With thoughts of the AFC championship on my mind I can't help but think of our Beloved team The Miami Dolphins. My Son (9) wanted a gold necklace from Santa for Christmas. The necklace had to have a Miami Dolphins charm (Just like Dad). He told me that several of his friends at school told him that the Dolphins "suck." I explained that they were just jealous that the Dolphins were so good. Now the conversation has turned to how come they are not playing today in the AFC championship game. He recognized the Patriots and even commented "They win a lot". So he is confused why I don't like the Patriots. "They win a lot but the Dolphins don't. Dad don't you want to win?" Just a little back ground. So I am looking at NFL.com and I see a story about their punter, which really isn't a story about their punter it's about what it takes to win - "The Patriot Way". Not really anything most of us don't already know. But it quickly sums up what is special about the way they approach everything they do. Team is put first. In fact Willie Mcginist calls them a machine several times. They refer to Randy Moss and how when he went there he literally disappeared. He was swallowed up in the process because he was very visual on other teams, not on the Patriots - just part of the "TEAM". But this story:http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap2000000314761/article/patriots-ryan-allen-will-punt-against-broncos , begs some questions. Could we ever install this attitude here? Bellicheck comes of as cocky. But he has SWAGGER. Something we definitely don't have according to are head coach. So if Coach has to look it up because he doesn't know what it is, is he the guy to get us some? Maybe, but maybe not. Having SWAGGER is buying into what your doing as an individual and as a team. There is continuity and consistency between the way the coaches coach and the way practice is run, etc. Doesn't the coach have to first believe in it himself? Please watch the video and comment. It is not my intent to slam Philbin or anyone else. But collectively we can objectionably analyze and see were this team is. I personally believe we are light years off from "buying In". Putting team before the individual. We may just have a cancer that before anything else has to be eradicated before we can lay the foundation of success. With the New England Patriots in our division and most likely again possibly going to the super-bowl something has to change because being the wild card and having to play them twice a year puts this team at an instant disadvantage, unless of course we kick their *** which I would prefer. Do these players "buy in"? If the last two games are any indication I would say the answer is no.
IMO this season showed us it has more to do with tommy than billy. They're still a good team without him, but without Tom they don't win quite as much and they certainly don't pull off half these miraculous wins
I was talking about the system installed there. The belief that team comes before the individual. Starting at the top down.
And I'm saying the HOF qb is the real "secret" to their success. Take away Tom Brady and their "system" wins maybe 8 games this year IMO. They def lose the saints and Denver games. Probably lose to us in foxboro. Texans game too. Don't buy into their bull****. They have arguably one of the greatest qbs to ever play the game. Their system is tom ****ing brady. He's probably going to his sixth Super Bowl today.
Did the infighting between Ireland, Philbin and Aponte demonstrate that? I think not. I can't even imagine that crap going on in the Patriots FO. If nothing else, Bob Kraft would never stand for it. Neither would Bellichick or Brady for that matter. In some ways I took Don Shula for grated when I was younger, and he had to deal with Joe Robbie and the problems that he caused, ie Beathard and George Young leaving, Czonka, Kick and Warfield bolting, Ted hendricks not being signed due to money, etc. it's been all downhill since Shula, and the Dolphins brand has been damaged, big time.
That belief came from winning. Ok..look at this. 2000 New England Patriots 5~11. Last place in the division. 2001..they start 0 and 2..lose Bledsoe and in comes Brady. They start winning because of Belichicks defense. Losing Bledsoe meant they had to change..and.it worked. Since then its all history. But do you think anyone was talking about the Patriots way after 2000? Time and success built the Patriots way. We gotta be patient. Patriots fans were. That franchise pretty much sucked except for a few years with Tuna. Dont you think Patriots fans were sick of waiting.
Lol..you have noooooo idea what goes on in the Patriots front office. Same organization that got cheating. Yeh..Im certain its a model of morality.
The infighting if it happened would not be out there for the whole world to see. That is installed culture. Shula had the same effect, as Bellicheck. Players knew when they came here what the deal was. When Shula left, the culture of winning went with it. We have not had that culture or expectation of that culture since. How do we get that back, if every 3 or 4 years we are changing out this piece or that piece. We still have not started fresh and there is no consistency. It's going to be a tough road. A road that will be much longer and much more painful to travel because the approach is wrong. Citizensnips has a point about Brady. However he doesn't play defense and he doesn't block or catch the passes. The players "buy in" because he is there. Expanding on his point, if it's a "Brady" we need then I guess we need to upgrade Tannehill then, because he is not Tom Brady
Wow, thank you for the insight. Try reading this: http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap20...alib-my-nfl-career-really-began-with-patriots
The key is getting the correct FO and coaching pieces off the bat, instead of wasting time correcting mistakes. That has been the downfall of this organization for about the last 20 years.
