Espn's James Walker-Dolphins are no quick fix

[KTOWNFINFAN]

Amazing how he goes from obvious statement to inaccurate statement and back again from paragraph to paragraph.

What was inaccurate?? The only thing that I can see that could have been inaccurate was that we were good against the run. Maybe it should have been, we were average against the run. Other than that it was a very flattering article when compared with where we really are.

Take this article to ANY other team website and see if they think it is poorly written. If you take it to all 31 other teams at least 25 will say it sounds pretty spot on, but of course they all hate us too I guess. Take off the blinders people, we are who we are.

 

[rent this space]

You are missing the point. No one is arguing that they sucked, the point of the article is that have yet to be replaced. You have to replace talent with talent, and we haven't done so.

Personally I think the article was well written and spot on. I was going to start a thread about the defense a few weeks ago, but what makes our defense so special?? Nolan was more the reason our defense was good last year rather than talent. We are good against the run, that is our claim to fame. But that is like hearing "she has a good personality", when you ask, "how does she look". The NFL is about passing and stopping the pass, and like the man says, we can do neither. Todays NFL defense is about getting intelligent playmaking safeties, we have NONE. The closest things we had to an average safety is no longer on the team. No wonder teams didn't run on us, they didn't have to, passing was just too easy. And I see no reason for ANY improvment this year. Acutally much like Reggie Bush's numbers, I expect the defense to take a step back.

But all of this isnt doom and gloom. If we get people in here that can turn things around it is fine to have a bad couple more years. Just don't kill the messenger when he tells the truth. This isn't a 8-8 football team right now on paper. A top 10 pick in next years draft seems HIGHLY likely to me. Name 10 teams that are sure to do worse than us this year.....and NO college teams don't count.

I didn't miss anything. I understand what he is trying to say, but if he isn't going to take the time to research simple facts like why those two guys aren't on the team anymore, then why should I listen to the rest of his opinions?
by saying they were "lost in free agency", not only is he completely wrong, it looks like he is deliberately trying to paint things in a negative light.
I'm not denying that the Dolphins need at least one O-lineman and at least one WR in the draft, I'm just tired of the piling on from lazy hacks like James Walker

 

[Spesh]

I didn't miss anything. I understand what he is trying to say, but if he isn't going to take the time to research simple facts like why those two guys aren't on the team anymore, then why should I listen to the rest of his opinions?
by saying they were "lost in free agency", not only is he completely wrong, it looks like he is deliberately trying to paint things in a negative light.
I'm not denying that the Dolphins need at least one O-lineman and at least one WR in the draft, I'm just tired of the piling on from lazy hacks like James Walker

If youll excuse me, just going to go ahead and quote myself here:

Instead of focusing on what was inferred, how about focusing on the point of the message: Miami has holes at right tackle and right guard. Doesnt matter how good or bad those positions were in the past, its a hole now. This sort of knitpicking over "what it sounded like" or the word "gutted" should be beneath us. Its no different than saying the rest of the article is completely irrelevant because he misspelled a word in the beginning sentence. Focus on what was said, not over how it sounded.

By the way, Vernon Carey and Marc Colombo WERE lost to free agency. In the most literal since. Im not sure how thats deceitful.

 

[Lilseb93]

How original

 

[rent this space]

If youll excuse me, just going to go ahead and quote myself here:



By the way, Vernon Carey and Marc Colombo WERE lost to free agency. In the most literal since. Im not sure how thats deceitful.

if you throw something in the garbage, you didn't lose it

 

[fishbanger]

I think next years RG and RT will be upgrades over last year.
If we can pick up one starting WR and a second quality #3 or #4 WR who can improve our Punt returns then that will be an upgrade
If we can pick up an extra pass rusher then Defense will be better. It will be top 10 if we can upgrade Smiths CB position.

Lastly if we can get a starting caliber QB the in two years we can make the playoffs. This team will be a little better then 6-10 next year.

