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As one of the staunchest Ireland detractors......

Discussion in 'Miami Dolphins Forum' started by PSG, Apr 13, 2013.

  1. PSG

    PSG Clear Eyes. Full Hearts.

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    ......I have to admit he is doing one hell of a job so far this offseason. He may be growing on me.
    He has addressed almost every area that I think was needed. We still need a pass rusher, more secondary help and possibly a LT.
    And I just finished watching the draft presser, and he even seems to be learning how to not be so abrasive in public.
    I am very stubborn and set in my ways (which is probably why I'm having a hard time engaging the new logo, which if it wasn't for the pose, I'd like a lot) but I'm also willing to admit if I'm wrong and willing to change my opinion if the facts warrant it.
     
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  2. shouright

    shouright Banned

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    Must be the influence of Joe Philbin. ;)
     
  3. Larryfinfan

    Larryfinfan 17-0...Priceless Club Member

    Glad to have you on board, PSG....lol

    Seriously, I.ve been a supporter of his but mainly because Ross already made that decision for us... What I like is that he apparently has been able to change his credo's and mantra's to actually acquire guys that fit our staffs needs...Could be fun to watch for the rest of the offseason...
     
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  4. PSG

    PSG Clear Eyes. Full Hearts.

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    This might be what it is.
    He seems to either not be so rigid in his beliefs as I thought, or has found a way to adapt to what is going on around him. He and Philbin seem to have a good working relationship.
     
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  5. Not So Fast

    Not So Fast Well-Known Member

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    Perhaps not being under the thumb Bill Parcells helped more than most anything else.
     
  6. WhiteIbanez

    WhiteIbanez Megamediocremaniacal

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    Things are going to get turned around and I expect most of the Ireland witch hunt mob to try to cover their *** with some sort of flip flopping.
    Here we go!
     
  7. ASOT

    ASOT New Member

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    I'm not ready to totally embrace the guy just yet, but hes started to turn my opinion. I still think he's too Parcellian in his outlook but it does seem that self-preservation has taken hold somewhat, and he has tried to placate Philbin & Ross.

    He still has huge holes to fill, especially on the OL & DB, so lets see how he does in the draft, and then round 2 of FA.
     
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  8. PSG

    PSG Clear Eyes. Full Hearts.

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    Right. Because you've never changed your mind about anything in your life. Ever. Good for you.
    And nothing has been turned around yet, so I not sure how I'm covering my *** by flip flopping now. Maybe if I did this in January after we finished 13-3 and just won the AFCE, that's what you could call it. But it's April and we haven't even had a draft yet.
    But whatever, this thread wasn't to make you happy anyway.:up:
     
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  9. PSG

    PSG Clear Eyes. Full Hearts.

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    I'm not ready to anoint him the greatest GM either. Just pointing out that I really like what he is doing so far. If I can bash him when he does things I think suck, I should be able to applaud him when he does things I like.
     
  10. CrunchTime

    CrunchTime Administrator Retired Administrator

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    There are mixed messages coming from the FO.They say you build through the draft yet we find ourselves signing a lot of free agents in order to make up for draft misses.Historically that has not been a formula for success.

    Lets hope for a different outcome this time around.
     
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  11. MonstBlitz

    MonstBlitz Nobody's Fart Catcher

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    I've set my pitchfork down, but until I see results on the field I'm keeping it where I can get to it... But agree with PSG. It's been a good free agency on paper. It will be fun to see how it all comes together. It's going to depend more on Tannehill than anything else that's happened this offseason.
     
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  12. djphinfan

    djphinfan Season Ticket Holder Club Member

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    I know Nez a little, I don't believe he directed that post to you..

    I think his free agency period was a success, he's got 5 new starters that have a hi level of talent and youth..I'm not sold on his college evaluating skills as of yet, but this year will go along way..I really want him to execute a strategy that nets us two first round picks, and I really believe that one of those players should be Eifert or Austin, but he probably is trusting his eval from last year on Egnew and this year on Gibson..if he passes in Eifert and Austin, Egnew and Gibson would need to have good years this year to justify not drafting the two elite prospects.
     
