Mandich on Sports Jam

[fin-atic]

Last night on Sunday Night Sports Jam with Jimmy Cefalo and Jim Mandich, Mandich said this is the most bizarre offseason in the history of the Doilphins. Between the Marino thing, the O Coordinator, Ricky's pot thing, all of it is unsettling.

I agree. I have been a fan for 34 years and can not remember so much uncertainty and irratic activity.

This is not what we are use to from out team. The Dolphins have long been considered one of the elite organizations in the NFL. I hope this all does not translate to poor performance on the field.

Regardless of what happens this year, we need stability in this oganization.
Lets hope Wayne brings this thing under control.

 

[PhinstiGator]

... Jimmy Cefalo and Jim Mandich, Mandich said this is the most bizarre offseason in the history of the Doilphins. ...

Imagine 1974 ish when Larry Csonka, Jim Kiick, And Paul Warfield all left the Dolphins to join the World league because of a contract dispute.

Now that was bizzare.

This season has certainly been weird. We are just shaking off all that bad luck before the season starts. But, the talent has been upgraded.

 

[fin-atic]

Imagine 1974 ish when Larry Csonka, Jim Kiick, And Paul Warfield all left the Dolphins to join the World league because of a contract dispute.

Now that was bizzare.

This season has certainly been weird. We are just shaking off all that bad luck before the season starts. But, the talent has been upgraded.

Where is the talent upgraded? Please give specifics not specualtion. The way I see it there is no one on paper with facts that isn't a gamble. Perhaps Jeno James is the most stable aquisition. And he has only had one solid year.

AJ: Big gamble. 5 pro starts and all wins against losing teams. Only 8 college starts.

Carey: Rookie needs to learn the Pro game and may be an effective NFL starter or not.

Smith: Up and down rookie year. At times solid at times embarrassing. Which way will he go?

McKinney: Only won the center job due to Ruddy's age, but has been unable to beat him out for proior years.

McIntosh: Injured and questionable return this year

St. Clair: Backup who has yet to prove he can start

Boston: Head case making an early case for bust move of the year.

I think anyone who keeps saying "we are better" as I keep reading, is not reading the facts and are hoping that the changes pan out.

I for one feel more sceptical about this year. I think it would be easier to make the leap of faith on these unknown entities if I trusted the Dolphin braintrust more. But I have zero confidence in Wanny and Speilman.

 

[phinman1]

Last night on Sunday Night Sports Jam with Jimmy Cefalo and Jim Mandich, Mandich said this is the most bizarre offseason in the history of the Doilphins. Between the Marino thing, the O Coordinator, Ricky's pot thing, all of it is unsettling.

I agree. I have been a fan for 34 years and can not remember so much uncertainty and irratic activity.

This is not what we are use to from out team. The Dolphins have long been considered one of the elite organizations in the NFL. I hope this all does not translate to poor performance on the field.

Regardless of what happens this year, we need stability in this oganization.
Lets hope Wayne brings this thing under control.

This is the age of over analyzation in sports. So many talking heads on TV and forums, that everything is dissected to death. It's all in fun, but that doesn't mean there is any substance to it.

Marino leaving--Is it possible that in Mobile, sitting on cold bleachers he thought, "Why I am taking less money to do this over sitting in a cushy studio making more money"?

OC-- Collier was ill, and stepped aside, and they replaced him. What else was there to do?

As for Ricky, it's not great news. But this is a guy who sells personal belongings to charity for kids. He is a good man, and why not believe he'll do the right thing for the team and have no more problems?

Bottom line is it's May, and to worry about the upcoming upseason already is a waste of time. None of this has a direct impact on the field. Wait at least until training camp to fret.

 

[Boomer]

Fin-atic -of course we have upgraded the playing staff. To say anything otherwise is dumb.

 

[FinfanInBuffalo]

Where is the talent upgraded? Please give specifics not specualtion.

I think anyone who keeps saying "we are better" as I keep reading, is not reading the facts and are hoping that the changes pan out.

I for one feel more sceptical about this year. I think it would be easier to make the leap of faith on these unknown entities if I trusted the Dolphin braintrust more. But I have zero confidence in Wanny and Speilman.

Those that feel we have better talent have just as much basis as those who are skeptical. Neither has seen this team play yet. As for talent upgrades:

QB:
Feeley - drafted QB
Fiedler - NOT

WR:
Boston - first round pick and pro bowl player
Thompson - NOT

RT:
Carey - First round draft pick
Wade - NOT

RG:
still a question, but we have great versatility and Perry is still available, so there is every reason to believe we will be even with last year at worse.

