Why the Miami Dolphins Should Not Depend On One Player

The 2009 NFL season for the Miami Dolphins is a far cry from the 2007 and 2008 seasons. It has been marked with five victories and five defeats as well as Ronnie Brown and Chad Pennington being out during most or the rest of the season.

The pundits were afraid that the season would be over with the injury of Pennington and have repeated their predictions after Ronnie Brown’s injury. The game against the Carolina Panthers proved that this was not the case.

The Fins still have life and have been able to cope in their last game with the help of Ricky Williams. It does not mean that they are going to win every game and that they are Super Bowl material.

The underwriter wrote in previous articles about the meltdown of the southernmost NFL Team in America. He stated reasons such as lack of practice methods that have been tried with success.

The other problem has been the dependence on one player. When Marino was active in the franchise, he was looked (directly or indirectly) as the player who kept the team together.

Pennington, Brown, and Williams have been placed in the same limelight which means increased pressure to success. The dependence on one player should not be the basis for any NFL Football team.

The players of today will be the players of history but a franchise such as the Dolphins must remain independent of such dependence on one person. The team must concentrate on practice as well as attempting to salvage what remains of the current NFL Season.

It should do that by having players attempt different positions and game strategies. The Fins should look forward and not look back with the intention of playing football like it has never been played before without depending on one player.

If this could be done, there is the possibility that the Dolphins may have saved what remains of their 2009 NFL Season before returning to the drawing board in the NFL Draft.

Read more NFL news on BleacherReport.com

The Fins Definitive Meltdown

During the month of September 2009, the underwriter wrote about the meltdown of the Miami Dolphins and its reasons.  While hoping that he was wrong, the loss to the New Orleans Saints proved that indeed there is a meltdown.

The Miami Dolphins appeared to have started its’ game against the Saints in its home turf with a big lead at the end of the second quarter. The Fins had everything and was poised to add another win to its already two victories.

The second half of the game was a disaster, as Miami made many mistakes with players repeating the same mistakes as the first two games. The defense [in the opinion of the underwriter] was weak and made errors that the Saints were quick to take advantage.

The Fins were disorganized, lacked coordination and organization while the Saints appeared to have come from behind after a lackluster first half. It appeared that the Dolphins made the mistake of resting on their laurels instead of hearing the old adage: “It is not over until it is over.”

What happened to the team that won the Super Bowl and once had a perfect season? It did not learn its lesson and did not train players for different positions. Its reliance on one quarterback such as Pennington did more harm than good when an injury sidelined him for the rest of the 2009 season.

The best thing that could happen to Miami is the following: Attempt to play the best that they can and attempt to win as many games as possible to at least make a decent showing by the end of the season.

When the 2009 NFL season comes to an end, the Fins can make changes in the defensive ends, quarterbacks, and other positions to strengthen their position. The suggestion that should also be made must be a change in practice tactics.

No team ever won a Super Bowl [or any other sporting event] by pretending to practice before the cameras. The games that are won, are won by blood, sweat, and tears. The meaning of blood, sweat, and tears [as well as no pain no gain] is defined as practicing under all forms of weather conditions with maximum discomfort.

The Miami Dolphins will never win any games and much less win the Super Bowl unless that type of practice is initiated. It is total agony since the underwriter wanted to see the Miami Dolphins compete in the Super Bowl 2010 which will take place in its own city.

Read more NFL news on BleacherReport.com

The Fins Definitive Meltdown

During the month of September 2009, the underwriter wrote about the meltdown of the Miami Dolphins and its reasons.  While hoping that he was wrong, the loss to the New Orleans Saints proved that indeed there is a meltdown.

The Miami Dolphins appeared to have started its’ game against the Saints in its home turf with a big lead at the end of the second quarter. The Fins had everything and was poised to add another win to its already two victories.

The second half of the game was a disaster, as Miami made many mistakes with players repeating the same mistakes as the first two games. The defense [in the opinion of the underwriter] was weak and made errors that the Saints were quick to take advantage.

