Finsmob Unleashed

Some deep thinking here, not quite Jack Handy, but deep nonetheless. One common thread, no matter how thick or thin, is that we all root for the Miami Dolphins football team. How we go about doing this though, varies greatly, even here on FMU, where the demographic is mostly middle aged to older than middle aged men, with exception of our wonderful Lisa, AKA Herd. We do, however, span the country, and reach beyond the borders of the contiguous United States, as far as Canada, Manitoba to be more specific, and the UK as well. We do have some silent readers in other places that don’t comment on the blogs, but thank you for reading. What’s really surprising to me is the differences we have as to how exactly we root for the team, what our expectations are for the team, and I find these differences are all over the place, and I think there’s a pretty wide chasm in the approach of our fandom.

I’m not going to make up specific categories for fans, because I think many of us dip into too many categories to just be classified as one particular type of fan. I’ll try to make it as simple as possible, this is not a scientific observation, it’s just my humble opinion on what I see here, and then also what I observe on the social media platform “X”, AKA “twitter”. I think the extremes are even further apart on “X”, probably as much of a difference between political affiliations like far left socialist progressives compared to far right conservative nationalists. It fascinates me, it truly does. I’ll say this, as a former New Yorker who grew up in a family of NY Jets fans, my dad, a fierce NY Jets fan never gave me any crud and allowed me to be a Miami Dolphins fan despite his loyal affiliation to the NY Jets. I thank him for that, and I will never forget when we were in Florida in 1983, in the 2nd week of January, when the New England Patriots were visiting the Miami Dolphins for a Wild Card matchup at the old Orange Bowl. We were in FLA on business, and my dad asked me if I would want to go the playoff game. My then 20 year old self was so excited, and so appreciative that I answered YES faster than a Jet plane. This game was the famed “No Snowplow” game, the revenge matchup for the December 12th, 1982 game in Foxborough where snowplow operator Mark Henderson illegally cleared the field for Patriots placekicker John Smith with his snowplow, and due to the now clear playing field, Smith connected on a 33 yard FG attempt to provide the lone score of the game. So this game on January 8th had many Dolphins fans carrying signs with a picture of a snowplow inside a red circle and crossed out with a big red slash insinuating snowplows would not be allowed. The Dolphins won that game, it was my first ever Dolphins game, and I’ll never forget how the bleachers shook at the Orange Bowl, it seemed as if the stadium might collapse. It’s a wonderful, cherished memory.

Fast forward to 2024, and I’ll say this as kindly as a I can. I used to rely on Dolphins Digest, and the couple of televised Miami Dolphins games against either the NY Jets, or the NY Giants, and of course the Monday Night Football matchups, which by the way, were glorious. They really were. Thanks to the NFL by over saturating the week with Thursday Night Football, the usual slate of Sunday games, and then of course Sunday Night Football too. I’m sure I’m not alone in being a fan that was practically salivating, waiting to see a marquis matchup on Monday Night Football with our Miami Dolphins. There was nothing like it, it was like a playoff game at any time during the season, the music, the graphics, the lead in, the excitement. Anyway, my point is, not only is the NFL over saturated, but information is as well. I paid extra to get my Dolphins Digest mailed “faster”, and the damn thing still arrived after the game had already been played to read the “preview”. Listen, it’s amazing to have information at your fingertips and a few keystrokes away, but do the positives outweigh the negatives of having access to all this information? I’m not so sure, it was much simpler then, we didn’t have a care about what athletes got paid, or even have access to that information. It really was easier back then, you simply appreciated any scrap of Dolphins info you could get, including the limited amount of televised games due to not living in Florida.

