Countdown to Miami Dolphins Training Camp 2008: 25 Topics, 25 Days

[DolFan619]

I remember reading that Parcells and Ireland were both very high on Carpenter.

  They are high on Carpenter.  In fact it was Bill Parcells that called Dan Carpenter during the Draft and told him that he wanted him to come kick for the Dolphins.

Defense- I think it'll end up being JT if he stays. It'll be Parcells' and Ireland's way of playing the PR game, as if to say "see, all is fine with us."

  I think you're right about that.  However, I don't think Jason Taylor deserves the Team Captain's spot in 2008.  The mantra with this regime seems, "it's not what you've done in the past, it's what have you done lately?"  How I look at it, is Jason Taylor has pretty much done everything in his power to piss off everybody in the Miami Dolphins Chain of Command.  From Bill, all the way down to Coach Sparano.  Jason said that when Dancing With The Stars was over "he would report for mini-camp and OTA's."  He said that on national television, lo and behold he goes back on his word.  It's just one excuse after another with JT.  Jason also had said on an ESPN interview that "he leads by example."  Really?  I would say that he leads by "do as I say and not as I do."

  If Jason is not going to put in the time, effort, and hardwork that comes with being a "team captain", he doesn't deserve it.  If he's still with the team at the start of the Regular Season, he'll likely be a "team captain."  But that award will be nothing but a farce and a sham.  Leader my ass.

[Rick]

   However, I don't think Jason Taylor deserves the Team Captain's spot in 2008.  The mantra with this regime seems, "it's not what you've done in the past, it's what have you done lately?"  How I look at it, is Jason Taylor has pretty much done everything in his power to piss off everybody in the Miami Dolphins Chain of Command.  From Bill, all the way down to Coach Sparano.  Jason said that when Dancing With Stars was over "he would report for mini-camp and OTA's."  He said that on national television, lo and behold he goes back on his word.  It's just one excuse after another with JT.  Jason also had said on an ESPN interview that "he leads by example."  Really?  I would say that he leads by "do as I say and not as I do."

  If Jason is not going to put in the time, effort, and hardwork that comes with being a "team captain", he doesn't deserve it.  If he's still with the team at the start of the Regular Season, he'll likely be a "team captain."  But that award will be nothing but a farce and a sham.  Leader my ass.

  Agree 100% with you 619......Taylor's actions this off-season have been disappointing, to say the least....definitely not the actions of a "team captain" and leader.....If #99 is back in 2008, he does not deserve the honor of wearing the "C" on his jersey in Miami

[Philly Fin Fan]

  If #99 is back in 2008, he does not deserve the honor of wearing the "C" on his jersey in Miami

I agree he doesn't deserve it, but like I said, I think they will do it as a PR move.

[Dave Gray]

It would be bad to not make Taylor a captain.  Whether he deserves it or not, it might cause problems in the locker room and undermine the new leadership.

[DolFan619]

  Welcome, to Day 11 of "25 Topics, 25 Days."  Today, we're talking quarterbacks.  Three guys, John Beck, Chad Henne, and Josh McCown.  It's a two part question, which quarterback will start the season?  Which quarterback will finish the season?

[Dave Gray]

McCown will start.  McCown will finish.

(Beck might start, but I'm thinking that the boys aren't too keen about him.)

[DolFan619]

  John Beck will start the season, but in the end I believe that it will be Chad Henne that finishes the season.  It seems that this regime is really liking what they have in Henne, and you could probably see Henne as early as late October/beginning of November.  Even if McCown winds up starting, Henne will replace him.  McCown is a servicable backup, and nothing more.  As much as I like Beck, and as much as I want too see him succeed.  I think deep down this regime knows who their guy is going forward.

[Sunstroke]

McCown will start the season, and Henne will take over as the injury replacement mid-late season. He'll start the rest of the way and come in next season as the undisputed #1.

