Saturday, August 14, 2010
Training Camp Series: Part 3 - Offensive line
12:09 PM | Posted by
Phins 2 Phins
By no means did we have a weak offensive line last season, yet while at camp that was the one area I noticed we were struggling with the most. Things don’t seem to have changed much since I was last down there and there’s still somewhat of a game of musical chairs being played in some positions. Some of the best plays we have seen in camp have come after what would’ve been sacks and although our defense is indeed getting stronger I am ready for the line to hold long and strong to give Henne the time he needs to get to the receivers without going down and to open up hold for our RBs. Tonight’s game should provide some answers and as to who is better suited to fill each position and hopefully we’ll start to see the pieces coming together with enough time to fine tune by the start of the season.
Cs
It became apparent early on in training camp that the center position was open and the guys would be fighting for the starting role. Jake Grove was the starter last season, until an injury took him out, and just a week into training camp he would suffer another injury that although not season ending would probably help to establish him as the team’s backup. Grove has been a key player in the Dolphins O-line, especially when it comes to our running game since he has proved he has excellent run blocking abilities, unfortunately his inability to stay healthy prevents him from being relied upon. Considering Sparano said he is looking for toughness at this position I believe it will be extremely difficult for Grove to reclaim that starter spot and wouldn’t be surprised to see him fall further back in the depth chart depending on what Hartline can deliver during the preseason.
That starter job seems to be all but locked by Joe Berger who has been filling in the role exclusively ever since Grove suffered his leg injury; even after Grove returned to camp it would be Berger who would continue to take reps with the first team. Berger got the opportunity to start at center in six games this past season and proved at the time that although a backup he was ready to fulfill the role fulltime, something that he would come to do immediately and seamlessly so I expect we will get a lot of production from him at the position during the season.
Andrew Hartline also seems to be coming along great in his development, even earning praise from Sparano a couple of times. Hartline had the opportunity to showcase what he could do with both the first and second team when Grove went down for a few days and continued to run drills with the second team even after Grove returned, so although the starter job seems to be taken, It seems as though there is still some competition when it comes to filling that second spot and both the guys fighting for it are solid players so I don’t think the center position is something we should be too worried about at the moment.
Gs
The guard position is the one place where we have seen the most movement so far, and according to Sparano the race between the players is so close it’ll be hard to determine who the winners will be until very close to the start of the season. One guy who has made a big impression is third round draft pick John Jerry. Jerry was the only offensive player the Dolphins picked up in the draft and with his size he seems to be the perfect fit to stand right next to Jake Long. Jerry has been the only guy taking reps as a starter for RG so far but that doesn’t mean he’s a lock for the starting job, according to Sparano he wants to see what this guy can do against the best he can present, there’s a lot of tape on some of the other guys on the team but Jerry needs to be challenged and Sparano has made sure he gets challenged, the best part is that he seems to be coming along really well. It’ll be interesting to see how he performs on tonight’s game, since it will definitely play a factor on where he ends up in the team.
Richie Incognito is without a doubt the player with the biggest attitude in the locker room, not only has he been fighting teammates, but he has been fighting to earn his spot as well. At the start of training camp Incognito found himself being used exclusively as a RG and falling to the spot behind Jerry as the backup, it wasn’t until recently that he got moved to LG and has finally moved up to take reps as a starter. Still, even though he is listed first I the depth roster there is no guarantee he will remain there and just like everyone else he has something to prove tonight.
Donald Thomas is the guy most closely competing with Incognito for the LG position. He’s been working almost exclusively on the left side and had moved up to replace Procter at the position prior to Incognito being moved. The difference between Thomas and Incognito lies in their agility and their ability to infiltrate and pull defenders on the other side. Regardless of what happens, I expect both of them to make the team.
Cory Procter who at the beginning of camp was being worked as the starting LG has recently been taking reps as Jerry’s backup on the right hand side and doing a good job at it, if he continues to perform he will become part of the 53 man roster, and just like the other three, I believe he will be given a chance to prove what he has out there on the field tonight.
Ts
Three year veteran and Pro-Bowler Jake Long faces no competition at LT, there are very few guys out there who are capable of beating Long and that has been proven at camp repeatedly over the past few days were I think you’d be press to find a time when he has made a mistake. Long is without a doubt the most reliable guy we have in the offensive line and Henne should not be worried about protection on that side too much because Long has done nothing but kept him safe and will continue to do so. At 25 years old Long will continue to get better every season, and there will be more Pro-Bowl appearances for him in the future
Vernon Carey who also seemed to have locked in his position as starting RT has been out of camp for a few days recently nursing a leg injury. The severity of the injury is not known but whether or not he plays tonight will be telling. Although he’s had a couple of rough days in camp, Carey is the player best suited to stand opposite Long on the line so hopefully he will be fully recovered and ready to go at the start of the season.
Nate Gardner has shown to be the most promising backup, not only as a tackle where he is listed as a backup to Carey, but also as a guard where he was used for a stretch of time. Yet Wednesday, Gardner walked off the field limping and was later seen in crutches, furthermore, he was not in practice the next day. Although apparently he doesn’t seem to have suffered a major injury it is hard to tell how long he will be out but losing him will be extremely detrimental to the team.
Lyndon Murtha and Andrew Gardner are the other backup tackles on the team, and both of them have been used as RGs as well. it’ll be interesting to see what they can do once they get thrown into action, so I’m hoping we can see some good things come out of them tonight.
The addition of Brandon Marshall and the promise of Henne, have made the expectations for this Dolphins’ offense increase tenfold from what they were last season; to win games we need to score and to be able to score we need a line that can hold so expect all these pieces of the offense to come together before the start of the season, and once they do watch out because this will be a Dolphins offense which we have never seen before.
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I want to give special thanks to the Dolfan Bandits and Marky Marc from WQAM for the updates they have been providing on the page and which have been invaluable in adding to my camp information on the days I haven't been out there.
Also, I recently started a facebook page for the blog so if you enjoy reading I hope you'll join:http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/pages/Phins-2-Phins/144135708947740?ref=ts
Cs
It became apparent early on in training camp that the center position was open and the guys would be fighting for the starting role. Jake Grove was the starter last season, until an injury took him out, and just a week into training camp he would suffer another injury that although not season ending would probably help to establish him as the team’s backup. Grove has been a key player in the Dolphins O-line, especially when it comes to our running game since he has proved he has excellent run blocking abilities, unfortunately his inability to stay healthy prevents him from being relied upon. Considering Sparano said he is looking for toughness at this position I believe it will be extremely difficult for Grove to reclaim that starter spot and wouldn’t be surprised to see him fall further back in the depth chart depending on what Hartline can deliver during the preseason.
That starter job seems to be all but locked by Joe Berger who has been filling in the role exclusively ever since Grove suffered his leg injury; even after Grove returned to camp it would be Berger who would continue to take reps with the first team. Berger got the opportunity to start at center in six games this past season and proved at the time that although a backup he was ready to fulfill the role fulltime, something that he would come to do immediately and seamlessly so I expect we will get a lot of production from him at the position during the season.
Andrew Hartline also seems to be coming along great in his development, even earning praise from Sparano a couple of times. Hartline had the opportunity to showcase what he could do with both the first and second team when Grove went down for a few days and continued to run drills with the second team even after Grove returned, so although the starter job seems to be taken, It seems as though there is still some competition when it comes to filling that second spot and both the guys fighting for it are solid players so I don’t think the center position is something we should be too worried about at the moment.
