1-7 at home tells a different story.

Ross will end up losing money next season for sure, even more when it happens again.

I've backed Sparano but in all honesty I hate his philosophy and conservative style, which might have cost us the game Sunday. At the least, if he does stay Henning needs to go.

 

not good enough. not smart enough. fire Sparano.
neither Sparano nor Henning will take us to a SuperBowl.
let them leave with their QB, the sooner the better

 

I think the only way he stays is because of the iffy CBA crap, if you hire a new coach, he may not have time to implement his control and changes.

 

not enough of a reason to reward incompetence & mediocrity. clean house & make the appropriate adjustments

 

I think it is a possibility.

 

no your not. Everyone saying hes 1-7 at home this year has to acknowledge that he very well could be 7-1 on the road this year too. both are ridiculous feats, just on opposite ends of their spectrum's.

Henning is our problem.

 

While I partially agree with you, as numerous other folks on this board have stated along with numerous folks in the media, this will be about money. Fans have had a miserable season at Sun Life stadium and season ticket sales will take a huge hit if Sparano keeps his job. Ross might not know all that much about football but when the bean counters explained this to him I'm sure it's pretty clear what he'll need to do and that's hire a big name coach.

 

Season tickets aren't going to take a huge hit. People say that every year we dont' make the playoffs.

 

He'll be here...

 

:evil:

I see they have gotten to you as well.

Bring him back to finish his final contract yr, we really have very little to lose in so doing, we also know what Henne can do well so it is up to Sparano to put Henne into that situation.

 

With a 1-7 home record and losses during crunch time to the Bills, Lions and Browns this season is another step down from 2009. Henne doesn't look like a starting QB, and that's the big difference. They added Dansby, Marshall, Nolan and the defense is ranked 3rd. The talent overall are much better this year than last year, besides QB and Sparano's specialty of the O-Line, which is why they are standing still.

The fact that the Dolphins O-Line was gutted after last season even though it was good because of $ and "Injury" is a problem, especially since the O-Line this year has worse talent and still has gotten injured.

But, unless it's Cowher it shouldn't be anyone else. Let them try and find a QB through FA or Trade, get a new OC and see what happens in 2011. because if Sparano is back but they miss the playoffs again next year, then he and probably Ireland are definitely gone.

The fact that the first 3 seasons have been worse than the first 3 seasons of Wannstedt doesn't help much. Even 2008 was technically worse than 2000, since they won a playoff game. 2000: 11-5, 1 playoff win. 2001:11-5, playoff loss. 2002: 9-7, late season collapse. 2003:10-6. 2008:11-5, playoff loss. 2009:7-9, late season collapse. 2010: 7-9, or a very cheap 8-8, late season collapse against bad teams. QB has been a glaring issue through this whole time.

Jake Long is great, but picking him over a Franchise QB named Matt Ryan might have doomed this Parcells/Sparano era unless they can get someone like Carson Palmer and hope he has a Brees impact on a new team.

 

I guess it depends on what your definition of huge is, but let's say you're right. Another reason I'm not sure if Sparano survives, along with Ireland is the fact that if they have doubts about either of these guys do they want to put them in charge of chosing this team's next QB?

 

and if the big name coach is a guy like Cowher, i'm ok with letting go of Sparano. But outside of cowher, im not seeing any other significant upgrades, just lateral moves. Especially since any move we make could end up costing us Nolan. Nolan right now seems to be tied to Sparano, and might not be willing to be a DC for just anyone. I doubt he wants to relive what happened in Denver ever again.

 

I don't think he's here next year. If he does stay I hope they extend him to avoid the lame duck.

 

I disagree with you. A lot of people are really fed up. This year its not just going to be talk. I think they are serious, and not renewing even WITH a new coach. I think we lose 4,000 to 6,000 season tickets no matter what happens, many more if Sparano stays. The team will have to prove to the fans they want them back, and give them something to make them want to come back. With Sparano you get boring offense and those fans are tired of it.

 

Yeah they missed badly on Henne, they missed on Matt Ryan. Their track record doesn't say very much for their being able to spot and develop the next great QB here in Miami.

