BNF- to each his own, there are more then one philosophy in coaching. But to say Sparano is foolish or has a bad one is just not being fair..... When his team and philosophy come together it leads to wins in the NFl.... A dominant defense and good players on the offensive line is never going to be a bad thing in the NFL.... Pouncey is looking better and better each weak... And a weak offensvie line coming out f the gates has been coached up and playing pretty strong... These were the same guys that were horrible in begining of this year... So what does that say about his coaching ability... THis team is strong, and so is Sparano as a coach, i will agree, we always start slow and this year it was exasperated by the lack of an offseason, but other then that I believe in Sparano and the foundation of this team....sucks we started so slow, we really could have been 7-5 or better this year at this point in the hunt if the defense came together a little earlier....

I am very supportive of keeping Sparano if the Phins continue playing the way they are.

This team should be equally judged from start to finish. Why anyone would over-emphasize the first part of this season not logical.

If anything, more weight should be placed on how this team plays in December and in the 4th quarter of games.

If Sparano has found a formula that allows this team to keep winning then I'll take winning any day of the week.

Tip of the Ole Hat to BNF !!!

Talk about perspective, BNF is my selection for HC !!

It is hard to believe folks are so forgiving of Sparano.

Yeah, keep him around (Sparano) another year and maybe he will be
nominated for NFL coach of the year. I am sure he will do better then, say, Harbaugh who aleady has done more in one year then Sparano will in ten.

Funny how we all forget that we were 11-5 with decent QB play.

Since Penny left and Henne was force fed upon this team by the F.O. to be the undisputed starter this team went belly over. That's right, our boy T was the rookie coach of the year when he had the right tools on the field to work with.

808phan Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Funny how we all forget that we were 11-5 with
> decent QB play.
>
> Since Penny left and Henne was force fed upon this
> team by the F.O. to be the undisputed starter this
> team went belly over. That's right, our boy T was
> the rookie coach of the year when he had the right
> tools on the field to work with.


Pretty sure 3 straight losing seasons trump one 11-5 season

Jim B Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> If anything, more weight should be placed on how
> this team plays in the 4th quarter of games.


This is exactly why Sparano needs to go! How many games have been lost at the end over the past few years because of poor playcalling and time management, the offense's failure to score TDs in the red zone or even to sustain a drive when the game is on the line, and the defense's failure to stop an opponent's game-winning drive. Miami is always out-coached in the 4th quarter, which is why we have a losing record. Against the Raiders we were shut out in the 4th quarter while our defense failed to stop Oakland from scoring twice. Our only wins this year have been against poor teams, or half-decent teams that allowed us to jump out to a nice lead. The Cleveland, Denver, Dallas, and Giants games would have been wins if this team knew how to put away an opponent. This "turnaround" does not mean that Miami is now a good team... it means that Miami can now occasionally win against other poor or injury-depleted teams.

The point is:

The team is NOT following Sparano’s philosophy at this point, which was overruled by the players and the 0-7 record.

Reality is: the players are impacting practice, game planning, and leadership.
Right now I don’t know how you’d define Sparano’s role.

100% certainty #1: Sparano’s approach (i.e., philosophy) was not working.

100% certainty #2: Sparano obviously misread a lot about this team’s composition and their associated skill set. He was NOT getting the most out of these guys

The real question is: can this type of “arrangement” (and I don’t know what else to call it at this point) work game in and game out. Can Sparano be a highly successful HC by delegating a part of his job description to the players? And if so, does that make certain players (specifically the ones in leadership roles) essentially “untouchable?” It’s a weird kind of deal IMO.

I think you are over-stating the role of the players.

Tony listening to the veterans and making changes is not 'being over-ruled'. That is called 'listening' and 'considering' and 'adapting', Which has been 'effective'.


Things change, people change.

Bill Belicheck had a poor record as a HC in Cleveland. he learned something from it. Changed. Now he is a different coach.

It goes the other way too. Some coaches are successful, put more weight on 'their' contribution and underestimate the impact of the players....and then go on to be less-effective.

You guys can disregard things like the Lock-out and coaching changes...but that is a mistake.

Buffalo, Jets, Chargers, Eagles all had continuity in their coaching/QB/OC...they all got off to a quick start and have suffered since.

Raiders, Chiefs, Bengals, US had new coaches/startingQB/OC situations and looked like crap early and are picking up steam and playing well.

And our situation is the only one where the Head Coach was castrated by the owner in the off-season, the starting QB was out by week 4, and the back-up had been with the team for 8 weeks.

Don't forget how everyone was roasting Brandon Marshall for dropping a game winning TD pass in 3 of those early losses. Marshall catches those balls thrown in well designed, properly coached plays and we are 7-5 hunting for a play-off spot with a back-up QB at the helm.

