Thursday, March 29, 2007
Know What's Great For Cardio? Soccer.
- The Browns are now in on the Trent Green sweepstakes. I propose we give the Browns the 6th round pick we got from Denver for them to take Green and end this madness.
- David Carr’s “camp” – whatever that is – is saying Carr might be looking to go to a contending team as its backup quarterback for a year or two and wait for his shot. This article suggests that Seattle and Carolina might be Carr’s best option for that plan. And the NFL Network’s Adam Schefter says that Carr has a visit scheduled with the Seahawks next week. And the Raiders are saying they might jump in on the Carr pursuit also. Meanwhile, Randy Mueller is sitting with his thumbs up his ass because Carl Peterson’s leading him by the balls.
- The Fins have expressed some interest in Broncos free agent guard Cooper Carlisle. I know there’s a lot of interest from Dolphins fans about Miami drafting Levi Brown with the 9th pick, and a lot of "expert" mock drafts have him going to the Fins as well. But Cam has said that an offense can play at a high level even without a franchise left tackle. I could be wrong, but don’t be shocked if the Dolphins pass Brown over and fill their O-line needs in the latter portion of the draft.
- Opening Day is right around the corner. I am psyched. JD’s got a nice profile on Marlins new centerfielder Alejandro De Aza. Check it out, Fish fans.
- Sweet baby Jesus, have you seen the blimp formally known as soccer great Diego Maradona??? Maradona is famous for leading Argentina over England in the 1986 World Cup semis with his famous Hand-of-God goal. Now he looks like he ate England.
He’s also done enough coke to kill a small horse.
Anyway, this news is not Miami sports based. This one’s for my Dad – Dude The Elder – because he’s a big soccer fan and because, when I was a kid, he taught me the great game of soccer. We had this running gag where he’d ask me to stand in as goalie while he placed the ball down and kicked it towards the goal. He’d then kick the ball with the outside of his foot, causing the ball to twirl haphazardly in all kinds of crazy directions before it swung violently nowhere near the goal. This made me crack up til my sides hurt. Every time. Hey, I was 7. Anyway, he called that his secret weapon. Its name: The Maradonia. And yes, Dad, that picture is real. (Yes, my Dad reads the MSD daily).
Labels: Miami Dolphins, Miami Dolphins 2007 Draft, Miscellaneous Non-Sports Crap
This Trent Green Thing May Last A While
Labels: Miami Dolphins
The Guy Who's Never Heard of Chewbacca Dropped 14 Points On A Tired, Hapless Heat
The Heat looked pretty old most of the night. I mean Mr. Roper old. They were out hustled, out rebounded and out scored. Kris Humphries out-rebounded the entire Heat squad except for James Posey, who grabbed 10 himself but evened things out with his own sucktitude by scoring only 8 points. You know, because he didn’t want to be left out of this crap-fest. It’s all about teamwork.
Meanwhile, Dwyane Wade believes he’s going to be ready for the playoffs. While Coach Riles continued to down play Wade’s possible return by telling us all to calm the hell down, it’s apparent that this Heat team has hit it’s peak. The 10 game winning streak that it rode after Wade went down was nice. But now it’s beginning to show what kind of team it will be without D-Wade.
Labels: Miami Heat
Wednesday, March 28, 2007
MSD Mock Draft Contest
Labels: Miami Dolphins 2007 Draft, MSD Mock Draft Contest
Wednesday Bullets
Labels: Florida Marlins, Miami Dolphins, Miami Heat
Monday, March 26, 2007
The Dude Gets Tanked
As a contributor there, I plan on posting one or two columns a week. My work there will be more on the analytical and investigative side of things. More “serious,” if you will. But I’ll still try to be as entertaining as I can while dishing out info and opinion on our beloved Dolphins. And I wanted to invite you, MSD Nation, to come join the fun over at the tank and leave me a comment or two whenever I post. I’ll let you know here on MSD with a link whenever I do write something over there. You can also find The Phish Tank link over on the Miami Herald Dolphins page. Or, you can always bookmark.
