What's the Hold Up?

I know that many of you fin fans have been clamoring over certain things all off season.  Where's the big receiver?  Who is going to man our safety position next year?  How are Miami residents going to keep their families fed when Rex Ryan and the Jets come to town? 

That said, there is something that I have been waiting for since about a month ago, something near and dear to my heart, that I think needs to get more attention.  Building for the future is all fine and dandy, and I'm glad the Dolphins are putting their focus on it, but I think it is time we honour one of our greatest veterans.

Zach Thomas wants to retire as a Miami Dolphin (See bottom of this article from a month ago), and if anybody is deserving of that honour, it is him.

My question is why this hasn't already happened?

A look at the stats Zach put up alone shows how deserving he is.  From the very beginning, Zach was the AFC defensive rookie of the year in 1996.  His registered tackle stats (they only became available in 2001) with the Dolphins was 982 tackles in 94 games, meaning he averaged about 10.5 hits a game.  In that span he also had 19.5 sacks, 17 interceptions and four defensive touchdowns.  To put these stats into context, Lawrence Taylor only had 9 interceptions and no touchdowns in his career, and Ray Lewis with an extra year on Zach has less total tackles. 

The claim has been made that Zach has more tackles than any linebacker currently in the hall of fame, but that is a hard stat to go by because of the lack of data available prior to 2001.  Still though, when you look at players who everyone feels should be a hall of famer (Like Ray) I feel Zach gets the short end of the stick because he was a great player on sub-par teams.

Even aside from the stats, however, the intangibles are what I remember, as I'm sure any of you who saw him play would agree.  I was in attendance at a game in 2005 against the Titans when he made (I think) 23 tackles.  My father, who wasn't a big football fan but who had come with me, turned to me in the second quarter and said "Who is that little guy who no one can get past?" Guess who.

I remember the hit on Laveranues Coles that knocked him clean out, and how Zach barely broke stride, even after the hit.  I've heard the word assassin tossed around to some linebackers undeservingly, but I will defend that description of Zach to my grave.  The prototype of a 4-3 linebacker, he was side line to side line almost instantly, ready to deliver a shot far greater than his stature.

I know that describing all of this to you is almost like beating a dead horse.  Those of you who watched him play know all of this.  Whenever people talk about the greatest linebackers ever, you wait dejectedly, knowing what name you aren't going to hear.  He was the easiest player to cheer for on the Dolphins, constantly defying the odds of small stature to become fearsome. 

And that is why I am so confused.  I wouldn't hold it against Zach if he was bitter about spending his entire career on the losing Miami Dolphins of the 90s.  He deserved better, and probably could have won a championship elsewhere.  And yet, he is proud to be a Miami Dolphin, and wants to retire as one.  He said that a month ago.  If I was in charge I would have signed him the next day.  My questions to you, Phinsider readers, are

a) Why hasn't this happened yet? (And I don't just mean that rhetorically, if any of you have any information I am dying to know)

b) Why aren't more of you speaking out about this? I think we as a fan base need to demand that this happens, in every way possible.

I know there is a fan page available on facebook right now, with only 92 fans.  I would hate to think this is the only number of people who remember my favourite all time Miami Dolphin.  I think any of you who write for more mainstream media outlets, who can get the word out, do.  No one is more deserving.