1. This site uses cookies. By continuing to use this site, you are agreeing to our use of cookies. Learn More.

ESPN Article on Sparano...

Discussion in 'Miami Dolphins Forum' started by finfansince72, Sep 27, 2011.

  1. finfansince72

    finfansince72 Season Ticket Holder Club Member

    13,843
    10,283
    113
    Dec 18, 2007
    Columbia, South Carolina
    http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/7023314/tony-sparano-tough-spot-miami-dolphins-0-3

    Not good, some interesting quotes from Sparano and the players. I think the writing is on the wall, his time is drawing to a close. I don't really know how a coach recovers from his owner openly trying to replace him in the off season, I think Ross should have done the right thing and fired the coach before going after a new coach, I've always though that. This article strikes me as the same kind of write up I've read about bad teams getting ready to have a terrible year and clean house. You can't get worse than 0-3 and its undeniable that we are amongst the worst teams in the NFL right now.

    "Or words to that effect. However, linebacker Kevin Burnett said things could go downhill fast.

    "At this point it's going to be, which road are we going to take?" Burnett said Monday. "Are we going to take the road of pointing fingers and saying, 'You, you, you,' or, 'It's the coach'? Or are we going to take the road of saying, 'OK, we're going to stick together, get fixed the things we need to get fixed, and find some way to pull out a win."

    This kind of talk coming from the players isn't good, I think they feel like the other teams are better prepared.

    ""That's where I expect some of the closers, some of the big-play players, to make those kind of plays," Sparano said. "I've got to find out who the closers are. I know who some of them should be."

    I kind of agree with this from Sparano, our defense needs closers we have a ton of talent but we break at the worst times. You could blame this on scheme or coaching but it comes down to players making big plays at big times. You really can't coach that. Our defense right now is awful and I thought we would be a top 10 defense this year. Is Nolan responsible? Can't really answer that, I think we are reasonably healthy on defense so either the talent is over rated or we are just under performing, that again points to coaching.

    I dont know what to say, I know all of us are about at our wits end with this team right now. We need a win or the talk will just get worse. I can't see Sparano starting 0-5, which is VERY possible, and keeping his job.
     
    Aquafin and JMHPhin like this.
  2. eye tolled u sew

    eye tolled u sew Banned

    29
    2
    0
    Sep 26, 2011
    It's all a moot point, Sparano is done. He was done the day he lost to Houston. The writing was on the wall then, it was only the most blind of homers that can't see it. It's only a matter of time - how long is Ross' patience.
     
    Aquafin and gunn34 like this.
  3. brandon27

    brandon27 Season Ticket Holder Club Member

    45,652
    19,304
    113
    Dec 3, 2007
    Windsor, ON. CANADA
    He wasn't done the day we lost to Houston, he was done the day Ross first went to meet with Harbaugh. That's where this mess all started. Had he given Sparano the extension, with no words of meeting Harbaugh, then maybe its a different story, maybe then he has some support from fans and players. He's been a dead man walking all offseason, and into this season.

    Its too bad really,Sparano seems like a good guy and all, seems like the players like him... just not as a head coach. It's over for him. It's just a matter of when.
     
    Aquafin and BlameItOnTheHenne like this.
  4. fin13

    fin13 Season Ticket Holder Club Member

    1,695
    1,237
    113
    May 29, 2009
    Waterloo
    He can thank Parcells for giving him a job he's not qualified to do.
    He's got a nice severance package and we have another bad season.
     
    dolfan32323 and Lab3003 like this.
  5. JMHPhin

    JMHPhin Season Ticket Holder Club Member

    7,684
    3,323
    113
    Nov 27, 2007
    Ohio
    It is a bad situation. There are a myriad of problems. Defense has gotten better but still fell apart in the clutch. Offense moves teh ball well but cant score points. Who is to blame? Is it coaching? Is it schematic problems? Is it a single player, a group of players, or units as a whole, or combos of each? The problem is if it is a combo of things it is much harder to fix because the time during teh season is small. If it is a single player, there are more options. If it is the coach then you can fix that easily. It is maddening all teh issues we have but it boils down to we arent scoring points, the O is more fun to watch but isnt scoring, whether you think it is Henne and it is to some degree on him, but there are more issues than him. Not trying to convince n e 1 about henne, it is just stating the offense in teh red zone is like watching a train wreck. the defense has its share of the blame, but held the last 2 opponents to a winnable margin
     