Gs
The guard position is the one place where we have seen the most movement so far, and according to Sparano the race between the players is so close it’ll be hard to determine who the winners will be until very close to the start of the season. One guy who has made a big impression is third round draft pick John Jerry. Jerry was the only offensive player the Dolphins picked up in the draft and with his size he seems to be the perfect fit to stand right next to Jake Long. Jerry has been the only guy taking reps as a starter for RG so far but that doesn’t mean he’s a lock for the starting job, according to Sparano he wants to see what this guy can do against the best he can present, there’s a lot of tape on some of the other guys on the team but Jerry needs to be challenged and Sparano has made sure he gets challenged, the best part is that he seems to be coming along really well. It’ll be interesting to see how he performs on tonight’s game, since it will definitely play a factor on where he ends up in the team.
Richie Incognito is without a doubt the player with the biggest attitude in the locker room, not only has he been fighting teammates, but he has been fighting to earn his spot as well. At the start of training camp Incognito found himself being used exclusively as a RG and falling to the spot behind Jerry as the backup, it wasn’t until recently that he got moved to LG and has finally moved up to take reps as a starter. Still, even though he is listed first I the depth roster there is no guarantee he will remain there and just like everyone else he has something to prove tonight.
Donald Thomas is the guy most closely competing with Incognito for the LG position. He’s been working almost exclusively on the left side and had moved up to replace Procter at the position prior to Incognito being moved. The difference between Thomas and Incognito lies in their agility and their ability to infiltrate and pull defenders on the other side. Regardless of what happens, I expect both of them to make the team.
Cory Procter who at the beginning of camp was being worked as the starting LG has recently been taking reps as Jerry’s backup on the right hand side and doing a good job at it, if he continues to perform he will become part of the 53 man roster, and just like the other three, I believe he will be given a chance to prove what he has out there on the field tonight.
Ts
Three year veteran and Pro-Bowler Jake Long faces no competition at LT, there are very few guys out there who are capable of beating Long and that has been proven at camp repeatedly over the past few days were I think you’d be press to find a time when he has made a mistake. Long is without a doubt the most reliable guy we have in the offensive line and Henne should not be worried about protection on that side too much because Long has done nothing but kept him safe and will continue to do so. At 25 years old Long will continue to get better every season, and there will be more Pro-Bowl appearances for him in the future
Vernon Carey who also seemed to have locked in his position as starting RT has been out of camp for a few days recently nursing a leg injury. The severity of the injury is not known but whether or not he plays tonight will be telling. Although he’s had a couple of rough days in camp, Carey is the player best suited to stand opposite Long on the line so hopefully he will be fully recovered and ready to go at the start of the season.
Nate Gardner has shown to be the most promising backup, not only as a tackle where he is listed as a backup to Carey, but also as a guard where he was used for a stretch of time. Yet Wednesday, Gardner walked off the field limping and was later seen in crutches, furthermore, he was not in practice the next day. Although apparently he doesn’t seem to have suffered a major injury it is hard to tell how long he will be out but losing him will be extremely detrimental to the team.
Lyndon Murtha and Andrew Gardner are the other backup tackles on the team, and both of them have been used as RGs as well. it’ll be interesting to see what they can do once they get thrown into action, so I’m hoping we can see some good things come out of them tonight.
The addition of Brandon Marshall and the promise of Henne, have made the expectations for this Dolphins’ offense increase tenfold from what they were last season; to win games we need to score and to be able to score we need a line that can hold so expect all these pieces of the offense to come together before the start of the season, and once they do watch out because this will be a Dolphins offense which we have never seen before.
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I want to give special thanks to the Dolfan Bandits and Marky Marc from WQAM for the updates they have been providing on the page and which have been invaluable in adding to my camp information on the days I haven't been out there.
Also, I recently started a facebook page for the blog so if you enjoy reading I hope you'll join:http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/pages/Phins-2-Phins/144135708947740?ref=ts
Thursday, August 12, 2010
Training Camp - Part 2: TEs and RBs
Yesterday Sparano made some good points when talking about how tight ends like Fasano will benefit from the addition of Marshall to the team. Basically what he said is a guy like Marshall will more often than not be double teamed to stop him from scoring; so now teams don’t really have the option of stacking the box to defend our running game because by doing so they leave a guy like Marshall wide open and he will score. When you go from stacking nine guys in the middle of the field to only being able to stack seven then all of a sudden there are holes to sneak by, but are the tight ends the only ones that will be able to do so? No, the running backs will benefit from this as well. We all knew that Marshall was going to help stretch the field, but now we are beginning to see exactly how the coaches plan to take advantage of the “Marshall Effect,” so let’s take a look at the guys who will be taking advantage of these newfound opportunities.
TEs
Back in February I attributed Fasano’s decline to the heavy focus on the running game and the lack of a true number one receiver. I also stated that acquiring that number one receiver would stretch out the defense and provide him with more opportunities to score so yesterday morning as I was listening to Sparano’s press conference I almost felt as though he had just read my blog! All kidding aside though, Fasano has a great opportunity this year to come out and become an even better player than the one he proved to be in the 2008 season. In addition to being good with his hands, Fasano is also great at blocking and that’s something that the Dolphins will continue to take advantage of.
Fasano has been doing well in camp and has made a few good plays every day as the Dolphins continue to work him more and more into the mix which is something I’m happy to see. This might be a bold prediction, especially because I know there are a lot of people who aren’t too sure about him, but I honestly think Fasano will have his best season yet this year.
Part of the reason I believe Fasano will have such a great season has a lot to do with a familiar face returning to camp just a few days after it started. David Martin donned his Dolphins uniform again for the first time a week after the start of camp having just signed a new contract and ready to fight for a spot on the team. Although the depth chart currently has him listed as fifth in the position he is considered to be the number two guy and has been playing with the first team ever since he returned. Martin who is coming back from a knee injury he suffered during camp last season is looking good during training and although he admits he still has to get his running legs back he feels like he is ready to go. A source close to me has told me he looks to be back to his old self and continues to work in the two TE sets with Fasano, he is sure to be a factor this season.
Having Martin back significantly improves the tight end position and leaves the other three guys who play this position battling for just one spot in the roster. Joey Haynos is the guy with the most experience and will probably be the one to lock up the spot but he definitely needs to show something more than he has during these preseason games. Although Martin represents a threat to him when it comes to earning a spot, I believe he could benefit a lot from his addition, since he is a veteran who’s been around for a while.
Kory Sperry and John Nalbone complete the list of guys competing for the final tight end position, and although both have been talked about and seem to be coming along according to Sparano, they both seem like long shots to make the team as of now.
RBs
Despite not having signed a contract as of yet, Ronnie Brown has reported to camp every day and is listed as the number one running back on the depth chart, he has clearly expressed that the lack of a contract at the moment is not a sign of a disagreement over whether or not he will play or how much money he wants but simply a matter of him trying to work out a longer deal. Brown who suffered a broken foot last November which cut his season short shows no signs of a nagging injury and has said he feels confident he’ll be able to rush for over 1000 yards this upcoming season.
During camp the running game has not been as heavily featured as the passing game, but when it has been used Ronnie has proved that he is ready to get the job done. Brown has also been used almost exclusively during practice when running the wildcat and has thrown out of the formation a couple of times, so I expect that as predicted we will still see the wildcat make an appearance at times during games and I do believe as long as we have Ronnie it will continue to be successful.
Another player who has also said he will rush for 1000 yards this upcoming season is Ricky Williams. Ricky had an outstanding season last season and I believe he is ready to take on a more prominent role next to Ronnie this season. While I believe it will be extremely difficult for both of them to deliver on this 1000 rushing yard goal, especially with the addition of Marshall to the team, I like the confidence they express and I believe there will be plenty of opportunities for us fans to scream Run Ricky Run during the games. There is no doubt in my mind Ricky and Ronnie will continue to be one of the most feared rushing duos in the league.
Patrick Cobbs was back out on the field Tuesday after pulling his hamstring during practice Saturday and sitting out during Monday’s practice. Cobbs who suffered an ACL injury last season started camp by making a strong impression; he was out on the field running faster and stronger than I’ve ever seen him before and I expect to see him get a little more action this upcoming season. If he can maintain the consistency on the field that he has maintained while active at camp I believe he’ll be able to secure the spot as Williams’ successor when he retires at the end of the season.