 

What does Henne do well Pad?

Play in the hurry up for one half in a meaningless game against one of the worst teams in the NFL whos secondary featured such luminaries as Amari Spievey and Tye Hill?

I take nothing from the fact that he had success against Detroit for a half. And the fact it was only a half says more about the situation than anything

 

Sparano needs to go
he needs to take Henne & Henning with him
or there will be more of the same in 2011:
mediocrity, incompetence, disappointment

 

I think fans are fed up every year that the Dolphins do not make the playoffs.

 

I bet youve been told once or twice that "patience is a virtue"...

 

I think Tony stays.....if he makes some changes to how he coaches. I dont think Ross is going to want to stay with the "Coaching not to lose" philosophy. Ross realizes fans will fill the seats, even if we dont win a championship, as long as the team is exciting to watch. 1-7 and Boring...now that aint gonna cut it. He knows football is a business. He is going to want a team style that matches the flair he is trying to create.

Henne will be back with competition. If he wins the starting job, he wins it. If not...someone else will start. Maybe Carson Palmer like others have noted.

That said....if we can land Jim Harbaugh.....sorry Coach Sparano....nice guy and all...but thats the head coach I want.

Before Nick Saban left.....I really liked him....and if he was still here...I think we would be in fine shape.

 

If he is kept, which I'm against doing so right now as I don't see what he brings to the table that can get us over the 8-8 hump, make him earn every penny of a new contract. If he's kept, you've got to force him to make the playoffs to stay. Not really possible to show much improvement from what we've seen in '09 and '10 and still not make it.

 

5 reasons to fire a head coach

I was listening to ESPN radio the other day and they were talking about whether Coughlin was safe in NY. The host (I forget who it was) said there were 5 legitimate reasons to fire a head coach:

1. Poor winning percentage
2. Team plays with no discipline and/or heart
3. Major conflict or incident between HC and ownership
4. Lost the locker room
5. Better choice available

So lets apply this criteria to Sprano

1. After this year Tony will have a winning percentage but just barely. Considering that he inherited a 1-15 team, that isn't that bad.
2. We are one of the least penalized teams in the league and I don't think anyone can accuse the team of playing without heart.
3. There have been no reported scandals or incidents that would warrant a dismisal.
4. I haven't heard of any players not respecting the coaching staff
5. Crowher and Gruden are two names that will sell tickets

So IMO unless Crowher or Gruden are interested in the job, Ross sticks with Tony, Henning retires and a new OC is brought in and Ireland goes hard on the offense side of the ball in both the draft and FA.

 

That's pretty much more or less what I was thinking.

We've got a great DC, and for all of Sparano's shortcomings he's a great motivator. If he can put his trust in a strong OC to really run the offense, shore up the trouble spots on the O line, and figure out what to do about the RB situation, we're back in business.

But if you get rid of Sparano you're likely cleaning house. Bringing in another DC to set up a new defensive scheme (If it ain't broke don't fix it). And likely having to retool the offense and/or defense to fit that scheme.

I just don't buy that Tony Sparano is the root cause of all the problems we've had. We've addressed our issues, albeit slow and only when they become glaring, but we've been addressing them each year.

 

I think Tony will stay if:
1)Promises Ross Henning will retire.
2)Promises Ross he'll do what it takes to find the best QB on the trade/FA market and if not then somehow in the 1st round of the draft, if you have to trade up.
3)Cowher doesn't come back or goes someplace else.

 

There are other reasons to fire a head coach. Sometimes the emssage just gets stale.

Dungy was great in Tampa yet they needed a different kind of coach to get them over the hump. The change worked.

Same thing when dungy went to Indy. Mora wasn't a terrible coach, but they needed a different voice. Voila, dungy was the perfect fit.

 

You guys are all thinking as fans and not as a business owner. The bottom line is Sparano was Ross' "store manager" and the store has declining profits, less people in seats, and a losing record last fiscal year. As a businessman, you evaluate the "moving on" option very strongly here.

