Breaking: Dolphins hire Dennis Hickey as GM

I would have a lot more respect for Ross if he just came out and said Aponte is the head of the football side and the GM will report to her, which is essentially what is happening. Instead he lied to the media about the reporting structure. Farmer, Caserio and Dawson were not fooled.

Think what you want of Aponte but I would rather have a structure in place that everyone understands than the confusion we currently have. The presence of Carl Peterson only creates more confusion.

"NYFinFan wrote:

I'm just curious why all the negativity? He was in charge of the player scouting for the Bucs. They have had some good drafts and have good talent on the roster. I can see this being a good hire.

Because most wanted Ireland rehired.

We were close

This team is a complete and utter joke...then again, that pretty much goes without saying at this point

"2socks wrote:

Because most wanted Ireland rehired.

We were close

It just baffles me. Almost every single person wants Ireland gone, he's gone and we get a guy that from everything I'm reading was in charge of the drafts for the Bucs. Sure there's been some busts but they've made some really good picks under him.

I mean **** I didn't want Gaine to get the job at all but at this point with everyone turning us down I'd rather he take the job than Hickey...that way you tie his fate to Philbin and Aponte for 2014.

lol Hickey wasn't even the best candidate from his own team...I'd rather hire Mark Dominik than him. This is so embarrassing. Stephen Ross is seriously one of the worst owners in the history of the NFL.

What a bunch of Nancey's..you gotta be thick skinned to be Dolphin fan anymore.

Inspired hiring. I mean the Bucs drafting and their organization as a whole is the envy of the entire league.

"Vendigo wrote:

Fret not! It won't take but 24 hours before someone will make a very compelling (as in: totally out of touch with reality) argument as to why Hickey is actually a fantastic choice, very well regarded in league circles and with an outstanding track record of finding quality players in the draft. By April, he'll look like the second coming of Ozzie Newsome, and saying otherwise will get you flogged.

There's no way to really know how much credit or blame to assign for the Bucs drafts, but I think their drafts and FA moves over the last 8-9 years have been pretty respectable. Probably as good as those Farmer, Dawson, Cesario, etc. were part of.

@AdamHBeasley
Mixed reactions around the league. The good, from one plugged in source: "Hickey is actually really good."

@AdamHBeasley
Now the bad, from a high-ranking personnel official: "Laughing to myself. ... Good luck Joe."

@AdamHBeasley
Another take: "Tampa is psyched. They were going to fire him anyway. Now they don't have to pay him."

"NYFinFan wrote:

It just baffles me. Almost every single person wants Ireland gone, he's gone and we get a guy that from everything I'm reading was in charge of the drafts for the Bucs. Sure there's been some busts but they've made some really good picks under him.

I think the negativity is disappointment and putting into words their frustration. We all want to win so bad. This was an opportunity to bring in someone from a winning culture. To right the ship. The way the whole search was conducted. The results. The media slamming the team and process every chance they got. Candidate after candidate turning the job down. The Aponte back stabbing in Cleveland. The questionable moral issues with Bess. The obvious dysfunction in the front office. Ross failing to recognize what was happening and doing nothing to correct it. They settled. It's depressing.

I think people wanted a big name. Someone proven or up and coming. Instead we got what appears to be more of the same old. A guy who comes from a team that isn't good. Rumors had Tampa letting Hickey go after the draft. Nothing against Hickey, he deserves a fair opportunity, most will support him until he messes up. It is a questionable hire because his own team didn't even interview him.

On a side note not sure where this is headed. Noone really know who does what going forward. This does spread around the responsibilities. Maybe next time we get what most wanted : a clean house. JMO

"daniel3 wrote:

Some of you guys need emotional help.

I couldn't agree more!

"bigbry wrote:

What a bunch of Nancey's..you gotta be thick skinned to be Dolphin fan anymore.

With you posting you are absolutely correct.

For once we agree.

I'll take a "wait-and-see" approach to our new GM. Not thrilled, but Ireland had shown himself to be a slightly below average GM, so at least we now have some hope we MIGHT have a good GM on our hands.

On the other hand, if Khan has gotten hired as GM, I would have gotten a lot of mileage out of yelling "KHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAANNNNNNNNNN!!!!!!!" at every draft and free agent signing I didn't like.

"jim1 wrote:

This pretty much sums it up:

11 a.m. update: The Dolphins have hired Tampa Bay personnel director Dennis Hickey as their new general manager, as Armando Salguero has reported. Tennessee's Lake Dawson turned the job down a day after New England's Nick Caserio did the same.

Tampa Bay did not consider Hickey for their GM opening, even though he had been with the organization for 18 years. Hickey spent the past three years as the team's director of player personnel, after serving six years as their director of college scouting.

Read more here: http://miamiherald.typepad.com/sports-buzz/2014/01/mike-wallace-says-things-must-change-dolphins-heat-hurricanes-marlins-chatter.html#storylink=cpy

If he wasn't even considered for the TB job after spending 18 years with the team we know that Miami signed a second tier candidate, at best. Being on shaky ground probably worked to his advantage- the team had to find someone desperate enough to take it in the rear as per Aponte and the toxic power structure. If it turns out that Hickey reports straight to Aponte, I'll just laugh and be done with it. Stephen Ross should be ashamed at how this all went down, once again Miami is a laughing stock. Pathetic.