 

[Spesh]

if you throw something in the garbage, you didn't lose it

You lost it, its no longer in your possession.

Edit: And naturally, you hang on a single word. Well done! Case dismissed!

 

[NYPhin24]

You lost it, its no longer in your possession.

Edit: And naturally, you hang on a single word. Well done! Case dismissed!

you cant "lose" a player to Free Agency if they have not signed with another team, Colombo RETIRED, Carey has not even discussed a deal with another team, the Texans lost Mario Williams to Free Agency because the Bills offered him 100 million dollars and the Texans chose not to pursue the situation, its the same as all the espn "experts" who just like to pick on miami by saying they "lost out" on Flynn and dont even mention the other side of the story line that Miami may have chose not to pursue Flynn for the money or years he wanted, its easy to just be dramatic and negative because thats what sells, and say "ohhhh no the sky is falling Miami whiffed on flynn"

 

[NYPhin24]

Instead of focusing on what was inferred, how about focusing on the point of the message: Miami has holes at right tackle and right guard. Doesnt matter how good or bad those positions were in the past, its a hole now. This sort of knitpicking over "what it sounded like" or the word "gutted" should be beneath us. Its no different than saying the rest of the article is completely irrelevant because he misspelled a word in the beginning sentence. Focus on what was said, not over how it sounded.

I'll excuse him for not going head over the moon ecstactic for resigning a player. Should he also swoon over the resigning of Phillip Merling? And im not sure paying 5 million dollars a year for another teams backup, who will be a backup for us in certain formations, is considered all that noteworthy. Well, all that noteworthy in a positive way.

Point of his article: Miami is rebuilding and do not be surprised if they are picking in the top 10 next offseason. To everywhere who disagrees with it: insulting the writer or dismissing the article because the author used a single word that you dislike does nothing to convince people that we will win alot of games this season.

so by your logic, its better to put a 95 year old woman with 2 broken legs at right tackle, so that way it wont be a "hole" anymore, so just fill any position on the field with garbage, but its okay because the position is "filled", you act as if the Dolphins dont have a single other lineman on the entire roster and the Dolphins have 0 picks in the draft, i mean the 95 year old grandma at RT is basically the same as Colombo was last season so it cant be much worse no matter who steps in

 

[Jersey DolFan]

Taking a look at the contracts that expire at the end of the season I think it is fair to say Miami is in a complete rebuilding phase.

Yeah - b/c all the contracts that expire NEXT SEASON we are in "rebuilding" mode right now. i dont get this obsession with the expiration of contracts next year. we will have at least half of whoever we are keeping locked up before seasons end this year.

 

[Dr. Phin]

Fools argue the specific details of the article, when at its heart...the truth rings loud and clear. This team sucks. Deal with it. The homers on here talk about the draft like it is somehow magically going to turn this all around after we LOST BIGTIME in free agency. Well, I'll tell you what...the Pats aren't exactly going to sitting back in the draft with their two 1st-rounders...neither is any other team. Every team improves. In order to get better, you have to improve more than the others...and right now we have gone backward not forward. I really love how some of you now slough off Brandon Marshall when last couple years you said he was the best on the team...what jokers!

 

[Dr. Phin]

How is trading Marshall "gutting the team"? lol. Garbage article.

I remember you thinking Marshall was a pretty damn good move in the past... Do you just agree with anything this FO does?

 

[Spesh]

so by your logic, its better to put a 95 year old woman with 2 broken legs at right tackle, so that way it wont be a "hole" anymore, so just fill any position on the field with garbage, but its okay because the position is "filled", you act as if the Dolphins dont have a single other lineman on the entire roster and the Dolphins have 0 picks in the draft, i mean the 95 year old grandma at RT is basically the same as Colombo was last season so it cant be much worse no matter who steps in

Only if they fill they literal definition of "spot filled". But then again, im not the one paying them 2 million a year. Jeff Ireland is. And seems to be happy to.