Lousaka Polite will continue to be our go to guy for those 3rd and 1 or 4th and 1 situations. He will continue to hold his spot as the team’s fullback, a job he does better than anyone else. Polite has been consistent during camp and has secured his spot on the roster. The only other fullback on the team is Lumbala who at one point prior to the signing of Martin had been tried out as a tight end.
The other two RBs present at camp are Lex Hillard and Tristan Davis. I haven’t really heard much about how they’ve been doing in camp so I will have to wait and see what they can do during the preseason. Hillard showed promise during the last season though so I hope that they will continue to develop him.
Also, for those of you that haven’t heard Kory Sheets who seemed like a strong candidate to become the team’s punt returner due to his speed is out for the season after suffering a torn Achilles tendon.
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I want to give special thanks to the Dolfan Bandits and Marky Marc from WQAM for the updates they have been providing on the page and which have been invaluable in adding to my camp information on the days I haven't been out there.
Also, I recently started a facebook page for the blog so if you enjoy reading I hope you'll join:http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/pages/Phins-2-Phins/144135708947740?ref=ts
TEs
Back in February I attributed Fasano’s decline to the heavy focus on the running game and the lack of a true number one receiver. I also stated that acquiring that number one receiver would stretch out the defense and provide him with more opportunities to score so yesterday morning as I was listening to Sparano’s press conference I almost felt as though he had just read my blog! All kidding aside though, Fasano has a great opportunity this year to come out and become an even better player than the one he proved to be in the 2008 season. In addition to being good with his hands, Fasano is also great at blocking and that’s something that the Dolphins will continue to take advantage of.
Fasano has been doing well in camp and has made a few good plays every day as the Dolphins continue to work him more and more into the mix which is something I’m happy to see. This might be a bold prediction, especially because I know there are a lot of people who aren’t too sure about him, but I honestly think Fasano will have his best season yet this year.
Part of the reason I believe Fasano will have such a great season has a lot to do with a familiar face returning to camp just a few days after it started. David Martin donned his Dolphins uniform again for the first time a week after the start of camp having just signed a new contract and ready to fight for a spot on the team. Although the depth chart currently has him listed as fifth in the position he is considered to be the number two guy and has been playing with the first team ever since he returned. Martin who is coming back from a knee injury he suffered during camp last season is looking good during training and although he admits he still has to get his running legs back he feels like he is ready to go. A source close to me has told me he looks to be back to his old self and continues to work in the two TE sets with Fasano, he is sure to be a factor this season.
Having Martin back significantly improves the tight end position and leaves the other three guys who play this position battling for just one spot in the roster. Joey Haynos is the guy with the most experience and will probably be the one to lock up the spot but he definitely needs to show something more than he has during these preseason games. Although Martin represents a threat to him when it comes to earning a spot, I believe he could benefit a lot from his addition, since he is a veteran who’s been around for a while.
Kory Sperry and John Nalbone complete the list of guys competing for the final tight end position, and although both have been talked about and seem to be coming along according to Sparano, they both seem like long shots to make the team as of now.
RBs
Despite not having signed a contract as of yet, Ronnie Brown has reported to camp every day and is listed as the number one running back on the depth chart, he has clearly expressed that the lack of a contract at the moment is not a sign of a disagreement over whether or not he will play or how much money he wants but simply a matter of him trying to work out a longer deal. Brown who suffered a broken foot last November which cut his season short shows no signs of a nagging injury and has said he feels confident he’ll be able to rush for over 1000 yards this upcoming season.
During camp the running game has not been as heavily featured as the passing game, but when it has been used Ronnie has proved that he is ready to get the job done. Brown has also been used almost exclusively during practice when running the wildcat and has thrown out of the formation a couple of times, so I expect that as predicted we will still see the wildcat make an appearance at times during games and I do believe as long as we have Ronnie it will continue to be successful.
Another player who has also said he will rush for 1000 yards this upcoming season is Ricky Williams. Ricky had an outstanding season last season and I believe he is ready to take on a more prominent role next to Ronnie this season. While I believe it will be extremely difficult for both of them to deliver on this 1000 rushing yard goal, especially with the addition of Marshall to the team, I like the confidence they express and I believe there will be plenty of opportunities for us fans to scream Run Ricky Run during the games. There is no doubt in my mind Ricky and Ronnie will continue to be one of the most feared rushing duos in the league.
Patrick Cobbs was back out on the field Tuesday after pulling his hamstring during practice Saturday and sitting out during Monday’s practice. Cobbs who suffered an ACL injury last season started camp by making a strong impression; he was out on the field running faster and stronger than I’ve ever seen him before and I expect to see him get a little more action this upcoming season. If he can maintain the consistency on the field that he has maintained while active at camp I believe he’ll be able to secure the spot as Williams’ successor when he retires at the end of the season.
Lousaka Polite will continue to be our go to guy for those 3rd and 1 or 4th and 1 situations. He will continue to hold his spot as the team’s fullback, a job he does better than anyone else. Polite has been consistent during camp and has secured his spot on the roster. The only other fullback on the team is Lumbala who at one point prior to the signing of Martin had been tried out as a tight end.
The other two RBs present at camp are Lex Hillard and Tristan Davis. I haven’t really heard much about how they’ve been doing in camp so I will have to wait and see what they can do during the preseason. Hillard showed promise during the last season though so I hope that they will continue to develop him.
Also, for those of you that haven’t heard Kory Sheets who seemed like a strong candidate to become the team’s punt returner due to his speed is out for the season after suffering a torn Achilles tendon.
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I want to give special thanks to the Dolfan Bandits and Marky Marc from WQAM for the updates they have been providing on the page and which have been invaluable in adding to my camp information on the days I haven't been out there.
Also, I recently started a facebook page for the blog so if you enjoy reading I hope you'll join:http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/pages/Phins-2-Phins/144135708947740?ref=ts
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
Training Camp Review – Part 1: QBs and WRs
With training camp just past the halfway point and the first preseason game just five days away I figured this would be a great time to review some of the things that we’ve seen in camp along with the newly released depth chart.
QBs
As expected, Chad Henne will be the starter and at no point has there been any competition for the starting position. Overall, Henne has been doing really well in camp; according to Sparano, he has completed 75-76% of passes and has thrown only 2 interceptions. That being said he’s had a couple of bad practices, and while we all know he’s capable of bouncing back from bad drives and is able to put interceptions behind him as he proved last season, I would feel more comfortable if we didn’t see any more of those bad practices.
After seeing him a couple of times during training camp and watching the way he carries himself on the field I feel as though Henne has matured a lot this offseason and now feels more comfortable with his role as the leader of this offense. That maturity, paired with his big arm and resilience is what will help him lead this team to victories.
The one thing Henne continues to struggle with though is touch. In short pass situations he continues to be erratic at times. This is where I think having Pennington on the team will benefit him since the other Chad is very accurate and fine tuned, especially in those situations.
Pennington himself started out camp as the third backup QB, and although the current depth chart shows him to be fourth, all indications are he’ll make the team. During camp Pennington has proven to be an invaluable tool, not only because of his accuracy, but also because of his natural leading abilities; QBs and receivers alike are constantly seen having conversations and seeking advice at Pennington’s side.
There are, however, still many questions surrounding Pennington’s arm and how much strength he had left in it. Sparano has been holding him to a limited number of reps and although he started camp strong and continues to make long passes every once in awhile, his balls seem to be fluttering a lot lately so that’s something to watch for. Unfortunately, those observations will continue to be made during camp because Sparano has already stated that he knows what Chad needs. This coupled with the notion that Henne will be protected during the preseason, indicates Thigpen and White will be the guys we can expect to see more of during the preseason.
