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Much love for all of you

Discussion in 'Miami Dolphins Forum' started by MikeHoncho, Nov 2, 2021.

  1. MikeHoncho

    MikeHoncho -=| Censored |=-

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    This community holds a special place in my heart, and always will. Many of you knew me as lmeister3, and we've shared laughs, tears, commiserated through the years, fiercely debated the team's vision, celebrated, and shared our hopes for a better tomorrow.

    TLDR; I can't continue to support this franchise under the current ownership. It's not about winning, losing, or even this gladiatorial game we hold dear.

    I say this as a middle-aged dude who was baptized into this fanhood via Marino's last game.
    1999 stung yes, but I didn't really know any better. I'd never had a taste of what many of the old-timers on here have. No glory days for me; just undying loyalty to the aqua and orange. Through the years, I'd sit back and ritualistically take in Miami Dolphins football, and always able to rationalize each passing season's ups and downs. Hope always remained.

    The Dolphins are the hometown team; perennial winners who introduced this town to greatness from their inception. They've been winners up to this point and they'll do it again.

    Mediocrity followed, but we were competitive, and this was enough for me. It was only a matter of time; build it one piece at a time. You can't expect the next Marino to come out of the woodwork. Running game was decent and the offensive line was good. We had studs on defense. H. Wayne seems like a good dude (wasn't familiar with the Robbie family), but then Jimmy up and leaves. Saban showed some promise, but has since jumped ship. Wayne's considering selling, and the team sees me off to college with a 1-15 season.

    The Dolphins are still the hometown team, maybe the next chapter will bring some success and turn this thing around. Plus it was very emotional seeing Cleo Lemon end that losing season. Caught every game in anticipation of finally snatching a win. God knows the players deserved one. I'll stick around; this is literally rock bottom and it ain't so bad. There'll be a new coach and we'll once again have hope. It's only a matter of time.

    Pennington-Henne years showed some promise, trenches looked solid (even without JT), and the coaching staff took risks. Ultimately collapsed after Parcells, but we could look forward to competitive football most Sundays. Coach was a fiery dude who could motivate, but ultimately it was decided he wasn't the guy for the job. The owner stabbed him in the back while simultaneously failing to nab the hot-property new coach.

    The Dolphins are still the hometown team, they found a decent coach but they'll figure something out and get something better; we're off to shop for a new coach and GM. They'll figure it out. They just have to.

    New regime, new vision. We draft a solid young prospect high first round, it had been a while. The potential for franchise turnaround is there. The years show that we can't seem to be able to protect him, much less develop his skillset. He flashed in the pan between coaching staffs and regimes, but ultimately it was decided he wasn't the quarterback of the future and something must be figured out at the position. Journeymen were brought on to fill the gap, and ultimately a change in regime lead us to our present situation.

    The Dolphins are the hometown team, surely they'll figure it out. They must have learned something by now; it's been nearly two decades worth of lessons. Every failure is an opportunity to learn, I've seen this firsthand. It's only a matter of time.

    A new regime, a renewed sense of hope for the franchise. An long-tenured internal hire, sure, but maybe the newly empowered will have taken lessons from the failures of their predecessors. Surely the same mistakes will not be repeated. A new upstart coach, a new journeyman quarterback, both having had some success in previous lives; this can't go wrong. It's a match made in heaven. Overachieved in a year without expectations, and still landed their franchise guy while amassing a draft-day war-chest that was the envy of the league. Nearly made the playoffs the year following.

    The Dolphins are the hometown team. Ok, maybe we thrust the young QB before he was ready sans training camp and recently rehabbed a major injury. Ok, so we blindsided the offensive coordinator, head coach, the young QB and the journeyman leader himself with the move, but, but sometimes you need to think outside the box and take a leap of faith, right? I've long since lost track of the number of QB's since Marino. What's another in a long list? We're bound to get it right at some point. It's only a matter of time.

