Friday, February 19, 2010

Tin Bits - Weekend Edition

  • This is unrelated to the Dolphins and the NFL, but I had to share this with someone and since my non-sports loving co-workers and family wouldn't give a toss, I'm sharing it with you kind folk.  This kid is clearly the next Ocho Cinco.
  • More details on the Jason Taylor shoulder surgery.  Since Taylor would be unable to work out for 3 months, he wouldn't be able to pass a physical therefore I don't think he could sign with anyone until after the draft.  He gets to avoid yet another set of voluntary OTAs.  I think we may want to plan to move on without him at this stage.  I'm not saying we shouldn't re-sign him, but that we should PLAN that he will not be starting for us in 2010.
  • Speaking of aging Dolphins, when is Miami going to sign Zach Thomas so he can retire a Dolphin?  I don't see why they haven't done it yet, but if they don't do it by the opening home game of the regular season I will have to burn something with a Dolphins emblem on it in protest.  I'm worried that the complete change of front office staff means there's no one who even remembers as far back as a few years ago.  If Stephen Ross wants to improve the atmosphere and sell more tickets to the...err...Stadium (what's it called this week?), he may want to think about honoring some football people rather than Tennis, Baseball, and Real Estate moguls.
  • Are you happy with Miami's tight-end situation?  Matt Williamson of Scouts Inc had this to say: "In Miami, I can live with Anthony Fasano Of course he isn’t real flashy, but he does sure fit the Bill Parcells mold at the position. He is smart, tough, a hammer in the run game and has been productive near the goal line. The problem here is that Miami is just so weak at wide receiver that Fasano’s lack of big-play ability is exposed. But this is a solid football player. Backup Joey Haynos gets a lot of playing time, but his role as a blocker is pretty clear. He isn’t going to cause any mismatches in the passing game."  If Fasano has been productive near the goal line, it's only in comparison to his production on the rest of the field.  He's got hands of stone, my friends.  Tony 'Stone Hands' is what they call him back 'in the neighborhood'.  IMO, Haynos has much better hands, but he's a bit too big and cumbersome to make many plays downfield.  I was disappointed the Dolphins didn't use Kory Sperry more because Fasano certainly didn't deserve to come back into the line-up after he healed from injury.  For what it's worth, I would re-sign Fasano to a reasonable contract, then trade him before the draft.  The re-signing would bump up his trade value.  I think this year's draft has a pretty good TE crop and we should be able to go there in the 4th or 5th round (after we package together a couple 6ths to move up of course).
  • This is noteworthy from 2009 - with Jake Grove in the line-up, the Dolphins ran the ball for 44 yards more per game than when he was out of the line-up.  When Jason Ferguson was in the line-up, the Dolphins held their opponents to 44 yards less per game than when he was out of the line-up.  Therefore, Grove + Ferguson = 88 yards. 
  • Now, we hear this rumour all the time as Dolfans, but whispers that Miami is close to a trade for Anquan Boldin have re-surfaced and I even heard a rumour that Chad Henne himself believes this is happening.  Personally, I think it's an expensive upgrade for an aging, injury-prone player, but when he's healthy he's a game-changer.  But I don't believe the rumours until I see an actual report and not some beating around the bush hearsay from the Miami Herald.
 
 

44 comments:

  1. The Knight who says Ni!February 19, 2010 at 12:17 PM

    I don't know what to make of that letter. How old was that kid? Is he from earth?

    Fasano is a hammer in the run game?

    I like the Fergy/Grove math. LOL

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  2. The Knight who says Ni!February 19, 2010 at 12:17 PM

    I don't see the Dolphins giving up more than a 4th round pick for Boldin.

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  3. I don't know about that scouting report of the dolphins TEs, the guy must be from Jersey.  Sorry Knight...  Fasano can block now, I guess he aquired those skills after the year was over.

    As for the Kid that wrote that letter I can only hope his math skills are better than his writting skills He, He, He.  My Wife works in a Elementary School, I'm going to ask her if that letter is what an average 12 year old writting skills would be, I'll let all of you know what she says.  This should be interesting !!!

    As for Grove and Feggie being the better players I'm sure that is true.  But lets not forget the start of the year we had when they were at full strength,  not good from what I remember.

    How old is Bolden ?   There is no doubt he has been beat up the past 2 years but he can play for sure.  I wouldn't be trading for him though unless as Knight thinks it's all in our favor.

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  4. OK, Grove is worth 44 yards per game more and Miami scored a point for every 15 yards gained, so Grove was worth 3 points every game he played.

    Fergie allowed 44 fewer yards each game and the Dolphins gave up 14.33 yards per point allowed, so Fergie took 3 points away from opponents.

    Together, they are worth 6 points a game!

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  5. canam, or you could just say on average a team scores 6 points for every 80
    yards (which is also true) they gain.

