marino2duper73
Active Roster
I have been a Phin fan since I was four years old (1977), and I can honestly say that I have never been as excited for this team as I am this year. There are many reasons for this, and those reasons are redefining what being a Dolphins fan means for me, and hopefully for all of you as well.
There have been many offseasons and training camps when there have been reasons to be excited about our Phins. There's the many free agent signings and draft picks over the past several decades that this team has attempted. These include (in no particular order or rank of expected impact): Yatil Green, David Boston, Jason Allen, Lawrence Phillips, Sammy Smith, Marco Coleman, John Offerdahl, Joey Porter, Cris Carter, Daunte Culpepper, Trent Green, Ted Ginn, Jr., and the list goes on and on. The reasons for their demise or lack of success, whichever applies, has consistently left the fans wondering: "What's next?".
Then there is the plethora of coaching changes/front office moves that have taken place since Don Shula left the helm. Jimmy Johnson, Dave Wannstadt, Randy Mueller, Chan Gailey, Norv Turner, Cam Cameron, Nick Saban, and the lack of success they were brought in to produce. The results were never there. We expected the same outcome that these high-profile personnel had in their prior environments, which as we all know, isn't how the NFL works UNLESS you are Bill Parcells.
In the world we live in, change is constant. If you change with the world, you survive. If you don't change with the world, you will fail. If you change ahead of the world, you become the standard for which the world follows. In the NFL, the teams that change with the evolution of the league (Miami, Denver, Baltimore, Tennessee, Dallas, Minnesota, Philadelphia, for example) survive and compete. The teams that do not change with that same evolution (Detroit, Cleveland, Kansas City, Buffalo, Oakland, Washington, etc) fail repeatedly. When a team innovates and changes AHEAD of the NFL evolution, it wins championships. New England and building a sytem around its strengths, New Orleans bringing in Drew Brees/Sean Payton to give their offense the talent to go over the top, NY Giants changing their offensive strategy mid-season to accomodate the WRs being their strength, St Louis and their design of an offense that made Holt/Bruce/Faulk/Warner the most potent offense in years,and most notably San Francisco, where Bill Walsh created the West Coast offense that redefined how the game is strategized not just played.
Still there's even more that tests our Aqua and Orange souls. In recent years, many players have left Miami for other teams, only to be more successful on those teams. You have Wes Welker, Sammy Morris, Larry Izzo, and Heath Evans going to New England. Mr. Ogunleye to Chicago. Zach Thomas to Dallas, and Jason Taylor to the Jets. The Taylor move to New York is pertinent to the core of this post, because it directly references to what I feel is the most important value in life: Family.
When Dan Marino chose not to sign with Minnesota and retire a Miami Dolphin, I know I can speak for every Phin fan on the planet by saying I was proud of him. I was proud to be a Miami Dolphins fan. He made me feel like the 17 seasons he shed his blood, sweat, and tears for us, his Hall of Fame bust, and his selfless giving to the communities of South Florida was not just about him. It was about US. It IS about US, the fans. We're a family, a brotherhood and sisterhood of people who have a common strand in our DNA. We're Miami Dolphins fans (those of you who just thought of making a "drink the Kool-Aid" reference...you need to check yourself).
I know I am not the only one who has experienced the following:
- Driving around town and spotting a Dolphins license plate, plate frame, or decal/sticker and felt compelled to get that person's attention and letting them know you bleed Aqua and Orange.
- Being at the store or other public place and running into a Phin fan wearing Dolphins gear and giving them the "nod" while saying "Go Phins!".
- Seeing a Patsies, Jests, or Jills fan and feeling your blood pressure rise and the hair stand up on the back of your neck, grumbling any number of negative and distasteful statements to yourself and friends as you reload your pride for your beloved Dolphins.
- Going about your day mid-week during the season and thinking about whether a player that is injured is going to play in the next game.
- Waking up on gameday several hours early (6 AM for me) to start going through all of the information and media outlets available, watching pre-game, getting your house ready for your Sunday Dolphins BBQ with friends/family.
