I believe in this team as well. And I'm as excited for this season as I have for any season.

As hopeful as I am that things will turn out much better than anybody in the national media expects, there is a chance it could go exactly as they expect.

It all rides on the arm of Chad Henne. We will also need much better coaching from Sparano than we saw last year.

Just as the media has forgotten a lot of the good things about this team, we as fans have forgotten or choose to forget or gloss over a lot of the bad things from last season. Hopefully they have been corrected. But if not, we can expect a lot more mediocrity.

 

I like being casted as a bad team, will make the season that much more fun when we prove people wrong.

 

The perception-reality gap has a lot to do w/ the laser like focus on Chad Henne and the offense. Actually, the team was built around the defense, and even the biggest Dolphin detractors concede that we're going to mash people on that side of the ball. If the D plays to their potential then all we need from the offense is "average" play and we certainly have the tools to achieve that. The other issue is the media love fest with New England and NY. Pats-Jets is a ratings monster so billing the AFCE as a two team race is the natural story line that develops as a result. I have no problem with any of it, that's why they play the games.

 

I prefer the underdog role. from rags to riches is always a better story than the rich getting richer.

 

The only one I can think of is our 3rd and 1 or 4th and 1 RB. Will we utilize more short passes to convert or hope that Hilliard and/or Thomas can fill that role as effectively?

 

Positions may look improved on paper. But are they? You never know until you see it in regular season action. Will this team have chemistry? Will the line gel?

And let's face it, if Chad Henne isn't any better than he was last year, the other upgrades don't mean nearly as much.

I tend to agree with you though and think this team SHOULD be much better. I just don't want to assume it definitely will be. We still have the same coach and same QB who for all intents and purposes were failures last year. Doesn't mean they can't succeed this year, but we have to wait and see.

 

They can say all they want. As far as I am concerned, I am going with the Dolphins theme song: when you talk Dolphins you talking Super Bowl...I still think the Dolphins is # 1!!!

 

Or handoff to Larry Johnson who was just resigned.

 

Part of me hopes that Sparano and the team gets more surly. I want more doom and gloom. I want Sparano to pipe in hostile crowd noise into practice every week. When this team surprises people and the media starts talking about the doubters, I want Sparano, to say, "I don't care what they think, I think they're idiots". I want us to sack Orton so many times that we rip the jersey off his back. And then have Wake take that jersey and throw it into the stands yelling, "You wanted Orton?"; "Well here he is".

 

I'm a pessimistic Dolphin fan by nature (how can you not be after the last decade-plus of mediocrity or worse?) but this team, this year, is criminally underrated by everyone who has an opinion on it. I have never seen anything quite like the continual bashing by the national media of a team coming off back-to-back 7-9 seasons.

Three wins? Even with Chad Henne being literally the unluckiest QB in the league last season, they somehow managed to win 7 and, in all reality, 8 games (PIT game).

This is going to be a fun season. This team is every bit as good as the Jets and no one wants to acknowledge it. Regression to the mean is going to be a real b*tch for Sanchez and the rest of the Jets organization.

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/columns/story?columnist=wojciechowski_gene&id=6942181&sportCat=nfl

 

It's a show me league, and as FaninPatsy land points out, not single issue raised has anything to do with the talent on the team, that makes the situation ripe to clown those clarabell's.

 

Who gives a **** what the media says? What matters is the team; the decisions they make, which produce the results in games, which, now that we're in the regular season, actually count.

Whether the media predicts us to be a Super Bowl team or last in the division doesn't make a damn bit of difference to me.

The game on Monday night in Miami; that matters to me.

 

Remember when we were a darkhorse candidate to go to the Super Bowl in Saban's second year?

Sent from my DROIDX using Tapatalk

 

meanwhile, on the ESPN show "Audibles" which appears to be NFL Live with a different name, Dungy and Dilfer are having a nice conversation about the Dolphins, discussing honest strengths (Defense) and Weaknesses (not a unified offense yet) to discuss how while we'll be good, it will be hard to dethrone any of the wildcard teams from last year.

Of course this has to end by Keyshaun piping up saying "man why are we talkin 'bout the dolphins?" in the whiniest 5 year old voice imaginable. To which the others say "ok keyshaun we'll stop and go to commercial". SERIOUSLY?! KJ adds NOTHING to these conversations except his own homer and opinionated comments. Get him off ESPN

 

I cant stand kj and when he disrepscted Jon Gruden I lost all repsect for him , in fact I have way more respect for Chris Chambers and Devon Bess and even Terrell owens is more professional then big mouth Keyshawn . I say somebody should just duct tape his mouth shut.

 

Put up time is here, no excuses. Get it done Sparano & Henne or make room for the next guys who come in here.

 

God I hate him and his Jets azz.

 

Starting Colombo and I question the running game, even if we had a good OLine. Not impressed with Bush as a runner, only as a receiving RB. If they can continue to exploit that, then maybe the offense does some great things, but most of the time you can only use a trick pony so long until the league catches up with you (see the Wildcat).

Its not so much did we get worse, but what is that much better ? I also question if the D gets better or did some of those guys have career years last year and fall back some. That is a possibility.

