Favre to the Dolphins Update

The Dolphins are still being mentioned in connection with Brett Favre. Here's three reasons to believe it can happen and three reasons not:

Why it Can:

1. The Packers announced today that they would trade Favre only to an AFC team. With the Ravens supposedly balking, the Dolphins become the favorites among AFC teams.

2. We all know Bill Parcells respects old quarterbacks. Remember how long he held Tony Romo out for Drew Bledsoe?

3. The Dolphins REALLY NEED A QB if they're going to contend at all. Acquire Favre and the franchise is going for it all now.

Why it Won't:

1. If Favre is saying he won't play in Tampa because "it's too hot," that's not a great sign for Miami either.

2. Does Brett Favre really believe this Miami team, 1-15 just one year ago, has been revamped enough to win right now?

3. The longer this situations plays out, the more likely it is that Favre and the Packers settle their differences and unite again.

Probabilities:
Stays retired: 25%
Plays for Packers: 40%
Plays for Dolphins: 7.5%
Plays for Another Team: 27.5%

Favre to the Dolphins?

Did any of you know that Brett Favre is unretiring? It's amazing how hard it is to get this kind of information... (In other annual news stories, Manny might want to be traded, Ozzie Guillen went on a tirade, Joba Chamberlain might be starting, and Tiger Woods won a major...yes, you get it all right here!)

The most surprising thing about this, however, (sarcasm officially dropped from this point forward), is that the Dolphins are on the short list. I'm not joking now. According to several sources, Carolina and Miami are the top two candidates to acquire Favre via trade.

Why would Favre want to play for the Dolphins? Something tells me it's not to throw to Ted Ginn Jr. Are the Dolphins really good enough to merit this kind of latter-stage move?

Personally, I would LOOOOOOOVE it. How much more exciting would the games be? The Dolphins' greatest weakness is at QB...Favre probably makes them a playoff team, and imagine the deluge of media attention.

We'll be discussing this far more in the coming days, but what are your thoughts?

P.S. Remember when Favre made that shocking appearance in There's Something About Mary? That was in Miami! Could this be about Cameron Diaz?

John Beck On His Chances

Phinsider took notice of a compelling interview John Beck had with a local Utah affiliate. Click here to see the full report.

As always, I'll provide a noteworthy excerpt:

"One of the interesting things he tells us is how all of his throws this offseason were watched by both Tony Sparano and Bill Parcells. They were also taped for future viewing. He points out that he realizes that this new regime has no allegiance to him, even noting how some draft picks from 2007 are already on different teams. Clearly, John knows he has to impress if he wants to not only start to open this season but to also remain the starter for all of 2008 and beyond."

I always thought Beck was a heady guy. He seems to know his place, but it will take a hell of a lot more to succeed in the NFL.

Dolphins Getting Some Attention

Aside from the now-forgotten (I think?) Bill Parcells-Jason Taylor saga, the Dolphins have gotten some pretty good press. Most experts approved of their draft, the management seems sensible, and fans are optimistic. All great things...unless the team falters.

In the meantime, FinsNation provides a a pretty good sampling of what people are saying. Of course, he also manages to slip in his unique brand of humor, which never fails to get me huffing and puffing.

And see...I'm not the only one who thinks 9-7 is possible.

Ricky Williams is Ready...So He Claims

If the Dolphins are to be successful, some of it will depend on - yes - Ricky Williams. Depending on perhaps the most undependable NFL player sounds like a risky affair, and it is, but I like what I'm hearing.

PhinFever gives us reason for optimism with this piece on Ricky's current mindset. Here's a bit:

"What I like about this version of Ricky is that he is coming out and talking to media and fans once again. I miss the Ricky Williams that had a web site for the fans, answered fan letters, and met you online to play Madden. Let's face it though, this is a one year Rent-a-Ricky and I am pulling for him to succeed."

I'm pulling for him too. Behind all his eccentricities, he's really a good guy.

JT to the Packers?

All over the blogosphere the last two days, there has been report of a possible trade between the Packers and Dolphins, likely a 1st or 2nd rounder for Jason Taylor.

Why haven't I mentioned anything? Because I don't think it's remotely happening. All the rumors have originated from one story. Basically, the Packers called up and asked. That's it. See this amusing account from FinsNation for his eerily similar take.

And speaking of FinsNation, this has nothing to do with the Dolphins, but it's sure worth seeing. Go take a look at these pictures right now!

Ronnie Brown Looks Good

And when I say that, I'm not referring to how handsome he is (though we at TSFF have every reason to believe he's physically good-looking as well).

