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I have been very critical of the Dolphins over the past few months. The way the team performed the last two weeks of the year was squarely on the preparation and coaching of the team. The Miami Dolphins should have been the 6th seed in this year's playoffs. Unfortunately, they did not take advantage of the opportunities presented.
The search for GM was puzzling and muddled. However, in the end the team might have come up with...or stumbled upon...the best solution going forward. It is disingenuous for people to argue that this was the plan all along. Dennis Hickey was not the first pick by Mr. Ross. However, at the end of the day, if Ross was intent on giving Joe Philbin more opportunities to succeed, this might be for the best for a few reasons.
1. I argued at the end of the year that if Jeff Ireland was fired and Steve Ross was not willing to clean house, Joe Philbin should be allowed to pick his own GM and maybe even be given more power to construct the roster. I have not changed my mind that Joe Philbin will prove to be an unsuccessful NFL head coach. However, I am certain he would fail as head coach if he was forced into a marriage with a GM he was unfamiliar with. The reports from Adam Schefter and Peter Schrager that Philbin and Hickey have a history together is good selling point for me. I have killed Philbin for hiring coaches based on past relationships, but not necessarily merit. While Philbin did not hire Hickey allowing him a guy he can work with is vital. This should not be one of those situations to kill Philbin for having another familiar face around. One of the reasons I argued for Brian Gaine to be GM is he knew the inner workings of the Dolphins FO and Coach Philbin. While Gaine did not get the job, after learning that Hickey has a relationship with Joe from years ago, the selection falls into my thinking from last week. Philbin has someone that he can work with more effectively to mesh a roster together. I would argue that it is more important that the HC and GM have a working relationship even if the GM is of "lesser talent" than what is out there. Forced marriages, even with a "talented talent evaluator" typically do not work in the end.
2. I love the two year deal that the team set Dennis Hickey up with. He is now aligned with Philbin. This points a few directions. One, I love the fact the writing is on the wall...this team must to commit to winning now. Personally, I am impatient. I am tired of not being relevant. Hickey and Philbin know that something must happen now, not two or three years from now to be employed by the Dolphins. I feel, right or wrong, they will get aggressive this offseason to put a winner on the field. Also, when Hickey was selected I figured, like any GM with a new deal, he would receive a four or five year deal. I was queasy that Hickey was to chart the team's course for the next half dozen years or so. That is not the case. He has a chance to show promise and if they are successful on the field than Ross can extend Philbin and Hickey into the future. If not, the team can wipe the slate clean and set up a new organizational structure going forward.
For the record, I would have cleaned house and started with a GM with the power to set up his FO and find a HC that shared the same vision going forward. However, if Joe Philbin had to be kept in the eyes of Steve Ross this might be the best of the alternatives presented. My biggest concern in the GM search was that Ross was going to force another marriage between his GM and HC. That turned out not to happen. It would have happened if other GM candidates would have accepted the post. However, by the other candidates turning down the job, perhaps the Dolphins fell upon a marriage that might work. The changes the Fins need to make are very apparent. I like the fact there is pressure for Hickey and Philbin to find success this season. While personally I think there other directions this organization should go, hopefully, the Dolphins will win their share of games next year.
The search for GM was puzzling and muddled. However, in the end the team might have come up with...or stumbled upon...the best solution going forward. It is disingenuous for people to argue that this was the plan all along. Dennis Hickey was not the first pick by Mr. Ross. However, at the end of the day, if Ross was intent on giving Joe Philbin more opportunities to succeed, this might be for the best for a few reasons.
1. I argued at the end of the year that if Jeff Ireland was fired and Steve Ross was not willing to clean house, Joe Philbin should be allowed to pick his own GM and maybe even be given more power to construct the roster. I have not changed my mind that Joe Philbin will prove to be an unsuccessful NFL head coach. However, I am certain he would fail as head coach if he was forced into a marriage with a GM he was unfamiliar with. The reports from Adam Schefter and Peter Schrager that Philbin and Hickey have a history together is good selling point for me. I have killed Philbin for hiring coaches based on past relationships, but not necessarily merit. While Philbin did not hire Hickey allowing him a guy he can work with is vital. This should not be one of those situations to kill Philbin for having another familiar face around. One of the reasons I argued for Brian Gaine to be GM is he knew the inner workings of the Dolphins FO and Coach Philbin. While Gaine did not get the job, after learning that Hickey has a relationship with Joe from years ago, the selection falls into my thinking from last week. Philbin has someone that he can work with more effectively to mesh a roster together. I would argue that it is more important that the HC and GM have a working relationship even if the GM is of "lesser talent" than what is out there. Forced marriages, even with a "talented talent evaluator" typically do not work in the end.
2. I love the two year deal that the team set Dennis Hickey up with. He is now aligned with Philbin. This points a few directions. One, I love the fact the writing is on the wall...this team must to commit to winning now. Personally, I am impatient. I am tired of not being relevant. Hickey and Philbin know that something must happen now, not two or three years from now to be employed by the Dolphins. I feel, right or wrong, they will get aggressive this offseason to put a winner on the field. Also, when Hickey was selected I figured, like any GM with a new deal, he would receive a four or five year deal. I was queasy that Hickey was to chart the team's course for the next half dozen years or so. That is not the case. He has a chance to show promise and if they are successful on the field than Ross can extend Philbin and Hickey into the future. If not, the team can wipe the slate clean and set up a new organizational structure going forward.
For the record, I would have cleaned house and started with a GM with the power to set up his FO and find a HC that shared the same vision going forward. However, if Joe Philbin had to be kept in the eyes of Steve Ross this might be the best of the alternatives presented. My biggest concern in the GM search was that Ross was going to force another marriage between his GM and HC. That turned out not to happen. It would have happened if other GM candidates would have accepted the post. However, by the other candidates turning down the job, perhaps the Dolphins fell upon a marriage that might work. The changes the Fins need to make are very apparent. I like the fact there is pressure for Hickey and Philbin to find success this season. While personally I think there other directions this organization should go, hopefully, the Dolphins will win their share of games next year.
