In the past few days, I’ve seen several articles about how you have to try to win in the NFL. Chris  Grier said that tanking is impossible. Brian Flores says you must always play to win the game at all costs.

These gentlemen, who are in charge of the future of our organization, are dead wrong.

The question is… are they lying—which means they’re being wrong on purpose—or are they simply ignorant and not paying attention to the rest of the NFL?

Sadly, I think they are utterly ignorant and unaware.
And with the most extremely disinterested and unaware owner in the history of sports at the helm, you can see how the stupidity trickles down with no repercussions.

Let’s start with the incorrect notion that Flores keeps harping on, saying:  “You must always play to win this current game and never mind the future of the organization.”  Really?

So the Ravens have a meaningless game vs. the Steelers coming up.   A tough division rival and they hate each other.    Are the Ravens playing to win, or are they concerned with their future?  The answer is the future. The Ravens have already declared that they will not play their starters.   John Harbaugh Is intelligent enough to know that winning a meaningless game is truly meaningless, but future games are infinitely more important.  Harbaugh gets it while Flores is lost.

The NBA penalizes you if you rest your starters and don’t even try.  The NFL does not.   The league would not punish the Dolphins, but Brian Flores himself punishes the Dolphins.

A few months ago, the Lions’ Matt Stafford went down.   Detroit accepted it.   They primed themselves for an elite player in the 2020 draft by not caring about meaningless 2019 games.   Matt Patricia did not panic and sign somebody like Jay Cutler. Patricia is smart enough to understand that he’s better off taking his losses like a man and setting himself up for an outstanding draft in 2020. In this regard Patricia is so much smarter than Brian Flores.

These are just two very very common examples of coaches/organizations understanding that the future is always always more important than meaningless games in the present.

So don’t believe it for a second when Dolphin management lies to you and says that everyone always tries to win the current game and that winning meaningless games is important for this and that made up reasons. It simply is not true.   Except, of course, if you lack the fundamental knowledge of building a franchise.

I’ll say this one last time:  Not that Coach Brian Flores reads this column, But I want to congratulate coach Flores and that all-important fourth win last Sunday.

Matt Patricia thanks you for the Christmas present and is laughing at you very hard right now.

26 Comments

  1. Perfect way to describe the situation. Merry Christmas all

  2. Truth….don’t you honestly think the Colts tanked for Luck and before that Manning ..I do ..Miami just don’t get it ..tough being a dolphin fan with all this mediocracy….cant even lose right ..

  3. Admin…. Sorry I missed you at the game I was literally two miles away stuck with some personal work I couldn’t get done with! Anyhow, as you know I’ve been very quite this year because…… Well in my bones I knew we would end up screwing up the simplest thing of all… Losing! I hate to say it but I’m really starting to become disinterested in the dolphins. There are some good things that are happening as we see more and more young guys, untalented guys, undrafted or drafted low guys playing well which indicates talent eveluation and coaching individual positions is improving which is something not seen in decades! Our recovers room is strong, we have one started on the Oline and I do like the defense Flo runs! BUT at the end of the day we needed one of the top two draft picks and we failed at that and toe it is really disappointing. It’s malpractice in my opinion which is part for the course for Miami.

    1. Author

      Yeah, Sean and I were at the game wondering if you’d make it. You missed a depressing game. We were sooooo close to getting that #2 overall pick. Flores doesn’t get it

  4. The question is… are they lying—which means they’re being wrong on purpose—or are they simply ignorant and not paying attention to the rest of the NFL? This is the real question. All that’s left in my view is the hope (based on Flores’ performance) that he can improve players to playoff caliber.

    1. Author

      No doubt we’ll improve some, and Flores has some signs of good leadership. But…let’s not pretend he has a genius-level defensive brain.
      The lowly Bengals just put up 35 points on us.
      Flores obviously believes that Chase Young isn’t a good player.
      This shows me he has a long long way to go. Remember, he only has 5 years of assistant coaching experience, He’s NOT one of those guys who paid a lifetime of dues to wait for his chance.

    1. Author

      Rick, thank you for sharing. It really is a smart video, with many good points. It baffles me to the point of frustration that Brian Flores allowed his pride to interfere with simple, common sense. But then again, with Stephen Ross being so clueless himself, we know where it comes from.