LT:
Smith - 2nd year player with 16 pro starts
Smith last year - NOT

LG:
James - starting LG on SB team that ran the ball effectively all year and isn't recovering from a torn achilles
Nails - NOT

C:
McKinney - younger and stronger
Ruddy - NOT

Backup OL:
St Clair, McIntosh have both been starters on teams that ran the ball well when they played
Last year - Backup OL were all unproven


Will it all work out? Nobody can say for sure. There are legitimate reasons to be concerned, but these are all facts.

 

[dante]

AJ: Big gamble. 5 pro starts and all wins against losing teams. Only 8 college starts.

i've read some articles on AJ and its said that he has a strong arm and pretty quick release. Also that in the games he played the would be allowed to try to make some plays and then all of a sudden reid wouldn't let him take any chances, just get him to hand the ball off. So he would basically get 1 quarter to show off his stuff, at which time he did make the plays he was asked to do and looked good doing it, and then spend 3 quarters handing the ball to duce.

Carey: Rookie needs to learn the Pro game and may be an effective NFL starter or not.

first round linemen are very very rarely busts so we have the numbers on our side here. Plus with other teams trying to jump in front of us on draft day to get him means we weren't the only ones to like the potential carey has, which is another good sign.

Smith: Up and down rookie year. At times solid at times embarrassing. Which way will he go?

for a rookie i think smith are and very solid year. he gave up something like 12 sacks, but 7 or 8 of those came against dwight freeney and jevon kearse. 4 sacks over the rest of the season is pretty damn good for a rookie. With a full season of on the job training and an offseason of getting in better shape you can be sure that all of those numbers will be coming down this season.

McKinney: Only won the center job due to Ruddy's age, but has been unable to beat him out for proior years.

St. Clair: Backup who has yet to prove he can start

this position i am a little worried about, but st. clair was an excellent c in college so if mckinney can't get the job done we hopefully st. clair can step in and do a solid job for us

Boston: Head case making an early case for bust move of the year.

he has been more than willing to do whatever the coach staff has asked him to do since coming over from san diego, and even in a bad situation last year he still almost put up 900 yards on the season. his reputation as a primetime wr has taken a big hit the last couple of season so i expect he'll be working extra hard this year to get that back to where it use to be, thats why he came here, so that he could be reunited with sullivan, who got the best out of him in zona.

Dante

 

[PhinsFan4life]

IMO, we upgraded our talent and our coaching staff. I think what we did on the staff from an offensive standpoint was rock solid. Time will tell.

 

[PhinstiGator]

Where is the talent upgraded? Please give specifics not specualtion. The way I see it there is no one on paper with facts that isn't a gamble. Perhaps Jeno James is the most stable aquisition. And he has only had one solid year.

Yes, James is a good player now. He may not have been that great of a player 3 years ago. Looking forward...I see no reason to suggest that he will not continue to be a very good player for us for years to come. He is an instant leader on the line with his work ethic and attitude.

AJ: Big gamble. 5 pro starts and all wins against losing teams. Only 8 college starts.

AJ is not a BIG GAMBLE. He comes free this year. Absolutely no cost. His cost will be a second round draft pick next year. It's likely that he will be a better QB then any 2nd round QB in next years draft. Will he be better than Griese and Lucas? Who knows. This offense doesn't revolve around the QB position. We do have real competition from day one. That's a good thing. Getting AJ in early gives him an advantage to be up to speed by training camp. He has a ways to go. He can only get better. It's likely that the small success that he did have at the NFL level will provide a basis for him to go to the next level.

Carey: Rookie needs to learn the Pro game and may be an effective NFL starter or not.

And learn he shall. Is he an upgrade to Todd Wade or not? I wasn't impressed with Wade's over-all game (good but not great). Vernon Carey has the potential to dominate.

Smith: Up and down rookie year. At times solid at times embarrassing. Which way will he go?

Smith got destroyed when the QB was required to make 7 step drops against a speed rusher (everyone of those sack fumbles was during a 7 step drop). It gave the DE a more direct line to the QB. The Dolphins saw how the Patsies handled Freeney. It wasn't with any greatness of play at the LT position. It was quick rhythm passing...3 steps and fire. Shorter drops by the QB is the only way to stop some speed rushers when the LT has no help. If the Dolphins want to set up that deep...they need to Max protect like teams do against Jason Taylor...and then the QB needs to step up in the pocket. Our QB's failed at that last year. Trestman will bring a quicker rhythm to his QB's.

Smith has increased his size and upper body strength. That was his main weakness last year. He is one of the most athletic LT's to play that position.

McKinney: Only won the center job due to Ruddy's age, but has been unable to beat him out for proior years.

We didn't have the depth last year. McKinney was more valuable at LG because of the injury situation. That was last year. This year...center is his position from day one. He has been prepared and now he is ready. A clear upgrade.

McIntosh: Injured and questionable return this year

The health problems are a concern. Yet, when he is healthy again...he will have clearly upgraded the depth on this line.

St. Clair: Backup who has yet to prove he can start

He has upgraded our depth.