Thigpen came into camp looking to establish himself as the backup QB, and although the depth chart does put him there, he knows he needs to step up his game because Pennington is right at his heels. So far in camp, Thigpen’s been doing pretty well; he’s completed some nice long passes and has been able to carry a couple of drives. From what I’ve been told it seems as though he had one of his best practices yesterday, so hopefully he’ll be able to hit his stride. The best test of his abilities will be during the preseason though, so I’ll keep an eye on him on Saturday.
Pat White made his first training camp appearance on day two and that same day Sparano made it very clear that he was being considered strictly as a QB. The one thing White has been consistent about in this training camp is being inconsistent. He’s had good passes here and there, even a great one to Roberto Wallace during the 7-on-7 drills this past Saturday, but if he continues to perform as he has been he won’t make the team. Having White third on the depth chart is surprising to me considering the way all the QBs have been used during practice. I’m still not sure that he can do much, if anything to help this team out, but who knows? Maybe Sparano has something up his sleeve, either way, I’ll be watching to see how he’s used during the game on Saturday.
WRs
Brandon Marshall has undoubtedly been the star at camp; he’s burned every corner and has caught almost every ball thrown in his direction. Most importantly, Marshall has proved to be a great team leader and has been seen talking to the corners as well as other receivers out on the field in between plays. What has impressed me the most about Marshall though is how serious he is about his commitment to the team. After having a bad day on Saturday during the team’s first scrimmage session, Marshall was his own worst critic; he even expressed regret on having let his teammates down; a great thing to see from a guy who many thought might be a problem in the locker room.
The player who has benefited the most from the addition of Marshall is Brian Hartline. Hartline understands how the attention commanded by Marshall on the field will benefit the other receivers, but most importantly, he seems to be able to use it to his full advantage. At this point although according to Sparano there is room for competition, Hartline has pretty much cemented his spot opposite Marshall. He had a close scare on day 3 of training camp and was limited in practice after going down but seems to be doing fine so there’s not much to worry about there for now. Hartline showed flashes of greatness last season and has continued to do so in training camp so he’s one of the players I’m the most excited about following this season.
The first thing I have to say about Bess is that he is dedicated. He is always the first out on the practice field at Davie, and I don’t mean he happens to be the first one to walk out every time. He is out there 45-60 minutes before the start of practice every practice and he is working on catches despite the near 100 degree weather and that is commendable. At this point Bess has secured a spot in the roster and is still in competition for the number 2 spot. Bess is currently being used as the number one slot receiver, a position that we all can agree he is perfect for and will be great in, but as Sparano said, it’s unfair to catalog him simply as a slot receiver because he can do more than that, sure we should take advantage of him at the slot, but we shouldn’t rule him out for other plays; there’s a reason he was our leading receiver last season.
Greg Camarillo has been paired with Bess for most of the practices and is also said to be in contention for the number two spot. After replacing Marshall as the starting receiver Thursday when Marshall was rested, Camarillo suffered a groin injury on Friday which kept him out of practice all weekend; he was back on Monday and seems to be moving around fine. Although not the most explosive receiver on the team, Camarillo is certainly the most reliable. Last season, he didn’t drop one pass during games and that’s certainly a good quality to take advantage of when you’re out on the field, so hopefully he is fully recuperated. I will however continue to monitor him and keep you posted on any news.
Patrick Turner who seemed to be a little stiff at first after coming back from an injury seesm to be doing really well, he’s turned in a number of solid practices thus far and Sparano has taken notice. He seems a little more confident out there and if he can deliver consistently he could grab that fifth WR spot even though he’s behind a couple of rookies in the depth chart at the moment. Turner is 6’5”, the tallest WR in the roster and could benefit enormously by watching Brandon Marshall and the way he moves on the field.
Roberto Wallace is a name that’s been coming up a lot in the later days of practice, he’s been doing good things and Sparano is beginning to take notice. Although he doesn’t have as much experience playing football in general as do other rookies coming into the league, this 6’4” undrafted rookie has shown some potential, and while I believe it’ll take time to develop it, he has shown he has a lot of fight, always going for the catch, even though he sometimes has a little problem hanging on. I have a feeling this is a guy they will take the time to groom and who could turn out to be a diamond in the rough.
Marlon Moore, Julius Pruit and Taurus Johnson have all made a number of good catches but seem like a long shot to make the team at the moment, as does Ryan Grice-Mullen who had to sit out a number of practices after suffering a leg injury.
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I want to give special thanks to the Dolfan Bandits and Marky Marc from WQAM for the updates they have been providing on the page and which have been invaluable in adding to my camp information on the days I haven't been out there.
Also, I recently started a facebook page for the blog so if you enjoy reading I hope you'll join:http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/pages/Phins-2-Phins/144135708947740?ref=ts
QBs
As expected, Chad Henne will be the starter and at no point has there been any competition for the starting position. Overall, Henne has been doing really well in camp; according to Sparano, he has completed 75-76% of passes and has thrown only 2 interceptions. That being said he’s had a couple of bad practices, and while we all know he’s capable of bouncing back from bad drives and is able to put interceptions behind him as he proved last season, I would feel more comfortable if we didn’t see any more of those bad practices.
After seeing him a couple of times during training camp and watching the way he carries himself on the field I feel as though Henne has matured a lot this offseason and now feels more comfortable with his role as the leader of this offense. That maturity, paired with his big arm and resilience is what will help him lead this team to victories.
The one thing Henne continues to struggle with though is touch. In short pass situations he continues to be erratic at times. This is where I think having Pennington on the team will benefit him since the other Chad is very accurate and fine tuned, especially in those situations.
Pennington himself started out camp as the third backup QB, and although the current depth chart shows him to be fourth, all indications are he’ll make the team. During camp Pennington has proven to be an invaluable tool, not only because of his accuracy, but also because of his natural leading abilities; QBs and receivers alike are constantly seen having conversations and seeking advice at Pennington’s side.
There are, however, still many questions surrounding Pennington’s arm and how much strength he had left in it. Sparano has been holding him to a limited number of reps and although he started camp strong and continues to make long passes every once in awhile, his balls seem to be fluttering a lot lately so that’s something to watch for. Unfortunately, those observations will continue to be made during camp because Sparano has already stated that he knows what Chad needs. This coupled with the notion that Henne will be protected during the preseason, indicates Thigpen and White will be the guys we can expect to see more of during the preseason.
Thigpen came into camp looking to establish himself as the backup QB, and although the depth chart does put him there, he knows he needs to step up his game because Pennington is right at his heels. So far in camp, Thigpen’s been doing pretty well; he’s completed some nice long passes and has been able to carry a couple of drives. From what I’ve been told it seems as though he had one of his best practices yesterday, so hopefully he’ll be able to hit his stride. The best test of his abilities will be during the preseason though, so I’ll keep an eye on him on Saturday.
Pat White made his first training camp appearance on day two and that same day Sparano made it very clear that he was being considered strictly as a QB. The one thing White has been consistent about in this training camp is being inconsistent. He’s had good passes here and there, even a great one to Roberto Wallace during the 7-on-7 drills this past Saturday, but if he continues to perform as he has been he won’t make the team. Having White third on the depth chart is surprising to me considering the way all the QBs have been used during practice. I’m still not sure that he can do much, if anything to help this team out, but who knows? Maybe Sparano has something up his sleeve, either way, I’ll be watching to see how he’s used during the game on Saturday.
WRs
Brandon Marshall has undoubtedly been the star at camp; he’s burned every corner and has caught almost every ball thrown in his direction. Most importantly, Marshall has proved to be a great team leader and has been seen talking to the corners as well as other receivers out on the field in between plays. What has impressed me the most about Marshall though is how serious he is about his commitment to the team. After having a bad day on Saturday during the team’s first scrimmage session, Marshall was his own worst critic; he even expressed regret on having let his teammates down; a great thing to see from a guy who many thought might be a problem in the locker room.