No, the basis of this report comes from the ever-dependable FinsNation. According to The Dude, Ronnie Brown is well on his way to recovery. His eloquent words for what might happen against the Jets:

"And he's gonna run all over their asses, blow right through their DBs and LBs like a cannon ball, rip off their helmets with their heads still in them and FedEx them to Bob Sutton's home, take a dump in Eric Mangini's mouth, rip off Calvin Pace's arm and beat Vernon Gholston to death with it, and go up into the stands and shove Fireman Ed's hat so far up his ass, they'll need the jaws of life to go in and pry it out."

That's certainly an optimistic viewpoint, and yet I agree. Do you all remember just how dominating he was in the first few games? The Dolphins were actually gaining yards at that time (just blowing every game by 3 points or less), and he was a top top fantasy back. Those days could be back again. I'm excited.

Dolphins QB Battle a Three-for-all

According to various reports from Dolphins sources, the blogosphere, and other insiders, the Dolphins QB battle is looking pretty competitive right now.

The good news: John Beck, Josh McCown, and Chad Henne have all looked good so far. Whether this is more representative of a weak secondary than their skill remains to be seen, but this has to be encouraging.

The bad news: Why is Josh McCown in the running at all? I don't care how good he looks in training camp. He's absolutely, certifiably, unquestionably NOT THE ANSWER at QB beyond being a steady backup. At least there's hope with Beck and Henne that they could actually become a franchise QB.

It has also been rumored that Chris Simms could become a Dolphin, if he gets released by the Bucs. I'm not really buying that story, simply because there would be no place to put him. People say Parcells likes Simms, though, so we'll see.

Dolphins Draft Picks of the Good Variety

The NFL is famous for its drawn-out draft holdouts, which often cripple salary caps after long periods of strife. The system flat out sucks.

Fortunately, the Dolphins have done a great job of signing their draftees. According to Phinsider, only three are left unsigned: Phillip Merling, Chad Henne, and Kendall Langford.

The good news, though, is that the players seem to be expressing an interest in showing up to camp. Here's what Chad Henne said:

"I know my agent approached them probably about two or three weeks ago...to get it started. I'm sure they're going to get it done before training camp, because they want me in camp and I anticipate being in camp."

It also helps, apparently, that Henne employs the same agent as Bill Parcells. A match in heaven?

The Old Hearing Aid Excuse

In today's Sun-Sentinel we find out that the current rift of many rifts between Duane Charles and Jason Taylor wasn't a rift at all. The problem? He didn't hear him.

No, seriously.

However, last Saturday, Taylor admitted that the widely circulated reports were accurate and that he did feel snubbed by Parcells when he made a brief appearance during a film session at team headquarters last month while on a break from his stint on ABC's Dancing With the Stars. Taylor added that their encounter was not "confrontational."

"I was in the room there with a lot of people," Parcells said. "I have hearing aids. I didn't have them with me that day. I didn't see anybody walk into the room directly.

The quick and interesting read drops some more Parcells nuggets:

On running back Ricky Williams: "I've always had a high regard for the player. ... We're hoping he could recapture some of what he had because what he had was pretty special, so I'm rooting for him."

Aren't we all...

On Patriots coach Bill Belichick's Spygate episode: "I think it was overblown. If the competition is victimized by someone spying on you — if that happened — it's your fault because you could take precautions to keep that from happening if you're smart enough."

Appeasing the AFC East gatekeepers. Laud them with praise, then attack the champs. Interesting approach.

Insert pre-requisite Dancing With The Stars clip:

Dolphins News...Including JT

Contrary to popular belief, the Dolphins do have a team outside of Jason Taylor. In fact, Jason Taylor may or may not be on the team, so it's questionable whether he even counts. Before we get to the real team, however, let me share a quick bit on JT.

Bill Parcells may have a problem with Taylor, but coach Tony Sparano is adopting a much more civil approach. As FinsNation reports, Sparano seems - at least publicly - to want Jason Taylor on his squad. Not a bad idea, considering the guy's a Defensive MVP, Dolphins legend, and decent guy (yes, he is)! Major kudos to you, Tony Sparano, for actually saying the right thing.

Now as for other news, things are looking very promising for John Beck. Both FinsNation and Phinsider reported on this story...perhaps John Beck could be the answer at quarterback? If so, that would be far more integral to the Dolphins' success this year than a certain Dancing With the Stars contestant.

Josh McCown is also rumored to have played well, which is certainly a noteworthy story, but not something to get excited about. Beck is the one with a real future. I hope we never see McCown in a game unless it's garbage time.

A Little More JT

Just a little more to report for you. Sorry for those of you who have grown disenamored with this story...it's what's making headlines around the South Florida blogosphere, so I feel compelled to report it.

