Win Now Or Build For the Future?

[MCHan]

So the one question that seems to be a prevailing them here is that with a new coach do we want to build for the future or try to win now?

If build for the future I think it makes sense to draft a QB early and maybe make some moves to get younger and maybe stockpile more draft picks. Guys like Zach Thomas aren't going to last forever.

If win now than you don't pick a QB that early and try to bring in an experienced veteran and try to draft players that will help you immediately. Maybe the idea of getting Zach Thomas a ring as a Dolphin while we can is attractive?

Which would you rather do?

 

[jgpence17]

where's the option for both?

 

[Smoke]

where's the option for both?

Exactly. It's clear that they want to win now and build for the future. Wayne H. has said numerous times that he wants to win now. Mueller and Cameron have both recently said that they will build this team with youth and speed through the draft. Mueller has also done a good job of trading for some extra picks. I can't remember the last time the Dolphins had this many. Bringing in a vet like Green could also work both ways. He would provide a solid starter and be a mentor to whichever qb we do draft.

 

[Delfin 22]

win now......why....because we have like 4 years building a team or more since marino left....so if we dont start winning today, we will never change our attitude of being a building team:tantrum:

 

[TheBeast99]

Win now, Why wait??

 

[fishypete]

Win Now? With what? We still haven't fix all the problems of the team...we may have gotten rid of some of them...but we still have a long way to go. The Dolphin are years away from being a true contender....fix the O-line, acquire receivers that can get seperation and that can catch the football....and get a QB that can make the throws needed to make the plays. Get a TE that can use the middle of the field...does anyone really have faith in Martin? Can Martin stay healthy for a full season? Acquire a cover Corner...in maybe two more drafts after this one...then we'll talk about winning.

 

[MCHan]

Exactly. It's clear that they want to win now and build for the future. Wayne H. has said numerous times that he wants to win now. Mueller and Cameron have both recently said that they will build this team with youth and speed through the draft. Mueller has also done a good job of trading for some extra picks. I can't remember the last time the Dolphins had this many. Bringing in a vet like Green could also work both ways. He would provide a solid starter and be a mentor to whichever qb we do draft.

If you two really think that the Dolphins could do both, more power to you. But I don't think that is realistic with the state of the team right now. I'm afraid if you take the middle of the road approach you will get middle of the road results for longer periods of time.

 

[Ozzy]

Win Now? With what? We still haven't fix all the problems of the team...we may have gotten rid of some of them...but we still have a long way to go. The Dolphin are years away from being a true contender....fix the O-line, acquire receivers that can get seperation and that can catch the football....and get a QB that can make the throws needed to make the plays. Get a TE that can use the middle of the field...does anyone really have faith in Martin? Can Martin stay healthy for a full season? Acquire a cover Corner...in maybe two more drafts after this one...then we'll talk about winning.

Tell that to the 4-12 Chargers of a couple of years ago...

It's easier than most think to re-tool.

 

[MastR_EvaluatoR]

win now......why....because we have like 4 years building a team or more since marino left....so if we dont start winning today, we will never change our attitude of being a building team:tantrum:

huh ? That makes no sense . Because we haven't built jack squat in those 4 years with Wannstedt's drafts.. Thus, we have to start building yet again with a decent FO regime this time ..

Those Wanny drafts is the reason we are where we are today.. It's the reason why the dolphins stink .. Had Mueller been in charge of those drafts, I have no doubt in my mind we'd have a much much better team today and we wouldn't be talking about this dilemma (even though there is no dilemma as this team won't win anything anytime soon - no matter how hard they try) ..

 

[Always Next Year]

(quote/)"If you two really think that the Dolphins could do both, more power to you. But I don't think that is realistic with the state of the team right now. I'm afraid if you take the middle of the road approach you will get middle of the road results for longer periods of time."(quote/)



If you want to be a good team that has a realistic chance at winning Super Bowls you MUST be able to do both.

If you are a "win now at all costs" type of team (i.e. redskins), then you are putting all of your eggs in a basket that is very difficult to get your hands on. If you foresake the future to win now, and then you don't win the whole thing, your whole plan will get dramatically more difficult with each season that passes without a Championship. Even if you do win it all, it then becomes MORE diffucult because other teams will ravage your roster and your coaching staff. In the NFL, this is what is known as a downward spiral that will lead to lots of bad records with insignificant involment in the playoffs or no involment whatsoever. (sound familiar?)

