The Phinisher

2-0 the Ugly Way? We'll Take It!!

2010-09-19T15:15:00.000-07:00

What better time to fire up a blog post than after the Phins' first 2-0 start in far too long? None, in my humble opinion.

These first two wins haven't exactly been stellar performances, and any person watching can see the flaws that need to be addressed. Still, as someone wiser than myself once said, "It's better to learn from a win than from a loss." That's exactly what the Dolphins have done thus far. While these game against the Bills and Vikings both left me sweating at the end, they each had a different feel.

The Bills game felt like the classic "kissing your cousin" scenario. Yeah, it was a win, but we fans couldn't really come away with much more than being satisfied that our Dolphins did not lose their opener. The offense was a tad suspect, though the Bills have an admittedly strong secondary. The defense looked strong, but it was against the Bills. I came away from that one with more than a few question marks floating through the ol' noggin.

Today's win against the Vikings was certainly not definitive, yet I think we can feel a bit more positive about the direction this team is heading. Apologies to Sergio Leone for the following hash of a true classic, as a way to order my thoughts:

The Bad & The Ugly

The Dolphins left some points on the field. The fumbles by Ricky and Ronnie kept breathing life into the Vikings, just as momentum had swung our guys' way, not once but twice. If they had simply held onto those balls, we would have been spared the late-game drama and probably seen a more comfortable 10- to 17-point victory.

I'm still not altogether sure about all of the offensive play calling. The Wildcat did serve a solid use during that first trip into the red zone, but I'd still rather see Henne left in more often, to more quickly develop a better rhythm with his receivers.

The defense was occasionally abused over the middle, either by Adrian Peterson (which is forgivable, to an extent) or by tight end Shiancoe (another very good player). This concerns me a bit when they face a more surgical team like the Patriots in a few weeks.

The Good

The defense is the obvious standout. Seeing the way these guys are closing on the ball and wrapping up the ball carriers, I can hardly believe how far they've come since this time last year. And it's not simply one or two guys - it's been virtually the whole team, most notably Vontae Davis. Davis was an absolute animal in this game, and may very well be evolving into one of the best corners in the league.

The pass rush was fantastic. From Misi and Wake to Starks and Langford, it seemed like everyone, young and old, was getting in on the act of pressuring Favre into making very Favre-like decisions, with unsurprising results: poorly thrown "gunslinger" passes that were easy meat for the secondary.

It was a bend-don't-break kind of day for the defense, typified by that final stop on 4th and goal on their own 1-yard line. That play was pure guts, not less so for stopping the man that otherwise ran roughshod over them for most of the day. Yet the D stopped him when it mattered most.

While the offense was clearly stifled after that initial scoring drive, we're starting to see developments. Marshall's presence was there for all to see, and Henne, though not outstanding, was very efficient (a 104 passer rating). The keys, more than the passes Henne did throw, are the ones that he didn't throw. Comparing Favre's and Henne's afternoons was like a case study between aggression and conservation. One gunslinger shot himself in the feet repeatedly, while the other knew when to keep it in his holster and just walk away.

What Now?

The gauntlet that is the Phins' early-season schedule has now truly begun, and they have passed the first test. They certainly have things to iron out, especially on offense, but I think the number of those problem areas has been reduced. If the defense can continue what they've started, and the offense can develop more cohesion, we may have a true powerhouse on our hands. They're not there yet, but I think the potential is definitely there.

God, it feels good to not have to watch our guys dig themselves out of an early hole.

Really, really good.

It's December 24th...for the next four months.

2010-04-26T14:44:00.000-07:00

The Prodigal Fan Returns:

I don't know jack about the NFL Draft.

The creator of, and prime contributor to, this site, The Phinisher, loves this stuff. He has forgotten much more about football than I'll ever know. I'm a guy whose interest in football was only re-stoked back in early November of 2007. The Dolphins were 0-8 and seemed a likely contender to be the League's first ever 0-16 team. At this point, I determined to re-embrace my previous Dolphins fandom and get behind a team that, from roughly 1980 through 2000, I had supported in a relatively casual way. Being a major fan of underdogs and comeback stories, I saw the mid-2007 Dolphins as a team that had nowhere to go but up. I wanted to get behind them and be here when it happened. I didn't have to wait terribly long.

We all know how that 2007 season ended: the Phins just managing to sidestep "beating" the Lions to the most pathetic season in league history. In comes Parcells, his game acumen, and a cadre of past coaching proteges, all of whom have turned the Dolphins into a relevant and interesting team in the last two years. It's been a fun period of growth, though not without its pains.

Through it all, my football education has continued. Unlike my previous period following the team, my knowledge of team dynamics, depth, and game strategies has increased. In the past, I couldn't have told you who Miami's backup inside offensive tackle was for all the pasta in Tony Sparano's pantry. Now, being more attuned to such things, my enjoyment of the game has increased exponentially.

And yet, the draft hype has always eluded me.

Is There a Draft In Here?

I never really saw the point in getting all amped up about guys who may or may not be worth a moldy mouthpiece. The annals of the draft are littered with examples that prove beyond a doubt that drafting players is far from an exact science, even for the most savvy football minds. This is to say nothing of the clueless team heads who seem to think they're drafting for a fantasy team (I'm looking at you, Al Davis and Matt Millen). With so much uncertainty, why the hype? Well, after a 2009 season of Dolphins football in which I learned more about the team than I ever have before, I tried to study a little more going into the draft. I looked over the Dolphins needs, read commentary, and even glanced at a few highlight reels of potential players. After this homework, I think I now understand the giddiness over the draft.

It's Christmas Eve.

(Apologies to our non-Christian readers - I was raised Catholic, so this is really my only point of reference.) Remember when you were a kid the days and nights before Christmas (or Channukuh, etc.)? You saw your gifts sitting there under the tree, just waiting to be opened. They weren't yours yet, and you couldn't play with them. In fact, they may not even be what you thought. Sure, that green one there looks like the packaging for Castle Greyskull, but is it? That smaller one with the goofy Santa wrapping paper on it has to be Zartan and his Chameleon skif, but maybe it's a box of argyle socks. You know what you asked for, and you're reasonably sure that you were good enough have your wishes granted, but you never truly knew until you opened them on the morning of the 25th.

Well, the draft is Christmas Eve, the players are the presents, and their college careers are the wrapping paper. Their collegiate play gives a pretty good idea of what they may be, what they may become, and how much entertainment we may get from them, but we don't truly know yet. Christmas is going to come when the regular season begins. This means that our Christmas Eve is now roughly a 3,300-hour day.

This long-winded analogy in place, I'm excited about the things sitting under our tree. They certainly look like what we want. Going into the draft, the Dolphins needs were obvious (no need to rehash - the Phinisher was all over this). After the revelation that Starks will switch to nose tackle, the Dolphins defense has the potential to be vastly superior to the 2009 version. I'm sure there may be some growing pains, but I truly don't expect to see the backfield breakdowns of early '09, or the line fatigue of late '09. With the youth and character of the guys drafted on Thursday & Friday, the off season pickup Dansby, and assuming further development of Vontae Davis and Sean Smith, Miami's defense may inspire something other than anxiety for us fans this season (that Saints game almost killed me).

Still, all of this enthusiasm is that of a kid on Christmas Eve with nothing to do but wait for morning. Well, dawn may be far away, but it will come. Let's hope that our desires are satiated and our presents, once opened, pummel the ass off the rest of the league, starting with the Bills. Until then, I'll be waiting, wearing my orange and teal PJs.

The Draft We Needed

2010-04-25T20:52:00.000-07:00

Georgia safety Reshad Jones is just one of the players with amazing upside who are now Miami Dolphins. Watch and learn.

Let me say that I loved the way this draft played out. For the Phins and for the analysts.

Mike Mayock and Mel Kiper looked like amateurs as team after team ignored their "rankings" and moved up and down to select players they had barely spent time on. It's funny stuff considering how much stock the layperson, including yours truly, puts in these guys.

That said, let me turn to the Dolphins singular experience with the draft. The fans went into it looking to land a safety like Earl Thomas, an outside linebacker like Sergio Kindle (man, what a free fall he had) or a nose tackle like Dan Williams.

So it was somewhat shocking that after trading down from the #12 slot the Phins selected the drafts best 3-4 end. With Starks, Langford and Merling in the fold why would the Phins need to place such a premium on a position of perceived strength? Many fans had no answer other than the fact that Jared Odrick is a terrific player.

This was just the tip of the iceberg. The Phins put together a draft that confounded fans and supplied the team with EXACTLY what they needed. Not to mention a cast of prototypical players whose size and speed speak of tremendous upside.

The other common theme is character. A lot of team captains coming from good families. The other thing that jumps out to me is how intelligent all the players seem. I listened to all their interviews and to a man they have character and are well-spoken. Jeff Ireland spoke to this and remarked simply: "Good kids are very coachable."

Coach'em up, Tony.

So lets meet and discuss the draft picks.

Round 1, Selection 28: Jared Odrick, DT Penn State. 6'5" 305 lbs.

After all was said and done we learned that the Dolphins had planned all-along to move Randy Starks to nose tackle. Starks had actually performed at a high level when moved there when Soliai and Ferguson were both hurt. With a full camp and hands-on learning with Ferguson the Dolphins believe that they have not only a nose tackle, but as GM Jeff Ireland said himself, one of the best.

I for one fully like the move and believe that the Phins have perhaps even upgraded inside.

So with a playmaker like Starks moving to NT the Phins needed to add another elite DE to start opposite of Langford. Odrick is a beast. He is very athletic for a big man and scouts praise how quick he is. What is most impressive is the fact that at 6'5" and over 300 lbs he still has room to grow. The dude is muscle.

So check off nose tackle. Major upgrade at end. Defensive line looking good already.

Round 2, Selection 40: Koa Misi. Outside Linebacker, Utah. 6'3", 251 lbs.

