Miami Dolphins trying to salvage Paul Soliai

Defensive lineman Paul Soliai is, by the account of teammates and coaches, a good-hearted kid. But as a professional football player he's probably too much of a kid.

That is one reason former Utah coach Urban Meyer, a disciple of discipline, didn't like Soliai too much. That is one reason former Miami coach Cam Cameron also didn't like Soliai a whole lot and made him inactive half of 2007.

That is one reason Soliai has been suspended twice this season by the Dolphins.

Soliai is expected back in the Dolphins lineup Sunday and that's important because the Buffalo Bills are a team that wants to run downhill at Miami. But Soliai's return to the lineup, barring another late-week mistake, is testament not so much to Soliai getting his act together but to the work of teammates and willingness of coaches to be patient with the second-year player.

"I'm pretty patient with guys I think have a pretty good heart," Coach Tony Sparano said today when I asked how deep his patience for Soliai runs. "I think this guy has a pretty good heart, I really do. He wants to have success. I think down inside there, somewhere, there's a chance to have a pretty good player.

"That being said there's a point in time where enough and enough. I'll determine when that point in time comes but right now I'm trying to be patient. To his credit, Paul understands."

One reason Soliai understands is because teammates, particularly Jason Ferguson and Vonnie Holliday, are putting out maximum, almost superhero effort to keep him from wasting his Miami career.

"He has to mature off the field," Holliday said. "He has to grow up. He knows it. We've talked about it he and I. He has to grow up and take this opportunity seriously. And the great thing about it he has an organization and some coaches that are trying to work with him.

"I've seen Jason Ferguson take the time he's taken and the amount of energy he's put into helping that young guy and it's impressive. No doubt about it. It's impressive. Paul is one of those guys you have to like. He has that personality. Unfortunately people make bad decisions and find themselves in situations that they don't want to be in."

I do not know what Soliai did before the Baltimore game Oct. 19 to force Sparano to suspend him. I do not know what Soliai did before the St. Louis game last Sunday to force the coach to suspend him a second time. But I know that the Dolphins see some talent in this 6-4 and 355 dude that makes them reluctant to give up on him.

But the time is growing short for Soliai to get right. The time is now.

"Paul can play this game," Holliday said. "He's a big bodied, athletic guy who has to grow up. It's the like the little brother or the child you're working with and you want to see be successful. You put your time and energy into them and all of a sudden there's a setback. I don't love him any less or like him any less.

"But you tell him, 'Let's go man you have another chance but the window's closing. The window is definitely closing.' You never know when enough is enough or when the problem is too big of a problem. But right now he has an opportunity to do the right thing and I'm rooting for him."

Comments

[George]

Armando,

You are so dumb. Dumb, dumb, dumb.

Sorry, I was affected by the morons on your last blog.

Anyway, I hope the kid plays his size on the line. We need it. Can he play O-line also? LOL

[cuban menace]

Yoo Why U Hoyles Bothering Me Brruudda, I Just Want To Smoke My Maui With My Brrudda Ricky.

[cuban menace]

Yoo Why U Hoyles Bothering Me Brruudda, I Just Want To Smoke My Maui With My Brrudda Ricky.

[Alex in Miami]

Interesting. But soliai isn't worth saving.

Salguero Sucks!

[Marc]

I just asked about fat boy yesterday...whatever the issue he needs some "acright" cause he's freakin' huge...Put him @ RG lol

[mrrejenkins]

This is starting to look like that other D-lineman that Vonnie Holliday was mentoring. I think the kid's name was Evans. Everyone was raving about his potential until he bit a female police officer and got released. I hope this story has a different ending.

[Brad from Boston]

Wow, the intelligence quotient is really high this afternoon, huh boys.......Let's hope Soliai can learn a little from Holliday and Ferguson about how to act like a true professional athlete and get his shit together. We really do need a young nose tackle to groom for when Ferguson retires.

Also, enough with the "Armando sucks" crap already. If he sucks so much, why are you still reading his blog. Keep up the good work Armando.

[Frank Moore]

Mando, I'd will sing your praises if you can ever find out what this kid did to get himself suspended.

It's a testament to his talent that he's still on the team. That's a good sign. Means Mueller didn't completely have his head up his arse when he drafted him.