The Fins were disorganized, lacked coordination and organization while the Saints appeared to have come from behind after a lackluster first half. It appeared that the Dolphins made the mistake of resting on their laurels instead of hearing the old adage: “It is not over until it is over.”

What happened to the team that won the Super Bowl and once had a perfect season? It did not learn its lesson and did not train players for different positions. Its reliance on one quarterback such as Pennington did more harm than good when an injury sidelined him for the rest of the 2009 season.

The best thing that could happen to Miami is the following: Attempt to play the best that they can and attempt to win as many games as possible to at least make a decent showing by the end of the season.

When the 2009 NFL season comes to an end, the Fins can make changes in the defensive ends, quarterbacks, and other positions to strengthen their position. The suggestion that should also be made must be a change in practice tactics.

No team ever won a Super Bowl [or any other sporting event] by pretending to practice before the cameras. The games that are won, are won by blood, sweat, and tears. The meaning of blood, sweat, and tears [as well as no pain no gain] is defined as practicing under all forms of weather conditions with maximum discomfort.

The Miami Dolphins will never win any games and much less win the Super Bowl unless that type of practice is initiated. It is total agony since the underwriter wanted to see the Miami Dolphins compete in the Super Bowl 2010 which will take place in its own city.

Read more NFL news on BleacherReport.com

Jason Taylor Deserves to Be in the Football Hall of Fame

Every year the Football Hall of Fame located in Canton, Ohio, plays host to the induction ceremony for football’s greatest. Many players including those from the Miami Dolphins have been elected to form part of this grand and exclusive club.

While very few can be inducted into the Hall of Fame, there are people who deserve to be inducted but appear to be overlooked. One of the notable examples has been Jason Taylor.

Jason Taylor has been a linebacker for the Miami Dolphins since he was picked by the team during the third round of the 1997 draft. The only exception was when he played for the Washington Redskins.

Mr. Taylor was born on September 1, 1974, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He started his football career at Woodland Hills High School. During this period, he was a recipient of the Western Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic League which is an honor awarded by the Pittsburgh Post Gazette and Gateway Newspapers.

He was accepted by the University of Akron and played as a starter and a letterman for the Zips. During his college career, Mr. Taylor managed to accumulate 279 tackles, 21 sacks, seven recovered fumbles, and three interceptions under his belt.

During his junior year, he was a linebacker and an All-America pick as well as the First Team All Mid-American Selection. Mr. Taylor also received the same award of All Mid-American Selection in his senior year.

He was also the recipient of the National Defensive Player of the Week Award for his excellent performance against Virginia Tech. The performance consisted of 12 tackles, two sacks, two fumble recoveries, and tackled a punt returner in the end zone for safety.

During his NFL career, he managed to accumulate 482 tackles, 120.5 sacks, and seven interceptions. He was also the recipient of awards such as the Walter Payton Man of the Year, AP NFL Defensive Player of the Year, and the All-American Honorable.

Jason Taylor was the Pro Bowl Selection six times during his career as well as the First Team All Pro Selection three times. He was also chosen two times to the First Team All-MAC [Mid American Conference].

He founded the Jason Taylor Foundation with his wife Katrina. The purpose of the foundation was to help improve the lives of South Florida’s children. The result has been the Jason Taylor Reading Room which has helped increased literacy, and the Jason Taylor Children’s Learning Center which provides a selected 11 sixth grade students with college scholarships.

It is for being outstanding off as well as on the field that Jason Taylor deserves to be inducted in the Hall Of Fame.

The Miami Dolphins’ Future in the 2009 NFL

The underwriter attempted to write an article concerning players and different scenarios for the Miami Dolphins. The laptop was not cooperative with him so this will be a general review and opinion.

Before starting with the 2009 season, it is important to recap the last two years. The year 2007 was a disaster for the Fins with only one game won. The team was demoralized and the coach was a disaster.

It was a miracle that Miami was spared the fate of Detroit, which became the first team in NFL history to lose every game during one of their seasons. The year 2008 was a year of change in the guard and the team.