But do not fret MSD Nation. While over there I’m called by my Christian name. Over here, I’m still the Dude. And this will still be the number one place where I post my daily thoughts on the Fins and await your crazy comments throughout my day. While the Phish Tank will be for the journalist in me, the MSD will be the place where I am free to make fart jokes, say words like “douchebag” and "jack ass" and call guys like Mark Cuban “the Billion Dollar Penis” and the Dolphins front office a bunch of idiotic monkeys.
The Phish Tank is where I’ll do my serious work. The MSD will be where I spend Happy Hour. And, as the Dude, I plan to spend more time in Happy Hour than at “work,” if you catch my drift.
So, just wanted to share this with you. I just posted my first column – a more detailed argument of something I’ve already covered here: Why the Dolphins should forget about Trent Green and go get David Carr.
Drop by and leave me a comment if you can.
Otherwise, I’ll see you at the bar, douchebags.
Labels: Miami Dolphins
Monday Morning Updates....
Not much has changed in the Trent Green talks. We're now learning that the extra compensation KC wants for Green is a second round pick.
Let me say that again. KC wants a second round pick for Trent Green. I'll wait while you clean the coffee off your PC screen. I too did a spit take when I read that.
PFT is reporting that the Dolphins are split between Green and David Carr.
"A league source tells us that the Miami Dolphins front office currently is split on the question of whether to sign free-agent quarterback David Carr, or to continue to pursue a trade with the Chiefs for quarterback Trent Green. The source also says that Carr's first choice for his first post-Texan team is the Dolphins."
I'm at a loss for words. It's Drew Brees vs. Daunte Culpepper all over again! It's like Nick Saban never left.
PFT is also reporting "that the chances (we're told) of quarterback Daunte Culpepper returning to the Dolphins in 2007 are 60-40 against."
Labels: Miami Dolphins
Sunday, March 25, 2007
Peyton Manning's Mom Was Cut By The Dolphins
Hey, if we're going after Trent Green, we should just go ahead and try to re-sign Olivia. Might as well. Signing Trent Green and giving away draft picks for him makes as much sense as signing a middle-aged menopausal woman …
Anyway, in case you missed it, there’s Peyton’s opening monologue from last night’s SNL. Two things to notice -- he takes an awesome shot at the Patriots, and when he introduces his family, little brother Eli looks as awkward and indecisive as he does in the pocket. Great unintentional comedy.
And below – the highlight of the show – a United Way spoof that is an instant classic. Enjoy...
Update (Monday 12:50 PM): The cronies at NBC are cracking down on their videos being shown on YouTube. I managed to track down another one and just re-posted it. So, if you haven't seen it yet, hurry up and click play and watch it before the NBC Video Gestapo take this one down too...
Update 2 (Wednesday 12:18 PM): I tracked down yet another one and reposted it again. I'm like the Robin Hood of YouTube. The cool Errol Flynn Robin Hood. Not the shitty Kevin Coster Robin Hood. Although I can also be the Disney Robin Hood because he was portrayed by a Fox and that's exactly what I am ...
Labels: Miami Dolphins, Patriots, Peyton Manning
Saturday, March 24, 2007
Dolphins QB Situation Update: The Return of Rick Spielman?
No news on David Carr since his release from the Texans yesterday. But the general consensus is that there are a good handful of teams that will make a run at him. It’s also assumed the Dolphins will make a run at Carr should the Green deal fall through.
Meanwhile, the Fins expect Daunte Culpepper to be ready for the team’s min-camps, which start next month.
So, here's what we know so far:
1.) Trent Green and the Dolphins have reportedly agreed on a deal.
2.) The Chiefs want more than just a 6th or 7th round pick for him.
3.) David Carr is a free agent and will likely be pursued by the Raiders, Lions, Browns and Vikings.
4.) Meanwhile, Mueller will supposedly meet with Carl Peterson on Sunday to figure this whole Trent-to-Miami thing out.