[Brad from Boston]

Wow, the intelligence quotient is really high this afternoon, huh boys.......Let's hope Soliai can learn a little from Holliday and Ferguson about how to act like a true professional athlete and get his stuff together. We really do need a young nose tackle to groom for when Ferguson retires.

Also, enough with the "Armando sucks" crap already. If he stinks so much, why are you still reading his blog. Keep up the good work Armando.

[George]

Armando, did Allen practice?

[Phins Phorever]

Allen is not listed on the injury report this week, which means he is practicing without restriction.

As far as Soliai goes, I hope he gets it together. We have a stronger rotation on the nose with him in there. We have been inconsistent overall against the run, despite what our respectable defensive rankings in that area are; the two games he missed, Baltimore and St. Louis, saw both teams run well on us.

That being said, I am sure we'll bring in another young NT this offseason, and Soliai will have to continue to progress as a player and as a person in order to keep his spot.

[cuban menace]

Brad In Boston Is Right, If You Dont Like Mando Try Cotes Blog, Its Loaded With Fins Homers,or Check Out Palm Beach News Blog, They Have A Spical Gay Blog In It That Some Of You Would Enjoy.

Thats interesting Cuban - you seem to know a lot about this gay blog.

[cuban menace]

Yes I Know Of The Web Site Because My Cousin Raul Plays For The Other Team, If You Know What The Menace Means.. And Marc Ur Right That Guy Is Huge 6 Ft 4 And About 320(330 After A Trip To The Golden Corral Buffet Line)

[Armando Salguero]

Allen practiced today and is NOT on the injury report so based on what the Dolphins told the NFL earlier this week, expect him to play unless he appears on the report Friday.

For the Bills, it seems almost certain that JP Losman will start at QB ahead of the injured Trent Edwards.

[IreadMandosBlogEvenWhenHeScrewsUp]

That was a good post - informative and without bias. Huge contrast between this entry and the previous one. Thank you.

[true fan not like ARMANDO SALGUERO]

ARMANDO SALGUERO
Is it so hard to write something that really matters or you just eventually like to get on everyone´s head?
just try to keep "the good informative positive" writing, everything else DON´T..........

[cuban menace]

Wow Where Were You Ingrates At When Mando Was Slapping The Taste Out The Negative Bloggers Earlyer. The Last Time I Saw A Beat Down Like That Russel Crowe Was Decapitating A Roman In The Collasium.

[Cuban mince pie]

Beat down? Why are you so violent? Did you enjoy the decapitation? Mando didn't slap anything and you need to get your head out of his butt. I think Mando probably feels slightly uncomfortable knowing you are out there.

[Rick]

does anyone know what happened to stoogetv

[565]

Shaun Ellis busted for possession...

profootballtalk

Time to crash back down to earth Jets

[Booyaaa!]

Heeey...now I remember! ...Cuban the Menace ...weren't you that guy married to Dennis the Menace?? Mr. Wilson would always have you two over the house. ...Over the house... and over the counter...and over the desk...and... J-E-T-S suck,suck,suck!

[cuban menace]

Oh Thats No Bueno,the Jets,jets,jets Dont Have That Exeutive Privlege Like New England.

[cuban menace]

No I Was In "Leave IT in the beaver"

[cuban menace]

No I Was In "Leave IT in the beaver"

[cuban menace]

I Understand The Confusion, They Were 50s Sit Coms I Played Ward Cleaver And Yes I Was Hard On The Beaver.

This is becoming the cuban menace insult blog. Too bad as the article was interesting.

Sort of how porn spanners ruined the newsgroups. Everyone else just goes awwwaayyy. Gone.

[Jon]

Armando,

Do you think it is better for us that J.P Lossman is playing or worse? The bills weren't doing so hott with Edwards and sometimes a new QB starting can spark a team a little bit, plus I know Lossman can freakin bomb the ball even though he kinda sucks.

Just curious what you thought.

[Dave in Raleigh]

Mando,

Ever heard of the delete button? It's so hard to read comments, hoping for intelligent information from fellow readers and fans, when you have to read through so much crap. Please exercise the delete button when 3rd graders are allowed to play w/Daddy's computer.

Now for the article: please tell us what he did to get suspended.

[Booyaaa!]

Now, now...Dave in Raleigh. ...Don't be jealous. Just found out that Mr Wilsons having a party ...and your the geust of honor. ...Oh shoot! Go Phins!!

