Poll

If the Dolphins moved to LA, but the NFL kept the "Dolphins" name in Miami for a future team (ala the Cleveland Browns). Where would the loyalty go?

Only registered users are allowed to vote for this poll.
20 votes were received.

Would you follow the LA franchise?	6		30%
Follow another team until a team was back in Miami?	9		45%
Burn all of your Dolphins gear and follow another team for good?	5		25%

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With all this talk of moving, curious as to what everyone would do? Not sure I could even answer that question, i'd probably become a Packers fan like the rest of my family and see if I could muster up much enthusiasm for another Miami team at a later date.

I think I would. I would hate for it to happen, but I think I'm already emotionally attached to the people in this organization that I would still be a fan.

Plus, Im not one of the local guys anyways.

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

That's a tough question.

I hope I never have to answer it.

If they took the Dolphins history with them I'd probably root for the team in LA.

If they went with a different name out there I don't know what I'd do. I might find a new team like the Giants. I suppose it would boil down to how emotionally invested I was in our roster when it moved.



FYI...the reason Cleveland got to keep the Browns name and legacy was because they had agreed to build Modell a new stadium before he left and were willing to do so based on the promise that they would get an expansion team from the NFL.

The City/County of Miami, and the state of Florida, had a chance to make an even smaller investment in the Dolphins ($300m in Cleveland in 1997 vs $200m in S.Florida in 2013) and they didn't step up to the plate. I doubt they'd be able to keep the rights to something that belongs 100% to the owners of the team.

Maybe they get lucky and the new owners don't want the Dolphin name and they can buy it from them. Probably not though. If I'm the guy moving the team, I want to maximize my fan base. I'm going to get the fans in the new city no matter what the name is. If I can bring the majority of an existing fan base along with that I'm in a better position.

Afterall, Miami is a national team. Lots of fans all over the country. Its not limited to people with S. Florida ties.

I haven't lived in Miami since 1992 so this is a hard question. Hopefully I won't ever need to decide.

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The beatings will continue until morale improves.

The more I think about it, it would depend on the name, if it was the "LA Dolphins", i'd still be a fan, but if they left the name in Miami, all of the tradition would stay with the name IMO. Like you guys said, hopefully we never have to find out

I would probably boycott the NFL for a few years and then decide.

.....................................................................................
“I'm here" You're welcome!" - Kenny Powers

I'm not really sure. I'd probably continue to be a fan to some extent, but if Miami got a new team I'd probably defect to the team in the city. I used to be a big Laker fan, but when Miami go the Heat I became a huge Heat fan instead.

I'd just go to my Plan"b" team for a while , The Steelers. I was a huge Terry Bradshaw fan in the 70's , Still am. I wouldn't be a die heart fan anymore for sure. I hope it doesn't happen of course, but a small part of me would like to see it come close.

GO DOLPHINS!!!!

Extremely difficult question to answer, at this point in time, especially since it hasn't happened yet.

I live in San Diego, so no matter what, in the beginning, at least, San Diego would remain my #2 team.

If Miami were to immediately come up with a new team.....geez, I still can't answer that.

I am very familiar with the guys on the (proposed) L.A. Dolphins, so I.....ugh, I still don't know what I would do.

Well, just have to hope it never happens, but if it does....ummmm....nope, still can't answer it.

I'd get drunk, go to the city square and burn an effigy of our owner.

If your girlfriend left you to move to another city to snuggle up to somebody else and, changed her name, would you still love her. This scenario might not be very applicable to those of you who don't live in South Florida but, for me at least, it would be over for sure if the name changed. I wouldn't root against them but, I probably wouldn't buy the Sunday Ticket.

Hooligan2 Wrote:
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> If your girlfriend left you to move to another
> city to snuggle up to somebody else and, changed
> her name, would you still love her. This scenario
> might not be very applicable to those of you who
> don't live in South Florida but, for me at least,
> it would be over for sure if the name changed. I
> wouldn't root against them but, I probably
> wouldn't buy the Sunday Ticket.


