Miami Dolphins Rumors + News + Blog + Draft 2012: Dolphins Mix

2011-02-10T19:49:00.001-08:00

How To Approach The Offseason For Dummies

2010-01-21T23:39:00.001-08:00

By Mau Montanez

So it's official. We've gotten to that part of the year pessimists like to call the "offseason". For me, though, is more like the "on season". Okay, stop it. Why do bloggers always try to be funny in that I-don't-take-life-too-seriously way? At least try to go for the occasional english wit. A jab here, a jab there. Even a gender joke or what do I know.

There comes a point in time where the Dolfan community agrees to determine what this team's most pressing needs are. Thus, what the "obvious" offseason moves should be. Then the "onseason" comes -first with Free Agency and then the Draft- and all of a sudden we realize we might have been a bit "off" on our predictions.

Exhibit "A": At this time of the year back in 09, we had no idea who Gibril Wilson was. Much less that he was a strong candidate to become a very highly paid Dolphin. It should be noted that to this day many people around here don't have a clear idea of who he is. Just the other day I heard someone say Girbril was the "opposing offense's most dangerous weapon week in and week out". I have to agree.

Exhibit "B". Mike Nolan. Where the heck did this come from you might ask. I don't. Because I know this fits right into this theory Im trying to explain.

Nowadays posts about Brandon Marshall, Vince Wilkfork, Anquan Boldin or Rolando McClain are flooding different blogs. This of course, because they are the obvious choices to fill this team's holes.

However, lets take a look at 3 offseason factors that played a huge role last year in determining how this roster would look like come OTAs. And yes -you guessed it- the outcome was not even close to what some of us around here had in mind.

1- Parcells doing un-Parcells-like moves

Last year, at the end of the season, most Dolfans were convinced of two things: One, we really needed a cornerback to start opposite Will Allen. A true playmaker. And two, we had a #1 receiver in Brandon London (I laugh about these poor souls too this day).

The thing ,though, was that Parcells "didn't draft corners in the first round". And just like that we had to throw out the window the idea of drafting a corner in the first round. Matty focused a lot -and did a great interview- on a NT named Ron Brace. We also talked about then free agent Karlos Dansby as a serious possibility. And, of course, the ultimate Bill Parcells' cliche; the next Lawrence of Alabia. I mean, the next Lawrence Taylor. Matty had us taking OLB Clint Sintim in his first mock draft.

Then -of course- the Draft comes around and the Dolphins draft a CB. Improbable? yes. Un-Parcells like? absolutely.

But it happened.

2- Players move up, players move down

This offseason common mistake is even worse.

The Super Bowl hasn't even been played and people already have "locks" at every possible slot in the draft. Jimmy Clausen is a sure thing for #1 overall. Rolando McClain is not to go past the 10th pick. Dez Bryant will be the first wideout taken without a doubt, etc.

Well, last year Rey Maualuga was projected to go at #12 to the Broncos. There was people -including me- that would throw a spell to anybody that suggested Maualuga would be there where the Dolphins picked. It was impossible. He ended going in the second round to Cincinnati. In a similar case, James Laurinatis was a top prospect back in April. It was widely believed that, had he left college one year earlier, he would've been a top 5 pick. He, too, fell to the second round of the draft.

Finally, Vontae Davis. He was, by far, the most physically gifted athlete -not to mention cornerback- in the entire Draft. By that alone he could have been a top 6 pick, just like his brother. Then the media and rumor machinery got going and the question marks about Vontae's character didn't take long to follow. On draft day he inexplicably dropped to the Dolphins at #25. I might add that to this day Vontae hasn't had a single episode involving said issues.

On the other hand, there are the guys that climb a handful of spots through the media ladder. Mark Sanchez is the perfect example. Before the combine he was regarded as a low first round pick project. Having left school early, with extremely limited experience, thus lots of question Marks. :) Then he hoped on the media express and after a handful of interviews in the NFL Network and appearances on ESPN -plus a weird "lets see how big your hand is" moment with John Gruden- he was thrown into the mix with Matt Stafford as a candidate for the #1 overall pick. He ended up going with the 5th pick to Cleveland.

3- Always expect a surprise

Pat White. Enough said.

In conclusion, I sure am looking forward to debating and analyzing different points of view throughout the offseason regarding Free Agency and the Draft. However, I hope this serves as an example of why everybody needs to keep an open mind. After all, last year proved that nothing is written in stone.