Nothing can be viewed in isolation. Everything has to be weighed and considered.

The prisoners certainly CANNOT run the asylum, but I'm wondering what makes you think Sparano is deligating to players rather than deligating to assistant coaches. Most successful HCs deligate a lot of work to assistants. I think Sparano HAS let go of the reins quite a bit, but I don't believe the players are steering the ship right now.

My problem with getting rid of Tony is simple.... in the last ten years how many franchises have changed coaches or Regimes... And how often have those changes in Regime worked out... I would say less then 30 percent at best... That means we have a 70 percent chance give or take at failure if we change regimes and only a 30 percent chance of success probably alot less then that on a 5 year basis... SO IMO, keeping Sparano and what he has built in place would be less of a risk then that of changing to the unknown... The unknown is not always better then the known, in fact most of the time it isnt...

Hire gruden or cowher and you will see a 99 percent for the better. Sparano needs to hit the road.

See directly above.

If I were Ross, I'd privately consult with some highly regarded "football minds" (read as NOT Parcells!) to take a look at the big picture and try to figure out why Miami can't win close games. A team that can go toe-to-toe with the big boys should have a winning record. A team that can dominate for 55 minutes should never lose the game in the last 5 minutes. What exactly is holding us back from being a contender? Coaches? Coaching philosophy? Player execution? Poor playcalling? Lack of playmakers on the roster? Lack of motivation at the end of a close game?

IMO, it's poor coaching decisions during crunch time (failure to sustain drives when you need to run out the clock, using prevent defense when you need to force a 3 and out) and lack of enough playmakers. I think that we're just a few players away from being pretty good, but we're still losing games the same way that we lost them 2 years ago. Sparano hasn't shown that he can learn how to win a close game. He's had 4 years, but we still lose games that we should have won easily.

The thing is that clutch situations put everyone in a squeeze and playmakers need to step up and make plays.

IN our 0-7 losses...Henne got us into the red zone, plays were called that had guys in position to 'finish'...Henne missed on some open guys. Clutch QB's hit those MOST of the time.

In those losses Brandon Marshall had opportunities to pull down a game changing ball in the endzone or for 1st down. Play called, X's & O's worked, Brandon dropped the ball. No clutch.

Now it is on the Defense to step up, or for the coach to manage the clock perfectly. And if they don't ...the flaws are exposed. BUT....if the key guys make the play? The coach doesn't have to make quick tough gameday decisions.


When Tom Brady is 'off', the Pats defense is not good enough to win the game. When Tom Brady is 'on'? They still are flawed but it doesn't matter....Tom and Wes get the job done.


Many of us believe Moore is playing better than Henne did. Henne started the first 4 games, and Moore barely got reps with the 1st unit unitl Henne went down.

Right now, Sparano, has Moore playing better than any Miami QB other than Pennington since Marino left. And with a Qb who can make a few plays? they are winning games.

If they go 2-2 in the next 4, then I will be mildly supportive, but if they win out? Beating our division rivals....with a balance of run and pass, scoring in the red zone, holding teams to low scores?

It would be crazy to fire him.

No. Please. No.

Realist, if Sparano wins out then absolutely he deserves more pizza and maybe a few beers as well. But I think he’d be more successful on a vegan diet with lots of fermented soy protein and a variety of legumes including split peas and lentils. Tony could be that guy. And how about the nutrients packed in fibrous mushrooms and of course acorn squash? That’s the ticket to a superior air attack!

BNF.

Wow? Not sure what to sat to that. You're humour eludes me...as does any point you may have been trying to make.

Thought we were talking about football?

If Sparano wins out? He will have even more support than he has now. If he ends this run beating the Bills, Jets, and Pats...and they are solid balanced wins? It will be pretty interesting around here.

Realist,

Not sure what BNF said, because I blocked him months ago. Not because I dont like him or anything, he actually is a cool dude, I suppose...

But I never understood any of his posts, and they give me headaches.

---------------------

"When you suck long enough, you get a Hickey"

Sorry, DUH. Sometimes a bit of sarcasm or just plain humor gets lost in all this “serious” life and death football stuff.

My point is:

Yes, I 100% agree. If the team wins out Tony deserves another year. I think he’ll be back even at 7-9 because (it just seems to me) he’s learned a very critical lesson this year and he could be a much better HC from here on out.

I’m still not sold on his football IQ in the sense I don’t see him bringing a decisive advantage to either side of the football, but the turnaround this year (at least so far) is really impressive, and it’s obvious the strike hurt this team a ton.