I will be the first to admit that when the Phins selected Misi I scratched my head. Kindle was still on the board and Misi (though on my humble radar) was considered a lower graded player. Then you look at what he is.

Koa Misi is relentless, strong and fast. He is a smart football player who has played, get this, defensive end, inside linebacker and outside linebacker in college. He has a knack for rushing the passer and is as polished a coverage guy (as far as 3-4 OLBrs go).

Then you watch the tape. Explosive, vicious and consistent. None of the ball players or coaches that have looked at this pick have called it a stretch. Cameron Wake is penciled in on the weak side, replacing Joey Porter and now Misi will be penciled in as the strong side, replacing that turncoat.

Coverage people. Remember all those tight ends running free? Hopefully Misi won't be in those clips.

Round Three, Selection 73: John Jerry, Offensive Lineman, Mississippi. 6'5", 328 lbs.

I love this pick. Not only does the guy rock a 1980's football hairstyle but he is an insanely powerful man. Everything I've heard and seen John Jerry makes me think lofty thoughts. There's just a vibe I get, like, ten-year pro.

Jerry was drafted by the Dolphins to replace, yes replace, Donald Thomas as the starting guard. Ireland basically has stated that they hope to start Richie Incognito and John Jerry at guard between Carey and Long.

Jerry is a mauler. When I watched footage of him the thing that jumps out is the way he destroys opponents, moving them miles off the ball and onto their backs. He supposedly needs help with pass blocking and no doubt Tony S. will coach him up like he has all the lineman on this team.

Man. I love the way this draft unfolded.

Round 4, Selection 119: A.J. Edds, Inside linebacker, Iowa. 6'4", 245 lbs.

Again. Look at the measurables. Edds (pronounced as in deeds minus the first d) was drafted with a specific purpose in mind and Dolphins GM Jeff Ireland seems to believe he will have an immediate impact in that regard.

Edds is tall, quick and fast. He is apparently the best cover linebacker in the draft and a quick glance at his stats will tell you something very interesting. Namely his seven interceptions, five of which came in 2009. Edds can run with the most athletic of tight ends and the Dolphins will use him as their nickel linebacker. So this also means that Channing Crowder will most likley just play downs one and two or short yardage third downs. Edds will step on for passing situations as well as be a potential special teams star.

Dansby and Edds on third and eight? Wow. A lot better than Crowder and Ayodele already.

Round 5, Selection 145: Nolan Carroll, Cornerback, Maryland. 5'11", 204 lbs.

Carroll is the only "risk" pick. Carroll would have been a second or third round selection except for his breaking his leg early his senior year. He has since rehabbed and was able to run for his pro day and will be practicing from the get-go.

Carroll is a hard-hitter with incredible jumping ability and fast enough for the NFL. Whether in the nickel or pushing one of the two young starters, Carroll is another player whose upside could go anywhere.

Incidentally his father is a Master Sergeant in the Air Force and his mother was a Lt. Commander in the Navy. She is currently a Florida State Representative.

Round 5, Selection 163: Reshad Jones, Saftey, Georgia. 6'1" 218 lbs.

This is perhaps one of the most intriguing picks of the whole draft. Jones is a prototypical strong safety who loves to hit and has the speed and size to be elite. What's more is that Jones has above average cover skills and has been successful at the free safety position as much as strong. Oh, and he can leap out of the gym and busted out 24 reps with 225 at the combine.

So how is he in the fifth round? Well, for one the Phins traded up to get him and two his timed speed has been knocked. Jones ran a 4.56 at the combine. Add to that the additional knock that he sometimes goes for the big hit rather than the sure tackle and you have him slip some.

In any case he is a very intriguing player and should compete for the free safety position and prove to be a viable heir to the throne of Bell.

Round 7, Selection 212: Chris McCoy, Outside Linebacker, Middle Tennessee State. 6'2" 245 lbs.

"They're getting an explosive, dominating player."

That was McCoy's answer when asked what Dolphins fans were getting when the Phins drafted him. McCoy has all the measurable talent and demonstrated that with production to match, albeit at a small school.

McCoy is raw though, especially when he's going to have to move from defensive end to outside linebacker. Ireland stated that he will compete on the weakside OLB spot with Cameron Wake.

Round 7, Pick 252: Austin Spitler, Inside Linebacker, Ohio State. 6'3" 234 lbs.

Spitler played behind James Laurinitis for three of his years in college and came on his senior. He was a special teams star before he got his chance to start. Another very good cover linebacker, I'm sure the Phins plan on using him as special teams depth and perhaps in a similar role as Edds.

And there you have it. Tons of depth with at least four to five players that should viably compete to start. This is the draft that the Phins needed last year. With the additions of Brandon Marshall, Richie Incognito and Karlos Dansby in mind, you have to like where your Miami Dolphins are situated after this deep draft.

Now, if only it were September.

The Phinisher's 2010 Seven Round Mock Draft... Just Kidding

2010-04-21T20:18:00.000-07:00

I said it yesterday and I'll say it again here: This draft is near impossible to figure out. The lack of a second round pick, the limbo of the 12th overall selection being either too low or high and three very essential needs to fill.

So rather than do a mock draft I will instead point to certain moves that I feel will happen.

In Round One

Kindle is the most polished and NFL ready 3-4 outside linebacker in the draft.

The Dolphins may not trade back. I know the thought is that the Phins want to get a second rounder like nothing else. I think this is very possible but I also believe they may sit pat and secure a blue chip prospect at one of their need areas.

Let's say the Eagles want to come up to get Earl Thomas. Or the Cowboys desire Dez Bryant. Ok. So who would the Phins land at number 24 or 27? Dan Williams is the only foreseeable player who could drop to them there but really he is too versatile to pass by so many teams. OLB Sergio Kindle doesn't make it past the Pats, minimum. Earl Thomas will most likely be the reason for the trade so he too will be gone.

Then again the Phins may believe they can get Williams or a DE/OLB like Michigan's Brandon Graham or maybe even Earl Thomas hisself later on in the round.

That 12th pick is confounding. If they sit on it then expect to see Sergio Kindle a Dolphin. He's just too polished to pass up. Let alone the fact that he compliments Cameron Wake.

The Second Round

No doubt Cody is a load. It's just determining what kind of load that matters.

IF the Phins get into this round, whether with trades (Ronnie Brown, Justin Smiley) or draft picks or a combination thereof the will no doubt look to drafting the highest value of the three needed areas not selected in the first round. South Florida Safety Nate Allen or Alabama NT Terrence Cody. There will be plenty of OLB talent in this round, with Hughes, Graham et al probably ending up in the second.

The Third Round

A former UM basketball player, Graham had a successful one season as UM's tight end. He is a physical specimen and one of the more intriguing figures in the draft.

Alas, Cam Thomas. I really see this coming. The guy has a prototypical 3-4 nose build and Sparano (and Ferguson himself) will coach the kid up. If they brought in Terrence Cody in the previous round then look to Miami's Jimmy Graham (if still available) to come in and compete with Anthony Fasano at tight end.

The Fourth Round

Norwood fits the mold. 6'1" and 245 lbs, Norwood is a powerful defender who can rush the passer and play stout on the line. He'll also probably be gone by this pick.

Look for the Phins to double dip here and select another OLB. Koa Misi perhaps or South Carolina's Eric Norwood. Best available. With all the 3-4 teams out there these days that could mean neither of the above.

Fifth, Sixth & Seventh Rounds

Look for the Phins to use these picks in packages to move around the draft. With whatever they keep they will bring in the following: 1 to 2 guards, a running back and a linebacker. Micah Johnson anyone?

You get the picture though. I think the Phins will target only developmental lineman, tight ends and probably a running back on offense and go balls-to-the-wall on defense. Plan on seeing at least one NT, two OLB prospects, a safety or two and some competition for Channing Crowder.

Caveats

If the Dolphins select Earl Thomas, Dan Williams, Sergio Kindle or Derrick Morgan with the 12th selection and run a straight forward draft from there on out I will be happy.

Don't be shocked if the Phins do something crazy like draft Rolondo McClain or Brandon Spikes in the first or second (if they get a second) round. Either guy would be an improvement on Crowder and in the case of McClain it would create one of the best inside linebacker corps going into the season. Dansby and McClain... That's scary.

Tim Tebow. This will piss me off.

Go Phins!

Why This Draft Is Hard To Figure

2010-04-20T20:48:00.000-07:00

Is there any way we can get this guy?

In my two years running this site I have done a lot of draft drooling. You know what I mean. Looking at the splash tapes and pining over ideal draft scenarios. That said, I've done pretty well in my draft predictions. Not player names exactly, but concepts and positions.

And here I am scratching my head. This draft is by far the most confounding one I've ever witnessed. It is by far the deepest one in a multitude of positions as I've ever seen or heard of. Thankfully it's shallowest component is the QB position. Something we don't need in Miami any longer.

So why then is it so hard to figure out? Three reasons.

1) The Dolphins select in an odd spot.

Having the twelfth overall selection places a team right at the fringe of the top end of the draft. In a draft this deep with talent that means that you should easily be able to land a player that would normally have been a consensus top 10 pick in another year. But...

But the Dolphins have definite needs going into this draft. Safety, Outside linebacker and nosetackle jump off the page. In the case of all three I have some issues with the players available.

Safety at #12?

Unless the football gods have decided to bless the Phins with unbelievable fortune Eric Berry, the best safety prospect since Ed Reed, is not going to be around at #12. That leaves Texas safety Earl Thomas, a promising player with a great combination of size, speed and killer instincts. He's young though. Very young in fact.

Earl Thomas is coming out just after his sophomore season and young players tend to be a no-no in the Parcells drafting canon. I would be perfectly delighted to see them pull the trigger on Thomas at 12. The Dolphins have done their homework on the Texas safety, having visited with him twice. He truly should be available when their selection comes up but the age thing...

