The Dolphins are coming off of a busy weekend - off the field, that is. The team took part in their annual charity weekend, with golf and fishing events headlining the festivities. But it was Dolphins' owner Stephen Ross who stole the headlines, speaking at a ceremony honoring his contributions to the refurbishing of the field at Miami Beach High School.
Ross predicts Fins Super Bowl berth and success from Henne
I'm typically not a fan of things like this. And I did post the stand-out quote from the Dolphins' owner on Saturday. But again, here it is:
"I think in February we’re going to be playing in the Super Bowl. Let’s put it this way – Tony thinks that, too. So does every player on that team. So I don’t think there’s any pressure. You just got to go out and do it."
I haven't given my two cents yet on this and that's because I'm still unsure how I feel. On one hand, it's always nice to hear some confidence coming from your team. On the other hand, I do prefer to fly under the radar.
The bottom line, though, is that this is a business for Ross. And he's looking to sell tickets. He's invested a lot into this team already - especially this past offseason. So why not make a statement like this? You know most of the fanbase will eat it up - and he might even sell some tickets.
The other comment Ross made is a little bit more outrageous. More outrageous than predicting a Super Bowl trip for his Dolphins? Oh yeah.
"I'm sure, and I'm hoping -- as everybody else is -- that he goes down as the greatest quarterback in Miami Dolphin history. And you know what that will mean."
That, my friends, is what Mr. Ross said upon introducing Chad Henne.
Ross goes on to mention how Henne can handle pressure, having started as a freshman for Michigan, and says that "the Miami Dolphins have a great quarterback for the future and I think everybody in South Florida is excited about what Chad Henne brings to this team."
That's all well and good. But let's go back to that original comment.
I guess I have a two part question here. First of all, if Henne was to win a Super Bowl, will Dolphin fans hold him in as high of regards as Dan Marino? And two, was Ross taking a shot at Marino when he said, "you know what that will mean" - seemingly criticizing him for never winning a championship?
I'll leave that for you all to debate.
Ireland happy with his team
Dolphins' GM Jeff Ireland doesn't talk with the media much. So when he does, it's guaranteed to make news. The Miami Herald has a great run-down of all of Ireland's news-worthy comments. But allow me to give you the quick breakdown:
- Ireland stated that Ronnie Brown and Patrick Cobbs "will be healthy."
- Ireland seems excited for how they upgraded the athleticism at linebacker but notes that they are indeed "young at outside linebacker." It's interesting that he mentions that there are some "acorns" they are still looking at.
- He really does seem satisfied with the current safety situation. He said he's "happy and excited" about the group and mentioned Chris Clemons as a guy who has impressed him. That's noteworthy, obviously, because O.J. Atogwe is still available. And considering how the Dolphins have done the opposite of what Ireland has stated publicly (cutting Gibril Wilson after publicly defending him just days earlier, for example), I really have no idea what to make of these latest comments.
- It seems like the Dolphins decided that they are trusting Mike Nolan's defensive scheme to generate a pass rush. That probably explains why they cut Joey Porter and let Jason Taylor walk.
QUICK HITS
- ESPN's Chris Mortensen was doing a little tweeting on Sunday and I wanted to highlight to comments. First, when asked about Ross's comments about Dolphins reaching the Super Bowl, Mort tweeted, "Not impossible. Not fave but a chance." Then he responded to a tweet from me asking him why the media seems to love the Jets so much and forget about the Dolphins despite Miami beating NY both times last year. Mort responded, "True, but last time I checked, Jets made it to AFC title game. I think Fins & Jets are both legit contenders." Dolphins a legit contender? Considering it's only June, that's good enough for me right now.
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Want to read about Brandon Marshall's work ethic? Check out this article that ran on Friday night.