I'm Proud of Wanny

[MDFINFAN]

I write this because I didn't think we would make a lot of changes on this team to get better after last year. I also thought Wanny would be too scare to release and keep new guys, for fear of failing and staying with the same ol, same ol. Well I'm seeing a new team being put together as TC and PS goes on.

Wanny actually got rid of 3 B/U LB's and a starter. He demoted a starting Safety. He brought in a new nickel Back. He's trading (attempting)McGarretty(sp) and Dyer. Brought in New B\U OL, although young, the future. Brought in FA's who are actually competing in TC. The draft seemed to have been better than we thought. He let Hailey go, We have new FB depth that can actually play in the games if Konrad goes down. Our WR's may have some depth with speed for a change. And we might, just might even get rid of OG, that's a big one for this team, knowing when to move on. He let Brent Smith and Marcus Spriggs leave. big chance on letting 2 starting LT's go.

New players I see on this team.

QB: Brian Griese
FB: Obafemi Ayanbadejo
TE: Donald Lee (rook), Marco Battaglia
OT: Wade Smith (rook)
OG: Billy Yates (rook)
WR: Derrius Thompson, J.R. Tolver (rook)
LB's (Moore (rook)) IR, Jenkins (rook) Jr. Seau, and possible: Brendon Ayanbadejo
DL:Jeff Zgonina
CB:Terrell Buckley, (still waiting on verdict for:Korey Banks(rook))
S: Sammy Knight, and poss: Alphonso Roundtree
P: Poss: Stemke (still open comp)
DE: Poss: Otis Grigsby
ST: Charlie Rogers

That's possibly 18-19 additions to this team. How many coaches in Wanny's shoes with a good team from last year would take this chance. It took guts and I applause the man for doing what was neccessary. Hopefully these are the missing ingredients to a SB run. But I just wanted to acknowledge the courage behind a gamble such as this, because most hot seat coaches stay put with the same formular with only minor tweats, Wanny's doing whole sale tweats, and I like it.

 

[ckparrothead]

The best part is that he did it and all the while he had all 22 of our starters still in the fold until we decided to get rid of them in favor of upgrades.

He got rid of Derrick Rodgers after we'd secured Junior Seau, the guy we really wanted. We're getting rid of Gadsden after we secured Derrius Thompson and saw that we got way more than we bargained for with Derrius. We're holding onto Arturo Freeman because he still has value to us in the future and in the present. He signs TBuck and that lights a real fire under Jamar's butt and now Jamar is back to the role he played in his rookie season, starting in place of an injured starter.

Basically all we did this offseason was upgrade, then toss away the leftover garbage we don't need. How many teams really get to say thats what they did during the offseason? Not many, most teams end up losing someone they didn't kick off the team.

But I have my issues with their drafting. I agree with picking up a LB in round 2, but they should have moved up and grabbed Pisa Tinoisamoa...because the dropoff from Pisa to the rest of the LBers including Eddie Moore was SIGNIFICANT...and yet Pisa was picked (quite predictably) a mere 4 spots ahead of us by the Rams. The coaches should have known the Rams would draft Pisa, and they knew that we were going to draft a LB in round 2, they should have had the balls to pull the trigger on a trade up. But instead, they sulked over our inability to move up high enough to get Kwame Harris and Eric Steinback, and they stopped calling people after Cincy selected Steinback with the first pick of round 2.

Another issue I have with the draft is Taylor Whitley. Honestly I would have rather kept Brent Smith on the team for inside and outside depth (we knew he could play guard, he was supposed to start at RG for us like 3-4 years ago before he suffered an injury). This isn't really hindsight, cuz right after the draft I said the Phins passed up on guys they will regret passing up on...Chris Simms, Justin Fargas, Dave Ragone, and Julian Peterson. The first two are ROCKING preseason on their respective teams...and I still feel the latter two will be good. Meanwhile Taylor Whitley looks like a turd who needs a lotttt of work.

 

[MDFINFAN]

Oh man I've got to go, but I'll respond more to CK when I get home..Good stuff CK.

 

[Gonk]

I agree, I don't know what is up with all this Wannstedt bashing. Maybe it's because we set such a high level of expectancy for ourselves that anything less than a Super Bowl is an unsuccessful season. Wanny hasn't had a losing season since he's joined Miami (11-5, 11-5, 9-7) and people still think he's a bad coach... yet coaches like Gregg Williams (coaches who haven't produced a winning season, thus far) are being praised.

Who brought in Ricky Williams?

Chris Chambers?

Sammy Knight?

The list goes on.

 

[Barbarian]

Originally posted by Gonk
I agree, I don't know what is up with all this Wannstedt bashing. Maybe it's because we set such a high level of expectancy for ourselves that anything less than a Super Bowl is an unsuccessful season. Wanny hasn't had a losing season since he's joined Miami (11-5, 11-5, 9-7) and people still think he's a bad coach... yet coaches like Gregg Williams (coaches who haven't produced a winning season, thus far) are being praised.