Knowing there are many more examples of our Phinhood, I apologize if I didn't include yours.
Family. It's what we as human beings SHOULD be all about. When Jason Taylor decided to sign with the New York Jets, he negated any pride and love I had for him as a Miami Dolphin over the past several years. As previously mentioned with Marino, and with the likes of Zach Thomas going to Dallas after being released from Miami, Taylor going to New York leaves a worse taste in my mouth than Thurman Thomas catching a screen pass on 3rd & 22 and getting a first down. Jason Taylor a New York Jet. It still doesn't sound right. To me, it proves only how much of a class act Marino and Thomas are. I know Thomas didn't have a choice in leaving Miami, but he did have a choice on where he went afterwards. There is a member here that has a quote from Zach Thomas as their sig. Paraphrased, Zach said he would NEVER go to New England since he'd grown to hate them over the years as a Dolphin. THAT'S loyalty. THAT'S FAMILY! Jason Taylor to the Jests only sends one message to me as a Phin fan and family member: He is about himself. Nothing more. Nothing less.
I do not wish any ill will towards JT personally, but I hope he has this moment this year: looking in the mirror on Monday morning, September 27th, after losing to the Dolphins in Miami...after looking into the eyes of the fans...the very people who were behind him since the day he entered the doors from Akron....the very people who wore his jersey as proudly as a parent shows photos of their children....the people who paid their hard earned money to pay HIS salary.....the people who APPRECIATED his community involvement and his supposed dedication to Miami fans and the community.....the kids...oh man..all of those kids who grew up watching him terrorize opposing offenses. Especially the Jets. Especially the Jets fans. How do you not look at that 10 year old kid and his or her face when they find out Jason Taylor is not only no longer a Dolphin, but a Jet? Those of you that are going to that game on the night of September 26th, look for those faces. Look at each of the 50,000+ Dolphans' faces and reactions when Jason Taylor takes the field. It will feel good, actually. Yor heart is right, Dolphans....He DID wrong every one of us. Which brings me to my final point and closing.
There is a difference in this team compared to any other team in years and decades past. There isn't the distraction of negativity. A Joey Porter and his selfish mouth. A Jason Taylor and what he DOESN'T have or ISN'T getting. A Ricky Williams retiring suddenly. A Ted Ginn Jr. not living up to his price tag. A front office that makes moves and decisions based on revenue, not WINNING SUPER BOWLS. A fan base that is more interested in the three hours before and after the game than the game itself (fair weather fans and fans that like the team, but don't know (sorry mods) sh*t about the team they claim as their own). A QB that cannot lead. A lack of a bonafide THREAT in the #1 WR position. A lackluster running game. A lazy defense. An OC/DC that isn't afraid to show this team's OYSTERS. I could go on and on.
There is an attitude about this team, Dolphans. I think we are in for a surprise that we have long been waiting for. This crew is hungry. Just like the slogan that is being used in camp: "Hungry like the Wolf. Feed the Wolf". This team will be different. Mike Nolan is a difference maker. Tony Sparano is underrated as a HC. He brings that moxy that is contagious. Bill Parcells still has it. He is invaluable at building foundations for winning, and Dolphans...this year the results will be more than visible...THEY'LL BE MEMORABLE! Jeff Ireland being a hands-on GM that doesn't counter what the team's needs are. He enhances the philosophies of the organization, and truly wants to win.
We as fans have not had so much to be optimistic about as a whole for a long, long time. We don't have to manufacture optimism and say: "What piece is missing?" anymore. The Family is intact, my fellow Phin brothers and sisters. Tell Dad and Grandpa it's okay to watch again. The Dolphins are coming!
I apologize for this post being so lengthy, but I only evaluate this team once before the season, and once afterwards. I appreciate those who have taken the time to read this and your responses/feedback/replies. I spent a good 2 1/2 hours writing this. I love my Miami Dolphins. And I love my fellow Dolphans. Out.