      1. Admin – I knew you’d like the part where he mentions the main cause of their failures.

        1. Author

          And he says the Dolphins should have tried this years ago!! LOL
          I don’t know about that part. When you have an 8-8 team or even 7-9, it’s hard to tank.
          But when you’re 2-11 with a few meaningless games remaining…it’s right in the palm of your hands!! It was there for the taking.

          1. It sure looked like the Bengals knew that. You notice how the Bengals were pathetic in the overtime after scoring 2 TD’s and two 2-point conversions in the last 29 seconds of regulation? They didn’t appear to be trying to win in OT.
            You’d think Flores would be thinking that his future job could be more successful for potentially years with better draft picks this year.

  5. Very good video. The video is right on with regards to Ross and management. I’m sure players around the league talk to each other and the Dolphins are stigmatized by its owner and shareholders.

    1. Author

      “Stephen Ross is a boob.” I keep laughing and rewinding that one line over and over. 4:51 in

  6. Author

    Seeing several articles (mostly from management supporters) about how the Dolphins are still fine for the draft. They have plenty of picks for plenty of players, plus enough to trade picks for higher picks.
    That is true but flawed rationale. If you have a player in mind, do what it takes to ensure he becomes yours outright, instead of overpaying for something you coulda had for free.
    The bengals and Lions/Skins are not stupid enough to to give up Burrow or Young. Only Ross is.

  7. I don’t think that any of us can disagree that they should have lost the Bengals game. But at least they had a plan and now have a lot of picks and cap. Plus found a bunch of decent players this year. Unfortunately the schedule couldn’t have been worse this year. If they had played anyone good it would have worked out better although they did beat Philly which baffles the mind.

    Here’s a good article.

    https://www.theringer.com/nfl/2019/12/22/21034658/miami-dolphins-cincinnati-bengals-tank-rebuild

    1. Author

      Yeah, having THREE first-round picks should be exciting as hell. But the way the chips fell leaves a bad taste in my mouth.
      I’m really scared that we’ll spend the 4th pick on that WR Juedy. As good as he is, he’s just a player we don’t need. The giant OT tackle might go third. I’d be okay taking Tua 4th. We’ve missed the boat many times in the past while evaluating a player’s medical prognosis. Anyone remember a QB named Drew Brees who was too injured to have a future?

        1. Author

          Yes, it it appears 5th is a lock. We’re in fifth and can’t move worse. Not bad to drop from to 5th in exchange for saddening all those Pat fans.

          1. Damn straight! I was thinking 7-9 but this is decent. They can still go many ways in the draft QB may not even be the pick with their first depending on who they like.

            Nice to see Pitt losing and texans too. Should help the cause. I’m also hearing 15 picks now.

            1. Ravens just got 9 points on defense in last minute. Suck it, Steelers

  8. Tannehill in victory formation. Good for him. I’m glad he got a cchance. Hey Admin, do you still have the hots for Mrs Tannehill ??

    1. Author

      She’s still a hottie my friend!!

  9. Man you guys are clueless. A top pick guarantees nothing, the stats show that. The Browns had 2 number 1 picks in three years and have nothing to show for it. One of those picks got suspended the other just threw three picks against the Bengals. Miami has a coaching staff that seems like it can get the most out of the talent they have. That’s the opposite of the last 4 Miami coaching staffs and matters a lot more then the number 1 pick. As good as Burrow looks this is his only year in college that he looked even draftable. Kind of crazy to see a guy get that much better in one year, is that really sustainable? I’m not saying it’s not just saying the top pick doesn’t guarantee future success.

  10. This commentary coming from a guy that criticized the hell out of the coaching staff earlier in the season after the blowouts against Baltimore, New England, and Dallas saying how embarrassing the efforts were. Now that the team is competitive despite the front offices obvious attempts to derail it he’s still crying about the coaching for winning. FOH! Pick one narrative and stick with it. The proper way to commit to a tank was to not hire a head coach in the first place. Appoint an interim so that when you tank the tanking is not tied long term to that coach or the culture he’s trying to establish. Harbaugh can rest his starters because he already has established a winning culture(he has Super Bowl wins) unlike Flores. Flores is trying to establish his and can’t do that if guys in his locker room get the impression that the coach isn’t coaching to win every game. No one in football goes to battle with front office guys. They battle with the guys who shoot with them in the gym per se. Fellow players and coaches. Flores did a helluva job getting fives win out of what Grier and company left in the cupboard. The only thing I can clearly fault Flores for was the whole debacle with Minkah. He owns that.

    1. Even though I don’t know who you are, I’m sure looking forward to more of your comments.

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