AFATT is... All Dolphins All The Time
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
The Foundation Trilogy
Patrick Tarell, February 13, 2008
In today’s NFL, leadership within
the players on a team is the most
critical component to success.
Coaches are equally important,
but can be undermined by their
players very quickly. The talent
level is pretty close on every
team because of the parity
system that ensures that no one
gets too far out in front with the
talent acquisition, so getting your
talented players to play at a
higher level on a more consistent
basis is the key to coaching in
the NFL. Not to downplay
strategy, but all of these coaches
are smart and with the
proliferation of information today,
there are few secrets. During the
game when the players decide
who is going to win and who is
going to lose it is critical that the
leadership on a team keep the
players focused. On offense that
leadership almost has to come
from the QB position and the OL
position, while on defense the
position is less important, but you
must have an equally strong
leader in lock-step with the
offensive leadership. With this
trilogy your team will hang
together during tough times and
not get sidetracked during the
good times.
The Dolphins trilogy of
leadership was seriously flawed
last season. Now with the
release of Trent Green, Marty
Booker, Keith Traylor and L.J.
Shelton among some lesser
players, The Dolphins have
officially declared the start of the
rebuilding process. Though
these players have seen better
days they did represent much of
the core veteran leadership of
the team. With much of the rest
of that core injured, where do
Parcells and his boys go to find a
foundation to build upon?
Cam Cameron brought in Trent
Green to provide stability and
leadership while grooming John
Beck as his eventual successor.
The moment Green twitched
unconscious on the playing field
Cameron was out of a job. From
that moment on The Dolphins
floundered like a rudderless ship
in a sea of sharks. Trading Chris
Chambers left Marty Booker as
the veteran leader of the wide
receiver corps, but Marty had
little left in the tank and was not
up to the task. While, Tractor
Traylor hobbled on ancient
knees unable to practice, the
interior leader of the defensive
line bravely showed up on
Sunday, but had no presence
during the week. L.J. brought in
by Saban to play left tackle and
anchor the offensive line could
barely break the starting line up.
Add to these players, the leader
of the secondary Yeremiah Bell
out with a torn Achilles, the
leader of the linebackers Zack
Thomas out with a concussion,
the leader of the offensive backs
Ronny Brown out with an ACL
and what you have is a disaster.
There in lies the litany of a 1&15
team, aside from Jason Taylor,
completely leaderless and with
no depth. Thomas may make it
back, but he like Green, is one
hit away from the end of his
career. Ronnie Brown could take
up to 18 months to fully heal and
Bell may never be the same. So
where does this leave Sparano
who has professed to build the
system around the players? Not
in a good spot with the players
currently on the roster, which
means The Dolphins will be
looking for 3 key pieces in the up
coming 2008 NFL Draft and free
agency.
Foremost on the shopping list will
have to be the QB position. No
team with the possible exception
of Jacksonville made it past the
1st round of the playoffs without
a franchise QB. John Beck
drafted in the second round last
year was not given the
opportunity to prove that he is
that franchise player and while
teams search for years for that
one guy it all has to start from
there. This is the reason Matt
Ryan has been slated to The
Dolphins in several mock drafts
and may soon wind up in that
position on the AFATT mock.
Ryan may not be the guy and
until the combine we will not know
for sure who will or if any QB is
worthy of the top pick but it is a
must have position.
Secondly, the offensive line must
be built around a stud. Preferably
a left tackle or center but not
necessarily as a guard like
Hutchinson could fill that role.
Regardless of the position a
leader with a mean streak and
the ability to motivate his line
mates is a must.
Lastly, Jason Taylor will anchor
the defensive line and though he
is getting up in years he can be
that guy for a couple years while
other pieces are put in place.
With that in mind the secondary
must be the 3rd area opportunity.
Many folks do not think Samuel is
worth the price he is likely to ask,
but this is a guy who was thrown
at 28 times the entire season!
That is a fairly amazing stat and
there is no harder position to find
on the defense then a great shut
down CB. Also Samuel is from
Broward County so he may be
interested in coming back home.
These players are the foundation
trilogy, the 3 critical pieces to
begin rebuilding around. Other
pieces can be brought in to
complement these players, but
without this base of operation
The Dolphins will continue to be
nothing more than bottom
dwelling flounder.
