i read the article. the title of this thread is a bit misleading. although the article mentions fangio was critical of the offense, it is one sentence, and never substantiated. it is mostly about the defense, and the fact that those guys like to party, and all the stuff that ron jaworski said, who is viewed as a proxy for fangio. the article then goes on to ask if the dolphins have a cultural problem and the guys don't work hard enough and focus
Exactly. The headline of the editorial describes the content. The header here doesn't match at all. It refers to one fleeting sentence that serves as mild almost throwaway transition, early in the piece.
Hyde correctly summarizes that Holland and Smith basically gave credibility to Fangio's supposed comments, via their social media reaction after his departure. That was a key point and it's the reason you need someone of the caliber and experience of Dave Hyde writing this editorial. How is it possible that anyone praised Holland and/or Smith?
Grier does not draft impressive players, at least in terms of their character. That's been my beef for years. I've watched the immediate post draft interviews for 50+ years. The most dramatic variance from early Dolphins to recent decades is that Joe Thomas in particular really knew how to find guys who played the part and sounded the part. They instantly came across as smart and dedicated. That's why they were so reluctant to speak on radio to Henry Barrow after the rare defeat.
Nobody subsequently has been able to match Joe Thomas in that aspect. I've seen all of them, from Bobby Beathard and Chuck Connor forth. Beathard could identify talent but he was hit and miss because he liked to gamble on guys like Donald Reese and Darryl Carlton. Really the only time we've resembled the Joe Thomas years was 1977 after the Reese/Crowder debacle of 1976 and we placed extreme emphasis on character entering 1977. That draft produced A.J. Duhe and Bob Baumhower, two rock solid guys who were every bit the impressive equal of the early '70s guys.
Unfortunately the league evolved to larger players in the '80s. Duhe and Baumhower became somewhat symbolic of '70s frames trying to line up against Washington's Hogs. Since the league evolved on the defensive front seven we've really struggled to find massive dedicated guys in combo with similarly dedicated hit and cover guys.
I concede I know the problem beyond the solution.
BTW, the spell checker here is laughably juvenile. Whoever designed that might as well sit in the corner wearing a dunce cap. Every time I write Bobby Beathard it changes it to Boatyard. A.J. Duhe becomes Dude. Seriously? Get out of middle school.