 

[Irishfinfan1]

Not really sure of the benefit to anyone of 6 pages of discussing an article and then everyone arguing with each other about it when everyone's opinion is so entrenched?!
FWIW I wouldn't say we are rebuilding, I wouldn't say we are the finished article either. With the change in both offensive and defensive systems I think we are really just trying to acquire different types of players to fit the system.
Colombo and Carey neither fit the system nor are any good, happy they are gone, think between Jerry (if he keeps his weight down), Garner and Murtha we have already upgraded. Clearly we couldn't keep Marshall here because he is a diva receiver and would cause trouble as the ball is spread around so many different players. He also isn't a team player, no team player would get penalised like he has for stupid things like throwing the ball at Cutler, no point in making a big play and then getting penalised 10 or 15 yards.
I'm not sure you can say we 'LOST BIGTIME' in free agency when there have been so little moves, trading Marshall, getting Marshall (the DB), Johnson and Guyton, and losing/getting rid of Colombo and Carey. To lose big time in free agency surely you need to have lost a lot more than you have gained, surely it can be agreed Marshall wouldn't fit our new offensive philosophy?
To write an article like this before the most important event in the off season, the draft, reaks of stupidity or the requirement to write something. Clearly the draft should fill some holes here and there.
I honestly think we will win a game or two this year that we would have lost last year just through better play calling and game management, Sparano and co were way too conservative and paid for it. Overall I think we will finish with 6-9 wins, nothing exciting or atrocious.

 

[fininpsl]

Not really sure of the benefit to anyone of 6 pages of discussing an article and then everyone arguing with each other about it when everyone's opinion is so entrenched?!
FWIW I wouldn't say we are rebuilding, I wouldn't say we are the finished article either. With the change in both offensive and defensive systems I think we are really just trying to acquire different types of players to fit the system.
Colombo and Carey neither fit the system nor are any good, happy they are gone, think between Jerry (if he keeps his weight down), Garner and Murtha we have already upgraded. Clearly we couldn't keep Marshall here because he is a diva receiver and would cause trouble as the ball is spread around so many different players. He also isn't a team player, no team player would get penalised like he has for stupid things like throwing the ball at Cutler, no point in making a big play and then getting penalised 10 or 15 yards.
I'm not sure you can say we 'LOST BIGTIME' in free agency when there have been so little moves, trading Marshall, getting Marshall (the DB), Johnson and Guyton, and losing/getting rid of Colombo and Carey. To lose big time in free agency surely you need to have lost a lot more than you have gained, surely it can be agreed Marshall wouldn't fit our new offensive philosophy?
To write an article like this before the most important event in the off season, the draft, reaks of stupidity or the requirement to write something. Clearly the draft should fill some holes here and there.
I honestly think we will win a game or two this year that we would have lost last year just through better play calling and game management, Sparano and co were way too conservative and paid for it. Overall I think we will finish with 6-9 wins, nothing exciting or atrocious.

^^^^This. It's been hashed out everywhere that the FO and coaching staff believe Murtha is a significant upgrade at RT. just because you are replacing from within your roster doesn't mean you are going backwards. Players grow and develop all of the time. Especially along the O-line. With us switching to a different blocking scheme we are going to have turnover along the o-line anyway. And Carey has been replaced. We signed Hicks. I realize he isn't popular, but was Carey any good the last two years???? Not a bit better than Hicks when he's healthy, and one of those two players fit our new scheme. Bottom line is we have improved along the offensive line, and I'm 100% sure we will be drafting 1-2 more guys to develop at the least. As for Marshall Joe Rose has talked about how the coaches had weekly meetings with him just to keep his head on half-way straight. I'd prefer our HC not have to deal with headcases with large blocks of his available time, and instead focus on football. And I like B Marshall, but we didn't just cut him. We got two decent picks for him. We paid 2 twos, got 2 threes for him, and for that cost we had him for two years. That's a push. We need another WR, but that position will be a target in the draft.