So while we’re dicking around with Peterson and the KC front office, someone else is going to look to scoop up Carr while holding on to all their draft picks in the process.
Labels: Miami Dolphins
Friday, March 23, 2007
David Carr Is A Free Agent
Trade For Green Close To Completion
"Per Schefter, the Dolphins and Green have nearly reached an agreement on a new contract, which surely would reduce significantly Green's base salary of $7.2 million. The only remaining hurdle is the striking of a deal between Miami and Kansas City. Published reports indicate that the Fins are willing to send the seventh-round pick (one of the last in the draft) that was obtained from the Patriots as part of the Wes Welker trade. The Chiefs, apparently, want more."
UPDATE: The Houston Chronicle is reporting that David Carr could be released by the Texans as early as this weekend.
Update 2: Meanwhile, Cam Cameron spoke to the media about his team's quarterback situation. And said a whole lotta nothin'.
Update 3: The Texans have released David Carr. GET ON THE PHONE, MUEL!!!
Labels: Miami Dolphins
That New Carr Smell
UPDATE: The Houston Chronicle is reporting that David Carr could be released by the Texans as early as this weekend.
Update 2: The Texans have released Carr.
Labels: Miami Dolphins
Thursday, March 22, 2007
Apparently, The Dolphins Think It's The Year 2000
Well, that solves our WR troubles. And with the Fins still in talks with Trent Green, this team is shaping up to be an offensive juggernaut.
"Wooo! You got a date next season, baby!"
Labels: Miami Dolphins
Wednesday, March 21, 2007
Green To The Dolphins Imminent?
The Palm Beach Post is reporting that the only thing holding up the Dolphins completing a trade for Chiefs QB Trent Green is a new contract. The Dolphins are apparently asking Green to take a major pay cut -- from $7.2, $7.7 and $9.2 million he is due over the next three seasons -- to a whopping $820,000 (the league minimum). The Dolphins would then hand over one of their 7th round picks to the Chiefs.
"The Dolphins are continuing talks with Green's representatives and, a source said, the two sides are 'in the same ballpark' and the deal is 'still likely' to get done. Dolphins coach Cam Cameron and quarterbacks coach Terry Shea have coached Green in the past and he is well-schooled in Cameron's offense."
I will never understand this move. But, once Green does become a Dolphin, I suppose I'll have to find some positives in it. In the meantime, this tells me a number of things:
#1. No matter how much positive press we get or how much we read about how well Daunte Culpepper's off-season workouts and rehab is going or how much progress he's made, this team is simply not feeling good about Culpepper right now. Not when you're giving up draft picks for a 37 year old concussed player.
B. There's going to be a log-jam at QB this year. Culpepper, Cleo Lemon, Green ... and whomever the Fins decide to draft in April (you guys are drafting a QB this year, right? Right??!!).
3. Two gimpy quarterbacks, Lemon and a rookie means the team must address the offensive line in a major way in April.
And D. This move doesn't say much for Cleo Lemon either. If they have to make this trade, then I hope it's a one year deal -- 2 years tops. The only way this transaction makes any sense to me is if Culpepper truly is a shell of his former self and the Dolphins draft either JaMarcus Russell, Brady Quinn, Drew Stanton, Kevin Kolb or Trent Edwards in April as the future franchise QB for this team. Otherwise ... what the hell are we doing???
Hopefully I'll be proven wrong about Green. But I had this same feeling about Culpepper last year. Guh.
And, by the way, if the Dolphins are interested in getting Houston QB David Carr -- who has become expendable now that the Texans gave up a bunch of draft picks and each of the coaching staff's first born to the Falcons for QB Matt Shaub -- money will be the major issue. Carr is set to earn $6.75, $5.5 and $6.0 million over the next three seasons. As I mentioned in the comments, this is the guy we should be going after if we're really in the market for another quarterback.
Your thoughts?