Outside linebacker?

I truly believe Miami has a pass rushing specialist for the weakside in Cameron Wake. I expect a lot from the former CFL star who has already been impressive in limited action.

With the passing of Jason Taylor the Phins now have need for a strongside OLB who can stuff the run, rush the passer and play in coverage.

I think Texas' Sergio Kindle certainly meets all three of those requirements but in no way does he jump off the tape like say, Larry English did last year. Kindle is a sure tackler and has played OLB in a 4-3 before, which makes him perfect for coverage and tackling in space. Something Akin Ayodele had plenty of trouble with last year. With Karlos Dansby free to make plays, Crowder bulldogging the box, Wake harrying passers and then Kindle dropping with the tight end perhaps the Phins will no longer have to watch Tight Ends burn them time and time again. His play as a 4-3 defensive end prepared him for successful conversion to OLB in a 3-4.

OLB in a 4-3 converts to a 4-3 DE and then becomes a pro OLB in a 3-4. Odd path to conversion but perhaps the best way to do it. To be honest I believe Kindle is the best fit in the draft for the #12 slot.

But then there is Derrick Morgan, who measures in a 6'3" and 266 lbs. He has the stoutness to dominate running lanes and is by far the most polished pass rusher in the draft. He is supposedly not as fluid in his movements as Kindle and therefore some believe him to be more of a project in conversion to 3-4 OLB.

And Jason Pierre-Paul. The UCF star is by far the most intriguing specimen at the position. The man is a physical freak. 6'5" and 270 lbs of hunting muscle. Pierre-Paul is fast in any direction, can leap tall buildings and supposedly possesses a 81 inch...wingspan. What the hell did you think I was going to say?

He's also supposedly as bright as the rock outside my front door. Some 4-3 team should do well with him as a pure rush end. We already have our hunter-destroyer.

How about nose tackle?

This one worries me. Tennessee's Dan Williams is a polished, powerful specimen who could very well turn out to be the best lineman in the draft. That's right. His name isn't Suh or McCoy and I am claiming he could be the best. More importantly he is a perfect fit at the most essential spot in a 3-4 defense. With Ferguson suspended for eight games and Soliai still under development you can be sure that the Phins are going to address this position sometime in the draft.

The 6'2" and 327 lbs Williams might be a slight reach at 12. Or not. To be honest, just because the guy wouldn't otherwise be drafted until the late teens or early twenties of the first round doesn't mean the Phins shouldn't pick up this very hard to obtain commodity.

Now is where the waters get troubled. Barring trades (more on that in a minute) the Phins have no second round pick. Alabama's gargantuan Terrence Cody (6'3"/356 lbs) most certainly be gone after the second round ends.

North Carolina's impressively built but underachieving Cam Thomas (6'3"/330 lbs) could also be gone by the time the Phins select in the 3rd round.

So the oddness of the #12 selection is that it is several slots too high or too far away from positions of need. I mean, if the Phins selected fifth I would be compatibility charts with my name and Eric Berry's. But we select twelve.

2) The Dolphins do not have many high round picks.

In the best draft of about a decade the Miami Dolphins have only a first and a third rounder. Sure, they have a slew of other picks. One fourth, one fifth (from San Fran for Teddy Ginn), three sixth rounders and a pair of sevenths.

Depth will be easily obtained by this front office. Lagarrette Blount anyone? I mean he is the Sonny Liston of halfbacks...

But without that second round pick (gone to Denver for Brandon Marshall) the Phins have limited options. We need a stud linebacker and nosetackle. We really could use a safety. If you watched how the Phins went after Ryan Clark before he went back to the Steelers you can tell they didn't want to have to address this position this year.

3) The draft is going to be a wild one.

Mark my words: The Phins will either move up or down. In the case of moving up I believe it will constitute a player and pick trade, say Justin Smiley and the 12th overall to Kansas City for the chance at selecting Eric Berry. Okay. So I might be dreaming. We only have a 56% compatibility anyway.

Seriously though. Watch Smiley and a fourth become a second rounder or something along those lines. Or if the Phins really get lucky, let's hope someone wants to move up to #12 and swap us 1sts and offer up a second and third. Hey Eagles, how bout that Thomas kid?

So while on Thurday morning I will offer up my mock draft once again I do with full belief that the Phins will not be selecting with the twelfth. They will move up or down. Mark those words down.

Personally I would sell out for as many top 100 picks as I could this year. Whether with player trades or mortgaging next years draft.

Trade up for Berry and then package next year up for Dan Williams? I'd do it.

You Broke My Heart, Jason Taylor... You Broke My Heart

2010-04-20T15:08:00.000-07:00

You're dead to me. Dead to me until you retire. Even then we'll see.

What can I say? It's 4/20.

On this day in 1653 Oliver Cromwell beheaded the head of Parliament and declared himself Lord Protector, ushering in an era of fascism in England.

Marie Curie isolated the isotope on this day in 1902, beginning a string of events that would lead to the nuclear bombing of Hiroshima.

The Columbine shootings occurred on this day.

Adolf Hitler was born 4/20, 1899.

And now this. ~~Jason Taylor~~ Fredo Corleone is a jet.

Of all the bizarre twists of fate that can befall the modern NFL fan this is perhaps the worst. I chuckled at the stupidity of trading Donovan McNabb to the Redskins. Really though, how good does that sound to you now?

JT Fredo as a Patriot?

Disgusting but tolerable, and in an odd way, possessing a small measure of class.

JT Fredo as a shit-filled bison?

Eh... Kind of just feel sorry for him.

But a jet? A fucking lowly, trash-eating piece of shit jet? Playing for a man whose body begins to eat itself if it goes thirty minutes without a twinky? It's astounding. Embarrassing. It's idiotic. It may have been the only thing he could do to continue his NFL career.

The truth is the Dolphins may not have wanted JT Fredo back.

Sure he was one of the better defenders on the team last year, but the Phins may have simply wanted to find and play the personnel of the future.

On the other hand the Phins could have been calling ~~JT's~~ Fredo bluff with the jets. They may have believed that they could be silent with him in order to increase the fog of war surrounding the draft room. They could have been wrong.

The reality for the Phins is that they now need to find a starter at the strong-side outside linebacker position.

With the loss of Joey Porter they clearly have faith in the development of Cameron Wake, but now without JT Fredo the

Phins have a glaring hole at one of the most essential positions on the field.

The strong-side backer has to be able to play stout against the run, drop into coverage and have above average pass rushing abilities. Charlie Anderson? Quentin Moses?

Even if the Phins draft a blue chip OLB prospect like Derrick Morgan or Sergio Kindle they will be hard pressed to turn them into a above average starter by week 1. That's why resigning JT seemed a no-brainer to many fans.

Sign JT Fredo, let him start the season, and bring along the blue chip prospect without fear of the bottom falling out.

But lets also realize one thing: JT Fredo is not what he used to be.

So some of you are pointing the fingers at the front office and proclaiming that they dropped the ball. I agree with you to some extent. But don't you dare excuse Fredo from this. The Dolphins brass may have been careless, crass or too indifferent in their strategy (or they may have just plain not wanted him - there is that too) but it was Fredo who signed with the jets. I don't care how slighted Fredo felt.

There is no excuse for this.

None. ~~Jason Taylor~~ Benedict Arnold is a jet. You fucking piece of shit.

I will feel this way until you, maybe, go into Canton. And then only if you chose to go in as a Dolphin. Begging, pleading and scraping your knees all the way.

In the meantime have fun with your

new boyfriend, ~~Fireman Ed~~ Captain Douchebag.

Asshole.

Some Musical Chairs While You Wait...

2010-04-17T09:28:00.000-07:00

I like the orange, Brandon. Now, let's lighten that blue up a bit...teal will do nicely.

Jesus.

The movement has been rather dizzying, but exciting for the most part.

I was really getting concerned, what with those jag-offs up in Jersey making move after move, strengthening their team, while our boys down in south FLA were relatively quiet during the last month or so. The Phish are obviously far from through making moves, with the draft right around the corner, but the Brandon Marshall gambit is well worth commenting upon.

I know Marshall has acquired the well-deserved rep as an immature malcontent. Still, I can't wait to see him suit up and start catching balls from Henne. Any os us Dolphins fans knows just how sorely a receiver like Marshall has been lacking for our team. And Ted Ginn, Jr. gone to boot? To be honest, I wondered if Ginn wouldn't have benefited greatly from lining up across from a stud receiver like Marshall. Nonetheless, seeing #19 and his moldy bag of dropped passes leave town doesn't hurt my feelings. The only thing that would have been better is the Dolphins had conned Rex Ryan into taking him off their hands. It would have been nice to see Ginn's inconsistency drive Sanchez and Ryan up the wall for a while.

Henne has to be thanking all that's holy that he's seen the last of this shit.

Back to Marshall. I have a good feeling about this. Sure, he his rap sheet in Denver was worrying. Still, I notice that there is little evidence of such jackassery during his earlier years at UCF. And, aside from dropped charges from a domestic dispute in March of last year, his only real red flag in the past two years was acting like a baby during the preseason last year. I've seen a few interviews with the guy and he certainly doesn't give the impression of a knuckle-head. In fact, he seems almost at a loss for words, due to elation. He's back home, has a young quarterback in Henne who's on the rise, has the fat contract that he's been gunning for, and has a massive stage on which to display his skills. It remains a bit of a gamble for Parcells and the crew, but I think it's a good one. If Marshall performs as he's capable, there's no part of the offense that won't benefit.

Of course, this means that we can now all start thinking of what's going to happen on draft day next week. Our guys still have several holes to fill, but getting one of the absolute best receivers in the game allows them to focus on one of the key defensive positions.

For me, this makes this draft a bit less stressful and far more exciting. Now knowing that, with the right pick for the defense, we fans will have every reason to expect very good things.