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  6. "As for Grove and Fergie being the better players I'm sure that is true.
    But lets not forget the start of the year we had when they were at full
    strength, not good from what I remember."
    Well we had the top run defense in the league, and we didn't really run the
    ball at all in the first couple of games since our fearless leaders panicked
    in the 1st or 2nd quarters and gave up on the run.
    "How old is Bolden ? There is no doubt he has been beat up the past 2
    years but he can play for sure. I wouldn't be trading for him though unless
    as Knight thinks it's all in our favor."
    I think he is 30 now so he'll probably be 31 some point during the season...

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  7. We Have Playmakers???February 19, 2010 at 1:34 PM

    <span><span>"...The problem here is that Miami is just so weak at wide receiver that Fasano’s lack of big-play ability is exposed. But this is a solid football player. Backup Joey Haynos gets a lot of playing time, but his role as a blocker is pretty clear. He isn’t going to cause any mismatches in the passing game.</span></span><span>""<span></span></span>

    Tins,

    This is why I don't read most of the the other writers at ESPN.  I like Tim Graham. He only covers the AFC East & he knows what he's talking about.  IMO--Fasano is NOT a solid football player.  Lack of big play ability???  I'd be happy if had 8-10 yard ability.  He's a liability as receiver & I think it's fairly obvious that Haynos has better hands. I think he caught every ball that was thrown his way.  I only wished he got more opportunities & I also was encouraged by Sperry's performance in his first game.  And btw of course Haynos can cause mismatches in the passing game, the guy is f#cking 6'8!!!" 

    As for Boldin, talk is cheap already.  He'll be 30 next October but he still has a 3 or 4 really good years left if he can stay somewhat healthy.  Instead of throwing darts at a board & picking a young WR that has not proven he can even play at the NFL level, I'd love to have him in Miami.  We tried to get the bigger, more physical WR last year with Patrick Turner & he had zero catches last year.  If Turner starts to develop as a pro & can produce on the field this year then great but Boldin is a playmaker & could be a gamechanger for us.  Turner's very young & there's no way you can give up on a player after one season BUT at the same time you also can't count on much from him yet.

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  8. Is that with the INTs and fumbles or without? 

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  9. We Have Playmakers???February 19, 2010 at 1:36 PM

    29.  Will be 30 in October & we need him very badly.

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  10. This is Fang's wife:  Can you believe how much we have lowered our standards of learning?

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  11. Except when those teams played the Cowboys, 49ers and Ravens, who forced teams to go an average of 19 yards to earn a point. 80 yards against them is only worth about 4 points. :-P

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  12. The Knight who says Ni!February 19, 2010 at 1:56 PM

    Haynos has had some drops and I agree with Tin, he may be too big and cumbersome to make plays down field. He is a good blocker though.

    ReplyDelete
  13. The Knight who says Ni!February 19, 2010 at 2:06 PM

    So what you're saying is that letter was written by a Senior in HS?

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  14. I was really disappointed in Fasano's play this year too but the year before I thought he played his heart out. I remember him carrying a couple guys just to get a few more yards or touchdown. The first game against ATL ruined his season. He just couldn't get his confidence back. So this year is really going to decide if he's a good player or not. It's like Bess he almost never dropped the ball then he goes & whiffs a punt & then the drops just kept on happening. I look forward to next year & seeing how these guys play together for a second year, chemistry has to get better!?!
    I think thats why our secondary really took a huge step back losing Goodman & Hill (I think I've made this point a few times) while not the best players the chemistry was there.

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  15. Yeah Haynos had a couple of drops last year, but they were of the 'looking
    up field before the ball gets there' type or were off of poor throws.
    Fasano on the other hand seemed to have some kind of Jack in the Box in his
    pads that would make any ball between the numbers pop out.

    ReplyDelete
  16. Many fans have problems with the way view the Dolphins.  I'm sorry I just expect the team to win.  I don't care who it takes to do that.  If Tilla the Hun was on the team with Jack the Ripper and they were winning that's a good day in Dolphin land.

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  17. Combine the spelling and a USF fan and I came to the conclusion the letter was from finfanrob.  :-D

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  18. These drops are not a confidence issue, it's a concentration issue. Guys
    usually have to be extremely confident in their abilities to make it to the
    NFL in the first place, and once there they don't lose that overnight.
    What's rule number 1 of football when you make a mistake? Forget about it
    and move on.
    You'll notice that Bess was fine for the first few games then went on a
    freefall with the drops for about 6 games before regaining form. This is a
    timing issue and thinking too hard or hearing footsteps. As for Fasano, I
    revert to my earlier theory that there is something built into his pads,
    maybe a shock buzzer that goes off if the ball touches him...or perhaps a
    Jets fan with a Fasano Voo-doo Doll.

