A story of winning at all costs.

[phintim]

When Flores was hired I mused that hiring a defensive coordinator with no head coaching experience from the Bill Billicheat tree was not a recipee for success. Then follow that up after trading Tunsil, Minka, Drake, James our top assets on the team it was obvious the season was over before it began. The only question was if Flores could coach and if he couldn't would we finally can Grier.
Then we had those 5 wins that season and there was some hope.
Now that the stories are coming out of what may have actually happened it could simply be situation of 2 men attempting to win at all costs but ended up tripping over each other at the end.
Ross long term plan hire Flores because of his inexperience, tear down the roster completely all with the goal to attain the very best QB in order to win. When that did not happen enter the attempt for Brady again goal attain the very best QB to win.
Statiscially this plan should have worked considering all the loosing coaches we hired the past few years.
Enter African American coach Flores with the identical goal as Ross win. Flores plan is more short term win now. The problem with the Flores plan it interfered with Ross plan and vice versa.
So both gentlemen are undermining each other at the same time with the same goal to win.
Meanwhile Flores becomes more and more paranoid regarding both his staff, Grier and Ross. Midseason this year for example Flores takes complete control of the team alienating his assistant coaches.
What I find most ironic about this if this theroy is true if Flores had been hired instead of the losers we did hire before the Tank season he would most likely still be the coach as at the end of the day it's all about winning.

 

[royalshank]

If there was a plan to tank by Ross, wouldn’t it have made sense for him to clue Grier and Flores in so they could be aligned? How about even the Ross and Flores discuss it during the interview? The whole thing is odd.

 

[Dogbone34]

Everyone understands the ramifications of winning and losing in the NFL.

The impact of the draft on coaches and player careers is no secret.

As a constant losing franchise, Miami has had plenty of opportunities to identify and move on quality talent.

Until the Dolphins develop a credible, long term scouting department, don't expect much to change.

Hitting on picks like Javon Holland is how it's down, missing on Jamarr Chase is not. (Waddle is keeping this decision from a total disaster but he wasn't a hard pick at 6.)

It's time to move on...just hard to have confidence with Grier calling shots.

 

[Adam Strange]

Eh, if the team needs an ethos I’d rather they go with “winning at any cost!” as opposed to the team’s edgier concept that they’ve tried for the last 20 years: “no winning, no matter what!”

 

[Atila]

There is no reason for Flores to be too scared to take a meeting with Tom Brady - it shows he doesn’t have executive level intelligence or savvy.

He’d still be here and be cementing himself as one of the young up and coming coaches in the league while we’d probably have a Super Bowl right now.

Instead, he’s suing the NFL and the Fins are back to square 1. Nice.

 

[rickd13]

If there was a plan to tank by Ross, wouldn’t it have made sense for him to clue Grier and Flores in so they could be aligned? How about even the Ross and Flores discuss it during the interview? The whole thing is odd.

And why keep and pay a veteran QB like Fitzpatrick if they were “tanking” ?

 

[fin007]

When Flores was hired I mused that hiring a defensive coordinator with no head coaching experience from the Bill Billicheat tree was not a recipee for success. Then follow that up after trading Tunsil, Minka, Drake, James our top assets on the team it was obvious the season was over before it began. The only question was if Flores could coach and if he couldn't would we finally can Grier.
Then we had those 5 wins that season and there was some hope.
Now that the stories are coming out of what may have actually happened it could simply be situation of 2 men attempting to win at all costs but ended up tripping over each other at the end.
Ross long term plan hire Flores because of his inexperience, tear down the roster completely all with the goal to attain the very best QB in order to win. When that did not happen enter the attempt for Brady again goal attain the very best QB to win.
Statiscially this plan should have worked considering all the loosing coaches we hired the past few years.
Enter African American coach Flores with the identical goal as Ross win. Flores plan is more short term win now. The problem with the Flores plan it interfered with Ross plan and vice versa.
So both gentlemen are undermining each other at the same time with the same goal to win.
Meanwhile Flores becomes more and more paranoid regarding both his staff, Grier and Ross. Midseason this year for example Flores takes complete control of the team alienating his assistant coaches.
What I find most ironic about this if this theroy is true if Flores had been hired instead of the losers we did hire before the Tank season he would most likely still be the coach as at the end of the day it's all about winning.

I don’t know many people who “muse” in a sports forum. Good for you.

 

[phintim]

If there was a plan to tank by Ross, wouldn’t it have made sense for him to clue Grier and Flores in so they could be aligned? How about even the Ross and Flores discuss it during the interview? The whole thing is odd.