Parcells was brought in to help with the change, and Sparano was hired as a coach. The Fins improved a lot in the 2008 NFL Season, and they were even candidates for the playoffs. However, it was not to be.

The NFL Season is coming, and people in Miami still want a repeat of a perfect season and are expecting more from their team than in previous attempts. The fear is that the fans may be deceived if they receive what is least expected.

It is of the opinion of the underwriter that the Miami Dolphins is still a team in reconstruction mode after a decade of abuse and mismanagement. It would be an injustice to name players or techniques that could result in a Super Bowl team or even winning it.

The first thing that should be addressed is that every season is different. The year 2009 is totally different from the perfect season of 1972.

If the Miami Dolphins expect to win or even do better than the year 2008, several things need to happen. Mr. Sparano will have to make tough decisions on which players will stay, and which ones will go.

My only suggestion for Mr. Sparano is to stay away from Michael Vick because he is a liability in football. The rest of the decisions will have to be based not only on professional play but on personal conduct.

The people who play football should also develop a well disciplined and well oiled team that can stand the pressure of the game. This can be accomplished by obeying the coach and working as a team. The idea of personality clashes should be consigned to the trash can.

The practices should take place in mountains surrounded by tough roads and under hot and cold weather conditions. The idea of practicing in a gym is not the way to make a championship. The conditions of hardship are those that make a team.

When all of these elements are together, only then can the Miami Dolphins talk about a future in the 2009 NFL Season.

 

Parcells Should Draft Maybin

I have been reading about the NFL Draft for 2009. While I have been a fan of the Miami Dolphins since 1969 [when I was seven years old], I am still a novice when it comes to the draft. My understanding of the NFL Draft is the equivalent of high school students being matched with the college of their choice or vice versa.

What happens afterwards depends on the team and the player. The same might apply with the college and or the aspiring student. Before writing about the draft and the Miami Dolphins, it was decided to make a comparison between 2008 and 2009 before discussing the draft.

The Fins are in a better position in the beginning of 2009 then they were during the 2008 NFL Draft. Sparano and Parcells were instrumental in turning the team around after their only victory in the 2008 NFL Season. The time has come to select players that will contribute to the continuity of the success story from Miami Florida.

One of the interesting sources has been “Craig’s NFL Mock Draft Picks, Nos. 21-32” written by ctsports picks. He commented about Aaron Maybin from Penn State. I am in agreement with his suggestion of Maybin for the Miami Dolphins.

Aaron Maybin played defensive end for the Penn State Nittany Lions. During his career with Penn State, he had 61 tackles, one forced fumble, and no interceptions. His participation in the 2008 campaign resulted in eleven victories and one loss in what almost became a perfect season for the team.

Maybin participated in the Alamo Bowl [2007] and the Rose Bowl [2008]. He was also the recipient of the All-American, All-Big Ten, and the Big Ten Defensive Pow during the 2008. He has also ranked in seventh place in the United States of America with 12 quarterback sacks.

While he has visited Seattle, San Francisco, and Baltimore to explore the possibilities with each aforementioned teams, I cannot help but think that it would be a big mistake if Parcells and Sparano allow Maybin to go to another team.

If Maybin goes to another team and the Fins receive another defensive end who cannot help in the continuity of the Miami success story, then they should talk with the other teams and negotiate a trade. Again, I am stating this as a novice of the NFL Draft. I watch the NFL Draft every year and I am attempting to learn about it.

Maybin is of a good character that is respected by his teammates. He has been known to be tough in the field. While his weakness is a lack of consistency in his plays, he can learn to improve his deficiencies. His advantage is not only playing football but a desire to learn in his sport.

There are people who say that the regular season is not the time to learn. I am of the opinion that learning is a never-ending process. If Sparano and Parcells could read my article, I would say to them that whatever they do in the NFL Draft of 2009, the person who deserves to wear the Dolphin uniform is Aaron Maybin.

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/159271-craigs-nfl-mock-draft-2009-picks-21-32

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/player/profile?playerId=188688

http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/draft/players/1117617

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