The player who has benefited the most from the addition of Marshall is Brian Hartline. Hartline understands how the attention commanded by Marshall on the field will benefit the other receivers, but most importantly, he seems to be able to use it to his full advantage. At this point although according to Sparano there is room for competition, Hartline has pretty much cemented his spot opposite Marshall. He had a close scare on day 3 of training camp and was limited in practice after going down but seems to be doing fine so there’s not much to worry about there for now. Hartline showed flashes of greatness last season and has continued to do so in training camp so he’s one of the players I’m the most excited about following this season.
The first thing I have to say about Bess is that he is dedicated. He is always the first out on the practice field at Davie, and I don’t mean he happens to be the first one to walk out every time. He is out there 45-60 minutes before the start of practice every practice and he is working on catches despite the near 100 degree weather and that is commendable. At this point Bess has secured a spot in the roster and is still in competition for the number 2 spot. Bess is currently being used as the number one slot receiver, a position that we all can agree he is perfect for and will be great in, but as Sparano said, it’s unfair to catalog him simply as a slot receiver because he can do more than that, sure we should take advantage of him at the slot, but we shouldn’t rule him out for other plays; there’s a reason he was our leading receiver last season.
Greg Camarillo has been paired with Bess for most of the practices and is also said to be in contention for the number two spot. After replacing Marshall as the starting receiver Thursday when Marshall was rested, Camarillo suffered a groin injury on Friday which kept him out of practice all weekend; he was back on Monday and seems to be moving around fine. Although not the most explosive receiver on the team, Camarillo is certainly the most reliable. Last season, he didn’t drop one pass during games and that’s certainly a good quality to take advantage of when you’re out on the field, so hopefully he is fully recuperated. I will however continue to monitor him and keep you posted on any news.
Patrick Turner who seemed to be a little stiff at first after coming back from an injury seesm to be doing really well, he’s turned in a number of solid practices thus far and Sparano has taken notice. He seems a little more confident out there and if he can deliver consistently he could grab that fifth WR spot even though he’s behind a couple of rookies in the depth chart at the moment. Turner is 6’5”, the tallest WR in the roster and could benefit enormously by watching Brandon Marshall and the way he moves on the field.
Roberto Wallace is a name that’s been coming up a lot in the later days of practice, he’s been doing good things and Sparano is beginning to take notice. Although he doesn’t have as much experience playing football in general as do other rookies coming into the league, this 6’4” undrafted rookie has shown some potential, and while I believe it’ll take time to develop it, he has shown he has a lot of fight, always going for the catch, even though he sometimes has a little problem hanging on. I have a feeling this is a guy they will take the time to groom and who could turn out to be a diamond in the rough.
Marlon Moore, Julius Pruit and Taurus Johnson have all made a number of good catches but seem like a long shot to make the team at the moment, as does Ryan Grice-Mullen who had to sit out a number of practices after suffering a leg injury.
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I want to give special thanks to the Dolfan Bandits and Marky Marc from WQAM for the updates they have been providing on the page and which have been invaluable in adding to my camp information on the days I haven't been out there.
Also, I recently started a facebook page for the blog so if you enjoy reading I hope you'll join:http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/pages/Phins-2-Phins/144135708947740?ref=ts
Saturday, July 31, 2010
Notes on the First Day of Training Camp
It was close to a hundred degrees Friday afternoon in Davie, FL as the Dolphins took the field on the first day of training camp. Davone Bess was first to come out, thus bringing an end to what seemed like an infinite number of months waiting for football season to come back around. Last out was Brandon Marshall who received a warm welcome from the fans and generated more than his fair share of screams during practice.
Also present on the field was Ronnie Brown, despite not having a contract signed as of yet; a pleasant contrast to other players around the league who despite having a contract are not happy with their situation and have announced they will sit out of camp. Brown seemed pretty comfortable out on the field and there was no evidence of any problems with his foot, so hopefully we will see him on the field for every game this upcoming season. Ricky Williams was also out there and he looked pretty solid, but the RB who impressed me the most was Patrick Cobbs, he was running drills pretty smoothly and looked really confident when running the ball.
Notably absent from training camp was Pat White, who according to a report in the Sun Sentinel, seems to be dealing with issues of a personal nature that are set to keep him of the field at least in the short term. Chad Henne on the other hand was out there and seemed to be comfortable in his starting role. He exuded a confidence which I had never seen before and seems to be doing great in his leading role which might have been what was lacking a bit from him last season. Now when all the guys are huddled up and ready to line up his presence seems to command attention and everyone is waiting to listen and ready to follow, which is a clear sign of a team who is ready to play together and do whatever it takes to win, with Chad at the head.
The most closely followed and intense part of training camp though was clearly that of the WRs. Fans came in ready to see Marshall in action and he delivered, twice he managed to burn CB Sean Smith and the whole crowd erupted into cheers. For the first time in a long time we are seeing the posibility to get that chunk yardage and it is very exciting. As for Smith, I wouldn't be too worried, even as a rookie he showed to be pretty solid at the position when he got thrown into it and playing alongside Marshall will only help him get better, he seems to be a quick learner too because although Marshall left him completely in the dust in that first burn, he managed to stay close by during the second and the catch that Marshall made is something that only a hand full of WRs can make.
That wasn't the only action we saw from the WRs though, it is clear that Hartline, Camarillo and Bess are all competing for the starting spot opposite Marshall, and the competition in intense. Hartline seems at the moment to be edging out the others, running and catching with the confidence of someone who's been out there playing for years, but the other two don't need to worry because Camarillo is still delivering and will surely make his way to the roster and Bess seems to have done all he needs to secure his spot as the slot receiver.
Our newly drafted players were also out on the field and looked to fit in quite comfortably alongside the starting lineup. There was no easing into the teams for the rookies as all of them went out into practice and assumed starting roles. Jared Odrick, the first round pick lined up at right defensive end, and is expected to stay in that role after Philip Merling got sidelined due to an injury; while Koa Misi took his spot as OLB and John Jerry lined up at RG.
All in all, the first day of training camp was very successful. Fans got to get a little taste of what's to come and it looks as promising on the field as it looks on paper, now we just have to wait for the season to start to prove to everyone out there just how good we really are.
Also present on the field was Ronnie Brown, despite not having a contract signed as of yet; a pleasant contrast to other players around the league who despite having a contract are not happy with their situation and have announced they will sit out of camp. Brown seemed pretty comfortable out on the field and there was no evidence of any problems with his foot, so hopefully we will see him on the field for every game this upcoming season. Ricky Williams was also out there and he looked pretty solid, but the RB who impressed me the most was Patrick Cobbs, he was running drills pretty smoothly and looked really confident when running the ball.
Notably absent from training camp was Pat White, who according to a report in the Sun Sentinel, seems to be dealing with issues of a personal nature that are set to keep him of the field at least in the short term. Chad Henne on the other hand was out there and seemed to be comfortable in his starting role. He exuded a confidence which I had never seen before and seems to be doing great in his leading role which might have been what was lacking a bit from him last season. Now when all the guys are huddled up and ready to line up his presence seems to command attention and everyone is waiting to listen and ready to follow, which is a clear sign of a team who is ready to play together and do whatever it takes to win, with Chad at the head.
The most closely followed and intense part of training camp though was clearly that of the WRs. Fans came in ready to see Marshall in action and he delivered, twice he managed to burn CB Sean Smith and the whole crowd erupted into cheers. For the first time in a long time we are seeing the posibility to get that chunk yardage and it is very exciting. As for Smith, I wouldn't be too worried, even as a rookie he showed to be pretty solid at the position when he got thrown into it and playing alongside Marshall will only help him get better, he seems to be a quick learner too because although Marshall left him completely in the dust in that first burn, he managed to stay close by during the second and the catch that Marshall made is something that only a hand full of WRs can make.