Boston: Head case making an early case for bust move of the year.

Boston is Boston. He is a great talent. If he can simply produce as much as he did last year, he will be a clear upgrade. Yet, the effect of adding #1 WR talent at the #2 WR spot is a huge upgrade. Head case or not...HUGE UPGRADE in talent with something to prove. And prove it he shall.

I think anyone who keeps saying "we are better" as I keep reading, is not reading the facts and are hoping that the changes pan out.

I said we have upgraded our talent. We don't know if we are better yet. We have a competition at Free Safety and our Corners have also been upgraded with Howard & Poole.

I for one feel more sceptical about this year. I think it would be easier to make the leap of faith on these unknown entities if I trusted the Dolphin braintrust more. But I have zero confidence in Wanny and Speilman.

I feel hopeful about the upcoming season. I don't need to trust the coach or the GM. The players do. If the players trust the coaching staff and work within the system to become a better team, we will be a better team. We have changed and upgraded the talent. I would choose this years talent over last years talent.

 

[ckparrothead]

The way I see it there is no one on paper with facts that isn't a gamble.

Thats because, the way I see it, there is never anyone on paper with facts that isn't a gamble. Anyone we could have acquired this offseason, a gamble.

I believe we have upgraded our personnel. Thats my opinion. I believe the offensive line right now with Carey added, is as good or better than in 2003. The run blocking on the right side won't be the same, but neither will the pass blocking on the left side. The upgrade in pass protection, hopefully will in turn allow our deep game to get going, which will force safeties out of the box, which will in turn make things easier in the running game. And now, though our starters are not where you like them to be (mainly our RG/RT situation) we do have good quality depth so we are not as vulnerable to the injury bug. That is important. St. Clair and McIntosh provide quality depth at the very least. Its not that we don't know if McIntosh will ever play again, we just don't know if it will be this year. He also is a good insurance policy chance to take, against the rookie Vernon Carey.

Our WR situation is sort of the opposite, but obviously much more improved than the OL. David Boston, even a San Diego David Boston rather than an Arizona David Boston, is a very, very obvious upgrade over what we worked with last season. I am very sorry if you can't see that. And, is Derrius Thompson, who was a horrendous starter for us last year, really that horrendous as a part time 3rd WR? Maybe. Seriously, maybe, who knows. But also, we haven't sacrificed anything at WR by ditching McKnight and Gadsden, have we? I don't think so. Then again, look for us to scan that June 1st waiver wire...our WR corp isn't finished yet.

Now the QB, AJ Feeley...ok at the very least you have to admit we've rolled the dice. We kept Fiedler, so where do we lose? If you take what we had last year, and add a 1 in 5 chance of getting a genuinely better QB, you've still added value and talent to your QB position. If Feeley pans out, hurray. If not, ok. That chance (which I hope is better than 1 in 5, but I'm no expert on this...and neither is anyone else here) cost us a 2nd round pick in 2005. Ok, thats pretty steep. But, its a position that is that important to us right now. But for 2004 as things stand, like I said, at the very least, we've got the same thing we'ved worked with the last 4 years...Jay Fiedler.

On D I don't really see any holes. I just don't. Maybe its just me, but if we get Wale back, our defense should be just as crazy go nuts as it ever was...then again, maybe even more so since our nickel and dime packages will be better than they have EVER BEEN since Jimmy Johnson took over this team.

 

[BigFinFan]

Thats because, the way I see it, there is never anyone on paper with facts that isn't a gamble. Anyone we could have acquired this offseason, a gamble.

I believe we have upgraded our personnel. Thats my opinion. I believe the offensive line right now with Carey added, is as good or better than in 2003. The run blocking on the right side won't be the same, but neither will the pass blocking on the left side. The upgrade in pass protection, hopefully will in turn allow our deep game to get going, which will force safeties out of the box, which will in turn make things easier in the running game. And now, though our starters are not where you like them to be (mainly our RG/RT situation) we do have good quality depth so we are not as vulnerable to the injury bug. That is important. St. Clair and McIntosh provide quality depth at the very least. Its not that we don't know if McIntosh will ever play again, we just don't know if it will be this year. He also is a good insurance policy chance to take, against the rookie Vernon Carey.

Our WR situation is sort of the opposite, but obviously much more improved than the OL. David Boston, even a San Diego David Boston rather than an Arizona David Boston, is a very, very obvious upgrade over what we worked with last season. I am very sorry if you can't see that. And, is Derrius Thompson, who was a horrendous starter for us last year, really that horrendous as a part time 3rd WR? Maybe. Seriously, maybe, who knows. But also, we haven't sacrificed anything at WR by ditching McKnight and Gadsden, have we? I don't think so. Then again, look for us to scan that June 1st waiver wire...our WR corp isn't finished yet.