It's Always Darkest Before The Dawn - Mike Nolan Interviewing With The Dolphins

2010-01-18T20:17:00.000-08:00

Get your, "Good things come to those who wait" type cliches ready because Nolan will be a Dolphin.

Okay. Deep breath. This off-season has not exactly gone well. The zombie horde that is the NY jets is playing in the AFC Championship game. We have to listen to more Brett Favre bullshit than should be legal. The Dolphins fired their defensive coordinator and have been dissed by two different coaches. Al Groh wanted to be a college defensive coordinator. The Steelers linebacker coach, Keith Butler seemed to rather stay a linebackers coach than the Dolphins DC.

Not exactly the feeling of being "the team to join" like last year. The reality is that the Dolphins are a 7-9 team with aging OLBs, a problem at free safety and in the possession of two of the lowest rated interior linebackers in the NFL.

Then this happened. The madman that is Josh McDaniels decided to allow (or asked him to leave) Mike Nolan to give up the reigns as Denver's defensive coordinator.

That is the same Mike Nolan who took the 29th ranked defense (2008) and in a single year had them ranked 7th. That's with some Dolphins castoffs and some talented retreads (Brian Dawkins).

Nolan's exodus is most likely tied to the former DC in New England, Dean Pees, who resigned following the Patriots loss to Baltimore.

So Josh McDaniels gets his shitty but loyal guy and the Dolphins are now aggressively seeking Nolan, who should be in South Florida to interview by Wednesday.

Nolan even has some experience with Parcells, as he was the DC for the jets in 2000 when Bill Parcells was team president.

What is incredible about this is that Nolan is both young and fiery. He is a guy who players are loyal to and who runs one of the more aggressive, blitz oriented 3-4 schemes.

Mike Nolan is, in short, the cure for what ails the Dolphins defense. Does Patrick Willis mean anything to you? Well, Nolan drafted and worked with Willis.

Rolondo McClain anyone?

Bill Sheridan "Practically" In and Al Groh Is Next?

2010-01-12T17:05:00.000-08:00

Hey Tone, who's going to coach me up?

As you all surely know, Paul Pasqualoni has been terminated as the Dolphins defensive coordinator. Add to that the departures of both the inside linebackers coach and outside linebackers coach and you have three vacancies.

The substantial word on the streets, AKA the best secret left unhidden, is that the NY Giants former defensive coordinator and linebackers coach, Bill Sheridan, will be joining the Phins as the linebackers coach. Whether this will be coaching the inside or outside, or perhaps both, is unknown.

Sheridan coached only one season as the DC in NY, and the Giants defense finished 13th in the league. They broke down after the first six games, mainly in the secondary, and allowed several 40+ point games at the end of the season. This was enough to force the Giants to terminate Sheridan.

The thing about this though, as you are probably already thinking, is that he is being hired to coach the linebackers not run an entire defense. This is something he is very good at. From 2005-2008 the Giants fielded a very solid linebacking corps, which included the likes of Antonio Pierce and more apropos to the Phins 3-4 system, Mathias Kiwanuka.

Kiwanuka, due to injuries to other personnel, successfully converted from 4-3 end to 4-3 outside linebacker on the strong side. He played very well for a 266 lbs guy in coverage. He then rotated back and forth from linebacker to defensive end when Osi Umenyiora went out in early 2008 during training camp.

You can obviously see the thread I'm tugging on. Sheridan turned a defensive end into a 4-3 outside linebacker. In other words he can really coach. My guess is that Sheridan will handle coaching up Wake to play in coverage and keep him on the field more next season, let alone getting more out of the two interior guys whoever they may be next year.

So the Sheridan signing is genius in my opinion. Teach Cam Wake to play in coverage. Let him destroy QBs on every other down. That and squeeze everything we can get out of third round selection, Micah Johnson. Sorry. That part might be fiction.

The secondary aspect about signing Sheridan is that it also brings on board a guy who can run an entire defense, which could be handy if we bring in the next guy I'm about to talk about.

Al Groh. Let's get a couple of things about the former University of Virginia head coach straight before talking what signing Al Groh would mean. Groh is not Dick LeBeau. He is not the recently deceased Jim Johnson. He isn't even Dom Capers. This is not a guy who has eight million blitzing schemes drawn-up on his shower curtain. He is yet a hard-nosed guy who will run a gap control defense that concerns itself with pressure more than glittery blitzing. He is basically a more accomplished version of Pasqualoni.

Groh has thrived under Parcells in the past. Groh has been nearly every kind of coach on the defensive side of the ball and has a lot of experience at head coach, even for a year at the professional level as the guy who followed Bill Parcells after his stint with the jets.

Groh has coached defensively for Parcells at nearly every stop the Big Tuna has made. The exception is Dallas.

What Groh would create is a stabilizing force who could both "coach up" and "fire up" players like a head coach as well as provide system continuity between what Pasqualoni was running and what he will install.

Like I said before, it is an upgraded version of what we already have. The guy did turn Chris Long into a defensive phenomena. Too bad Long he ended up on the Rams, never to be heard from again.

Back to Sheridan. Bill Sheridan is fifty years old and could potentially be groomed to fill in for Groh if he again finds himself courted as a head coach on the collegiate or professional level.

All that speculation aside, there are a couple of other names that are out there. One of them is former Browns head coach and longtime Parcells disciple (of the Belichick clan) Romeo Crennel. Romeo would be fine with me, as he seems to win player's respect and has run defenses that have maximized talented 3-4 down lineman in the past. Think Willie McGinist and Richard Seymour.

Crennel's agent has said that the Chiefs have first shot at Romeo's services and that in football agent speak sounds like a deal.

One other name that came up, and I think was totally preposterous, is Bengals defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer. His contract was up and he had turned the Bengals defense into a viable unit (after drafting a shit ton of top flight linebackers mind you). He is a 4-3 guy and no way in hell are they switching to that. Anyway, the Bengals retained Zimmer. So that is a moot point.

What I'd like to know is what blitz crazed mad scientist is out there coaching the 3-4 on the collegiate level. Where are thou, Dick LeBeau junior?

This Is Don Shula's Orange and Teal Earth

2010-01-03T08:31:00.000-08:00

Until they drive the spike through my cold, beer-soaked hear I will be "talking Super Bowl."

In Fear and Tembling the Danish philosopher Soren Kierkegaard defines pure faith as absurd. In Kierkegaard's reasoning there is only one single example of pure faith and one clear instance of its reckoning.

Kierkegaard believed that the singular moment of faith in the history of mankind was the moment when Abraham brings his son Isaac to the mount as sacrifice, as god has asked him to do so. God had promised to Abraham that his son would become great and father many nations. God had promised a blessed life for Abraham's son. Thus god's request for Isaac's life was contrary to god's own previous law and and this makes the entire situation paradoxical for a reasoning man.

Abraham wasn't a reasoning man. He was a man of faith. The contrary notions do not occur to him. Only the will god and his need to execute it does.

Soren Kierkegaard has been dead for well over a hundred years. He never knew that on January 1st, 2010 there would be another instance of faith, surpassing even that of Abraham's. I mean, he controlled his own playoff spot. All he had to do is obey god.

We Dolphins fans however must rely purely on faith. I know the Phins will go to the playoffs because I have faith in them.

If they don't, well, then I'll go worship Baal or something.

GO PHINS! Let's beat the shit of the Steeler's and their extra gay mascot.

The Sun Sets, but a Pale Light Remains

2009-12-29T18:24:00.000-08:00

Jake LaMotta knew how the Dolphins & I felt by halftime this past Sunday

By the end of the game against the Texans, the Dolphins had managed enough of a comeback to maintain a certain amount of self-respect ("You never got me down, Ray."), and to push down some of the bile rising in my throat. Still, there was no doubt which was the better team that day. It was nauseating.

As dejected as I was after that affair, the desperately optimistic part of me was glad to see that, by the numbers, Miami's not out of it yet.

Here's the step-by-step miracle that we should hope for, in no particular order of impossibility:

The one o'clocks:

(1) The Browns beat the Jaguars. We may actually have a decent shot at this one. The Jags, while mathematically alive, are even less so than the Dolphins. They're playing in Cleveland and Mangini has to be on a really short leash, feeling the Arctic walrus breath of Mike Holmgreen on the back of his neck. The Browns have actually won a few games and may do the Phins a favor here. Impossibility Factor: 4/10

(2) The Patriots beat the Texans. Belichik may be pulling up stakes and heading for the playoffs in this one. The Pats have very little to play for at this point (home field in their 2nd playoff game, possibly), and the Texans are playing for everything. It's in Houston, where the fans are starving for a trip to the playoffs that will legitimize their existence. And, deep down, what would Satan's minion, Belichik, love more than to send one right up the Dolphins' cornhole by mailing it in? Impossibility Factor: 7/10

(3) The Game. If the Dolphins don't win, then nothing else in this post matters, really. However, without the bother of scoreboard-watching, I think they have an excellent chance to win. It's in Miami, the Steelers look to be without Polamolu to end the season, and our guys have to still be smoldering at how they played that first half against Houston. If they can keep the fire they showed in the second half kindled, they should be kicking dirt on Pittsburgh's season by 3:00. Impossibility Factor: 2/10

If the football gods have grown tired of smiting the Dolphins and deign to grant them the previous three boons, then we can stay tuned at 4:15 for:

(4) The Raiders beat the Ravens. Earlier this year, this would have been laughable. Now, though, I'm a bit more confident. The Ravens are a bit banged up and have to travel to the west coast, where the Raiders have been showing some vague resemblance to an NFL team in recent weeks. Some of the actual talent on that team is showing up, and they've shocked more than one decent team this year. The Ravens are never a walk-over, but I see the Raiders taking them out. Impossibility Factor: 5/10

And should the Dolphins still be swimming, point your bottle noses to this one at 8:20:

(5) The Bengals beat the Jets. Not only the last snag of this Gordian knot, but maybe also the tightest. Like the Pats/Texans game, this one is yin for one team, yang for the other. The Jets are playing for their lives, and the Bengals can afford to use this as their de facto bye week. Cincinnati coach Marvin Lewis says he's going into it "full speed," due to his team's youth, in the hopes of avoiding complacency. I truly hope that's not just smoke & mirrors. The game is in the Meadowlands, and will be the final pro football game there, ever. The fans will be berserk. Maybe a horde of drunken Jets fans will storm the field, urinate on the refs, and the Jets will be disqualified. You may laugh, but these are Jets fans we're talking about here. Barring that, this one doesn't look good for the guys in teal. Impossibility Factor: 8/10

So there you have it. It's a true gauntlet. If the Dolphins come through this one with a playoff spot in their flippers, I swear that next season I will not say word one against the football gods. Hear my plea, oh Mighty Ones!! (If you can't grant me this slew of victories, at least let me see Dan Marino storm the field in Jersey, wearing a teal suit, and give Rex Ryan a flying side kick to all of his four chins. It may be more likely than the wins. And more rewarding.)