There is nothing about what is happening that tells me Ross keeps Sparano.

* Ross is a businessman (bottom line = $$)
* Ross said he feels just like the fans do right now (key: emotional, want change)
* Ross didn't put Sparano in place and has zero allegiance
* Ross was very non-committal about keeping Sparano/Ireland

There is no reason for Ross to keep Sparano. Personally, I like the guy, and I'm sure Ross does too - Sparano is a likeable guy. That doesn't translate into being a good head coach, however. I think Sparano is a good position coach but I think he's overwhelmed by the HC role; he routinely struggles with time managment, and has not improved that in 3 years. He really lost my vote of confidence when he was supporting Henning publicly. He is either loyal to a fault, or he doesn't understand what is going on with the offense. Lastly the main job of the coach is to have the team ready to play on Sundays. Too often they have not looked ready this year, and that alone could be reason enough....

If you keep the current regime in place, you also have to deal with pride issues. Are we sure that Ireland and Sparano will acknowledge being wrong about guys? Do we know that they are going to go after new/different QB's? They picked the current one, and "moving on" would be admitting a mistake..... and we all know how often GM's and coaches do that.... So yeah, pride is a huge issue that could stunt us going forward. I'd be concerned that their QB experiments and personal pet projects around the team would be perpetuated if we kept them employed here.... and how many more Dallas practice-squadders are we going to poach?

Sometimes you need to blow up the front office to change the ethos around the team, and I think we need that.

 

The players like him but more importantly respect him. Make the changes needed to the offense and improve the ST. He was "forced" to can the ST coach early on and while they were no great shakes they were average which is far & above were they were. Do the same to the O side. Henning has to go, bring in Orton, keep Henne as a back up, get a burner RB in the draft, keep Ricky, sign VJ away from the Chargers, address the O line through the draft.

 

This decision by Ross will go a long way in determining how committed he is to winning.
He is not the owner who hired Parcells, Sparano, and Ireland. He now has the opportunity to show fans and especially season ticket holders that he is committed to bringing a winner to Miami. He can only do this by ending the Parcells era and getting rid of Sparano and Ireland. He needs to go after one of the top coaches now sitting and waiting for the right opportunity. If Ross decides to stick with Sparano. Instead of going after Cowher, Gruden , or even Jim Harbaugh. As a long time season ticket holder. I will
understand that Ross is far more concerned with the fame of being an NFL owner than he is with providing a winning football team for the fans. As I have said before on this forum. I like Sparano and think he is a nice guy. I just don't think he is the right guy for this job.

 

Yep. And they are forgetting that it doesn't matter at all what WE think should happen. What matters is what Ross thinks should happen.

 

This is a very naive statement on your part. I have been a season ticket holder for close to forty years. I can assure you that I have known many season ticket holders over all those years who have quit renewing their season tickets because of the play of the Dolphins. I know myself that I had already decided not to renew my season tickets during the last year of the Wannstedt era. Many fans around me had also stated that they would not renew their tickets if Wannstedt was the coach the following year. Of course Wannstedt quit and we all renewed our season tickets the following year because we all thought Saban would turn the team around. When Saban left. We didn't blame anyone but him. So we were willing to give Cam Cameron a chance. After going 1-15. I again had no interest in purchasing season tickets the following year. But the owner brought in Parcells to run the team and I bought into the Parcells aura just like most Dolphin fans did. So for the last three years. I continued to purchase season tickets in hopes that the Dolphins would once again become a winning organization. Yesterday for only the third time in the last 40 years. I did not attend the game at the stadium. The first game I missed 33 years years ago was because my wife was giving birth to our daughter. The second game I missed was because I was in the hospital recovering from surgery. Yesterday I didn't go to the game because I was just sick and tired of watching how badly the Dolphins play at home. So your assumption that season ticket holders will just continue to spend their hard earned money to support this team is dead wrong. I know that I have no intention of renewing my 4 season tickets next year unless the owner makes changes in the coaching staff and possibly at the GM position. I no longer am willing to support with my money,"the Parcells failure". The majority of the fans sit at home and watch the games while , we the season tickets holder, spend our money so they don't have to. Well I can assure you that not only me, but many of the season ticket holders sitting around me will not purchase season tickets next year without the owner making the changes necessary to show us he wants to put a winning product on the field. If you don't happen to attend the games. I just want you to know that no more than 30,000-35,000 fans have even taken the time to actually show up for the last three games. The paper may be reporting a crowd of 60,000 plus. But that is the tickets sold. Not the number of fans who actually showed up for the game in person. If you think that the season ticket holders will continue to pay for season tickets to support this team the way it is coached and plays now. You are sadly mistaken. If Ross sticks with the status quo. I expect far less season ticket holders next year and a lot of the Dolphin games to be blacked out. I'll just go out and play more golf and get the score of the game when it is over. I want to attend the games and support the Dolphins. But if the organization wants my money and support. It needs to show me it wants to get to the same level as the Patriots and the other quality teams in the NFL. Keeping this coaching staff and many of the players now on the team will not show me that this organization deserves to continue to receive my financial support in terms of buying season tickets. Those who sit at home and don't purchase season tickets may be happy with the direction of the Dolphins right now. But I'm not and many of the other season ticket holders agree with me.

