Oh it will play out alright as are sitting home watching the playoffs again as usual.No way we finish even 8-8 this year.
Here's the bottom line about this thread and about Jeff Ireland and nothing else matters: Winning is the only thing. I don't care if they have 10 all-pros if they aren't competing for a SB (that doesn't mean slipping into the playoffs only to get hammered by a superior team) - he's not getting the job done. The bottom line is the record. If Ireland builds a winner, great. Right now, I don't see that he's done that. I have been hard on the guy - but he hasn't done anything to show he's doing his job well. Forget the players - look at the on field record. If that changes, I will gladly eat crow. But, right now, he is a frustrating person to trust because we haven't won and I'd be shocked if we won our division this year (I'd be shocked if even our optimists seriously thought we were contenders for that at this point this year). When Parcells/Ireland came on board I was all positive. I said to many naysayers - we have to give them at least three years. It's been four, going on five. I'm very positive for Philbin. I'm not positive for Ireland because of the on field record.
Don't need to be a prophet to predict this team.I guess you haven't been watching the last 10 years like I have.No qb means no playoffs.I don't live in fantasy land like most of you dreamers.
Without a horrible coaching staff I'm pretty sure we win another three games last season and the talk is a lot more positive.
Exactly what makes you think this coaching staff will be an improvement on the previous coaching staff. I happen to think that the Dolphins defense is going to take a giant step backwards with the loss of Nolan as the DC. Sherman was fired as the Packers HC and last year as the HC at Texas A&M. So I am not sure how anyone can assume he will be an upgrade as the OC. I thought Sparano needed to be fired and I didn't think he was a very good NFL head coach, but Philbin has never been a HC at any level of football. So NOBODY knows right now if he will be an effective head coach or not. The last offensive coordinator hired to be the HC of the Dolphins was Cam Cameron. I remember many Dolphin fans on the radio at the time of his hiring being excited with his hiring and it was assumed at the time he would bring a more exciting and explosive offense to South Florida. Instead all he bought was misery and a 1-15 record to the Dolphins. I am not saying that Philbin will be another Cam Cameron, but I am only not jumping on the Philbin bandwagon when he has yet to coach one game as a HC, anywhere. My feeling is that as long as Ireland is running the show in the FO, it is going to be very difficult for any HC to succeed with the Dolphins.
ok so youre basically placing all of the blame on Ireland. Its never the coaches or players screwing up, nope all on Ireland. So I guess it was Irelands fault Marshall dropped like 5 TD passes last year that probably cost us at least 3 games. and Irelands fault for Sparano being a sub par game manager and not contribute hardly anything on offense or defense as a head coach. and Irelands fault for Long getting hurt...... typical idiot fan that doesnt realize its very slim margin between going 10-6 and 6-10 in the NFL we have a talented team, i mean we were a couple plays away from going 10-6 last year. dont believe me, go watch the games. its a year to year thing and you have to catch some breaks. we did in 08 and look what happened. I would say we have a much better team now than in 08. so stop complaining and trying to blame everything on Ireland just cuz everyone else is
oh and i forgot its Irelands fault it took Daboll 2 months to figure out how to use Reggie Bush that probably cost us 3-4 games. IRELANDS FAULT
Ireland's best move? Not listening to all the irrational fans' demands at QB. Orton? Check. Kolb? Check. Mallett? Check. Ponder, Gabbert, & Locker instead of Matt Moore? Check. So far, the fans have been wrong about virtually every exclamatory QB demand while Ireland's choice for 2011 was the best available..... but that hasn't stopped them from thinking they know better b/c now those same fans are furious b/c Ireland once again didn't listen to them (Flynn) despite their recent history of being wrong. So if Ireland stays with Moore or drafts a QB who turns out to be great in Philbin & Sherman's system while Flynn goes to Seattle and looks mediocre outside GB just as Kolb looks mediocre outside Philly, then the score will become Ireland: 2; irrational fans: zip. lmao.
Exactly, which is why Ireland & Ross fired the guy most responsible---- the HEAD COACH, who underperformed with the talent provided him. Sparano wasn't fired to cover their own butts; he was fired b/c he couldn't win. I had no idea that Ireland brought in the players and they just ran out onto the field unsupervised and called all their own plays, perhaps drew them up in the infield dirt with their fingers.
Really? You're already putting guys like Odrick, Wilson and Clay on the good moves list? Wilson and Clay look like good late round value, but Odrick is a guy we passed up a lot of players to trade back for (who missed the majority of his rookie year) and then blew the extra pick on Misi. I certainly wouldn't classify all that as a good move at this point. And doesn't it bother you that most of the players on your list are simply ordinary, yet you're listing them as good moves? The only All-Pro caliber player he's acquired is Jake Long with the #1 overall pick.
There is an alternative to whiney pessimism land and dreamer fantasy land. It's called reality. I live in it. Wish there were more fin fans here. Reality is Ross is convinced that the team was poorly coached through 0-7. That Ireland had acquired players to help the Dolphins win, but Sparano blew the start of the season. That same terrible roster finished 6-3 with the only QB we know Ireland ever signed all on his own like a big boy. The Dolphins have a playoff capable QB. But they/we want more than that at QB, and we're all correct to expect that. But there is only one franchise QB the Dolphins failed to get, and he is Peyton Manning. Reality. Flynn would have been given Franchise money if he was. But now you are SURE that a team that finished 6-3 wont even get to 8-8?
