DOLPHINS: Pennington

[Mark L. Diana]

Point taken. It's kind of hard to argue that a team in the playoffs is  
not a playoff caliber team. I mean, the definition of a playoff  
caliber team is one that makes the playoffs. Arguing otherwise--that a  
team not in the playoffs is playoff caliber, or vice versa--requires  
elaborate justification, which weakens the claim.

I'm not trying to say the Dolphins are not playoff caliber if they  
make the playoffs. What I am trying to say is that I do not think they  
are a complete enough team yet to advance far in the playoffs. There  
is a distinction that is not trivial, and so it's important to make  
it, I think.

The other thing to consider, though, is that teams are rarely static  
during the course of a season. Some start out strong and get weaker,  
while other start poorly and come together and peak later, or in the  
playoffs (see the Giants last year). So I won't rule out the  
possibility that the Dolphins may improve their weaknesses in time to  
get to the playoffs and advance. My gut tells me though that this is a  
more likely scenario for next year. I don't want to jinx them, but I  
like what I see in this coaching and management team, and I thin they  
have the potential to develop another dynasty here. I just hope  
another USFL or its equivalent doesn't come along again.


On Nov 17, 2008, at 1:01 PM, bill coddington wrote:

> Randy is exactly right - if the Fins qualify for the playofs- they  
> are a playoff caliber team.  Each week is a different week and all  
> the NFL teams are capable of beating each other at any time.  The  
> bottom line is winning, and so far this season they are doing that -  
> I could care less if they blow teams out, as long as they win.  The  
> lowly Raiders did knock off 1st place Jets and yesterday the Bengals  
> tied the Eagles.
>
>
>
>
>
>
> > From: Randy.Salas at startribune.com
> > To: thebigfish at smunet.net; dolphins-disc at phins.com
> > Date: Mon, 17 Nov 2008 12:48:20 -0600
> > Subject: Re: DOLPHINS: Pennington
> >
> > Michael wrote:
> > >>> The Dolphins have been lucky the last two weeks, they stopped  
> the SeaChickens late; they had to come from behind to beat the  
> hapless Raiders. A solid, good team
> > isn't in that position - they stick a fork in the opponent early.<<<
> >
> > As the Dolphins did with the Bills, Patriots and Chargers? The  
> Jets are in first place, but they lost to the hapless Raiders and  
> two teams the Dolphins beat (Pats and Chargers). The Giants are the  
> consensus cream of the NFC, yet barely beat the hapless Bengals and  
> lost to the hapless Browns. Anything goes in the NFL.
> >
> > I don't buy this talk that the Dolphins aren't a playoff-caliber  
> team if they make the playoffs. It's quite the contrary. If they  
> make the playoffs in this anything-goes season with so many tight  
> races, they will have earned it and deserve to be there.
> >
> > _______________________________________________
> > Dolphins-disc mailing list
> > Dolphins-disc at phins.com
> > https://www.phins.com/mailman/listinfo/dolphins-disc
>
> Windows Live Hotmail now works up to 70% faster. Sign up today.  
> _______________________________________________
> Dolphins-disc mailing list
> Dolphins-disc at phins.com
> https://www.phins.com/mailman/listinfo/dolphins-disc