What was the moment you became a Dolphins fan?

Some of you make me feel old, and others young. I like being in the middle, lol.

My dad doesn't watch sports at all. He actually actively dislikes organized sports is more like it. So I didn't have much of a role model or guidance on the topic. As a kid, I loved the actual dolphin animals, and loved the color aqua. My "baby blanket" was actually aqua instead of blue, and I had a stuffed Dolphin from a visit to Sea World.

The first sporting even I have memories of watching was the Super Bowl following the 84 season, when I was seven years old. I remember one of my uncles asking me if I was rooting for the Fins or the 49ers, and it was an easy choice. From that point on through the rest of the 80s, I was a typical casual kid fan. I loved Marino and had posters on my wall. I thought Shula was this awesome general type of figure, and I'd watch a MNF game if it was on and my parents let me stay up a bit. Wore Dolphins shirts and had Dolphins bedsheets, the whole nine yards.

Then, my specific moment happened in the 1990 playoffs vs Kansas City, when I was 13. Very first sporting even I ever became emotional about. Jumping and screaming and running back and forth. So high with emotion when they won, and then equally down when they lost at Buffalo the following week.

The next summer (May/June 1991 or so), I used my allowance to buy my first NFL preview magazine, from Street and Smith. After that, I bought more and more, and started down the road to becoming a knowledgable NFL fan. The following fall when I started high school, I met a friend who introduced me to football card collecting and the video game Techmo Super Bowl for the NES, and between the two I became obsessed with everything NFL. Watched my first draft the next April, and have been a superfan ever since.

 

Born in south Florida. Grew up in a family of Dolphins fans. Been watching over the last 15 years or so.

Boy, I really tuned in for the good stuff, huh?

 

Gotta respect anyone who's whole time as a fan has been one frustration after another.

 

Nice to see someone else go from liking the animals (and the colors) to the team

 

Unfortunately, the only decent football I've ever witnessed the Dolphins play was in 2008 when they made the playoffs. I'm made fun of for being a Phins fan nowadays.

 

The first time I saw Dan Marino throw a football. I was 7 years old and it was his rookie season. I was drawn to his intensity, passion, competitiveness and will to win.

 

In 1982, my pops got me a mesh orange, aqua, and white dolphins Superbowl XVII truckers cap with a meal deal at Hardee's I think. 33 years later I sit here broken and ring less

 

I was 9 years old and had just started taking an interest in football because our small HS team had just won a conference championship for the first time in, as I understood, 15 years, in a conference that was dominated by MUCH larger schools.

Christmas Day, 3rd quarter of the Longest Game, my Dad called me in "hey boy, come in here watch this game... pretty good teams" (paraphrased). Mia vs. KC, playoffs '71. I was fortunate in that Miami was the regional game all through HS for me (in Jackson, MS), then when I went to college as well at Ole Miss (Tupelo). I was mighty spoiled getting to see two SB championships.

 

69 or 70. Everyone else around here was a Steeler or Eagles fan. I had to be different.

 

I didn't realize how cool it was until I was older, but Marino was drafted while I was in kindergarden, and retired during my final year as a full time college student. Just always there as the Fins QB for me as a kid. An institution.

 

grew up in a sh*&town place called utica new york, grandfather that i never seen lived in miami, he sent me some dolphin onesies with the footies and everything, {it represented a better way of life, an escape in the mind} then some kicks and shirts on my birthday....game over..dolphin fan in bill and jet territory was raised..

 

He still cuddles his "Blankee" on sundays to

 

Think of how great success will be for me when Miami is on top....this right now...this is all normal to me, lol.

 

curious what would be success to you??

 

In 1984 I did a road trip with my buddy from N.Y. across the country to the west coast and the southern route back to Florida. We were strictly european soccer guys and didn't know much about american football. Our first intentions was, to show the americans soccer as the real Football. Every Day of our trip we heard a little bit more about the NFL and begann to watch games on TV in the motels. In New Orleans we got tickets for a Saints game (vs. the Bucs). In Miami we bought tickets for a game in the Orange Bowl against the Indianapolis Colts. We witnessed Dan Marino and this unique atmosphere in this stadium - and bang we became Miami Dolphins fans! Since the i follow the Phins and the NFL closely. I was at three Superbowls (1989/1991/1993), watch every Dolphins game and will forever be a Dolphins fan.

 

You had me falling into the great reminiscence trap when you mentioned Mayport Naval Station - Homeport of Desron Eight in 1970... Spent many a trip in and out of that gate headed down to West Palm at that time.

I became a fan reading Edwin Pope articles in the Miami Herald Sports Section about the possibility of an AFL football franchise being awarded the Miami area, with the franchise being spearheaded by Joe Robbie, with some celebrity help from Danny Thomas and a few minor partners. This would be in 1965 when the first hint and then the actual negotiations and work for the team began. I remember reading about the expansion draft, conditions at the first training camp, the anticipation of the opening of the season in '66, and Joe Auer's kickoff return as a teenager in Palm Beach County. One of my greatest birthdays came on my 61st, when my wife got me a NFL Larry Csonka Jersey. One of these days, I am going to make it to a game wearing that Jersey and my kilt. That ought to frighten grown men and cause grown ladies to have the vapors!

 

I don't know the exact reason or time, I just know I've always been a Dolphins fan. I get asked this question all the time since I was born and raised in Western New York. Possible reasons:

1. Favorite color has always been orange.
2. Parental spite - Dad is a die hard Bill's fan
3. I have family in Miami. I think my aunt sent me Dolphins gear as a kid.

4. I think the reason that makes the most sense is when I became old enough to start watching and understanding football Dan Marino was in his prime. I echo CashinFist's sentiments on watching him play. There was nothing like it.

It's probably a little bit of everything in the list.

 

I grew up in south Florida with a non-football family. We always subscribed to the newspaper and nearly every day the Dolphins were always on the front page of the sports section, apparently their qb was pretty good. I was 12 years old in '93 and started to watch games regularly. As the harsh reality of Profesional wrestling made it not as entertaining I saw Bryan Cox throw two middle fingers in the air to the sorry Bills fans and I was hooked.

 

Remember this kid? This is Dolfan Gary Baumwoll at 5yrs old.

[video=youtube;FSPssznx86I]https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=youtu.be&v=FSPssznx86I&app=desktop[/video]

Look at it! The right Aqua. The right Orange. The right Logo. IMO only until we start winning again will this team be worthy to wear it.

 

Playing ball in the schoolyard during recess and lunch in Ontario.
I'd never actually seen an NFL game, but all the older kids would go on about Dan Marino and the Miami Dolphins.
Naturally they were the first team I checked out and Marino didn't disappoint. When Zach Thomas came along, I knew I would be a lifetime fan.

 

Ever since Dad let me stay up past my bedtime to watch another Dan Marino 4th quarter comeback on MNF!