SAN DIEGO -- I had an interesting text exchange with a Dolphins source who insists coach Tony Sparano's job is safe for now so nothing has changed from last week.
But ...
This exchange was different in that out of it I am now convinced Sparano's days with the Dolphins are numbered, anyway. Seems the only way the coach can save his job on a permanent basis is to get the team in the playoffs.
And, if you've been watching the way the Dolphins are currently playing, they do not resemble anything close to a playoff team. So unless the Dolphins undergo a drastic, dramatic and unexpected change soon, Sparano is basically just keeping the seat warm.
Talk about a new definition to the coaching hot seat.
Sparano might be keeping the seat warm for a week ... Until the next home game, which is October 23 against the Denver Broncos ... Or possibly until the season-finale.
But is he the Dolphins coach in 2012? Well, if he somehow makes the playoffs, sure.
Otherwise ... no.
#1.
Posted by: Yeah! | October 02, 2011 at 11:46 PM
Someone cue that Jim Mora "playoffs??" clip now. The Dolphins are woeful, boring and have not one single player worth paying to see. If they are not the worst team in the NFL, they're pretty damn close.
Posted by: Fuad von Roby | October 02, 2011 at 11:51 PM
Sparano is only one part the disgrace Parcells shed upon the Miami Dolphins. But no self-respecting new head coach will be willing to brook Jeffy Ireland.
Posted by: SS | October 02, 2011 at 11:56 PM
Are Yeah! and Armando actually the same person? Has anyone ever seen them in the same place at the same time? What does Yeah! look like without his glasses?
Posted by: zaphod | October 02, 2011 at 11:57 PM
Im all for keeping Sparano until season's end for 2 distinct reasons:
1. Firing him or Ireland now does zero to change the course of our season.
2. Waiting until season's end to fire them may be our best chance of landing Andrew Luck!
Posted by: DyingBreed | October 02, 2011 at 11:57 PM
Sparano lasts the year, then, bye bye Tony! But Ireland needs to go too!
Posted by: redsky | October 02, 2011 at 11:57 PM
DB, amen Bro!
Posted by: redsky | October 02, 2011 at 11:58 PM
Even Sparano knows his days are numbered.
The other question is what about Ireland? Because he has access to Ross, he can weasel his way to keeping his job. Say it isn't so, Ross.
Posted by: cosmodo | October 02, 2011 at 11:58 PM
I am now officially in the Suck for Luck camp. Not that I blame Henne one bit for the current mess, but wouldn't it be nice to see someone like Bill Cowher come on board and select Andrew Luck with the first pick of the 2012 draft.
Posted by: sheehanje | October 02, 2011 at 11:58 PM
Ireland is busy drilling his lips so far up Ross's rectum right now he'll be classified as one of Ross's vital organs by season's end. Dude knows he's fighting for his cushy job right now.
Posted by: zaphod | October 02, 2011 at 11:59 PM
Sparano will NOT be fired. Here's why:
He was already hung out to dry ONCE by Ross.
Ross, to show his "humanity" will refuse to leave Tony under the bus twice.
For him, at 0-4 it's a better thing from a PR standpoint to those OUTSIDE the Dolphin sphere of influence or audience.
Ross suddenly comes off looking like a "loyalty first" sort of guy.
Meanwhile, he will, again go behind Tony's back and start fishing for next season.
Lets just hope he does no consultations with Tuna, Ireland (who should also be gone next year) Peterson, J-Lo, Marc Anthony, the Williams sisters, or the other cast of thousands hanging on Ross's every word.
Get the GM FIRST, Tony.
Fire IRELAND now, as he basically has no useful purpose at this juncture.
Mando, you have my permission to reprint any and all of this, as you KNOW it's the smart business decision.
Unfortunately for us,Ross can't fire himself.
Posted by: IMAWriter | October 02, 2011 at 11:59 PM
redsky,
Im with you on that one. No premium hc is coming in to work under Jeff Ireland. Not firing Ireland too equates to no change at all!
Posted by: DyingBreed | October 03, 2011 at 12:00 AM
The only way to invigorate the fading fan base is to clear house at the end of the season and hire a big name coach. Being able to draft Luck wouldn't hurt either.
Posted by: wazzoo | October 03, 2011 at 12:00 AM
Exactly - whats it matter if they fire him now. The saeson is over - its all about the high draft pick now. If the Dolphins win 4 or 5 games it will be a tragedy. I'm saying its going to take 3 or less wins to get luck - any more than 3 and we're out of Luck.
Posted by: Hey Parcells, go ruin someone else's team | October 03, 2011 at 12:01 AM
Sorry, I meant get the GM first, MR ROSS.
