Time to take a break from the Jeff Fisher soap opera, and discuss potential options for this off season for the Dolphins.

Going into this off season there are several needs the Dolphins must address, the biggest one has remained the same for the past 13 years obviously being a franchise quarterback that the Dolphins have yet to find. The Dolphins could also use some help in the form of a right tackle and maybe a free safety and pass rusher. With that being said I think there is a small need that goes under the radar for the Dolphins this off-season. That need is adding some depth at the running back position.

Reggie Bush has quickly become my favourite player in this roster as he proved this year he can be a true running back in this league. That being said lets not forget he does have a history to be a fragile running back. Bush has player over 12 games in a season only 3 times out of his 6 year career. The Dolphins even experienced a late season scare with Bush as he was not able to finish the Dolphins last game of the season. While Bush has earned the feature role in the offense back up Daniel Thomas did not get his career off the way he anticipated.

 

The young second round draft pick struggled at the beginning of the season to stay healthy but then when he finally got in the line up rushed to a 107 yard and 95 yard game after those two games his season went down hill, rushing over 70 yards only once the rest of the season. Thomas also did not take advantage of his opportunity to start in week 17 rushing for only 28 yards on 12 carries.

While I don’t think the Dolphins can or should give up on Thomas so early I do implore them to potentially look from some depth in free agency. Lex Hilliard simply is not capable of taking the load should Bush get another injury. Steve Slaton who did a okay jump filling in when asked is set to be a UFA also creating a greater need.

Names I think the Dolphins should consider are, Maurice Morris formerly of the Detroit Lions, Cadillac Williams (STL) , Earnest Graham and Derrick Ward. None of these options are very attractive however there are inexpensive options that could provide the Dolphins with some extra depth should need the situation arise where it was needed. These options also are running backs with pass catching ability which could be helpful to the Dolphins offense.

 

Eric Clapton and his band mates from Cream once wrote a song called Crossroads, it’s a classic rock and roll song that will live on for years to come and it is also the current status of the Miami Dolphins.

Whether it's false reporting from fans, big time national media reporters or people straight up just not knowing the bottom line is as Thursday night ends both the Dolphins and Rams are still awaiting Jeff Fishers decision. While there are many factors that will play into Fishers decision the fact is that it will have a major impact on the Phins.

Friday the 13^th might have serious implications on the future direction of this franchise. The path led by the moustache man seems quite simple as Schefter reported Fisher is a big Ireland fan, so I would expect that they would work together in making personnel decisions.

Fisher has been a part of rebuilds and I assume wants no part of that in Miami and would make it a priority to first find his QB and second bring in pieces through the draft and free agency to help build a winner quickly in Miami. Fisher probably realizes that he would have more resources in Miami then he did with the Titans.

I expect things to move very quickly if Fisher does in fact come to Miami and it is already rumoured that he has a potential staff step up. Mini Shotty and Greg Williams are two names that have been linked to Fisher. It would seem that Fisher is committed and committed now which is refreshing for a Dolphins fan that is accustom to mediocrity.

Now the big question is what happens if Fisher decides to coach the Rams?

There is the wait and see on Joe Philbin approach which is enticing due to his success with the Packer offence and the potential of Matt Flynn being brought in but there are also questions of what type of staff he would form and his lack of head coaching experience.

Then there is the Mike Zimmer option, my personal plan B as I have previously blogged however there is also the worry that this team needs to be focused on the offensive side on the ball which is not Zimmer’s expertise.

We can’t forget the Chud coaching option everyone’s favourite Little Giant’s fan. Chud is probably the hottest coordinator in the league this year after the work he did with Sir Cam Newton.

Whatever will happen on Friday the 13^th or over this weekend or dare I should say a little long will have a great impact on the future of this organization so here’s to hoping were heading into the right

Dear Coach Fisher,

As you are mulling over your options, please considering the following should you decide on Miami:

1. Miami is a special place and has special fans. Miami fans travel in droves to West and East Coast

2. Should you decide on the 4-3. Choose your defense wisely. Terminate the players who have less than 10 tackles And zero sacks. Keep guys like Odrick, Soliai, Langford, and feel free to add additional pieces.  An injured Urlacher, unhealthy Briggs from Chicago would be healthy enough to dominate on the defense.

