FanPost

Media and Fins Fans: Why an "Embattled Chad Henne" is "News"

Note: this article is about the media (mostly) and NOT about Chad Henne! He deserves one more chance and hopefully he gets his act together. If not, don't let the door hit him on the way out!

To turn around a popular phrase on the media: Good news is no news.

Maybe that is why the media, from the South Florida media to ESPN to NFL Network and everyone else in between continues to chase a "make-it-up-as-we-go-along" story of the Miami Dolphins trading for or free agent signing or supplementary drafting some QB, most of which are of highly questionable qualifications for starting in the NFL: because it is NOT good news for the Fins and thus is newsworthy. How is a rumor about trying to get Brett Favre out of retirement where he belongs good news for the Fins? How is trying to get Kyle Orton, who is Jay Fiedler at best and AJ Feeley at worst, and then after failing to get him either because Denver didn't bite on the offer or because the Broncos realized Tim Tebow is not starting calibre, the media kept fueling the story and the fans bit, booing Henne and demanding Orton--how is that good news for the Fins? And now some Orlando writer named Diaz is calling for the trade for another Denver QB, Tebow, is isn't even good enough to supplant Orton--how is that good for the Fins? How is chiding the FO for not getting the problematic Vince Young or not luring other QBs out of retirement helping the Fins? Yet the South Florida media along with ESPN, NFL, and others nationally are all dissing the Fins because they didn't do what Wannestedt and others have done in the past which led to a decade long mediocrity in Davie? Why?

It could be as simple as this: the Dolphins are very tight lipped when it comes to the media. Unlike Rext boy whom the media loves, Sparano won't make dumb-ass claims like "we'll win the Super Bowl" every year, and, besides, how can the media love a team that won't let fans post vidoes on You Tube?

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2011/08/11/dolphins-tell-fans-dont-post-practice-videos-on-youtube/

Now, before you say, "They wouldn't do this to the Patriots or Steelers or Packers or Saints or Colts" or any other so-called perennial contender, think about why they don't treat the Pats and the other "perennials" this way: because it simply isn't done. Period, end of story. What the media does in the NFL and all other sports is what the media does in politics, religion and everywhere else: kicks a guy when he's down. If, say, the Pats' forays into Albert Haynesworth, Chad Ochocinco, Shaun Ellis and other possible has-beens goes awry, THEN the media will withhold its "genius" label from Kraft and Belichick, not before. If, say, Ben Roethlisberger is finally brought before the courts for something he did to some woman several years ago and winds up not being able to continue his NFL career, THEN the media will kick the Steelers to the curb, not before. BB and Kraft, Tomlin and Rooney, Rexy and Tannenbaum, Andy Reid, Ozzie and Harbaugh, Smith and Dimitroff...you name it...all these are "geniuses and great front office wonderkinds"--until they aren't. Which is why none of these guys--except Rex Ryan of course--is news but is "conventional wisdom."

So, why are the South Florida media along with ESPN, NFL Network and others attacking the potentially positive things the Dolphins have done this off-season and pre-season? Because the Dolphins are PERCEIVED to be "down" and out of the running for the playoffs before one pre-season snap is even played. Perceived by the media and the fans as well...but it would be hard to say who was negative first: the fans or the media? Did the fans turn against Henne before the media, or did the media start it? Of course many here will say Henne did with his bad play especially at the end of the season, but that doesn't address the issue of why, even though Henne has done things to help himself and his team, the hate is still ongoing? But, in all fairness to most of the fans, good performances by Henne after the booing incident and especially in the Sunday scrimmages are starting to turn it around at least on the part of fans. The media, though, is still in attack mode.

I can't believe some Orlando Sentinel writer (repeated in the Sun-Sentinel) named Diaz actually thinks the Fins should go after Tim Tebow, who can't even beat out Kyle Orton! Then again, look at the other articles Diaz has written and you get the feeling that he's a U of Florida fan.

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/sports/orl-opinion-diaz,0,1174032.columnist

Further, I can't believe NFL Network is promiting this ridiculous idea, either! And just last evening Jamie Dukes and others on NFL Network's Total Access were discussing whether or not Daute Culpepper--are you kidding me?--would be picked up by Miami!

http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-training-camps/09000d5d82152934/Will-Tebow-go-swimming-with-the-Dolphins?module=HP11_content_stream

I can't believe Mando Salguero at the Miami Herald is STILL writing--after Henne's good performances in the back drop of Matt Moore's less than stellar ones on Sunday--that fans will call for Matt Moore to start soon enough! Even though Henne is clearly the starting QB, and even NFL.com now acknowledges this, despite the Tebow nonsense.

http://miamiherald.typepad.com/dolphins_in_depth/2011/08/amid-all-of-thursdays-frenzy-of-brett-favre-rumors-and-the-teams-first-full-team-practice-i-think-perhaps-the-biggest-news-o.html

On the other hand, some do not blame Henne as much as they blame the Front Office for giving fans and the media the perception that Henne is unwanted. Greg Cote of the Herald makes some valid points, though (in a piece linked a few days ago on the Phinsider).

http://www.miamiherald.com/2011/08/05/2345852/miami-dolphins-cant-have-it-both.html

It is also valid maybe that Sparano is doing to Henne (or, had done to Henne, now that Henne is the starter) what Ross and Ireland did to Sparano during that Jim Harbaugh "search" earlier in the year.

http://www.profootballweekly.com/2011/08/04/dolphins-fans-booing-henne-blame-management-first

Or, is the FO just reacting to the fans and/or the media? Maybe, but didn't Sparano get all this started when he benched Henne after the Ravens game last year?

Still, a case can be made that the media should be blamed over the FO and the fans. After losing to the Browns in week 13 last year, Dave Hyde of the Sun Sentinel actually wrote that the Henne era in Miami was over. The article linked below states (correctly) that this media-created perception has led to the fans wanting Henne gone. His opinion apparently didn't change after Henne beat the Jets the following week. Bleacher Report isn't completely useless, and this piece was also recently linked from the Phinsider.

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/797242-three-reasons-why-fans-should-chant-for-chad-henne-not-kyle-orton

So, who is to blame for sure? We will soon find out when the real games begin, but if the fans keep booing Henne even if he's playing well, or if the media keeps calling for Matt Moore or someone else when Henne is playing well, or if Sparano replaces Henne if he's playing well (which he would do only if the Fins are losing...but what's the probability of Henne playing well AND the Fins losing? Not high, that's for sure), then we will know for sure.

But IF Henne is for real and becomes truly a franchise QB and the Fins do become a perennial contender, will "kick 'em when they're down" turn into "Ross, Ireland and Sparano are geniuses"?

This is a FanPost and does not necessarily reflect the views of The Phinsider's writers or editors. It does reflect the views of this particular fan though, which is as important as the views of The Phinsider writers or editors.