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  19. Is Tilla the Hun Attila's sister?
    For the record, Jack the Ripper clocked a very fast 40....no one ever caught
    him in the act.

    ReplyDelete
  20. The Knight who says NiFebruary 19, 2010 at 3:42 PM

    Agreed on concentration. I think our passing game will progress with more experience playing together and building chemistry. Pennington settled things down, but even then we were still trying to build chemistry. Now Henne has to do that and there was signs of that down the stretch. It seems like we've been waiting for a passing game with familiar faces forever.

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  21. The Knight who says NiFebruary 19, 2010 at 3:43 PM

    LOL @ Jack in the Box comment.

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  22. Can you believe I missed the A in Atilla ?  Duh...  Yea I heard about Jacks time, he also has a slasher style...

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  23. IFFF we're gonna trade for a WR,I'd prefer a young Brandon Marshall over an 11 game per yr 30 yr old Boldin!!

    But I guess b/c of the X'd CBA,BMarshall will be an unaffordable RFA rather than the UFA he was scheduled to be!
    That is IFF Den hasn't already extended him!!

    I wanted Boldin 3-4 yrs ago,and still think he's a force WHEN HEALTHY,
    but HEALTH doesn't get easier after 30,and he hasn't been 100% through an entire season for 3 plus yrs!!

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  24. ""Jets fan with a Fasano Voo-doo Doll."" 
    Actually I've been thinkin that for several yrs,during those times when it seemed we were jinxed!!
    I hear theres a Voo-doo parlor on every corner??

    In this case,it's more likely a Pats fan,the Irish can't stand the Italians.. I KNOW,I'm ItalIrish >:o *DONT_KNOW* (Respectfully).. 

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  25. Don't forget to hit the BOB link this weekend and vote for Tin's Fins!

    ReplyDelete
  26. The Knight who says NiFebruary 20, 2010 at 8:32 AM

    I'm not one of those fans pushing to trade for Boldin. But if we do I hope we give up nothing more than a 4th round pick.

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  27. I don't mind Bolden coming here if we don't give up much to get him.  He has a few years still in him plus I have been hearing Miami is one of the places he would like to come to. I don't know where I heard that.

    Which brings me to B. Marshall.  He typlifies the type of player that brings trouble with him.  We all need to remember he was suspended for a game last year, because of a hissy fit.  He is a great talent but do you think Miami wants him down here, if they have to put up with his off the field issues ? I think he's a few cards short of a full deck, or he is a freakin moron myself.

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  28. The Knight who says NiFebruary 20, 2010 at 1:01 PM

    Will Allen arrested on DUI. Come on Will!  >:o

    http://www.sun-sentinel.com/sports/miami-dolphins/sfl-dolphins-dui-20100220,0,5822491.story

    ReplyDelete
  29. The Knight who says NiFebruary 20, 2010 at 2:16 PM

    I'm not sure the trifecta wants to pay Marshall a lot of money and deal with his BS.

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  30. Knight I think if I would name 53 of the people that I know 5 of them would have problems with a DUI in any year I could mention.  Sometimes I hold the players to a standard that I know they can not reach.

    Will Allen will move on from this, and the DUI will be forgotten by the time training camp opens for next year.  So although I may not like what happened it won't effect his play on the field or his presense in the locker room.

    I wish him well and hope he gets his demons under controll.

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  31. Dolphin management could welcome Brandon Marshall and keep him in line as one of the best #1 WR in the NFLin 2010
    C`mon Man!
    Good thing T.O. , Keyshawn, Moss, Steve Smith, and Ocho Cinco never have had issues, Huh?
    WR attention issues are  almost always a distraction with theses Divas
    Good Relationship and coaching
    Yeah
    Real coaching and some psych training is required with some of theses star WRs
    Just like the Hollywood Actors
    We all know they act like spoiled babies at times but
    When they are "Game On"
    There is never a better performance
    A lot of the great ones need to be surrounded by good people(the right people)
    case in point ... Mike Tyson

    Myself
    Would Love to have Brandon Marshall on our team
    Think the best is yet to come for Florida Native Brandon Marshall
    Just check out the Def of game changing WR plays and his Stats and like U said he sat the last game for a hammy injury and another for butting heads with McDaniels

    Sick & Tired of the Dolphins NOT having a number 1 WR and not scaring anyone in the NFl
    AFC EAST now has some darn good CBs and we do not have much to test them
    Also makes me ill that teams like the Eagles made a living off the screen pass to Westbrook and Co
    And the Dolphins who have Receivers that scare no one can not run the screen effectively

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  32. 2007DEN16 102 1325 13.0 68 7 70 3

    1

    2008DEN15 104 1265 12.2 47 6 65 3 2 2009DEN15 101 1120 11.1 75 10 56 0



    Brandon Marshall Stats 2008 & 2009 only played 15 games
    Also was held out of alot of another game in 2009 by coach McDaniels so these stats in 2009 are basically from 14 games