So back to “X”, where the Dolphins fanbase is truly all over the place, like I said, extremes. The fiercely loyal fans bristle at any negative talk and it amuses me as they gang up with tons of “likes” to scolding replies I get back. Again, I now have information at my fingertips, and perhaps unlike the fiercely loyal fans, I choose to read it. I also watch every game, every – single – Dolphins – game, and I SEE what is happening. I see our weaknesses, and our strengths too, and I’m not afraid to talk about either of them. The fiercely loyal toe the company line to an absurd end, I find talking to that lot a complete and utter waste of time, yet sometimes the worst of me prods me to engage. Now, there exists the other extreme, where practically nothing the Dolphins do is good. The GM is a buffoon, the HC is a twinkie, the QB sucks, and no one on the team can stay healthy (last year they were right!). I cannot be what the fiercely loyal would call a “Tua supporter”. I root for him when he plays, I think he’s a great kid, a nice caring, affable young man. As a QB, however, I see his flaws more than the fiercely loyal would ever care to admit, if they can actually see them. I bring up Tua, the most polarizing player on the team for a good reason, as the Dolphins and Tua’s agent try to nail down a contract extension. Let me be up front and clear. I want Tua to get paid the least amount of money as possible with the least amount of guaranteed money and an OUT clause that allows us to escape the contract if either Tua gets injured or doesn’t play well in those big games like the Finale of 2024 in our house, against the visiting Buffalo Bills, who overcame a 3 game deficit with 5 remaining and beat us down in front of our home crowd.

Like I pointed out earlier, information isn’t always a great thing. In addition to being able to stroke a few keys to get info, apps like Audacy and Tune In allow you listen to just about anyone and anything, which again gives you more “information” and a whole host of different opinions. None of this existed when I was a young man. It complicates things, trust me, it just does. The more you hear, the less you like. We didn’t have access to stuff like this and just made being a fan easier. Think back to those times, and you’ll realize what I mean. My problem is I admittedly listen to too much. One thing though, I do give myself credit for, is being a discerning listener. I’ve gotten much better at dissecting dialogue and and realizing that all is not as it seems. One example is Mike Florio, from Pro Football Talk. He is a regular guest, every Friday morning on WQAM in Miami. If you don’t know, Joe Rose, former Miami Dolphins TE is the host. Florio is widely regarded as the “boogeyman” by Dolphins fans. Just an out and out “Dolphins Hater”. I’m here to tell you he’s not. Unfortunately, our Miami Dolphins have so many negative things to discuss, from losing draft picks due to our owner tampering with Tom Brady and Sean Payton, way back to “Bullygate”, to HC Brian Flores making racial accusations against the Dolphins. We’re in the news cycle a lot, and it’s not usually pretty. Add in it’s been 24 years since the Miami Dolphins have won a playoff game, and we somehow expect as Dolphins fans to be mutually respected and revered by talk show hosts, NFL reporters, journalists and the like. Well respected, very knowledgeable NFL man Jeff Darlington, opines on our beloved QB Tua Tagovailoa, stating he feels like the Dolphins aren’t offering Tua a “Market value” contract. He gets LIT UP by the fiercely loyal, the blowback is comical to me. He covered the Dolphins while at the Miami Herald, lives in Fort Lauderdale, and covers the NFL now for ESPN. Do they add Jeff Darlington to the stack of “Dolphins haters”?

I don’t think Jeff Darlington hates the Dolphins. This will get folks mad, I don’t think Mike Florio hates the Dolphins either. I think it’s time for the Dolphins organization to be better, from the front office to the coaching staff and the players. Be consistent, be winners, and “Voila!”, respect and admiration will come with that. How many late season collapses have we had to endure here? I still have PTSD from going to NYC Dolphins bar Slattery’s, home of NYC Dolfans, watching a couple of late season games with playoff implications, only to leave there inebriated, disappointed, and crushed as a Dolphins fan. The first one was 2013, when the Dolphins traveled to Buffalo with an 8-6 record and having a favorable matchup with starting QB EJ Manuel OUT with an injury so we faced QB Thaddeus Lewis instead. Great, right? Well, as it turns out, the Dolphins, as Darius Rucker correctly pointed out, find ways to make Dolphins fans cry. Ryan Tannehill started and was mauled, sacked 7 times, in the FIRST HALF! Matt Moore came in the 2nd half for an injured Ryan Tannehill, and though some folks preferred Matt Moore to Ryan Tannehill, it wasn’t to be on that day. He threw a quick Pick 6 and the Dolphins lost 19-0.