  6. KB21

    KB21 Almost Never Wrong Club Member

    24,029
    40,478
    113
    Dec 6, 2007
    It is an interesting dichotomy. The players seem to really like Tony, and I have also heard that the players really do not like Jeff Ireland at all. Channing Crowder may not be the end all be all of opinions, but he speaks his mind and chances are he is saying what some other players also think. Channing recently described Jeff Ireland as the "self proclaimed genius" of the Miami Dolphins. I get the feeling that his smugness and arrogance he portrays to the media is how he acts around everyone in the organization.
     
  7. dolfan22

    dolfan22 Season Ticket Holder Club Member

    That probably is true , I sense Sparano is or at least was well liked by his players. Ricky liked him and so did JT , that didn't stop them from being honest , and it should not have imo.

    Unfortunately he isn't an NFL head coach , so no matter how much the like is at some level , it isn't working and won't in the future.

    Ireland appears he can be aloof and certainly I can see today's player not finding his demeanor very attractive. That doesn't matter if you win though and put your team in a position for playoff success , of course that hasn't happened either .
     
  8. BigDogsHunt

    BigDogsHunt Enough talk...prove it!

    22,422
    9,819
    0
    Nov 27, 2007
    DC Metro Area
    Closers??? do we even have steak-knives? we seem to have several of "you're fired's"

    (sorry , language - be aware)

    [video=youtube;y-AXTx4PcKI]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y-AXTx4PcKI[/video]
     
    HenneNator and The G Man like this.
  9. ckparrothead

    ckparrothead Draft Forum Moderator Luxury Box

    79,599
    159,162
    113
    Dec 1, 2007
    There are a lot of issues with this team right now. But if you're wondering how Colt McCoy was able to drive 80 yards on the defense at the end...at some point someone needs to realize that it's actually not easy to stop offenses in that type of situation where they're in 4-down territory the entire way. It wasn't until they scored that TD that I actually thought the Browns would get that go-ahead TD. But I knew they would drive, because it's hard to stop offenses in those situations. So they drove on us...but then they managed to isolate Jimmy Wilson, a pretty raw rookie, in the end zone...to do the unlikely, and punch the ball in. Kudos to them. They got us. We had to rely on a rookie in our dime packages because of Vontae Davis' being hurt and they found that rookie at the right moment.

    But we lost the game because of the OFFENSE...not the defense. And this is the second game in a row we've lost the game because of the offense, not the defense. And it's the second game in a row where the offense underperformed even though Daniel Thomas ran well. You can't keep kicking field goals, you can't keep turning the ball over. You can't keep scoring 13 or 16 points in four quarters of football. It's not going to work. You're looking for closers? How about gaining 15 yards on four tries? I just got done saying it's hard for a defense to stop an offense in that situation, but the Cleveland defense sure did stop us in that situation. Why? Because our passing offense is dysfunctional.

    Take that New England game aside for a moment. Defense was awful in that game for sure. It was the first official unveiling of the Patriots' hurry-up/spread attack, and it was pure destiny that it was going to explode in our face. I said so many times before the season started.

    The defense allowed a VERY GOOD Texans offense to score 23 on us, and 7 of those points came from the Texans' DEFENSE forcing a turnover that gave the offense 1st & Goal on the like the 5 yard line. Yeah, the Texans were going to score that TD. The chances had to be 80+ percent. So really the Miami defense allowed the Texans offense to only earn about 16 points on the day, whereas the Texans have scored 30+ in their two other games this year. And then against the Browns, allowing 17 points is not a bad job by the defense.