:dolphins:
With Aqua and Orange Flowing in my Veins,
Eddie In Boise
Dolphan since 1977
There have been many offseasons and training camps when there have been reasons to be excited about our Phins. There's the many free agent signings and draft picks over the past several decades that this team has attempted. These include (in no particular order or rank of expected impact): Yatil Green, David Boston, Jason Allen, Lawrence Phillips, Sammy Smith, Marco Coleman, John Offerdahl, Joey Porter, Cris Carter, Daunte Culpepper, Trent Green, Ted Ginn, Jr., and the list goes on and on. The reasons for their demise or lack of success, whichever applies, has consistently left the fans wondering: "What's next?".
Then there is the plethora of coaching changes/front office moves that have taken place since Don Shula left the helm. Jimmy Johnson, Dave Wannstadt, Randy Mueller, Chan Gailey, Norv Turner, Cam Cameron, Nick Saban, and the lack of success they were brought in to produce. The results were never there. We expected the same outcome that these high-profile personnel had in their prior environments, which as we all know, isn't how the NFL works UNLESS you are Bill Parcells.
In the world we live in, change is constant. If you change with the world, you survive. If you don't change with the world, you will fail. If you change ahead of the world, you become the standard for which the world follows. In the NFL, the teams that change with the evolution of the league (Miami, Denver, Baltimore, Tennessee, Dallas, Minnesota, Philadelphia, for example) survive and compete. The teams that do not change with that same evolution (Detroit, Cleveland, Kansas City, Buffalo, Oakland, Washington, etc) fail repeatedly. When a team innovates and changes AHEAD of the NFL evolution, it wins championships. New England and building a sytem around its strengths, New Orleans bringing in Drew Brees/Sean Payton to give their offense the talent to go over the top, NY Giants changing their offensive strategy mid-season to accomodate the WRs being their strength, St Louis and their design of an offense that made Holt/Bruce/Faulk/Warner the most potent offense in years,and most notably San Francisco, where Bill Walsh created the West Coast offense that redefined how the game is strategized not just played.
Still there's even more that tests our Aqua and Orange souls. In recent years, many players have left Miami for other teams, only to be more successful on those teams. You have Wes Welker, Sammy Morris, Larry Izzo, and Heath Evans going to New England. Mr. Ogunleye to Chicago. Zach Thomas to Dallas, and Jason Taylor to the Jets. The Taylor move to New York is pertinent to the core of this post, because it directly references to what I feel is the most important value in life: Family.
When Dan Marino chose not to sign with Minnesota and retire a Miami Dolphin, I know I can speak for every Phin fan on the planet by saying I was proud of him. I was proud to be a Miami Dolphins fan. He made me feel like the 17 seasons he shed his blood, sweat, and tears for us, his Hall of Fame bust, and his selfless giving to the communities of South Florida was not just about him. It was about US. It IS about US, the fans. We're a family, a brotherhood and sisterhood of people who have a common strand in our DNA. We're Miami Dolphins fans (those of you who just thought of making a "drink the Kool-Aid" reference...you need to check yourself).
I know I am not the only one who has experienced the following:
- Driving around town and spotting a Dolphins license plate, plate frame, or decal/sticker and felt compelled to get that person's attention and letting them know you bleed Aqua and Orange.
- Being at the store or other public place and running into a Phin fan wearing Dolphins gear and giving them the "nod" while saying "Go Phins!".
- Seeing a Patsies, Jests, or Jills fan and feeling your blood pressure rise and the hair stand up on the back of your neck, grumbling any number of negative and distasteful statements to yourself and friends as you reload your pride for your beloved Dolphins.
- Going about your day mid-week during the season and thinking about whether a player that is injured is going to play in the next game.
- Waking up on gameday several hours early (6 AM for me) to start going through all of the information and media outlets available, watching pre-game, getting your house ready for your Sunday Dolphins BBQ with friends/family.
Knowing there are many more examples of our Phinhood, I apologize if I didn't include yours.