Posted by: IMAWriter | October 03, 2011 at 12:01 AM
Anytime your head coach answers a question with I don't know, or I'm not sure
Posted by: redsky | October 03, 2011 at 12:02 AM
It's time to go!
Posted by: redsky | October 03, 2011 at 12:04 AM
Not even a premium college hc will come in an work underneath the publically pronounced "backstabber" Jeff Ireland.
I just dont see it. Ireland has to go at seasons end too or we're looking at another 10yrs of continued mediocrity. It will be just like Miami Dolphins addiction rehab for me!
Posted by: DyingBreed | October 03, 2011 at 12:05 AM
"I feel good and I felt like I did everything I could today, but unfortunately it just wasn't enough,'' linebacker Kevin Burnett said.
Where are all the Crowder haters? Burnett has been nothing but a joke this year! Another great move by our superbly overmatched FO.!
Posted by: nyfinfan | October 03, 2011 at 12:06 AM
This coaching change thing ain't all it's cracked up to be.
We've been down this road way too many times, and for the most part, it's been all too disappointing.
For sheer entertainment value, we MUST approach Rob Ryan the SECOND the last quarter of the last game has ended.
First, I'd offer Ozzie Newsom (sp?) the RANCH to come in as GM.
As y'all know, it starts at the top. Of course in OUR case, Robert Kraft ALREADY has a team.
Posted by: IMAWriter | October 03, 2011 at 12:08 AM
DyingB, exactly, someone like Cowher needs to bring in his own staff, FO and coaches!
Posted by: redsky | October 03, 2011 at 12:08 AM
Ozzie Newsome of Baltimore and Kevin Colbert of Pittsburgh are two outstanding GMs who have been very talented at player acquisitions and they've been accredited with keeping their respective teams in the upper echelon. Any chance we can court them?
Posted by: cosmodo | October 03, 2011 at 12:09 AM
nyfinfan,
This fo was so concerned about covering TE's they totally forgot about run support in the middle of the defense. Dansby has never been known as a great run stopper. Neither has Burnett.
What's worse is the move hasnt made us any marginally better covering Te's and we sacrificed our run support ability in making the move!
Posted by: DyingBreed | October 03, 2011 at 12:10 AM
IMAWriter,
Again you show your writer's block. Ozzie Newsome leaves tinseltown to come join the circus. Have you lost the little of what was left of your mind?
Rob Ryan? You and anyone else considering bringing Rob Ryan have strayed far to close to the tub, not tube of glue!
Posted by: DyingBreed | October 03, 2011 at 12:14 AM
Russell Wilson, Matt Barkley, and 2-3 others would also be worthy.
This year's college QB class may be even better than last.
Yes, getting Luck would be great, but the other guys are no slouches.
Better still would be a GM and coach who can raise the talent and coaching level to NFL standards.
Otherwise, God Almighty could be under center And it wouldn't change a thing. QB's don't play defense.
Posted by: IMAWriter | October 03, 2011 at 12:15 AM
Yeah but coaching (and coaching very well) runs in the Ryan genes...
I'd give Rob a shot at HC...it's in his blood man!
Posted by: C63-AMG | October 03, 2011 at 12:16 AM
I watched both dansby and Burnett struggle to get off of run blocks all day today!
Posted by: DyingBreed | October 03, 2011 at 12:16 AM
God Almighty has a mean long snap too! Sign him!
Posted by: C63-AMG | October 03, 2011 at 12:17 AM
STEPHAN ROSS IS NO ART MODELL
STEPHAN ROSS IS NO ART ROONEY
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S
E
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A
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T O
D O N A L D
T R U M P !!!!
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Posted by: Cooz | October 03, 2011 at 12:17 AM
Yeah but Trump would have our players doing Miss Universe, and he would hire his coaching staff on the apprentice style platform
Posted by: C63-AMG | October 03, 2011 at 12:19 AM
Rex ryan is just very fortunate he has a gm over him willing to go the extra mile to do anything they think it takes to win.
Rob Ryan coming here probably means Ireland is still gm. Sure................. Rob Ryan will be the next coaching genius in spite of the suspect talent Jeff Ireland brings in.
Dammit guys, Don Shula couldnt win with the talent Jeff Ireland brings in!
Posted by: DyingBreed | October 03, 2011 at 12:20 AM
It's interesting 2 of the other 0-4 teams have their "franchise qb". Would they really trade the pick away? Especially Indy, with Manning aging, the thought of them landing the top pick ahead of us gives me the chills....in a bad way!!! Minnesota, on the other hand, we know whom they will choose. We'll have no shot!!! Suck for Luck. Suck for Luck. Suck for Luck. (Quietly so we don't get the players too excited that they go out and win a game)
Posted by: phinfanne | October 03, 2011 at 12:21 AM
Jeff Ireland drafts players as well as he keeps his body in shape...he looks like a pasty white deflated Michelin tire man
Posted by: C63-AMG | October 03, 2011 at 12:21 AM
DB, as I mentioned, it would be for the ENTERTAINMENT value as well bringing Rob Ryan in.
