championships aren't won on paper!

[phinfan2003]

As phinfans, I'm sure we are all excited about this offseason and we just can't wait for the season to start. Some of us (including myself) feel that we are ready to make a run for the championship.

But let's be very careful. Even though we have the players to win it all, let's not get ahead of ourselves. There are 31 other teams who are preparing just as hard and you never know what can happen. A key injury here, a breakout season by some rookie there and we're looking at another team making a run at the championship. As much as I hate to admit it, the Patriots won the super bowl 2 years ago and they weren't even close to the most talented team in the league. In my opinion, we had a better team than them that year.

I've been waiting over 20 years for the dolphins to win the championship and I'm sure I'm going to lose it when they do. I just don't want to walk around thinking we're going to win it all (like I did in 1995) simply because we look great on paper.

 

[Emskirch]

Originally posted by phinfan2003
As phinfans, I'm sure we are all excited about this offseason and we just can't wait for the season to start. Some of us (including myself) feel that we are ready to make a run for the championship.

But let's be very careful. Even though we have the players to win it all, let's not get ahead of ourselves. There are 31 other teams who are preparing just as hard and you never know what can happen. A key injury here, a breakout season by some rookie there and we're looking at another team making a run at the championship. As much as I hate to admit it, the Patriots won the super bowl 2 years ago and they weren't even close to the most talented team in the league. In my opinion, we had a better team than them that year.

I've been waiting over 20 years for the dolphins to win the championship and I'm sure I'm going to lose it when they do. I just don't want to walk around thinking we're going to win it all (like I did in 1995) simply because we look great on paper.

Isn't that the truth. This team last year lacked nothing but HEART at the end of the season. Lets be truthful, unless they find it, they will win nothing.

 

[inFINSible]

i just hope that last seasons' horrible end leaves such a bad taste in the mouths of the players that they WILL NOT let that happen again....Look at how many times TB got close before they pushed through....I know they changed coaches but the point is the same, they got tired of being also-rans and they stepped it up....I think that this team has been guilty in the past of believing their hype and thinking things are always going to turn out okay and by the time they realized that things were out of control it was too late to change their course.....I don't think that any two game winning streak is going to have anybody on the team thinking they should make reservations for family and friends in Houston come January.....I think that they learned last year that it's only a 16 game season, you can't blink! EVERY GAME is important, there should be no looking past anyone....All lessons should have been learned by now.....If this team doesn't make it to the Super Bowl next year....it'll be because they aren't good enough.

 

[zach13]

Originally posted by phinfan2003
As phinfans, I'm sure we are all excited about this offseason and we just can't wait for the season to start. Some of us (including myself) feel that we are ready to make a run for the championship.

But let's be very careful. Even though we have the players to win it all, let's not get ahead of ourselves. There are 31 other teams who are preparing just as hard and you never know what can happen. A key injury here, a breakout season by some rookie there and we're looking at another team making a run at the championship. As much as I hate to admit it, the Patriots won the super bowl 2 years ago and they weren't even close to the most talented team in the league. In my opinion, we had a better team than them that year.

Why, be very careful?

I certainly understand that the players should guard against this kind of attitude, but why the fans?

By guarding our enthusiasm, is that going to help the team win?

I certainly understand and agree with the fact that the season may end up without a Dolphins championship but that fact will not keep me in the slightest from enthusiasm about the coming season

The best way to completely avoid disappointment is to not root for any team.

 

[inFINSible]

good point ZS13...... The only thing we need be careful TO DO is drive the bills' fans crazy with our unbridled homerism!

 

[PhinPhreak]

Originally posted by inFINSible
i just hope that last seasons' horrible end leaves such a bad taste in the mouths of the players that they WILL NOT let that happen again....Look at how many times TB got close before they pushed through....I know they changed coaches but the point is the same, they got tired of being also-rans and they stepped it up....I think that this team has been guilty in the past of believing their hype and thinking things are always going to turn out okay and by the time they realized that things were out of control it was too late to change their course.....I don't think that any two game winning streak is going to have anybody on the team thinking they should make reservations for family and friends in Houston come January.....I think that they learned last year that it's only a 16 game season, you can't blink! EVERY GAME is important, there should be no looking past anyone....All lessons should have been learned by now.....If this team doesn't make it to the Super Bowl next year....it'll be because they aren't good enough.