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  13. Boik14

    Boik14 Season Ticket Holder Club Member

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    Any reason you need to be so abrasive? He's admitting a change of heart and you feel the need to rub his face in it?
     
  14. djphinfan

    djphinfan Season Ticket Holder Club Member

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    We had money to spend, and we went with youth Crunch, I don't think the " we sold out to buy a championship" theory applies in this situation, you?
     
  15. the 23rd

    the 23rd a.k.a. Rio

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    always thought he was one of the better GM's in the business. remember he has to work with the head coach on building the team according to his playing philosophy. Philbin & Ireland seem to be on the same page.
     
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  16. PhinsRDbest

    PhinsRDbest Transform and Transcend

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    the next dimension
    Ireland has become one of my most favorites, not as a gm but as a fictional comedic caricature. When he ever leaves I will miss all his hijinks.
     
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  17. ATLFINFAN

    ATLFINFAN Season Ticket Holder Club Member

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    AND........this was a way to TRY to cut the transition time of the change of philosophy on the field. I believe Ross was impatient, so they made some FA moves.
     
  18. WhiteIbanez

    WhiteIbanez Megamediocremaniacal

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    No reason to be mad at me. I appreciate you having the balls to stand up regardless of the reasoning but now you are jumping back on the fence.
    Is it safe up there. Hey it is your thread and you are certainly entitled to have whatever opinion you want.
    From me when you sit and listen to the same daily endless *****ing about Ireland ad-nauseam it gets way old. There comes a time when it is pointless.
    Now people are saying he isn't so bad. That is hypocrisy IMO.
    Ireland had to deal with a meathead for a coach and a nazi for a boss remember. Now Philbin is here and things are going to turn around.
    I think the Ireland haters want to cover all bases in this situation. You didn't set me off with my idea of feeling this way. It is everywhere these days.
    Back pedaling seems to be the flavor of the week with Dolphin fans. I never strayed from hope in Ireland. I stayed true.
    That is why I have my self respect intact.
     
  19. WhiteIbanez

    WhiteIbanez Megamediocremaniacal

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    This ^^^!
     
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  20. shouright

    shouright Banned

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    ...as was the case prior to the offseason.
     
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  21. azfinfanmang

    azfinfanmang Premium Member Luxury Box

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    Meh,

    Ireland has been unreasonably hunted by some that expected him to turn things around immediately. It takes the very best GM's several years to turn things around, and it's not like he had years and years of doing this. I believe unfair expectations sums it up.

    The guy has quietly done some very good things, and he seems to be hitting more and more in the draft. Lets not forget, two of our prime players, as well as the Cowboys starting QB are Rough UDFA Gems that can be directly attributed to Ireland. As mentioned, the guy is also good at adapting. He realizes more than anybody exactly what his shortcomings have been, and instead of being stubborn and trying to prove a point, he has adapted and moved on.

    I personally hope he is the Phins GM for at least another decade. I think it will mean Championships for Aqua and Orange. I honestly do.

    FWIW, the crackwagon fans here in Dallas certainly wish that Ireland had been retained and was currently the GM for them. Things could be much much worse.....
     
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  22. ASOT

    ASOT New Member

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    I agree with that, like I said (in other words) I like what he's done so far, but he needs to continue down this path and not stop and go back into his Parcellian Shell, and block out the reality of the New NFL (i.e. high powered passing game).
     
  23. FinsUp

    FinsUp New Member

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    Exactly. People expected things to turn around over night. I admit, I was unsure of him for a while. Especially under Parcells, but turns out he was just operating in his shadow. But people have a short memory. The reason why we've been fairly unsuccessful as a team in recent years was due to poor drafting BEFORE THE TRIFECTA! The way some people act, it's as if before Ireland, things were great and he came in and messed things up. No! Things were bad before he came in. I can't remember the specific years exactly, but as a team we basically had no players on the roster from prior drafts when it's those guys that should have been the core of the team. That kinda hole takes years to repair. I think overall he's done pretty well. And as a team, we've been going in the right direction (finally) in the last couple of years.
     
  24. jw3102

    jw3102 season ticket holder

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    All I can judge Ireland on is what I have seen during his five years as the Dolphins GM. Some people don't want him to take any of the blame for the lack of success in the draft or free agency during the Parcell years. They feel he should only be judged on what he has done since Parcells left the organization.

