I came to this realization yesterday. It's time to move on for us Dolfans. Time to move on from Dan Marino, and embrace the next great face of the franchise - Ryan Tannehill.
For me anyways, Marino has essentially been the first thing I think of when I think Dolphins (well, there's Shula of course, but you get my point) - even in the 12 years since he retired. I became a Dolfan somewhere between '81-'82, but I was just a little kid and didn't really follow the specific players on the team. Then came '83 and I'll never forget my dad saying, "Look at this Marino guy!" It was love at first sight. He was a legend from the very beginning, and as my Dolfandom grew and grew, so did his career. From year to year, we always had a chance in each and every game because we had Dan!!! Even in those lean 8-8 years of the late 80s, Dolphin football was still must-see TV because of Dan! We usually won because of him, and we very rarely lost because of him. But we always had a shot!
As his career went on, I, as well as I'm sure all of you who lived through it, started to feel even closer to Dan as year after year passed w/out a championship. The heartbreak of the '92 AFC Championship game just hurt for months after. The Stoyo missed FG in SD in '94 that ended the season - chances came and went, all w/out a title. Could it be that our love - Dan Marino - was REALLY going to go his whole career w/out a title, or even a second chance at a Superbowl? Then came the "savior" in JJ, who would surely pull Dan through to the promised land, but as we all know, it was never meant to be, and it all ended in a ball of 62-7 fire that has never completely gone out in our hearts. And since that day, we've come to respect his career for what it was - one of the all-time greats, despite the lack of ring. We all know the reason he went ring-less had nothing to do with him, and for us, he's the greatest QB who ever walked the earth. Even as we venture into the 13th year since he retired, those of us who lived through it, can still feel the remnants of that energy we felt each and every Sunday when Dan Marino walked out onto the field and was a passing GOD! It's still there, and we're proud to have been a small part of it, just being devoted followers. It's really come to define us as Dolfans, at least those of us who grew up w/ the team in the 80s. And I'm willing to bet those of you who got to experience the '70s hey-day still feel the same passion for Dan that I do. He was just THAT good and THAT meaningful.
But folks, it's time to move on. For all his efforts, we never reached the promised land with Dan, and it's a shame. But we have to let go. We have to let go and enjoy the next great face of the franchise in Tannehill. Yes, I know he has yet to play a game. Yes, I know there are questions about his game. Yes, I know there are many here that are PO'd we didn't Suck more for Luck, and had to settle for this consolation prize. But I'm a believer! That same first-love tingle I felt for Dan, I feel again for Ryan Tannehill. I just know in my heart this kid is going to be great - and he's going to make us relevant once again, year in and year out, just like with Dan. But perhaps this time even a step better. Maybe he can take us to places Dan never could. Maybe he can help us build a winner that we can be proud of once again, and those of us who never got to experience the 70s, can get a chance to feel what it's like to be a truly great team once again!
Come with me my brothers and sisters! It's time to move on from our first love, who we will always love forever and ever no matter what, and give ourselves to Tannehill! It's time to move on. I have! Will you?
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Colorado Dolfan, Bumrush, jsizzle and 3 others like this.
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Whose talking about Dan Marino? I'll never stop being a Marino fan but it doesn't mean I'm living in the past. And I'll be as big a fan of Tannehill, if not bigger, when he brings our Dolphins the Lombardi trophy. But baby steps. A playoff win first...
Skyfire023 and SeanP like this. -
I never really latched on to any of the pretenders under center since then. Always respected Fiedler for his effort, loved what Chad did for us one year, but it was just one year and never had a chance to grow. Had a brief fling with Henne, but it was all lies. Marino, though, he was the real deal.
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The excitment this time of year is neverending.
For example,
"Culpepper to Chambers! I get chills just typing that."jsizzle, dolfan7171, MikeHoncho and 5 others like this. -
Oh not accusing anyone of living in the past (if anyone is, it's me :-). I mean more that it's time to move on from Dan as the burning image of the franchise, I guess. I guess the last 12 years have been mostly - meh - that they all just blend together in one big pile of mostly crap.
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Easier said than done. Unfortunately, its hard to move one when you haven't had a QB since who you could be legitimately excited about. Penny was great, but never a long-term answer. Beck and Henne were both more "hope and pray" kinda QB's for me. You hoped they'd be good but just prayed they weren't bad.
Stringer Bell likes this. -
I honestly have genuine hope for Tannehill. I find that I have to constantly remind myself our past failures at QB have no bearing on Tannehill being a success or not and that other teams find QBs, we can to.
Bumrush, Mcduffie81, MAFishFan and 3 others like this. -
Taking a big leap of faith here, I know, but I don't know - I just "feel it" with this kid for some reason, I just do. Even when I thought Henne might be good, there were always lingering questions in the back of my mind, and - apparently - they were there for good reason. Same thing for Beck too - he seemed to have the skills and looked the part, but lots of lingering questions. Penny was a nice one-year-wonder for us, but that was it.
It's not that I'm searching for "the next Dan Marino," I'm just very hopeful about Tannehill and GD it, we Dolfans deserve it! -
Dan Marino deserves to be the burning image of the franchise until someone proves themselves worthy of the honor. Unfortunately for us, most people view the Dolphins with the burning image of Jeffrey Irish, Stephen Ross and the mediocre mess our Dolphins have been these last 3 seasons.
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Sad but true. Ugh!
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I LOVE my Pennington jersey. My favorite to wear to games.
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Yeah, that was funny.
