Patience…Patients

Posted on March 26, 2012 by jimberrysports

     By now, many Dolphin fans feel ready to commit themselves to an insane asylum.  “I must be crazy to keep rooting for this team”, they must sometimes think.    After interrogating Dolphin owner Stephen Ross at the NFL owners meetings, I can only say..Patience patients.

     Ross will never win any motivational speaking awards, but he does make some sense.  The Dolphins should not add overpaid free agents to this patchwork team.  They should not pay mega-millions for ANY quarterback unless he is clearly better than Matt Moore, and are wise to bring in a guy like David Garrard who can at least push Moore to play better.  They should build a team primarily through the draft until they reach the point where adding key pieces makes sense. 

    Of course, it will backfire if the Dolphins don’t draft the right players, and don’t coach up the ones they do pick. Ross is convinced Joe Philbin and his staff know how to make good players better. We’ll see.

  Ross remains confident in Jeff Ireland, who actually drafted well in his first year away from the shadow of Bill Parcells.  However, Ross can not afford for Ireland to be a PR liability.  If the Fins are not better next season, Ross will have no choice but to hire a GM with more NFL clout.

  Are the Dolphins a team nobody wants to join ? Not according to one coach who spurned them. Jeff Fisher told me he actually LIKED Ross and Ireland, and respects the Dolphins for playing so hard after a dismal start last season. He just thought dull St. Louis was a better place for him than sexy South Florida. To each his own.

  What’s a Dol-fan to do ? Accept the fact that your team is rebuilding. Actually I should say re-re-re building…it seems they do this every few years. If they get it right, the Dolphins are gonna be really good…in the 2014 season.

Dol-fans will you go crazier waiting that much longer ? Patience..patients.

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And the plan is..?

Posted on March 14, 2012 by jimberrysports

  I can’t say I’ll miss Brandon Marshall, but his trade to the Chicago Bears has me wondering about the Dolphins game plan.  Clearly, new coach Joe Philbin does not want to inherit any headaches.  However, if you’re trying to recruit one of the all-time great quarterbacks, why do you trade your best receiver ?

  Maybe the Dolphins plan is to get a lot of fast young guys who can catch passes and go the distance. That’s the essence of the West Coast offense. I’m cool with that.  But if your plan is to go young, then why are you chasing an OLD quarterback like Peyton Manning.

   For the past several years, the Dolphins have been a team with dual agendas. They’re trying to win now…but they’re also re-building. You can’t do both.

Brandon Marshall said he wasn’t a diva, but once he got here, his diva-ness came out. He didn’t produce like the superstar the Dolphins paid him to be, and he could be a royal pain.  I don’t blame them for lettin’ him go.

But what’s the alternative ? Should a Dolphin fan have hope for the present, or hope for the future ?  Unless the team settles on a clear path, I’m afraid the answer will be…no hope at all.

Last year, when the Dolphins started miserably, some Dol-fans were actually happy. They wanted to “suck for Luck” so the team could once and for all get another franchise quarterback.  They were willing to endure short term pain for long term gain.

The Dolphins messed that up by winning too much, pushing them down in the draft to where they will most likely get a nice player, but maybe not an impact one.

Fans who were glad to see them win a few games now are left wondering if the team is half bad, or half good. Being a bad team is rough. Being stuck on mediocre is even worse.  So Dolphins…what’s the plan ?  Tell us before more fans decide they simply don’t care.

 

 

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What am I..chopped liver ?

Posted on February 22, 2012 by jimberrysports

My name is Matt Moore, and frankly..I’m getting a little tired of people always talking about how the Dolphins need a quarterback. What am I..chopped liver ?

Didn’t I come in last year and turn around the season, and win the respect of the entire team. Weren’t we a winless team coached by a dead man walking until I took over and led the team to a strong finish. Shoot, maybe if I had started from the beginning of the season, we would have made the playoffs.  That’s why I’m getting a little ticked off when folks keep talking about the Dolphins quarterbacking needs as if I’m not here. HELLO..PEOPLE  !  What am I, chopped liver ?

I usually put the ball on the money, and if my diva Pro Bowl receiver hadn’t dropped so many passes, my respectable quarterback rating could have been even higher. How dare he give me an indirect slap at the Pro Bowl by saying he played so well because he had “elite” quarterbacks throwing him the ball. I wish he had “elite” hands, and an “elite” attitude.

I’m not saying I’m an All-Pro. I can get better. But with a new coach, a seasoned offensive coordinator, and a few more weapons (like a game breaking tight end) I believe I can hang with the best of ‘em. I know I struggled a bit sometimes in the second half, but did you see pass rush I was under.  It felt like my offensive line WAS chopped liver.

I can’t believe anybody would think a broken down Peyton Manning, an untested Matt Flynn, or an unproven Robert Griffin the third is better than me right now.  I deserve to prove I can keep this job, and I welcome all the competition. If I beat ‘em out, show me some respect.