[Nathaniel Dodsworth]

I have it on good authority that Paul Soliai was suspended for saying, "Armando sucks." I find this to be outrageous and inexcusable behavior on Mr. Soliai's part. While the courts have long established that the truth is a defense against charges of slander, nevertheless, it's inexcusable for an athlete to go after a member of the 4th estate in such a mean-spirited way.

[cuban menace]

Dave In N.c , Go To Work.

[jets sux]

Much improved from the drivel you wrote yesterday. Keep your personal snipes to yourself and get us the facts. Thanks.

[Stefin]

I've read Armando for quite a while when he pens a good article I let him know "High Five". When he takes cheap shots, like with the Ricky Williams article I also chime in with my opinion which was in the minority. I supported armando on the JT liar article. I disagree on the Ricky article. Armando time and again has an insight to the locker room, no one else does.
Ricky's comments to the Canadian press were well documented around the country, and Armando's article was like a jealous girlfriend when you talk to another woman. That wasn't my comment but originated on the Mad Mike show on 560am. Sure some of Ricky's comments were flawed, but laying good will before the Dolphins visit a somewhat neutral stadium seems to me to be a good stradegy. Anything that lowers the Bills decibels, raises ours, or makes a canadian a Fin Fan I'm all for. Ricky has a good following in Canada. His family will be in the owners box. Let's not snipe at him, his knowledge of the field and footing could play the difference. "Ricky Williams for Wide Receiver".

[cRUZ]

get paul some redalin. maybe he has a.d.d. He has to have something because i cantunderstand how you can make it to that level and throw it away by eating crap.

[cRUZ]

Menace keeps talking about animals... do you work at the zoo or something?

[Master]

Good story on NFL.com about Pennington and how he, singlehandedly, hoisted the entire franchise onto his wide shoulders and carried them through the season.

Seriously though: Good job Chad Pennington, keep up the Manliness!

[Master]

Mando & Dolphins Fans,
We're about to play a meaningful game in December.
These next 4 games impact the playoff hopes of us, Pats, Jets, Colts & Ravens.

We Matter Again.

[Moneyjacket]

MANDO,
I love the fact that you were lambasted from your RICKY BLOG.
You deserve it. I cannot believe that you even have a job as a writer.
Instead of being defensive about Ricky's comments and calling them
"stupid" you should actually look into his comments. He's correct on a lot
of what he says. The most baffling thing is that you have no clue why he stopped talking to the South Florida media. Are you serious. You write blogs and stories to stir up controversy and yet you wonder about his attention to the media. You slap a dog in the face he'll shy away when you try and pet him. BTW- Have you ever spent a lot of time in Canada. THEY ARE THE NICEST PEOPLE. I'm a film director and I have spent months up there in Vancouver shooting and have alos spent many weeks in Toronto. There is a MAJOR difference in attitude. They don't have attitude. They're favorite saying is "No worries". Watch NFL network. The NFL has so much turmoil because people are turned into self centered egotists because they are 23 year old millionaires that think their above the law. I also bet you've never seen a Canadian football game. Its a different game. Armondo, with the economy getting as bad as it is, people are going to start getting laid off. You better get better fast. You in my mind would be first to go. And you deserve it.

[cuban menace]

Kinda But Not Really, Work In Mayors Office

[Master]

Moneyjackoff,
Is that what you call cam2cam: movemaking?

[Master]

Check that.
"Film Directing"

[cuban menace]

Hey Master, That Blog About Pennington Was....well....well It Sounded Kind Of Gay Bro.. Not That Theres Anything Wrong With That.

[Master]

Cuban,
Back in the day men were men in America. Masculinity, Manliness, Manhood were on display everywhere and taken for granted.
Now every message we hear is meant to feminize our society and so exhibitions of Manliness need to be pointed out by me to all of you that shave your chests and wax your a ssholes.
Anyway a writer on NFL.com wrote the story not me.

[Master]

And tell the mayor I voted against him because I thought it was funny.

[cuban menace]

WORD.

[cRUZ]

There is no way of finding out why Soliai was suspended twice?

what could he have done eat parcell's chocolate eclair?

[cuban menace]

Well You Could Vote For Alec Baldwin, I Mean He Was Great In Hunt For Red October, Though I Hear He Has Anger Issues With His Family.

[I love Mando]

You rock boy! You obviously have these men eating out of your hand and your picture is pretty good looking, too. Just wanted to let you know.