive for our seasons.

Misi has not done much, Odrick was more or less a rookie last yr, Davis is gone etc.

For that, we passed on those draftees with elite skills?

I liked Ireland, now he is mostly neutral to negative from my pov, I do think he is a good GM, but has used a bizzarre approach in 3 of his 4 yrs here.

My goodness, our 09 #3 pick, and 11 #4 pick, are now sitting on the Jets roster

Now what he can do is find guys like AA and Marcus Thigpen, both players I really like, for low budget contracts, but his draft classes have not been all that productive here.

 

With respect , still a lot of mights , could be's etc. JPP is a young dominant superstar , Drew was proclaiming to everyone he should be a top five pick , now we all know Drew tends to do that but he has a close connection to Miami , much like how Al Golden now does and we stepped up there. Odrick may develop , he is fairly solid but right now just a guy imo. Is he much different than Langford? who we had and managing your roster is a big part of being an effective GM. It really isn't hindsight , sure some of it is , but more a statement on how Ireland drafts. There are more examples of "hindsight" , at some point it is more that , imo.

While his supporters say the success ratio is in the range for a lot of other GM's , teams , he hasn't had many hits that are more than a single, that separates him from the success needed and what I am alluding to. His tendency , his default is to add serviceable roster guys , imo , and you don't become an elite team in that way , imo. You need upside that actually produces at a star level.

Cam Wake can't be lumped in this , again imo , now I am Canadian so I was very aware of the player he was . It wasn't like Ireland unearthed this hidden gem. Kudos for signing him but that wasn't like drafting him , he had over double the amount of sacks as the next highest player in a pro league. There is a difference , then you take his known and proven work ethic into it , his singular focus , half the league tried to sign him. I knew he would be a player to be honest.

I am not a big Misi guy , he is ok, but so far to me , serviceable and I would not select serviceable guys over a playmaker that had the legitimate chance to be a difference maker .

I don't dislike Ireland the person from all I see , think the criticism for Bryant etc was unwarranted , but as I have mentioned , I think it is the Peter Principle for him . Perhaps Philbin's influence will change his vision , his pattern , you feel you want to trust him , I would not unless the last 2 draft classes show , production wise on the field , that he hit some home runs , besides Tannehill.

As I said before I hope you are right , much like Romney said he hoped Obama was right , because regardless of your politics you should want , first what is best for your country , not your party , I want what is best for our team. I don't see that from Ireland , but if you are right I will be ecstatic . I became a fan in 66 , and became a very big , devoted fan just like most on here . Living in Canada didn't diminish my passion , I subscribed to Dolphin Digest for years and years despite getting the paper over a week late. Old news , Dolphin news none the less. I bought the Miami Herald , days late , just for information. I want this team to win and win big , it isn't because I dislike Ireland personally , I just don't believe he is the best option as GM.

If he stays I fervently hope he is though.

 

I agree. Ifs are all we have. But Like I said, I hate playing the if game. You can't really put a positive spin on something because something *might* happen. Ireland at this point is what he is.

 

Wouldn't the team collapse be blamed ore on coaching then the GM?

 

Positive: he kinda looks like Bill Burr. That's all I got.

 

I like Ireland. I find it ridiculous that people want him fired. If Ireland gets canned, so does Philbin, because a new GM will want his guy - and the process will start all over again. We are on our 4th HC since 2004 (not including interim HC's) that means we are also on our 4th different personnel department. 4 in 8 years. Name any organization, professional sports team or business that can survive and be successful with that type of turnover? Like Ireland or not, I feel Ireland, Philbin, and Tannehill are joined together and need at least this season, 2013 and possibly longer to see what they can accomplish.
Personally, I think Ireland has more time than the national media speculates. IMHO, Ireland convinced Ross (possibly with Carl Peterson's help) that Sparano was Parcells choice. That the drafts were dictated by Parcells, and so were the type of players. I think Ireland gets more time.

 

Give me YouTube and draft magazines. I can build a roster that goes 6-10!

Honestly tho Padre has it right IMO. Ireland isnt the devil, but he needs to take bigger chances at premium skill positions.

 

Davis is an elite skill position player (physically). You could argue the blue-collar guy at that particular spot would've actually been the much better pick (Clay Matthews).

 

He's terrible at managing the cap, inspires no confidence, and on his own, cannot produce a winning team.

I Cannot wait until his *** is gone.