Where Things Go From Here
By author
What a week. As a Dolphin fan I am as embarrassed as anyone. I feel bad for the way that Tony Sparano was treated, and for how the fans were treated. We didn’t know if we were to get excited or upset about anything, all we got was a week’s worth of confusion and rumors. Owner Steven Ross came out and made his intentions public, but that was just an attempt to put out the fire that he created.
I’ve watched all the video’s from the ’round table’ session with Ross, General Manager Jeff Ireland, and Head Coach Tony Sparano. Not once did he apologize to Sparano, all he did was say he would do things different if he had the chance to do it all over again. Well you don’t get that chance Mr. Ross, the least you could have done was tell Tony you were sorry. So where do the Miami Dolphins go from here?
As a fan, I’m glad that both Jeff Ireland and Tony Sparano will be retained for a few more years to come. I would not have liked to see Miami rebuild once again. Some good players have been brought in over the last 3 years, and I want them to have the chance to develop. If the Miami defense can get another year with DC Mike Nolan, they will become even better than they were this past season, and that is something to look forward to.
I’m also anxious to see what Jeff Ireland can do on his own. If you really stop and think about the drafts over the past 3 seasons, it’s not hard to tell what picks Parcells had his hands all over. Did anyone notice how many players were let go once Parcells left? Do you think it was Parcells that got his way with the Brandon Marshall trade?…..I don’t. I think Ireland has a knack for finding talented players, and I’m looking forward to seeing what he can do when he is calling the shots during the draft. I’m also glad to see that the coaches for the Miami Dolphins will not be coaching one of the Senior Bowl teams this year. This will give them a better opportunity to grade everyone in the draft, and not be clouded with what they see during the Senior Bowl practices.
An upgrade to the offense is obvious, and it will start with who becomes the offensive coordinator. I haven’t heard of anyone on the radar of Ireland and Sparano, but nailing that hire is the most important thing they can do right now. Once that person is in place, the right players can be brought in to fit the scheme. With Ross, Ireland, and Sparano claiming the offense will be aggressive and exciting next year, speed at the running back and wide receiver positions will be a definite necessity. Over the next few days I will review the offense position by position and try to decipher who needs to stay and who goes. Until then, be glad the week long circus is over, be glad that yet another rebuild will not be taking place, and be glad that Dan Henning will not be coming back!
Phins Up!
BEL