Please trade Koa Misi for a 7th rounder. Jeff Ireland can assist with getting value in the 7th round.  He can be like a puppy dog on draft day.  While you are out getting the "groceries" he can be on 32 phone calls at once getting value.

3. Do not run Reggie Bush on an Iso play or veer, ever! Let Reggie run wild out of other formations. Let him line up out wide in the slot.

4. Please keep Matt Moore because he is a leader and is good for any 8 games next season. Start whoever you want, draft whoever you want, and trade for whoever you want. I guarantee that after a 4-4 start, Matt Moore is your guy for the rest of the season.

5. Please upgrade the tight end position. Fasano has done well. We just need a fast explosive tight end see TE Chris Cooley in Washington or even Fred Davis.  When in doubt take both!

 6. If you draft a Wide Receiver, please find one to compliment Brandon Marshall. One that can drive Marshall to work so he doesn't take a cab and talk to on the phone at night if he just needs a friend.  One that can catch and hold on to the ball in traffic and is not afraid of the first down marker.

 7. If there isn't language in your contract about seeing your son play at Auburn on Saturdays, there really should be.

 8. When considering what to do with Jake Long, ask him to go to the right side and then trade for a Left Tackle or acquire one in free agency. Long can stay healthier moving to RT.

 9. The 8th or 9th pick should be converted into a first rounder and two second round picks. That's it. Don't get in the way of trying to draft a QB at 9/8 unless Andrew Luck suddenly slips and falls and requires surgery on his left arm. Then forget everything listed above and trade away picks and Jake Long, but only if you speak with Oliver Luck first.

 10. Remember the first year is about beating teams in the division. Win those games. Don't watch film on other opponents especially the ones in the NFC west. They all stink. Even the Rams a team you are considering. They'll lose more because Bradford is a modern day Trent Green.

 * Miami is not the place to live. Please live near the facility. We need to see your car parked there George Constanza style. We want you to work your tail off.

 ** When in doubt in game situations, field position doesn't win ball games. Go for every 4th and 2 all game long. Don't punt before a half if you are in striking distance. Don't celebrate a field goal, ever!  A golf clap will do. Use your mathematical intelligence from USC to calculate how many points you should win by.

If you meet all of these expectations, we will all, as Dolfans sport our own Mustache in celebration and welcome you with open arms.

Sincerely,

Dolfans everywhere

In the 2011 off season the Dolphins started a full fledge media circus in the process of trying to lure now 49ers head coach Jim Harbaugh, now one season removed it would seem that the Dolphins are going for round 2.

While note entirely their fault the Dolphins have been forced to wait for the past week or so for Jeff Fisher to make his decision to coach either the Dolphins or Rams. Despite initial reports from Jay Glazer that it was all but inevitable that Jeff would be the Rams coach it appears for whatever reason (a potential move to LA, preference of organizational structure) Fisher has shifted his preference to Miami.

With that being said nothing is ever simple in Miami and today for a short amount of time the media circus caused from a Dolphins coaching search reappeared.

It is a bit unclear whether a rumour started from a fan or from media however there was a report that ESPN radio announced Fisher was in the midst of signing with Miami and there would be a press conference later in the day to make the announcement.

As time started to tick, the social media world slowly discovered that the rumour was completely false and while many insiders such as Michael Lombardi or SI’s Don Banks report that Fisher still is leaning towards the Dolphins there has been no official word on what Fisher decision will be and there was certainly never a press conference planned.

The power of social media was shown 10 fold this afternoon as the entire dolphins fan base was excited then disappointed and perhaps even more pissed off within hours. Some would argue that while we all love sitting on our computers anxiously waiting for twitter breaking news that twitter is often not the best form for releasing this type of news as this is the second time the dolphins fan base will be left disappointed. While I still believe Fisher will land in Miami it appears there is no avoiding the circus for this Dolphins organization.