Vacant Defensive Coordinator Spot

2010-01-14T18:24:00.000-08:00

by Mau Montanez

The Miami Dolphins 2009 season came to a disappointing end with a loss at home against Pittsburgh. Since that Sunday, all I'm hearing is how awful a season this was, plagued with mediocre play and injuries. Yes, there are more than enough reasons to throw your Dolphins cap out the window and move on to the basketball season, or maybe even look forward to spring training. However, if you are like me, you know this thing is just getting started. After all, the off season is the most important part of the year for a team in "rebuilding mode.”

So let’s get a head start on the rest of the league and take a quick glance at this organization's needs going into the 2010 offseason. Don't share this with anybody though – you never know if the next Patriots "assistant" might be lurking around.

Let’s talk defense. More specifically, the defensive coordinator spot.

As I am sure you all know by now, Paul Pasqualoni, Miami's former Defensive Coordinator, was fired on Monday. Although this move wasn’t a surprise, one has to wonder if the team's defensive incompetence completely fell on Paul's shoulders more than it did on the extremely young and limited talent the team lined up on the field every Sunday. Let's not forget that they had to start two rookie cornerbacks alongside an awful free safety and a strong safety whose specialty was stopping the run. If you ask me, this was a recipe for disaster. Add to that a non impact inside linebacker like Channing Crowder, a subpar player at best in Akin Ayodele and the loss of starting nose tackle Jason Ferguson when the season was still very young and it’s hard not to see that coach Pasqualoni was asked to do chicken salad out of ... Yeah. To his credit, though, he did build a pretty tough "bend, don’t break" defense in ’08 that helped the Dolphins reach the playoffs.

It still doesn't cease to surprise me that Bill Parcells got rid of one of "his guys" only one year after such a successful campaign though. Goodbye, Paul. Your effort during the two years you spent with the Dolphins was extremely appreciated.

So what are the Trifecta's options at defensive coordinator you might ask? The way I see it, there are two "big name" potential candidates for the job: Romeo Crennel and Al Groh. Mike Zimmer, prevously believed to be a strong candidate for the job, is officially out of the race, given that he just signed a three-year deal with the Bengals on Tuesday. Crennel is the latest Bellichick disciple to hit the unemployment line following a disappointing tenure with the Cleveland Browns. However, he is still regarded as a defensive mastermind by front office people in the NFL and is seen by fans like this year's Mike Nolan: a fired head coach who went back to being a coordinator and had tremendous success with a limited depth chart.

I believe Crennel is a strong candidate for the job, not only because of his past success in our division, but because he was seen "hanging" around Bill Parcells golf cart back in August during training camp. Yes, "making the tires scream" would be a more accurate statement if you'd like, so I'm throwing it out there. I do have to say, though, that deep in my heart I think this scenario is a bit unlikely since Romeo is also being linked to Kansas City, where former colleagues Scott Pioli and Charlie Weiss have reunited. The only chances I see for the Fins to land him are Bill Parcell's reputation and Crennel not wanting to go to that hellhole known as Arrowhead Stadium. Plus, I’m not going to lie, it might be pretty enticing for the former Browns employee to get to coach a man that just last off season, lived out a scene from Grand Theft Auto "Vice City" in Miami Beach: Randy Starks.

The other option – much more plausible, one might think – is Al Groh. Al who? Al Groh. Let me fill you in real quick.

Al Groh is a former colleague of The Godfather (Parcells.) He coached under him for more than ten years dating back to Parcells' tenure with the Giants, Jets and Patriots. During this time, Al occupied the position of assistant, defensive coordinator and was appointed by Bill himself to be his successor as head coach with the Jets, which led to a 9-7 record with Groh at the helm.

He then parted ways with Parcells and spent nine seasons as the head coach for the University of Virginia Cavaliers. Groh led UV to four straight winning seasons and three bowl victories. He was named ACC Coach of the year in 2002 and again in 2007. Groh, too, is currently unemployed. However, he is already in negotiations with Georgia Tech. A cynic like me would like to think that the Pasqualoni move came out of the blue precisely because Bill Parcells is going to try to snatch Mr. Groh from Georgia Tech's claws. If he were successful, I would absolutely love this move by the front office for two reasons: First, Al Groh is a mastermind in his own right regarding the 3-4 defense, and what better time for him to join the Dolphins than when they are getting ready to bring in a huge nose tackle and a pass rush specialist. Second, and perhaps most importantly, Al Groh is the ultimate Parcell's guy. I've been saying this for a couple of weeks now: Bill Parcells is doing a wonderful job building this franchise from scratch through free agency and the draft. However, we are reaching a point where we need him to get more involved in coaching and convert the Dolphins’ defense into a Parcells defense. Realistically speaking, we all know this is not going to happen because he won't get involved or interfere with coaching. Therefore, what better way to get the full "Parcells experience" than by bringing in his most trusted confidant to take care of the job.