All I Want For Christmas Is Some Dead, Grilled Steak

2009-12-27T09:04:00.000-08:00

No offense to driftin, who hails from Texas. Incidentally he does have horns so that about settles that.

The Titans are eliminated. The Eagles will handle the Broncos today and the Steelers, I know in my heart of hearts, will defeat the Ravens.

This of course will make next Sunday's game against the Steelers an honest-to-goodness, non-cliche, playoff game.

Oh. I forgot. We've never beaten the Texans.

Without resulting to concepts such as "being due" I'll make my bold proclamation right here. The Dolphins will beat the Texans today.

The Andre Johnson Thing

That is taking into consideration how a mobile quarterback and the best wide receiver in football will somehow not destroy the Miami secondary. Granted, Vontae Davis and Sean Smith have risen to the occasion nearly every time they've faced a top flight receiver.

What I don't like is how top flight Andre Johnson is. I'm not sure he can be stopped and so I'll waive the white flag and say that if the Phins can hold him to a TD and less than a hundred yards they've got a shot.

Point blank: They won't cover him.

The Trenches

What they can do is pressure the QB and this has never been more necessary that today.

On the flip side the Phins protection has to step up. Mario Williams and company are very good, as is Demeco Ryans at the linebacker spot. Lousaka Polite and base protections are going to have to spring Williams for some big plays. The Phins have to get back to looking to the run game for big plays and alleviate some pressure from Chad Henne.

Chad Henne

And speaking of Spartacus Cannonarm, the leash needs to come back out. While I fully believe this is a future Pro Bowl QB, he is still essentially a rookie and playing with a average receiving corps. One of the bigest keys today's game will be to get Henne back to a Pennington-esque game managing style game where big plays develop organically instead of being forced.

Trick Plays Welcome

The cute shit hurt us lots in some previous weeks but I'm going on the record here saying that a reverse or a true wildcat formation (with White at QB and Williams as the "cat") would be welcomed by me. Hell, I'm even for it at nail biting times.

The bottom line is that the Dolphins are still a team that needs an "x" factor. We're close to being a team that can simply line-up and beat teams up on both sides of the ball but close, as they say, counts in games other than the one we're concerned with.

So all that said, here's to a perfect Sunday in Dolphins world. I saw it in the crystal ball so rest assured it will happen.

I Believe

2009-12-20T20:06:00.000-08:00

Fuck the zebras. How's that for a start?

I won't get into the bullshit holding calls on Paul Soliai. Especially because my previous post and lead picture seemed to auger future events. Bully for me, eh buds?

I also won't discuss the disappearing fumble, the invention of unnecessary roughness and other works of metaphysics.

What I will tell you is that the Broncos are going to lose two more games and the Dolphins will win two more.

Amidst the gloom of this horrid loss I am telling you, Dolfans, that the Miami Dolphins have a very real shot at making the playoffs.

The Broncos will lose to the Eagles next week and then, sayetht he prophet The Phinisher, Chris Chambers will have a big day and win one for the Dolphins.

Mark it. Love it. Cherish you fates.

Really? I'm Calling Bullshit On That.

2009-12-20T05:54:00.000-08:00

Well, we're snowbound up here in PA. Luckily we've organized an 11am kickoff for some snow football and in a mere hour or so I will be warming up for it with a beer or three. Then it will be time to watch the Dolphins.

Before I begin my rant I'd like to take a moment and give the Titans some props. That is the flavor of the moment on Dolphins blogs, articles and everywhere else on Shula's Orange and Teal Earth.

This is the best team that the Dolphins will have to face in their final three games. This Titans team is far more closely related to last year's team that went 13-3 and then got hosed in the playoffs by some awful calls against the Ravens.

Fuck the Ravens. Fuck Cam Cameron. Fuck the Pats. And hell, why not make it a triple: Fuck the Jets again, for the third time.

Outburst shelved, let me now say that the Titans are not as good at the things the Dolphins are bad at as people seem to think. Yes, the Phins slow middle linebackers are going to have trouble containing Vince Young on broken plays or delayed QB keepers.

But no, Vince Young is not going to make them pay by throwing to an athletic tight end that exploits the linebackers and Gibril Wilson up the middle of the field. No, their wide receivers, though good, are not exactly the hardest match-ups our young DBs have faced.

The Chris Johnson thing... The guy is sick. He is way too fast and seems to glide forward, backward and to the side all at once when he makes a cut. While Johnson is small, he is also tough and uses his ridiculous velocity to break tackles. The stats don't lie: This is the best running back the Phins have faced all year.

That said, they've faced and stopped some really good ones too. Michael Turner. Thomas Jones. Ladainian Tomlinson & Darren Sproles. Maurice Jones Drew. Fred Jackson and Marshawn Lynch.

There are some good backs and the key stats there are how they played against the elite ones. MJD got shut down last week. Michael Turner the same. So while Chris Johnson can score on any play, I am not willing to come into the game expecting to see him set history. I trust our boys up front.

Finally let me address this Kevin Mawae vs. Paul Soliai thing. All week long the South Florida media has been nursing from Mawae's johnson. Omar Kelly, who is usually one of my favorites, even went so far as to describe Soliai as a "baby" when facing Mawae.

Keven Mawae, 6'4" and 289 lbs.

Paul Soliai, 6'4" and 355 lbs.

Soliai has 19 tackles and a very impressive forced fumble in limited play. Since Jason Ferguson went down Paul has been asked to step his play and fill in. He nursed an ankle sprain for a couple weeks but has been dominant in his return. Last week against the Jaguars, Soliai registered four tackles and one of them for a loss.

The media, and probably his teammates as well, have put the sombrero on Paul this week. He's going against one of the nastiest, dirtiest centers in the league. A guy who makes up for his small size with dirty tricks and hard-as-nails play.

From all accounts Paul is ready.

"I've been watching film of Mawae and all he does is single block people. I hope he gives me the same. If the opponent runs the ball well it's my fault, especially if they run it up the middle."
-Paul Soliai, taking responsibility.

And speaking of badass defensive lineman, let me finish this post with one brief concept.

Randy Starks is playing his first game against the Titans since they parted ways.

I'm calling it: Two sack day for Starks. That's Randy "Straight Ballin" Starks. Randy "I Devour" Starks. Randy "Please, Go For It On Fourth Down" Starks.

So "bullshit." I don't see why so many people are finding themselves with limp dicks this Sunday morning. The Phins win today and when they do you find yourself pulling for a team that can beat anyone.

Don't Eat The Cheese

2009-12-14T19:33:00.000-08:00

Last season we learned about one of Bill Parcells' more eccentric catch phrases.

"Don't eat the cheese" is a line taken from an old cartoon and it means essentially this: Don't buy your own hype, whether good or bad.

Ted Ginn, don't buy into being a bust.

Chad Henne, don't buy into the belief that you're the second coming of Dan Marino.

Ricky Williams, don't worry about the thousand yard mark or the fact that you're an age defying legend in the making. Don't listen to me when I say that shit.

Randy Starks, well, actually you're pretty much the man. I'm not worried about what you do.

Dolphins secondary, play like it's the first game of the year. There is no track record of failures over the middle and no recent elevation of play.

"Don't eat the cheese" is about seeing between the lines and limiting the scope of that vision even further still to what is before you. For two weeks now you are the toast of ESPN and the NFL Network, two things that you haven't been in years.

Guys are picking your team to win the AFC East and if nothing else be the most dangerous Wildcard coming into the post-season. A strangely defiant team that can lay an egg or take the paint off of the opposition's helmets.

Don't buy any of it. Don't eat what their feeding you. Do as Coach Sparano said and "get better every week."

That's what the Titans have been doing.

Vontae Used One Finger Too Many

2009-12-12T13:07:00.000-08:00

This was a fun week. Every time I was starting to be saddened by something like the obnoxious commercialism of the holidays or seeing another advertisement for the movie "Old Dogs," I would just think of two little numbers: 22 & 21. Instant smiles.

Brady trying to come to grips with his own douchebaggery

Perhaps as good as the victory itself are the hushed tones that ESPN and NFL commentators have adopted since their "Superman," Tom Brady, has dared to look like a mere mortal during key games this season. Could he, he, be slipping? Are we witnessing the end of the Golden Boy Era? If Belichick's strategies, a healthy Randy Moss, and arrant penalty flags for so much as thinking of touching Saint Brady can't keep him up on his pedestal, then perhaps it's time to stop the incessant sychophantry. It's been highly amusing to see the glazed look in Chris Berman's eyes when he dares contemplate the mere possibility that neither the conference nor even the eastern division are the Patriots for the taking any longer. While the bigger AFC picture is still somewhat up-for grabs, the division is ripe for the Dolphins to leap up and pluck. However, lest I get ahead of myself:

The Jaguars. Weird team. It's not unusual to have a schizophrenic team in the NFL. Every year, there are one or two teams who will vacillate between showing their absolute best and absolute worst from week to week. But the Jaguars have been performing this way for years now. I'd love to look at their injury report and say that it looks favorable, which it does, if this were a normal, more predictable team. The fact is that no one is sure just what the hell Jack Del Rio, his lame leather jacket and his team are capable of. Sure, they're missing a few key players but Jones-Drew is still in their backfield, and he's enough to make any team and their fans a bit nervous.