Who is praising Gregg Williams?

I havent heard anything really positive about the guy, even from Buffalo fans.

Football Digest just listed him as the worst coach in the NFL.

 

[ckparrothead]

I dunno about Sammy Knight dude, don't jump the gun there he hasn't played a down for us that counts and so far in the ones that don't count he has not looked very good IMO. Still has to learn how to play deeper into the secondary rather than close up, still taking bad angles.

But Wanny brought in Fiedler, Chambers, McMichael, Ricky Williams, and Jamie Nails on offense...with Derrius Thompson lookin dang good. On defense...........................................
..............................................................
............................Chester......................
......Ogunleye.........................................
..............................................................
...............................Freeman.................
................ummm...................................

Golly, for a defensive minded head coach he sure has a knack for pulling the trigger on good offensive players and a knack for pulling in mediocre defensive players...lets hope Sammy Knight and Junior Seau start changing that for us a bit heh.

 

[Gonk]

Originally posted by Barbarian


Who is praising Gregg Williams?

I havent heard anything really positive about the guy, even from Buffalo fans.

Football Digest just listed him as the worst coach in the NFL.

I've seen a lot of people praising Gregg Williams. People have used the excuse that he sacrificed the 2001 season so that'd Buffalo would have a future... that Buffalo improved from 3-13 to 8-8 in one season... blah blah blah.

Personally, I believe he IS the worst coach in the NFL.

 

[SuavePhin]

Well in all fairness Wanny already had alot of great D- talent, there aren't alot of guys that id change around or tweak with if i came into his same situation

 

[stan marino]

Derrius Thompson hasnt played a down for us either so why does he get praise CK??? I think Knight will be a huge addition to our defense. Didnt take him long to get the starting position over Freeman which should tell u something. As for Wanny and offensive players i wouldnt say any of them that u listed other than Ricky has proven they can play consistently over a 16 game schedule. Hopefully this is the year for Fiedler and chambers and thompson and the rest of the guys we'll have to wait and see.

 

[juniorseau55]

As for Sammy knight, the thing that has kept him on the field is his football smarts, yes he needs to play deeper down the field but then again miami doesn't have their safety's play deep a lot. Miami's safety's either go man on the inside or they cover a certain assigment while still keeping them honest. They help out the linebacker sometimes so Sammy Knight can easily be left to nose in for the ball if given the chance during the season. Regular season doesn't start yet so we can't justify on at what level can these guys play as a fin. They done it with their former teams but thats another thing, they need to do it as a fin now.

 

[Jaj]

Knight helps with covering up that hole between Thomas and the safeties. He will get rid of the annoying middle of the field third down completion.

 

[baccarat]

Originally posted by Barbarian


Who is praising Gregg Williams?

The Buffalo media thinks Williams is Jesus Christ in disguise and I personally know Bills fans who compare him with Lombardi, but luckily Bills fans here aren't that stupid.

 

[Jeep]

Originally posted by Gonk
I agree, I don't know what is up with all this Wannstedt bashing.

I can not speak for anyone else.. but for me personally, I have 2 or 3 issues with Wanny, ok.. maybe its more like 5 or 6...

1) This is the most important, I didn't like him when he was with the Bears.. I never felt he had control of his team and lacked leadership and common sense... During his time with the Bears, they went from a play-off contender to a less than 500 team... That last year with Chicago.. weren't they like 3-13 or 4-12 ???

2) I really don't like the way he pointed fingers after last years loss.. He is the head man and needs to stand up and admit ultimate responsibility for the dismal losses, specially in public when the cameras are running.. What does he do?? he gives up Ray Lucas as the sacrificial scape goat..

3) I hold him personally responsible for causing Dan Marino to retire... I believe his motive was not because Dan was past his prime, but more because Dave wanted this team to be his team without the fear of fan loyalty towards one player..

Everyone says that Wanny has "earned" the right to coach this year... If that is truly the case.. Then no one has earned the right more to play past his prime than Dan Marino.. Win or lose... Dan "earned" the right to retire when he wanted to..


4) I do not like the philosophy of keeping the game close and winning it in the 4th quarter.. I do not like the idea of playing NOT to lose.. Ol' man Shula never played NOT to lose... and I can just picture Jimmy throwing a tantrum and getting all red faced from yelling at someone if they were to suggest playing NOT to lose.. While his hair remains perfect.. lol


5) Finally, Dave looks totally confused pacing on the sidelines when the momentum of the game changes.. He looks like he has no clue what happened, why it happened and how to stop it from happening..

Think back to Minnesota and New England.. Dave needed to somehow re-group and re-focus his guys when the momentum of the game was turning in the 4th qtr.. I am convinced he had no idea how to stop the proverbial snowball...

