Lets face it, when the Lets face it, when the

Odds, Ends, and a Parting Schott at Mueller

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Lets face it, when the Miami Dolphins take the field on Sunday in Cleveland, every Dolphins fan will be crossing their fingers, closing their eyes, and sending prayers to the NFL Hall of Fame God who resides a short distance south. For now, we will have to take shake our heads in dismay, the Dolphins are 4.5 point underdogs to the Brownies. Those are your Odds.

The NFL trade deadline is less than a week away. Close of business on the 16th. Another loss this weekend and there will be more screaming, more speculation, and some praying for, half of the team being traded. The biggest name of course will be that of Jason Taylor. The reigning defensive MVP is playing for the worst football team in the NFL, is on one of the worst defenses and in all likelihood will retire at the end of the season as opposed to coming back next year to do it all again. Let us remember that it was Jason who almost called it quits prior to this year.

I suppose many will play the “he has to retire a Dolphin” card, and that would be great if he did, but Jason Taylor is no Dan Marino and the impact that Jason has on a football field is proportionate to the direction the offense runs the ball. So, as much as having Jason retire a Phin, his last act as a Dolphin may be to help this team for its future…by taking a trade.

There of course would be a ton of names that would surface should the Dolphins actually try to move him. Washington who needs a pass rush specialist will pay JT big money and offer him an opportunity to compete for a post-season birth. They also would have the picks to throw Miami’s way. Of course the other name that would surely surface would have to be Dallas, where Jason would impact an already decent defense and anchor a unit that right now appears to be the leading contender for the NFC Super Bowl representative, not to mention his wife Katrina is from Texas.

The Dolphins would be out of their minds to not try and get something done here. Jason is on his last contract in Miami and Miami needs the picks to forge a better future. There are teams that need a defensive end, we have one…there is your “End”. Sorry Jason, I love ya’ man, but I love this team more…just ask my wife!

As I wrap this up here on a Friday morning, yes it is still before noon, I figure I should at least throw out a Schott at Randy Mueller. Someone in this organization is going to have to answer for this team, like it or not, deserving or not. Mueller was on his way out of Miami prior to the start of the season and I am sure that he wishes he was in Tennessee about right now. Had Saban stayed he would be.

Randy Mueller does not deserve to be fired after this year, and regardless of whether the season ends with zero wins, Cam Cameron will be on the sidelines next year for the Phins. So, who takes the blame? The only logical person is in fact Randy Mueller. Now, there is a report from the fellas’ over at PFT that are saying “in league circles” there is talk that one Marty Schottenheimer wants back into the NFL. Only not as a coach.

According to PFT, Marty wants a GM job. First let me say that I am a Marty Schottenheimer fan, he has taken losing franchises and made them into contenders at every stop but one, his one year stint in Washington. However, there is a lot of talk that he has not been the one to hand pick his team, he has always had rather decent GM’s pulling the strings, so that would make me wonder two things. 1: Did he learn from these guys? and 2: How much input did he have into those decisions?

If the latter is more than normal, then this is not a bad situation for Miami to explore. Consider that Marty is one of the highest regarded people in the opinion of Don Shula. Don expressed on many occasions to Wayne Huizenga that Schottenheimer would be the logical choice to take this team back to the winning tradition…and let’s face one undeniable fact, Marty Schottenheimer would embrace that history. Something that no other coach has done since Shula left.

The other obvious connection is Cam Cameron. In Marty, Cameron gets a shoulder to lean on, someone who respects him and considers him a personal friend. It was Marty who gave Wayne a glowing recommendation for the former SD offensive coordinator. Perhaps a match made just short of heaven?

Who know, but what we do know is this, it is unfair to blame the turmoil of this team on either the current HC or the current GM. The draft picks this past April are far too raw to be judged as good or bad. The reality is that any team that finishes with a top 5 draft pick in the following years draft, had a horrible season and changes need to be made. Someone has to bite then end of that gun and take the bullet. It will not be Cameron and that leaves only GM Randy Mueller.

And that is the parting Schott.