Hmph, then obviously that must mean I approach Ireland objectively unlike the obtuse-minded fan looking for every premature reason to hate on him as a part of some irrational and unreasonable agenda. Are you saying that getting rid of my favorite player means I should view every decision Ireland makes as wrong and worthy of harsh & premature criticism? No thanks. Some fans might have little concern about their credibility or looking childish, I'm just not one of them. PS: he also traded my 2nd favorite player, Marshall. So anyone who says I'm biased FOR Ireland is massively grasping at straws in a weak attempt to discredit me. I simply don't let my love of the team and desire for success ruin my objectivity.
While I agree the coaching has been suspect for quite some time IMO, when one of your most expensive and critical pieces of the defense shows up to camp not ready to play, nothing good is likely to happen.
Perhaps you missed it but the Dolphins have gone 7-9, 7-9, 6-10, over the last three season. I love how you explain the Dolphins poor record last year by stating they could have won more games, "if only". Life is all about what could have been, but the reality is, what is. What is with the Dolphins is that they have been an unsuccessful team for the last three seasons and the man responsible for providing the players for the team is Ireland. If you are happy with the direction of the team under Ireland, good for you. The fact is that season ticket sales for Dolphins for the 2012 season are the lowest season ticket sales have been since before Don Shula was hired. So obviously the vast majority of the fans don't buy into your view that the team is really better than the record shows. Because in the NFL, as with any other sport, you are what your record shows you are. Talent or no talent, it is irrelevant because the reality is that the Dolphins are one of the worst ten teams in the NFL. I know this because I see that they have the eight pick in this years draft. You don't get a top ten pick in the NFL unless you trade up into the top ten or you were lousy enough the previous year to be rewarded with a higher pick in the draft. The last I checked, the Dolphins didn't trade up, so they must have been lousy last year. That is the reality of the situation, not your pretense that the Dolphins could have won additional games in 2011. Because the other reality is that they could have lost some of the games they won, if the opposing teams had made a few more positive plays during those games. There are only a few plays in most games which determine the winner and the loser. The Dolphins over the last three years have shown a consistent ability to make fewer plays to win the game than their opponents have. That is why they have a combined 20-28 record over this time period. Good team make the plays needed to win games, bad teams don't. The Dolphins record over the last three years clearly shows they fail more often than they succeed in making the plays needed to win a game. To me this means they are a bad team with players who can't get the job done. Ireland is responsible for bringing these players to the team and therefore he should be held responsible when these players don't succeed. Sparano was fired and Ireland should have been fired at the same time, IMO.
How many of those six wins were against teams which ended the season with a winning record? Just a hint, ZERO. No one has said that the Dolphins can't compete and win against the other bad teams in the NFL. Of course they also lost against these same type of teams. Cleveland and San Diego are merely examples of them losing to other bad teams last year. Unfortunately there is not an example of them beating any good teams last year, because they didn't. I can easily see the Dolphins going 8-8 or worst next year but I just can't see them winning 9 games or more.
All due respect, but the winning record argument is nonsense. Most years only a 3rd of the teams you play have a "winning" record. The AFC Champion Patriots didn't beat a single team with a winning record until the AFC Championship Game. The Dolphins were competitive against "winning" teams even before they got out of 0-7. And they had more 20+ point victories in half a season than the Fins have had in any full season since the early 90's.
Cameron Wake played man coverage against Santonio Holmes last season and got BURNED for a touchdown. That is massive coaching fail, regardless of what shape anyone comes in
Great post. I'd also like to add that if anyone thinks this team will do worse than last year, means they think we were a better team with Marshall AND Sparano.
hahahahahahaha wow ok if thats really how you view things then i feel really sorry for you and you completely missed what i was trying to say. whats done is done im not trying to go back to last year, all im saying is just because a team goes 6-10 one year doesnt mean they automatically suck and will suck the next year, that is the most ignorant old school way of thinking. by the way the Dolphins and the Bills both went 6-10 this year yet the Dolphins SMASHED the Bills twice. would you say they are the same talent wise? NO, any SMART (not you) football fan who actually watches the games can tell that Miami is a much more talented team, thats the whole point, you cant just look at a record and label a team good or bad like that and expect the bad teams from the year before to stay bad. you have to actually WATCH the games which apparently not many Dolphins fans do, they just jump on the bandwagon of what all the so called "experts" and other pessimistic fans think about us. which is unfortunate we have so many people who cant think for themselves because you all say the same thing. FIRE IRELAND. just cuz thats what everyone is saying and not even giving a good reason or saying what they would have done differently. its a shame so many people have to view things so negatively, guess thats how it is now days.... so let me get this straight this is how you think? we went 6-10 last year so that means we suck and we cant be good this year because we went 6-10 last year. hahahaha come on you cant actually think like that
people are realy listing matt moore as a good pick up? a back up qb? really? i don't know enough to seperate the parcells from the kicker from baylor ireland but.... reggie bush is a good pick up, we just used him the wrong way last year even though he had some success. He's still more of a WR than a RB. can't blame him for his coach being horrible though...also daniel thomas being hurt/nagging hamstring issues didn't help. I expect him to be better this season with bush taking on more of a role like he had in NO. Dansby is over paid. He was horrible for 7 games last year and didn't really come to form until the end of the season. Can't really blame ireland but dansby wouldnt have been my first choice and it goes back to ted gin being a first round pick over players like patrick willis (who I would have drafted btw) Jake groove...got rid of a serviceable center in satele (sp) and ended up using a 1st rd pick on a center last season. stupid even though pouncy will end up being decent at the least. I was in the jake long camp. Was it ireland or bill? marshell was a good move. he brings much needed talent and the dude still performed reasonably well with no help around him, especially at the NO 2 WR. I think him leaving was more of a philbin call/rebuilding move. basically i feel like ireland has been average at best. our offense is as bad as it gets in the NFL. our only realy weapon is bush and he's a compliment not a primary piece.
