I agree and disagree here. When the Dolphins are good, ESPN is fair to us. When the Dolphins are bad, they make a mockery of it but they're still fair about it because they've been doing it to the Lions for years as well.
They rip the Marlins for attendance reasons but anyone who has ever lived in South Florida during the summer knows why the Marlins aren't selling tickets.
We got nothing but love when the Heat were winning the NBA title a couple of years ago. ESPN is always slurping Dwyane Wade.
Forget about the Panthers.
When you say ESPN hates anything Miami I'll agree 110% when it's the Hurricanes. Randy Shannon holds seven players accountable for actions off the field under his new team conduct policy and Michael Wilbon's response is, "Somethings never change." It's terrible the reputation that the U has "earned" over the years. It's absurd when the Gators, Seminoles, Buckeyes, and Nittany Lions are doing the same and even worse.
As far as the correlation between attendance and win - loss record; you're right to an extent. Green Bay and Pittsburgh are going to sell out no matter what. That's the kind of fan base I want for my Dolphins. It'll probably never happen because of the extreme differences in the culture of Miami compared to cheese town but damnit we shouldn't be listed as the worst fan base in the AFC. Maybe we are, maybe we're not. But there's apparently enough evidence during the gameday atmosphere that we've at least semi-earned this spot. We definitely need to step it up.
ESPN jumps all over anything negative that happens in Miami. That's just how it is. They give props to certain players such as Wade, and they also love them some Shaq. Chris Berman started it all. He is a huge Billygoat fan, and the Billygoats are as bandwagon as it gets.
Of course we have teams like the Redskins, Broncos, and the Pack who have sold out games since the beginning of time it seems. But even the Pats did not sell out years ago when they stunk. The Jets have a waiting list, but on game day (when they suck which is most years) against Miami you see a lot of Dolphins fans at their games. KC also has a very good fanbase, good or bad. You look into the stands during one of their games and the crowd is 99 percent RED.
The Marlins actually had a decent average attendance in the beginning of the franchise. I think it could get back to respectfull with their own stadium, but it's not because of the heat as much as it is the chance of rain.
The Steelers have sold out 280+ games but their beloved Pirates can't sell didly squat in thier new stadium. Why? A couple of reasons. First would be that the Steelers have a huge fanbase, as do the Pirates, but the football team is very competitive, while the baseball team has stunk since Bonds, and Bonilla played for them.
We're not the worst fanbase in the AFC. Well we are one of them and it's because we totally stunk last year, and still sold out almost every game. BUT we are a bandwagon town! So are many teams though. SD, Arizona, Jags, Billygoats, Atlanta, Oakland to name a few are riding the same type buses.
So coming from a town thats integrated with so many cultures, and so many other people flocking here to retire, it's not that bad....