His idea of getting the guys to stay focused is setting mouse traps and lobster traps in the locker room, or maybe he brings in Pat Riley to speak to the team on his behalf... Do you think Bill Walsh ever needed someone to speak for him??


Now isn't this enough proof that Dave is not a good head coach?? sure, he has helped to acquire some damn good football players.. Ricky, Jr, Sammy, etc.. so maybe his forte should be in the front office or an assistant to Speilman.. but no one can convince me he is best suited to stand on the sidelines with a clip board in hand, waiting for someone to pull the red flag out of his pocket..

 

[MDFINFAN]

Originally posted by Jeep

I can not speak for anyone else.. but for me personally, I have 2 or 3 issues with Wanny, ok.. maybe its more like 5 or 6...

1) This is the most important, I didn't like him when he was with the Bears.. I never felt he had control of his team and lacked leadership and common sense... During his time with the Bears, they went from a play-off contender to a less than 500 team... That last year with Chicago.. weren't they like 3-13 or 4-12 ???

I'm back, thanks Jeep for a good post to return. For this one, he's not with the Bears anymore, that's history, and we haven't had a season like theirs. I do think the man has learned.

2) I really don't like the way he pointed fingers after last years loss.. He is the head man and needs to stand up and admit ultimate responsibility for the dismal losses, specially in public when the cameras are running.. What does he do?? he gives up Ray Lucas as the sacrificial scape goat.. [/B]

But that's exactly where the fingers should have been pointed. At the high priced players who choked, the coaches prepared them, it's up to them to execute and they didn't. They were scared within themselves. You can do only so much from the sidelines, and last I checked that's where coaches stood.

3) I hold him personally responsible for causing Dan Marino to retire... I believe his motive was not because Dan was past his prime, but more because Dave wanted this team to be his team without the fear of fan loyalty towards one player.. [/B]

And it was time for Dan to sit down, Dan's last 3 years prior to that were not that good. Even the most stauch Dan fan had to see that unless he was blind.

Everyone says that Wanny has "earned" the right to coach this year... If that is truly the case.. Then no one has earned the right more to play past his prime than Dan Marino.. Win or lose... Dan "earned" the right to retire when he wanted to.. [/B]

And he has, our team did not have a losing record, no Dan does not have the right to hold a team hostage to his inabilities anymore. When a players skill starts hurting a team, it's time to move on. And I for one was glad to see Dan move on. I couldn't take his inability to move out of the pocket and get sack or force bad passes anymore.

4) I do not like the philosophy of keeping the game close and winning it in the 4th quarter.. I do not like the idea of playing NOT to lose.. Ol' man Shula never played NOT to lose... and I can just picture Jimmy throwing a tantrum and getting all red faced from yelling at someone if they were to suggest playing NOT to lose.. While his hair remains perfect.. lol[/B]

I think you see a change this year as he's talked about deep balls and everything else, he's from the old school, but he's changing with the times, He's been on and help mode a SB team, have you?

5) Finally, Dave looks totally confused pacing on the sidelines when the momentum of the game changes.. He looks like he has no clue what happened, why it happened and how to stop it from happening.. [/B]

No he looked totally frustrated, knowing he'd prepared his team as well as any coach and watch them totally punker in front of him. They were in position to make plays and didn't. That's the players not the coaches. The players play and the coaches coach. There's a different for a reason you know.

Think back to Minnesota and New England.. Dave needed to somehow re-group and re-focus his guys when the momentum of the game was turning in the 4th qtr.. I am convinced he had no idea how to stop the proverbial snowball...

His idea of getting the guys to stay focused is setting mouse traps and lobster traps in the locker room, or maybe he brings in Pat Riley to speak to the team on his behalf... Do you think Bill Walsh ever needed someone to speak for him??

It worked and reminded them of things. And yes Bill Walsh needed others to speak for him, but since you weren't following them like you do the phins, you didn't know about it.

Now isn't this enough proof that Dave is not a good head coach?? sure, he has helped to acquire some damn good football players.. Ricky, Jr, Sammy, etc.. so maybe his forte should be in the front office or an assistant to Speilman.. but no one can convince me he is best suited to stand on the sidelines with a clip board in hand, asking someone to pull the red flag out of his pocket.. [/B]

No it's only your way of thinking, which you're entitled too, but as you see, there are those of us that disagree. And it's not anyone on this board or anywhere else job to convince you of anything. But I know this. Wanny knows more about football than you.

 

[finfan54]

i just want to say that wanny didnt just point fingers at players, he clearly stated that he and other coaches could do better (bates). He clearly has gotten all kinds of talent here and also hidden talent in Ogun, Nails, Wade Smith, Jenkins, ect. ect. you have to give all kinds of kudos to that. As far as i am concerned, he deserves an A in the offseasons, but coaching when needed most he gets a D. Overall he gets a B -. If he takes us to the dance he moves up to an A.