It does not matter if he was a 2nd tier, 5th tier, 10th tier, or 100th tier candidate. All that matters is the decisions he makes with regards to personnel accrual going forward. I refuse to whine, snivel and cry about the hiring like so many here seem to enjoy doing, until he at least has a chance to prove himself in the role of Miami GM. Before the process began, he wouldn't have been my first choice, but not my last choice either. So I will take a wait and see approach.

"MrClean wrote:

It does not matter if he was a 2nd tier, 5th tier, 10th tier, or 100th tier candidate. All that matters is the decisions he makes with regards to personnel accrual going forward. I refuse to whine, snivel and cry about the hiring like so many here seem to enjoy doing, until he at least has a chance to prove himself in the role of Miami GM. Before the process began, he wouldn't have been my first choice, but not my last choice either. So I will take a wait and see approach.

What is another sad fact here is the Dolphins simply couldn't get anyone from a winning organization to bite. Dawn Aponte is being blamed in some ways for all of this. I am not opposed to a woman being a leader here. But the way this has been set up is putting her in the villain corner already. This is pure Ross. He should be if he isn't named the reason for this big fail. Now in the defending mode for the Dolphins, one could say to the rest of the league. "Shame on you if Dawn Aponte being your boss is the reason". I think the power structure is the reason and it wouldn't matter if it was a woman or man in the vp seat. I want to believe that. But if Dawn is the reason, shame on you.

"ASOT wrote:

No you can't just gloss it over. We are disappointed and are expressing it. It's clearly obvious that after Dawson turned it down, Ross said "**** it hire Hickey"....only a team apologist can see this for anything else and put a positive spin on it.

Why does it have to be a positive or a negative spin either one? How about no spin at all? Just wait and see what the man does in the job of Miami GM before either praising him or vilifying him?

As bad as the Brown situation was, I don't see the general reactions to their actions I see with Miami. I am not sure if Ireland or Ross, or someone else in this organization pissed a bunch of folks off. It seems that way.
I have been all over the emotional rollercoaster on this, and I wouldn't say I am happy. However, from the valley things rise. One thing is clear. If stupid continues in the player assessment situation, we have enough wolves on here to tear a good bite in Hickey's rear end.
As for Ross, he has without question sent a message of no confidence to the fans and it very well may bite him financially with ticket sales. And he has no one to blame but himself.

"MrClean wrote:

Why does it have to be a positive or a negative spin either one? How about no spin at all? Just wait and see what the man does in the job of Miami GM before either praising him or vilifying him?

Bc the media has taught their sheep that every situation is a story and every story needs a spin.

"MrClean wrote:

It does not matter if he was a 2nd tier, 5th tier, 10th tier, or 100th tier candidate. All that matters is the decisions he makes with regards to personnel accrual going forward. I refuse to whine, snivel and cry about the hiring like so many here seem to enjoy doing, until he at least has a chance to prove himself in the role of Miami GM. Before the process began, he wouldn't have been my first choice, but not my last choice either. So I will take a wait and see approach.

No you will just turn a blind eye to the obvious. This team is managed by inept, inexperienced, power hungry, people who think mediocrity is good enough. What happened to the "Football Czar"?

Being the 2nd choice I would have no issue with. Being the 5th, 6th, 10th or 100th matters for obvious reasons I already stated.

Ross said he wouldn't settle. He settled. How much has to happen to prove to this man that we have issues much much deeper then just filling our GM position.

Most have agreed it starts at the top. This is the best the top has to give. He has done nothing but go thru the motions. We as fans deserve more.

If guys want to ***** and complain because they are pissed off they deserve the opportunity to do so. After this debacle. THEY'VE EARNED IT

"MrClean wrote:

Why does it have to be a positive or a negative spin either one? How about no spin at all? Just wait and see what the man does in the job of Miami GM before either praising him or vilifying him?

My only concern Mr. Clean is the validity of some of the reports on him from Tampa. Just on the surface, he didn't get an interview after 18 years with the organization, but it was obvious the organization was going in a new direction. That ultimately is probably what bit Gaine regardless of his skill. Hickey has some skill or he wouldn't have survived 18 years with one organization. But some of the reports do have disturbing information in them. Since we will probably never know all the facts, I agree that we have to move on and give benefit of doubt. But I am so hoping for some smart decision making. I am tired of stupid.

"Alex13 wrote:

i'm tired with this patience thing like anybody else on here, but what to do

I see two options. Either wait and see what Hickey does for a year or so regarding personnel, or just abandon ship and find another team to follow.

I'm starting to pine for the Rick Spielman era.

"MrClean wrote:

I see two options. Either wait and see what Hickey does for a year or so regarding personnel, or just abandon ship and find another team to follow.

Seattle?