    And then you go back to that NE game, blown opportunities on the goal line, inability to match scores against the worst defense in the league...there was a lot of offensive disappointment there as well.

    The offense, particularly the passing offense, has been a much bigger problem this year than the defense. But the defense is taking the flack. That's an untenable situation, because eventually those defenders are going to turn on their coach...if they haven't already.
     
  10. rdhstlr23

    rdhstlr23 Season Ticket Holder Club Member

    14,074
    11,142
    113
    Dec 2, 2007
    Chicago, IL
    That was beautiful, CK.
     
  11. Springveldt

    Springveldt Season Ticket Holder

    It's clearly the offence at fault because the defence has put up stellar numbers...

    Passing...
    933 yards allowed (30th)
    Allowing 8.3 YPA (30th)
    8 TD's allowed (joint last)
    2 Ints (joint 20th)
    4 sacks (29th)

    Rushing...
    314 (16th)
    4.1 YPA (17th)
    1 TD allowed (joint 3rd)

    The only good thing the defence has done is not allow a run over 20 yards this year.

    It's obvious we have problems on both sides of the ball but for me the defence (which was supposed to be the strength of the team) has failed miserably so far.
     
  12. KB21

    KB21 Almost Never Wrong Club Member

    24,029
    40,478
    113
    Dec 6, 2007
    I think you can break the offensive problems down to situations. Unless this team is running its base stuff, they do not do well. Two minute offense, goal line offense, redzone offense......they do not do well. The play calling clams up and the team looks unprepared to play in those situations.
     
    Aquafin and PhiNomina like this.
  13. jdang307

    jdang307 Season Ticket Holder Club Member

    39,159
    21,798
    113
    Nov 29, 2007
    San Diego
    500+ to Tom Brady. So, aside from the NE game we've given up, 230 and 210 yards. I don't that is too shabby. The defense hasn't played bad the last two weeks. They were gassed in the 4th q against Houston though. But they still did "ok" Not saying we throw out the New England game, because it happened. It's there. I'm saying since NE they haven't been that bad, and certainly enough to win in this league.

    However, we are 7th in rushing. 14th in passing. 12th in overall yardage. But 27th in scoring.
     
  14. dolfan22

    dolfan22 Season Ticket Holder Club Member

    Unprepared falls on the coaching which also falls on the GM.

    http://www.sun-sentinel.com/sports/...communication-092711,0,294336.story?track=rss

    http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.co...had-henne-is-more-talented-than-mark-sanchez/

    We won't know how good players can be or the team can be until inevitable changes are made imo.
     
  15. ckparrothead

    ckparrothead Draft Forum Moderator Luxury Box

    79,599
    159,162
    113
    Dec 1, 2007
    The Patriots put up 38 points and 622 yards against us in their first official unveiling of their new offensive philosophies. But they've put up 33 points and 500 yards PER GAME against their other two opponents as well.

    If anyone wants to choose to remain blindfolded to those facts and not account for them, that's fine. We can end our conversation right here.

    But for the rest of us, I think it's pertinent to point out that our defense against the Texans and Browns allowed 312.5 yards per game, which would rank #8 in the league, and they've allowed only 20 points per game which would really be more like 16.5 points per game if not for the offense handing the Texans a touchdown. By the way, 20.0 points per game would rank us tied for #9, and 16.5 poins per game would be #4.

    This defense has problems which were exploited by the Patriots, and were exploited in key situations (especially late in the game) by both the Texans and Browns. I'm not going to tell you they're a Top 5 defense, or even a Top 10 defense. I was the one that kept telling everyone before the season that in all reality the defense in 2010 was not a Top 10 unit, it was more a #12/13 type unit once you account for the lack of turnovers. I'm just saying that Patriots game notwithstanding, they look like about the same unit, but with a few character differences in the communication and conditioning.
     