On the other hand, if you are always a "building for the future" type of team, you will never have a good team in the PRESENT. Ultimately, and here's the rub, the natives (fans) will get restless and your team will then become a "win now at any cost" team. You know what I think about that situation.

If you want to be a consistant winner in this league you have to be CONSTANTLY vigilent to BOTH ideas of winning now and building for the future.

 

[dominizzo]

both

 

[Bpk]

People voting to build for the future... realise that the heart of the defense is aging and JT and Zach have a couple years left tops, plus Keith Traylor is almost done, Vonnie is older etc. SO the logic of those saying win now is, by the time we build up a young offense we'll have no defense left.

I think we SHOULD build for the future, but should do it by trading JT and ZACH NOW while they are at their height... if we could get a future 1st and some 2nd's or 3rds for them, it'd be worthwhile in the long run.

 

[LarryFinFan]

People voting to build for the future... realise that the heart of the defense is aging and JT and Zach have a couple years left tops, plus Keith Traylor is almost done, Vonnie is older etc. SO the logic of those saying win now is, by the time we build up a young offense we'll have no defense left.

I think we SHOULD build for the future, but should do it by trading JT and ZACH NOW while they are at their height... if we could get a future 1st and some 2nd's or 3rds for them, it'd be worthwhile in the long run.

Who says "build for the future, but only on the O side of the ball" ?? the problem is that we have a good but our O is depleted and lacks real talent in several areas. Cam's offense should allow those we have to be their best. Mueller will build the team thru both the draft and supplement with FA as needed. The turnaround in this day and age doesn't always take as long as you might think. A few good draft picks this year with an organized scheme and good play calling could put us to at least in the ball games. That is not to say, without seeing how the whole off season shakes out, that I think we are or will be contenders this year, but even with what is happening now, I expect us to be a better team this coming year.

The real question about this team is whether or not we can resolve the QB position...Cam-Mul is behind the 8 ball on this one and that is certainly not their fault. It is the fault of the last three regimes, period. But that is the cards they were dealt. How things pan out from this off season will tell a lot.

 

[GEORGIA FIN]

We have to build for the future. Every coach since Shula has tried the win now philosophy and it hasn't got it done. In fact it's hurt us and set us back in my opinion. We really need to look long term and return this franchise to it's winning ways. We have a good start, Cam and Randy have wiped the slate pretty clean this year and I would look for more of the same next year as well.

 

[MCHan]

(quote/)"If you two really think that the Dolphins could do both, more power to you. But I don't think that is realistic with the state of the team right now. I'm afraid if you take the middle of the road approach you will get middle of the road results for longer periods of time."(quote/)



If you want to be a good team that has a realistic chance at winning Super Bowls you MUST be able to do both.

If you are a "win now at all costs" type of team (i.e. redskins), then you are putting all of your eggs in a basket that is very difficult to get your hands on. If you foresake the future to win now, and then you don't win the whole thing, your whole plan will get dramatically more difficult with each season that passes without a Championship. Even if you do win it all, it then becomes MORE diffucult because other teams will ravage your roster and your coaching staff. In the NFL, this is what is known as a downward spiral that will lead to lots of bad records with insignificant involment in the playoffs or no involment whatsoever. (sound familiar?)

On the other hand, if you are always a "building for the future" type of team, you will never have a good team in the PRESENT. Ultimately, and here's the rub, the natives (fans) will get restless and your team will then become a "win now at any cost" team. You know what I think about that situation.

If you want to be a consistant winner in this league you have to be CONSTANTLY vigilent to BOTH ideas of winning now and building for the future.

I think you make some good points but are looking at the question from a different angle than what was originally intended. I am talking more of a general team philosophy, knowing that there will be a lot of gray areas.

And I would view it from a timing perspective. For some teams in the league it is unrealistic for them to take a Win Now perspective because there is just not enough pieces currently to make it happen so that if they do take that overall philosophy they will be worse off in the long run. But for those teams that are on the cusp of greatness they have the ability to go out and make the moves necessary to go over the hump if they wanted to. Then for those teams that are already great they will most likely be in a Win Now philosophy but it doesn't mean they won't make any moves that will lean to the future.

But if you look at teams like the Colts and the Patriots I think it is obvious they are in a win now approach. As I said they will still make moves that are going to build toward the future but it will be at the risk of not winning a Super Bowl this year. It's just a different mind set depending on the perceived level of the team.

And another point is that I think you always have to make good personnel decisions no matter what mode you are in. That is undeniable and the Redskins obviously have not recently.