Yeah, that's the dividing line for fans I think.

If you are a local S. Floridian you will feel like you are a spurned lover.

If you are from another state you are probably more inclined to go wherever the name "Dolphins" ends up, and feel more like the people of Miami drove her into someone else's arms by treating her poorly (to continue your analogy).

Frankly, its why I'd be concerned if Ross sold the team to someone without S. Florida roots.

As I said in another thread: because Miami is one of the few NFL franchises with a national fan base, that if you moved the Fins to LA you get half their existing fan base to go with all the new fans on the west coast. Its the optimum scenario for a new owner to hit the ground running.

If you moved the Bills to LA, you start from scratch with only the west coast fan base to sell merchandise to. Nobody in Buffalo is going to root for a team that dumped the city for the glitz and glamour of LA.

Good move State Senate of Florida!

Now you've given Ross a "reason" to move the team.

I'd still be first in line to buy season tix.

Come on, SoCalPhin.

I live in L.A. too.

And I have only set foot in Miami once on a stopover on the way to a vacation in Barbadoes.

However, to me the Dolphins belong in Miami. That's where they were when I followed Bob Griese to them in the Fall of 1967 and that's where they should belong.

However, if the DO move to LA as the Dolphins, and not some other name (other than the Junkyard Dogs), I would reluctantly, though not happily, root for them.

But another mascot name, I'm gone.

My Dad was a die heart Brooklyn Dodgers fan as a Kid. They didn't have much in those days and going to Ebbits field was a way of life. He is 81 now and still has not gotten over that incident. It permanently scarred him and he has a huge dislike for all professional sports. He will only watch College games to this day. I've got him to a few Dolphins games but he does it only for his grandsons. I took him recently to see 42 and he really enjoyed it. He said "those Sonsofbitches" a few times underhis breath.

GO DOLPHINS!!!!

This would be a tough pill to swallow. I can't even vote. I've been a fan of this team for 30 years and to move it would be total blasphemy.

agreed it would be blasphemy

ChyrenB Wrote:
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> (well, maybe I would if they took on a REAL GOOD
> mascot name like the "Los Angeles Junkyard Dogs"
> but absent them becoming the Junkyard Dogs (Bad,
> Bad, Leroy Brown), there would be nothing left of
> the Miami Dolphins for me to root for and I would
> be basically rooting for the Junkyard Dogs because
> I'd like their name, not because they USED to be
> the Dolphins.

Yeah but even then, THAT team would have first had to move from the South Side of Chicago! (if I remember Croce's lyrics correctly--LOVED that song as a kid)

Yeah, but you're right. But the name is still so cool. And it so applies to L.A.

I've been a Dolfan since 1969 (when I was nine years old). When Shula arrived, my dad got the whole family season tix. We were at every home game (including the playoffs) for the Perfect Season.

The Miami Dolphins are the only professional sports team that I am ....well....FANatical about. I've stuck with this team through thick and thin. When we went 1-15, I said we were the best 1-15 team in NFL history.

So I've been a Finfan during the last SIX DECADES: from the 1960s until this decade.

Jimmy Johnson's parade of convicts couldn't make me give up on this team.

Dave Wannstedt's deconstruction couldn't make me give up on this team.

Nick Satan, Can't Cameron and the Big Tuneout couldn't make me give up on this team.


But if they relocate the team from South Florida, so another billionaire businessman can suck up hundreds of millions of dollars in corporate welfare, then I am finsihed with the Dolphins and the NFL.

They can move to LA and call themselves the Los Angeles Smog Holes, and I'll still be a Miami Dolphins fan.

But it is obvious that this owner want this team to be great where it is in Miami Gardens. So I don't know why this is even an issue.

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Miami Dolphins. Always Perfect.

