So, as I sat here and posed the question to myself, I found it rather difficult to come up with an answer. Do I base it off of production, defining moments, where they went to college, or any number of other factors or do I just choose the 5 guys I cheer for the most. That's the route I took. And, in another effort to kill time till the regular season, I was hoping I could get a lot of people to post their top 5 favorite current Dolphins players, in order if possible. Through this I hope to determine which players, among thephins.com faithful, are the biggest "fan favorites"
Here's the list I came up with for myself
1. Jake Long - First pick of this regime. He was the guy I wanted. I played O-Line in school. He's amazing at his position. He's a leader. AND if he ever leaves the team I can keep his jersey cause we share the same last name.
2. Yeremiah Bell - 6th round long shot who has made a name for himself by being one of the best, most consistent SS in the league. It's a joy to watch him play.
3. Lousaka Polite - There's just something about this guy's old school, smash mouth, take no prisoners running style that I love. He's also a good blocker who paves the way for our potent rushing attack. Plus being automatic on 2 and less situations gives him a bump.
4. Patrick Cobbs - To me this kid is just fun to watch. Whether it's making tackles on special teams, executing the wildcat, being the swing man in the wildcat, catching the ball out of the backfield or simply running it up the gut, it's great to see a player in the NFL nowadays who's willing to do multiple jobs to help the team win. Very workmanly, and I see why Sparano loves him so much.
5. Pat White - I've heard all the flack about him, and a lot of it is well deserved. Most of it is just piling on. But he is a friend of mine. We're from the same area, he lives across the bay. Played against him in high school. Watched all his games at West Virgina. My old college roommate at Alabama was original from there. And I just plain love the kid. I was excited when the Dolphins got him, I still think there's another dimension he can bring to our team if he can slow the game down for himself. He knows he has a lot to prove this year, he's hungry to do it and silence his critics. But he's a hell of a kid and I'll root for him till the end. Can't say the same for Jamarcus who I also played against in high school...he was a dick.
So there's mine, what's yours?
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Dan and Lex
Correct me if I'm wrong, but Carpenter and Hilliard accounting for all the points in a win last year... They gotta be on the list... And I have no problem with yours either -
1. Ronnie Brown - I love it when he bowls someone over for a first down
2. Brandon Marshall - He was great to watch in Denver, can't wait to see him break loose on a play and take it to the house
3. Vontae Davis - I love his attitude and his ability to make a big play
4. Karlos Dansby - another newcomer, but I think he is going to turn around our front seven
5. Chris McCoy - I'm rooting for him because of what he has been through; he has great talent and I think his life experience will make him a big success for us.
I know 3 of mine haven't even played a down for us yet; but that makes me look forward to this season even more...PhinsRock and LandShark13 like this. -
5. Rediscovered his love for football and I can only pray he has one more year in him. -
1.) Henne...its so nice to feel good about the QB position.
2.) Ronnie...Good dude heluva RB who IF he could ever stay healthy would be a top back.
3.) Davis....Has all the physical and mental tools to be a shutdown CB.
4.) Long....Fine player flirting with dominant.
5.) Polite...a 1st down machine.LandShark13 likes this. -
1.Devon Bess
2.Chad Pennington
3.Greg Camarillo
4.Cam Wake
5.Ricky Williams -
Larryfinfan 17-0...Priceless Club Member
Well, Trowa, I admire your royalty to White, and I have no doubt that he has the drive and the heart to match your expectations of him, but I just don't see the physical ability that flashed for him in college. Is it that the game hasn't slowed down ?? Is it that his game simply doesn't transfer to this level ?? I don't know, but it hasn't shown here yet.
Back OT: Jake Long...a high round pick that has lived up to his hype. He's solid, if not spectacular (particularly if you like watching the trenches as I do), he's a good citizen off the field and takes his work seriously. Nothing like a lunch-pail type kid to start things off.
Ricky Williams....if there was a bottom 5 list, I'd have to put him on that one too. I love him for his ability to finally recognize his weaknesses and overcome them. Whether he used the yoga and 'Eastern' lifestyle to do it or not, I could care less. Any youngster who overcomes the obstacles he has (even tho he was the one putting the obstacles in the way) has got my respect. His football prowess was never an issue. I'd put him on the bottom 5 list because without the issues, he would have been considered an all time great RB.
Chad Pennington. Here's a guy that could have/should have given up several years ago. Instead he changes his game to be even MORE cerebral than what it was and shows everyone he's an excellent QB despite his obvious physical handicaps. He's been unselfish in every way as a Fin. The only question I have is what were some of those jests fans thinking when they couldn't wait to get rid of him ??