We’ll see how this evolves in the next couple of days. However, while I am sure most Dolphins fans – and absolutely every single all-you-can-eat buffet in the Kansas City city limits – is hoping Crennel comes to South Beach, I don't see it happening. No problem, though. I am confident Al Groh is the right man for the job.

Quick Hits

- Jeff Ireland needs to either trade or cut Joey Porter as soon as possible. Joey's character is a distraction and bad example for the youngsters on our team. Never mind the fact his production has dramatically declined. He is just taking snaps away from Cameron Wake. Joey is the past; Wake could be the future.

- Keep an eye on a couple of Chargers players set to become unrestricted free agents after the season ends (if there’s a new CBA of course.) We could really use someone like Vincent Jackson, Darren Sproles or Shawn Merriman.

- Are the Jets really making a run at the Super Bowl? I'm not sure. All I know is that when you have the league’s best defense, you can go toe-to-toe with any team in the NFL.

- What is your take on Brandon Marshall? Should the Dolphins make a move for him? It would have to be via trade, so you are looking at a first-round pick and possibly a third or fourth-round selection. And would you be willing to bring a troublemaker to this team? Is it worth it? Am I going to stop with the rhetorical questions?

- Off-topic Alert! Mark McGwire finally came clean about his steroids use earlier in the week.

If you are going to come clean, then truly come clean. Don't say you used steroids because of injuries and then spit the company line about God-given talent and "great genes.” He is at an age where you either move on and make things right or get stuck in the past, unable to let go.

Mark, steroids or not, you were great. Now it's time to be great off the field.

Swing away like you always did: all out.

2008-12-06T07:39:00.001-08:00

Dolphins vs Rams, Live Score, TV Time

2008-11-28T14:09:00.000-08:00

Dolphins vs Rams
Time:1:00 PM ET
TV: CBS

Dolphins vs Patriots

2008-11-23T07:50:00.001-08:00

Dolphins vs Patriots
Time: 1:00 PM ET
TV: CBS

Dolphins-Raiders|Preview,Dolphins Game Score,TV,Recap

2008-11-15T16:29:00.000-08:00

The Dolphins at home vs Raiders- game time Sunday, November 16, 1:00 PM ET. Get the latest live Dolphins game score on this page. TV coverage of the Dolphins vs Raiders is on CBS. Find Dolphins game previews and recaps for the game instantly updated from local and national news in addition to the hottest Dolphins blog talk and rumors. Always get the latest Dolphins game preview,score, news and more at Dolphinsmix.com!

Wanted Dolphins Fan Talk! Are you a big Dolphins fan with something you want to share, we will post all civil items submitted to FanTalk@Sportsmixed.com in the Dolphins blog section. Wanted Dolphins Featured Writers! Dolphinsmix.com is looking for 3-5 writers to write on a more regular basis about the Dolphins, if interested please contact us at Writers@Sportsmixed.com

Dolphins-Seahawks|Preview, Dolphins Game Score,TV,Recap

2008-11-08T22:14:00.000-08:00

The Dolphins at home vs Seahawks - game time Sunday, November 9, 1:00 PM ET. Get the latest live Dolphins game score on this page. TV coverage of the Dolphins vs Seahawks is on FOX. Find Dolphins game previews and recaps for the game instantly updated from local and national news in addition to the hottest Dolphins blog talk and rumors. Always get the latest Dolphins game preview,score, news and more at Dolphinsmix.com! Submit all game talk for the Dolphins to FanTalk@Sportsmix.com, all submissions posted.

Dolphins-Broncos Preview,TV Time|Live Dolphins Game Score

2008-11-01T20:44:00.001-07:00

Dolphinsmix.com - The latest live Dolphins Score,News and Talk! The Dolphins at Broncos - game time Sunday, November 2, 4:05 PM ET. TV coverage of the Dolphins vs Broncos is on CBS. Find Dolphins game previews and recaps for the game instantly updated from local and national news in addition to the hottest Dolphins blog talk and rumors. Also find the opponents game spin.