While the question of whether we're going to get the Dr. Jekyl or the Mr. Hyde version of the Jaguars will only be answered at 1:00 on Sunday, there are plenty of other intriguing elements to ponder and anticipate. Keep an eye on defensive end Tony McDaniel, who the Jaguars traded this past off-season for nothing more than a 7th Round pick; which, in NFL terms, is roughly equivalent to trading him for a tattered jock strap. Word is that McDaniel is itching to prove that Jacksonville backhanded him a bit, and has even walked the dreamworlds and glimpsed his own and his current team's approaching success: http://www.miamiherald.com/sports/football/story/1378110.html

Not this time, Randy. Time for you to start taking plays off again.

The Dolphins secondary seems to keep getting better and better. Sure, they gave up 350 yards passing to Brady and Welker had another day that, if it weren't Wes Welker, would have been incredible. But, most of the major strikes came in the first half. After that, you really didn't hear the name "Randy Moss" or anyone other than Welker's, for that matter. We're even getting to see some well-earned cockiness from rookie cornerback Vontae Davis. If you didn't see it, he threw up the "Number 2" sign to let Tom Brady know that he had just picked him for the second time this season. Let's see some of that confidence and momentum carry over and allow the linebackers to help out on the run, something the Jags are likely to lean on, if Sims-Walker has to sit out.

I'm also perfectly OK with the greater use of the pro set and de-emphasis on the Wildcat. Henne wasn't without his hiccups on Sunday, but Jesus! The guy threw fifty-two times!! And, just like in the Bucs game, he overcame a potentially game-losing interception to mount a brilliant, pass-heavy drive to end up on the mountain top. He's still overthrowing guys several times a game, but most of them harmlessly, and his receivers hands seem to be developing the three-inch-thick calluses needed to catch his 275 m.p.h. passes. It's really fun watching this guy develop. I doubt the Dolphins will ask as much from him against Jacksonville, but it's great to know that he's more than capable of shouldering the load and leading the charge.

...and Two steps forward.

2009-12-07T09:59:00.000-08:00

Chad Henne, AKA Spartacus Cannonarm, leads his men past the forces of evil. Thirteen QBs had to come and go since #13 retired for us to arrive at this point of destiny.

What a difference a game makes. I started Sunday morning like a man resigned to his fate. Donning my Ricky Williams jersey amidst the swirl of hangover fumes I thought only of the the things I still appreciated.

There was watching Ricky every week. There is the development of our young corners to monitor. There is the potential of running back Lex Hilliard. Then there is the excitement of watching our young future of the franchise go out and sling the ball with confidence and power.

And watch him go slug for slug with Tom Brady and walk out of the ring the victor. Chad Henne, in a 1989 Ford Crown Victoria (a very nice car by the way) out drove Tom Brady and his Ferrari.

This one was THE STATEMENT game of the NFL this weekend and for the most part the NFL and it's lesser brained cousin, ESPN, has been silent. The AFC East is changing.

Their is greater parity in the division for one and for two there is a new team on the rise. One that now possesses the most critical accoutrement that every championship team has. Namely an elite quarterback.

Third, this team has a cast of youthful talent emerging on a defense that for a long time has been defined by its age. Paul Soliai made a tremendous play on the redzone 4th done stuff. Cameron Wake had the game-sealing pressure. Vontae Davis out-hustled Randy Moss to intercept Tom Brady in the endzone, something that has only been done three times since 2006. Kendall Langford, Randy Starks and Philip Merling are all young and playing extremely good football.

And though Sean Smith had his name called a couple of times on Sunday there is no denying that this kid could be a superstar someday. In any case, that big play with Aiken is one that Smith makes nine times out of ten.

Which brings me to the biggest change I saw on Sunday. This team is not the team that nearly beat the Colts and probably did beat the Saints (thanks NFL refs). That was a more deeply talented team. Jason Ferguson was at nose tackle. Ronnie Brown was healthy on pace for a career year. Will Allen was providing a buffer for two rookie corners so that they didn't have to wear the sombrero every week. Jake Grove was at center, mauling opposing lines with mustachioed confidence.

This is a patchwork team right now. Granted, we may get Grove back soon - and with a difficult schedule from here on out it is almost a necessity we get him back. The reality though is that the Dolphins just played their most complete game.

They played against the Patriots and they came out on the right side. They persevered despite going down 14-0 early. They opened up a passing attack that has been tentative all season long. They played tough prideful defense in the redzone (stopping the Patriots TWICE in the redzone). With over a minute left they made Tom "Terrific" look like the whiny, sniveling bitch that he is. I'm just surprised that they didn't call roughing the passer on Cameron Wake for taking Tom Brady down low. Seriously. Brady could of been hurt. Heh.

The reality here for us Phins fans is that we have a very good, perhaps ascending to incredible, quarterback that can single-handed win a game. We have a lot of young talent on a defense that is a few pieces (free safety, anyone?) away from becoming dominant.

Again, we out-slung the Pats. Let that soak in.

As for this season, which is now far from over, we should all be thankful for relevant football in December. The Dolphins need to win out and the Patriots need to lose to an AFC team in order for the Phins to win the division. We also get to play three of the wildcard hopefuls down the stretch here and so in a way we hold a grasp on our fate.

If the Phins run the table we will have essentially beaten five playoff teams in a row. You have to like walking into January with that kind of momentum.

Here's to a Patriots collapse. Keep going for it Bill. Love watching you guys lose.

In Spartacus Cannonarm we trust.

One Step Backwards...

2009-12-04T16:48:00.001-08:00

...that I can only pray leads to the figurative "two steps forward." And I dream that the first of these two steps is right on the Patriots' collective faces.

Why, oh why, couldn't the Bills just, for once since the early 90s, be somebody and beat the fucking Jets? I suppose that the Bills' role is something similar to The Trickster character in world myths: a wily and usually dislikable maverick whose sole purpose in existing is to foment chaos. If this is the case, well then, the Bills are doing a bang-up job. They beat the Pats and the Dolphins, two teams that should have crushed them. Then, they go to nearby Toronto and drop a fat turd on the field that the Jets managed just enough leg to kick out of their way to a lackluster victory. If only the Dolphins could have done the same.

Without revisiting last Sunday's debacle too much, I have to ask what sometimes goes through the heads of the offensive play callers. The game opens, your defense forces the Bills three and out, then the O-line and Ricky start running wild on them. It would have been a touchdown-scoring drive that knocked the Bills back on their heels right from the jump. Having it end in an interception as the result of an attempt at trickery was really the beginning of the end, in my mind. As early as it was, it bailed out a Bills defense that was already reeling, and left the Dolphins bereft of 7 points. At this point, it seems to me that this team really needs to bag the trick plays (and I don't consider the Wildcat a "trick play") and stick to the things that they have shown that they can do extremely well: run the ball and let Henne's passing keep the defenses honest. Against Buffalo, they once again seemed to have gone to the passing attack a bit too early, especially against one of the better secondary backfields in the league. It cost them.

'Tis the Season. And by this, I mean, if the Dolphins lose this one, that's it. The AFC Wildcard is too much of a logjam of 6-5, 6-6 (fucking Jets), and 5-6 teams to even think that a 5-7 team will make it. So, if the Phins want the rest of this season to mean anything more than getting reps in before pre-season 2010, they'd better bring everything they have. and by everything, I mean this guy:

Lost in that humiliating loss to the Bills was that it was Ricky's third straight 100-yard game since 2003. The guy is a true freak, in every way and in every positive sense of the word. My familiarity with Rikcy goes back some time, I've always loved him, and I think he's one of the most misunderstood and undeservedly insulted people in pro sports.

As a student at Texas A&M University from 1993 to 1999, I watched Williams run rough-shod over my team year after year. Despite my disgust at watching my Aggies get trounced repeatedly, I couldn't help but love the Longhorns' #34.
He was quick, immensely powerful, but more than that, interviews with him revealed an articulate, thoughtful and sensitive human being. While still a student, some friends of mine at UT let me in on some of Williams' oddities. One friend got on an elevator in which a lone Ricky Williams stood. Upon entering the elevator and having the doors close, rather than face my friend, Williams turned his back and faced the corner like a scolded elementary schooler. This was the first glimmer I had of Ricky's later-clinically-diagnosed social anxiety disorder. Once he broke into the NFL, people chuckled and shook their heads as they got to see more of Ricky's peculiar behavior: the wedding dress ESPN Magazine cover with Mike Ditka and his insistence on wearing his shaded visor helmet during post-game interviews are two of the more famous examples. Most wanted to drop the label of "weirdo" on him. This was just plain laziness. These were the actions of a man trying desperately to meld multiple aspects of his disparate soul - the professional athlete with once-in-a-generation, world-class skills dealing with the brightest of spotlights; and the spiritual, soul-searching free soul who undoubtedly would prefer to be just another traveler in search of a more complete happiness than domination on a football field could provide. And let's not forget that: as much as I love it, football is just a game to be played, watched and analyzed for our enjoyment. I think Ricky always knew this in his heart, but wasn't sure of how to seek out more profound experiences while still being a highly-paid, highly successful pro athlete.