Paul Soliai...Now I know what your thinking ?? What ?? Well here's my reasoning. He's been here 4 yrs now. He was not chosen by this regime, yet they still want him here. He also has had some maturing to do. He hasn't shown that maturity just yet, although there were flashes last season. But he is still here. This regime is not known for it's patience. This may be his last chance and likely is, but he's still here and you gotta give him credit for that. Yeah, I kinda like the underdogs...
Yeramiah Bell. You have to love a guy who's overcome obstacles. He was hurt coming in here from college. He struggled in Saban's system. He's been hurt during most of his first 4 yrs here. It didn't look good, but the last two years he's developed into a very good SS. And he's a good guy off the field.... -
Williams
Hartline
Bess
Bell
Davis
Not that they are the best or most valuable guys on the team but for various reasons including heart and that they are ones that got some good "oh hell yeah!" responses out of me last year Ones I'm hoping continue to do so. Pat White is an honorable mention / list alt in that I think he has great potential (not guaranteed though) and I really want to see him succeed. -
1. Ricky Williams. It's been an emotional roller coaster cheering for Ricky Williams over the past 8 years. But the guy has given us some great seasons. He came back to redeem himself. He tried desperately to save us from infamy in 2007, and was injured badly in the process. At 33 he's still here playing hard for us, flashing that explosiveness, and being a great role model for the rest of our roster. He's the longest tenured Dolphin, and since I'm a sucker for nostalgia, he's my favorite.
2. Chad Henne. Is our search for a franchise QB finally over? I think so. This guy shows the poise, confidence, and composure of a much older QB in the 4th quarter. Love his short memory. He's only going to get better.
3. Ronnie Brown. Love his smile. His demeanor. Is there anything more fun than to watch this guy operate the Wild Cat? If only he had just a bit more consistency, he would be top of my list.
4. Greg Camarillo. Work ethic, reliability, gets the most out of his talent than anybody on our roster. 2007. Nuff said.
5. Brandon Marshall. Too early? Maybe. But this guy is a character and he's going to be fun to watch. He just has to keep his nose clean and stay healthy.
With Joey Porter and JT gone, sadly no defensive player cracks my top 5. Yeremiah Bell comes the closest. I think that will change after this season with our young, talented defensive roster. I expect one of these guys to develop into an instant fan favorite, if not more.
Honorable mentions: Chad Pennington. Jake Long.SCall13 likes this. -
Ricky because he meditates
Ronnie because he hurdles people (plus I saw him stiff arm Luis Castillo DE San Diego last year)
Vontae because he's got all around talent (sick with the run stopping skills)
Henne because we finally have a QB with a cannon for an arm
Wake because he's the only dude I see getting consistent pressure
BTW- my next five would be the entire starting offensive line. Simply because we haven't had a decent one in decades... -
Wow, hard choices, I really like a lot of them. I feel really good about the team we are going to field this year. I may get flack, but I don't see a SuperBowl THIS year. However, I do expect us to be seriously bumped up into contenders for a number of years; this will be our respect-earning year. With that said, if I have to pick 5 that I am excited about seeing and really enjoy watching, here they are in no particular order:
- Marshall
- Henne
- Wake
- Long
- Ronnie -
Basing the list as you did on the guys I cheer for most:
Jake Long: Destined to be one of the best in the league at a core position.
Brandon Marshall: Newcomer, but I love watching him play, he's just punishing.
Karlos Dansby: Same as above and he's been one of my favorite ILBs for years.
Davone Bess: Underdog story, hard worker, easy to root for.
Ronnie Brown: I see him do things on the field that almost nobody else can and I love how he's always smiling.
The guys who just missed the top 5:
Yeremiah Bell: Play maker, borderline pro bowl guy.
Sean Smith: I think he can be the best CB in the league. May not get the the fan love b/c he's not a big hitter, but was the team's best CB last year and you can't teach size.
Guys who may make the list next year:
Cameron Wake: Great attitude and superior athlete.
Brian Hartline: Could become that Hines Ward type. Not a #1 but could become a main stay on the team for a decade.
Chad Henne: Not a dynamic personality, but has the skills and the position helps him.
Koa Misi and Jared O'drick: Rookies with high motors and the apparent demeanor/intelligence to make early impacts.PhinsRock likes this. -
My Top Five:
1) Jake Long. Love me some offensive linemen.
2) Randy Starks. Equally love me some dominant defensive linemen. All about the trenches.
3) Brandon Marshall. Should in theory create less men in the box, which should in theory let our OL be more dominant.
4) Vernon Carey. Very underrated RT....especially around here. Not many RT's in this league can be a decent option at LT. Carey's proved he can be. He's also a load in the run game and means Miami with Long have at least 5 years (knock on wood with injuries) of top notch tackle play.