Body snatchers

.....................................................................................
“I'm here" You're welcome!" - Kenny Powers

xynz Wrote:
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> I've been a Dolfan since 1969 (when I was nine
> years old). When Shula arrived, my dad got the
> whole family season tix. We were at every home
> game (including the playoffs) for the Perfect
> Season.
>
> The Miami Dolphins are the only professional
> sports team that I am ....well....FANatical about.
> I've stuck with this team through thick and thin.
> When we went 1-15, I said we were the best 1-15
> team in NFL history.
>
> So I've been a Finfan during the last SIX DECADES:
> from the 1960s until this decade.
>
> Jimmy Johnson's parade of convicts couldn't make
> me give up on this team.
>
> Dave Wannstedt's deconstruction couldn't make me
> give up on this team.
>
> Nick Satan, Can't Cameron and the Big Tuneout
> couldn't make me give up on this team.
>
>
> But if they relocate the team from South Florida,
> so another billionaire businessman can suck up
> hundreds of millions of dollars in corporate
> welfare, then I am finsihed with the Dolphins and
> the NFL.


Well said! I was there in the stands with my dad as well during those years!

JC Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> xynz Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > I've been a Dolfan since 1969 (when I was nine
> > years old). When Shula arrived, my dad got the
> > whole family season tix. We were at every home
> > game (including the playoffs) for the Perfect
> > Season.

<snip>

>
>
> Well said! I was there in the stands with my dad
> as well during those years!

Do you remember when we beat the Colts 21-0, in the 1971 AFC Championship, to earn our first Superbowl berth? As the final seconds wound down, our entire section of the OB was chanting "Superbowl! Superbowl! Superbowl!". Over 40 years later, thinking about that moment still sends chills down my spine.

Those Dolphins went to THREE straight Superbowls, winning two of them back to back, while recording the only Perfect Season in NFL history.

Best. NFL Team. Ever.

who remembers the Miami Seahawks? Not me but it was a team.

.....................................................................................
“I'm here" You're welcome!" - Kenny Powers

eesti Wrote:
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> who remembers the Miami Seahawks? Not me but it
> was a team.

Where will those freakin' Colts move next?

xynz Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
>
>
>
> >
> >
> > Well said! I was there in the stands with my
> dad
> > as well during those years!
>
> Do you remember when we beat the Colts 21-0, in
> the 1971 AFC Championship, to earn our first
> Superbowl berth? As the final seconds wound down,
> our entire section of the OB was chanting
> "Superbowl! Superbowl! Superbowl!". Over 40 years
> later, thinking about that moment still sends
> chills down my spine.
>
> Those Dolphins went to THREE straight Superbowls,
> winning two of them back to back, while recording
> the only Perfect Season in NFL history.
>
> Best. NFL Team. Ever.


1971 was my first year going to the games. I remember a few from that year, but I believe my older sister got to go to that game instead of me (we had to take turns) so I was relegated to listening to the game on 610 WIOD on my trusty transistor radio. I went to the previous home game, the final regular season game vs the Packers (which turned out to be Bart Starr's final game) and the earlier, very close game vs the Colts where we won 17-14--I think Earl Morrall ironically blew that one for the Colts.

But the game you speak of was legendary. One of my favorite plays ever was Dick Anderson's interception of a Unitas bomb, where he returned it 62 yards and every teammate except Nick Buoniconti threw a block during the return.

Cool. I became a fan around that time "73" when I was 7. Partly because they were getting famous and I'd see Dolphin Jackets and gear in the store because they were the champs. I'd see it everywhere. My Mom bought me a Dolphins winter Jacket for school because I loved the colors and I promised not to lose it at school. (I didn't) and I got a Dolphins helmet bank to promote saving money. But I only got to watch them twice a year in New York. I started my Hate for the Jets when I'd see Joe Namath hocking Panty hose on TV. They just irritated me from the start and it grew steadily.

GO DOLPHINS!!!!