  16. PhinishLine

    PhinishLine Season Ticket Holder Club Member

    4,276
    2,893
    113
    Dec 3, 2007
    Maryland
    Always Be Closing.....
     
  17. ckparrothead

    ckparrothead Draft Forum Moderator Luxury Box

    79,599
    159,162
    113
    Dec 1, 2007
    Really if you look at it over the last two games this team is almost exactly the same as it was in 2010.

    1. Not enough offense.
    2. Defense is good, but doesn't force enough turnovers.
    3. Special teams bad.

    The more things change, the more they stay the same.
     
    muscle979 likes this.
  18. Jaj

    Jaj Registered

    6,359
    1,671
    0
    Mar 23, 2008
    Los Angeles
    We're 7th in rushing? With Reggie Bush in there we're 7th in rushing? Take Colombo out of there, put Garner in and trade for a #2 RB and let's run over some teams. Red zone situation taken care of.
     
  19. thisperishedmin

    thisperishedmin Well-Known Member

    2,404
    509
    113
    Aug 17, 2011
    I put the blame on the Cle game on the offense... as pointed out, stopping a desperation 4 and out team isn't always easy. Meanwhile, we go 4 and out, 0 yds. Further...mr Bush put the ball on the ground twice. That alone hurts.

    The defense kept them out of the endzone plenty long, and we completely failed to get ahead. Its on the O if you must pick. Overall, the whole team just looks like ****, so its really a wash one way or the other.
     
  20. Jaj

    Jaj Registered

    6,359
    1,671
    0
    Mar 23, 2008
    Los Angeles
    How is special teams the problem again and again? Get rid of Trusnik if the ****er can't stop holding. Trade for a second running back and run the ball back into contending.
     
  21. jdang307

    jdang307 Season Ticket Holder Club Member

    39,159
    21,798
    113
    Nov 29, 2007
    San Diego
    7th in total yards per game, 9th in YPG. Yes, rushing.

    Remember when we blamed henne's problems on lack of run game last year? And OC? Well remove those two. Still a whole bunch of other excuses though, unfortunately. Henne's lack of red zone success could weigh in on the rushing game though in the RZ.
     
    Nappy Roots likes this.
  22. Jaj

    Jaj Registered

    6,359
    1,671
    0
    Mar 23, 2008
    Los Angeles
    That said Henne had the same level of protection he had on the right side this year as he did last year we'd be looking at numbers right around 90. That's what we asked and a lot of us expected out of a good version of Henne. Again point is he's almost where he thought he could be. Dolphins are burning up yards down the field, their defense has kept the point total low enough, and yet they're still losing.
     
  23. ckparrothead

    ckparrothead Draft Forum Moderator Luxury Box

    79,599
    159,162
    113
    Dec 1, 2007
    The team has bad character. The defense can't stop opposing offenses in clutch situations, and Henne can't get anything done in clutch situations.
     
    Califin and Springveldt like this.
  24. Larryfinfan

    Larryfinfan 17-0...Priceless Club Member

    He was done the minute Ross boarded that plane to the West Coast last January...where we are now has nothing to do with it. Even being 3-0 there would be talk about how Ross was looking for a new HC...He completely undermined anything Sparano wanted to accomplish from that moment on... Sure, it's a moot point now, Sparano is done, but because of Ross' inability to learn the business before he jumped into the fray to change the team...
     
  25. finfansince72

    finfansince72 Season Ticket Holder Club Member

    13,843
    10,283
    113
    Dec 18, 2007
    Columbia, South Carolina
    I do think our defense has certainly improved in the last few weeks, they just can't seem to close games out, this seems to have always been a problem for us. Even when we had Zach and JT in their prime, Madison and Surtain we seemed to break at horrible times and we just didn't seem to force those game changing turnovers. Not sure how this seems to have carried over to multiple coaches but its still here. The Pats game was just one of those games that happens when a HOF caliber player and a offense in synch just roll, it happens, but we still can't seem to make those key stops at big times.

