My how things have changed.

[fishfan34]

The more I think about it, the more I am so impressed with the difference in this organization and team in just two seasons. When you think that two years ago, we were going to Training camp with Chris Foerster as our Offensive Coordinator, and only after Joel Collier quit the short lived position due to "Fatigue". We had Tony Wise as our offensive line coach and Marc Trestman was, well, was he really the quarterbacks coach? Of course the ultimate coaching disappointment was the king cheese in Davey boy himself. Offensively, we had A.J. Feeley, Jay Fiedler, and Sage Rosenfelds at QB. After the abrupt retirement of Ricky, we had Morris, Minor, and Henry. We had Derrius Thompson, an emerging but still young and inconsistent Chris Chambers, and Newcomer to the team Marty Booker. So, where have we come offensively since then? Well, first off we changed things at the top and got one of the top 5 coaches in all of football according to Peter King. We shipped out Foerster and brought in Linehan and then Mularkey. We shipped out Tony Wise and brought in one of the top 2-3 offensive line coaches and the best name in the game in Hudson Houck. I would say those three moves are the difference in eating Chicken McNuggest at Mickey D's and cutting into a nice juicy one at Shula's steakhouse. We have replaced Fiedler and Feeley with Culpepper and Harrington. The three stooges with Ronnie Brown. Watched Chris Chambers become a Pro Bowler and live up to expectations, and then allowed Booker to regain his form and be a nice compliment to Chambers. Now with Campbell, Hagans, and Aromashodu, depth is abundant. The offensive line is still the biggest mystery, but seemed to gel and mesh last season and I believe is upgraded purely because of coaching. Defensively, well, Jim Bates was a hell of a defensive coordinator, and there really isn't anything to critisize where he is concerned. But it's hard not to think that we're better with Saban and Capers running things over there. We've become younger on D wih a nice infusion of Veteran leadership and productivity and youthful speed and potential. The Zach Thomas', Jason Taylor's, and Kevin Carter's, are joined by the Will Poole's, Travis Daniel's, Channing Crowder's, Manny Wright's, and Jason Allen's. We replaced two mainstay DB's in Surtain (MAJOR SALARY CAP RELIEF) and Sam Madison, who both were fan favorites, but, as I mentioned, helped us money wise and with Madison, there comes a time to say hey, how many years can we really expect this player to play at his highest level. We got younger and sacrificed little in replacing Sam with Will. I know alot of people are really excited about this team, and rightfully so. This next year is going to be one of the most aniticiapted seasons we as DolFan's have had since the days of #13. This team has the coaching and personnel to do something special, if all cylinders are hitting. I think playoff's are a real probability, while the superbowl, while not totally out of the question, is probably more unrealistic. However, MY HOW THINGS HAVE CHANGED. From two seasons ago, just hoping we'd play competitive football and the coaches wouldn't look as if they were pop warner material, to today and the feeling that when everything is right, there aren't many teams we will step on the field with, and be outmanned or coached. :dolphins:

 

[brparkway]

One comment on Bates: he was a good coach, but I think the D is now less predictable, which should be a plus.

It is great to have expectations again. You just feel like things are moving forward instead of being stuck in the mud (or going backward).

 

[fishfan34]

One comment on Bates: he was a good coach, but I think the D is now less predictable, which should be a plus.

It is great to have expectations again. You just feel like things are moving forward instead of being stuck in the mud (or going backward).

Yeah, that's kinda what I was thinking about when I said that we somehow are better off with Capers and Saban over there. I think Bates in the same kind of way that I think or those coaches that get a team or squad to a certain point, but never seems to push them beyond. I think Capers and Saban are that kind of coach to take what's been built and then give it that extra something to allow it to really reach it's full potential.

 

[Vector1Dolphins]

We have come such a long way since Coach Saban has come here to the team. I am so looking forward to this season.

Nick Saban " I want other teams to hate playing our team"

Go Dolphins

 

[Strangeworld]

Bates ran nothing but vanilla "schemes" (if you can call them that) that were always failing at the most inopportune times. The man was handed one of the best Rush ends, Middle Line backers, and THE premier corner back duo in the league! He did NOTHING to maximize their performance but chose instead to run predictable schemes that were subject to dissection as the season progressed.

 

[PhinGeneral]

Bates ran nothing but vanilla "schemes" (if you can call them that) that were always failing at the most inopportune times. The man was handed one of the best Rush ends, Middle Line backers, and THE premier corner back duo in the league! He did NOTHING to maximize their performance but chose instead to run predictable schemes that were subject to dissection as the season progressed.