no it doesn't. Even if we get better we still might lose more games based on who we play etc. would it really matter if we win 7 games and miss the play offs or win 5 and miss the playoffs? We didn't beat anybody decent last year and we lost games to teams we should have walked all over like the browns and broncos. (see, there's a good example of how winning doesn't always mean you're good) we have the parts on defense to be average to really good depending on who we pick up. I'd like to see a legit number 2 corner emerge and a legit pass rushing threat besides wake. offense though....it's gonna be rough.
Reality: 10-6 and a 1st round playoff exit is not a SB contending team. Take the Patriots, the Steelers, the Colts with Manning, the Ravens, the Saints, the Giants, the Packers, now the 49ers ... that's success. Anything else, sorry, not satisfied. We are no longer an elite franchise. In essence - are you saying that the right coach on this team and Ireland has us with the talent to win the SB? Or be virtually equal to the major contenders? Don't think so. He just fails to have the talent there. There are significant weaknesses at QB; at the interior OL; at DB; at WR; even RB is suspect to a degree. But, let's forget a position by position analysis in which non-objective fans will over-rate their players. The bottom line - the very bottom line - is this team does not have a SB calibre roster - I don't care if Don Shula is coaching them.
I agree, there is no SB caliber roster here. Saying so would be an insult to teams like the Giants who, IMO, don't have a great deal more talent as a whole but have the talent where it counts. However, not being "SB caliber" now doesn't mean it has to stay that way. IMHO there's enough talent here that, when paired with a good draft and great coaching, is capable of making a playoff run if we can stay healthy at key positions. Super Bowl run? Not likely. But I'm personally content with progress as long as progress is being made.
Let's also not forget we need to build to it. I know, I know, we've been building for 40 years. Them's the breaks, it sucks but it is what it is. However if we go 10-6 and to the playoffs this year that is progress. Progress isn't everything, but it sure isn't nothing either.
You are wrong, I do think like that. The Dolphins have sucked for the last three years and since Ireland remains the Dolphins GM, I believe they will suck in 2012. This team is going nowhere as long as Ireland is making the player personnel decisions. You are certainly entitled to your opinion, but I have to feel that my opinion of Ireland is shared by the majority of Dolphin fans, since season ticket sales for this coming season are the lowest they have been in over forty years.
People want a scapegoat, and they have the torches and pitchforks ready. We haven't had a great GM since Shula gave that responsibility up in the 80's... Somehow that is the fault of Ross and Ireland...
How bout we have the talent, and hopefully the new coach will properly utilize the talent. Keep in mind up until yr 3 there was every reason to believe Henne was the future, his regression, whether it be Henning's fault or his (he was looking good in Daboll's offense), so now he is going to draft another QB, instead of reach for a FA like regimes of the past would've done. SMART
We have some talent but really where are the gamechangers?I felt going into the offseason if we could grab a wr to complement marshall and a seam busting te we could get by with moore for the playoffs.The bonus would have been a qb to make a superbowl run.Well now we need two wrs,a te,and still looking for a franchise qb.Where do you see this team getting better?Not to mention we lost one of the better DC in the nfl. Ireland has not drafted one gamechanging player and please don't give me jake long he is a left tackle.I will however give him credit for cameron wake who is as close is he is going to get to being that type of player.But as that jerkoff parcells liked to say you are only as good as your record says you are.And our record has sucked for the last 3 years. It is irelands job to bring in players that will produce wins.He has failed.If I was ross I would fire his *** the day after the draft.Look at all the money he is losing to season tickets having had enough of this losing management team.
So basically you thought that we needed a WR andTE to get into the playoffs and a QB to make a run to the Super Bowl? You thought we were that close? Now, and because Marshall decided to punch a woman in the face, we're doomed because it's impossible to get 2 WR's? lol I'm having a hard time following you and I don't see why you're so upset with Ireland if you think we were that close to being a playoff caliber team.
you know your arguments are terrible when you have to keep bringing up season ticket sales. WHO GIVES A ****? was there HDTV and the Red Zone channel 40 years ago???