5) Lousaka Polite. Got to love a guy whose nearly automatic in close range situations..even when everyone knows it's coming.PhinsRock likes this. -
Ricky Williams
Chad Henne
Ronnie Brown
Jake Long
Lousaka Polite -
1 thru 5: Our starting offensive line, without them, you can choose whichever QB,RB or WR that ever existed in the game of football and they would be useless.
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Thanks for the responses so far guys. I'm loving reading each of your lists and the reason why you cheer for them. Remember, there are no wrong answers here. Each of these players are Dolphins and we should be cheering for them all no matter what. That being said, I want to get this thread to AT LEAST 100 votes to produce an accurate sampling. I know we have the members to do it, so lets keep it going.
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**I must caveat this with some JT love. That guy is my all time favorite. I have a retro JT Akron ZIPS jersey that I wear on gameday. I will root for him 14 weeks a year now....
Current Fins:
#1 - Been a huge Ricky fan since he was here at Texas, cant stop now. I love the evolution of the person, and sheer POWER. He is a beast.
#2 - Big Jake is just tremendous to watch, especially after watching our OL prior to his drafting.
#3 - YB, I love the persistence, and all around athleticism. Guy is a physical specimen (SP?)
#4 - Sean Smith - this kid is so close, always around whats going on. Make the play kid.
#5 - Ronnie is a machine, and I think he could be a top 5 NFL offensive player. Tremendous talent. -
Brown: If not for freak injuries would be the best all around back in the league. Unselfish.
R Williams: The most interesting player in the league and quite possibly ever.
Crowder: Average player, great effing interviews.
Bess: Love the underdog over achiever. Might one day be the Zach of the offense.
That's it really. -
What the hell, here are the Dolphins whom I like watching most:
-Vontae Davis: after watching Revis develop into the best in the game, I have a new found appreciation for good cornerback play. I think Davis will be a good one.
-Ronnie Brown: runs hard and is really tough to bring down. But he's always injured.
-Brandon Marshall: I was on the bandwagon a while ago and I wanted the Jets to acquire him before the '09 season when he was on the trading block. Shame he won't be a factor in the games against the Jets. :pointlol:
-Chad Henne: looks to be developing nicely. Has a great arm and has had some clutch performances unfortunately against my Jets.
-Randy Starks: dude is a beast.LandShark13, Irish Phin Fan and Trowa like this. -
1.) Ricky Williams: Have always been a fan and I understand what it's like to do your own thing even when nobody else understands why.
2.) Brian Hartline: Loved watching him at Ohio State and I defended him on this board big time when we drafted him and a lot of people said he was a waste of a pick and wouldn't make it past training camp.
3.) Chad Henne: I really believe this kid has the goods and I love QB's with rocket arms.
4.) Jake Long: STUD. The guys is one of if not the top O-lineman in the league and he just brings a great attitude to the offense.
5.) Cam Wake: Breakout year this season. I think we found a gem in him.
I'm sure Marshall and Dansby will be on my list come this time next year, but I need a season of watching them in a Phins uniform first. -
Well, I typically like the cast off/under dog/longshot types of Dolphin:
Lou Polite-Should have been a All Pro FB, was walking the streets in 08 and has done everything asked of him at a high level, Ronnie B had his best yr with Polite, Ricky Williams had a resurgence at 32 yrs old behind Lou Polite
Cameron Wake-passed over by no less than 5 teams that worked him out before heading to the CFL, literally got up off of the couch and into CFL DPOY and the NFL.
Devone Bess-UDFA, too short, to slow, he just comes to play week in and week out.
Randy Starks-cast off/after thought FA signing from the Titans, he played at a pro bowl level in 09.
Tony Sparano-I love this guy, old school Italian who reminds me of some old friends of mine, he puts in long hours, motivates players, has eliminated the mistakes that used to kill the Dolphins, there was a time when a Tackle would jump offsides 1 in every 5 or so plays, there was a time when the Dolphins were led by either dunces, or ego maniacs, Sparano's blue collar yet technical approach is just perfect for the Dolphins.
Sparano to me by far is the most overlooked Dolphin, he is a Oline coach at heart, but doesn't play "Wanny Ball", creative and demanding, Sparano reminds me of Shula but with some in game decisions that need some polishing, but that will come with time.Trowa and LandShark13 like this. -
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padre31 likes this.
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Consider my "Top 4", any team in the NFL could have signed all 4 for less than 5 million dollars, a CFLer, a UDFA, a street FA and a afterthought dlineman FA, no one rubbed a magic bottle to find those guys, they were targeted for acquisition by first Irish, then Sparano had to give the okay to bring them in.
