With thoughts of the AFC championship on my mind I can't help but think of our Beloved team The Miami Dolphins.

My Son (9) wanted a gold necklace from Santa for Christmas. The necklace had to have a Miami Dolphins charm (Just like Dad). He told me that several of his friends at school told him that the Dolphins "suck." I explained that they were just jealous that the Dolphins were so good.

Now the conversation has turned to how come they are not playing today in the AFC championship game. He recognized the Patriots and even commented "They win a lot". So he is confused why I don't like the Patriots. "They win a lot but the Dolphins don't. Dad don't you want to win?"

Just a little back ground.

So I am looking at NFL.com and I see a story about their punter, which really isn't a story about their punter it's about what it takes to win - "The Patriot Way". Not really anything most of us don't already know. But it quickly sums up what is special about the way they approach everything they do. Team is put first. In fact Willie Mcginist calls them a machine several times. They refer to Randy Moss and how when he went there he literally disappeared. He was swallowed up in the process because he was very visual on other teams, not on the Patriots - just part of the "TEAM".

But this story:http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap2000000314761/article/patriots-ryan-allen-will-punt-against-broncos , begs some questions.

Could we ever install this attitude here?

Bellicheck comes of as cocky. But he has SWAGGER. Something we definitely don't have according to are head coach. So if Coach has to look it up because he doesn't know what it is, is he the guy to get us some? Maybe, but maybe not. Having SWAGGER is buying into what your doing as an individual and as a team. There is continuity and consistency between the way the coaches coach and the way practice is run, etc. Doesn't the coach have to first believe in it himself?

Please watch the video and comment. It is not my intent to slam Philbin or anyone else. But collectively we can objectionably analyze and see were this team is. I personally believe we are light years off from "buying In". Putting team before the individual. We may just have a cancer that before anything else has to be eradicated before we can lay the foundation of success.

With the New England Patriots in our division and most likely again possibly going to the super-bowl something has to change because being the wild card and having to play them twice a year puts this team at an instant disadvantage, unless of course we kick their *** which I would prefer.

Do these players "buy in"? If the last two games are any indication I would say the answer is no.

 

I was talking about the system installed there. The belief that team comes before the individual. Starting at the top down.

 

The infighting if it happened would not be out there for the whole world to see. That is installed culture.

Shula had the same effect, as Bellicheck. Players knew when they came here what the deal was. When Shula left, the culture of winning went with it. We have not had that culture or expectation of that culture since.

How do we get that back, if every 3 or 4 years we are changing out this piece or that piece. We still have not started fresh and there is no consistency. It's going to be a tough road. A road that will be much longer and much more painful to travel because the approach is wrong.

Citizensnips has a point about Brady. However he doesn't play defense and he doesn't block or catch the passes. The players "buy in" because he is there. Expanding on his point, if it's a "Brady" we need then I guess we need to upgrade Tannehill then, because he is not Tom Brady

 

Definitely. I am sick of waiting too.

I hate the term "Patriot way" but for a lack of a better term, these basic fundamentals take a mediocre team and make it great. Knowing if you don't buy in 100% you'll be gone can make a player achieve results that they normally wouldn't achieve.

Brady is an exceptional QB. I don't hate him, I am envious that he isn't playing here

 

Wow - great article and exactly what Willie Mcginst said "You got to buy in" Talib buys in!!!

3rd AFC Championship game in a row - **** I'd take that in a second

 

exactly

 

I think Tannehill needs to learn.

He was supposed to be a project. We knew that. But I also question the real reason he was selected. IMO Ireland selected Tannehill because he knew we needed to win now or his job was in jeopardy. I question if we were more patient who we would have ended up with instead of some project. I have nothing against Tannehill, I just wonder if we have set ourselves back because we were hasty and expected Ireland to select him. Then we put him with this coaching staff........

 

80% of the league has the VP of Player Personal aligning herself with the owner and forming alliances with the head coach in an effort to undermine the GM? In addition it is widely spread throughout the league by numerous "news" organizations.

The Head Coach is portrayed as weak and having to read off index cards while addressing his players.

Definitley NOT a winning atmosphere. Dysfunctional maybe. But I don't work there so I am only pointing out my impression from what I have heard and see.

 

And how many people have we interviewed from those winning cultures?

 

And what message did it send to the team? The players know, whatever the situation was it did not benefit the team.

Bam!! next year back in the AFC Championship

 

Are we not all missing one huge fact here

Bill Bellicheck is the GM

 

Appreciate the encouragement. I am a realist. I can't help it. We have been down this path over and over again. (15 years and counting) I want to be as optimistic as the next. But it is so obvious that if you want to be successful you do as those that are successful do. I don 't necessarily believe we have to do as "Bill Bellicheck" but he is obviously onto something. I don't see that here - anywhere. I see dysfunction and it has "Become" our culture. It is so deeply rooted now that fans are choosing to ignore it and are defending it.

We may be to far gone to fix it. Kind of the new Tampa Bay Buccaneers or Detroit Lions of the NFL.

Just take the Bill Lazer hire. The guys teams are 112 - 145. Maybe instead of trying to find guys that will "get along" with the current power structure we should be hiring guys who will lead this team. Just for the record Get along is code word for fall in line and take marching orders.

 

Are you being serious. Your pointing out that Bellicheck record isn't perfect?

I'll take it any day

Its good enough to:

Division Titles 11

Conference Titles 5

Super-bowls 3

and Today he is working on conference title 6 and super-bowl 4

we dont even talk about the super-bowls they got to but lost

 

Yep my 8 yr old too.

What are u trying to say

He's kind of like you.......in denial