    The regime and coach have since worn their welcome, a constant churn of the coaching staff in two short years, has led to instability and lack of any continuity or singular direction for this football team. Young QB understandably struggling throwing to whomever is available, within a makeshift offense behind a makeshift offensive line directed by a pair of part-time coordinators. It is decided that the young QB is not the man for the job, by the team ownership and front office. The young upstart head coach is revealed to have been difficult to work with/for, but has nevertheless remained a pawn to the aforementioned front office in its pursuit of a dangerously shortsighted "upgrade" at the QB position. It recently comes to light that the owner was willing to trade the soul of the franchise in exchange for the fleeting accomplishment. What's worse, he is/was fully encouraging the silencing of victims to achieve said goal.

    The Dolphins are the hometown team, but my time as a fan is up.

    Bottom line: Steven Ross has lost my patronage, support, and respect as a man. By association, so has this franchise.

    That said, I wish the very best for the players and even most staff on this team.
     
  2. Bumrush

    Bumrush Stable Genius Club Member

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    You'll come back as soon as Watson leads Miami to an AFC Championship game. Could happen sooner than you think :D

    You can hate Ross all you want but this is manufactured by Houston and people that feel like they need to defend Tua to the death.

    This entire thing was a fiasco. Yes, Miami could have shot the rumors down but ultimately may have internally decided that Tua was never going to be an above average, yet alone franchise QB. Maybe his hip is never going to fully heal or maybe his velocity on throws will always be barely NFL quality.

    At the end of the day Miami couldn't dictate how Watson could go through the legal system, nor could they provide him legal advice. That's why he has attorneys. They could have detailed what needs to happen for them to feel comfortable trading for him.

    Anyone that understands the legal system also understands that civil cases that get settled out of court normally have NDA's so this notion that the Dolphins came up with this nefarious plan literally 12 hours ago when they first spoke to Watson is ludicrous. That concept shouldn't require an explanation.

    We've all been bamboozled by the media. They are scrambling because for months they've claimed that this was a done deal, now they are grasping for straws to justify why they were wrong. You've been fooled. You can hate the team for all the reasons detailed but if this is truly the straw that broke the camel's back I have to say you've been tricked.
     
    Last edited: Nov 2, 2021
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  3. firedan

    firedan Well-Known Member

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    I feel your pain.Ross is the common denominator why the team is always stuck in the mud,good intentions but unable to find the right people to manage his team.
     
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  4. Fireland

    Fireland Well-Known Member

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    To a degree I think the Texans were manipulating the media but at this point its hard to believe there wasn't plenty of truth there.

    Now whether they were working to get him to settle might be a different story but if its not denied either then I will believe that too.
     
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  5. OwesOwn614

    OwesOwn614 Well-Known Member

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    After nearly 50 years, I'd consider leaving if there was somewhere else to go. If we trade for Watson, I'm definitely going to pause my support, but I spent too much time learning to hate everybody else to suddenly sign on to a new team. I could support my late father's team (Browns), brothers' teams (Steelers and Vikings), nephew's team (Bengals), or niece's team (WFT), but they all suck and I spent too many years arguing with my folks to join them now. I can easily watch the games without a favorite team (like I do with college football currently) but I still like having somebody to root for.

    FWIW: This is the lowest point in my five decades of fandom, and that's saying a lot.
     
  6. Bumrush

    Bumrush Stable Genius Club Member

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    Geting him to settle has always been the most logical conclusion.

    That is also likely something that predated any talk of Miami getting involved. That has always been their first and foremost objective.
     
  7. OwesOwn614

    OwesOwn614 Well-Known Member

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    No doubt, we were trying to get him. But I'm convinced that all of the reports came from the Texans and Watson's representation. There was no advantage gained for the Dolphins to leak it. Houston was trying to get Carolina and Philly to up the ante and by extension, get Miami to raise its offer. For our part, Flo was a completely sanctimonious turd in how he addressed it. All he had to say was "We're always looking to improve the team in one way or another. I can't comment on specific negotiations and won't answer questions regarding another team's player. It'd be inappropriate and disrespectful to the players on my team."

