Do the Miami Dolphins have a motivator? | FinHeaven - Miami Dolphins Forums

Do the Miami Dolphins have a motivator?

oasis

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Ray Lewis. Jim Harbaugh. Brees. Tomlin. Peyton. Just to name a few.

A lot / most of the great teams have a motivator that can be counted on to deliver inspiration and rally the team around a cause greater than themselves. Often, this is the head coach and often, a veteran player that has earned the respect of his teammates.

Who is this person for the Miami Dolphins? Is it Coach Philbin? Or a player? Are you satisfied with who you think it is for the Phins?

Personally, I think the Phins have a glaring hole at this "position."
 
Last season, those guys were Reggie Bush and Karlos Dansby. Maybe Pouncy too.

We should hope that Tannehill grows into that role, but more guys like that are needed.
 
To me there's a difference between guys that naturally assume leadership roles and guys that SHOULD assume leadership roles.
 
I think on defense, that guy is clearly Karlos Dansby. This takes nothing away from Channing Crowder who I also thought was a solid leader on the field and understood the defensive alignments on the field better than anybody . . . but Karlos adds more ability to it. We've always had solid leaders at our MLB position.

On offense, you hope that guy is Ryan Tannehill. Not Jake Long, not Reggie Bush . . . that guy needs to be Tannehill. If he isn't, we missed on the pick.
 
To me there's a difference between guys that naturally assume leadership roles and guys that SHOULD assume leadership roles.

I think Tannehill did show more leadership than Henne ever did, but I do think he didn't take on full leadership role due to his rookie status. But I do think he will naturally assume the roll.
 
There's a difference between team leaders and inspirational players.

There have been plenty of posts and threads about how we shouldn't get our hopes up that one or two playmaker pick-ups in the offseason will make a difference to the Fins.

That is largely true. An NFL roster is 53 guys and improving one or two slots with real quality is a help but won't necessarily affect the W/L percentage radically.

Unless, of course, those players inspire the team to want to be better, demonstrate to guys whose potential hasn't been realised to hurry up and get better, create a buzz in the lockerroom and on the field that the team is invincible.

It happens. Not every day, but it happens.

I'm a big fan of pro rugby as well as football. I have had for many years the enormous pleasure of supporting a perennially under-achieving team (to add to my support of the Fins - sado-masochist that I am).

One off-season the rugby team acquired a superstar player on a one-year deal. Wasn't even a full season. The guy was incredible. He was a talisman, a lightning rod, a leader, an off-field example, a workhorse and a fan icon. His signing proved we were serious about improving and I think that also transmitted to the players. The team won everything that year and - even though he left the following off-season - the team never looked back. They started a dynasty that season, the likes of which this team had never had.

The player himself was never as good again. It was the highpoint of his career (to date). But the guys around him were permanently transformed by the possibilities his play had shown them.

Sometimes, all it takes is one guy.

(Usually, though, it takes a lot more than that)
 
Some leaders lead by example more so than by verbiage. Reggie was always the first in, last out of the training room in a quest to make himself better.. he lset an example despite his marquis persona. I've admired him for walking the walk.
 
Pouncey. For a young guy who just completed his second season, Pouncey has already ensconced himself as a natural leader of our team. Don't be surprised if he is around for a long time. (One of your best draft picks JI...)
 
I've heard Starks is a big leader of that defense and righfully so as he one of our best defenders.
 
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