Pat.Dolphin and AFATT says so...
Email me at pat.dolphin@afatt.com
Patrick Tarell, February 13, 2008
In today’s NFL, leadership within
the players on a team is the most
critical component to success.
Coaches are equally important,
but can be undermined by their
players very quickly. The talent
level is pretty close on every
team because of the parity
system that ensures that no one
gets too far out in front with the
talent acquisition, so getting your
talented players to play at a
higher level on a more consistent
basis is the key to coaching in
the NFL. Not to downplay
strategy, but all of these coaches
are smart and with the
proliferation of information today,
there are few secrets. During the
game when the players decide
who is going to win and who is
going to lose it is critical that the
leadership on a team keep the
players focused. On offense that
leadership almost has to come
from the QB position and the OL
position, while on defense the
position is less important, but you
must have an equally strong
leader in lock-step with the
offensive leadership. With this
trilogy your team will hang
together during tough times and
not get sidetracked during the
good times.
The Dolphins trilogy of
leadership was seriously flawed
last season. Now with the
release of Trent Green, Marty
Booker, Keith Traylor and L.J.
Shelton among some lesser
players, The Dolphins have
officially declared the start of the
rebuilding process. Though
these players have seen better
days they did represent much of
the core veteran leadership of
the team. With much of the rest
of that core injured, where do
Parcells and his boys go to find a
foundation to build upon?
Cam Cameron brought in Trent
Green to provide stability and
leadership while grooming John
Beck as his eventual successor.
The moment Green twitched
unconscious on the playing field
Cameron was out of a job. From
that moment on The Dolphins
floundered like a rudderless ship
in a sea of sharks. Trading Chris
Chambers left Marty Booker as
the veteran leader of the wide
receiver corps, but Marty had
little left in the tank and was not
up to the task. While, Tractor
Traylor hobbled on ancient
knees unable to practice, the
interior leader of the defensive
line bravely showed up on
Sunday, but had no presence
during the week. L.J. brought in
by Saban to play left tackle and
anchor the offensive line could
barely break the starting line up.
Add to these players, the leader
of the secondary Yeremiah Bell
out with a torn Achilles, the
leader of the linebackers Zack
Thomas out with a concussion,
the leader of the offensive backs
Ronny Brown out with an ACL
and what you have is a disaster.
There in lies the litany of a 1&15
team, aside from Jason Taylor,
completely leaderless and with
no depth. Thomas may make it
back, but he like Green, is one
hit away from the end of his
career. Ronnie Brown could take
up to 18 months to fully heal and
Bell may never be the same. So
where does this leave Sparano
who has professed to build the
system around the players? Not
in a good spot with the players
currently on the roster, which
means The Dolphins will be
looking for 3 key pieces in the up
coming 2008 NFL Draft and free
agency.
Foremost on the shopping list will
have to be the QB position. No
team with the possible exception
of Jacksonville made it past the
1st round of the playoffs without
a franchise QB. John Beck
drafted in the second round last
year was not given the
opportunity to prove that he is
that franchise player and while
teams search for years for that
one guy it all has to start from
there. This is the reason Matt
Ryan has been slated to The
Dolphins in several mock drafts
and may soon wind up in that
position on the AFATT mock.
Ryan may not be the guy and
until the combine we will not know
for sure who will or if any QB is
worthy of the top pick but it is a
must have position.
Secondly, the offensive line must
be built around a stud. Preferably
a left tackle or center but not
necessarily as a guard like
Hutchinson could fill that role.
Regardless of the position a
leader with a mean streak and
the ability to motivate his line
mates is a must.
Lastly, Jason Taylor will anchor
the defensive line and though he
is getting up in years he can be
that guy for a couple years while
other pieces are put in place.
With that in mind the secondary
must be the 3rd area opportunity.
Many folks do not think Samuel is
worth the price he is likely to ask,
but this is a guy who was thrown
at 28 times the entire season!
That is a fairly amazing stat and
there is no harder position to find
on the defense then a great shut
down CB. Also Samuel is from
Broward County so he may be
interested in coming back home.