As you know, I've been adamant in my support of Jason Taylor over Bill Parcells. I want to share an additional opinion that I posted on Phinsider:

"What amazes me, though, is how you can just ignore the track records of the parties involved. Let’s see:

1. Jason Taylor – Always great teammate, always prepared for season, stayed loyal to a horrid team through coaching changes, poor personnel moves, and media scrutiny.

2. Bill Parcells – Reputed jerk, gets into squabbles with teammates and media constantly, doesn’t dignify people by saying their names (which is so unbelievably rude, by the way), known dictator, no-nonsense yet pervades nonsense. Bailed on teams EVERY SINGLE TIME, plays teams against each other to make more money.

Think about that before you start making assumptions. All Jason Taylor did was follow a great opportunity. The rest is Parcells being a prick."

Anyway, now that I've gotten in my two cents about fifty times, let me share a couple good JT links:

FinsNation shows that Jason Taylor has support from fellow players. As for how the situation will play out from here, Matty of Phinsider puts together an elaborate post here. There a lots of possibilities, but I still hope and maintain that we'll see Taylor in a Dolphins uniform next year.

Blogosphere Divide: JT 2, Parcells 2

As many of you know, we often refer to FinsNation, Phinsider, and PhinFever for Dolphins commentary. All have been loyal - if not perturbed - providers on the Jason Taylor-Bill Parcells feud.

Well today, it seems the battle lines have been drawn, with two on each side. Not since the fabled clash of D'Artagnan & Porthos vs. Athos & Aramis in Dumas' Twenty Years After has such division fermented among allies. Alas, such is the way of things.

Let's start with the Parcellsists. Phinsider comes out strongly against Jason Taylor. His words:

"To be honest, though, this whole entire situation just sickens me. It really does. And what I'm hoping for is for Taylor to be traded...and traded soon."

PhinFever joins in dissent:

"All of his actions, in this blogger’s opinion, have been detrimental to the team. His initial decision to be on Dancing with the Stars has caused this media maelstrom. Him missing mandatory mini-camps and eventually training camp will only add to the frenzy. The rumors that he wants to be traded, and yes he does, along with the idea that Hollywood is waiting for him, have all caused distractions for what the new front office wants to do."

And now to the Taylorists, myself included. FinsNation shows a bit of bravery as he makes his case, despite its apparent unpopularity. I give you one of the non-vulgar quotes (there are few):

"Point is: I side with JT. He's done nothing wrong. Parcells could and should have defused the situation from the beginning and handled it quietly and responsibly. Now, I understand that most of you disagree with my stance. That's cool. Disagreements are a part of what makes sports fun, and debates are a healthy way to hash out differences of opinion."

Well FinsNation, you have some company here at The South Florida Fan. What does Jason Taylor owe this franchise; the same franchise that treated him like garbage this entire offseason; the same franchise that gave him horrible coaches and horrendous draft picks for teammates; the same franchise that leaves him at the twilight of his career with nothing close to a ring. My god, what a terrible person!

How dare he want to play for a winning team??? How dare he seize an elusive opportunity to boost a post-NFL career by going on Dancing With the Stars and milking it for all its worth? All this, while Bill Parcells acted like a total jackass. JT, you have our full support. Now come back and play for us!

Jason Taylor Update (Snore)

This Jason Taylor story is just getting old...and yet, we still don't have any new information. Taylor says one thing, the team says another, the media says A WHOLE LOT MORE than either side in the form of nonsensical speculation and senseless argument. Yep, that just about sums it up.

For once, FinsNation provides a refreshing take on the situation:

"Hold on. Before I type another sentence, I have to consult my Magic 8-Ball about something….

Waiting.....waiting..... yup, this story is still annoying."

Agreed. Agreed.

(Now weren't we just guilty of everything we blamed the media for? Crap!)

Cote's Rendition of 'The 4 Questions'

Greg Cote hosted his usual Monday chat, albeit on Tuesday (postponed a day for Memorial Day). As always, he was gracious with our questions. There's no better source on the state of Miami sports, so he's a great person to ask. Today's questions:

1. Q: Have your media counterparts in other cities started to take more notice of the Marlins? Are they finally getting some respect?

A: Yes, gradually, by degrees. Heard Boog Schiambi on the broadcast just yesterday touting Dan Uggla as an NL MVP candidate at this point. Acceptance coming hard, though. Lots of national folk still expect the starting pitching to wither.

Boog Schiambi isn't really an encouraging source, considering his previous history with the Marlins. A strong road trip against NL East rivals would make an impression, I'm sure.

2. Q: Are the Marlins Willie Randolph's worst nightmare? First they knock the Mets out of the playoffs last year, now they could knock him out of his job.

