TMQB

For 57 minutes this past Sunday, the Miami Dolphins were well on their way to winning their first game of the season.  Well, we all know how that turned out don’t we.  Another defensive collapse in the 2nd half should have been the headline, but it wasn’t.  More failed attempts to score TD’s in the redzone should have been high on the list of reasons for the loss as well, but it wasn’t.  I know, poor clock management was the reason, right?  Nope.  Not any of those.  Not the gameplan, not the execution, nothing.  The headline was Tim Freaking Tebow.  I really couldn’t stand Tebow before this weekend, and I really can’t stand him now.  Not after this.

This has to be one of the most disappointing times I’ve ever experienced as a fan of the Miami Dolphins.  I’m 33 now, and have been a fan for as long as I can remember.  I’ve seen some low moments over the years, but this one takes the cake and crudely smears it all over my face!  I could deal with the 1-15 Cam Cameron season because it was his first year as a head coach, and records like that in year 1 happen.  I could deal with the 2000’s and the lack of playoff appearances, because they were still in search of a replacement for Dan Marino (oh trust me, I know they are still searching).  But the product on the field for the Miami Dolphins this season is nothing short of unbearable.

This is by far the worst I have ever witnessed as a Miami Dolphins fan.  Every game is becoming more and more predictable.  The offense will move the ball fairly well, get into the redzone, and fail to score a TD.  The defense will bend but not break for a little while, then completely meltdown when they are needed most.  The offense will be forced to score, and throw a pick or give up a big sack.  I’m fed up with it, I’ve seen enough.  To top it all off, ESPN showed the Bronco comeback over, and over, and over again!  I forced myself to watch it, just to add to the complete distaste I have for my favorite NFL team right now.  Changes need to be made, and they will be.  The roster will be turned over once again, as it should.  Hope will once again be instilled as another coach gets a chance to turn things around and make the Dolphins viable again.  But until that day comes, I’m going to keep expressing my disappointment in this team.

The thing that made this loss the lowest point for me, was the fact that the comeback for the Denver Broncos was led by Tim Tebow.  Like I stated earlier, I’m not a Tebow fan.  I didn’t really like him while he played in college, and I still don’t like him now that he’s in the NFL.  I was happy Miami didn’t draft him.  I didn’t want to see another ‘experiment’ with a Wildcat QB fail.  I didn’t want him coming to Miami and have our fans screaming for him to play like the fans in Denver have been doing.  I’m sure he’s as good a guy as there is.  He’s a good role model for youngsters, makes all the right decisions and leads a good life off the field.  The guy seems perfect, says all the right things, works his butt off to offset his skills, and has not one, not one little speck of dirt on him.  He’s too perfect for me to like.  I like guys that are real, ones who don’t seem fake.  I like guys that have made mistakes in their past and learned from them.  I like guys that aren’t afraid to say something that may offend someone.  Guys like that are guys that I root for, to me, Tebow seems to perfect.  He’s one of those guys that you love to have on your team, but hate when he’s not.  For this meltdown to happen against any other guy in the NFL it wouldn’t have had me so enraged, but since it was Tebow, and it was completely scooped up by the national media and shoved down the throats of every Dolphin fan across the world, it took me over the top.

This organization is at an all time low if you ask me.  Celebrity owners, a night club in the stadium, the Orange Carpet roll-outs, the celebrating of the opposing QB’s National Championship team at halftime of a home game helped make it that way.  What in the hell does any of that have to do with putting a winner on the field?  Sure, owning a team is like owning a business, and owners are in it to make money, but WINNING games is what will put butts in the seats, not all the other crap going on in Miami.  It’s not working, and I’m not sure there is any other answer besides winning.

The changes that need to be made to turn this team around are many, too many to discuss at this point in time.  The facts are the Miami Dolphins are at one of the lowest points in their history, if not the lowest, and a lot is probably going to happen before the start of next season, if it doesn’t, this fan base will revolt like it never has in the past.  It seems more and more like the majority of those changes won’t take place until after this season is over.  For the time being, I’m declaring myself 100% on the ‘Suck for Luck’ bandwagon.  Say what you will about that, tell me a true fan doesn’t hope for their team to lose.  Tell me a true fan always hopes for the best, and not doing so doesn’t make me a true fan.  Say all that and ask yourself this, would you suffer through 9 or 10 more losses if it meant you could have 10 or more years of success?  I would, and I make this comparison to the real world.  Most of us in the working class suffer through years and years of hard work at our jobs, we work long hours, we work weekends, we do things we don’t want to do, all with the hope of one day enjoying the good life.  Whether that be reaching a career goal, retirement, whatever the case may be, we are all doing it.  So, why can’t we suffer through a few more losses as fans, with the hope that it will all payoff in the near future?  It’s our right as fans, no one can tell me what I can or can’t cheer for, and I’m exercising that right for the rest of this season.  On to the rankings……

32 Indianapolis Colts (31) New Orleans just scored again!

31 St. Louis Cardinals (30) A healthy Sam Bradford probably wouldn’t have helped the rushing defense.

30 Miami Dolphins (30) Rumor has it a USC celebration is in discussion for Sanchez on New Year’s Day.

29 Seattle Seahawks (25) At least Miami put up more than 3 points on Cleveland.

28 Cleveland Browns (24) They won with two fieldgoals, Sparano has to be jealous.

27 Jacksonville Jaguars (29) Was their defense that good or was Ravens O that bad?

26 Denver Broncos (27) Tebow makes me sick.

25 Arizona Cardinals (21) How much did they give up for Kolb?

24 Minnesota Vikings (26) Ponder looked pretty damn good in his debut.

23 Tennessee Titans (19) The wheels seem like they are about to fall off.

22 Washington Redskins (22) Injuries are going to ruin their hope.

21 Carolina Panthers (23) Cam continues to amaze me.

20 Oakland Raiders (16) Their bye week couldn’t have come at a better time.

19 Kansas City Chiefs (28) All of a sudden this team is 3-3.

18 Philadelphia Eagles (20) Could this be the week Vick plays all 4 quarters?

17 Tampa Bay Buccaneers (13) The London trip stripped them of a home game.

16 Atlanta Falcons (15) If they run the ball, they win.

15 Cincinnati Bengals (18) I’m still not a believer.

14 Dallas Cowboys (17) Romo was on a liquid diet last week, he didn’t choke.

13 New York Jets (14) Showed how to use a big target in the redzone.

12 Chicago Bears (12) This team has explosive playmakers in all 3 phases.

11 Buffalo Bills (10) They have a legit shot to make the playoffs.

10 New York Giants (9) Scheduled gift, Miami after a bye week.

9 Pittsburgh Steelers (11) Starting to regain their form.

8 Detroit Lions (7) Run D completely exploited the past 2 weeks.

7 Houston Texans (8) Wow did they thump the Titans or what?

6 San Diego Chargers (5) Their collapse wasn’t the biggest headline last week because of Miami’s.

5 San Francisco 49ers (6) Already checking on their magic number.

4 Baltimore Ravens (3) It’s been a while since their defense was outplayed.

3 New Orleans Saints (4) I have problems putting up 60 on Madden.

2 New England Patriots (2) They’ve had 2 weeks to dissect the Steeler D.

1 Green Bay Packers (1) Odds on a perfect season got put back on the boards in Vegas.

Phins Up!

BEL