P.S. Thanks for the tip, Brigadier Pudding. Once again MSD Nation comes up huge! You guys kick ass!!
Labels: Miami Dolphins
A Quickie With The Dude
Brief Wednesday Afternoon Bullets:
- An interview with Cam Cameron. Boring is as boring does.
- The Sun-Sentinel says the Dolphins' off-season moves leaves lots of questions. Seriously, if one more SoFla fish-wrapper bitches about us being "out bid" for Donte Stallworth and "losing" Wes Welker, my head is going to explode. This is what happens when the news is slow.
- RealFootball argues the case for going after Randy Moss. It's a decent argument. But I don't see it happening.
- I really don't understand this. I really don't.
- A lot of the mock drafts out there -- as well as a lot of you guys -- see the Dolphins drafting OT Levi Brown at No. 9. But according to this article, the Fins "do not think highly of former Penn State left tackle Levi Brown." I don't see Brown in a Dolphins uniform. The way I see it, the Browns are going to take Brady Quinn and the Texans, who also want Quinn and pick No. 8, will then take Brown once Quinn is off the board. This will leave the Fins with two options: Take the best available player (I still think they're taking Okoeye) or trade down to the middle part of the first round.
Update: As reported here by Roro Kid and elaborated by FinFan1 (MSD Nation commenters!), the Texans have traded for QB Matt Shaub from Atlanta. The trade includes the two teams swapping first round picks next month ... which opens the door for Levi Brown becoming a Dolphins a little more. The Texans went from the 8th pick to the 10th and it's clear Atlanta is not targeting an OT. So ... there you have it. Levi may be a Dolphin yet ... Tomorrow I plan on posting why the Dolphins won't trade up and then a half hour later, the NFL Network will report that the Fins and Lions have swapped picks ...
Labels: Miami Dolphins, Miami Dolphins 2007 Draft
Monday, March 19, 2007
Joey Porter In Vegas. What Could Possibly Go Wrong?
Labels: Miami Dolphins
...AND that's it.
Either way, if you had told me the Heat would go 10-3 in its first 13 games without an injured Dwyane Wade, I would've slapped you in the face and called you Shirley.
So I'll take it. And so will you, Shirley.
Next up: at Atlanta on Wednesday.
Labels: Miami Heat
Sunday, March 18, 2007
Dolfan Denny
Friday, March 16, 2007
... AND Rolling ...
Heat beat the Kings. That's 9 in a row. 10-2 since D-Wade went down. The MSD Reverse Jinx has now hit ludicrous speed.
I really don’t have deep analysis or commentary. It’s 1:00 AM. I’ve been waiting to post since the game ended. But blogger took one of its massive dumps tonight and has been shut down for a while. I too have been suffering from a frail stomach tonight. I’m weak and near dehydration. Must’ve been the Ricardo Maltoban steak grilled taquitos.
"KHAN!!!!!"
Anyway, here's what I got: This winning streak is awesome. We’re winning without Wade. Shaq has been dominant. Eddie Jones has been playing out of his mind. James Posey is a human dynamo. Antoine Walker still shoots inexplicable threes at the most ill conceived times but he's done his share. The Heat are playing excellent team ball right now.
But make no mistake. This team has NO CHANCE of making a defending championship run of any kind without Dwyane Wade.
So let's hope for a full recovery for our MVP. And let's keep this thing rollin' ...
LET’S GO HEAT! LET'S GO DR. ANDREWS!
Labels: Miami Heat
Thursday, March 15, 2007
... And Rolling ...
Yes, the Miami Heat would like to remind everyone that they're still the World Champions of the NBA. And still very much alive.
Be afraid, NBA. Be very afraid.
Labels: Miami Heat
Dolphins Moving Up?
Update: PFT has posted Salguero's column and agree that the Fins could be plotting a move to trade up in round one.
Labels: Miami Dolphins, Miami Dolphins 2007 Draft, Tooting My Own Horn Because Why The Hell Not?