That wasn't the only action we saw from the WRs though, it is clear that Hartline, Camarillo and Bess are all competing for the starting spot opposite Marshall, and the competition in intense. Hartline seems at the moment to be edging out the others, running and catching with the confidence of someone who's been out there playing for years, but the other two don't need to worry because Camarillo is still delivering and will surely make his way to the roster and Bess seems to have done all he needs to secure his spot as the slot receiver.
Our newly drafted players were also out on the field and looked to fit in quite comfortably alongside the starting lineup. There was no easing into the teams for the rookies as all of them went out into practice and assumed starting roles. Jared Odrick, the first round pick lined up at right defensive end, and is expected to stay in that role after Philip Merling got sidelined due to an injury; while Koa Misi took his spot as OLB and John Jerry lined up at RG.
All in all, the first day of training camp was very successful. Fans got to get a little taste of what's to come and it looks as promising on the field as it looks on paper, now we just have to wait for the season to start to prove to everyone out there just how good we really are.
Sunday, July 18, 2010
Egos a problem for the Heat but not for the Jets???
A week and a half has passed since LeBron James announced he would be joining Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh in Miami and immediately this new Miami Heat roster became one of the most talked about topics in the sports world. It is obvious that the Heat organization had one clear goal when headed into this offseason, and that goal was to win championships; not one, not two, not three… not eight as LeBron himself said. Yet, although there is no denying that these are three of the best players in the league, the general consensus among NBA analysts and fans alike seems to be that this team won’t win a championship during their first year.
I would consider this to be a valid argument if it was based on the fact that bringing superstars together is not enough to get you there, they need time to get to know each other, develop chemistry and become a team, but once they get to that point the championships will come. This could indeed be said about any team in a similar situation. The problem with making that argument about the Heat roster is that these guys have played together before, and it seems the argument is mostly being made based on the presumption that these superstars egos will get in the way of them ever becoming a team; Miami is after all Wade’s house, LeBron is the King and needs to have the spotlight, and Bossh will clearly get tired of living in their shadow.
There’s no point denying that some, if not most athletes do indeed have big egos, and I have argued many times before that having so many big egos in a locker room can be problematic for a team, it has been observed many times, in many teams, at different levels and across all sports. Most recently in basketball we saw it with Kobe and Shaq who were unable to work together in the Lakers, and in football we saw it with McNabb and TO in the Eagles. So it isn’t the argument itself that I have a problem with per say, it is when it is being used.
Ever since the NFL free agency period started Rex Ryan and the New York Jets started collecting big name players and talks of the Jets being a powerhouse in the NFL this season, and the team to beat in the AFC East haven’t stopped. The Jets seem to be among all the NFL analyst’s top teams, and many believe they are legitimate Super Bowl contenders. They even came in at number four on Sports Center’s Ultimate NFL Team Rankings list, ahead of current Super Bowl Champions, the New Orleans Saints who were ranked at number five; and the only criticism I’ve heard mentioned to be working against them is the fact that they are still counting on second year quarterback Mark Sanchez who is still unproven. No mention has been made of the fact that the only reason they ever made it to the AFC Championship game was that the Colts handed them a playoff berth and then came back and crushed them the next time around and even more disconcerting for me, not one person has stood to question whether or not they can actually perform as a team, which is insane considering that this new team has not taken to the field together as of yet and there’s so many egos in that team right now, it is hard to imagine them fitting in one locker room.
So, can someone explain to me the discrepancy when it comes to talking about egos and how they’ll play a part in the performance of these two teams? Because in my opinion they got this completely backwards!
On one side you have Wade, LeBron and Bosh; three guys who have a great friendship off the court, a relationship that developed as a result of the chemistry they found on the court while playing on the US Olympic basketball team in 2008. Yet, for some reason 2 years later, their egos seem to have grown so much that they won’t be able to work together and share the spotlight? And yes, the spotlight can indeed be shared, as they proved with that Olympic team were Wade averaged more PPG, while LeBron averaged more minutes on the court and Bosh averaged more RPG.
These three guys who have already proved they are great players on their own right and have built an empire for themselves all gave up a lot of money to play together because they want to build a legacy and win championships are going to have a problem with their egos getting in the way? I just don’t see it.
And then on the other side you have Antonio Cromartie, LT, Santonio Holmes, Darrell Revis, Rex Ryan you can even throw Jason Taylor in there. No doubt these players want to win championships, all athletes do, but they also have something to prove individually. Cromartie had a breakout season in 2007, but hasn’t done much of anything the past two seasons, some people attributed this to the fact that maybe QBs avoided throwing down his side of the field, but now that he is coupled with Revis that won’t be an excuse anymore so he will be forced to step up his game and prove that he still has it; and is he really going to want to play second to Revis, or will he want to have the island renamed to Cromartie Island? LT is facing the same dilemma as he also has something to prove himself; ever since his injury he hasn’t been able to perform at the level expected and for a guy who is nearing the end of his career making it this season has to be a top priority for him. Santonio Holmes has a history of getting into trouble, not only is he facing a five game suspension for violation of the NFL’s substance abuse policy, but he is also facing a lawsuit in Florida; this could all be attributed to immaturity or it could be a result of him thinking he is above authority, either way it could represent big issues when dealing with his persona. Even Taylor who is one of my favorite players has something to prove, I’m sure he’ll want to show the Dolphins’ front office that they made a big mistake by letting him go, and as good as he was to the Dolphins during all those years, he was somewhat of a nightmare for the Redskins when he was there, refusing to participate in training camp in Washington and wanting to bend the rules to favor him.
So now you have all these big name players, with their big egos and each with their own personal agenda if you will, coming in to a young team all at once and no one thinks there might be a problem? Training camp hasn’t even started and we already see the cracks with Revis sitting out until a new contract gets worked out because he is worth more! You signed a contract and you expected to get paid whatever amount of money you agreed to because that’s what you thought you were worth at that point, if it had turned out that you couldn’t play at that level you still would’ve gotten paid, but now you believe you are the best corner in the NFL, which you very well may be so your ego says you will get more money or screw the team? I guess that’s the way it works.
It is difficult to say what will happen until both teams take to the court and field respectively but I will say, if any team is going to crumble due to egos in the locker room this season it will definitely be the Jets, YOU CAN TAKE THAT TO THE BANK.
I would consider this to be a valid argument if it was based on the fact that bringing superstars together is not enough to get you there, they need time to get to know each other, develop chemistry and become a team, but once they get to that point the championships will come. This could indeed be said about any team in a similar situation. The problem with making that argument about the Heat roster is that these guys have played together before, and it seems the argument is mostly being made based on the presumption that these superstars egos will get in the way of them ever becoming a team; Miami is after all Wade’s house, LeBron is the King and needs to have the spotlight, and Bossh will clearly get tired of living in their shadow.
There’s no point denying that some, if not most athletes do indeed have big egos, and I have argued many times before that having so many big egos in a locker room can be problematic for a team, it has been observed many times, in many teams, at different levels and across all sports. Most recently in basketball we saw it with Kobe and Shaq who were unable to work together in the Lakers, and in football we saw it with McNabb and TO in the Eagles. So it isn’t the argument itself that I have a problem with per say, it is when it is being used.
