The Dolphins may well find a great GM and a stunningly imaginative OC. The game is not over, so panicking is not in order. That said, there are significant problems I have with Mr. Ross and his body of advisors. The fundamental problem with this owner is that he and his top advisors do not formulate plans ahead of time and know little of the league as evidenced by their reactionary moves. The planning in the Harbaugh situation could be chalked up to a very ignorant owner who made an utterly foolish mistake. The lack of planning in this situation is a significant failure that speaks further to Ross' ineptitude as an owner. His top advisors should have had a strong knowledge of the top 2-3 candidates at GM and at OC going into the last two weeks of the season. By the time the final game was over Ross should have had a very good idea of what he was going to do and should have been able to move more quickly on the OC and GM; and then should have aggressively pursued the top 2-3 candidates in the order, 1-2-3. At they same time, they needed to be ready for what the calculations would be for those who signed on and how to deal with fears. Get those interviews done. Then move. Not having this to move aggressively but also smartly, they demonstrated their failed leadership and understanding of the league. The reality is they are working in contradictory circumstances trying to hire both a GM and an OC. Any GM should be able to reevaluate the coach and have the owner behind him should the HC fail this next year. A GM saddled with a coach that cannot get the job done will also fall under criticism, regardless of his talent acquisition abilities. Holding onto Philbin for another year and then Ross turning over the reigns to the GM would not be a problem, normally. However, having to hire an OC is another matter. No one wants to uproot their family and move to Miami for one year. If Philbin were fired next year all bets would be off for the new OC staying on. So, the only way to get a solid OC would be to guarantee him a significant future with the team - which also means, ostensibly, guaranteeing that Philbin would remain on. But, in turn, that could work against the new GM. This is not a $50K or even $75K a year job we are talking about, for Mr. Ross. If that were his situation, it would be more excusable. In this case Ross is an owner of a commodity of enormous economic value and immeasurable community value. It is a billion dollar business. Again, the Dolphins may get fortunate. But, how many years have fans thought such over the decades - "well, the OL could come together … it is possible our DBs will have a good year … Fiedler may improve … one of those young RBs could come through …" etc., etc. Getting lucky - or relying on good fortune - is simply not something on which Dolphin fans can hope for any more or be patient waiting for it to happen.
Known guys whom have uprooted for much less than that. Sent from my Transformer TF101 using Tapatalk 4
The offensive coordinator's job is to score points. If this team scores more points, we will win more games. If we win more games, Philbin will not lose his job. The incoming OC's performance almost directly relates to whether Philbin stays next year IMO. a Defensive Coordinators job is to allow the least amount of points possible. Coyle, while other parts of his coaching is frustrating, gets that part right. therefore the incoming OC just has to live up to his side of the bargain. if he doesn't feel he can do that, he's not our guy anyway. **** him.
Ross is always a year late cutting ties...a year late firing Sparano, a year late firing Ireland, probably a year late on letting Philbin go if/when it happens this time next year.
more points certainly doesn't guarantee more wins, 2011 proved that when we all got our wish of Henning retiring, Daboll came in and improved our offensive output but our record didn't improve...we actually won less games.
I think your missing the point. That's not the issue for the OC. The issue is, these are men with families who want to go somewhere where they will stay 3-4-5 years if the do the job. There is no guarantee with this dysfunctional offense (sieve-like OL with RBs that are suspect and only one TE) that this will happen this year. Basically what you are saying is, if you can't do it THIS year, then you are out - take it or leave it. Well, sorry, when other teams are saying, "We're giving you a clear 4-5 years" and there is a sense they have a great shot at staying 2-3 seasons at least - that's a better deal. So, the point is, Ross is not offering a competitive opportunity for any OC coming in - relative to other OC positions. And, even if he does pretty well and the team loses there is a good chance the OC will be gone after one year. That's a risk for a guy to uproot his family.
Sure, in a different business. Or, when there are no other options in that business. Those are not the best available guys; and in this business, it's competing against what other teams offer. Other teams are offering more than just a one year deal to get it done. The more stable the head coaching position - or a new head coach who is going to get at least two, most likely three or four years to prove himself, that's a MUCH better deal. This is not a game of "contract-offer-in-a-vacuum" with nothing else out there. It's about being able to give a competitive offer - not just in money but in stability of the position with the team. Are they going to guarantee the OC will have 3 years even if the HC is gone next year? If they do that they then handicap the new HC to pick his staff.
in 2012 we were 7th in the NFL in points against (19.8) and in 2013 we were 8th (20.9). Coyle does a very good job in keeping opposing teams out of the endzone the problem is that in 2012 we avg 18.6 and in 2013 we avg 19.8 PPG. what if we just got that number up to 24? Presumably Coyle will continue to do his job, can the new OC do his? (this wouldn't even put us in the top half of the league in scoring, btw, but we would be such a better team with such a minimal improvement)
this is the nfl. No job is guaranteed. The giants don't make the playoffs next year, Coughlin is definitely gone. McAdoo isn't guaranteed his job will be safe by 2015. In fact, McAdoo taking the giants job kind of proves my whole point.