Wednesday, March 14, 2007
"Hi Randy. This is Mike calling from Denver. Yea. About that trade we made? ..."
And that means we could lose that 6th rounder* we got for him from the Broncos. According to the Palm Beach Post, Dan Wilkinson needs to take a physical for Denver by tomorrow or else the trade will be voided. ProFootballTalk.com (I really gotta get those guys on my blogroll) says that neither the Fins nor the Broncos have been able to get a hold of him. He's not answering his phone. He can't be found.
PFT also writes: "The thinking in some league circles is that, although Wilkinson says he plans to retire, he wants to be able to play in 2007 without having to participate in an offseason program. Some believe that, if the Broncos or the Dolphins were to tell Wilkinson that he doesn't have to show up for offseason workouts, Wilkinson would relent."
Offensive Lineman Anyone?
Labels: Miami Dolphins
Tuesday, March 13, 2007
Heat Keep On Rollin' ...
Antoine Walker scored all of his 13 points in the final 11 minutes, and the streaking Miami Heat erased a 17-point second-half deficit to beat the Utah Jazz 88-86 on Tuesday night.
Miami matched its largest comeback of the season and finished a 6-0 homestand -- all without Dwyane Wade, the reigning NBA finals MVP who is out with a dislocated left shoulder.
"With D-Wade out, everybody's been stepping up," Walker said. "And every night, it's been someone different for us." [ESPN]
And this from Ira Winderman's blog: "Give Antoine Walker credit: He never stops shooting."
There's a joke in there somewhere. It really wants to come out. But I'll hold back. 'Toine did us good tonight. 'Toine did us good ... Antooooinne Waaaaaaalkerrrrr!!!!!
Don't look now... but the Heat are rollin' while D-Wade sits out and rehabs.
Oh ... and Rick, it's called a reverse jinx.
Hoo-ahh ...
Labels: Miami Heat
Monday, March 12, 2007
CRUSHERNAUT!!!
Friday, March 09, 2007
Alan Branch Is The New Brady Quinn
The majority of the first batch of mock drafts had Brady Quinn falling to the Dolphins at 9. Since then, however, much has changed. I’ve made no secret of my desire for us to get Quinn. There’s a lot of debate on whether or not he’s going to be a star, an average player, or a bust. Some say he’s a poor man’s Peyton Manning. Others say he’s a rich man’s Joey Harrington. I think he’s the best quarterback in this class. And I think he’s a guy you want to build a franchise around. And I think this team will go nowhere until they find a long-term solution at QB. But several things are hindering Quinn from becoming a Dolphin.
First, there was his pro day. It went very well. There’s also the fact that the Browns recently signed Jamal Lewis, which might get them out of the running for RB Adrian Peterson, whom many had going to Cleveland at 3. Quinn is from Ohio and has said that he’d like to be a Brown. Then there’s Detroit. No one knows what the hell Matt Millen is capable of. But the Lions have said they like Quinn (they hold the second overall pick). The Texans have all but given up on David Carr and have also said they’d draft Quinn should he fall to 8 (one pick before ours).
This sucks more than Paris Hilton at an all night party at Mansion.
So ... now the flavor of the week comes in the form of Michigan DT Alan Branch. The majority of the latest mock-drafts have the Fins taking Branch at 9.
Branch is considered by most to be the premier defensive tackle in the draft. At 6’6, 324 lbs. he’s a monster of a man but is also agile and quick. He clocked in a 5.04 in the 40 and recorded 33 reps in the 225 lbs. bench press. He’s experienced in the 3-4 defense. He’s known for taking on multiple blockers at once, which would benefit guys like Jason Taylor and Joey Porter in pass rush plays and is powerful enough to break blocks and make plays against the run. With the aging DT position, Branch seems like a safe choice. And he’d be a youthful injection into a defensive squad that’s a bit aged.
But, I have my concerns with Branch. He didn’t have a great combine. Some scouts say he was sloppy in his drills and looked out of shape. And his endurance and stamina have been an issue at times in his college career. He’s a great player but I’m not completely sold.