Now the QB, AJ Feeley...ok at the very least you have to admit we've rolled the dice. We kept Fiedler, so where do we lose? If you take what we had last year, and add a 1 in 5 chance of getting a genuinely better QB, you've still added value and talent to your QB position. If Feeley pans out, hurray. If not, ok. That chance (which I hope is better than 1 in 5, but I'm no expert on this...and neither is anyone else here) cost us a 2nd round pick in 2005. Ok, thats pretty steep. But, its a position that is that important to us right now. But for 2004 as things stand, like I said, at the very least, we've got the same thing we'ved worked with the last 4 years...Jay Fiedler.

On D I don't really see any holes. I just don't. Maybe its just me, but if we get Wale back, our defense should be just as crazy go nuts as it ever was...then again, maybe even more so since our nickel and dime packages will be better than they have EVER BEEN since Jimmy Johnson took over this team.

Very well put!

:clap:

 

[PhinBeck]

Fin-atic, basically as i read your posts, you want guarentees. Who could we have gotten that were guarentees. Don't reply with who you like that would have helped, who we actually had a shot at that would have been guarentees vs who we signed/drafted.

assuming some liberties here, here are some options that we could have had.

QB
Couch- he is good I believe, but certainly has weaknesses, less mobility than feeley, yes I live in Clev area in N.E. Ohio, so have seen Clev alot. based on the 5 games Feeley played. Not a real strong arm, Feeleys is better. He holds teh ball to long when forced off his primary receiver, Feeley is quick getting rid of teh ball.

Collins - sorry to me, if he is as good as many claim he is, he would have been signed by now. Oak has a 40 yr old qb that has a high cap # and coming off major surgery, he may ultimately end up there, but it isnt like they are beating down his door offerring teh moon to beat the comp for his services. Dallas has q Carter as the starter, sorry he doesnt do it for me, he is no better than Jay and Collins is sitting there and they want no part. Does that speak guarentees to you?

Now I am not saying AJ is a guarentee, but I am saying he is no more a risk than what is available and may have more upside than them. I think he does, but we will see.

O_LINE

what could we have done that we didnt? Woody or Tait? Yeah, but do you spend ridiculously overpaying by that much? How much is too much? Signing one of those 2 would mean we would not have created the depth and competition for each position that we have. At least this year if someone gets hurt we have someone on teh bech that can play and has some experience, while still mixing in youth. 9.5 mil bonus on a guard is too much for me and Tait wasnt coming here, he said it himself, his wife hated South Beach. Now we are maybe going to lock up Wale long term and improve teh o-line and the depth at line to boot. W/ JT and Wale, who has better DE's? and an improved line based on what they had done in the past/expectations vs what we had last year?

I agree this offseason was goofy and some PR blunders were made, Yes I wish they wouldnt have happened. Yes there is concern that the moves wont be enough. There are no guarentees, but where are any? No player is a guarentee. The only point I make is that alll you can do is identify teh areas you need help and then do the best you can to strengthen those weaknesses. You may not like the people they brought in or question the experience, but does that mean you absolutely are right? If they addressed the weakness, maybe they know something and the players will produce and we contend, then again they may not, but at least they addressed the weakness and didnt sit still or add to the strengths while ignoring the weaknesses like past years.

 

[AggieFin21]

Where is the talent upgraded? Please give specifics not specualtion. The way I see it there is no one on paper with facts that isn't a gamble. Perhaps Jeno James is the most stable aquisition. And he has only had one solid year.

AJ: Big gamble. 5 pro starts and all wins against losing teams. Only 8 college starts.

Carey: Rookie needs to learn the Pro game and may be an effective NFL starter or not.

Smith: Up and down rookie year. At times solid at times embarrassing. Which way will he go?

McKinney: Only won the center job due to Ruddy's age, but has been unable to beat him out for proior years.

McIntosh: Injured and questionable return this year

St. Clair: Backup who has yet to prove he can start

Boston: Head case making an early case for bust move of the year.

I think anyone who keeps saying "we are better" as I keep reading, is not reading the facts and are hoping that the changes pan out.

I for one feel more sceptical about this year. I think it would be easier to make the leap of faith on these unknown entities if I trusted the Dolphin braintrust more. But I have zero confidence in Wanny and Speilman.

Sure know how to look on the positive side of things don't you? We're barely in to Mini-camp...why don't we atleast wait 'til the preseason to call everyone a "bust"...although I will agree Wanny must go...

 

[finregime]

This offense doesn't revolve around the QB position.

Every offense revolves around the QB!!

 

[PhinBeck]

Every offense revolves around the QB!!

Uh, wrong. Qb play is a sign part of every offense, but offense goes as Rickey goes, he is teh focus, he is what we have built around. We do not ask teh qb to carry the team, we ask to make plays and take heat off Rickey. There is a difference.