When I joined this site years ago I was baffled at the hype toward our mediocre players. They would be mentioned in sigs, and listed in various posts, despite being ordinary or slightly above. In 7 years the names have changed but not the trend.
If you want to be considered 30% better than you really are, find a way onto the Miami Dolphins' roster.
Regarding Jeff Ireland, I don't have much respect for anyone in a position like that who disdains the media and is so inept whenever he ventures. There's no benefit whatsoever. In Miami it's particularly ridiculous and harmful considering all the hurdles, like a pathetic stadium and so much competition for the entertainment dollar.
I think those of us who remember the early days of the franchise have a decided advantage on a topic like this. The Dolphins were always a fan friendly organization that had a sense of humor toward itself. In the late '60s the team was in the midst of a dreadful year and the Dolphins spotlighted a game against Buffalo as "Victory Sunday." In other words, hey we might actually win this one, so come out to the Orange Bowl and enjoy it. The plan worked, the team won, and it garnered quite a bit of positive publicity.
When Don Shula was approached about the coaching vacancy that's the type of reputation the Dolphins had. I can only imagine a modern day Shula contacted about the Miami vacancy (or potential vacancy) with Ross and Ireland at the helm. Never mind.
When the franchise does make a move it's desperate and jeopardizes a segment of the fan base, like the brilliant Gator Day. I literally jumped off my couch as soon as Mike Dee and Nat Moore announced that brainstorm, during the preseason telecast. I posted a thread on a Canes forum on Rivals.com within minutes.
The comparisons to other franchises and bigshots who shunned the media are not valid. Parcells late in his career came to fancy an antagonist relationship with the media, almost as a substitute for on-field success. He was anything but poor with the media and used them well when he had to early in his career. Likewise, Belichick gave some terrific interviews early in his career, answering questions that hadn't even been asked to add perspective, but now after three rings he obviously enjoys the quirky hooded reputation, and quick non-answers like, "They made more plays than we did." It borders on tongue in cheek and the Patriots in this era don't need a coach to attract fans or ticket buyers. Watch Belichick a week after the Super Bowl and he's grinning and wisecracking with Jim Nantz and Nick Faldo at Pebble Beach. Put Ireland on that course and he'd be as bumbling as ever, every bit as nervous as the Philbin introductory press conference.
No different than our stadium decades from now, once Ireland is replaced the apologists will quickly look very foolish.