Ever since the NFL free agency period started Rex Ryan and the New York Jets started collecting big name players and talks of the Jets being a powerhouse in the NFL this season, and the team to beat in the AFC East haven’t stopped. The Jets seem to be among all the NFL analyst’s top teams, and many believe they are legitimate Super Bowl contenders. They even came in at number four on Sports Center’s Ultimate NFL Team Rankings list, ahead of current Super Bowl Champions, the New Orleans Saints who were ranked at number five; and the only criticism I’ve heard mentioned to be working against them is the fact that they are still counting on second year quarterback Mark Sanchez who is still unproven. No mention has been made of the fact that the only reason they ever made it to the AFC Championship game was that the Colts handed them a playoff berth and then came back and crushed them the next time around and even more disconcerting for me, not one person has stood to question whether or not they can actually perform as a team, which is insane considering that this new team has not taken to the field together as of yet and there’s so many egos in that team right now, it is hard to imagine them fitting in one locker room.
So, can someone explain to me the discrepancy when it comes to talking about egos and how they’ll play a part in the performance of these two teams? Because in my opinion they got this completely backwards!
On one side you have Wade, LeBron and Bosh; three guys who have a great friendship off the court, a relationship that developed as a result of the chemistry they found on the court while playing on the US Olympic basketball team in 2008. Yet, for some reason 2 years later, their egos seem to have grown so much that they won’t be able to work together and share the spotlight? And yes, the spotlight can indeed be shared, as they proved with that Olympic team were Wade averaged more PPG, while LeBron averaged more minutes on the court and Bosh averaged more RPG.
These three guys who have already proved they are great players on their own right and have built an empire for themselves all gave up a lot of money to play together because they want to build a legacy and win championships are going to have a problem with their egos getting in the way? I just don’t see it.
And then on the other side you have Antonio Cromartie, LT, Santonio Holmes, Darrell Revis, Rex Ryan you can even throw Jason Taylor in there. No doubt these players want to win championships, all athletes do, but they also have something to prove individually. Cromartie had a breakout season in 2007, but hasn’t done much of anything the past two seasons, some people attributed this to the fact that maybe QBs avoided throwing down his side of the field, but now that he is coupled with Revis that won’t be an excuse anymore so he will be forced to step up his game and prove that he still has it; and is he really going to want to play second to Revis, or will he want to have the island renamed to Cromartie Island? LT is facing the same dilemma as he also has something to prove himself; ever since his injury he hasn’t been able to perform at the level expected and for a guy who is nearing the end of his career making it this season has to be a top priority for him. Santonio Holmes has a history of getting into trouble, not only is he facing a five game suspension for violation of the NFL’s substance abuse policy, but he is also facing a lawsuit in Florida; this could all be attributed to immaturity or it could be a result of him thinking he is above authority, either way it could represent big issues when dealing with his persona. Even Taylor who is one of my favorite players has something to prove, I’m sure he’ll want to show the Dolphins’ front office that they made a big mistake by letting him go, and as good as he was to the Dolphins during all those years, he was somewhat of a nightmare for the Redskins when he was there, refusing to participate in training camp in Washington and wanting to bend the rules to favor him.
So now you have all these big name players, with their big egos and each with their own personal agenda if you will, coming in to a young team all at once and no one thinks there might be a problem? Training camp hasn’t even started and we already see the cracks with Revis sitting out until a new contract gets worked out because he is worth more! You signed a contract and you expected to get paid whatever amount of money you agreed to because that’s what you thought you were worth at that point, if it had turned out that you couldn’t play at that level you still would’ve gotten paid, but now you believe you are the best corner in the NFL, which you very well may be so your ego says you will get more money or screw the team? I guess that’s the way it works.
It is difficult to say what will happen until both teams take to the court and field respectively but I will say, if any team is going to crumble due to egos in the locker room this season it will definitely be the Jets, YOU CAN TAKE THAT TO THE BANK.
Saturday, July 10, 2010
There's Never Been a Better Time To Be a Miami Fan
Being a Miami fan in general is a tough thing, there are a lot of up and downs and generally a lot of heartbreak involved, but over the last couple of months being a Miami fan has been good, great actually.
Three days ago I woke up to some great news, not only would Dwayne Wade be returning to play in his house, but he was also bringing Chris Bosh with him. All day I kept telling people in Orlando that LeBron James would be next, yet 36 hours later, as I was driving through Fort Lauderdale on my way to Miami listening to ‘The Decision” special I can honestly say I was genuinely surprised to hear him say he “would be bringing his talent to South Beach to join the Miami Heat.”
Wade, LeBron and Bosh are already considered a dream team despite the fact that basketball is a game played with five players and the Heat roster currently consists of only four players (Mario Chalmers is the fourth guy in the roster). There is no denying that a trio of players of that caliber all playing in the same team will make an immediate impact in the NBA. It is something that has never been done before, and it is something that Pat Riley found a way to do because he had one specific goal in mind, and that goal is to win championships; not one but many. Pat Riley wanted to give Miami a team that would be not only a championship caliber team, but a dynasty and that is what I am the most excited about.
Making the same kind of immediate impact in a football team is a lot harder, yet I believe Bill Parcels approached this offseason with the same winning mentality that Pat Riley dd. For the first time in a long time the Miami Dolphins went out there and put down the money they needed to get the big name key players needed to build a winning team. Brandon Marshall and Karlos Dansby are the Dolphins equivalent of the Heat’s LeBron and Bosh and although you could argue that it is a lot more difficult for two players to make an impact in a football team than it is in a basketball team, you also have to remember that the Dolphins were not a four man roster, they actually have more than one “Wade.” The Dolphins also have a great group of young players that will only continue to get better by virtue of playing with the best and knowing who they are playing against in the division. But more importantly, both, the Dolphins and the Heat’s front offices have send their players and their fans one clear message during their offseasons and that message is that they are looking forward to not only competing but to winning, and that is the one thing we have all been anxious to see.
Miami is not the first city that comes to mind when talking about sports, and that’s because Miami has never been close hosting teams of the caliber of the teams in cities like Boston or New York in any sport other than football. Out of our three main local teams, the Dolphins are the only team to ever have reached a dynasty status. They had their first great run from 1971 through 1974. Not only did they win the division four consecutive times, but they also became AFC Champions three consecutive years and one back to back Super Bowls; the first of which came as the perfect conclusion to an undefeated season, a feat which was never been achieved before then and has never been achieved since.
The second great run for the Dolphins came in the 80s during the Marino years. Although not as successful as the first run since it didn’t produce any Super Bowls, the team still nominated the league for most of the decade, winning the division five times, playing in the AFC Championship game three times and enjoying back to back Super Bowl appearances. There’s no denying the Dolphins are Miami’s greatest franchise, however, the last time the Dolphins made it to the Championship game I was 10 years old, and the last time they made it to the Super Bowl I was 2 so needless to say, their success seems like a distant memory at times.
On the other side, we have two teams who have enjoyed success more recently, but whose success has been followed by unprecedented failure. The Miami Heat are Miami’s most recent champions, bringing home the title in 2006 (first and only in franchise history) and although the title was preceded by a Conference Championship appearance in 2005, it was followed by disaster. In 2007, the Heat struggled to make the playoffs; once there the suffered the franchise’s first and only sweep in a playoff series when they faced the Bulls in the first round. Things didn’t get any better the following season; the Heat ended their 2008 season with a 15-67 record, the worst record in the history of the NBA.
The Florida Marlins, Miami’s youngest team, has also enjoyed success, twice they have won the World Series and both times the wins have been followed by disappointment. The Marlins were established in 1993 and won their first World Series in 1997, establishing a record for the fastest franchise to win a World Series (this record would later be beat by the Arizona Diamondbacks who won the World Series in 2001 after only four seasons). During the offseason following that win the team got dismantled and in 1998 the Marlins became the only team ever to lose 100 games after the World Series.
History would repeat itself after their second World Series win in 2003, although not in such dramatic fashion. After the win, the fans biggest worry was that they would see their team dismantled again, and this time, although it didn’t all happen during that first offseason, it did happen again eventually. Since winning their last World Series, the Marlins have only made it to the playoffs twice.
