Jeff Ireland interview on 790 your opinion

[SkapePhin]

Well, when you've got people signing a "Fire Ted Thompson" petition chances are the comments are going to be pretty negative. Doesn't mean their opinions are representative of the fan base as a whole. But I see what you're saying. Every fanbase has it's reactionary *******s. Sometimes they end up being right and sometimes they're wrong. The "logic" that goes into their point of view is almost always wrong, however.

Ultimately fans care most of all about results, but I don't see why results and good public relations have to be mutually exclusive. We've already seen that high profile free agents with options choose not sign here and then, either subtly or directly, call Jeff Ireland an *******? So it's not like these things can't hurt the team, too.

You won't find any "Fire Ozzie Newsome" petitions because he has been consistent throughout his career. I would say that Thompson was in a similar position to Ireland. For years, his squads mired in mediocrity. Heck, even his Superbowl year, he was an Eagles kick return away from being out of the playoffs altogether. If the Eagles don't beat the Cowboys to end the season that year, the Cowboys are in, the Packers miss the playoffs AGAIN and the fans are mounting "Fire Ted Thompson" rallies outside of Packer HQ.

You just never know. I think overall, Ireland has been competent. He just needs to get a QB somewhere. If he gets a QB, I could see this same squad possibly winning a championship in the future.

 

[miamiron]

Confidence

Confidence game

 

[TheWalrus]

You won't find any "Fire Ozzie Newsome" petitions because he has been consistent throughout his career. I would say that Thompson was in a similar position to Ireland. For years, his squads mired in mediocrity. Heck, even his Superbowl year, he was an Eagles kick return away from being out of the playoffs altogether. If the Eagles don't beat the Cowboys to end the season that year, the Cowboys are in, the Packers miss the playoffs AGAIN and the fans are mounting "Fire Ted Thompson" rallies outside of Packer HQ.

You just never know. I think overall, Ireland has been competent. He just needs to get a QB somewhere. If he gets a QB, I could see this same squad possibly winning a championship in the future.

In the 15 years since the Ravens have been the Ravens, they've had six losing seasons. That's exactly the same number as the Dolphins have had over that same period of time.

Nobody wants to fire Newsome, though, because the man is obviously competent. He drafts well. The teams always have talent. It is obvious there where it is ambiguous here that if they have a bad year, it's because the coaching was poor (or injuries mounted), not the talent. People rode with him through Tony Banks and Kyle Boller until they found the at least competent mediocrity that is Joe Flacco. The team is good with the media and the fans and they're rewarded with patience.

If the Packers had missed the playoffs the year they won the Super Bowl I don't think anyone would have held a rally outside Packers HQ. Just my opinion. It was clear to everyone that Rodgers was the real deal and the team was close to putting it all together. That is tremendously far from clear in Miami, where the quarterback position has never even been emphasized and we have little in the way of budding stars who are just too inconsistent to win games for you, which is usually the profile of elite teams just before they make the leap.

 

[Rick Cartman]

You won't find any "Fire Ozzie Newsome" petitions because he has been consistent throughout his career. I would say that Thompson was in a similar position to Ireland. For years, his squads mired in mediocrity. Heck, even his Superbowl year, he was an Eagles kick return away from being out of the playoffs altogether. If the Eagles don't beat the Cowboys to end the season that year, the Cowboys are in, the Packers miss the playoffs AGAIN and the fans are mounting "Fire Ted Thompson" rallies outside of Packer HQ.

You just never know. I think overall, Ireland has been competent. He just needs to get a QB somewhere. If he gets a QB, I could see this same squad possibly winning a championship in the future.

The knife cuts both ways, the year the packers lost the NFC title game Thompson was an idiotic Brett Favre pass away from building a team that went to the SB. I also think you have your seasons mixed up, i believe it was Tampa Bay who lost that allowed GB to get in when they won their SB. The eagles dallas game was in 2008 as far as i can recall and the Packers were not in the picture. As for Ozzie Newsome, since he has taken over the Ravens have won a lot of playoff games. I think Newsome and Thompson's cases are highly distinguishable from Ireland.

 

[iwastherein72]

How anyone can regard ireland as anything but abysmally incompetent is beyond me.

The man has NO CLUE about the intrinsic value of the various positions in the game of football. He puts all his emphasis and $$$ on the most common positions to obtain numbers of solid players (usually signing even the bottom of the barrel talents at THESE), and ignores completely the rarest and most elite commodities on the field... QB and ball handlers.

He acts like the Dolphins are a small-market baseball franchise, like they just can't afford to pay anyone with any degree of talent and have to let th yankees sign the big guns.

His HITS are really only average-to-good players who MIGHT start for SOME teams but would be 2nd-string on some others.

His MISSES... don't even get me started.

The overall talent level on this team is universally regarded by all but the most fanatical Dolphin homers as being somewhere south of 25th best in a 32-team league.

We got a playoff year because of ONE GUY... a QB... Chad Pennington.

WE MUST get another one like him. NOW.

 

[jlfin]

Honestly, some of you are so biased against Ireland that you have to manufacture alleged character flaws in the guy in order to try and sway public opinion against him

 

[defeKt]

The best leaders I have met in my life have almost no ego. They have self-confidence and a belief in themselves and there abilities and know the strengths and weaknesses of other and use them to the their full potential...EGO is not required or desired.

A GM is not a leader. He works behind the scenes. Only time he interacts with players is when they get signed, cut or extended.

 

[fishbanger]

How many GMs have had 3 losing years in a row and are still GMs? What if we have a 4th losing year in a row?

Philbin is here to change our offensive lack of talent and play. Phins will be scoring more points then ever by the time his 4 year contract is up. that will all start with a competent QB.

 

[finfan54]

I believe our success will be tied to Philbin, not what Ireland does or doesnt do. Ireland works collaboratively, believe it or not, with all the scouts and coaches, and takes in alot and then makes decisions. Some of those decisions will be based on what the HC wants in his team and how they will execute.

Joe Philbin is the key.

 

[deadlydolphinz]

I agree completly with your post and while not attempting to defend Ireland I keep pointing on so many post around here. I have been following the draft from back in the mid 1980 closely and Ireland has done a better job a picking consistently than any other GM in during that time. I have been through the Eric Kummerows, Eric Greens, Sammie Smiths, Yatil Greens, John Bosa and Rick Grafs with these Dolphins and this is much better. Not implying he could not improve but has anyone every consisdered that a littile bit of the issue could have been the coaching and developement of the the talent he drafted. Maybe Ireland is delivering the prime beef and the cook did not know how to prepare and cook it correctly!

I think Ireland is a solid drafter, he has hit on all 1st rd picks which is always key, IMO. Not to mention the late rd and udfa's that he has snagged has shown his true skill as a prospect evaluator. However, Jeff Irelands down side has been free agency, he has missed more times then hit in that area. So honestly, when we have a free agency like this past one it makes me happy because with Ireland at the helm this team needs o buils through the draft and leave free agency for bottom roster depth. Of course if there is a big name here and there that meets a need I dont mind it because those players are proven.

So in reality, I think Ireland has proven to be a steady solid drafter. As good as your gonna be in a game of crab shoot anyways, but his lack of social skills and lack of free agent success has hurt this team in several ways. Overall, if we stay a team that just builds through the draft I will be confident in our future.