These players are the foundation
trilogy, the 3 critical pieces to
begin rebuilding around. Other
pieces can be brought in to
complement these players, but
without this base of operation
The Dolphins will continue to be
nothing more than bottom
dwelling flounder.
Pat.Dolphin and AFATT says so...
Email me at pat.dolphin@afatt.com
Dolphins Put Wrong Foot
Forward
Patrick Tarell February 21, 2008
While Zach Thomas contemplated
his future with the Dolphins he
came away with the distinct
impression that his days were
numbered. Unwilling to call it quits
and ready to resume his career in
another NFL city, Zach went about
things as professional has he has
done for 12 NFL seasons. He set
his nose to the grindstone and
watched 4 game films of different
opposing defenses every day for
a month. He worked his aging
body harder to make sure he had
the most to offer his new team.
Jason Taylor in no jeopardy of
being cut decided to spend his off-
season dancing with the stars.
Maybe a little ballet is in order; a
pirouette could be a great
addition to his pass rushing
repertoire. Maybe a mambo or a
samba could add a little spice to
his dancing with offensive linemen
next season. Not to demean
dancers in any way, the women
certainly have all the right pieces
in all the right places, but just
what does this venture say to
players in the off season program
trying to dig from the dregs of a 1-
15 season?
Perhaps the new regime has no
more sense then those that have
preceded it. While Zach Thomas
exemplifies everything expected of
a leader on a football team,
Taylor epitomizes the selfishness
that brought this team to the brink
of the worst season in NFL
history. While Zach may be one
hit away from ending his career,
one thing can be expected from
him, football will always be first.
There will be no dancing with the
stars, no commentating on ESPN,
no divorce proceedings with his
wife.
Is it a wonder that the Patriots
jumped at the opportunity to sign
Zach Thomas? Is it a wonder that
the Patriots are a perennial
winning team when the powers
that be can see leadership,
football savvy and single minded
preparation as the keys to
success on the football field?
While past regimes cast off
players with those exact qualities,
Wes Welker, Junior Seau, etc. we
were led to believe team Parcells
would embrace these qualities
and build from them. But here we
are looking down the exact dead
end street. We had hoped for a
cul-de-sac to return us to playoff
land but there is none in sight.
In letting Zach get away the team
has put the wrong foot forward
and has sent the wrong message
to its players. Spend the off
season dancing with the stars,
don’t worry about studying film or
hitting the weight room, have fun,
it’s only football, we’re only paying
you millions of dollars, dance the
night away. Zach will be ready
when you head to New England
next season...
Because AFATT says so.
Pat.Dolphin and AFATT says so...
Email me at pat.dolphin@afatt.com
Forward
Patrick Tarell February 21, 2008
While Zach Thomas contemplated
his future with the Dolphins he
came away with the distinct
impression that his days were
numbered. Unwilling to call it quits
and ready to resume his career in
another NFL city, Zach went about
things as professional has he has
done for 12 NFL seasons. He set
his nose to the grindstone and
watched 4 game films of different
opposing defenses every day for
a month. He worked his aging
body harder to make sure he had
the most to offer his new team.
Jason Taylor in no jeopardy of
being cut decided to spend his off-
season dancing with the stars.
Maybe a little ballet is in order; a
pirouette could be a great
addition to his pass rushing
repertoire. Maybe a mambo or a
samba could add a little spice to
his dancing with offensive linemen
next season. Not to demean
dancers in any way, the women
certainly have all the right pieces
in all the right places, but just
what does this venture say to
players in the off season program
trying to dig from the dregs of a 1-
15 season?
Perhaps the new regime has no
more sense then those that have
preceded it. While Zach Thomas
exemplifies everything expected of
a leader on a football team,
Taylor epitomizes the selfishness
that brought this team to the brink
of the worst season in NFL
history. While Zach may be one
hit away from ending his career,
one thing can be expected from
him, football will always be first.
There will be no dancing with the
stars, no commentating on ESPN,
no divorce proceedings with his
wife.
Is it a wonder that the Patriots
jumped at the opportunity to sign
Zach Thomas? Is it a wonder that
the Patriots are a perennial
winning team when the powers
that be can see leadership,
football savvy and single minded
preparation as the keys to
success on the football field?