I’m Matt Moore the quarterback. And I’m NOT chopped liver.

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Peyton’s new place ?

Posted on February 1, 2012 by jimberrysports

  Get ready South Florida. I got a feeling its coming. Peyton Manning hype.  It sure looks like the future Hall-of-Fame quarterback and the Indianapolis Colts are about to part company.

Manning has tried to put a good spin on his relationship with the Colts, but c’mon. How much sense does it make for the Colts to pay Peyton $28 mil to stick around AND draft Andrew Luck.  Why would Manning want to remain with a Colts team that is clearly heading in a new direction.

Should they follow through with their football divorce, Manning will become the hottest NFL free agent since Reggie White.  The Dolphins will get in the Manning sweepstakes. The question is…SHOULD they ?

I say NO.  Stay away from an old quarterback who has missed a year after his THIRD neck surgery in two years. Too scary..too risky for me.  But I’m betting Dolphins owner Stephen Ross won’t be able to resist.

Manning would sell tickets to an empty Sun Life Stadium, re-excite Dolfans who miss those Dan Marino days, and give the Fins instant Super Bowl hope.

But what if he can’t play. Then the Dolphins are right back where they are…with no franchise quarterback.  Taking the Manning shortcut could blow up in their faces.

The smart money says go find a young Peyton Manning.  The Dolphins new head coach Joe Philbin is known for offense. Let him coach up a young QB, and not play caretaker for an older one who may be fragile and set in his ways.

And….do you REALLY trust that Dolphin offensive line to protect Manning. I’d feel better with somebody who can run away from the pass rush.

In my book, there’s only one good reason for the Fins to get in the Manning sweepstakes. Keep him away from the New York Jets.  For the Dolphins to play third fiddle in a division with Tom Brady AND Peyton Manning….now THAT might get me to change my mind.

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General Ireland

Posted on January 25, 2012 by jimberrysports

When Tony Sparano got fired as Dolphins head coach,  many fans thought G-M Jeff Ireland should also have been whacked.  I didn’t agree. Now, Ireland has the chance to prove me right.

Last year, when he was finally free of Bill Parcells’ considerable shadow, Ireland made some astute football moves. The Dolphins draft was solid. Snagging Reggie Bush and Matt Moore proved smart. Even Kevin Burnett started to play like the linebacker he was supposed to be.   But let’s not sugarcoat it.   This team does not yet have much elite talent.  Unless Ireland raised the talent bar, then he should follow Sparano out the door.

Ireland emerges from the Fins coaching search with even greater authority than before.  New coach Joe Philbin figures to defer to him initially on personnel matters, meaning Ireland won’t be able to pass the buck on any mistakes. The buck will stop with him.   He seems to know what the needs are….quarterback, tight end, pass rushers.   More importantly, the Dolphins need some DIFFERENCE makers.  Jason Taylor just retired and will someday be in the team’s ring of honor. But who now on the roster will join him. Jake Long..maybe ?

The Dolphins need Tom Brady, Ray Lewis, Ed Reed kind of players. I would settle even for Vernon Davis and Victor Cruz type talent. GAME CHANGERS.

Reggie Bush is very good, but is he all-pro ? Brandon Marshall is Pro bowl bound, but his pouty attitude scares me. Unless the other team is game planning to stop you, you are not a game changer.

Ireland emerged the winner in the battle of Jeffs. Team owner Stephen Ross chose him over Jeff Fisher, a seasoned coach who probably wanted more control than he deserved. I’ve been saying for years that the Dolphins need an organization, not a savior. Now, the clear leader of this rebuilding job is the military-looking Ireland.

General Ireland…you got the power. Now use it wisely.

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Taylor made

Posted on January 1, 2012 by jimberrysports

       

 

  Jason Taylor was always cool. When he played football, and even when he danced,  J-T was always the king of composure.  His emotional farewell finally revealed the man behind that cool exterior. 

        Taylor acknowledged the family that raised him through humble beginnings in Pittsburgh, the coaches who helped mold him into a Hall-of-Fame caliber player, and even the Dolphins public relations people who urged him to do countless media interviews.

      Who knew that the best Dolphin defensive player of all time had such a dose of humility. Maybe THAT’s what helped propel him to greatness.  All week long, Taylor talked about not being owed anything.   He didn’t always feel that way.  He rightfully thought the Dolphins left him hangin’ a few years ago when Bill Parcells foolishly kicked him to the curb.

      Luckily for the Dolphins, Taylor’s loyalty to the aqua and orange got over the snub. He returned not once but twice to guarantee his career would end where it started.  Taylor might go down as the Dolphin player with the fewest critics in history.   Who can say anything bad about a guy who played to the hilt, and then faced the music whether it was good or bad ?

