The Miami Dolphins' lore is one of championships, Hall of Fame talent, blue-collar defense, an unshakable work ethic and commitment to winning installed by legendary head coach Don Shula, and, ultimately, the NFL's lone undefeated season. And those legends, accolades and achievements are guaranteed to not be lost on current Dolphins player who walk through the halls of the team's recently renovated Davie practice facility, as everything the Dolphins have accomplished during their 46-year history can be found on the walls inside the team's practice hub.
The Palm Beach Post yesterday posted pictures taken during the NFL Network's tour of the Davie facility, and the results were impressive, to say the least. One wall in the facility is emblazoned with the phrase, "Focus, listen, learn," reportedly a direct nod to new head coach Joe Philbin's approach to player education and development. Another wall bears the message, "Act like a champion," which is behavior Dolphins fans haven't seen from their favorite team in a very, very long time.
The change in the Miami Dolphins' culture might have been spearheaded by the arrival of Philbin last January, but a daily reminder of what it really means to don aqua and orange on Sundays certainly won't hurt the process. And that "Champions work here" display positioned at the end of the hallway, and adorned with Miami's two glowing Lombardi Trophies, is pure class.
Stephen Ross evidently took a page or two out of Mark Cuban's playbook, too, as every player locker is outfitted with an oversized leather chair and personal air conditioning vent. The Palm Peach Post also reported that Ross has made significant upgrades to the weight and film rooms. Nice.Let's hope this blinged-out Davie facility is the latest step toward a beautiful resurgence for the once-mighty Miami Dolphins.