I have said I expect 6-10 or 7-9. More of the same, and that is why I am hating this year......we had a chance, in this odd FA year to get better, and I think Ireland really failed us in there. Trading for Bush, and giving up a draft choice for next year, instead of just signing Sproles, who makes LESS than Bush, and basically is the same player :tantrum:. Its moves like that, IMO, that keep the Dolphins mediocre. The way that NE works the draft they end up with two # 1's or two # 2's, it gives them almost twice as many chances to find a hidden gems in the draft than for us. That's what keeps them the Pats.

I just think if the season starts out the way I think it could, it just might snowball out of control.

THAT SAID, Go Fins and beat those arrogant Pasties on Monday night ! Shut up the Tom Jacksons of the world.

 

Rafa I love the jersey thing the best of all the comments this offseason

 

Yeah, heard that too...Young said, "It's just my opinion, but I don't think the Fins have what it takes", which I'll buy because he predicated it on being his opinion. Dungy was a bit more lenient and said IF some things work out, their D can carry them into the playoffs.

But the best was when they asked each who'd be in the SB...each of the other guys made sensible choices. KJ...naturally said the jests. But what was funny was that he didn't back it up with anything substantial other than when he said "I guess I'll just play the homer and pick the jests". Very, very thoughtful prediction...

 

Well, Jake...you may be right in saying that Sproles is the same type of player as Bush, but IF Irish and Sparano honestly feel this kid can be an everydown back, then they may have stumbled onto something special. Sproles, beyond the shadow of a doubt is NOT an everydown back or even a 25 touch a game guy. He's proven that in SD. I like Sproles, but they'd have had to do better than Lex, LJ and Thomas to back Sproles up versus Bush. The other thing is, to me, I think we are looking at this 'everydown' back situation differently than what Daboll is. Bush will get 25 touches a game, but not necessarily 25 rushes a game. One week he may have 10-12 rushes and 10-12 passes, the next the ratio could be 5-7 r's and 20-23 p's...that is more along what I expect to see from Bush than 25 runs between the tackles... One of the things I like that Sparano has done is featuring different guys against specific opponent weaknesses since he's been here. That was more successful with Penny at QB, but perhaps this is the time that Henne shines...

NE works it's trades for just-about-over-the-hill guys to perfection. They take guys that are just about ready to start declining and trade them off to get additional picks. It's easy for them to do that because of their success. It's the same as when guys use a SB year to parlay that into a big money contract. NE can do that much easier than most teams because they are perennial winners...NE players generally 'look' better than what they really are because of the system they are in. That's not to say that NE players don't have any talent, but they are exploitable, both in FA and in trade value by BB, because of that success...

I agree with your assessment of 7-9 to 9-7 season. Will that be enough for Sparano and perhaps Irish, don't know. But what I do know is that the OL is still a question, particularly the right side. They've added some speed with Bush, Thomas, Gates and Clay, but how long will it take these young guys to mature into NFL players and can/will Bush be a 25 touch a game back that he hasn't been in 5 yrs in the league?? They haven't tinkered much with the D, and it's anticipated that some of the youngsters will continue to blossom (Davis, Smith, Misi). Burnett looks to be an upgrade to Chowder (hehe). The DL looks as strout as ever....Will this be enough ?? The questions will start being answered on Monday night, but even if they improve, will it be enough for Sparano and Ireland ?? I don't know...

But I'm with you...Go Fins !!

 

On a team with Reggie Bush, Brandon Marshall, Davone Bess, Karlos Dansby, Cameron Wake, Vontae Davis, Jake Long and Randy Starks I don't think you can play the "we have a team of no names" card.

 

What this team doesn't have is any kind of respect from the so call experts, they could have been a 9-7 10-6 last year but they collapse at the end.
It's time to prove what they are.

 

well its bothers me to no end ,because when we beat the Pats in the past no one talked about but low behold when we lose they always talk about it. Why in hell is it that when other teams get dissed their fans have the guts to raise hell about it but if its the dolphins then dolphin fans dont stand up for their team ? look the dolphins are on the fringe of being put in La and dont think its not possible because its a disgrace to see more pats and jest fans in our own house then miami fans. we are sports fans so i beleive we are very much to be entitled to be talked about too. if you guys want to be like the marlins then fine but I for one do not want to become irrevelant like the Marlins . they get dissed all the time so how many championships have they won lately ? Zero , so chances are when nobody beleives in the team chances are that team wont be going anywhere. I know My passion may make me look bad but THE BETTER THE DOLPHINS ARE AND THE MORE POPULAR THEY ARE WILL HELPS SALES, and IT HELPS LURE FREE AGENTS AS WELL.sorry for the caps but I am so sick of having the pats , jets and bills cramed down my throat so I feel that the dolphins are a sports team and getting no respect isnt acceptable but I cant do anything about but I expect the best therefore I wont settle for less. see Marlins for example.

 

I dont believe the Phins are a playoff team, as I feel they are 3rd best in their own division. Throw in Pitt, Balt, SD and whoever wins the South and I just dont see it this year. Until Chad Henne goes out and actually proves he's better, then to me just assuming the offense is better is based on very little at this point. Anyway, Ill gladly eat crow if Im wrong, but unfortunately Ive been right for quite some time now regarding this team going nowhere.

 

Good stuff there! The Dolphins need that kick *** attitude.