     Sometimes the stars align and sometimes they don’t.  Dan Marino retired without a Super Bowl ring because the Dolphins didn’t have a defense. Taylor leaves without one because the Dolphins didn’t have enough offense.  Imagine if the two had been team mates during their prime. 

   As Lebron James said, Marino and Taylor might have had “not one…not two…not three..” but who knows how many.  Marino’s legacy is not dimished, and Taylor’s won’t be either.

      As it turns out, the Dolphins coolest player…was also a cool guy.

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Shula knows best

Posted on December 13, 2011 by jimberrysports

       The Dolphins better draft a quarterback, and get some exciting players the fans care about.  Not my opinion, but that of no less an authority than Don Shula.  The Dolphins coaching legend is 81 years old, but still sharp as a tack.

      It pains him to see the Dolphins stuck on mediocre, but he sees a quick fix. To do so, the Dolphins should do what Shula always did over the years…get quarterback depth, and players the fans could rally around.

   At quarterback, Shula had quality backups like Earl Morrall and Don Strock backing up Hall-of-Famers Bob Griese and Dan Marino.  Shula understood the position is too vital to risk being thin in talent. Exciting players also bring back fans, he told me. I took that to mean that he’s big on Reggie Bush..maybe less so on Brandon Marshall. (He’s talented..but not neccesarily exciting, and his mood swings wear on everybody, even his team mates. )

    Shula believes the Dolphins need a seasoned NFL coach, not the flavor-of-the-month coming out of college.  While he likes both Jon Gruden and Bill Cowher, he’s not sure either will give up the cushy life of a TV football commentator.  Since both have been out of coaching,  he wonders if they might have lost their edge. It can happen for a coach, he says, just like it does for a player.

   Dolphin owner Stephen Ross likes glitz. He’d better pick Shula’s brains about the guts. The Dolphins don’t just need style. They need Shula-like substance.

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Tony..Tony…Tony..

Posted on December 11, 2011 by jimberrysports

   It wasn’t what he was saying. It was how he was saying it. Tony Sparano’s deflated tone in his post-game press conference carried with it an air of resignation.  The conventional thinking is that Sparano HAD to run the table to have a chance to keep his job.  He didn’t.  Its almost as if he knew it was win or else.

That might explain some of his coaching decisions during that loss to the Eagles. He gambled that Dan Carpenter could boot a 55-yard field goal on a windy day. He didn’t. The game against Philly instantly turned around, and the Dolphins never regained the momentum they lost.

The Dolphins struggled mightily in short yardage situations.  After getting stuffed on third and short, they bravely went for it three times on fourth down. They got stuffed each time. Those short yardage play calls were painfully predictable, and ineffective.

Sadly for Sparano, it was a game that highlighted why his future is dim.  When facing a team with equal and superior talent, the Fins have fizzled.  Only two of their wins have come against teams with winning records, and the Bills and Raiders are looking more fraudulent as the season goes on.

Whether its a combination of talent, creativity or both…the Dolphins are a notch or two below the NFL elite. Sparano will be hard pressed to prove that he’s the man to get them there.

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Reality check

Posted on November 24, 2011 by jimberrysports

   The Dolphin fantasy was nice while it lasted.  The Thanksgiving Day loss to Dallas proves that when it comes to playing the better teams, the Dolphins are still just a really good sparring partner.

  They hit the Cowboys on the chin several times, but couldn’t knock ‘em out.  Dallas shrugged off two early turnovers, and still led the Dolphins at halftime.  Even when the Fins rallied to regain the lead twice,  Dallas bullied its way down the field when it mattered to kick the winning field goal, leaving the upset-minded Dolphins no time for another rally.  

The Dolphins deserve mucho credit for playing inspired football after starting 0 and 7, but beating up on the Chiefs, Redskins, and Bills is not the same as trying to beat a good football team on its home field.  To do that, the Dolphins need more difference-makers who can dominate their positions.  Receivers who catch passes in stride and take them to the house. Defenders who will sack Tony Romo when they get a hand on him. Offensive linemen who will bulldoze tacklers so that the Dolphins are the team running out the clock, instead of handing it back to Dallas after what felt like an inevitable three and out.

Playing with heart makes you commendable.  Playing with talent makes you dangerous. Dolphin owner Stephen Ross knows the difference. In a few weeks, we’ll see what he does about it.

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Moore than a backup ?

Posted on November 7, 2011 by jimberrysports

He may not be a franchise quarterback, but the more I see Matt Moore, the more I think he’s a STARTING quarterback.   The guy makes plays with his legs, spreads the ball around, and is accurate with his throws.  He looks like a gamer, and doesn’t seem nearly as robotic as Chad Henne.

Yes, the Dolphins should clearly still draft a quarterback. They have been woefully understocked at this position for years.  But pair the QB of the future with Moore, and the Dolphins should no longer be so embarrasingly thin at the most critical position.

Don’t Suck for Luck….try to get more out of Moore.

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