While past regimes cast off
players with those exact qualities,
Wes Welker, Junior Seau, etc. we
were led to believe team Parcells
would embrace these qualities
and build from them. But here we
are looking down the exact dead
end street. We had hoped for a
cul-de-sac to return us to playoff
land but there is none in sight.
In letting Zach get away the team
has put the wrong foot forward
and has sent the wrong message
to its players. Spend the off
season dancing with the stars,
don’t worry about studying film or
hitting the weight room, have fun,
it’s only football, we’re only paying
you millions of dollars, dance the
night away. Zach will be ready
when you head to New England
next season...
Because AFATT says so.
Pat.Dolphin and AFATT says so...
Email me at pat.dolphin@afatt.com
Tip of the Hand or
Smoke Screen?
Patrick Tarell, March 11, 2008
With the conclusion of the combine
and first run on free agency the
Dolphins have done little to shore
up a very porous offensive line.
Rex Hadnot, arguably the best
offensive lineman on the team last
year has been testing the free
agency waters but as come away
without a contract as of this
writing. Perhaps this is an
indicator that Rex was not as good
as was perceived and is not worthy
of a big FA pay day. By also
releasing L.J. Shelton the Dolphins
have sent the entire starting right
side of the OL packing. The
acquisition of Justin Smiley fills the
void at right guard, but that leaves
left guard and right tackle with no
potential starter currently on the
roster.
Behind Vernon Carey (LT),
Samson Satele (C) and Smiley
(RG) there is virtually no starting
experience on the Dolphin roster.
Carey played admirably at LT last
season but could be a Pro Bowl
player at his true RT position.
Satele did a remarkable job
starting at center as a rookie,
which is nearly unheard of in the
NFL, but according to several
publications Hadnot was actually
making the line calls from his RG
position, taking that pressure off
Satele. Smiley is coming off a
season on injured reserve and
may not be ready for the start of
training camp. As free agent
signings taper off there are not a
lot of young talented players who
would fit the rebuilding mode of the
Dolphins.
Enter the NFL draft... Some here
at AFATT believe this draft could
rival the QB class of 1983, making
2008 the year of the tackle with as
many as 5 being taken in the 1st
round and another 4 as first day
picks. Parcells was quite public
and emphatic on his intention to
keep Jason Taylor in a Dolphins
uniform. This lessens the interest
somewhat in taking Chris Long or
Vernon Gholston with the first
pick. Glenn Dorsey or Sedrick
Ellis could be a fit here as the
interior defensive line is a need,
but there are questions on Dorsey’
s health and picking Ellis could be
a reach for the first pick and
neither is a prototype NT for the 4-
3 or a good fit at DE. That leads
us to Jake long and Matt Ryan as
the only viable alternatives. I
would think the brain trust would
have to be completely sold on
Ryan and very unsure of John
Beck to use the first pick on Ryan,
so that leaves Jake Long as the
Dolphins pick.
Of course this could all be
posturing because of the depth of
talent at the tackle position in this
draft and the thought that Jake
Long could indeed be the only
certain can’t miss pick in the top
5. QB is the value pick more than
any other position. Could there be
a man crush brewing around the
NFL for Matt Ryan? Even this
would play into the apparent
Dolphin strategy to rebuild from
the offensive line because should
a trade be in the offing, the
Dolphins could be looking at one
of the several highly rated left
tackles later in the 1st round.
Look for the Dolphins to begin the
Matt Ryan sweepstakes to create
the illusion that he is the best QB
since Peyton Manning to hit the
draft board. The Dolphins would
love to trade the 1st pick in the
draft for multiple picks and Matt
Ryan may be the object of the
deception.
Smoke Screen?
Patrick Tarell, March 11, 2008
With the conclusion of the combine
and first run on free agency the
Dolphins have done little to shore
up a very porous offensive line.
Rex Hadnot, arguably the best
offensive lineman on the team last
year has been testing the free
agency waters but as come away
without a contract as of this
writing. Perhaps this is an
indicator that Rex was not as good
as was perceived and is not worthy
of a big FA pay day. By also
releasing L.J. Shelton the Dolphins
have sent the entire starting right
side of the OL packing. The
acquisition of Justin Smiley fills the
void at right guard, but that leaves
left guard and right tackle with no
potential starter currently on the
roster.
