Ladies, I can sum up every deficiency the Dolphins have had for almost the entire past 10 years:
Leadership.
Have you ever had that friend that always failed in life, yet always had an excuse? It was always someone else's fault, right? He/she just never had the right chance, remember?
But he/she was always quick with the apologies and "do better next times". Yes?
This is your sports friend: The Miami Dolphins.
Remember your conclusions about your real life friend? It IS his/her fault. He/she IS the reason. He/she will ALWAYS have an excuse
So, how does that lesson explain The Miami Dolphins? Quite simply, there is no one accountable. No leadership. No one, with power, that will accept nothing less than success.
Tell tell signs:
- Fold under the pressure of national media or ability to control division or own playoff destiny
- Win improbable games when everyone has counted them out (i.e. no pressure)
- Has no solution for repetitive problems (OL, Run D, Running Game, etc)
- Cannot dominate an opposing team on either side of the ball
- Cannot win a game based solely on QB performance
- Has no vocal leaders in the huddle and on the field
- Has no leader who will accept full blame AND show progress
- (insert other indicators here)
I remember wanting Tom Coughlin to mentor Dan Campbell. Dan is a leader. The problem many fans felt was too much to overcome was Dan's lack of "genius" on either side of the ball.
The lesson, however, is Dan HAS what every coach we have hired doesn't have. You can't teach leadership. It is either there or it isn't.
Dan is a manager. He is a coach who needed coordinators around him. But he can feel the pulse of his team and keep them ready to win.
What we have in leadership is a bunch of guys looking to everyone else for leadership. We have people in leadership roles with leadership titles, but no leadership. Ross can spend money, but doesn't know football. TB can spend money, but can't identify talent or leadership. Gase is a quiet cerebral, he can get mad when things don't work, but he can't lead. He's too busy figuring out X's and O's to lead. RT has been beat to hell and is now shell shocked. But even when he was able and confident, he still lacked true leadership. It had to be given to him.
Rizzi is a motivator and leader. But lacks the position, title and power to lead the team.
Fans just wanting RT to be cut are missing the point.
Fans just wanting TB and Co fired are missing the point.
Fans just wanting Gase fired are missing the point.
Fans just wanting Burke fired are missing the point.
They all need to go.
I'm an RT fan and love the kids story, resilience and tough-as-nails ability to keep getting up for my team. But he is shell-shocked and it is time for us to move on.
I'm tired of "up and coming" and "new kid on the block" hires. I'm tired of us getting cute trying to re-invent football.
I want proven winners who can lead bringing back the moxie of The Miami Dolphins organization.
Unless Ross dies, he is going to be the owner. But when we get a "Dan Marino" mentality in the Executive offices who can pick other "Dan Marino" types at GM, HC and Staff, we will start to see real progress.
Tom Coughlin came knocking on our door and we still had Dan Campbell in the building. Dan is from Tom's tree. Unfortunately, we got star crossed thinking some young guy who had barely learned how to lace up his football cleats was going to fix the entire organization. When he didn't have the experience or knowledge to do it.
We need a proven man at the top of the food chain. Followed by other men who can lead. And aren't afraid to do it.
Anyone for an Oklahoma Drill?
I'm tired of finessing football. Let's get in the trenches and knock people's helmets off. It's time we got back to grown man football.