This disappointment is something that all Miami fans have come to know and accept. Yet, now, for the first time ever, Miami fans are watching two of their teams make a legitimate push to win. The Dolphins and the Heat have both bet it all with big time moves this offseason in an attempt to bring home the ultimate prize, a Championship win and a Super Bowl, and I can’t help but think that the Marlins will probably make a similar push in the next two offseasons as well, they do, after all, have to be looking forward to building a stronger team to kick off their 2012 season in their brand new stadium.
So move over Boston and New York, Miami is now looking to make their impression in the sports world and I love the attitude change. Let’s build teams that are strong enough not only to win one title but multiple titles. Miami fans are among the most loyal fans out there and now the time has finally come when being a Miami fan is better than ever.
Three days ago I woke up to some great news, not only would Dwayne Wade be returning to play in his house, but he was also bringing Chris Bosh with him. All day I kept telling people in Orlando that LeBron James would be next, yet 36 hours later, as I was driving through Fort Lauderdale on my way to Miami listening to ‘The Decision” special I can honestly say I was genuinely surprised to hear him say he “would be bringing his talent to South Beach to join the Miami Heat.”
Wade, LeBron and Bosh are already considered a dream team despite the fact that basketball is a game played with five players and the Heat roster currently consists of only four players (Mario Chalmers is the fourth guy in the roster). There is no denying that a trio of players of that caliber all playing in the same team will make an immediate impact in the NBA. It is something that has never been done before, and it is something that Pat Riley found a way to do because he had one specific goal in mind, and that goal is to win championships; not one but many. Pat Riley wanted to give Miami a team that would be not only a championship caliber team, but a dynasty and that is what I am the most excited about.
Making the same kind of immediate impact in a football team is a lot harder, yet I believe Bill Parcels approached this offseason with the same winning mentality that Pat Riley dd. For the first time in a long time the Miami Dolphins went out there and put down the money they needed to get the big name key players needed to build a winning team. Brandon Marshall and Karlos Dansby are the Dolphins equivalent of the Heat’s LeBron and Bosh and although you could argue that it is a lot more difficult for two players to make an impact in a football team than it is in a basketball team, you also have to remember that the Dolphins were not a four man roster, they actually have more than one “Wade.” The Dolphins also have a great group of young players that will only continue to get better by virtue of playing with the best and knowing who they are playing against in the division. But more importantly, both, the Dolphins and the Heat’s front offices have send their players and their fans one clear message during their offseasons and that message is that they are looking forward to not only competing but to winning, and that is the one thing we have all been anxious to see.
Miami is not the first city that comes to mind when talking about sports, and that’s because Miami has never been close hosting teams of the caliber of the teams in cities like Boston or New York in any sport other than football. Out of our three main local teams, the Dolphins are the only team to ever have reached a dynasty status. They had their first great run from 1971 through 1974. Not only did they win the division four consecutive times, but they also became AFC Champions three consecutive years and one back to back Super Bowls; the first of which came as the perfect conclusion to an undefeated season, a feat which was never been achieved before then and has never been achieved since.
The second great run for the Dolphins came in the 80s during the Marino years. Although not as successful as the first run since it didn’t produce any Super Bowls, the team still nominated the league for most of the decade, winning the division five times, playing in the AFC Championship game three times and enjoying back to back Super Bowl appearances. There’s no denying the Dolphins are Miami’s greatest franchise, however, the last time the Dolphins made it to the Championship game I was 10 years old, and the last time they made it to the Super Bowl I was 2 so needless to say, their success seems like a distant memory at times.
On the other side, we have two teams who have enjoyed success more recently, but whose success has been followed by unprecedented failure. The Miami Heat are Miami’s most recent champions, bringing home the title in 2006 (first and only in franchise history) and although the title was preceded by a Conference Championship appearance in 2005, it was followed by disaster. In 2007, the Heat struggled to make the playoffs; once there the suffered the franchise’s first and only sweep in a playoff series when they faced the Bulls in the first round. Things didn’t get any better the following season; the Heat ended their 2008 season with a 15-67 record, the worst record in the history of the NBA.
The Florida Marlins, Miami’s youngest team, has also enjoyed success, twice they have won the World Series and both times the wins have been followed by disappointment. The Marlins were established in 1993 and won their first World Series in 1997, establishing a record for the fastest franchise to win a World Series (this record would later be beat by the Arizona Diamondbacks who won the World Series in 2001 after only four seasons). During the offseason following that win the team got dismantled and in 1998 the Marlins became the only team ever to lose 100 games after the World Series.
History would repeat itself after their second World Series win in 2003, although not in such dramatic fashion. After the win, the fans biggest worry was that they would see their team dismantled again, and this time, although it didn’t all happen during that first offseason, it did happen again eventually. Since winning their last World Series, the Marlins have only made it to the playoffs twice.
This disappointment is something that all Miami fans have come to know and accept. Yet, now, for the first time ever, Miami fans are watching two of their teams make a legitimate push to win. The Dolphins and the Heat have both bet it all with big time moves this offseason in an attempt to bring home the ultimate prize, a Championship win and a Super Bowl, and I can’t help but think that the Marlins will probably make a similar push in the next two offseasons as well, they do, after all, have to be looking forward to building a stronger team to kick off their 2012 season in their brand new stadium.
So move over Boston and New York, Miami is now looking to make their impression in the sports world and I love the attitude change. Let’s build teams that are strong enough not only to win one title but multiple titles. Miami fans are among the most loyal fans out there and now the time has finally come when being a Miami fan is better than ever.
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
Super Fan Series: Phinvaders
Writing that just made me realize that if I could be anywhere right now there is nowhere else I’d rather be. If you have had the opportunity to go to a game, I’m sure you will agree, and any Dolphins’ fan who hasn’t had a chance to go definitely should. For those that don’t live in South Florida, making the trip down south is probably difficult, yet I am sure they would love to get a chance to get that Dolphins’ game day experience. Bringing that experience to fans in different cities is what Bill has been doing with his Phinvaders Project.
The idea for Phinvaders came about when after moving to Chattanooga in October 2008, Bill noticed just how many Dolphins’ fans there were, so he decided to start a club. By the end of the 2008 season, they had their own location and were 40 strong. Club members started asking about getting a group together for the Falcons’ game, he was expecting to get a group of 25-30 club members to go, yet wound up with only 20… plus another 85 thanks to some internet promoting. After that, what started out as the ‘Chattanooga Dolfans Club’ became the ‘Phinvaders’.
Getting the Phinvaders name out there and being able to promote the events has definitely been easier now that it would’ve been a few years ago thanks to the internet, mainly Facebook. Being able to reach out to so many fans is what made that first Phinvader event in Atlanta “legendary” as Bill puts it. And this season, although he is looking forward to both planned Phinvaders’ events, he is especially looking forward to the one in Cincinnati where they have planned a Halloween party for the night before the game, in which they’ll even have a costume contest, which is sure to add to all the excitement.
Getting these Phinvasions organized is not easy; it can be very stressful and takes a lot of time to plan but getting the opportunity to meet other Dolfans and to share that Dolphins game day experience make it not only worth organizing but also worth attending. What started out as a plan to get 25-30 Dolfans to go to an away game together has turned into a dream of filling out an entire section in an away game, with the ultimate dream being to be able to do so in a Jets game; and although that particular Phinvasion is not on the books for this upcoming season, there are two others planned. Tickets are on sale for the Raiders and Bengals Phinvasions and they can be found, along with additional information under the upcoming events tab at http://www.phinvaders.com. So if you’re a Dolfan who lives anywhere near Oakland or Cincinnati get your tickets soon, as I expect to see you make your presence known in those stands. And like Bill I am especially looking forward to that Cincinnati game, but in my case it is for selfish reasons, I want to get a super special Dolphins’ win for my birthday, and I’m sure your presence will help get the team there.
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