Behind Vernon Carey (LT),
Samson Satele (C) and Smiley
(RG) there is virtually no starting
experience on the Dolphin roster.
Carey played admirably at LT last
season but could be a Pro Bowl
player at his true RT position.
Satele did a remarkable job
starting at center as a rookie,
which is nearly unheard of in the
NFL, but according to several
publications Hadnot was actually
making the line calls from his RG
position, taking that pressure off
Satele. Smiley is coming off a
season on injured reserve and
may not be ready for the start of
training camp. As free agent
signings taper off there are not a
lot of young talented players who
would fit the rebuilding mode of the
Dolphins.
Enter the NFL draft... Some here
at AFATT believe this draft could
rival the QB class of 1983, making
2008 the year of the tackle with as
many as 5 being taken in the 1st
round and another 4 as first day
picks. Parcells was quite public
and emphatic on his intention to
keep Jason Taylor in a Dolphins
uniform. This lessens the interest
somewhat in taking Chris Long or
Vernon Gholston with the first
pick. Glenn Dorsey or Sedrick
Ellis could be a fit here as the
interior defensive line is a need,
but there are questions on Dorsey’
s health and picking Ellis could be
a reach for the first pick and
neither is a prototype NT for the 4-
3 or a good fit at DE. That leads
us to Jake long and Matt Ryan as
the only viable alternatives. I
would think the brain trust would
have to be completely sold on
Ryan and very unsure of John
Beck to use the first pick on Ryan,
so that leaves Jake Long as the
Dolphins pick.
Of course this could all be
posturing because of the depth of
talent at the tackle position in this
draft and the thought that Jake
Long could indeed be the only
certain can’t miss pick in the top
5. QB is the value pick more than
any other position. Could there be
a man crush brewing around the
NFL for Matt Ryan? Even this
would play into the apparent
Dolphin strategy to rebuild from
the offensive line because should
a trade be in the offing, the
Dolphins could be looking at one
of the several highly rated left
tackles later in the 1st round.
Look for the Dolphins to begin the
Matt Ryan sweepstakes to create
the illusion that he is the best QB
since Peyton Manning to hit the
draft board. The Dolphins would
love to trade the 1st pick in the
draft for multiple picks and Matt
Ryan may be the object of the
deception.
2008 Dolphins Draft
Review
Pat Tarell, September 2, 2008
The Miami Dolphin 2008 draft class
looks like one of the finest draft
classes since Don Shula roamed the
sidelines. Bill Parcells and Jeff
Ireland clearly have a formula for
draft success. While AFATT had
Jake Long as the obvious pick of the
class, the Dolphins wasted little time
inking his name to a contract faster
than any first overall pick in resent
history. With the franchise left tackle
out of the way Ireland and his team
could concentrate the other eight
picks on team needs while sticking to
their draft board rankings to avoid
stretching for need positions.
The Dolphins entered the draft with
and inside out philosophy. Build the
team from the trenches while not
stretching past the best athlete on
the board. DE Philip Merling was
ranked on many boards as a first
round pick and fell to the first pick in
the second round. Merling has done
nothing to dispel his draft status and
though he is not starting, he will see
a lot of playing time this season.
The Quarterback position has been
a nightmare for the Dolphins since
Dan Marino hung up his spikes, but
if early indications prove true the
Dolphins other second round pick,
Chad Henne, could be the steal of
the draft. Henne beat out veteran
Josh McCown and last year’s second
round pick John Beck, with an NFL
caliber arm and the poise of a player
destined to have a bright future in
the league. The Dolphins also
wisely waited for a veteran to be
released and were able to sign Chad
Pennington without giving any picks
or players in return. The acquisition
of Pennington allows Henne to learn
and grow without being thrust into
the fire.
In the third round the Dolphins chose
Kendall Langford a 6’5” 287 pound
DE from Hampton. Langford has
been one of the surprises from the
onset of training camp. He has
notched a spot in the starting lineup
and has had a tremendous
preseason. With the addition of
Langford and Merling the defensive
line has been significantly upgraded
with young talent and the loss of
Jason Taylor should not be as large
a blow.
