If coaching, scheme, and leadership DON'T matter, explain the Dolphin's season please

[LarryCanadian]

Man alive!

They add Pennington, and Porter has an outstanding season as a player and leader. They cut ties with a guy like Taylor (Parcells loves to clean out the old-timer leaders of the roster than can interfere with the changes he wants - just like he did with Emmitt Smith!)

Explain how Fasano can go from very mediocre to a play maker (he was injured here more seriously than ever let on with those shoulders)?

These things matter. Accountability and mental toughness and focus matter.

Look no further than the 13 turnovers (I think) that Miami allowed this year! That is unbelievable. Romo and the boys can accomplish that in 2-3 games. That is one of the major reasons we lose. Also, I haven't looked it up, but I'm willing to bet Miami is in the bottom 1/3 of the league in penalties, or close to it. Discipline matters. Smarts matter. If Miami's penatlies are significantly fewer than ours, it's obvious it is our players and not the coaching with respect to penalties, because they drive Parcells bananas!

Parcells was trying to get that into the players here. He started with Romo but didn't finish the job. I'm just as guilty as everyone else. I wanted Parcells to stop being stubborn and open up the playbook so that they played to win instead of playing not to lose, but somewhere along the line that allowed the turnovers and poor focus and discipline to disappear again.

Also, the special teams change has been a disaster here. I'm guessing Miami's punt and kickoff coverage were better than ours, but I need to look that up.

Heck the only "mistake"they made was letting Keith Davis go, and he was one of our better warriors out there this year. Makes you wonder?!

Somehow some middle ground between the Parcells days and the Phillips 13-3 days needs to be found. If we could combine the tough coaching and attention to detail, with the more aggressive offense of last season and aggressive defense of the 2nd half of this season.......hehe.

I don't know what the answer is, but Miami this year is proof that coaching, accountability, focus, smart scheme, and discipline matter!

LarryCanadian

 

[theebs]

as I have been told many times, pure luck and the excitement of a first year coach.

Its always about coaching accountability respect focus determination and discipline.

only in washington and dallas is it about visibility, marketing and pure refusal to take blame and put the best foot forward.

 

[Oh_Canada]

Of course those things matter...you have to be delusional to think otherwise.

 

[Chocolate Lab]

They definitely matter. I'm on the "substance over style" bandwagon and always have been.

But vastly improved quarterback play matters, too.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

Of course all those things matter.

Ever see the movie, "Miracle" ?

Remember the part where Herb Brooks said he didn't want the best players he wanted the best team? What I would give to have a head coach for this team with a mentality like Herb Brooks who was smart and tough.

I saw that movie Saturday night and it again became clear to me what the problem is with this Cowboy "team".

This team needs to be put on the field with an assistant coach, a whistle and the HC standing on the sideline simply saying.."Again".

 

[Chocolate Lab]

Of course all those things matter.

Ever see the movie, "Miracle" ?

Remember the part where Herb Brooks said he didn't want the best players he wanted the best team? What I would give to have a head coach for this team with a mentality like Herb Brooks who was smart and tough.

Now imagine Herb Brooks with Jerry GMing over him. :

 

[thisisepic]

Looks like it could be back to ground zero in Miami..

According to the Newark Star-Ledger, Dolphins VP of Football Operations Bill Parcells is telling those close to him that he would consider coaching again if the right situation comes about.
Parcells has an out in his contract if Wayne Huizenga sells the Fins to current co-owner Stephen Ross. ESPN reported Sunday that Parcells might jump to another team as GM, but the Star-Ledger says the Tuna would also be interested in coaching the talent he evaluates. Any team pursuing Parcells would obviously have to realize he's a short-term solution. If Parcells does return to the sidelines, the Jets would appear to be his best fit.

 

[Chocolate Lab]

According to the Newark Star-Ledger, Dolphins VP of Football Operations Bill Parcells is telling those close to him that he would consider coaching again if the right situation comes about.
Parcells has an out in his contract if Wayne Huizenga sells the Fins to current co-owner Stephen Ross. ESPN reported Sunday that Parcells might jump to another team as GM, but the Star-Ledger says the Tuna would also be interested in coaching the talent he evaluates. Any team pursuing Parcells would obviously have to realize he's a short-term solution. If Parcells does return to the sidelines, the Jets would appear to be his best fit.

LOL. I wonder if Parcells was flirting with them in the parking lot before his team played them yesterday.

 

[DeaconBlues]

Having their schedule didn't hurt:

AFC East:

NY Jets
NE
Buffalo

The rest:

Arizona
SD (early, when the were bad)
Houston
Baltimore
Denver
Seattle
Oakland
St Louis
SF
KC

Even figuring the same losses to St Louis, Arizona and Baltimore, do you see four additional losses for Dallas on that schedule? I don't.

