At the very least, Brett Favre is flirting with the Vikings, the Packers' biggest rival. Some reports have Favre already having an agreement in place to play 2009 in Minnesota. It made me think about how horrible Packers fans must feel and led me to this horrible thought experiment: What if Marino decided to un-retire and Wannestedt decided he was gonna stick to his guns and bank the future of the team on Jay Fiedler. And what if Marino eventually signed with the jets? After vomiting, I would have a lot of soul-searching to do. I could never forgive Danny, but I could never hate the guy either. I apologize in advance for bringing this up. Its a slow offseason. ps-It is a testament to Danny that he did NOT unretire, although he coincidentally could have signed with the Vikings.
I'm fully aware of that and I acknowledged it in my post. Its called a hypothetical or a thought experiment for a reason.
Marino played hurt in 1999. He wasn't that bad before he got those bone spurs in his shoulder right around that New England game. Do you think that in 2000 that Marino would've been worse than Jay Fielder?? I don't know, I really do think he could've surpassed the 2400 yards, 14 tds and 14 ints that Jay threw that year especially with how solid Lamar Smith ran that year. We went 11-5 that year. This is coming from one of the bigger Jay Fiedler fans there was too.
He certainly would have been better. Maybe the Dolphins could have thought about winning something. Who knows. Just another idiotic move by Wannstache. I would have eventually forgiven Dan but it would have taken some time. I'm sure Bills fans forgave Thurman Thomas for playing a season in Miami.
In the 4 games before that New England game (I know 4 games isn't a ton but at least it's a decent sample) the Dolphins were averaging 27.25 points per game. With our defense back then IMO that's good enough for me. Especially with how Lamar Smith ran in 2000 we might've actually been pretty damn solid on offense. Dan Marino for ****ing life.
Agreed. Never been a fan of the "hey what if....." threads. You can "what if" anything to death and it still means nuttin. Plus anyone who knew Marino even in passing, knew he had a vile hatred for NY Jet fans. Wouldn't have happened.
I call BS on this. Those posts I put mean absolutely everything. You'll be seeing a segment on NFL Network tomorrow.
I would be mad at Marino for the year he was a Jet. Still I understood it was Wanny who didn't want him on the team and Marino deserves to play as long as someone is willing to give him a job. Just like Brett Farve is. The thing is I never liked him. jerk. Anyways, I would prefer him not going to the jets though
The situation from Brett is much different, but no I wouldn't be mad at Marino if he signed with the jets. We forced him out. He's a free agent. We are just fans. This is their livelihood. They've worked on this for 30 plus years and might not be able to work on it again for the rest of their lives. I don't besmirch those who seek to continue their CAREER. Who knows if they never get another job for the rest of their lives. I commend those that do stick with one team and would retire than play for a rival. But I also won't denounce those that continue to look for work. It's like working for pepsi your whole adult life, and instead of quitting the drink business altogether you take a job at coke. You ok with Pepsi fans jeering at you all day on the streets? At the end of the day they're working to take care of their family, to set up a legacy (sports and personal) and enjoy what they've loved since being a kid.
I don't know that Marino would have been better than JF in 2000. Remember he was coming off of a year where he had a 67% rating and threw 17 ints in just 11 games. And Dan had the option to sign with Minn. His primary reason for not playing was that his legs were shot. He spoke about it on that show he was on (Inside the NFL, I think). He said that he believed he was capable of having one great game but that there was no way he could have a great season. I'm glad he retired then. I hate it when great players tarnish their legacy by hanging on too long. And I would not have been angry if he had played for the Jets or anyone else. I wouldn't have rooted for him but I don't blame anyone for wanting to play.
If Marino had wanted to play, I would have fully supported him. I would have remained a Miami fan but would have cheered for him wherever he went.
I was okay up until I read this part. If Marino would have signed with the JEST, I would hope that he would have been crushed. Sorry Danny, but I have no love for the enemy.
I'd consider suicide....not really. But im actually sure id go into a very serious form of clinical depression. The end.
The thing is, I don't hate the Jets. I see them as inconsequential. Sure they have a good record against us, but they rarely ever matter late in the season. They won that one SB before I was two and since then they are one of the least successful franchises in the league. I see them as pests, kind of like a mosquito. Nobody likes mosquitos and several times I'm bitten and miss killing that bug, but in the end they don't usually do much harm. Similarly they have some annoying victories against us but it rarely means much in the post season. We've made the playoffs more often than not and when we miss the playoffs they aren't usually the reason. When they make it they are usually one and done. They've never knocked us out of the playoffs. They're just inconsequential. If Dan had un-retired and played for them I would have felt sorry for him, but I wouldn't have hated him.
The thing is, I hate the Jets. I wish them death. I do not care if they ever win a superbowl in my lifetime. I still will hate the jets with a passion of 1000 suns.
I would kill myself. The player I hate more than anyone ever coming to my team? I couldn't live with that.
Why? They rarely matter and they often suck. It's like hating the kid who loses at everything. If I felt anything for them it'd be be pity.
that sounds cool on paper, yet paper didn't make me feel any better win losing shoot outs against O'Brien or the Monday Night Miracle. Paper didn't make me any less happy with the fake spike game. Awesome play, 10x more awesome because it was against the Jets. I love superbowls as much as the next guy, however I do not watch football for just the superbowls. I love the game as I love the Dolphins. I do not watch year to year, I watch week to week. Week to week I have developed a hatred for the Jets. I do not care if they never win the big one. I will still hate them. I do not care if they never win another playoff game again. As long as they beat the Dolphins I will hate them. First team I ever hated was the Jets. Then the Bills. The Patriots were the gnat team until they became awesome. That didn't make me hate the Jets less. It just added them into the circle of hate. F The JETS F The Bills and F the Patriots.