    He could have repeated that on endless loop. But his "Tua is our quarterback" response made him seem to be fake and invited more questions than it answered. I couldn't be more discouraged by a coach and I can only imagine how the locker room sees him today.
     
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  8. texanphinatic

    texanphinatic Senior Member

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    I mean, I feel Ross isn't worse or more incompetent than like 3/4ths of the other owners. He's mostly just been unlucky.

    I don't like Ross, but I also think that unless you root for a team whose owner either has a toxic bleephole (ala Dan Snyder) or is just a cheap tightwad that won't spend (moreso in other sports), then you just roll the dice until you happen to come up with a good enough combo of coach and/or QB. Then you just ride them as long as you can.

    This whole Watson thing is a fiasco, but in two years if we have a hot new coach and a hot new QB leading a playoff charge we won't remember or care.

    I do understand IF we end up with Watson at some point next year and people jump off because of that. I'm undecided myself. But just saying Ross sucks? Man, that's like most of the league.
     
  9. Fireland

    Fireland Well-Known Member

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    That is just as phony of a response though which everyone would see through just the same. There really isn't any good way for Flores to handle it which is why I would say a decision should have been made over the summer in terms of whether they were comfortable or not.

    I can't really blame Flores on this one. This is one where Ross needs to step in and either give his blessing or say no until things are resolved.
     
  10. MikeHoncho

    MikeHoncho -=| Censored |=-

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    Requesting settling with NDAs for sexual assault is not unlucky, it is teetering toward evil.
     
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  11. OwesOwn614

    OwesOwn614 Well-Known Member

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    Dang if this isn't the most evergreen sentiment pertaining to the Dolphins for this entire century. It might as well be a team motto painted on the practice facility wall.
     
  12. OwesOwn614

    OwesOwn614 Well-Known Member

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    Some are suggesting that the NFL investigate the Dolphins for trying to tip the scales. But if Roger buried the evidence against Daniel Stern for that franchise's equally scummy behavior towards women, there's no way he's going to come out hard against Ross.
     
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  13. texanphinatic

    texanphinatic Senior Member

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    It is what it is. Even coming into this season Bengals fans were gearing up for another lousy year with Zack Taylor and the Brown family. The Browns have a literal criminal as an owner with an 0-16 season yet they are on the up and up (recent injury rash excepted). The Cardinals' ownership is notoriously stingy yet they have one of the most exciting and fun teams. Even Jerry's Cowboys look potent, though I would expect McCarthy to blow it.

    Outside of like Pittsburgh and Baltimore, how many owners are really respected or considered football people? Most of the rest are just take it or leave it and hope to strike gold and then ride it as hard you can as long as you can and hope you get a ring out of it.
     
  14. Dorfdad

    Dorfdad Well-Known Member

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    not they talked like any GM should when a player is offered and found the stakes were to high and Flo and Grier said nope TUA is out guy and the press just couldn’t let it go… Maybe FLO was telling the truth
     
  15. Silverphin

    Silverphin Well-Known Member

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    To be fair, the attorneys themselves said they don't know who made the request.
     
  16. plc001

    plc001 Season Ticket Holder Club Member

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    Aren't NDA's a staple of any settlement? Not saying it's a good thing, just that its common practise.
     
  17. KeyFin

    KeyFin Well-Known Member

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    If this is really it for you Mike, then I wish you luck in life and all your pursuits. We all get it- this is certainly one of the lowest of the lows in being a Dolphin fan.

    I'm personally going to continue watching but I'm already "checked out" as well- I don't get upset anymore as we give away game after game. But you're right, that front office is a cancer that just keeps growing and infecting everything it touches.

    All I can say is "Go Titans"...I might be a bigger Tannehill fan today than I was 5 years ago.
     
