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Title: Dolphins coach Sparano starts with basics Post by: DolFan619 on August 11, 2008, 07:58:08 am http://www.miamiherald.com/sports/football/miami-dolphins/story/636703.html
Dolphins coach Sparano starts with basics By ARMANDO SALGUERO Miami Herald There is no argument this preseason has started as last year's disastrous season finished. The scoreboard settled that issue late Saturday evening. The Dolphins lost. But if you are searching for the good news out of the Dolphins' first 2008 showing, take cheer that Miami didn't embarrass itself. After a 1-15 season, it is no small feat the team that ended last season with consecutive blowout losses, a player mutiny and a front office in disarray could take the field during the hot and humid weekend glowing in as much optimism as sweat. And yet, there were your Dolphins, our Dolphins, holding their own with the playoff-caliber Tampa Bay Buccaneers for the entire two quarters while starters and top reserves from both sides competed. No, the Dolphins didn't win. There were simply too many penalties and no big plays. But at least there were no moments of confusion. There were no broken coverages resulting in receivers running uncovered. There was no ridiculous misuse of the clock. Players didn't stream onto the field late and unaware. There were no wasted timeouts. And, perhaps most importantly, there were no excuses. ''Not good enough,'' rookie coach Tony Sparano said, announcing the theme for the entire team. Running back Ricky Williams, despite being the most impressive and advanced player on the offense, said: ``I have a ways to go.'' EARLY PLAN Maybe it is expecting too little of these Dolphins, but the fact they did not resemble a bunch of circus clowns emerging from a Volkswagen in their coach's NFL debut is something of a relief. The fact they seemed to have a clue and a plan is to be applauded. For perspective, one must realize the first preseason game is basically a faster yet less organized scrimmage. It can make good teams seem unprepared because, well, they generally don't prepare. That's why even the Bucs, last season's NFC South champions, can have moments of miscommunication. Tampa Bay had to stop the clock with 2:06 remaining in the first half, blowing a timeout just before the two-minute warning. The Bucs failed to get a play off before the stoppage, and did all this while striking a match to coach Jon Gruden's infamous, fiery temper. The Dolphins had no such moments of disorientation -- not even later in the game when Tampa Bay tried to trick Miami defenders with a fake spike play similar to the one Dan Marino made famous years ago. Despite that clarity, Sparano was unhappy with his reserve-laden defense because it couldn't get off the field as the Bucs turned four plays into eight, and then 19, in drives that never seemed to end. ''We're not going to win a lot of games that way,'' Sparano said of the interminable drives But he didn't mention the Dolphins faced those drives with Joey Porter and Vonnie Holliday and the entire rest of the starting defense on the bench. A WIN IS A WIN So it is encouraging in this year of rebuilding and retooling that Sparano and his staff refuse to redefine success. Former coach Cam Cameron defined it as working hard, never giving up, and when injuries depleted his roster, coming close. So far Sparano has defined it as winning regardless of who is playing. The coach, by the way, knows little things can keep the Dolphins from winning against good teams like Tampa Bay. That is the reason he was an interesting study on the sideline during this game. Sparano came into the first tryout game eager to see young players react to difficult situations. He wanted to see Chad Henne face a professional pass rush and wanted to test Patrick Cobbs as a third-down back. Henne passed his test, once throwing away a pass that avoided a sack and kept the Dolphins in field-goal position. Sparano congratulated the rookie for the decision, if not the incompletion, when he came over to the sideline. Cobbs, whom Sparano likes, missed a blocking assignment on a third-down blitz by Tampa. Sparano showed his mild disappointment by yelling at Cobbs for 10 solid seconds when the running back walked by on the way to the bench. So the new Dolphin standard is being set, and it is high for every player. None of this, of course, suggests the Dolphins are going to be a good team this year. None of it should even suggest they might win as often as they lose. But if the first preseason outing can measure these Dolphins at all, it suggests they will play with fundamentals, they will play with discipline and they won't embarrass themselves. Even in defeat. |