Smallest crowd of the season on tap for Jacksonville

Dolphins coach Joe Philbin came to the defense of South Florida Dolphins fans this week.

“Our fan support has really been excellent," he said. "It’s a loud atmosphere down at this stadium, and we’re looking forward to playing well in front of our home fans this Sunday."

Interesting. The Dolphins have struggled to fill Sun Life Stadium practically every game except the home opener and the Patriots game (when there were 20,000 Pats fans in the house).

Otherwise, the paid attendance has been anywhere from 52,000 to 59,000 and the actual attendance lower than that.

This week it'll be worse. This week, with the simply awful and uninteresting Jacksonville Jaguars coming to town, the Dolphins could have the smallest crowd of the year. Their paid should be the typical 50,000 or so.

But the team is aware the actual "crowd" could dip into the mid 40,000s.

The only way this game won't have the lowest attendance of the year is if the Dolphins lose Sunday and even more disenchanted fans stay home next week when Miami plays Buffalo.

"I haven’t really noticed to be honest with you," Philbin said. "I got a couple other things to be concerned about.

"I think our fans are very passionate. The ones that I have interaction with love the Dolphins. They’re loyal and supportive and it’s been a good atmosphere at the stadium."

Despite this being the lowest actual attendance of the year, the Dolphins are still expecting to broadcast the game live on local television. It would take an unexpected last minute change of philosophy to allow the blackout to stand.

The club has broadcast the previous six home games despite not having sellouts by meeting the NFL threshold for showing games.

Comments

[fin4life]

Fin4life....for the record....Parcells is Sporano's Father - in - law....
..........married to Bill's daughter....

.....but we get the point....:-)

Buster | December 13, 2012 at 02:46 PM

O.K. he still maybe a SAINT my point is that's not exactly a gene pool I'd search out my wife from.

[mike]

Marino was the biggest choke artist in sports history. He always vanished when his team needed him the most.

[Buster]

....and if there is anything for which Parcells should be villified , it's his choice of Sporano as Head Coach....

....totally unqualified for the job on every level imaginable.....

.....bad football decision by a football genius who should have known better.......

...and we, the fans, definitely deserved much better....

[Truth]

mike, I agree, Marino sucked in the playoffs just look at his stats

[2 watt]

who will have more pix six's. rt or marinos last season.?
lol

[Buster]

Have to go peeps...nice chattin'.......laters

[2 watt]

fatcells looked like he took a dump in his drawers they way he used 2 walk around camp davie.
lol

[Truth]

2 watt, Watching marino in the Jags game was embarassing. I cried after that game

[bond, david bond]

Truth, the dolphins had been gased in their hotel room, the night before the game. The Jags knew it. That is why they were so confident before the game. It was like they knew something and what they knew meant that they would win easily!

[grondz]

Yawn

[Craig M]

Pretty pathetic that the fans don't show up. Bills haven't made the playoffs in 20 years and the fans did show up loud and proud. Make whatever excuses you want....the fans get what they deserve!

[Opti/Pessi Mist]

Since we have Marino in the conversation. IMO it was the game against the Colts in 1999 the had Marino decide he had had enough. I remember that game as being classic Marino but J.J. wanted to superior. We were down 17-3 at the end of the 1st quarter and by the begining of the forth we were tied. Typical Marino come back, but J.J. decides to start running the ball, (without a running game) and takes the ball out of Marino's hand when he was on fire. We were 8-4 at that time and finsihed 9-7. Marino never looked himself after that game.

[fin4life]

Marino was the biggest choke artist in sports history. He always vanished when his team needed him the most.

mike | December 13, 2012 at 02:52 PM

Everybody is entitled to their opinions but from this prospective then I guess Manning is a serios choke artist as well. The 2 greatest statistical passers with about half the INT's Favre threw were lousy Post Season choke artist. Or could it be that you can hide your weaknesses during the Regular Season but get exploited by the better teams come Playoff time??

In the mid-80's the Dolphins had been exposed as an old D with little to NO RUN GAME that got it done with Marino and the Mark's but when given a little more to work with I remember the 89 Div Rd in Buffalo were Marino matched Kelly TD for TD and it was a Mark Logan Fumble on a punt late that lost that game in which Marino and the supposed over the hill Duper put on a show.

In the 92 AFC Champ game played in Miami our WR's dropped everything Marino threw at them, it was disgusting and there was a close up of Marino walking off the field after tossing Tony Martin a TD he drops were the camera catches Dan saying to himself, "There dropping everything" I felt for him that day because with Duper retired Tony Martin choked as the 2 with everything rolled Clayton's way by the D.

In 94 we lose in S.D. on a Pete Stoyanovich miss made longer by Keith Jackson inexplicably trying to lateral a ball forward to Fryar were we take a 10 yard penalty. Montana who spanks S.Young and S.F. rolls with the Chiefs into the Playoffs and couldn't beat Marino. You must be young and remember an old breaking down Marino who maybe should have retired when the JJ experiment to shift to power Football with a D came to be.

The truth is both Marino and Mnning were saddled with carring mediocre teams into the playoffs year after year with only their WR's to help them. It's how Brady takes Manning so many times in the Post Season until his D got old and he pulls the greatest choke of all time in their undefeated quest. Hey I guess Brees sucks as well didn't he lose his last 2 playoff games with one a blow out Vs. the 8-8 Seahawks and all those INT's this Yr. he's truly horrible and should be cut.

