Now...this may be a bit of a meandering post, but I do hope to convey the frame of mind I'm in as best I can in my current state. My current state is early middle-aged, mildly injured due to sins of my past, and mildly inebriated due to the beneficial relaxing effects of alcohol on my muscle injuries.
Anyway.
Moments ago, I had an epiphany about Monday Night's game against New Orleans. Ready for it?
I don't care if they lose.
"Oh, Mister Goat, how can you possibly say that? Are you not a true Dolphins fan? How can you call yourself..."
Shut it.
I'm obviously rooting for my boys. I want the Fins to CRUSH the Saints. I've received warnings on this site for ripping into pessimists, and then ripped into the mods who GAVE ME THE DAMN WARNINGS.
But...see...here's the thing...and the clarification of my statement.
I'm freaking giddy. And not just because of the alcohol.
Wait. I need bourbon. In honor of the Saints game. Be right back.
_________________________________________________________________________________
....
Okay. That's better. As a side note, Eagle Rare bourbon is an affordable and spectacular vice.
So here's why I'm giddy, as are a lot of us. We've arrived. Make no mistake about it. This rebuilding **** that we've dealt with for the last four plus years is over. This is no longer about "The Dolphins are this and that away from being able to compete." This is no longer about the Dolphins being laughed at. Nobody likes being laughed at. This is about the rest of the league sitting back in their collective chairs, putting their hands to their collective chins, and asking the same question that has been on everyone's minds...INCLUDING OURS...since the Dolphins beat the "10 yards away rom the Super Bowl" Atlanta Falcons on Sunday.
The question? Whoa. Wait. Okay, seriously, how good are the Miami Dolphins?
And I want to know. I'm "bouncing up and down on my toes, motioning one of the best home teams in the history of the NFL forward" giddy...because I want to know.
I want to know HOW GOOD the Phins are. And I don't. And neither do you. And MAYBE, neither do they. Talk about the Falcons all you want. We beat them in our house. Now we go to New Orleans, in a loud, unfriendly stadium, with a hostile, hungry fan base, which is aching for vindication against the NFL, which they feel unjustly penalized them last year. And they just see the Dolphins as something that is in their way.
And for the first time in a very, very, very long time, I don't care if the Dolphins lose. I just want to see where they are. I want to see them put the Saints to the test in their home stadium, where nobody thinks the Fins are going to win. I want to see how Tannehill reacts. I want to see if the Dolphins can hang in against the Saints until halftime, when the staff can make more of their wonderful adjustments.
This is the luxury of a hard-fought 3-0 start. The Fins are basically playing with house money this week.
I think the Fins represent well. And to this point in the season, it's been a wonderful ride. I'm paraphrasing a little-known movie from the late 80s called "Let it Ride" from here on out.
"We've had a good time, right? Even if we lose! Oh, God...what if we lose?
No...wait...we beat the Colts in their house, when everyone wanted to talk about the Colts and Andrew Luck. It's okay!
We even made a few friends, like some guys on the Browns board....you can't put a price on that sort of thing, right?
But if we win...
...oh, my...if we WIN...."
Anyway.
Moments ago, I had an epiphany about Monday Night's game against New Orleans. Ready for it?
I don't care if they lose.
"Oh, Mister Goat, how can you possibly say that? Are you not a true Dolphins fan? How can you call yourself..."
Shut it.
I'm obviously rooting for my boys. I want the Fins to CRUSH the Saints. I've received warnings on this site for ripping into pessimists, and then ripped into the mods who GAVE ME THE DAMN WARNINGS.
But...see...here's the thing...and the clarification of my statement.
I'm freaking giddy. And not just because of the alcohol.
Wait. I need bourbon. In honor of the Saints game. Be right back.
_________________________________________________________________________________
....
Okay. That's better. As a side note, Eagle Rare bourbon is an affordable and spectacular vice.
So here's why I'm giddy, as are a lot of us. We've arrived. Make no mistake about it. This rebuilding **** that we've dealt with for the last four plus years is over. This is no longer about "The Dolphins are this and that away from being able to compete." This is no longer about the Dolphins being laughed at. Nobody likes being laughed at. This is about the rest of the league sitting back in their collective chairs, putting their hands to their collective chins, and asking the same question that has been on everyone's minds...INCLUDING OURS...since the Dolphins beat the "10 yards away rom the Super Bowl" Atlanta Falcons on Sunday.
The question? Whoa. Wait. Okay, seriously, how good are the Miami Dolphins?
And I want to know. I'm "bouncing up and down on my toes, motioning one of the best home teams in the history of the NFL forward" giddy...because I want to know.
I want to know HOW GOOD the Phins are. And I don't. And neither do you. And MAYBE, neither do they. Talk about the Falcons all you want. We beat them in our house. Now we go to New Orleans, in a loud, unfriendly stadium, with a hostile, hungry fan base, which is aching for vindication against the NFL, which they feel unjustly penalized them last year. And they just see the Dolphins as something that is in their way.
And for the first time in a very, very, very long time, I don't care if the Dolphins lose. I just want to see where they are. I want to see them put the Saints to the test in their home stadium, where nobody thinks the Fins are going to win. I want to see how Tannehill reacts. I want to see if the Dolphins can hang in against the Saints until halftime, when the staff can make more of their wonderful adjustments.
This is the luxury of a hard-fought 3-0 start. The Fins are basically playing with house money this week.
I think the Fins represent well. And to this point in the season, it's been a wonderful ride. I'm paraphrasing a little-known movie from the late 80s called "Let it Ride" from here on out.
"We've had a good time, right? Even if we lose! Oh, God...what if we lose?
No...wait...we beat the Colts in their house, when everyone wanted to talk about the Colts and Andrew Luck. It's okay!
We even made a few friends, like some guys on the Browns board....you can't put a price on that sort of thing, right?
But if we win...
...oh, my...if we WIN...."