    Our offense still can't get it done in the red zone, I think this is where some of the criticism of Marshall and Henne is well deserved. We just have to get touchdowns, the leaders on offense just have to come through in those situations.

    I do think we are behind most of the teams in the NFL in terms of adjustments and preparation. That clearly falls on the coaching staff and front office. We don't seem to make those great half time adjustments, we don't seem to be able to put together a full four quarter offensive game plan that keeps teams off balance.

    I think the the players are going to be jumping ship here shortly. The ownership openly questioned the coaching staffs ablilty in the offseason, an 0-4, 0-5 start and we are going to see ugliness here in Miami for certain.
     
  26. ATLFINFAN

    ATLFINFAN Season Ticket Holder Club Member

    5,059
    3,514
    113
    Nov 23, 2007
    How bout THIS.............The coach was DONE.......based on the performance of the team he was in charge of for the last few years. What Ross did was...........he started the replacement process of finding a new coach. He didnt find what he was looking for in a coach, so he had to wait a while longer.
    Maybe Ross is not to blame for this mess. Maybe Sparano IS.... I like our coach, but the product on the field is sub par. He had ONE WINNING SEASON and that was more from the talents of Pennington, than the coach. Things broke the way we needed them to that year. Thats what you get when you have a REAL QUARTERBACK........and not put your faith in a wanna be qb.
     
  27. Rocky Raccoon

    Rocky Raccoon Greasepaint Ghost Staff Member

    30,224
    36,965
    113
    Dec 2, 2007
    Jersey
    My question is, how much is the struggles at times on offense a result of the lockout and a new system? I have to think that by the second half of the season the offense will be performing much better. But I guess we'll see.
     
  28. Striking

    Striking Junior Member

    1,775
    646
    113
    Apr 21, 2008
    Aurora, Colorado
    Hey Tony. One of your defensive closers is Cam Wake. Stop dropping him into coverage. 4th and 4 was I think our best chance to stop Cleveland and Wake is slow to drop back, the RB slips out to where I think Wake is supposed to be, but instead is yards away, result is an easy conversion. Trick defense for a 4th and 4 is why you lose Tony.
     
  29. HenneNator

    HenneNator Banned

    287
    28
    0
    Sep 26, 2011
    Miami
    Spin away doctor.

    We have one of the worst defenses in the NFL. They are garbage. We are giving up 26 points per game. We can't get off the field on 3rd down. Other teams defenses come up big and help the team. We don't. Take off your Henne hater glasses and look at the stats. They don't lie.
     
  30. Clipse

    Clipse mediocrity sucks

    7,975
    1,869
    113
    Sep 27, 2009
    Roanoke, Virginia
    Here's another stat:

    Offense - 28th
    Defense - 27th

    Although you were being sarcastic, you were right, the offense IS at fault. The defense has only really bad one game, while the offense has sucked in 2 games. We can't score in the redzone, can't convert 3rd downs, can't even pick up 10-15 yards to attempt a game winning FG.
     
  31. Nappy Roots

    Nappy Roots Well-Known Member

    10,191
    4,187
    113
    Dec 3, 2007
    Bradenton,FL
    Your right the stats don't lie. We are 27th in offensive scoring. Only teams behind us are Colts, Rams, Jaguars, Chiefs, and seahawks. All along with back to back productive games on the ground....


    :waits to see you spin that:
     
  32. Clipse

    Clipse mediocrity sucks

    7,975
    1,869
    113
    Sep 27, 2009
    Roanoke, Virginia
    And yet our awful defense is doing better at giving up points than our offense is at scoring them. And guess why? Oh that's right, that ****ty QB you defend that has sucked in the red zone this year, last year, and the year before that. That ****ty QB you defend that can't convert on 3rd downs this year, last year, or the year before that. That ****ty QB you defend that can't even pick up 10-15 yards for a FG, and has failed on final drives his whole career. Before telling other people to take off Henne hater glasses, take a long look in the mirror.
     