    My view is that Ireland was hired by Parcells because he was suppose to be an excellent talent evaluator. If this was the case, I have to believe he had a lot of input into the players drafted and signed in free agency while Parcells was with the organization.

    I don't consider my negative comments regarding the job Ireland has done over the past five years, part of a "witch hunt mentality". I see them as merely a reaction to the fact the Dolphins have been a consistent losing franchise for each of the past four years, with the players he has helped select to play for this team.

    Ross has decided to give him another chance and therefore he remains the teams GM. As a Dolphin fan, I would much rather be wrong about Ireland and see the Dolphins once again become a winning team on the field. I root for the Dolphins, not against Ireland. If the team makes the playoffs this season, Ireland should deserve much of the credit for selecting the right talent for the job. If they don't make the playoffs, Ireland should be fired after six years as the Dolphins GM. This isn't flip flopping, it is just the way it is.
     
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  25. Disgustipate

    Disgustipate Season Ticket Holder Club Member

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    Are you doing it for the right reasons, or because he spent a load of money and has a bunch of draft picks and that's exciting?
     
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  26. Rouk

    Rouk Well-Known Member

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    meh hes done nothing new he did the same **** with marshall and dansby it all comes down to drafting the only real gem of a pick hes made was reshard jones. If we make the playoffs 2 straight years I'll give him credit till then hes done nothing new in my eyes.
     
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  27. Bpk

    Bpk Premium Member Luxury Box

    Know what? PSG is being the bigger, better man by admitting a mistake... And you **** on him for it?

    Really?
     
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  28. CrunchTime

    CrunchTime Administrator Retired Administrator

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    No.It cant be compared to the Shula desperate effort to sign expensive washed out FAs .These are FAs who are expensive but have a lot of game left in them.The point if we had more draft picks that had made it it would not have been necessary to fill out so many positions of need in that expensive way.There is still time to revert that situation with another good draft or two.
     
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  29. Bpk

    Bpk Premium Member Luxury Box

    Dude, I knew when I saw the coach from FRiday Night Lights in your avatar that you were good people.

    You've gained even more of my respect today.

    And I happen to agree with you on how you felt about Jeff, and your cautious appreciation of his changing ways.
     
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  30. I do not see the huge change that some do. Its really a matter of if the moves he is making now work out better then the ones he has made in the past. I unlike many others do not hinge my opinion of him on if they make it to the playoffs or not. It would be nice but what I am looking for is substantial progress and improvement by not only bringing in new players but from also seeing current players improve.
     
  31. Sumlit

    Sumlit Well-Known Member

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    Well IMO, one "good" offseason does not buy him amnesty, specially when everything "good" about is still on paper. I'd like to see more, specifically a winning season, for me to turn.

    As it is, I remain with my evaluation of Ireland as merely an average GM.
     
  32. jw3102

    jw3102 season ticket holder

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    While I understand your logic of just wanting to see improvement from the players on the team. The fact is that Ireland is now entering his sixth year as the Dolphins GM. They have been a losing organization for each of the past four years and if they were to once again have a losing season or failed to make the playoffs in 2013, I would see no justification for him remaining the teams GM for a seventh season.

    If the Dolphins make the playoffs, Ireland would certainly deserve to be retained as the teams GM. If they don't make the playoffs, they will have the only GM in the league who has failed to have a playoff team for five straight years. I believe Ross was willing to spend the money in free agency because he expects more than improved players. I think he expects a playoff team in 2013 or else Ireland will be looking for a new job when the season ends.

    Personally, I hope Ireland is still with the organization in 2014. This will mean the Dolphins made the playoffs in 2013 and are finally headed in the right direction.
     
  33. PSG

    PSG Clear Eyes. Full Hearts.

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    I never said I left the fence. I just swung my legs around and pointed them in the other direction.
    And I guarantee you won't be able find too many posts (if any) of me bashing Ireland since the season ended. I made a point of saying I wasn't going to ***** about him until I saw what the offseason looked like. Now we are part way through it and I'm just posting my opinion. If you want to call it flip flopping, I guess that is your prerogative.
    I don't feel that is what I'm doing. I simply saying I like what he did in FA.
    Now if he sh*ts the bed in the draft, I'll let my feeling known then too.
     