I think The Vikings can vouch for not counting your chickens before they hatch, they were 15-1, and had a lead with the game pretty much sealed up, all they needed was there kicker(who was perfect all year) to make a simple FG. Guess where they were sitting on SB Sunday.

That is why it killed me last year after the Viking game all the posts I read that said "the game didn't mean anything" "iWho cares it was an NFC team" "They could afford to lose it". Bull EVERY game is important even more so at the end of the season. If the Fins beat the Vikings they are AFC East champs without even playing the Pats.

Hopefully the ending of last season has left a bitter taste in their mouth, but we could say the same thing about the season ending loss the year before against the Ravens.

This team has got the pieces in place now but the rest of the division isn't just going to rollover and give it to the Fins, every game in the division is going to be a battle. So hopefully the Fins don't get too comfortable or they can find another AFC East team once again sneeking up and winning the division when their backs are turned.


Hey Infins :up: on your woman.

 

[zevo]

Re: Re: championships aren't won on paper!

Originally posted by Emskirch



Isn't that the truth. This team last year lacked nothing but HEART at the end of the season. Lets be truthful, unless they find it, they will win nothing.

Nice! :up:

 

[Agua]

Originally posted by inFINSible
I think that this team has been guilty in the past of believing their hype and thinking things are always going to turn out okay and by the time they realized that things were out of control it was too late to change their course

This team has NEVER handled success very well. Well, that's an overstatement as, obviously, we've won a few superbowls and gone to three others, but for the most part, this has been a long standing problem with the Phins.

I'm with you: it's a good idea to temper excitement. I've only, over the last, say, couple of years, been able to do that and avoid the huge roller coaster effect following wins and losses. However, I find that I'm buying into it all again this year. I dread the too-familiar "oh my God we just lost to X, I'm going to be sick" feeling.

Oh paper, yeah: we should mop up the league. I can't avoid the memory of 1995 though. There are differences, important ones, to be sure, between this team and that 95 team. Probably most importantly, we'd brought in a lot of overpaid, overly hyped guys that didn't like to work. Whereas, this year, we've brought in guys who are taking less money to play here and their strongest asset is a burning desire to work hard to get a championship. So, obviously, there's a big difference between the situation of the two teams. But still, that '95 team stands as a good reminder to us all that a list of all-stars on paper doesn't win games.

 

[Danny]

I've been saying this all along. We need to play the games out on the field and not on paper. We also need to win on the ROAD. That means the defence has to play good away just like they do at home. We all know we have the talent but they still have to make it happen on the field.

Ozzy rules!!

 

[M-REAL]

I have to agree with the majority and add this: The dolphins should just take it to every team with the most intensity they can muster, starting with the Texans and checking them off after they win! We know the Fins have the talent now to do this so they should treat every game like its their last one of the season...

 

[Tatonka]

Originally posted by inFINSible
good point ZS13...... The only thing we need be careful TO DO is drive the bills' fans crazy with our unbridled homerism!

no issues with the unbridled homerism... because us barfly billy fans know how it will all turn out at seasons end.. at least history here shows that unbridled homerism turns to absolute rage and discust for you guys :D

at least the past couple years has been ok for bills fans because we havent been set up to believe that we were going to be superbowl contenders.. like the fish have..

this season could be different though.. billy fans all sense a higher level of consiousness by bills players.. they know that they have a squad that should/could be there.. at least to the playoffs..

this year is the first realistic shot we have had to go to a superbowl for at least 4 years..

will be interesting to see how it plays out for billy fans and fishy fans.

 

[zach13]

Originally posted by Tatonka


this year is the first realistic shot we have had to go to a superbowl for at least 4 years..

/B]

Realistic? Realistic would be 10-1 or so.

Can you say longshot?