  33. daniel3

    daniel3 Active Member

    134
    44
    28
    Nov 25, 2007
    He's not spinning anything. The offense has more legit weapons on it and should be the better half if we have Henne playing decently and Thomas running for 100+ yards a game. There is just something wrong with the offense and I really can't pinpoint it as it seems to come from multiple sources. The defense is not the best in the league, but to say its the worst is ridiculous no matter how much you want to skew things with the NE game performance.
     
  34. HardKoreXXX

    HardKoreXXX Insensitive to the Touch

    20,459
    14,210
    113
    Apr 2, 2008
    Coral Springs, FL
    Re: The running game being successful; We have one rushing TD this year, and that came by...Chad Henne. The entire offense has been horrid in the Red Zone. No run blocking, dropped passes, bad passes, missed FG's, blocked FG's. Pretty much every bad thing that can happen, with the exception of turnovers, ironically.
     
  35. Springveldt

    Springveldt Season Ticket Holder

    What are the offence 28th at? According to nfl.com it's 27th in scoring (I'm assuming that's what you are going by).

    I can easily turn this round and say the defence can't make a play when we need it, can't stop the pass, can't stop the run and can't even stop the 26th ranked offence (by yards per game) driving 80 yards for the winning TD despite only being on the field for 20 minutes.

    They had held the Browns offence to a total of 200 yards for 58 minutes and then let them drive 80 yards for the TD when the game is on the line. They get zero pressure on McCoy and commit dumb penalties (Olshansky, Taylor) to help the Browns along. McCoy completed 9 passes on the final drive compared to 10 the rest of the game. Tiredness isn't an excuse as they had only been on the field for 20 of the preceding 58 minutes.

    This team has trouble on both sides of the ball and I'm not saying the offence is great as it stinks as well but the defence is by far the biggest letdown for me. The first game I expected them to get steamrolled but the last 2 games when the game has been on the line they have just folded. Houston ran the ball something like 9 times in a row to seal the game then the Browns march down the field for the winning TD.
     
  36. Clipse

    Clipse mediocrity sucks

    7,975
    1,869
    113
    Sep 27, 2009
    Roanoke, Virginia
    You're right, it is 27th, and the defense is 26th. Really no difference at all from 28th and 27th.

    Of course the defense is the biggest letdown. They were expected to be a top 10 unit and they have been far from it. It's hard to be let down by our ****ty offense and QB when they were ****ty last year. Of course we suck on both sides of the ball. Make that 3, our ST aren't very good either. That's why we'll be drafting in the top 5 come April.
     
  37. pacadermng67

    pacadermng67 New Member

    933
    216
    0
    Jul 18, 2011
    Vienna, VA
    Carpenter has been horrible too for a long time. We must have used all the fairy-tale magic we could out of Goldilocks' leg.
     
  38. Larryfinfan

    Larryfinfan 17-0...Priceless Club Member

    We have the 3rd worst D in the league and the 4th worst offense...now it's blame time ?? The whole team stinks. If the D doesn't let Cleveland score, we're 1-2. If Marshall hangs onto the TD pass against Houston maybe we're 2-1. I suppose next you'll say that the O only did so well against NE because their D sucks so bad. Every loss can be broken down into blame. The O didn't do this or the D didn't do that. I do it after every game myself.

    It doesn't matter at this point, we just plain suck. We're the new Detroit Lions, incarnated. Placing blame simply magnifies the problems...The players have to make a difference from here on out. There is enough talent to be better than the "suck for Luck" campaign champions...

    Our real problem is that no one steps up on this team. Not one player, not one coach, not the GM and certainly not the idiot owner. If one player or coach or whoever steps up and starts something, there is enough talent to be much better than what we are showing right now. It begins Sunday, I guess. We'll just have to wait and see.

    But CK, I don't blame the D...I don't blame the O...I blame the whole team, it's coaches and staff, and the owner...Sad part is only somewhere within that organization can it start to reverse itself...
     
    Striking likes this.

Share This Page