  34. PSG

    PSG Clear Eyes. Full Hearts.

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    Maybe. But I think I'm mostly doing it because he addressed needs in FA. Yeah, he spent money, which caused a splash, but I'm more excited about the players he brought who I think will help lead to wins.
     
  35. PSG

    PSG Clear Eyes. Full Hearts.

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    That bolded part is important. What I'm doing is not flip flopping, or saying everything I ever said or thought about Ireland was wrong. All I'm saying is he changing my view of him by the moves he is making (and by what I saw in the presser). Hopefully it continues in the draft.
     
  36. Conuficus

    Conuficus Premium Member Luxury Box

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    Well away from here
    So saying Ireland is 'growing on me' is a polarizing statement?

    **** me sideways thats twisted.
     
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  37. DPlus47

    DPlus47 Season Ticket Holder Club Member

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    No man is an island. If a man believes he is doing it all himself, he is destined to burn out and quit in order to relax on his boat (JJ), to play golf (BP), or to become the Alabama coach.
     
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  38. padre31

    padre31 Premium Member Luxury Box

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    Find Elite talent and then my opinion grows of Mr Ireland
     
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  39. Larry Little

    Larry Little Season Ticket Holder Club Member

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    A lot of people seem to think Ireland has done so amazingly well this off-season, but I don't agree. I think he's done what he's always done... some decisions good, some decisions questionable. In the end, his decisions have ultimately turned out, at best, average. Ellerbe was an absolute coup. Wheeler was a good signing, and an upgrade. Wallace over Jennings is questionable, but Wallace could turn out to be something special, even though he's never actually done it, and he was 'stupid' expensive. Letting Jake Long get away, and putting the team in the position of possibly having to trade UP in the first round to get a viable replacement was DOWNRIGHT inexcusable. Signing Brandon Gibson, with 4 picks in the 2nd and 3rd and a TON of WR talent there (probably better than Gibson, I might add) was HIGHLY, HIGHLY questionable, IMO.

    I'm tired of reading the same crap about how people 'demonize' Ireland. The criticism some have about him is absolutely warranted. Blindly and continually kissing his a** every time he overspends for yet another player, however, is NOT warranted. After all, his 'big moves' so far have not worked out very well, have they? Could they this time? Sure. They could. They could also fail. Just like Brandon Marshall. Just like a LOT of Ireland's free agent mistakes, and there have been quite a few of them.

    I mean, the best thing the guy has done so far is draft Ryan Tannehill. For God's sake, Tannehill's former college head coach is now the Dolphins offensive coordinator. Mike Sherman was right there, like an angel on Ireland's shoulder, telling him to draft him. It turned out that Tannehill was available when the Phins picked at #8. Lucky them. That wasn't exactly a stroke of genius on Ireland's part. He sat there and picked him. Woo-hoo.

    The guy leaves a lot to be desired. The cards have been heavily stacked in his favor this entire off-season. So, now he better deliver. He better hit it out of the park. Not just do average, as he's always done, but... hit it OUT OF THE F***ING PARK.

    So far, I don't think he has.
     
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  40. Pauly

    Pauly Season Ticket Holder

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    The proof of this off-season will be at the end of the season not now.

    I cut Ireland a little slack for drafting players for Sparano/Parcells. His job is to provide the type of players required for their schemes, so if you have a dinosaur and a fist pumper ordering the groceries then your shopping list may be the problem not the groceries you buy. Also when you have to re-organise the stock because you get a new person with a different menu then sometimes you will need to sell something below its former value because it is inconsistent with the new menu.

    Having said that there have been too many straight out whiffs in the 2nd and 3rd rounds for my liking. There have been too many free agents who did not treat Miami seriously.

    I flat out dislike his negotiation style, which reminds me of the style of a carny (i.e. he thinks he is smarter than the other person and it doesn't matter if he treats other people as a rube because he'll have moved on by the time they figure it out).

    You can call me impressed when we have a dynasty which makes the playoffs year after year after year. Until then he's just a guy.
     
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