    Remember our #1 WR Ginn had one WR TD in 16 games in 2009

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  33. This is what they said prior to last year also and his performance spoke for itself

    "Marshall missed a week in 2008 due to a suspension but still led the NFL in targets (181), caught 100 balls for the second straight year and caught a ridiculous 18 balls against the Chargers. But he has more question marks on him this year than the Riddler. He loses Jay Cutler under center, and has to deal with the dubious accuracy of Kyle Orton. Mike Shanahan's system is out and Josh McDaniels' system is in, and while that should bode well for him, you never know. He had hip surgery this winter, then asked to be traded this spring because of unhappiness over his contract. Marshall is a top-five WR."

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  34. The Knight who says NiFebruary 21, 2010 at 7:06 AM

    Putting the #1 WR tag on Ginn is unfair. Why not put that tag on any of our WRs and show their numbers? We don't have a #1 WR.

    For instance Bess has only 3 TDs on 130 career receptions. Ginn has 5 TDs on 128 career receptions. Camarillo has 4 TDs on 113 career receptions. Hartline has 3 TDs on 31 career receptions.

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  35. The Knight who says NiFebruary 21, 2010 at 7:08 AM

    Marshall catches a lot of passes but he does not gain a lot of yardage per catch and he doesn't score a lot of TDs. He's a bit overrated IMO.

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  36. I WANT him, but our desires (for or against) are irrelivant IFF he becomes a RFA,
    (which would cost rediculous compensation w'several EARLY RND DRAFT PKS),"as initially suggested"!!

    BUT I'D JUMP-on him as a UFA,(NO MATTER the DIVA/contract),
    and I CAN'T STAND the selfish/headcase/diva types!!
    (Cept for Moss,St Smith,OchoCinco and SOME other simular WR types),but would NEVER want TO/Keyshawn!!

    BUT it'd be AWESOME to have a WR that HAS TO BE GAMEPLANNED for!!
    I believe his problems last yr were due to loyalty to Cutler/Shanahan,
    and that the disrespect HE FELT was forced upon them required some form of payback..

    I believe he STILL has a chip on his shoulder and wants out of Den badly,
    would reward a change of scenery,but ONLY as a UFA for ""OUR"" FINS!!

    I DO BELIEVE WE NEED to acquire a TRUE ESTABLISHED #1 WR in FA!!
    I don't see us taking a WR in the draft until @LEAST on a crap-shoot 3rd rnd plus prospect,
    (DWilliams, JShipley, TPrice, CMitchell, MWilliams, EDecker, DGettis, RCopper, BWhite, FBarnes, DAlexander)..

    (UNLESS a TOP 4 prospect falls to the 2nd rnd),DBryant, BLaFell, DThomas, ABenn(MY TOP FIN PROSPECTS)!!

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  37. This ia another misleading  bullshiet stat
    Bess is a slot receiver that primarly has a job to catch short passes as indicated bt management
    Ginn is suppose to catch the long balls for TDs and also has played one more season
    5 WR TDs for your number one WR
    Like it or not
    Make all the excuses and try to justify Ginns production sucking earning  5 TDs for 3 years as a deep threat and #1 WR
    But his bottm line production sucks
    Cannot compare Ginn to Greg Cam
    Cam does not start
    Bess is a top 5 slot receiver in the NFL (watch this season)
    and Ginn is on the absolute Bottom for an acting# 1 WR deep threat
    Most of all he is a little pu$$y afraid of contact WR
    I am embarrassed to have this flag football little Bietch ted ginn on our team
    Put that pu$$y ginn in the slot he would catch next to nothing, out of fear

    Ginn Sucks as a WR after 3 years
    The pu$$y gets 1 WR TD in his third season playing 16 games
    Ginn Sucks
    Period

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  38. Athlete's getting DUIs is just foolish.  They have a TON of money, just get a cab or hire a tow truck to bring you and your car home safely.  It's pretty simple folks...

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  39. a tow truck? it's not like they can't get one of their 'posse' to take them
    back to the car in the morning. But based on the officer's account, Allen
    was bordering on aggression. Isn't he married with kids and a big role
    model-type? He seems to have gone through a personality change lately,
    maybe trouble at home?
    No excuses though, like Dawgg says, the other option are just too easy for
    someone rich and famous to avoid getting a DUI. Based on the time of the
    driving, the club/bar would've been closing down or been closed for a while
    - any respectable bartender/waitress/club owner/VIP attendant would've
    called a cab for the guy or drove him home themselves.

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  40. We're watching ourselves get dumber.  I got that from one of the lip smackers on first take this morning, it seems to suit America.

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  41. That letter is the lulz.

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