The selection of Utah State G Shawn
Murphy in the forth round was a bit
disappointing only because sixth
round pick G Donald Thomas from
Connecticut beat him out
convincingly and is the starting right
guard on a vastly improved offensive
line. Thomas could also make this
draft class one to remember with his
power and quick feet.
The draft strategy proved affective
as 3 rookies will be starting in the
trenches along with a rookie FA
kicker Dan Carpenter. Several later
draft choices also made the 53 man
roster, sixth round RB Jalene
Parmele and seventh round DT
Lionel Dotson. In all eight of the
Dolphins nine draft picks made the
roster with only sixth round pick FB
Lex Hillard being placed on the
practice squad. Rookie FA WR
Devon Bess from Hawaii made the
squad with an outstanding camp and
the Dolphins picked up Arkansas T
Nate Garner who was cut by the Jets.
In all the Dolphins added a
remarkable eleven rookies to the
team. The future will tell more about
these players but clearly the team is
no longer being built with FA
acquisitions as it had in the past
several years. This team will be built
from draft and none too soon.
... because AFATT Says So!
Review
Pat Tarell, September 2, 2008
The Miami Dolphin 2008 draft class
looks like one of the finest draft
classes since Don Shula roamed the
sidelines. Bill Parcells and Jeff
Ireland clearly have a formula for
draft success. While AFATT had
Jake Long as the obvious pick of the
class, the Dolphins wasted little time
inking his name to a contract faster
than any first overall pick in resent
history. With the franchise left tackle
out of the way Ireland and his team
could concentrate the other eight
picks on team needs while sticking to
their draft board rankings to avoid
stretching for need positions.
The Dolphins entered the draft with
and inside out philosophy. Build the
team from the trenches while not
stretching past the best athlete on
the board. DE Philip Merling was
ranked on many boards as a first
round pick and fell to the first pick in
the second round. Merling has done
nothing to dispel his draft status and
though he is not starting, he will see
a lot of playing time this season.
The Quarterback position has been
a nightmare for the Dolphins since
Dan Marino hung up his spikes, but
if early indications prove true the
Dolphins other second round pick,
Chad Henne, could be the steal of
the draft. Henne beat out veteran
Josh McCown and last year’s second
round pick John Beck, with an NFL
caliber arm and the poise of a player
destined to have a bright future in
the league. The Dolphins also
wisely waited for a veteran to be
released and were able to sign Chad
Pennington without giving any picks
or players in return. The acquisition
of Pennington allows Henne to learn
and grow without being thrust into
the fire.
In the third round the Dolphins chose
Kendall Langford a 6’5” 287 pound
DE from Hampton. Langford has
been one of the surprises from the
onset of training camp. He has
notched a spot in the starting lineup
and has had a tremendous
preseason. With the addition of
Langford and Merling the defensive
line has been significantly upgraded
with young talent and the loss of
Jason Taylor should not be as large
a blow.
The selection of Utah State G Shawn
Murphy in the forth round was a bit
disappointing only because sixth
round pick G Donald Thomas from
Connecticut beat him out
convincingly and is the starting right
guard on a vastly improved offensive
line. Thomas could also make this
draft class one to remember with his
power and quick feet.
The draft strategy proved affective
as 3 rookies will be starting in the
trenches along with a rookie FA
kicker Dan Carpenter. Several later
draft choices also made the 53 man
roster, sixth round RB Jalene
Parmele and seventh round DT
Lionel Dotson. In all eight of the
Dolphins nine draft picks made the
roster with only sixth round pick FB
Lex Hillard being placed on the
practice squad. Rookie FA WR
Devon Bess from Hawaii made the
squad with an outstanding camp and
the Dolphins picked up Arkansas T
Nate Garner who was cut by the Jets.
In all the Dolphins added a
remarkable eleven rookies to the
team. The future will tell more about
these players but clearly the team is
no longer being built with FA
acquisitions as it had in the past
several years. This team will be built
from draft and none too soon.
... because AFATT Says So!