SAN FRANCISCO -- The proof exists in every corner of the 49ers' locker room, one athlete after another providing validation of the draft picks and free-agent acquisitions once dubbed disappointing and inadequate.
Look closely,
Miami Dolphins. Get out your telescope, direct it toward the opposite corner of the country and focus the lens. This, despite every bitter and cynical feeling swirling in your stomach right now, could soon be you.
Last year, San Francisco finished 6-10, another disappointing season that led to the firing of its head coach and, a few months later, its general manager. This year, the Niners are
a game away from winning a conference championship.
On the same weekend the 49ers are attempting to extend their own turnaround, the Dolphins are trying to begin their own. Joe Philbin
arrived in South Florida on Saturday as the team's new head coach, an introduction met with guarded optimism as many fans enjoy his unfamiliar resume while sensing a slight tinge of déjà vu.
So why should this time be any different? Why should Philbin's hiring evoke any more hope than Tony Sparano or Cam Cameron, two offensive assistants who ultimately failed to succeed as head coaches? Well, nobody can answer that yet.
Whether Philbin proves to be a success will hinge on much more than his previous ability to help the Packers to an offensive output that ranked in the NFL's top 10 each of his five years as offensive coordinator. It will be based on his ability to manifest talent. To lead. To manage time. To, you know, coach.