[fyo]

We seem to be having some overlap in the "topic of the day" discussions. The QB one was up just 2 days ago in Tommy's "Countdown to Training Camp" ( http://www.thedolphinsmakemecry.com/forums/index.php?topic=11186.0 )

Like I said there, I seriously doubt Henne will start a single game this year. Putting a rookie quarterback out there on a BAD team is suicide. I cannot think of a single case where it has worked, although I'm not quite saying it never has. Let's say we throw Henne out there late in the season and he struggles. What then? "Well, at least we know what we have." No, we won't know crap. Just like with Beck last year. It was a huge mistake to put him out there and I seriously hope the new regime doesn't intend to repeat the mistakes of the past.

In the end, or beginning rather, I think Beck will get the nod unless McCown is seen as *significantly* better. If the two are close, it just makes more sense to start Beck, even if McCown is slightly better. Why? Two reasons:

1) Maximizing long term value for the franchise. Beck has no trade value right now. If Parcells and Company believe Henne is the long-term solution for the team, great... but even more reason to put Beck out there now. It gives us a chance to see what he can actually do and establishes some value for him in the league, should they choose not to keep him as the backup (and if he shines, well, that's great).

2) Beck has more developmental potential than McCown.

[Phishfan]

McCown will start. I also think he will finish the season unless injured (which scares the piss out of me because I have never been a McCown fan).

[YoFuggedaboutit]

T MINUS 14 AND COUNTING

Issue of the day- Wide Receivers

Let's face it.  The wide receiving corps has been a real sore spot for this team.  Dropped passes, receivers not getting open, you name it, it's been done.  The top two receivers for the past three seasons were Chris Chambers and Marty Booker.  Chambers was traded midway through last season, and Booker was released in the offseason.  That leaves us with Ted Ginn, who has speed and good hands but a penchant for being scared of taking a good hit, and Derek Hagan, who supposedly has worked harder than ever this offseason but has a case of the dropsies. 

Earnest Wilford was brought in through free agency and so far has proven to be a legitimate #1 threat.  Not a single wideout was drafted, however a handful of unproven guys were signed as free agents after the draft.   Two who are clearly standing out are Davonne Bess, a speedy little WR from Hawaii, and Jayson Foster, a converted QB from Georgia Southern.

How will this group fare this season?  Any thoughts?

[Sunstroke]

We seem to be having some overlap in the "topic of the day" discussions. The QB one was up just 2 days ago in Tommy's "Countdown to Training Camp"

Yeah...I wasn't sure why Tommy popped that thread up, 5 days into this "25 days thread."

[Philly Fin Fan]

Yeah...I wasn't sure why Tommy popped that thread up, 5 days into this "25 days thread."

I was letting it go, thinking maybe it was just me who thought they were "similar", but several people have now asked me why we have almost identical threads going.

[Doc-phin]

I have thought a fair amount about this as well as our secondary question marks and in terms of the receivers there is one major component.  Simply put, all the receivers have to do is catch the ball and it is an improvement over the receiver performances we have seen in the past 5 years.

Previously, we had guys dropping easy catches and we would ignore it because they would from time to time make a spectacular catch that would blow our minds.  I feel optomistic about this year because I have seen Wilford become pretty consistant at making the catch and Ginn did a good job at the same in his rookie year.  Hagan has the biggest question mark as to consistancy but the coaching staff is probably the right group of people to improve him in this area.

So when all is said and done...  Would I like to see yards after the catch and spectacular grabs?  Of course I would like to see that.  But, if all they do is come down with the ball when they should we will still have an improvement in the passing game!

[Doc-phin]

Yeah...I wasn't sure why Tommy popped that thread up, 5 days into this "25 days thread."

Yeah.. At first I thought it came across as a little disrespectful, but then I thought - what the hell, just more stuff to pass the time till training camp and preseason which I can hardly wait for.


As far as QB's go...  I personally would plan on playing all three this year to see what I have.  Between Beck and McCown to start it is really just a matter of what they see in training camp.  I would never start a rookie of Henne's caliber in the beginning of the season.  I would think Henne would get his shot when the playoffs are out of the question unless the team is so injury ridden that it sets him up for failure.  So, unless that scenario comes up, my best guess would be that Henne finishes the season.

Notice that I have no faith in us to make the playoffs.  Shocker, isn't it.