 

[Gonk]

Originally posted by Tatonka


no issues with the unbridled homerism... because us barfly billy fans know how it will all turn out at seasons end.. at least history here shows that unbridled homerism turns to absolute rage and discust for you guys :D

at least the past couple years has been ok for bills fans because we havent been set up to believe that we were going to be superbowl contenders.. like the fish have..

this season could be different though.. billy fans all sense a higher level of consiousness by bills players.. they know that they have a squad that should/could be there.. at least to the playoffs..

this year is the first realistic shot we have had to go to a superbowl for at least 4 years..

will be interesting to see how it plays out for billy fans and fishy fans.

1. History also shows that the Bills will end up dead last in the division again... well atleast the history from the past three years shows that!

2. Good, you guys shouldn't have been talking Super Bowl. You guys didn't have the team to do it and it showed... 2000 Record: 8-8, 2001: 3-13, 2002: 8-8... you guys are 16-29 in the past three years! The Phins are 31-17 in the past three years.

3. Keep dreaming

 

[Bumrush]

I've been a die-hard phin fan since 1983, when I was 8 years old.

Up until the late 90's I was delusional enough to think that we were going to be a Super Bowl team every year. The rift between Danny and JJ changed how I viewed football. No longer would allow for this team to dictate my emotional beliefs that next year would be better. Sadly, I am the point where I accept failure, and when failure does happen, it's a lot easier to deal with. 5 years ago, if the Dolphins lost a playoff game I would have had a miserable week, filled with anger and stress. After dealing with futility for nearly 20 years, I can now accept it. Last year after the loss to NE I simply turned off my TV and stopped thinking about football until I hit this forum for some off-season excitement.

The fact is the Dolphins, for all their success, have failed to live up to expectations for far to long. This is not a problem created by Wanny, it stretches back to Shula. As long as we continue to find ways to dissolve in December, and continue to strive for playoff mediocrity rather than securing home field when given the chance, I will continue to limit my enthusiasm.

 

[Tatonka]

Originally posted by Gonk


1. History also shows that the Bills will end up dead last in the division again... well atleast the history from the past three years shows that!

2. Good, you guys shouldn't have been talking Super Bowl. You guys didn't have the team to do it and it showed... 2000 Record: 8-8, 2001: 3-13, 2002: 8-8... you guys are 16-29 in the past three years! The Phins are 31-17 in the past three years.

3. Keep dreaming

come on Gonk.. you know.. i read alot of your posts.. and i just know that your smarter than this.. i have seen it in you.. i dont know if this is just your inner fish fan screaming out in you but.. sheesh..

1. history shows that we were rebuilding.. it happens.. lets not talk about the fishies last three years.. it has been full of heartbreak.. these last three years have really cemented the idea of december collapse in the heads and hearts of fish fans and nfl fans in general.

2. this is obvious.. thanks for restating our records.. i wasnt sure what they were.. what has 31-17 got you?

3. i shall! :D

Originally posted by Bumrush
I've been a die-hard phin fan since 1983, when I was 8 years old.

Up until the late 90's I was delusional enough to think that we were going to be a Super Bowl team every year. The rift between Danny and JJ changed how I viewed football. No longer would allow for this team to dictate my emotional beliefs that next year would be better. Sadly, I am the point where I accept failure, and when failure does happen, it's a lot easier to deal with. 5 years ago, if the Dolphins lost a playoff game I would have had a miserable week, filled with anger and stress. After dealing with futility for nearly 20 years, I can now accept it. Last year after the loss to NE I simply turned off my TV and stopped thinking about football until I hit this forum for some off-season excitement.

The fact is the Dolphins, for all their success, have failed to live up to expectations for far to long. This is not a problem created by Wanny, it stretches back to Shula. As long as we continue to find ways to dissolve in December, and continue to strive for playoff mediocrity rather than securing home field when given the chance, I will continue to limit my enthusiasm.

first.. i can feel your pain.. i used to pout for days growing up.. my dad was never a football fan (he was a martial artist), so he could just not fathom why a teenage boy would pout over a "tv show".. he used to always say.. "you know.. they arent paying you.. i bet the players dont even mope around this much!" 4 superbowl loses later.. i can deal with just about anything (the music city miracle did get me though for the first time in years)

second.. that second paragraph is one of the most truthful, honest, and realist things i have read from a fin fan.. bravo! i feel like we should group hug.. :D