Dan Marino

[PassRush]

Well I am only four years older than you are but I have been a fan since birth and have only missed one game since 1995(Dolphins/Jets, meaningless game, week 17 2003. I was in for surgery on my knee). I remember Dans passion, intensity and poise mostly. I remember the day it all became real for me. The one and hopefully last time I have been to New York. I was at a game that some fans may remember where Dan threw the infamous fake spike to cap off an amazing comeback. That play branded the perfect similie for the Marino years into the minds of Dolphins fans with one devistating throw. The way we caught people off guard, how we would win by any means possible and how Dan could strike fear into the heart of defenders. I knew two things after that game: Marino was our god and the I hated the Jets, their fans, their players, their colors, their coaches and their stadium; everything about them I find repulsive and I wish nothing but the worst too all involved with them.

 

[Phishstix]

Dan is the reason I became a Dolphins fan. I was born in Miami, but moved away when I was little kid. When I first started watching football in my early teens I didn't have a favorite team. I remember watching one game that was a stinker and they shifted the broadcast to the ending of tightly contested Dolphins game. Marino led the phins to a come-from-behind victory and I was hooked. That was probably almost 20 years ago. To this day Marino and Shula are the identity of the franchise and the two best things ever to happen to it.

dan hooked me, too. i was about 6 or 7 years old watching the fins play my brother's fav. team, pittsburgh. he was mad b/c they couldn't stop dan, and he didn't like him b/c he was ****y, so naturally i gravitated towards dan and the fins, and the rest is history. well, that and the aqua and orange, for some reason they were very appealing colors.

 

[TakeIt2DaHouse]

I can remember watching danny boy and it was the greatest thing on tv and i didnt always get to see the dolphins since i live in las vegas but i was born in south miami beach and moved away to vegas when i was 4 and back then i didnt have directv so it was always a luxury to watch dan play. i would wait for hours for sports center just to see the dolphin highlights so i can see which defense marino made look like fools. Never ever will there be another marino to do what he did with what he was given is just amazing and no other qb could ever duplicate it i thank God he game him to us at #27 in that famous 1983 draft.Danny boy greatest QB EVER!!! Period, soon you'll be where you belong Hall of Fame baby.

 

[Daytona Fin]

there wasnt a whole lot expected out of dan right away when he came to miami but as you know fate take its course. as for being able to watch dan every week for his whole career it was an honor to be a dolfan. no matter what the score was in any game you always knew the dolphins had chance to win. those days were so exciting and nerve racking but it was always worth it because the fins won a sh** load of games with dan. he never won the big one but with dan every game felt like the big one. i give dan a lot of credit for what the nfl is what it is today. i'll cherish my memories forever.

 

[jlfin]

lol true

I was ecstatic. I never thought Woodley was NFL caliber. He was just an athletic guy with a below average arm.
Never thought Marino would be available at the end of the first rd. Can you believe how frustrating it must have been for KC fans and NE fans to watch their teams draft Blackledge and Eason ahead of Marino. Jets fans always wonder "what if", although O'Brien had a decent career.

 

[nyjunc]

As yall prob know by looking at my age I wasnt alive during the good years of Marino. (the late 80s) Im just curious what was it like and were some Dol-fans unhappy with drafting him at first. I just never really got around to watching old films of him. I would just like some memorable moments and other stuff like that.

I'll give you a Jet fan perespective- it was HELL!! The man torched us time after time. The good news is we found ways to win alot of games and the records were close to even but everytime he had the ball in his hands I expected a dolphin TD.

 

[Dolphin Dan]

I became a fan when i was 7 years old, watching Dan in the AFC championship game against Pitt. I liked him becuse he was Italian and shared my first name, so at 7 that was cool...... Ever since then i was hooked. It was tough living in NJ and dealing with all the Jet fans, but in a way that made it all the more special. There are way too many memories to post, but i think the greatest thing about being a fin fan during the Marino era was we always knew we had a chance. Every year seemed to center more and more around "Can Dan get the Ring" and people forget, Miami really WAS'NT that good!!!!! Danny never had a good RB, never had a good D(In his Prime) and yet Miami was in the playoffs all the time and probobly goes to a couple more SB if Buffalo was in the NFC. I just hope when we finally do win the SB, someone gives a Ring to Dan, because he deserves it.

 

[nyjunc]

I liked him becuse he was Italian and shared my first name

I thought your first name was Dolphin? :D

 

[TokyoFishFan]

When he was drafted I was in high school and, although I was an avid Dolphin fan, hadn't really gotten into all the detail surrounding picks, statistics, and such.

My thoughts at the time were "What's wrong with David Woodley?" He had gotten us to a SuperBowl. Of course, now that I go back and look at his numbers I can see why and we all know now that he faded into obscurity rather quickly.

Here's his numbers for his short 6 year career, 4 of which were with Miami. http://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/WoodDa00.htm

Strangley enough ( http://www.nfl.com/news/story/6356357 )
"Woodley finished third in Dolphins history with 5,928 career passing yards and 508 pass completions, behind Dan Marino and Bob Griese. He holds the Miami rookie record with 176 pass completions. "

Of course, my only concern at the time was were the Dolphins winning and Dan brought excitement to the game.

A lot of folks were wondering if Don Strock would get to start at some point, especially after the infamous San Diego playoff game on Jan 2, 1982 when he threw for over 400 yards.

 

[Finsperfect72]

To echo a couple of earlier posts, the thing I liked most about Marino was knowing for absolutely sure that we had a chance to win every game he started. I never had the sick feeling in the pit of my stomach that I've had for nearly every game since he retired. When Danny was behind the wheel, you knew that there was every chance to win the game. He was a true field general and ran that team like a well-oiled machine. Even though he didn't have the supporting cast on defense that we've had these past few years, he still would light it up and make things happen. The clock play is one of my favorite memories among many. Wish we could have him back in uniform one more time.......

 

[Zeke0123]

Dan was amazing he looked over the field..snapped the ball..found the open reciever and delivered a perfect spiral on a frozen rope play after play after play. Defenses where afraid to blitz because that would leave someone open and NO ONE could find the open reciever faster than Dan and hit him in the numbers with such consistancy it was uncanny...and a great time to be a fan.. EVERYONE feared Marino and if they say they didnt they are lieing.