I don't think the problem was Bates. Jim ran Wannstadt's defense, which was groundbreaking in Dallas but became exploitable as teams drafted more speed.

Bates was, and still is, considered amongst the best defensive coordinators in the NFL. Just looking what he did with the Packers should give evidence of that.

 

[Strangeworld]

I don't think the problem was Bates. Jim ran Wannstadt's defense, which was groundbreaking in Dallas but became exploitable as teams drafted more speed.

Bates was, and still is, considered amongst the best defensive coordinators in the NFL. Just looking what he did with the Packers should give evidence of that.

Point taken but it's not like the guy's some brilliant defensive mind. I believe people prop him up becuase the team did an "about face" once he took over after Dumbstedt was run out. You know that old saying though, if you've been starving on a desert island... a SALTINE cracker will look like prime rib!

 

[Mike13]

We have come along way

 

[indifin]

well said.

 

[feelthepain]

Good read, but what a huge paragraph!!!

 

[Da 'Fins]

One comment on Bates: he was a good coach, but I think the D is now less predictable, which should be a plus.

It is great to have expectations again. You just feel like things are moving forward instead of being stuck in the mud (or going backward).

This is EXACTLY right about Bates and his defense.

The big difference between Miami's defense over the past 6 years and the Patriots was that you never knew what New England was going to do. They kept offenses off balance. Miami's did not and by the end of the year, the defense tended to break down - especially against good teams.

I vastly prefer an unpredictable defense - will we be in a 3-4 or 4-3 set? Will we be blitzing 5-6-7 players or rushing only 3 and dropping Taylor into coverage? Will Taylor stand up or go to a 3 point stance? Will he rush? Where will he rush, if so?

I remember well, the Patriots actually had a 2-5 lineup (2 DL's, 5 LB's) several plays in the SB against the Eagles.

Also, I fully agree with the sentiments of the main article in this thread.

 

[fishfan34]

This is EXACTLY right about Bates and his defense.

The big difference between Miami's defense over the past 6 years and the Patriots was that you never knew what New England was going to do. They kept offenses off balance. Miami's did not and by the end of the year, the defense tended to break down - especially against good teams.

I vastly prefer an unpredictable defense - will we be in a 3-4 or 4-3 set? Will we be blitzing 5-6-7 players or rushing only 3 and dropping Taylor into coverage? Will Taylor stand up or go to a 3 point stance? Will he rush? Where will he rush, if so?

I remember well, the Patriots actually had a 2-5 lineup (2 DL's, 5 LB's) several plays in the SB against the Eagles.

Also, I fully agree with the sentiments of the main article in this thread.

Just proves that not only do defenses win championships, but, defensive confusion doesn't hurt. :D

 

[OneHondo]

Seems as though the sun has come out and brighter days are ahead. It really was a depressing era that we all, as Dolphin Fans had to endure. I may be in the minority on this point, but I believe it all began with Jimmy Johnson, when he manipulated Wannstedt into the head coaching job. Some believe it began earlier, during Jimmy Johnson's tenure as coach and his inability to get away from Shula's shadow and Dan Marino's influence on the team. I know this is all in the past and we need to let it go, but there is so much to forget about and it will take a while to get over it.
At the beginning of last season we didn't know what to expect and didn't know how long it would take to make a change and undue all that was wrong. What is happening in Miami sure does feels good as long as we don't expect too much too soon.

 

[Rich22]

I don't think the problem was Bates. Jim ran Wannstadt's defense, which was groundbreaking in Dallas but became exploitable as teams drafted more speed.

Bates was, and still is, considered amongst the best defensive coordinators in the NFL. Just looking what he did with the Packers should give evidence of that.

Bates is not considered amongst the best DC's in the game. Good but far from one of the best. He was available and how many teams called? GB was far from a D force last year. They got destroyed for a good part of the season. His D schemes are very basic and require superb talent. AND, because of this they are always susceptible at end of game because you cannot switch up personnel during a 2 minute drill. He's a NICE guy but he is not in the same league as Saban, Belicheck, and Capers.

 

[Anthony D.]

One comment on Bates: he was a good coach, but I think the D is now less predictable, which should be a plus.

It is great to have expectations again. You just feel like things are moving forward instead of being stuck in the mud (or going backward).

Agreed. Good point.