  18. Daytona Fin

    Daytona Fin Active Member

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    They should paint "Baby Steps" and "Moral Victories" on the walls.
     
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  19. MikeHoncho

    MikeHoncho -=| Censored |=-

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    “Our ownership takes shortcuts. And still fails miserably.”
     
  20. The_Dark_Knight

    The_Dark_Knight Defender of the Truth

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    I couldn’t have said it any better myself!!!!
     
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  21. MikeHoncho

    MikeHoncho -=| Censored |=-

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    Tannehill showed up to work after having pissed blood, and never uttered a peep against the brass. Perhaps he should have. He’d been shipped out sooner and sooner enjoyed more success elsewhere.
     
  22. canesz06

    canesz06 Well-Known Member

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    I get it, the Dolphins suck and they are no fun to watch. Sometimes I'll do other things instead of watching them play. That being said, it sounds like you take this just a little too serious. It's just a football team, no reason to let it consume your life and depress you. I had season tickets for 4 years in the 90s. I was as big of a die hard fan as anyone. If they lost on Sunday, I couldnt listen to sports radio for that week. Sometimes id lose sleep over them losing an important game. I got to the point that I realized that it wasnt worth it. Right now, I couldn't care less if they lose. I of course want them to win but I don't let it bother me if they don't. Once you get to that point, you'll feel so much better. I'll never not be a fan or stop watching them completely but I just don't have the same fire I used to for them. It's just a bunch of millionaires who really don't care if they lose, so why should I.
     
  23. OwesOwn614

    OwesOwn614 Well-Known Member

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    I'm probably right there with you. I just get tired of seeing the team make the same mistakes and collect the same silly prizes every season. I lost my Pops to COVID a year ago (in two weeks) and since then, most sports that I consume seem to be more like entertainment than anything that I'm emotionally connected with. No doubt, I still root for my teams. But at this point, I'm used to disappointment and to be honest, it seems like team management must be, as well.

    If we had nabbed Watson, I would have deepened the gap between the Fins being "my" team vs something that I held a rooting interest in. I'll never root against them but I'm tired of being surprised when something good happens. It seems as if our offseasons are more rewarding than the actual games.

    *sigh* What's the definition of "insanity" again?
     
  24. Hooligan

    Hooligan Season Ticket Holder Club Member

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    I'm one of the "old timers" of which you doth speak. I became a Dolphins fan long before I moved to Florida just because of the whole palm trees and dolphins splashing in blue water mystique. I watched the SB wins as a young man in my 20s so, I did experience the glory years first hand and, the SB loses. Like Canesz06 says, you just can't take it too seriously, it's just a game played by rich kids with huge egos. As bad as it seems can you imagine being a Detroit Lions fan or one of the handful of teams left that have never even been to a SB?
    Over the years my passion for foozeball has waned a bit. I don't watch Thursdays or Monday nights anymore, unless the Phins are playing but, I try never to miss a Dolphins game and, next day I enjoy coming here to see how everybody else saw it. The older you get the more you will enjoy the little things and, the better you will get at recognizing what's important.
    I still keep a house in Fort Lauderdale so, The Dolphins are the Home team, they'll figure it out.
     
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  25. OwesOwn614

    OwesOwn614 Well-Known Member

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    This might be a good place to drop this:
    [​IMG]
     
  26. MikeHoncho

    MikeHoncho -=| Censored |=-

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    I'm pretty sure it's us. We're the definition of insanity.
     
  27. djphinfan

    djphinfan Season Ticket Holder Club Member

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    Hope you come back Mike, stick with us thru the bad
     
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  28. MikeHoncho

    MikeHoncho -=| Censored |=-

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    Definitely sticking around the boards, but no way going to games or buying any more Phins merch, jerseys or helmets.
     
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  29. ExplosionsInDaSky

    ExplosionsInDaSky Well-Known Member

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    You'll be back when the team starts winning.
     
  30. Daytona Fin

    Daytona Fin Active Member

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    [​IMG]
     
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