THill is the guy, hope the team around him holds up, our OL has gotten 3 Qb's put on IR in the last 3 yrs. -
"Dude came out confident, definitely carrying some swagger, {which comes from already knowing the offense}Telling people what to do, and from a pure talent perspective, displaying the most talented QB skills we've had here since Dan, and its not even close..The ball hit the ground three times, and that's because of legit drops by his receivers...3 TIMES..Yes, he did it in shorts, and in 7 on 7's, also 11 on 11's, but the top 10 talent was evident, and he did not dissapoint..Trajectory, will not be an issue at this level, if you can't catch his throws, then you don't belong in the NFL as a receiver, I seriously can't believe I watched a former receiver in college display that kind of talent at QB, now I don't yet if he has the mental part of the game, and we all know that part of the equation is most important, buy my goodness does he have the other stuff..I will keep going back to him during this post giving some details on him, because I literally couldn't keep my eyes off him, and he did things throughout the practice that impressed me."
Get excited..even if you have reservations, I mean no one can deny he IS the most talented player we've had at that position in 15 years, let's see what real offensive coaches can do with real talent..that's reason to be excited. -
No. I refuse to move on from Marino.
It's just....just.....too painful to even consider! :sad:
In all seriousness, it has been pretty tough to be a Miami fan post-Marino years, though I have coped. I recently told my bud that it's "Danny's Curse".
Over the years, I find hope in some players. It's sort of like that first great car you get. You might get "better" cars as you grow, but that first one is special, man. Just got through watching an NFLN top-10 "Season Opening Games", and the first game in '94 when Marino came back from his achilles was #3. It's tough when you see the passes he made at will, and then get excited about the number of QBs Miami has had after his retirement. Tough pill to swallow.
I hate this intervention. I am going to go cry now.....DolfanTom likes this. -
"Ginn's gonna be the next Devin Hester; Cameron totally knows what he's doing. If the Bears can do it...
"Henne to Marshall!"
:crapstrom:jsizzle and Pandarilla like this. -
The last QB I was really excited about was Henne after his first few starts. After he beat the Jets in that Monday night game I was pretty damn pumped for our future. It didn't pan out.
With that said, I have more excitement and faith in Ryan Tannehill than I EVER had in Henne. It's not even close. I love this kid and can't wait to watch him turn into the QB we've been waiting for the past 12 years.DolfanTom likes this. -
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I see thephins-ey awards are gonna have stiff (I know) competition this year in the "most effeminizing thread" category...
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It is time to move on but never forget what Dan Marino took on his shoulders and accomplished for the Miami Dolphins. I am so tired of hearing what he didn't accomplish but prefer to remember what he did accomplish with so much less than other successful quarterbacks of his generation. Of all of the records that Dan Marino set, his most outstanding achievements were how he carried the Miami Dolphins Franchise and made it become one of the most prolific and dangerous teams of the era. Yes, the Dan Marino era is over and it is time to move on and to put all of our hopes and dreams on a young 1st round quarterback. Like Dan Marino he is a 1st round quarterback and he is gifted, talented, smart and seems to have all of the intangibles to be a leader. Ryan Tannehill is the heir apparent to Marino's legacy but he first has to prove that he can wear it first.
DolfanTom likes this. -
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I just don't want to see anymore re-treads walk through that door and end up our starting QB. We have suffered at this position for a very long time now and I mean suffered! I don't think one team in the NFL has gone this long without obtaining atleast a new hope at the position. This team reminds me of the Bears and how they never ever seemed to have a QB and still really don't even though Jay Cutler is under center for them.
It is certainly time to move forward but i'll move on from Marino when someone steps up and allows that to happen. We all knew Marino would be a hell of a tough act to follow and much like Barry Sanders from the Detroit Lions, his true greatness will never be fully appreciated by outside fans who only watch and listen to the so called experts on ESPN.
Without steering off subject I think Ryan is the most talented prospect we have had at that position since Marino played and I think he has arrived at the perfect time. I don't think we went wrong taking him with the 8th pick and when 1:00 pm hits this Sunday we are all going to find out what Tannehill is made of. I'm ready to move on as well but I need a reason to. GOD this feels like an AA meeting session. -
I have no idea why you think anyone is stuck back in the Marino years. Marino has been gone from the team over a decade and what Dolphin fans want is a winning team. This has absolutely nothing to do with Marino.
I am sure all of us want Tannehill to be the long term answer at the QB position, but your assertion that fans of the Dolphins are somehow stuck in the Marino years is simply ridiculous.
As you pointed out, the Dolphins never won a SB with Marino. So the fact is that if fans of the Dolphins are dwelling on any QB from the Dolphins past, it would be Bob Griese, because he actually led this organization to two SB wins. Of course most of the people on here are too young to have ever seen Griese play to begin with.
Perhaps it is you who needs to get past Marino, because most of us realized that it was over for Marino as a Dolphin, a long time ago. -
I was just having some fun with this - just trying to say let's get excited about Tannehill. I don't recall accusing anyone of anything. Really wasn't being all that serious.
It was more of, "hey, maybe this is another great QB we can get excited about - the first great QB since our last great QB."RGF likes this. -
I'd be thrilled with that THIS year. Would be a nice surprise.
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Just thought I'd revisit this thread now that Tannehill has shown us what he has, and what he's capable of. I am so hooked!
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Larryfinfan 17-0...Priceless Club Member
I love what THill has been doing for us. He's done more than a litany of QBs have done since the 'day the music died' (Marino retired)...but...I thinks it's still a bit premature to compare him to a HOFer and one of the all time greats. Do we need to move on, as a fan base...sure. Is THill looking good...yes... Is he Dan Marino part deux....no way...yet.
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that was funny
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This bye week works perfect for us, our next game will be the Jets after they are done getting their *** kicked by a pissed off Pats team, I can't think of a better time to get the bye week. Plus get Bush healthy.
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