I understand the mock-drafts’ view points. He’s supposedly the best DT in the draft, would fill a big need for the Fins and would in all likelihood start from day one.
As for Quinn, I’ve always thought the early mock-drafts where he falls to 9 were a bit ludicrous. I’ve always felt that if the Fins were going to get him, they were going to have to trade up.
Armando Salquero says the Dolphins won’t do that. But I think it’s very possible. With all the draft picks we’ve accumulated this off-season, I’m sure we can swing something. The Lions have said they’re interested in trading down and acquiring more picks. Why not swap spots with the Lions and then hand them a 3rd round pick or, if push comes to shove, the 40th pick (the one we got for Wes Welker)? Unless the Fins feel Quinn’s not worth that price. Then you stay put and hope Levi Brown falls to you. But the problem there is that Brown’s stock is also rising and you have several teams picking ahead of us with offensive line needs.
So it looks like Brady Quinn and Levi Brown could both be gone by the time the 9th pick rolls around. Alan Branch is a solid player. But I’d rather we focus on drafting offensive players – especially in the early portions of the draft. Then again, the draft will look completely different in a few weeks and the mock-drafts will have us taking Greg Olsen with our first pick.
Labels: Miami Dolphins 2007 Draft
Thursday, March 08, 2007
At Last, Our Long National Nightmare Is Over
- The Dolphins have signed K Jay Feeley. Olindo Mare is now free to go blame his missed field goals on the length of the grass somewhere else.
- What's this? The Heat beat the Bulls? They routed them? Whoa crap! I'm suddenly feeling a lot better about D-Wade's possible return. Long live The Bracketus!!!
- Speaking of The Bracketus, he's getting his very own reality show. For fat kids. Apparently Charles Barkley had other commitments.
- Hey, a football related Ricky Williams update! He's going to try to get re-instated into the NFL. All jokes aside, we need Ricky. We lost Travis Minor and Sammy Morris to free agency. Did I just say "all jokes aside...we lost Minor and Morris," implying that their loss has somehow left a huge void in our backfield? Yea, I think I just did. Sorry.
- Remember the guy Jimmy Johnson elected to draft over Drew Brees back in 2001? He's visiting the Titans. If he signs there, it'll be his fourth team in 6 seaons. (For those of you who have chosen to forget, his name is Jamar Fletcher*.) Meanwhile, the Dolphins are still trying to figure out how to fix their QB problem and fill the hole at CB. Thanks Jimmy! Have another Corona and, you know, drive home...
- Chris Chambers will not be a part of the Randy Mueller purge. Call me crazy, but I like Chambers. He's not a pure number one receiver but he's decent enough. Cutting him would be a mistake. Trading him on the other hand ...
- Given the nature of some MSD commenters and the way they like to celebrate good moves by the Dolphins organization on this here blog, I sure hope Tom Brady is not among them. Because if he is, he'll probably knock me up.
... ... ...
- The Dolphins re-signed DT Keith Traylor as well as safety Cameron Worrell. Traylor's an old dude but he's still has some gas left in the tank. It shores up the DT position some as well. Worrell is an ex-Bear who will serve as backup at safety and play some special teams as well.
- Good Hands has found a home with Scott Linehan and the Rams.
- Donte Stallworth paid the Dolphins a visit today. He's already visted the Patriots and Titans. I'd take Stallworth as long as it didn't break the bank. He's a speedy, talented guy. But he's also the Human Hamstring Strain.
- A source says that Trent Green spoke to the Dolphins today (scroll down). Green is set to earn $7.2 million in base salary in 2007. That alone should sound the alarms and flash the red lights. You do not give up a draft pick for a 37 year-old concussed quarterback and pay him 7 million on top of that. You just don't.
- Besides, we need all the picks we can get. We traded Dan Wilkinson to the Broncos for a 6th round pick last week and now he's not sure he wants to keep playing. If he retires, that pick goes poof!
