The writing is on the wall for Miami Dolphins

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http://www.miamiherald.com/sports/football/miami-dolphins/story/668274.html

The writing is on the wall for Miami Dolphins

By ARMANDO SALGUERO
Miami Herald

The Dolphins' locker room walls are painted with motivational slogans meant to help turn a loser into a winner.

''Miami Dolphins players have the make up,'' one slogan reinforces.

''The fastest way to lose is division from within,'' is the warning on another wall.

Coach Tony Sparano is trying everything to purge the contaminants left over from last year's losing attitude. And he is working -- hard -- to replace that sick attitude with confidence and positive thoughts and, believe it or not, an idea that anything is possible for this team.

Even the playoffs.

Or the Super Bowl.

Anything is possible.

'I think what I've tried to do with this team from a motivational standpoint is to try to get them to believe, `Why not us?' '' Sparano said. ``That's the question I've asked them.

``I've tried to show them examples of teams that have been successful that maybe were counted out: The New York Giants a year ago at 0-2, the New Orleans Saints a couple of years ago who played in the NFC Championship Game, the St. Louis Rams several years ago.

``Why not us? You bring enough new players into a mix like this, if there's some chemistry, you start to become a team, not a bunch of individuals, and you don't know what can happen if you stay healthy.''

As the Dolphins prepared Monday for the regular-season opener against the New York Jets it seemed apparent the coach's Jedi mind trick has worked.

THEY BELIEVE

These players actually believe great things can happen for them this season.

No, really.

''We were 1-15 last year but this is a new year so we're still a team trying to get to the playoffs this year,'' strong safety Yeremiah Bell said, the look in his eye convincing me he was serious. ``So why not us? I think we have the talent. This is a new year. Nobody is really expecting us to do much coming off a 1-15 season.

``But we're going out to prove otherwise. So why not us?''

If that is more than a rhetorical question, a cynic might have an easy time with some cold-hearted answers.

Why not the Dolphins?

Because the receiver corps is unproven.

Because the offensive line hasn't had time to become cohesive.

Because quarterback Chad Pennington has been on the team only a month.

Because this team is bereft of starting stars and depth behind them.

Because 275-pound Matt Roth is playing strong-side linebacker and no matter how confident he seems, we won't believe he can cover 202-pound Leon Washington out of the backfield until we see it.

`THE DIFFERENCE'

The argument for Why not the Dolphins? could be compelling.

But these Dolphins would thankfully never entertain that argument because if they did they would be defeated before the games even begin.

''See, the difference between us and you or a football player and you is I feel I can win anytime I step on that field,'' cornerback Will Allen said. ``I don't look at it like this or like that. I feel like I'm better than anybody I'm playing against. That's just how I feel.

``And until the scoreboard shows me something different, I will feel like I can win every game.''

In that regard, the Dolphins now are no different than they were at the beginning of last season. There is no doubt they went into last season believing they were good enough to win often.

`HARDLY ANY ENERGY'

But that thought was soon exposed as a fraudulent concoction of a runaway imagination.

''Probably after about the fourth or fifth game, you could kind of see with the demeanor of the team something wasn't right,'' Bell said. ``I can't put my finger on it, but I could tell there was hardly any energy out there or any want-to. That's when I could tell things were going to be bad.''

Bell and locker-stall neighbor Ronnie Brown can't imagine that happening to their team this year.

''Obviously you don't know until you get a chance to compete and the game is actually here,'' Brown said. ``But from a mental standpoint we're approaching it like we're going to win. That's what our mentality is. We're approaching it as if we're going to win and go into each game like that.''

SUPER TALK

It is a fresh breath compared to the stench that hovered over the team at the end of last season.

The players' embrace of Sparano's ''Why not us?'' might lose its meaning by the end of this season.

But for now?

''It means the same as it means to everyone else at the beginning of this season,'' Allen said. ``Why can't we win the Super Bowl?''