If it's true that The Big Eared One offered more money to Ireland to take a demotion and stay with the team then he truly is the clueless idiot that he's rumored to be around the league. I hope that's not true because if it is it shows a level of cluelessness that is just embarrassing.
This. And just the amount of turnover around the league this year alone supports this. Sent from my Transformer TF101 using Tapatalk 4
I suspect Ross's issue is he WANTS to be liked. He's not a confrontational type of owner, which can work if you have the right people in place. We don't have them in place.
I posted a thread late season about how many 4 point games we had. I think it was 9 and believe we won 5? Regardless, close. Don't think I buy all this Ross failing crap. Lots of variables. Not sure it's "one and done" for anyone. Of course the record don't lie.
If this is directly related to macdoo going to the giants then it's a silly argument. Do you think macdoo genuinely believes that his contract is any stronger at ny than here? There was enough talk to suggest that Coughlin was gonna get fired this off-season. His position hasn't magically got stronger by hiring macdoo, in the same way that philbins isn't now weaker. If the incoming OC does his job properly and we win more then everyone will get to stay. If he doesn't then it's goodbye. As for not having plans in place my question would be how do you know he doesn't? Maybe this is the plan. Have we missed on any GM targets? Are we massively time limited? I'd rather Ross took his time and made the right decision. Like all message boards this one is quite bi-polar. It's feast or famine. When macdoo was mentioned there was a lot of underwhelmed posts. Now we don't have him some posters are acting like he was gonna be the second coming.
I agree. With a sub 500 record after his first two seasons and a new GM coming in to take over player personnel decisions, Philbin goes into next season on the hot seat. The new OC will be expected to implement his offense in one year and help get this team into the playoffs next year. Failure to do this may mean that Philbin will be fired and the new OC will also be out of job with the Dolphins after only one season with the Dolphins. Just as Daboll was released after serving only one year as the Dolphins OC after Sparano was fired in 2011. It would appear that Philbin would have preferred McAdoo, since they both worked together with the Packers. Obviously McAdoo felt the OC position with the Giants was a better opportunity and perhaps he didn't want to take the chance to come to Miami and end up looking for a new coaching position after only one year. It appears at this time that the Dolphins are still having trouble hiring top quality coaches because the Dolphins are still seen as a team in turmoil in the front office. Hopefully the signing of a top quality GM will eventually alleviate the concerns of coaches who may be avoiding coming to the Dolphins at this time. I also hope that the new OC candidates are not avoiding the Dolphins because Philbin is forcing the next OC to accept all the offensive coaches now on the Dolphins. Because I can certainly understand the new OC wanting input into who the QB coach and offensive line coach will be next year. Why Taylor and Turner weren't fired along with Sherman is a complete mystery to me.
I think this is partly right but I personally don't see Coughlin or Philbin having a guaranteed shot at another 2 years. What NY has is a settled office. That's the only difference. We don't have a GM but it's not turmoil. That's hyperbole. If the owner was heading to jail, the GM actively seeking alternate employment, and the coach giving say Alabama a wink, that would be turmoil. We need a GM. We need an OC. We'll get both and I'm confident we will pick the right people.
I'm disappoint Xanders has not been hired. Gotta know the good thing when it hits you. Other than that, so far so good as far as leadership.
I agree 100 percent. He is the most qualified candidate out there. Let's get a deal done and restore some stability in the FO. Will make Miami more attractive to top OC's as well since they will know the situation with the GM and HC better.
Everyone on the board certainly hopes so. But, what in Ross' time here makes you confident about this other than wishful thinking? What of the Dolphins decisions the past decade plus makes you confident in this? I hope they get fortunate but don't see a reason to be optimistic - other than hope against hope.
Well I mean the past track record would indicate that we learn crap from our mistakes but I'm optimistic
The reality is, though Coughlin is in the hot seat, the Giants are only a couple of years removed from a SB title and have a two-time SB winning QB as well as great organizational stability. Coughlin himself has two SBs under his belt and that gives him a bit more leeway than Philbin. And, in that division, 9-7 can get you into the playoffs and a chance at a run. Further, the Giants job is high profile - he won't just sink into oblivion even if the staff is completely revamped next year. There are significant differences between the Giants and Dolphins at this point. And, who knows what kind of offer was made to McAdoo by the Giants relative to Miami? Or - perhaps Miami didn't offer him anything and he decided to take the Giants deal. Clearly the Giants gave him a deal he wanted that was better than Miami. But, the original post is not about McAdoo. It is about the dysfunctionality of Ross and how he approached the off-season without a strong, decisive process ready to go. I get that on one level - it's a tough business and you don't want to make mistakes. At the same time, it's a business that if he's not all in on, he needs to have a president running the company who is and who knows his stuff.
I agree that Ross has not handled things as best as possible. There was too much hesitation in the firing of people.