 

And I know dozens of fans in south Florida who will continue getting season tickets so long as there is a team. Just because they enjoy watching the sport.

There are plenty of fans who will make their decisions based on winning a losing, and you can always find more of those fans because it doesn't take much more than hope to get them out.

 

+1

People haven't been showing up since the place was built anyway! They're sure not going to renew if Ross increases prices to cover the cost of a Cowher and Co.

 

I will certainly agree that there are some fans who will continue to go no matter how bad the team plays. My point was that there are still a great many fans who are only willing to keep paying the price for season tickets if the owner shows he is serious about winning. When I started buying two season tickets in 1970. It cost me a little less than $100 a year total, for both tickets. I parked for free on a friends lawn right outside the Orange Bowl Stadium. This year I purchased 4 season tickets and two parking passes. A lot of people who have never purchased season tickets don't realize that season ticket holders also have to purchase tickets for all the home pre-season games
at full regular season prices. Parking for these games also cost regular season prices. Even though I have not attended a pre-season game in over 15 years. I have spent thousands of dollars on these useless games just so I could have the opportunity to maintain the excellent seats I have held since Joe Robbie stadium was built. With the price of four season tickets,two parking passes, and travel back and forth to the game from my home in the south end of Miami-Dade county. Along with food purchased for the tail gate party each week. I figure I spend well over four thousand a dollars a year just to attend Dolphin home games. My wife and I also have attended at least one Dolphin away game for the last 22 years straight and 36 of the 38 years we have been married. I have been a fan of the Dolphins since their inception in 1966. I want to continue to attend the games and root for the Dolphins. But I also fully understand that I have no interest in being taken advantage of by an ownership which is not interested in building
a team that can compete against the top teams in the NFL. That is why I am waiting to see what actions Ross takes after this season before I commit to again paying over $4000 to attend games next season. Fortunately for me. It isn't about the cost which concerns me. It is about the owner and his willingness to put the best product possible on the field. If hiring a coach like Cowher means a rise in the price I have to pay for season tickets. No problem. I'll gladly pay the additional money. But if the owner decides to remain with the status quo and not make the changes I feel are necessary to upgrade this team. I am sure my wife and I can find other things to do with the $4000 we will have extra next year. If other season ticket holder's want to continue to go to home games. Even if the owner doesn't show he wants to make the changes necessary
to build a winner here. That is their decision. I would respect this decision because it is their time and money and they can do as they please. I just view thing differently.

 

I personally think Sparano needs the boot. He let his team get to dysfunctional and has done nothing to fix it. Maybe in a different year I could see him getting another year to prove himself, but with the high caliber coaches to be had this year I see no way he doesn't get axed.

With Cowher, Gruden, and the other possible coaches that might pop up at the end of the year it's just hard to believe he is gonna be kept on

 

What happened to your silly names for our O-line that sucks big time?

Just kidding with you.