Dolphins LB Porter requests trade on TV

[Phishfan]

From another angle, with Porter gone, this is year three of the Sparano regime and fans are impatient in Miami. He'd better have a good draft and no more than an 11-5 record and advance deep in the playoffs or we'll start hearing about his job security.

I think you meant to say no less than...

Also I'm not sure you are correct on this one. I don't think the Dolphins coaching position is anywhere close to the hotseat unless there is serious drop in the team's play.

[Doc-phin]

I don't think the Dolphins coaching position is anywhere close to the hotseat unless there is serious drop in the team's play.

Totally agree.

Also, IMO Crowder handled this perfectly.  He never made it sound like he sided with anybody.  He said that his thought process is to put your top touted players (guys with pro-bowl history) on the field when it counts most unless they are injured.  This philosophy would not be frowned on by anyone in the NFL.  By stating it this way, he manages to avoid locker room division without offending coaching staff.

Lastly, why is he busting on Wake when the guy was so good at maximizing the few chances he got.  He pretty much sealed the Patriot win among other huge plays.  He can complain about Anderson, but most of Anderson's play time came when Porter was injured and during the "coaches decision" game.  Furthermore, Wake took the place of Taylor just as much if not more than Porter.  Basically, Porter is an A-hole!

[Brian Fein]

Joey Porter = old, former all-pro
Cameron Wake = first year in the league

Just because the guy's young doesn't mean he's not any good.  "Pro Bowls" only mean you were "relatively the best one year" - doesn't mean you're the best NOW.

[YoFuggedaboutit]

I think you meant to say no less than...

Also I'm not sure you are correct on this one. I don't think the Dolphins coaching position is anywhere close to the hotseat unless there is serious drop in the team's play.

Sorry to say, there was a serious drop in the team's play, especially on defense, towards the end of the season.  It's like this team flat out quit, then tried to scrap and claw it's way back into each of the last three games.

[Doc-phin]

Sorry to say, there was a serious drop in the team's play, especially on defense, towards the end of the season.  It's like this team flat out quit, then tried to scrap and claw it's way back into each of the last three games.

I agree.  I know the topic is supposed to be about Porter, but this deserves a line or two of discussion.

I think this happened because our rookies hit a bit of a wall and our Nose Tackle situation got the best of us.  It also didn't help that our running game was less effective, essentially putting our defense on the field a little more (even early in games).  With the way Jason Taylor railed Smith and Davis on the sideline in one of those later games, it makes me think they just weren't keeping their heads in the game like they should have.

[ethurst22a]

Lets say that Sparano comes back with the same team with a few wrinkles. If he doesn't make it to 8-8, his job IS in limbo. If that happens, watch how many fans clamor for Bob Stoops, Jon Gruden or another coach.

Sparano clearly stated going into this season that he did not want to take playing time away from younger players. That was to be understood by the whole team. The dynamic that changed everything was the return of Jason Taylor.

Theres no way on earth that anyone can tell me that Porter or Matt Roth was happy when the Dolphins signed Taylor. That's PR stuff. It was said that Porter "signed off" on bringing Taylor back and that's stupid. They both play the same position (practically) and that's like having two wives at home. Roth was the one that got sacrificed

If Porter was such as distraction towards the end of the season, then Sparano should have did what Jon Gruden did to MeShawn Johnson in Tampa Bay and suspend him for the rest of the season and then cut him. Who knows, it would have picked up team morale and showed that everybody's with the plan or else.

[USO-ORLANDO]

I liked Joey.   

Me too.....

[Doc-phin]

Sparano clearly stated going into this season that he did not want to take playing time away from younger players. That was to be understood by the whole team. The dynamic that changed everything was the return of Jason Taylor.

Theres no way on earth that anyone can tell me that Porter or Matt Roth was happy when the Dolphins signed Taylor. That's PR stuff. It was said that Porter "signed off" on bringing Taylor back and that's stupid. They both play the same position (practically) and that's like having two wives at home. Roth was the one that got sacrificed

http://blogs.sun-sentinel.com/sports_seasonticket/2009/04/miami-dolphins-joey-porter-says-he-needs-jason-taylor.html

I tried to find the video where these quotes came from, but it doesn't seem to be posted anywhere anymore.  I remember the interview well and the quotes are very accurate.  In fact, I remember a final line by Porter where he said in a pleading voice how much we need Jason Taylor.

If Porter was such as distraction towards the end of the season, then Sparano should have did what Jon Gruden did to MeShawn Johnson in Tampa Bay and suspend him for the rest of the season and then cut him. Who knows, it would have picked up team morale and showed that everybody's with the plan or else.

It is not clear what your point of view is.  When you use phrasing like "If Porter was" and "then Sparano should have", it makes it unclear as to whether you are saying the media is at fault, Porter is at fault, or Sparano is at fault.  I am assuming from the tone of things that you believe Porter was not much of a problem and this is an overblown media issue.  But I don't think extrapolating this all the way down to Sparano is fair.

[Defense54]

Joey's play might have dropped , but I enjoyed the attitude he brought. He was from Pittsburg . One of the meanest defenses I've seen in a long while. Everytime we play them we lose a player or two. They step on Rickey and rip his chest in half, they will punish a 3rd string QB who thinks he is a RB.  Joey had that mindset and I dug it. But he has lost a step and I don't believe the body can live up to the mouth anymore. I enjoyed his time here though and will continue to wear my #55 Jersey Loud and Proud.

[ethurst22a]

http://blogs.sun-sentinel.com/sports_seasonticket/2009/04/miami-dolphins-joey-porter-says-he-needs-jason-taylor.html

I tried to find the video where these quotes came from, but it doesn't seem to be posted anywhere anymore.  I remember the interview well and the quotes are very accurate.  In fact, I remember a final line by Porter where he said in a pleading voice how much we need Jason Taylor.

It is not clear what your point of view is.  When you use phrasing like "If Porter was" and "then Sparano should have", it makes it unclear as to whether you are saying the media is at fault, Porter is at fault, or Sparano is at fault.  I am assuming from the tone of things that you believe Porter was not much of a problem and this is an overblown media issue.  But I don't think extrapolating this all the way down to Sparano is fair.

Last year, Sparano did say that he did not want to sacrifice the growth of youngsters because of veterans. We talked about it on this board when he said it, the topic of conversation stemmed from Langford and Merlings play down the stretch last season.

I never said anything about the press. My statement was that if Porter was a big  problem (waving players off the field, going on the field when he wasn't supposed to and other issues), then Sparano, like Jon Gruden did Keyshawn Johnson, should have sat him for the rest of the year. Any way you look at it, Porter was INSUBORDINATE.

Sparano sat him for a game. Who knows what else went on? All I know is that during the last three games, in the first half, Miami's defense was comatose. Now how much Porters' issues with Sparano contributed to that, we won't know.

Whatever happens to the team, it eventually falls on the head coach.

Porter has "used" the press in this whole situation, forcing himself out of Miami.

[Pats2006]

I just seen Porter on ESPN and he said he wants to be traded to the Patriots.