O.k. Tuna…Is This It?

The 1st round of our draft is over unless somehow Bill Parcells finds away to get back into it.  Hopefully not at the expense of our 2nd rounders.  But is this it?  Is this the best we get?  I realize that when Bill took over and hired Jeff Ireland that he said he would be the man behind the curtain, but wow, I never realized he would stay there.

Bill Parcells was not at the Combine, opting instead to watch NFL Network with the rest of us, Bill was not at the league owners meetings, and Bill Parcells was not at the press conference announcing our first round pick.  So where is Bill Parcells?

Many Miami Dolphins fans applauded and danced more than Jason Taylor has when the hiring of Parcells was announced.  Yet we have heard nothing from the Tuna since that press conference.  What gives? 

So Jake Long is the pick after all.  I’m not dancing.  I like Jake Long and had the time run out on the clock come Saturday, I would have clapped, smiled, and believed that this was the right choice.  Somehow I feel like Saturday is going to be the wedding that comes after the child is born.  It’s the right thing to do…for the kids sake. 

Miami fans have felt a sense of let down for, oh 10 years?  Vernon Carey in 04 after a trade up of one spot to get him.  Ronnie Brown at number 3 in what was a very weak draft at the top.  Jason Allen at 16?  Ted Ginn and his entire family last year!  Now this?  I hate to say it, but it is really hard to be a Dolphins fan on draft day.  While other teams find a way to use the “value” chart to make trades the Dolphins always seem to find themselves either on the wrong end of that chart or doing nothing at all.  The Patriots seem to always find a trade partner.  Didn’t Bill Parcells teach that to Billychuck?

The dust has settled after months of speculation and with three days left the climactic ending has been spoiled in chapter 12.  As Dolphins fans sit idly by waiting on word that somehow the Phins have managed to move Jason Taylor to Philly for Lito Sheppard and a pick, or the Jaguars have caved in and given up their first, we will all do so knowing that on draft day we got very little with that first pick.

After the Dolphins took a quick lead in free agency, it seemed as though things may have finally turned the corner, then, after that initial weekend, nothing.  A special teamer here and a special teamer there.  Nothing to get excited about.  Still, we all had the draft.

Jake Long is a good pick, and I find very few people that will argue with that.  He is the safest pick.  As one reader pointed out, our forum moderator as it is, if Jake fails at LT you move him to RT, if he fails at RT you move him to guard.  He has 3 chances to improve your line.  Albeit overpaid at any but LT. 

Had the Phins announced the deal, waited on the fanfare, then maybe we could all have some excitement on Saturday when the bell opens up this years draft.  Instead, we get to eat a big tuna sandwich and ask ourselves if this is what we should be expecting from now on?  Because frankly, I thought we were getting Tuna, instead we got Irish stew.  It’s still very good, but not exactly what we thought was on the menu.

There could still be some surprise with the 32nd pick, but in reality, that isn’t exciting.  The 2nd round will never be the first, even at 32.