If Marino had went to any team other than Miami, to me he would be the enemy for as long as he played for them. Take his head off if Miami plays his team and once he would have retired it would take a while but sure, forgive him somewhat.
Just not as fun for me. If I was focused on the big picture I would only hate the Bills. Patriots did beat the Dolphins in 1985 season, yet until the beat them twice in a row or Miami the game Miami gave away Patriots really haven't been on the same with the Dolphins. They were the gnat and then they became awesome. When they became awesome Miami became a gnat. Plus their fans are only annoying when they win. Without wins they were silent. Jet fans have been ***es through winning and losing season. They are consistant jerks.
Watching Dan Marino play football was (and still is) one of the greatest thrills I have ever enjoyed while watching professional football. Especially when the game was one the line. Unfortunately, not being a local, I probably only got to see 40%-50% of his games. Mostly from the early nineties until he retired. And, only twice live. The last time was his last regular season game against the Redskins at Fed Ex Field. He was my favorite player at the time, and still remains an all time favorite of mine. So, the mere thought of him in a jests uni, as Gardenhead's "thought experiment" has me pondering, brings up many emotions. None of which are very good. Truth is I think there was a much better chance he would've ended up in Minny, but that's not what Gardenhead wants us to consider. Therefore, what I will say is in essence what I remembered feeling at the time. I remember being extremely conflicted. On the one hand, I really felt Dan was getting a raw deal in Miami. I felt as though he was no longer wanted, and was being shown the door. I thought he still wanted to play, and it appeared he felt like he still could play. I remember thinking..."man, he can't retire after a 62-7 blowout loss to Jacksonville. That's no way to go out." But, on the other hand, the prospect of him wearing another team's jersey just didn't sit well with me...at all. And, to suggest it could've been the jests (again, for this little experiment), well...I think that would've been more than I could've beared. Had it come to pass, I would've been extremely disappointed that he would've put his own need to continue playing over the feelings of an entire fan base that he knew would be devastated by such a decision. And, while I would've probably kept track of him to some extent, I believe it would have tarnished my feelings for him as a player to the point where I would've turned my back on him. While I would still respected him for being one of the greatest QB's of all time, I would lose all respect for him as a man. Furthermore, I would've had a hard time seeing him inducted into the HOF five years later, knowing the last teams' colors he wore was that fugly green crap the jests call a uni. Blech! Now, fortunately I didn't have to come to terms with such a sick and twisted turn of fate. None of us did. Fortunately, Dan was smart enough to take everything into consideration and make the right decision based on all the factors. And, while he may not have gone out the winner we all know he is, he did go out on his terms (in as much as he could). He still had a fire in his belly. But, he was smart enough not to play past the point where he tarnished his own legacy. And, his loyalties and respect for the Miami community, as well as all Dolfans, kept him from alienating an entire fan base that he knew loved and respected him. He didn't because, well...because he's Dan Marino. A class act.
I hate you Gardenhead. I am glad that scenario never occurred, but had it I think it would have soiled my fond memories of Dan the Man. Especially had he done well there and won a SB. Not that he didn't deserve to win one, mind you, and I would be glad for him, but the seething jealousy and poisonous envy would have driven me off the rails on the Crazy Tain.
The hate is more about the majority of their Neanderthal fan base more than the team itself for many bro. Live in S. FL. for awhile and deal with the rejects that have fled from NY only to tell you everyday how great it is and how everything good in the world comes from NY and you'd understand. THey talk first, think later and make sure they're loud enough for everyone within a mile radius to hear them.
reppin Dupree CR.. I was at that training camp and got the crowd chanting for the defense to "knock out thurmon" .. they politely told me to desist or "I" would be the one "out" : ( I still have memorabilia from that camp too..including thurmons card as a dolphin : (
I don't think Marino could have seen himself in any other other uniform other than the Dolphins. He knew what he had accomplished in Miami and that he was the greatest Dolphin to ever to wear the Dolphin uniform. Dave Wannstedt's ego didn't have any room in Miami for Dan Marino and he knew that irregardless how much Marino's skills had erroded it was still Marino's team.
I cried when Dan was forced out (so sue me, I'm a woman). I honestly never believed he'd go anywhere else. I don't think it even crossed my mind at the time. I know I hated jj and wanstupid for what they did to such a up-right man and ball player. I still love Dan and what he stands for. I could never have hated him no matter where he went. I would have always rooted for him. He was and still is one of the "faces" of the Miami Dolphins. I won't even begin on how I feel about Shula, my hero!
I lived in S. FL for 28 years so I'm well aware of that fan base. I think sports brings out the worst in New Yorkers. But I think they are loud to compensate for how bad their team is year in and year out. They tend to talk a lot early in the season and disappear late. The people I dealt with regularly knew better than to talk crap b/c they knew I had a memory that extended back longer than one season.
If I had a choice between winning a game in the regular season or winning it all, I'd take winning it all every time. And if I had to take a perpetual losing record against the Jets to guarantee a SB or two every decade I'd do that in a heartbeat too.
Marino would never have done it.......He actually was interviewed about joining the Vikings and he said he thought about it but would have never been able to play anywhere else but Miami.