IMO Grier was aware of the plan which is why he is still around.
Ross assumed Flores would loose without being asked to. Once Flores started winning Ross implied to Flores that was the plan mentioning Flores could get a pay raise if he cooperated with the plan. As Flores pointed out in his lawsuit that's some serious stuff to loose your career and even team over.
The narrative really fits 2 guys trying to win at all costs at the same time moving in different directions unfortunately.

 

[phintim]

And why keep and pay a veteran QB like Fitzpatrick if they were “tanking” ?

Remember they did not start Fitz Flores first year instead they started the kid from Arizona. It was not until later in the year that Fitz got the opportunity to play. That horrible offensive line, no wide receivers on the roster and Howard on IR what were chances. Loosing 50 to 0 to the Ravens it was a little to apparent what was happening so throw in Fitz to keep games a bit closer. That season we win against the Bengals which we should not have. The Bengals decided to play Dalton that last game and if they win that game we get the number 1 pick. I remember that game quite clearing Dalton is moving the ball with great success and then suddenly they take the ball out of his hands run the ball and loose.

 

[rickd13]

Remember they did not start Fitz Flores first year instead they started the kid from Arizona. It was not until later in the year that Fitz got the opportunity to play. That horrible offensive line, no wide receivers on the roster and Howard on IR what were chances. Loosing 50 to 0 to the Ravens it was a little to apparent what was happening so throw in Fitz to keep games a bit closer. That season we loose to the Bengals which we should have when they decided to play Dalton that last game we get the number 1 pick. I remember that game quite clearing Dalton is moving the ball with great success and then suddenly they take the ball out of his hands run the ball and loose.

If the intention was to “tank” the season, nothing would have assured that more than playing an inexperienced talentless QB that they already had on their roster. There was no need to bring in Fitzpatrick or to keep him if you wanted to lose.

 

[Vaark]

I'm still far from convinced that Flores isn't full of $hit. After all this is someone who couldn't keep offensive coordinators or good OLCs, saw his DC leave for a lateral position with NY, drove out a super safety, refused to tinker with the OL, didn't speak with his coaching staff since Thankgiving, and allegedly had to be talked into changing his defensive plan to only then start winning.

If it looks/walks/talks like a duck - chances are excellent it's not a swan!

 

[SF Dolphin Fan]

At least the Patriots cheated to try to win the super bowl. Not condoning that in anyway, but if Ross's goal was to lose enough to get the number one overall pick, to incentify losing, I can't get behind that.

Both speak to lack of integrity.

Let's be honest. The draft is a crap shoot. Burrow has obviously turned out and looks like a young Aaron Rodgers. But he also could have had a career threatening injury etc.

It's such an easy fix for the NFL, though. A modified lottery draft would help take away the incentive to lose.

 

[gofins60]

Eh, if the team needs an ethos I’d rather they go with “winning at any cost!” as opposed to the team’s edgier concept that they’ve tried for the last 20 years: “no winning, no matter what!”

I thought the current motto is "win, win, win, except when it's win and you're in".

 

[juniorseau55]

Now we are using backwards moral logic. I mean let's pretend that the statement, "winning at all costs" means something in the real world. For the Dolphins, if we have ever made an attempt to bend the rules to become better then we did a horrible job at doing it. We did a horrible job at executing the process.

 

[1972forever]

Now we are using backwards moral logic. I mean let's pretend that the statement, "winning at all costs" means something in the real world. For the Dolphins, if we have ever made an attempt to bend the rules to become better then we did a horrible job at doing it. We did a horrible job at executing the process.

The reason I find it hard to believe Flores is he was given a five year contract, when the standard contract for a first time head coach is usually four years. I think he was given the extra year because Grier and Ross knew that they would be dismantling the team before the 2019 and Flores wouldn’t have much talent to work with.

So it wouldn’t be fair to him to judge his coaching ability based on that season. If the intention was to ensure the Dolphins had the worst record in the league and got the first pick in the draft, Ross would have made that clear to Flores before actually hiring him. Exactly why would he wait until after he hired him to then offer him $100,000 for each game they lost? It makes absolutely no sense because I have no doubt they could have hired another HC at the time who would have gone along with making sure the Dolphins would lose enough to ensure they ended up with the top pick in the draft.

The Colts have had 2 HC’s who went along with losing enough games to be able to draft Manning and Luck and I’m sure they aren’t the only head coaches who have agreed to lose games for a better draft pick.