*Thanks for the spell check on Fletcher, Seamus!
Labels: Miami Dolphins, Miami Heat, Miscellaneous Non-Sports Crap
Wednesday, March 07, 2007
Hey, Joey Porter Is A Dolphin
Howevvaaa, I have heard that some Dolphins fans are not so happy with this signing. I also heard a certain radio host gibber-jabberin about how Porter is a “decent” player but not a great one and how the Dolphins over paid for him, that he’s old, that the Dolphins front office is sending mixed signals, that we fans are idiots for being enamored with the “big name” but that the quality is not so good, that OLB position is not a position of need, that the Dolphins should be spending millions on offense instead of defense.
Let’s address this crap one at a time:
1. A "decent" player? Joey Porter is a play maker. Period. Here’s a test: name the best linebacker Zach Thomas has ever played alongside with. Morlon Greenwood? Donnie Spragan? Porter will now be the best linebacker Thomas has ever played alongside with. He’s a Pro Bowl linebacker, a Super Bowl champion and a disruptive playmaker who will not only benefit playing with Thomas and JT but will also elevate their play as well. Opposing offensive coordinators are going to be pulling their hair out trying to figure out what to do now that they can’t double up on Taylor. Opposing quarterbacks are in for some bad days against this new-look D.
2. Overpaid? Maybe. But let’s consider what the Dolphins have done in the past by deciding to not to "over pay" and not take chances. Some names: Drew Brees. Apparently wanted too much money. Trent Green (circa 2000 when he was still good). The Rams apparently wanted too much in draft picks and such. I can go on but it’s moot. The market is what it is and if someone else had offered Porter more money and he ended up with another team, the Dolphins would still have a huge void at outside linebacker and the radio hosts would be bashing them for being too cheap. Damned if you do, damned if you don’t.
3. Too old? Not really. He’ll start the season at 30, which is the peak age. Barring injury (and he’s durable), Porter will be an effective playmaker all the way through his five seasons under contract.
4. Front office sending mixed signals? Again, not really. While this one is debatable because of the way the Fins are purging out their older players, it really isn’t that tough to get a handle on. The Dolphins are cutting older players who have worn out their welcome with sub-par play and huge pay checks. Trading Wes Welker for a 2nd and 7th round pick? The guy was a kick-returner and a No. 3 option, average wide receiver. You make that trade every time. Randy McMichael released? McMichael was simply too expensive for what he brought to the table. The Dolphins also released old, underperforming offensive and defensive linemen. So what’s the mixed signal? All I see here is what Nick Saban should’ve done when he first got here. All I see is a team purging itself of worthless players who were weighing them down with their salaries. Porter is far from being worthless.
5. Fans enamored with the big name. The last time we were enamored with a big name, it came in the form of Daunte Culpepper. But Porter is healthy, comes in with zero question marks and is still one of the elite linebackers in the game. And we like him because of what we’ve seen him do in a Steelers uniform (especially against our Dolphins) and now he’ll be doing those things in a Dolphins uniform against the Pats, Jets, Bills etc. What's not to like? But I guess we’re all a bunch of knee-jerk retards who know nothing about football, huh?
6. The OLB not a position of need? Whaaa???? This statement was all I needed to know that the radio host was, once again, pontificating from his rectum and is a complete and utter moron*. Again, Donnie Spragan? Akbar Gbaja-Biamila? Um, yea, I’ll take Joey Porter, thanks.
*He also made me appreciate his co-host, whom I have bashed a few times here. That show flat out sucks when Dan isn’t there.