I'm confused Two years ago Ross tried to put a plan in place before firing anyone by interviewing Harbough and was criticized for it. Now he fires Ireland before he has a replacement in hand and is being criticized for being unprepared? It seems to me that Ross and Peterson put together a pretty impressive list of potential GM candidates fairly quickly and have interviewed the majority of these candidates, all within a weeks time. No sure how much faster you think this process should move.
Because I'm not a negative person. Because hoping we avoid the least worst option seems self defeating. Because sitting their being unhappy that Ross hasn't made a decision to satisfy a message board is the best thing. People will turn these jobs down. The reasons won't be because Miami is cursed with Ross or philbin or Aponte or the ghost of Dan Marino. It'll be because there are other places they'd prefer to work. Ross didn't get rich, unbelievably rich, by making stupid decisions. Have some faith. Have some hope.
This right here exactly! I am a family man myself and have turned down multiple promotions because of the factors that play into how it could effect my family. It took me having kids to really think about that aspect. I can honestly see how some on here without kids cannot understand this. The comfort of knowing you have years is huge. I am shocked that Lazor did not take the lions job if offered. New coach means he probably has multiple years and let's face it. The KNOWN talent level on the lions is greater then in Miami which could lead to a promotion to head coach.
It's so easy to criticize a self made billionaire, remember the long list of coaching and czars that this team has gone through, Parcells did you think he would fix it, there are 5 or 6 teams that are in good shape in the NFL, it is not easy to get the right people!!!!!!
Ross is going to wear a badge a shame for quite a while with the Harbaugh mishandling. Why? 3 seasons...3 NFC championship games. Meanwhile, Peyton Manning has run up 26 regular season wins in 2 seasons. He has more playoff bi's in 2 seasons, than we have wins in the last decade. Mishandling highly coveted football men who have gone on to be elite cogs in the meat grinder of a team that dominates this league, will continue to be the mud on Ross' face. They are in the 15% of special teams that are elite and dominate. Ross had the tip of his finger on them, but couldn't real em in. Because he chased one coach, while employing another. Because Manning had to sit across a dinner table from Jeff Ireland. Because he did not know when to amputate. And so he will wear the badge of incompetent...until he makes us a winner. But it is hard to crack into that top 15%. If he had fired Sparano when he should have, and offer Harbaugh a brinks truck of money and a house on Star Island, we would be perennial play-off contenders. If he had fired Ireland and Sparano, sat down at Joe's and said to Manning..."who do you want to win a Super Bowl with"... Will he do? Then we would probably still be playing football. If that lunk-head Fox can win so much with Manning, imagine what Fisher would do, especially considering the defensive side of the ball too. I'm not sure where the next meal ticket to the elite 15% is, but I hope he can pull it out of his ***. Ross has failed to pull in two instantly gratifying NFL dynamos. Hopefully he can cultivate a winner though. In the meantime, I can see why fans will rag on him. But I like what I see thus far this off-season. And with this GM search, it seems like there are more great prospects than there are job openings. So I can't see this ending too poorly. From there, we hope and see.
Obviously Manning over Tannehill is great for 2-3 seasons but what after that? Not sure we are in the worst position there. There is no guarantee Harbaugh would have come here. Maybe he does...I don't know. Glad Fisher isn't here. Always will be.
I like Fisher, but I just use him as an example of luring Manning here. I don't consider "losing" Fisher a loss, otherwise.
You'd develop somebody else. If Denver wins the Super Bowl this year do you think they'll care if they take a step back 2 years from now when Manning retires? And you still could've drafted Tannehill. We probably wouldn't have but it could have been done.
I doubt Manning plays two more years honestly. But I wouldn't trade a long term plan aimed at multiple super bowls for the potential to win just one. The only way I'd have wanted Manning was if we drafted a QB early as well, but the odds of that were slim.
Does anyone really think that Manning didn't come here because Ross is a boob and Jeff Ireland is an a-hole? Manning took a look at our personnel and coaches, compared them with what Denver had (which included Elway), and we never had a chance. He saw what Denver did with Tebow at the helm, mentally plugged himself in instead of Tebow, and the rest was a no-brainer. The interview was a courtesy. If he had played here with this offensive line and the blocking and blitz pickups of our backs and tight ends, he'd be in a wheelchair. The last thing Manning was is stupid.
I'd gladly pass on the risk of whiffing on a rookie QB, in exchange for 3-5 seasons with Manning. No question.
Our team was comparable to Denver's. Our line WAS much better then, than it is now. Our defense was just as good as Denver's. We HAD Brandon Marshall and a good RB coming off a 1,000 yd season. We could have let him hand pick his coach. And why not? You really think it's Foxy up there doing all that damage? Yes, he saw Ireland...the shining example of our dysfunction. No Ireland bein an ******* wasn't the only reason he passed. But it was a glaring example of why not to come here. Manning lives in SoFla. He idolized Marino, not Elway. There was a path that we could have taken, and landed him. We didn't get it done.
Sure, right after you link evidence that he DIDN'T come here because of them. No BS, PC, mouth-pieces either.