Compare that to the days when a 3rd rd pick went for LaMarr Gordon, or we all waited with baited breath hoping fat LJ Shelton would shed some pounds..
I'd guess all I'm saying is don't focus on the meal, look at where the ingredients came from and who is doing the cooking...:hi5:Trowa and LandShark13 like this. -
This teams success is a direct reflection our our front office and our coaching staff. You would have to go back a long time before any of its knowledgeable fan's would even consider counting a Coach or a GM as their favorite part player/part of the team.
I mirror what Pads said about Coach S. I root for him as much as I root for any single player on our team. With his success comes our success.
I didn't mean to derail this thread but I felt the need to point this out, so please don't hold it against me or take it personal.
:knucks:Killerphins, Trowa and padre31 like this. -
padre31 likes this.
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Ronnie Brown
Jake Long
LouShaka "notso" Polite
Brandon Marshall
Smith/Davis
Oh does Zach count since he just signed a one dollar deal? :-)padre31 likes this. -
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padre31 and LandShark13 like this.
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Well for me the thing Is I have been thinking about this from the first time I read this thread. Its obviously not an easy thing for me to narrow my selection down to just 5 or I would have done so by now. Coach S was pretty high on my list so at the very least I'm going to need to rethink this. -
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No point crying over spilled milk. -
1)Ricky
2)Long
3)Camarillo
4)Starks
5)Jason Allen (I like seeing him make plays and improve. He plays tough and did not miss one tackle last season) -
Here are mine in no particular order:
Ronnie Brown: When healthy the guy is fun to watch, he's explosive, very difficult to bring down and has a decent recieving game.
Ricky Williams: Plays with such quiet intensity and just shuts up and gets the job done. One of my favorite dolphins of all time.
Greg Camarillo: Probably not on most people's list but the guy literally came from no where and is avery effective 3rd down reciever and always seems to come up with a big catch.
Jake Long: After playing tackle in high school I can definitely appreciate what jake does and what he means to this team. He's a leader on the line and still has room for improvement which is just exciting.
Yeremiah Bell: I feel like he's all over the field. He is always a team leader in tackles and can fly towards the ball. He also seemed to finally develop a bit of a ball hawking sense this past season.
Others I enjoy to watch/are favorites: Davone Bess, Lousaka Polite, Chad Henne, Vontae Davis, Randy Starks. -
Top Five, hmm.
Chad Henne - After watching his first few games as a starter I was really excited and telling anyone that would listen to watch out for this guy. I think he will be our starting QB for years to come and I just feel comfortable when he's in the pocket. The little bit I've seen of him off the field in interviews and things like appearing on the Rachael Ray show he seems to be a good guy. Was at the Carolina game where he had a third and long and rolled out, avoided the sack, and then hit Bess across the middle for the first. Huge play in that game and believe Ricky might have even scored the last Miami touchdown on the next play. Also loved his rushing TD this season, ran in and spiked the ball with authority.
Brian Hartline - Young guy with lots of potential I think. Seems to really play with a great attitude and was making plays all season, especially as the year went on. Loved his catch against Tennessee where the defender had it and bobbled it, he kept fighting and ended up getting the ball for a big reception. His touchdown off a reverse was pretty sweet.
Ronnie Brown - I think he's underrated and takes some heat because he obviously has missed some playing time. He's a special back though and I'm glad he's on our team. Was our best offensive weapon this past season and I'm crossing my fingers he stays healthy this season and people realize he's a lot better than they think.
Vontae Davis - Young corner with some talent. Not perfect but he makes interceptions and hopefully continues improving. Love how he has some attitude out there playing. I look forward to seeing him pick off more passes this season then trash talking after wards.
Lousaka Polite - Fullbacks are like the offensive line and don't get a lot of attention, but have to like what he's done. Great blocker and money on short yardage. I just love seeing him square his shoulders and lay a hit on someone. Plus he has a cool name and it's fun to say Louuuuuuuuuuuuusaka when he gets a first down.
Now that I've named my five favorite players I can give some love to Jeff Ireland. Something to be said about coming into a 1-15 team and turning the roster over, putting us in really good shape for this season and several more to come. Parcells and Sparano get all the credit it seems, and they play their part of course, but the GM should get some credit too. Looking at my list Ronnie is the only one that Ireland wasn't involved in acquiring. Don't you feel much better about this team than teams in the not so distant past? We also needed an upgrade at ILB and a number one WR, we went out and got the best available for each position this off-season. There's also just something about him I like.
:tt1:padre31 likes this.
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