7. Spending millions on offense, not defense. Again, the radio host appears to sound smart here because the Dolphins have been anemic on offense. But who’s out there that’s worth the millions we’re giving Porter? This free agent crop was strictly a defensive one. Name all the top offensive free agents this year and what you get were offensive linemen, one – Kris Dielman -- which the Dolphins were willing to spend loads of money on but chose to stay with his old team for less money, and a few other OL who signed with the first team they visited. After that we’re left with names like Jeff Garcia, Donte Stallworth, Kevin Curtis, Drew Bennett, Joe Horn. All good players but none worth the value of a Porter and none that would cause teams to get into bidding wars over. 2007 is a mediocre offensive free agency class. It just is. And once Nate Clements and Adaluis Thomas were snatched up, Porter became the best player in the free agency pool. And I am damn glad we got him.
And by no means is this front office done. It’s March, folks. There’ll be plenty of time to address the offense without over spending or making panic moves (although I do wish the Dolphins would jump in on the Randy Moss sweepstakes because he’s Randy Freakin Moss and, if not for anything else, to drive up the Patriots price for the Raiders… but that’s a topic for another long-winded post.)
So there you have it. Joey Porter’s signing was a great move. He’s going to make an already stout defense even better. He’s going to help carry the weight for Zach and JT. He excells in the 3-4 defense. He'll be a QB-wrecker when teams double-team either Taylor or Thomas. He’s going to be an impact player and it was a smart move by the front office.
Best part of all, I no longer hate Porter! I used to think he was the biggest dick in the NFL. I actively rooted against the Steelers in Super Bowl XL because of Porter. Now, he’s a Dolphin. So we’re cool. And his dogs once ate a live horse, which is pretty awesome.
Labels: Miami Dolphins
Tuesday, March 06, 2007
Report: Dolphins To Sign Joey Porter
Labels: Miami Dolphins 2007 Draft
Cameron And Mueller Visit With Porter
''[Porter] came away from the meeting very impressed with the direction they are taking the team,'' Sperbeck said. "Joey would be a great addition to the Dolphins.''
And according to NFL.com/NFL Network's Adam Schefter, landing Porter's services seems to be a two team race between the Dolphins and the Cincinnati Bengals. Schefter says the Dolphins are "hopeful" that they can sign Porter but the Bengals could be in a position to out-bid the Fins.
So, it could come down to Monday's meeting with Cam and Muel. Were they able to convince Porter that the team is going in the right direction, that they intend on making him a central piece of the defense, that he will have career seasons playing alongside Zach Thomas and Jason Taylor?... And it'll come down to whether the Bengals will throw a wad of cash Porter's way or not. He is scheduled to visit Cincinnati on Wednesday.
One thing is clear: Joey Porter has become the Dolphins' number one free agent target right now. And that is great news.
Landing Porter would be a huge splash and would mark Cam Cameron and Randy Mueller's first great move of the new era.
And landing Porter would mean seeing plenty of this in the coming seasons. Boo-ya, bitch!
Labels: Miami Dolphins
Monday, March 05, 2007
Goodbye Blue Skies, and Wes and Good Hands...
Labels: Miami Dolphins
Wade Putting Off Surgery, Will Try To Come Back This Season
"My decision for the next two to three weeks is to rehab with the possibility of coming back, but with no guarantees," Wade said. "I'll find out after therapy and rehab how my body responds to things."
Even by opting for rehab, Wade said he eventually would have to undergo shoulder surgery. By delaying the procedure, it is possible that Wade will miss the early stages of next season."It could have been easy for me just to shut it down,'' he said. "It's tough, because I don't know if I can attack. But my body is my body; I'll find out after the rehab."Wade also revealed he tore his labrum."There's no further damage I can do,'' he said of his medical opinions.
Wade said he remains aware the shoulder could again pop out of place upon his return."You would hope to think you could come back to play a couple of games,'' he said of a potential regular-season return. "My spirits are high. I'm excited to go forward and do the therapy." [Sun-Sentinel]
Labels: Miami Heat
Saturday, March 03, 2007
Your Miami Dolphins Free Agent Update
As for non-Dolphins free agents ... My free agent wish list has pretty muched blowed up. Let's re-cap, shall we?:
Labels: Miami Dolphins
Friday, March 02, 2007
Nothin' But Diesel
Labels: Miami Heat