Family. It's what we as human beings SHOULD be all about. When Jason Taylor decided to sign with the New York Jets, he negated any pride and love I had for him as a Miami Dolphin over the past several years. As previously mentioned with Marino, and with the likes of Zach Thomas going to Dallas after being released from Miami, Taylor going to New York leaves a worse taste in my mouth than Thurman Thomas catching a screen pass on 3rd & 22 and getting a first down. Jason Taylor a New York Jet. It still doesn't sound right. To me, it proves only how much of a class act Marino and Thomas are. I know Thomas didn't have a choice in leaving Miami, but he did have a choice on where he went afterwards. There is a member here that has a quote from Zach Thomas as their sig. Paraphrased, Zach said he would NEVER go to New England since he'd grown to hate them over the years as a Dolphin. THAT'S loyalty. THAT'S FAMILY! Jason Taylor to the Jests only sends one message to me as a Phin fan and family member: He is about himself. Nothing more. Nothing less.
I do not wish any ill will towards JT personally, but I hope he has this moment this year: looking in the mirror on Monday morning, September 27th, after losing to the Dolphins in Miami...after looking into the eyes of the fans...the very people who were behind him since the day he entered the doors from Akron....the very people who wore his jersey as proudly as a parent shows photos of their children....the people who paid their hard earned money to pay HIS salary.....the people who APPRECIATED his community involvement and his supposed dedication to Miami fans and the community.....the kids...oh man..all of those kids who grew up watching him terrorize opposing offenses. Especially the Jets. Especially the Jets fans. How do you not look at that 10 year old kid and his or her face when they find out Jason Taylor is not only no longer a Dolphin, but a Jet? Those of you that are going to that game on the night of September 26th, look for those faces. Look at each of the 50,000+ Dolphans' faces and reactions when Jason Taylor takes the field. It will feel good, actually. Yor heart is right, Dolphans....He DID wrong every one of us. Which brings me to my final point and closing.
There is a difference in this team compared to any other team in years and decades past. There isn't the distraction of negativity. A Joey Porter and his selfish mouth. A Jason Taylor and what he DOESN'T have or ISN'T getting. A Ricky Williams retiring suddenly. A Ted Ginn Jr. not living up to his price tag. A front office that makes moves and decisions based on revenue, not WINNING SUPER BOWLS. A fan base that is more interested in the three hours before and after the game than the game itself (fair weather fans and fans that like the team, but don't know (sorry mods) sh*t about the team they claim as their own). A QB that cannot lead. A lack of a bonafide THREAT in the #1 WR position. A lackluster running game. A lazy defense. An OC/DC that isn't afraid to show this team's OYSTERS. I could go on and on.
There is an attitude about this team, Dolphans. I think we are in for a surprise that we have long been waiting for. This crew is hungry. Just like the slogan that is being used in camp: "Hungry like the Wolf. Feed the Wolf". This team will be different. Mike Nolan is a difference maker. Tony Sparano is underrated as a HC. He brings that moxy that is contagious. Bill Parcells still has it. He is invaluable at building foundations for winning, and Dolphans...this year the results will be more than visible...THEY'LL BE MEMORABLE! Jeff Ireland being a hands-on GM that doesn't counter what the team's needs are. He enhances the philosophies of the organization, and truly wants to win.
We as fans have not had so much to be optimistic about as a whole for a long, long time. We don't have to manufacture optimism and say: "What piece is missing?" anymore. The Family is intact, my fellow Phin brothers and sisters. Tell Dad and Grandpa it's okay to watch again. The Dolphins are coming!
I apologize for this post being so lengthy, but I only evaluate this team once before the season, and once afterwards. I appreciate those who have taken the time to read this and your responses/feedback/replies. I spent a good 2 1/2 hours writing this. I love my Miami Dolphins. And I love my fellow Dolphans. Out.
:dolphins:
With Aqua and Orange Flowing in my Veins,
Eddie In Boise
Dolphan since 1977