Id kill to see what Bill Belichick could do with our franchise. Be patient with Tannehill. People hate on Tannehill because of his deep ball... Heres what Pats fans think of Bradys http://www.patsfans.com/new-england-patriots/messageboard/10/945338-deep-ball.html
Definitely. I am sick of waiting too. I hate the term "Patriot way" but for a lack of a better term, these basic fundamentals take a mediocre team and make it great. Knowing if you don't buy in 100% you'll be gone can make a player achieve results that they normally wouldn't achieve. Brady is an exceptional QB. I don't hate him, I am envious that he isn't playing here
No one is saying that it's easy, but what we have is a 20 year track record of failing when it comes to that. Big difference.
Here.. http://m.bleacherreport.com/articles/1573912-whos-really-to-blame-in-wes-welker-vs-patriots-contract-fiasco
And the Patriots are in the AFC championship game, where are we? I was surprised as well that the Pats let Welker go, but they're doing just fine and we're the height of dysfunction. You'll have to do better than that.
No I dont. I never said the Patriots werent an amazing right now. But they still **** up. Hell look what Seattle gave up to get Percy Harvin. Injury history and all..that was a horrible signing. But they are winning..so nobody talks about it.
So now the only measuring stick is Super Bowls? Not won-loss records, stability and lack of dysfunction? Try again.
Hindsite is 20/20- I liked the Harvin sgining quite a bit, most did. And regardless if Harvin's health issues, they're chugging right along and in the NFC championship game. I still don't like Pete Carroll btw.
I assume that you mean tenured, unless you're looking at the ghost of Pavarotti as a coach. I don't know, look it up.
Stability includes the FO, and as to whether or not Lewis deserved to be the head coach for so long or the Bengals mismanaged that, I don;t know. Are you actually trying to defend how the Dolphins have been run over the last 20 years? Next.
Wow - great article and exactly what Willie Mcginst said "You got to buy in" Talib buys in!!! 3rd AFC Championship game in a row - **** I'd take that in a second
I think Tannehill needs to learn. He was supposed to be a project. We knew that. But I also question the real reason he was selected. IMO Ireland selected Tannehill because he knew we needed to win now or his job was in jeopardy. I question if we were more patient who we would have ended up with instead of some project. I have nothing against Tannehill, I just wonder if we have set ourselves back because we were hasty and expected Ireland to select him. Then we put him with this coaching staff........
80% of the league has the VP of Player Personal aligning herself with the owner and forming alliances with the head coach in an effort to undermine the GM? In addition it is widely spread throughout the league by numerous "news" organizations. The Head Coach is portrayed as weak and having to read off index cards while addressing his players. Definitley NOT a winning atmosphere. Dysfunctional maybe. But I don't work there so I am only pointing out my impression from what I have heard and see.
And what message did it send to the team? The players know, whatever the situation was it did not benefit the team. Bam!! next year back in the AFC Championship
We aren't the height of dysfunction. You've decided we are the height of dysfunction. Keep repeating it and it may come true one day. You again talk of Aponte and Ireland and philbin as if it was game of thrones. There is no perspective in your posts. It's repetition of the same themes. Most of it is opinion you've decided is fact. You cited the tannehill negotiation. That same conversation happens in 90% of the league offices. It's called sensible fiscal management. It wasn't a slight to anyone, it's a negotiating position. If it was that egregious how come all these players keep signing here. If Aponte is so bad why do players and draftees keep signing? Also, 2socks, cheer up mate, life is much better than your posts would have us believe.
Appreciate the encouragement. I am a realist. I can't help it. We have been down this path over and over again. (15 years and counting) I want to be as optimistic as the next. But it is so obvious that if you want to be successful you do as those that are successful do. I don 't necessarily believe we have to do as "Bill Bellicheck" but he is obviously onto something. I don't see that here - anywhere. I see dysfunction and it has "Become" our culture. It is so deeply rooted now that fans are choosing to ignore it and are defending it. We may be to far gone to fix it. Kind of the new Tampa Bay Buccaneers or Detroit Lions of the NFL. Just take the Bill Lazer hire. The guys teams are 112 - 145. Maybe instead of trying to find guys that will "get along" with the current power structure we should be hiring guys who will lead this team. Just for the record Get along is code word for fall in line and take marching orders.
Are you being serious. Your pointing out that Bellicheck record isn't perfect? I'll take it any day Its good enough to: Division Titles 11 Conference Titles 5 Super-bowls 3 and Today he is working on conference title 6 and super-bowl 4 we dont even talk about the super-bowls they got to but lost
Was there a more dysfunctional NFL team in 2013? If so, please state which one and how they topped the whopper of a year that we had.
The point is you're judging Philbin as a long term head coach based on 2 years. If you were a Browns fan in the early 90s, after Belichick's first two seasons you'd have probably been whining and complaining about his ability as a head coach too.