[fin4life]

Typical Marino come back, but J.J. decides to start running the ball, (without a running game) and takes the ball out of Marino's hand when he was on fire. We were 8-4 at that time and finsihed 9-7. Marino never looked himself after that game.

Opti/Pessi Mist | December 13, 2012 at 03:33 PM

Remember it well with Jason Taylor on his knees after the final score looking at the scoreboard and Terrell Buckley the goat of the game. I believe the 80's to mid-90's Marino throws for close to 6,000 yards with the rules today and over 50 TD's

[Alphonso]

This is going to be a terrible game to watch. Won't be the worst game of the year, that goes to Arizona vs. NY Jets a few weeks ago.

[Gregg]

Marino was a big choke artist. Shula's biggest mistake was stickoing with him way too long. JJ recognized this and went in a different direction.

[Ireland's Republican Army]

Can we all agree that the lack of fan enthusiasm is not the fault of Jeff Ireland?

[POLLSTER]

OK FINFANS

READY FOR THE POLL OF THE DAY?

WHICH IS MORE FUN?

A) WATCHING FINS VS JAGS

B) WATCHING PAINT DRY

[Gregg]

Manning won SB's. Marino never did.

[Leen]

If dolphins fire Ireland they will have 80,000+

[Gregg]

Brady won one SB with no WR's and another with no RB's. P Manning won a SB with no D!. But keep making excuses for choker Dan....

[Mark in Toronto]

Gregg, I'm not making excuses for anyone but football was different then. All the SB teams from the last 15 years or longer were flawed teams. There were no flaws in the super bowl teams from the 80s to the Denver Broncos super bowl teams. They were all complete and could play any type of game you wanted. That was until the salary cap and free agency really took hold.

[Lesson Learned]

Believe it or not, guys, some of us actually ENJOY going to the games.

You aee, we have these things called "friends" there. People we've been sitting with for YEARS and whose company we thoroughly enjoy, regardless of the outcome.

I know, weird, right? We should be shot for actually having a few laughs, a couple of beers, and a general good time instead of tearing our hair out in fits of rage and acting as if a GAME is the focal point of our existence on this Earth.

Guess our priorities are all screwed up. Clearly, you're the sane ones.

[Shula 73]

There are $10 tickets for Sunday on craigslist if anyones interested.

[KingShula]

If you were to switch Marino with Griese I think they play Dallas much closer with a chance to win in their first superbowl against the Cowboys.Griese was an efficent QB not any thing close to Marino as a passer.

[KingShula]

Put Griese in with the teams Marino got to the playoffs and he dosent even have a winning record for most of those playoff teams.

[Jimbo]

TODAY'S FANTASY GAL:

'Mrs. Garrett,' the gruff but loveable house mother on the beloved 80's sitcom 'The Facts of Life.'

Time for some self-pleasuring GARRETT STYLE!

[TGH]

Griese was a better overall QB then Marino and much smarter.

[KingShula]

R Tannehill is not the next Marino but with a good team around him could be the next Griese a smart efficient QB that dosent make mistkes(he made plenty this year)

[Texas_Dolfan]

Mark in Toronto,

Dion Jordan is an interesting choice. The guy is pretty raw as far as pass rush moves. He's very quick with very long arms but really has no moves. He always seem to try and run around the tackle. He also hasn't learned to dip that shoulder and gets a little too upright. BUT at 6'7" and 250ish with his speed he can certainly disrupt plays. He plays to the whistle and has a whole lot of hustle in him too. I wouldn't mind him as our pick. With his athletic ability I really don't see why he couldn't learn those moves and really be a force at OLB.

Keep an eye on Quanterus Smith from Western Kentucky too. He's an intriguing prospect. Once the draft proces starts he'll start flying up the boards.

[Jay]

You could surround TanneBust with an all star team and he'd still stink.

[billcale]

Fin4life....for the record....Parcells is Sporano's Father - in - law....
..........married to Bill's daughter....

.....but we get the point....:-)

Buster | December 13, 2012 at 02:46 PM

O.K. he still maybe a SAINT my point is that's not exactly a gene pool I'd search out my wife from.

Posted by: fin4life | December 13, 2012 at 02:51 PM
- - - - -

ummmm... are you guys thinking Scott Pioli...?

[Christ's Sake]

Fireland party at Miami Lakes Flanagans!!

[Christ's Sake]

Starts at noon on game day! 1 Free pint per customer.

[Lucadawg]

I intentionally scheduled my colonoscopy for Sunday so I'd have something more enjoyable to do than watch this game.

[Denny Georgia]

The dolphins are handicapped and you will wait 7 more years

[TUCCI]

There goes clueless Philbin again. Can't help, but to crack-up at these statements. Philbin: "the Offense can b a LITTLE better" Philbin: On Tannehill, "I think he's done the things we ask of him, for the most part" Philbin: "Our fan support has been really excellent" This is unbelievable!!

[Henne's Love Child]

I can't believe people are getting pumped over the Henne Bowl.

If Henne trounces the Fins D does Ireland get fired on Monday?

Please Ross fire this clown before your paid attendance is the same as a Panthers game