He managed to find some kind of balance for a little over five years. Then, it all caught up to him. He forced himself into the choice between working within the rules of NFL and professional sports culture and becoming a true pilgrim. The latter was the path he took, using marijuana as a source of peace. And this is when the true misunderstandings began. NFL fans and commentators were all too ready to dismiss Ricky as just another pot-head and, I believe, lump him into the category of loutish hoods who didn't have the common sense to get out of their own way and embrace the meal ticket that life had given them in the form of athletic talent. This most certainly was not the case. Yes, Williams was in a struggle, but I always felt that it was a struggle to be respected. Amidst the ganja, yoga, scripture readings, and journeys abroad, Ricky was on a quest more profound than many NFL fans, commentators, and players could comprehend. These were the actions of a very deep individual who had to look in unusual places to find any answers to the questions that he was asking himself. They were the kinds of questions that philosophers have been puzzling over for millenia, with marginal success in finding answers. Ricky Williams began to ask those same questions about himself and existence and learned what all those who asked them before had learned: the road to the answers is far from a straight line.

What Ricky became was a spiritualist and philosopher somewhat trapped in the body of a bad-ass physical specimen who had found himself using his athletic prowess to make a paycheck. Being a person whose most outstanding physical achievements include placing 6th in a high school long jump competition, I can only imagine what such a thing feels like. But I do know what it feels like to ask questions about things that go far beyond our own physical limitations and experiences, and I think I can understand where some of Ricky's previous doubts and confusion arose from. This is why I love what's been happening on the Dolphins since last year began. Seeing Ricky run the ball like it's 2003 again is only a part of it. Since returning from the last suspension, in interviews and at practices, he seems to be a man who has found much of the balance that he went searching for all those years ago. He knows he's not a typical NFL premier running back (which he is, by the way: 11th in the league in rushing only being the starter 2 times) or even a typical pro athlete. Not by a long shot. The difference is that he now seems far more accepting of this, as do his coaches and teammates.

There are still many commentators and egomaniacal talking heads who will either ignore Williams' resurgence, or use people's misconceptions of him to make cheap jokes, just as they did in the past. I choose to take joy in watching a man who took the path not taken, fought his way through the stumbles, scrapes and bruises that come on the road of soul-searching, and seems to have found an admirable synthesis of body and mind, and a form of inner peace. That part of that peace includes him returning to an NFL field and reminding everyone of the physical gifts that won him Doak Walker Awards, the Heisman, and Pro Bowls; well, that's just a bonus for me.

I know it's at the expense of Ronnie Brown's unfortunate injury at this point, but the mantra is still the same: Run, Ricky Run!! And leave a trail of battered and torn Patriots in your path, my man.

Just Beat The Bills

2009-11-29T09:05:00.000-08:00

Ricky The Ruler has returned.

Last year the mantra for the season (at least for me) was "relevant football." The Dolphins, for the first time in over three years the Miami Dolphins were playing relevant football. In late November we were watching a team make a claim at being ready for the playoffs.

In late Novemeber I not only donned the jersey of my relevant Phins but also the reinstated Ricky Williams, my favorite current Phin.

So this season finds me in the same situation. The Dolphins have clawed out of the basement finally and at 5-5 are now firmly in second place in the AFC East. The lowly Bills loom as the only thing between .500 and a winning record.

But a win on paper is not one on the scoreboard. One thing this Miami Dolphins team is not is one that will underestimate opponents. They play hard against everyone because they can't afford to do otherwise. This is grind'em down and beat'em up football.

This is also a banged up team. The Phins are more or less limping into this Sunday. They've lost their starting nosetackle and the starting center will not be in this game.

Even our hero Ricky Williams has a slight pectoral injury. Don't think that'll stop him from posting another hundred yards though. Cause it won't.

Here's my three keys for Dolphins success against a dangerously desperate Bills team.

First Key - Chad Henne

Chad Henne is 5-2 as a starter. He has proven both a capable game manager and a clutch passer in tight situations. He has led two come-back victories in the final two minutes of a game. He has started to develop some chemistry with this lackluster corps of receivers and more importantly, some of them are starting to catch him.

So why is he a key, other than the normal reason that a QB is important to victory. The Bills defense is a tale of two sides. They are second in the league in takeaways against the pass and 31st in the league against the run. So while Ricky and Lex should run hog wild today it will be up to Chad Henne to protect the ball and keep the Phins defense off the field.

Second Key - Paul Soliai

Jason Ferguson is out. The loss is major. A 3-4 defense is completely dependent on the play of the nose. When the QB has all day and throws the ball a mile down field for a TD you will point at JT and Peezy as the culprits but it could have much to do with the nose getting handled. No, he doesn't get sacks, but yes he must eat at least two blockers.

I like Soliai. He was up and down his first two years but in limited action this year he has shown not only that he has become a stout nose tackle but also a guy capable of making big plays. Without Soliai's brilliant strip in the jets game (which set up JT's rambling TD return) the Phins probably lose that game.

Soliai has been nursing an ankle injury however, and I am very hopeful he can stay healthy and in the game. Rotating with him will be Randy Starks and Tony McDaniel, two guys who can play the position but barely. In any case, Starks is simply balling at the DE position and it would be bad to lose that play outside.

Like I said though, the nose comes first. Let's hope big Paul's ankle holds up. He is strong enough and now with the technical skills to be a good player in this league.

Third Key - Joe Berger

Jake Grove has happily proven me wrong. Or rather I am happily wrong. His play has been key to this team's success running the ball and in the pass game he's been lights out. He is out this week, I think to give him a more complete heal, but out nonetheless.

The backup, Joe Berger, is being touted highly by teammates and coaches. Berger has decent size and above all is being celebrated for his intelligence. Coaches even ask his opinion on how to protect certain fronts. Well, he does have an engineering degree.

The deal here is that we need him to physically be able to move guys from the middle so the Phins can maintain a inside rush. Additionally we don't need a bonehead snap mistake that puts the Phins defense in a bad spot or keeps points off the board.

So, Go Joe!

Other than that let's enjoy watching Ricky Williams. At 32 he is without a doubt in the last couple years of his career. We are watching a legend play.

Let Us Give Thanks

2009-11-25T13:39:00.000-08:00

He won't need his name on his helmet to be recognized for much longer .

As I think about the upcoming game against the Bills, I stop to give thanks for several things:

(1) The Owens/Smith Matchup. Since the Bills brass decided that the season is a loss and canned that previous guy who was the head coach, interim head guy Perry Fewell seems to have remembered that they have one of the best receivers in the history of the game wearing their colors. Owens had a mammoth game last week, and there's no reason to think the Bills offense won't try to get the ball into his hands even more. Which brings up Sean Smith. The kid is a beast and he's getting better week after week. Getting the chance to see these two guys square off should be great. I think Smith can actually handle the task. He's strong enough to counter Owens' power and definitely fast enough to keep up with him. It just remains to be seen if Smith can avoid getting turned around or caught out of position.

Pennington has been pleased with Henne's intuitive understanding of both football and the finer points of string theory.

(2) That Guy Taking the Snaps in Miami. Chad Henne still hasn't really been receiving any national notice, but that's fine. As a starter, he's 5-2 with 6 TDs, 4 INTs and a completion percentage in the mid-50% range. Not world-beating, but very good for a 24-year old in his first year as a starter. He keeps getting better and, as the Dolphins continue to cement their identity with him as their QB (notice the overall lack of Wildcat formations in Carolina?), I have no reason to think his improvement is going to stop, despite the fact that Buffalo's pass defense is actually quite respectable: 200.8 yards per game, only 8 TDs surrendered, and 17 picks. The reason I think Henne will be fine brings me to my final thing to be thankful for...

(3) Number 34. I won't get into this too much. Why? Because if Ricky has another game like he did against the Panthers, I plan on writing quite a missive about the man after the weekend. I began to get a warm feeling when I checked on the Bills' rushing defensive numbers: ranked 31st in the league, giving up 166 yards per game and 15 TDs in their ten games. While he may not have to carry the full load due to contributions by the bruising Lex Hilliard, my favorite yoga practitioner could very well log his third consecutive 100-yard game (the first time since 2003). I have no doubt that Ricky will summon past auras from his incarnation as an Argonaut in the geographically proximate Toronto to continue his rebirth.

Enjoy the football and the family, everyone. Love to all except the city of Buffalo.

Sunday Roundup?

2009-11-22T11:00:00.000-08:00

Ricky Williams plows through a hole for a touchdown.

Well, it's Sunday and we're rounding things up.

First let me say something on a few of today's games. I don't fucking care about who wins in the jets vs Pats game. I know a jets win does wonders for Miami over the next two weeks. I just hate them that much. I wish them nothing but ill tidings and worse happenings.

Go Ravens. Go Tampa Bay. Big Josh Freeman fan after watching him last week at Dolphins Stadium. Land Shark? I don't know what the hell you're talking about.

Now to the roundup.

Ricky Williams

So anyway, this last Wednesday I was talking about Ricky Williams (you know: The Dolphins greatest running back of all time). Well, turns out he's even freaking better than that.

Here's a charming story about how Ricky, despite a brilliant game and a Dolphins victory still feels that the week was lost because of the injury to his best friend and fellow running back, Ronnie Brown.

Then there's this about how Ricky Williams channels his chakras to heal himself and hurl ice storms at his enemies. And that he uses the force to heal himself. Deadspin's take here.

Ricky, I am so glad that the Dolphins have the ancient power of Hindu mysticism on our side.

I honestly believe that Ricky's (Rudra) healer is none other than Dhalsim.

Jason Ferguson

I don't even want to talk about this yet. Let's just say that I hope the improvement I've seen in Soliai is for real and that the big Somoan can get his ankle healthy.

A 3-4 defense does not work without a nose.

Jake Grove

The porn stache should be fine. Grove is rumored to have a high ankle sprain, which not only is quick to recover but can also be toughed out and played through. And given Grove is a tough ass, I think he'll be lining up next Sunday.

The guy has outplayed my expectations and been a dominant fixture on this very good line. The Phins offense needs to carry the load from here on out and a playing Grove will be a big part of that.