But most important, the team is rallying around Moore and playing some solid ball. So we may have FINALLY turned the corner (which as we all knew last year, for that to happen Henne needed to go).

Yea, I wanted Henne to be successful this year. He made strides...enough to stay in the starters spot....but not enough to make anyone think he was our future.

Sparano was hurt by the lock-out, the fact that we didn't draft a QB to compete with Henne, and the fact that Ross started a 'countdown to rebuild' with his flight across America.

Henne getting injured made it unlikely that we would win the next few games since Moore was a new signing with a new OC...but Moore may be the thing that buys Sparano another year.

IF Moore can win now....then he should be better with a whole off-season of work with Daboll and his WR's....not to mention any new talent brought aboard.

If they finish 7-9 or 8-8, Sparano and the current group offer a realistic shot at a play-off run. A new Coach offers a realistic rebuild.

First of all, unlike some others, I have an open mind and don’t take my opinion as written in stone. A lot of things can happen, and sometimes the breaks go your way. I liked what I saw from Moore in preseason, and said if we started 0-2 I’d like to see him inserted into the mix. Well, in predictable fashion, we lost EVERY GAME Henne was involved in, and it took a few games for Moore to ramp up. But the difference between Moore at QB and Henne is so obvious even you must see it.

I think its quiet possible we got really lucky with this kid. He’s in the right place at the right time, and his NFL career looks to be on a very positive arc right now. And bottom line, the players like his game and believe he’s got the chops to win. And he’s winning…

As far as the wildcat et cetera, why do you keep living in the past? I mean seriously dude, that’s such a broken record and it’s in the PAST. End of story. The team dynamic is significantly different than a year ago – so try to have an open mind about things because there’s been a lot of change as this season has unfolded.

As far as Sparano, he’s taken a lot of hits in the last year and yet he’s still hanging in there. The dude’s character is absolutely impressive that way. He’s certainly one tough minded SOB and I get the impression he’s learned a lot. Most important, the team is still behind him – though of course it seems like there’s been some struggles in that regard.

But Tony just might be dogged enough and tough minded enough to actually be a successful HC. Though I am not 100% sold on that at this time – I am willing to give the man the benefit of the doubt IF the team performs at a high level in the last 4 games.

Yea, it sucks donkey penis we started 0-7 and blew the whole season. But that’s also over at this point, and this kid Moore is showing some really good stuff, and that’s great news in these parts because Henne is a garbage NFL QB and the PLAYERS knew that!

BNF.

I hope moore gets knee cramps for the last 4 games.

Oh, for Godsakes, BNF, you blame Henne for everything and blame the Head Coach for nothing.

That's the stupidest thing I've heard anybody on this board say.

Did Henne play DEFENSE last year? NO!!!!

But Sparano did coach both the offense and defense? Yes!

Did Henne even CALL THE OFFENSIVE PLAYS, last year or even the first few games this year? NO!!!!

Sparano Henning and Daboll called them until Matt Moore said "F you."


And you blame Henne and want to keep SPARANO?

What's the matter, have you run into Henne and he offended you somehow?

Have you run into Sparano and has he patted you on the head?

I admire the coaching staff for what they have done with no off-season, knowing that their jobs were shopped around the open market, etc..

Keep hearing Sporano sucks, that he has no imagination. Granted, I'm not a huge fan of kicking 5 fgs a game. He thought out of the box enough though to change the training schedule and it's paid off.

Many times in a coaches career, there is one instance that makes the coach - bledsoe getting hurt to be replaced by Brady, the Saints recovering the onsides kick in the Superbowl etc.. If those things don't turn out right then Belicheat is a retread and Sean Payton couldn't win the big one

Henne sucks. End of story. Once again, this is NOW, not the past.

I’ve been very critical of Sparano and Ireland, but the results are trending (read that word and understand: “trending” as in moving in a specific direction) that I like.

Different results = different opinion. Can you comprehend that?

Things can change yahoo, and when they do its good to keep an open mind as to where things are going (once again, consider the “trend”). But it’s obvious you think Henne suffered under some grand conspiracy theory to make the kid look bad and blah blah blah. Give it a rest Wilbur.

Moore is good medicine and Henne is poison. Spit the poison out and move on. The team is playing a LOT better with Moore and guess what, Tony Sparano is still the coach! I mean, like dude, how can that be? Let me guess… Maybe Henne sucks and the players don’t believe in him. Could that really be? Is it possible?

Now keep in mind, I’m not saying Sparano has done a great job, but the results (as of lately) are a positive sign. And IF (???) the trend continues (once again, read the words), I’m in support of this regimes continued work. And more than that, I’d like to see us stay focused on the OL and complete that rebuild this draft. Comprende?

BNF.