I thought this was an interesting read. Out of the players we have now who is gonna take Icon status? Not just a good or even great player........I mean someone capable of going to the HOF like Marino, Taylor and Thomas? Personally I don't think he's hear yet. But out of the players we have of course Long has a good posibility, Not Ginn......no way. Good but not that good. Brown was on his way and we will see what kind of recovery he makes. I just don't see anyone else......
That good.
http://www.realfootball365.com/index.php/articles/dolphins/11339Zach Thomas is already gone and it appears that Jason Taylor has played his last game as a member of the Miami Dolphins. If that’s truly the case, it means Miami is now devoid of a true icon whom the fan base can rally around and identify as the face of the franchise.
So the question at hand is simple: Who’s going to take the place of Thomas and, assuming he's traded or released, Taylor?
Some might say that it is front-office head Bill Parcells, but there are two big issues with that assertion. First off, Parcells does not suit up on Sundays. Secondly, as has been the case with his last three stops, the Hall of Famer will probably be gone long before he can entrench himself as the face of the franchise.
Maybe the Dolphins can swap a veteran for a veteran, allowing linebacker Joey Porter to ascend into the franchise’s marquee. Then again, Porter will likely always be associated with the Pittsburgh Steelers and his history of off-field shenanigans makes him an unlikely candidate for the role of franchise centerpiece.
What about one of the young up-and-comers who have already given a year or two of loyal service? Guys like Ted Ginn Jr. and Ronnie Brown come to mind. Ginn, a wide receiver, still has a lot to prove before being anointed the face of the Dolphins. Brown, on the other hand, clearly has the ability to play at a franchise-carrying level as a running back, but he must prove that he can stay intact for a full year.
Perhaps offensive tackle Jake Long, the first overall pick in April's draft, can parlay his pedigree into a decade-long stint as the face of the Dolphins. However, even if he lives up to expectations and becomes a dominating left tackle, it likely still won’t be enough to command the type of visibility that is required of a team centerpiece.
The obvious candidates for team icon would be the two youngsters who will line up under center for Miami this year, John Beck and Chad Henne. Bill Parcells and his cohorts deserve applause for drafting Henne, a former Michigan star, in Round 2, thereby providing the team with two legitimate quarterback prospects.
Still, both youngsters have a very long way to go before living up to those lofty standards.
Maybe Miami’s icon of the future will ultimately be one of the many relatively anonymous youngsters whom Parcells and his brain trust have brought into camp this offseason. Or, better yet, instead of thinking in terms of just one icon, perhaps there will be multiple faces capable of turning this franchise’s fortunes around once and for all.
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