You KNOW there would lots of good stuff come pre draft time, and of course come game time.
Uh, Don Shula left a GREAT job with the Colts to came to Miami. We lost a 1st round draft choice (which turned out to be Bert Jones) to get Don. A fair trade, I'd say.
Money talks, and if Ross doubles Newsome's salary, why wouldn't he at least CONSIDER A MOVE?
Having worked several times in Baltimore (crime as bad as Miami) I'd HARDLY CONSIDER it tinseltown. I get your meaning though. The Ravens have a real shot at going all the way, if they can win their division,though I watched the Titans, with NO rushing attack shred their D like it wasn't there.
Posted by: IMAWriter | October 03, 2011 at 12:23 AM
What was obvious in today's game was a team that was plain flat. No will, no conviction, no extra effort. It could be argued that they had given up on the season and on Sparano. But these guys' livelihood depends on them performing well and why would they risk their career just by being lazy? What I saw was a team totally lost. So lost that they can't even concentrate to catch a ball. So unprepared that they look like deers constantly bewildered by moving headlights. And so afraid of losing that they make mistakes to end up losing. But even if they did give up or are lost, it all falls down on the coach - period.
Posted by: cosmodo | October 03, 2011 at 12:25 AM
Ross should get rid of the players. They are the cause of the misery. Bring up the practice squad. Keep the players that want to play. Get rid of the ones not doing the job and bring in players that will. Or fire Sparano . It's obvious that the players have quit on him. Ross needs to take action and stop this hoax.
Posted by: Glanton | October 03, 2011 at 12:25 AM
Every week I watch the game and wonder WHAT ARE THE DOLPHINS GOING TO DO THIS WEEK? WHAT EXACTLY IS THE GAME PLAN? That last question is the one I am waiting for some to ask Sparano, What exactly was the game plan? And I will wet myself when someone actually asks it. Because there is no true answer because there truly is no game plan. ESTABLISH THE RUN? They haven't done much of that. Establish the pass? Cmon, Im making myself laugh now. Pressure their QB? Wake and JT are the only ones trying. Stop the run? The pass? Wow...where's the game plan?
FIRE THIS SLOB, SERIOUSLY, ITS TIME...
I'D RATHER HAVE AN INTERIM AND THERE HAD BETTER BIG A BIG, SIGNIFICANT NAME FOLLOWING THIS SEASON. AND IRELAND CAN GO TOO, SEEMS LIKE A BROWN NOSER.
Posted by: NICK M | October 03, 2011 at 12:26 AM
Wow! CBS just said
Posted by: redsky | October 03, 2011 at 12:27 AM
Andrew Luck or Matt Barkley HERE WE COME!!!
Posted by: Winston | October 03, 2011 at 12:28 AM
Suck for Luck!" for Miami!!!
Posted by: redsky | October 03, 2011 at 12:29 AM
DyingBreed...
Over the past Ten years... the Dallas Cowboys have taught the rest of the league how to CHOKE during the most critical moments of games.
THOSE ARE THE KIND OF PLAYERS THEY DRAFT
THOSE ARE THE KIND OF COACHES THEY HIRE
THAT IS THE DYSFUNCTION THAT THEIR OWNER SETS
D
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T
B
R
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G
I
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ANYONE ELSE
FROM THE
C O W B O Y S !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Posted by: Cooz | October 03, 2011 at 12:29 AM
God Almighty has a mean long snap too! Sign him!
Posted by: C63-AMG | October 03, 2011 at 12:17 AM
---------------
LOL.
If I'm Ross, I get a replacement for Ross at seasons end as several of us have already said.
His input regarding an HC should be a deciding factor.
Just hope it's not Carl Peterson.
Posted by: IMAWriter | October 03, 2011 at 12:29 AM
Look, as for this Ryan idea, you want a little carnival act...ARE YOU SERIOUS?
Look, I want a proven winner, not the fun fat guy who's gonna compete against his over rated fat slob brother.
Spare me on the Rob Ryan stuff, as a defensive coordinator maybe, but the head coach of this team had better be someone like Fisher or Cowher.
NOTHING LESS THAN THAT FOR HEAD COACH
Posted by: NICK M | October 03, 2011 at 12:29 AM
Sheesh, sorry again. I meant If I'm ross I replace Ireland...
need sleep.
Take care, all
Posted by: IMAWriter | October 03, 2011 at 12:31 AM
Even the major news has picked up fan base feelings!