After another day of waiting it appears Fisher will hopefully/ finally make up his mind this Friday.

Shefty reported today, Source said Jeff Fisher is making sure he has ideal situation. "This is not about money, not about negotiating. This is about winning."

Dolphins fans and Rams fans are running out of patience, so please for Tim Tebow’s sake please make your decision already.

Like it or not, Stephen Ross is the boss.  He payed a handsome fee for the Miami Dolphins in 2008 and he found a way to make the team seem more like they played in Hollywood with orange carpets and celebrity minority owners, but without the "Showtime" feel on the field.

Of course, he's been saddled with current GM Jeff Ireland and heavy media coverage hovering over his headquarters in Davie, Florida like the chopper he owns to avoid traffic. 

As Dolfans, we feel slighted, we feel like the sky is falling constantly with a "woe is me" attitude, and we feel the stigma of what it means to be a Dolfan rooting for a team that has had 3 coaches fail to get the Dolphins over the hump that is the AFC East. (Sparano's first season had a 4-2 record versus the AFC East, but the only season where the playoffs was achievable.)

In 2005, Nick Saban in his press conference talked about being relentless and he put the AFC East on notice.  Seasons of 8-8 and 6-10 did the Dolphins no favors and before he had a chance to improve the team in his image, he left.

As Dolfans we were scratching our collective heads as to why the Alabama job was better than an NFL job.  We soon found out when Saban bolted for nearest exit and took his fridge full of Little Debbie Cakes with him. 

In 2007, Randy Mueller and Cam Cameron, the equivalent of Jeff Bridges and Jim Carey in the Dumb and Dumber film took the stage by resting their hopes on a quarterback on journey man quarterback Trent Green that would carry the team to new heights only to see a record number of teammates on IR.  Cameron and Mueller were gone at season end.  Not even a sole win and gaining the #1 pick could save them.

In 2008, the Miami Dolphins hired Bill Parcells to right the ship, to bring back respectability, to get big and strong guys that wanted to play in Miami and that strived to be Bill's guys.  Not even Bill Parcells could hire a football coach that had head coaching experience. He brought in Tony Sparano.  Sparano did not finish with a bang and the dynamic offense that was promised was status quo from previous years after a slow 0-7 start in 2011.

It is now 2012 and the season had some real ups and downs and as fans we all had qualms about whether or not the Dolphins should tank the season for a number one pick in the draft or win games for their embattled coach Tony Sparano.  I can admit I found myself quitting on the team in the 4th quarter and then cheering like heck when the Dolphins played well together to win 6 games.   

As Dolfans we have to realize that the task of getting the right coach is the responsibility of our principal owner in Stephen Ross.  Mr. Ross has that task of finding the best coach for this team.  He has the task of winning over the fans, but he wants people to enjoy the product on the field.  He wants to sell tickets.  The Miami Dolphins are Stephen Ross' team.  Not any coach that will be in Miami.  Purely Stephen Ross' team.

We cannot come to grips why the Miami Dolphins franchise is not one of those pearls in the ocean of NFL teams.  Why the Miami Dolphins are no longer "dolphin safe" and do not come with a guarantee because they are poached constantly by all other football teams in the division. Playing versus Belicheck and Brady is not a comforting feeling for any coach and the uprising of the Jets and quite possibly the Bills has left the Dolphins looking up instead of down to the competition. 

Whether we like it or not, Mr. Ross is the boss.  He is the owner.  It is his money.  Can we choose to not buy into his product? 

Sure we can.  As can we get rid of the Sunday Ticket if we live outside of Florida or we can stop buying Miami Dolphins jerseys and hats.

At this point, we are Dolfans, we must stand strong and even though we might not support what the owner does, believe that he is giving it his best shot so we don't have to be eliminated from the playoffs every October.