My next venture to Slattery’s, and BTW, I do not hold them responsible for my misery, it’s not on them. It’s the Dolphins, always the Dolphins. The Dolphins were 7-4 in 2015 as I made my way to Slattery’s from NJ. They were facing off against the Baltimore Ravens December 4th. There’s nothing like a game against the Ravens as a Dolphins fan to bitchslap you back to reality! The Ravens crushed our Dolphins 38-6, and once again, another late season collapse as we finished outside the playoffs at 8-8. There are many more examples of such things, I don’t want to bore you with them, but I’m literally afraid to go back to Slatterys. I know what awaits me there. Failure, misery, disappointment. Once again, it’s not Slatterys, it’s our f*cking Dolphins!

So, back to QB Tua Tagovailoa, and his contract situation. Those of you whom are regular readers here know my feelings on Tua. I don’t believe Tua elevates the team when the team needs it. Excuses rain down in his defense with injuries, weather, all kinds of things, but when you’re looking to pay a player a massive contract, that stuff really matters. Which, is precisely why the contract that was rumored to be done shortly after training camp hasn’t yet materialized. I think Tua is a great teammate, I think he works as hard at his craft or harder than any QB in the league. Some players are clutch, they rise to the occasion when called upon. For MLB fans, players like Paul O’Neill, Scott Brosius come to mind. O’Neill was a gifted player, Scott Brosius not as much, but both played their best baseball when it counted, the playoffs, big games. QB Tua Tagovailoa is neither of these guys. He has come up small in those games, but that doesn’t mean he can never be that guy. Here’s the split. The fiercely loyal believe he will be, God bless them. I’m going to be 61 later this summer, and I consider myself a realist. Don’t come at with the Baltimore game in September when the entire Ravens secondary was out and we won 38-35. I loved that game, it was fantastic, it really was, but context is so important. The Ravens entire secondary was out, and again, it was in September, so no playoff implications at that juncture of the season, there was a whole season left.

Before you jump on me for stating the whole Ravens secondary was OUT, you’re the same person that will say Tyreek was hurting (He still played), The O-line was injured (It was basically the same O-line the 2nd half of the season), Jaylen Waddle was hobbled etc etc. OK, but there’s one constant, and that is QB Tua Tagovailoa doesn’t play well in those games. Go check it out for yourselves, the stats and play by play are readily available. Tua as of last week said the “The market is the market”. This after Trevor Lawrence signed a team friendly, $275M, 5 year contract. Massive, right? Wrong! The first 4 years of the contract, 2024-2027 pay Lawrence an average of $22.75M. His final year has a $47M cap hit, but only a $7M dead cap hit, which means if the Jags want to terminate the contract at that juncture, they can do so easily with minimal penalty. If Tua Tagovailoa wants that contract, by all means, sign THAT market contract, because after all, “the market is the market.”

In summation, don’t blame Mike Florio, Chris Simms, Jeff Darlington, or any other NFL affiliated talking head who says derogatory things about the Dolphins. Don’t blame them, blame the Dolphins. You want respect? Earn it! Don’t make it seem like you’re one of the top NFL teams because your QB led the league in passing yards, and you were 9-8 and then 11-6. 9-8 because the QB was hurt, and concussed multiple times during the season and couldn’t finish the season. 11-6 in 2023, SECOND PLACE IN THE AFC EAST, after having a 3 game lead with 5 games to go. Healthy, in 2023, but couldn’t finish the season. Oh, he played alright, but couldn’t F-I-N-I-S-H !!! Yes, finish strong, and win! Once again, don’t blame the defensive injuries, it’s embarrassing. Don’t blame the O-line, don’t blame nagging injuries to Hill or Waddle either. Blame the Dolphins for choking at the end of the season as per usghe. Why is it anyone who follows this team for the NFL should respect this team, or believe that they should be ranked near the top? I see this on X from the fiercely loyal and I laugh inside as I throw up in my mouth. They see what I see, what YOU should see but either choose not to, or just can’t process it properly because your emotions won’t allow you. It’s time for the Dolphins to step up and EARN that respect, win the damn division, win some playoff games and then who knows, we might all get what we want, happiness, and RESPECT.