Posted by: redsky | October 03, 2011 at 12:31 AM
Really, I think it would be worse to let Sparano dangle for the rest of the years.
Why should the players care about playing for a guy who won't be here next year?
Why not give them a chance to play hard for Nolan or some other coach they already know? Even if they don't stick as a HC, they would at least have a better shot of sticking around than Sparano.
When it's time to clean house, it's time to clean house.
The experiment has failed. The plug should be pulled.
Posted by: HRP | October 03, 2011 at 12:32 AM
Dolphins need a QB who has mastered some system, whatever it is, and coaches who are willing to let him play his offense and hone his skills.
Simple. They missed on Mallet, now they have to svck for Luck.
Dolphins are fked because of personnel blunders not because the coach is bad. When you draft Vontae Davis, Odrick, Pouncey in first round, you shall svck, and those three are just the tip of the iceberg. (not talking about second rounders.)
Posted by: paz | October 03, 2011 at 12:32 AM
By the way DyingBreed...
Bill Parcells hired Mike Tanenbaum.
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..lol?~@%^.
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Posted by: Cooz | October 03, 2011 at 12:32 AM
Ireland needs to go. He hasn't brought anybody in whose jersey I'd proudly wear. Or anybody I strongly support.
Posted by: thepirate19 | October 03, 2011 at 12:33 AM
WELL AT LEAST WE CAN'T LOSE NEXT WEEK!
Posted by: NICK M | October 03, 2011 at 12:33 AM
Sparano should be keep his car engine warm so he can out here just as fast as he got here
Lol just cut of the head of the snake off so the poison is removed!!!
Posted by: ray | October 03, 2011 at 12:36 AM
Nick M, I've watched Fisher for 10 years in nashville. You no NOTHING as regards Fisher. 3 yards and a cloud of dust. Compared to fisher, Tony is a riverboat gambler.
He does not get along with his staff, and has problems with authority...read GM authority.
Cowher will not come here. Why would he. 3 years to rebuild?
He's been there and done that.
The top 5 NFL coaches had NO previous NFL head coaching experience. McCarthy at Green Bay, Mike Smith at Atlanta, Jim Schwartz at Detroit...shall I name 3-4 more?
Posted by: IMAWriter | October 03, 2011 at 12:36 AM
Bottom line folks: The draft picks and trades for this regime have been lousy... name me one star on this squad. Jake Long? Sorry but he is overrated. The draft pick? Jeez where do you start... pathetic and unimaginative and uninspired. The trades and free agent signings? Brandon effing Marshall? Maybe its the meds he is on that have him in a fog... I dont know. But when these guys do do a trade they suck. So even Tony Soprano (whatever his name is) were a good coach, which he isnt since these players can't even do simple things correctly, it would not matter... as the saying goes... YOU CAN'T MAKE CHICKEN SALAD OUT OF CHICKEN SH*T.
Posted by: Michael | October 03, 2011 at 12:37 AM
Sparano must go! Do it now. Don't wait. Let the healing process begin now. There's a stench in the air and it needs to be removed. Letting it linger just makes it that much harder to get the smell out after it's gone.
I like Tony, but he's lost the team. He admits that he doesn't have any answers. Just let the guy go now while he still has a shred of dignity left. If the Dolphins go 0-8 or 0-10 he won't just be leaving, he'll have to run for his life.
Posted by: Bill Hozie | October 03, 2011 at 12:37 AM
My bad on the text it's getting late I'm sleepy
Posted by: ray | October 03, 2011 at 12:38 AM
Sparano just asked if a BYE counts as a tie at home...
Posted by: NICK M | October 03, 2011 at 12:39 AM
Money and power changes a man perspective!! So can't. Say he will never come here!
Posted by: ray | October 03, 2011 at 12:40 AM
I wouldn't bet on Cowher...Stephan Ross is no Art Rooney!
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Posted by: Cooz | October 03, 2011 at 12:43 AM
IMAWRITER: I'm quite familiar with Fisher and the one thing you totally miss on your evaluation is his ability to draft. You can not question his ability to find the diamonds and you can't question his schemes. He knows talent and commands respect.
Fisher is a winner, and without tipping my hand, I have had the pleasure of being around Fisher, and I found him to be a very fun but direct guy.
As for Cowher, he's gonna have to build no matter where he goes, he interviewed last year, Ross didn't want Ireland out, so Cowher wasn't interested. He wants full autonomy and loves Miami actually. So the only hang up is whether Ross will part with Ireland which would be in the franchises best interest.
Posted by: NICK M | October 03, 2011 at 12:44 AM
Since they work at CBS, I wonder if Marino has whispered into Cowher's ear a couple of time already? You might want to check into that, Ross.
Posted by: cosmodo | October 03, 2011 at 12:45 AM