This isn't to whine about the schedule - you can only play the teams you're given. But remember Cleveland's great turnaround last year? Washington's?

Give then a couple of years before anointing them the next great franchise and coaching staff, OK?

 

[miamicowboy21]

Miami was lucky Pennington fell into their laps. I douby Chad Henne would've gotten them too 11 wins. They never turn the ball over and had some great time consuming drives in at least 4 games. After the week 2 debacle at Arizona Dan Henning decided to put the ball in the hands of his playmakers,Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams and unleashed the "WILDCAT". Last but not least Joey Porter went from a 20 million dollar bust to a potential DPOY.

I will say this, let's see what happens next year when the element of suprise is gone, the schedule gets tougher, and Tom Brady is back in the fold. Dolphins fans better enjoy it this season, because it's going to be a different story next year.

 

[Doomsday101]

Last place schedule and an easy division since Brady went down?

 

[BrAinPaiNt]

We had Parcells and some of the coaches and players on the dolphins...on our team at one time and we still did not win a playoff game.

So unless you want to bring in Bill as GM...

And we know that is not going to happen with Jerry.

 

[RCowboyFan]

Props to Sparano, but really, we have seen that play out in Saints. Lets see Sparano, be there for 3-4 years, before we say we let a good one go. I happen to believe Cowboys let the wrong guy go.

But I am kind of skeptical of Sparano, till I see how the team plays next season or next 2-3 seasons.

 

[punchnjudy]

The people who think those things don't matter have probably never left their computers.

Football is the ultimate team sport and is extremely physically challenging. Talent is still vital, but doesn't carry a team or an individual nearly as much as it does in other sports.

You don't need a bunch of choir boys (see early nineties team), but there has to be a strong commitment to winning to play at a high level throughout a grueling 16 game season.

 

[LarryCanadian]

Well I brought the subject up because there seem to be 2 camps on this board:

1 camp says it's coaching and scheme.

2nd camp says it's execution of the players.

I think it's a combo of both.

As many players and coaches say, it takes many things to mesh and go right to win a Super Bowl, but some things are evident on each team that gets there. I do think the attitude needs to be tougher and more accountable to win Super Bowls. I don't see many splintered and player run teams that make it very far.

LarryCanadian

 

[gbrittain]

Not sure who thinks coaching does not matter because it is vital. I am very impressed with what Miami has done however, I am still somewhat skeptical and the perceived fact that they have turned the corner.

Show me a couple of years of sustainment before I believe in them. Teams such as the 2005 Bengals, 2001 Bears, 2007 Browns, and 2006 Saints come to mind.

 

[RCowboyFan]

Well I brought the subject up because there seem to be 2 camps on this board:

1 camp says it's coaching and scheme.

2nd camp says it's execution of the players.

I think it's a combo of both.

As many players and coaches say, it takes many things to mesh and go right to win a Super Bowl, but some things are evident on each team that gets there. I do think the attitude needs to be tougher and more accountable to win Super Bowls. I don't see many splintered and player run teams that make it very far.

LarryCanadian

I think 1 and 2 are not mutually exclusive. Coaching and Scheme give players a chance, and execution by players wins the game.

Not sure there would be any dissension there, unless its Jerry Jones saying, chemistry doesn't matter. I am sure he proved that right this year...

 

[TellerMorrow34]

The problem I have with this is we're talking about 1 year. If I recall Parcells turned us from a three straight seasons of 5-11 team into a 10-6 playoff team in his first year. Then what? We fell right back to 6-10 the next year and were 9-7 his final two years.

Plus we've seen this in other cities with rookie coaches before. Mangini was 10-6 his first year in New York and now two seasons, including one rotten one last year, later he's out of a job.

Sean Payton set the world on fire with the Saints his first year there and now he hasn't made the playoffs since.

I think those people ready to just immediately give Sparano this Hall of Fame position as a coach need to wait another couple of years to see a more accurate picture before you decide he's a stud.

I mean you need look no further than this team to wonder about a coach and how good they are. Last season Garrett could practically do no wrong and was being touted as the guy who should take over from Wade this last offseason.

Now the same people can't wait to get him the heck out of Dallas all together.

It takes more than 1 season to get a real picture of what a player, coach, or GM is.

 

[gbrittain]

I think 1 and 2 are not mutually exclusive. Coaching and Scheme give players a chance, and execution by players wins the game.

Not sure there would be any dissension there, unless its Jerry Jones saying, chemistry doesn't matter. I am sure he proved that right this year...

You know I had kind of glossed over Jerry's chemistry doesn't matter comment, but isn't that statement an admission that there is no chemistry on this team.

Can you imagine if the Cowboys were known throughout the league as a close cohesive unit that oozed team chemistry and then Jerry spouting off that he does not think team chemistry is that important? That would not happen.

 

[alancdc]

We do need more tough minded players that are more "lunch pale" guys. Too many millionaire premo's.