Dolphins Score - Bills|Dolphins Live Score,TV,Time,Preview

2008-10-25T22:30:00.000-07:00

The Bills at Dolphins- game time Sunday, October 26, 12:00 PM ET. Get the latest live Dolphins score on this page. TV coverage of the Bills vs Dolphins is on CBS. Find Dolphins game previews and recaps for the game instantly updated from local and national news in addition to the hottest Dolphins blog talk and rumors. Always get the latest Dolphins game preview,score, news and more at Dolphinsmix.com!

Dolphins-Ravens|Preview,Dolphins Game Score,TV,Recap

2008-10-16T22:08:00.000-07:00

The Dolphins at home vs Ravens- game time Sunday, October 19, 1:00 PM ET. Get the latest live Dolphins game score on this page. TV coverage of the Dolphins vs Ravens is on CBS. Find Dolphins game previews and recaps for the game instantly updated from local and national news in addition to the hottest blog talk and rumors. Always get the latest Dolphins game preview,score, news and more at Dolphinsmix.com!

Dolphins-Texans|Preview,Game Score,TV,Recap

2008-10-07T17:55:00.000-07:00

Always get the latest Dolphins game preview,score, news and more at Dolphinsmix.com! The Dolphins at Texans - game time Sunday, October 12, 1:00 PM ET. Get the latest live game score on this page. Also find Dolphins game previews and recaps for the game instantly updated from local and national news in addition to the hottest blog talk and rumors. TV coverage of the Dolphins vs Texans is on FOX.

Dolphins-Chargers| Dolphins Score Live,TV,Game Preview, Recap

2008-09-30T17:28:00.000-07:00

Always get the latest Dolphins score, preview, news and more at Dolphinsmix.com! The Dolphins at home vs Chargers - game time Sunday, October 5, 1:00 PM ET. Get the latest live game score on this page. Also find game previews and recaps for the game instantly updated from local and national news in addition to the hottest blog talk and rumors. TV coverage of the Dolphins vs Chargers is on CBS.

Dolphins Bye Week

2008-09-24T22:33:00.000-07:00

Dolphins Bye Week
Next Game
Dolphins vs Chargers

Dolphins vs Patriots Score -Preview, Recap, TV, Time, Game Stats

2008-09-16T19:47:00.000-07:00

The Dolphins at Patriots
Final Score 38-13 Dolphins Win
Always get the latest Dolphins score and more at Dolphinsmix.com!
Game time Sunday, September 21, 1:00 PM ET. Get the latest live score on this page. Also find game previews and recaps for the game instantly updated from local and national news in addition to the hottest blog talk and rumors. TV coverage of the Dolphins vs Patriots is on CBS.

2008-09-16T10:17:00.001-07:00

Dolphins vs Cardinals Score-Preview, Recap, TV, Time, Game Stats

2008-09-09T18:13:00.000-07:00

The Dolphins at Cardinals - game time Sunday, September 14, 4:15 PM ET. Get the latest live score on this page. Also find game previews and recaps for the game instantly updated from local and national news in addition to the hottest blog talk and rumors. TV coverage of the Dolphins vs Cardinals is on CBS. Always get the latest Dolphins score and more at Dolphinsmix.com!

2008-09-08T20:25:00.000-07:00

Dolphins vs NY Jets, Time, Live Score, TV, Stats, Photos, News

2008-09-01T21:50:00.000-07:00

The Miami Dolphins vs NY Jets at home on Sunday, September 7, at 1:00 PM ET. Get the latest live game score and photos right on this page. Also get the latest talk and game news after the game updated constantly from local and national news and blogs. TV coverage of the Dolphins vs the NY Jets is on CBS. Always get the latest Dolphins score at Dolphinsmix.com!

Dolphins vs NY Jets, Time, Live Score, TV, Stats, Photos, News

2008-09-01T20:10:00.000-07:00

The Miami Dolphins vs the NY Jets at home on Sunday, September 7, at 1:00 PM ET. Get the latest live game score and photos right on this page. Also get the latest talk and game news after the game updated constantly from local and national news and blogs. TV coverage of the Dolphins vs the NY Jets is on CBS. Always get the latest Dolphins score at Dolphinsmix.com!

2008-09-01T16:07:00.001-07:00

Miami Dolphins Vs Saints, Live Score, Game Stats, News, Talk

2008-08-28T17:22:00.000-07:00

The Miami Dolphins vs the Saints on Thursday, August 28, at 8:00 PM ET. Get the latest live game score and photos right on this page. Also get the latest talk and game news after the game updated constantly from local and national news and blogs.