HeartbreakKid28
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http://www.sun-sentinel.com/sports/...hins-super-bowl-0207-20100205,0,4410279.story
Sharper's pick-six to start the third quarter kept the Saints' comeback rolling en route to a 6-0 start. A replay review upheld the touchdown even though a Sports Illustrated photo later showed Ted Ginn Jr. had slapped the ball out of Sharper's hands well before he reached the goal line.
Has Sharper ever seen that photo?
"I don't know anything about that," he says with a sly grin.
But the Dolphins know plenty about this Super Bowl matchup.
Of the six common opponents the Saints and Colts have faced this year, only the Dolphins held fourth-quarter leads against both teams.
The Bills beat the Colts' backups 30-7 in a meaningless game to end the regular season but lost 27-7 to the Saints. The Jets beat the Colts' backups 29-15, but lost the AFC Championship rematch and fell 24-10 at New Orleans.
The Patriots, Rams and Cardinals were swept by the Super Bowl combatants, with an average margin of 19.2 points.
So even though the Dolphins missed the playoffs at 7-9, perhaps they can take some solace from the fact they pushed both super teams harder than any other opponent did.
"Yeah, I mean, I guess you could," Dolphins General Manager Jeff Ireland says. "We played those teams pretty competitively for three quarters and you wish you could have finished those games a little better."
The larger point, though, remains.
"We know we can play with those teams," Ireland says. "I think three out of the four teams that were in the AFC and NFC championship games [including the Jets], we played well. I know we're going to be a competitive team. We're going to be a competitive team in the future, but it doesn't make you feel any better that you're sitting home."
Dolphins coach Tony Sparano didn't hesitate when asked if those near misses against the Colts and Saints left him more uplifted or frustrated.
"I would say for me it would be a little bit frustrating," Sparano said. "I don't take any pleasure in knowing that we came close. Those were both winnable games for us, and I think both teams would say that. Winnable games for us in both those situations and we didn't win."
Dolphins cornerback Nate Jones says he's still left with a "bitter" taste from those wasted opportunities.
"For us it's a little bitter just knowing we were there with both these teams and a lot of other teams," Jones says. "Just to know we had the opportunity to make a splash this year and we didn't take full advantage of it."
The important thing now is that the Dolphins find a way to use those disappointments as future fuel.
"That's motivation this offseason to see how far we could have gone and now we know what it takes," fullback Lousaka Polite says. "We're going to make sure we don't forget this feeling."
Good article, I like the way Polite puts it.
I think this season was disappointing obviously, but at least it was good for the future because it showed what we need and who/what we don't need. Porter and Wilson will be gone. They now know Ginn is not a #1 WR[There's more Boldin talk, but whatever, Parcells mentioned getting a WR if one is available]. They now know that the White experiment is pointless. They know Soliai can't be a starter.
Sharper's pick-six to start the third quarter kept the Saints' comeback rolling en route to a 6-0 start. A replay review upheld the touchdown even though a Sports Illustrated photo later showed Ted Ginn Jr. had slapped the ball out of Sharper's hands well before he reached the goal line.
Has Sharper ever seen that photo?
"I don't know anything about that," he says with a sly grin.
But the Dolphins know plenty about this Super Bowl matchup.
Of the six common opponents the Saints and Colts have faced this year, only the Dolphins held fourth-quarter leads against both teams.
The Bills beat the Colts' backups 30-7 in a meaningless game to end the regular season but lost 27-7 to the Saints. The Jets beat the Colts' backups 29-15, but lost the AFC Championship rematch and fell 24-10 at New Orleans.
The Patriots, Rams and Cardinals were swept by the Super Bowl combatants, with an average margin of 19.2 points.
So even though the Dolphins missed the playoffs at 7-9, perhaps they can take some solace from the fact they pushed both super teams harder than any other opponent did.
"Yeah, I mean, I guess you could," Dolphins General Manager Jeff Ireland says. "We played those teams pretty competitively for three quarters and you wish you could have finished those games a little better."
The larger point, though, remains.
"We know we can play with those teams," Ireland says. "I think three out of the four teams that were in the AFC and NFC championship games [including the Jets], we played well. I know we're going to be a competitive team. We're going to be a competitive team in the future, but it doesn't make you feel any better that you're sitting home."
Dolphins coach Tony Sparano didn't hesitate when asked if those near misses against the Colts and Saints left him more uplifted or frustrated.
"I would say for me it would be a little bit frustrating," Sparano said. "I don't take any pleasure in knowing that we came close. Those were both winnable games for us, and I think both teams would say that. Winnable games for us in both those situations and we didn't win."
Dolphins cornerback Nate Jones says he's still left with a "bitter" taste from those wasted opportunities.
"For us it's a little bitter just knowing we were there with both these teams and a lot of other teams," Jones says. "Just to know we had the opportunity to make a splash this year and we didn't take full advantage of it."
The important thing now is that the Dolphins find a way to use those disappointments as future fuel.
"That's motivation this offseason to see how far we could have gone and now we know what it takes," fullback Lousaka Polite says. "We're going to make sure we don't forget this feeling."
Good article, I like the way Polite puts it.
I think this season was disappointing obviously, but at least it was good for the future because it showed what we need and who/what we don't need. Porter and Wilson will be gone. They now know Ginn is not a #1 WR[There's more Boldin talk, but whatever, Parcells mentioned getting a WR if one is available]. They now know that the White experiment is pointless. They know Soliai can't be a starter.