Playoffs?!? Playoffs!?!

Yes, Jeff Darlington is talking playoffs.

Hat tip to Randy Starks, Joey Porter and Yeremiah Bell. Bell's tackle of Williams down-field is just one of the many awesome plays YB made on Thursday night. He and Wilson are finally playing like they can, which means bad, bad things for opposing offenses.

Also, how excited are you to see Ricky's next 100 yard game? Just seven days away.

juck the Fets. Burn in Hell, Belichick.

Miami Truly is the Los Angeles of the East

2009-11-18T16:57:00.000-08:00

So I went to my first live Dolphins game this past Sunday. Heading down to south Florida with the phinisher, don'tcallmedolfan, and an Eagles fan who hooked us up with the tickets, we hit the keys and took in the Phins/Bucs tilt. I come away with three impressions: (1) The Dolphins, while not bad, have plenty of room to improve. (2) The weather in Miami is fucking awesome. (3) The fans in Miami are as tepid as hour-old bisque.

One. I don't know if my heart can take another game in which the Dolphins snatch victory from the jaws of defeat, which in turn was plucked from the maw of victory. The game was fun, but far more of a nail biter than it probably should have been. Sure, the Bucs are not quite as bad as their 1-8 record indicates, but they made so many miscues that the Dolphins should have buried them. The blame probably falls most to the same culprits as the other losses this year: dropped passes and play calling. At least my man, Ricky, got to shine right at the end and had a season-high in carries. More of that, please.

Two. The weather was so nice that I almost didn't feel like I was at a football game. Having lived in the Philadelphia area for over five years now, I'm used to sporting events from September through April being cold and/or rainy and generally a trial. I guess I'll take a bit of a sunburn over pneumonia any day.

A group of Dolphans heading to their seats.
Three. The fans. Jesus, it was a bit sad. I have to agree with the phinisher on this one. The turnout was solid, with at least 75-80% of the stadium seats filled, but I think many of them were driven in from the local morgues. In our section, 102, the vast majority of fans spent most of their time sitting on their hands. They got a little more excited when Jimmy Buffett would get played after a Phins score (I still can't get that stupid "Fins to left! Fins to the right!" song out of my head), but most of the time they seemed to stare around waiting for who-knows what. The most enthusiastic fan was a young meathead in front of us who was mostly pumped up
because his equally knuckle-headed friend was a Bucs fan. Admittedly, it was funny when, after the first touchdown catch by Sperry, he took his buddy's Bucs hat off, held it up to everyone behind him and gave it a joyous "thumbs down". However, as this guy got drunker, he basically got dumber and meaner. Mid-way through the third quarter, this guy was screaming for Sparano to put in Pat White for the rest of the game. And he wasn't the only one who seemed to already be set to completely give up on Chad Henne, despite the kid's obvious potential. And that was what composed the rows around us: apathy and impatience. Maybe it was just that section on that particular day. I hope so. I usually only see such weak sports fandom in the infamously lackadaisical southern California.

Big game tomorrow. None but a fool would try to convince you that the Dolphins are ready to go toe-to-toe with the elite teams in the league, but I think there's potential for them to improve enough to nab a wildcard spot and make a few of the top-flight teams sweat a bit. If they can win against a Panthers team that seems to be righting their ship a bit, then take the Bills, things get really interesting. Possibly hosting the Pats at 6-5, with the division possibly up for grabs? Very intriguing.

It's a real shame to hear about Ronnie Brown's injury. That certainly makes things more challenging. Still, anyone who's watched Ricky closely realizes just how much fuel he still has in the tank. Now we get to see him get the wheel and stomp on the gas again for the first time in over four years.

Sexy Lexy and Kool Kory

2009-11-18T16:39:00.000-08:00

Figured I'd pop up a couple of highlights for the guys you may know nothing about.

I see a lot of potential in both, and even had Kory Sheets in my mock draft this Spring. But it is Hilliard's ability to run and hit that has me thinking he could be a diamond in the rough. Plus I coined the name "Sexy Lexy" (in a totally hetero sort of way) and really want it to catch on.

Lex Hilliard Ballin: 5'11" 240 lbs.

Kory Sheets: 5'11" 208 lbs.

Ronnie Brown Placed On Injured Reserve

2009-11-18T15:00:00.000-08:00

We will miss Ronnie, if this rumor is true, but right now we need to get excited to see the greatest Dolphins running back of all time take center stage once again. That's right. I said it.

That is what ESPN is reporting via NFL insider, Adam Schefter.

This is still only at the rumor stage, but with the injury moving from ankle to foot the likelihood of the injury being serious increased enough to warrant taking this rumor seriously.

Ricky Williams will now become the feature back and carry a workload that he hasn't seen the likes of in six years. Williams leads the Dolphins backfield with yards from scrimmage and has been averaging 5.3 yards per carry this season, which is the highest rating of that metric for his career.

Backing up Williams will be the 5'11" and 240 lbs Lex Hilliard, who was impressive in preseason action and on special teams this year. Hilliard, a second-year player taken by Miami in the seventh round of the 2008 NFL Draft, has shown impressive speed and agility despite his punishing downhill style. He also catches the ball very well out of the backfield, and could provide decent blocking for Chad Henne as well.

Also in the mix will be rookie running back Kory Sheets. A undrafted free agent signed by the San Francisco 49rs, Sheets was impressive in his four years at Purdue and had a solid combine where he recorded a 4.47 average on his 40-yard-dash.

Sheets is a versatile back, who can catch and run with equal authority and may provide some depth in the wildcat formation. At 5'11" and 208 lbs he will most likely be asked to fill a role similar to that of the injured Patrick Cobbs (ACL).

It will be exciting to see if Williams can do with twenty carries what he does with eight carries, meaning dominate. Additionally it will be interesting to see if Hilliard can emerge as a viable second punch in the Phins dual backfield. Ball control has been an issue for Hilliard in the past, fumbling twice in 42 carries during the preseason.

What A Game?

2009-11-16T13:10:00.000-08:00

I'm pretty much whupped after a marathon weekend of boozing in south Florida. Landed in Ft. Lauderdale and made a night of it in the finest chain restaurant in the continental U.S., The Alehouse chain of southern Florida. Man their wings are awesome.

With a pair of sleep hours in my back pocket I then set off for the keys, where after some heavy boozing I collected a sleep hour and set to preparing for the game at around four in the morning. The drive was gorgeous. The sun rising in the east while on a highway in the middle of the sea is something you must make time to behold.

Add a few jumping tarpons and you got yourself something very picturesque.

But I don't want to talk about that stuff. I want to talk Dolphins football.

I'm Pissed At The Fans

And disappointed. For one the game wasn't sold out and yet the lively tailgate outside was packed to the brim. Pounding down a miller lite after devouring an egg salad sandwich from Publix, I looked around and felt pride in my fellow Phins fans. After a handful more beers I was ready to weep with joy. By the end of the third quarter something close to derision was creeping into my heart. A lot of people at the game Sunday can be summed up in a single two-word expression: You suck.

Cheering, assholes, isn't all that hard to do. Watching Jason Taylor look to the stands and raise his arms, trying to get some noise to support his defense broke my heart. The four of us, three Dolphins fans who live in PA and an Eagles fan made the most noise in our entire section. An Eagles fan had to pitch in, Phins fans, and for those of you that sat quietly in your seats, not even fucking clapping, you ought to feel like my liver did this morning, which is to say worthless.

It isn't a symphony you're watching. It isn't a new age concert with a contortionist ballet you're their to look upon. Yet still I saw hundreds of Phins fans sitting in their seats, quietly waiting for Yanni to take the stage.

When the Pats come wandering into south Florida in a few weeks I fully expect you turds to have your game faces on. Cause there won't be an Eagles fan there to help show you what making noise looks like. Turds.

Chad Henne

After that interception the stadium was crushed. Henne sat alone on the bench, shunned like a pariah. Spartacus Cannonarm, however, was not to be flagged by a lone mistake.

That final drive was Chad Henne's second come-from behind this season. In six games Chad Henne is 4-2 as a starter and has come from behind twice to win. For those of you that are cautious sorts, you can go ahead and get the chrism ready.

This guy is the real deal. No question about it.

Ricky Williams

Ronnie and Ricky dominated this game, and though the official line on the injury to Brown's ankle has not emerged as of yet, the reality is that Ricky Williams can carry a full load on his shoulders. And then some.

The Bucs defense had been wearing those red shirts all day and having to tackle the load that is old Engine #34 twenty times was apparently too much. Run, Ricky run!!!

Ted Ginn, Jr.

Seriously. Sign that cat I showed you on last Friday. That's all I'll say about it. Actually I think he officially is in a funk of some sorts. He has always been inconsistent, but this is ridiculous. The guy is talented. Here's to hoping he's just been in a funk and will emerge sometime soon.

The other conclusion is that he just sucks.

Josh Freeman and the Bucs

The Bucs lost the game, perhaps because of a weird interception call that went the Phins way, but as my old man always says: Excuses are for those who need them.

Many fans and commentators are screaming that the sky is falling because the Phins pulled a close one out against the Bucs. The conventional wisdom is the Bucs are a one-win team and that the Phins should take them apart if they want to be a playoff caliber team.

These guys weren't at the game though. Josh Freeman can ball. The guy is a playmaker. The Phins pressured him all day, and got to him a lot in the first half, but the kid was not phased. Two forced fumbles, a bad call turns into an interception, and being sacked and knocked around all day... None of these things got to him.

The team the Dolphins played on Sunday is not the team that lost to the Patriots in London or lost every game up until two weeks ago. This was Freeman's second start and he almost got a win. Bucs fans, you ought to be pretty excited about this kind of thing. I think Chad Henne vs. Josh Freeman will be a match-up that ESPN will talk about or NBC will flex in the future.

Good game, fellas.