A: Yeah the "Fire Willie" signs have begun to sprout at Shea. Should his supporters counter with "Free Willie" signs?

As stated earlier, I think Randolph is getting too much of the blame. Then again, a new voice might be essential now.

3. Q: Do you see Elton Brand as a member of the 2008-09 Heat? What about Ron Artest?

A: I know Pat Riley has liked Elton Brand's game for years. Ron Artest would be a great signing despite the baggage.

Cote and I wholeheartedly agree. I'd love to see these guys in a Heat uniform next year.

4. Q: Would you rather be stuck on a deserted island with Jason Taylor or Bill Parcells?

A: Oddly enough, probably Parcells. Because I'd rather talk football than dancing. (Time for one more question. Who wins the nonexistent prize!?)

I completely disagree here. First of all, I'd imagine Bill Parcells would eat the bulk of the available food resources. He'd also be pretty useless in terms of hunting and fishing. His grumpy demeanor couldn't be too good for morale either.

And hey...Jason Taylor could teach me how to dance!

Prediction: Jason Taylor Stays

These superstar-management tiffs have a way of working out, especially when there are significant obstacles in the way of a trade. Here are two examples:

1. Kobe Bryant and the Lakers - He demanded a trade all summer, but his no-trade clause and incomparable value forced both sides to coexist.

2. Manny Ramirez and the Red Sox - Manny demands a trade every year, and the Red Sox find a way to placate him by pretending to look around. Never happens, obviously.

Trades are difficult to pull off in the NFL. There are salary cap problems on both sides, the Draft already happened, and JT isn't enhancing his value by plugging his acting career.

Phinsider tells us the rumored teams thus far: San Diego and Washington. Neither seem particularly interested beyond a low-level draft pick.

In my view, the Dolphins and Jason Taylor will reconcile their differences and play out a juicy soap opera. When will Bill Parcells learn that his antagonistic style only exacerbates the situation? He should just shut up and say, "Jason will be on the team come August." Period.

Joey Porter Sounds Off on Spygate...News?

Joey Porter thinks the Patriots deserve a bigger penalty. La la la la la. That's just great, coming from such a viable source.

We all know Joey Porter is a soft-spoken guy, who never wears his heart on his sleeve, who never trash talks. When Joey Porter says something, we should listen, because he's such a standup guy.

And yet...this qualifies as a top headline on ESPN. Add Porter to the list of players more popular at ESPN than on his own team. In case you're interested, here's a piece of his words:

"They [the Patriots] cheated, there should be an asterisk. They cheated and they got caught," the All-Pro linebacker, who spent eight seasons with the Pittsburgh Steelers before joining Miami in free agency last season, said in an interview on "NFL Live."

"Why, if you have nothing to hide, would you destroy [the evidence]? That's how I've looked at it from the beginning. Why destroy something that doesn't have to be destroyed? Let everyone know what was on the tapes. Why would you destroy them so fast?"

"They went from zero to 60 overnight and [Belichick] went from a good coach to a great great coach and he got caught cheating," Porter said on "NFL Live."

Well if it was said on NFL Live, then we should all have our ears perked.

In all seriousness, though, I think it's time to put an end to Spygate. Bill Belichick should be suspended for a year (what he should have gotten last year) and we can all move on. The penalty they got truly was a slap on the wrist...there's an easy way to kill the story. Actually apply a real penalty!

Jason Taylor Remix

So it still seems apparent Jason Taylor is on his way out the door. I've been spirited in my defense of Taylor, while The South Florida Fan as a whole seems to have taken different sides.

It's good to know I have some company from other blogs. FinsNation comes out in support of JT. I still maintain that Taylor isn't much at fault, and the blame should be directed at Bill Parcells.

If Taylor is to be traded, where are his potential destinations? Phinsider makes a strong case for San Diego, throwing out an appetizing idea of a swap for Vincent Jackson + pick. That would be an interesting WR reversal, considering the Dolphins shipped Chris Chambers there last year.

What it really comes down to, though, is which NFL team is close enough to take a gamble. Look at how successful the Giants' defensive line was in the Super Bowl last year. Somewhere out there, a GM is going to cave and offer an earlier pick.

Jason Taylor Era Over?

And the seasons, they go round and round. And the painted ponies go up and down...

Oh wait, that's James Taylor.

Unfortunately, the carousel of time may have reached the end for Jason Taylor and the Dolphins. It's a sad conclusion to a prosperous saga, which never lacked flair, excitement, or sacks for that matter.

An unsympathetic Phinsider says "this is getting very ugly" and puts Taylor with the likes of Nick Saban. I think that's ridiculous, considering the Dolphins did nothing to help Taylor all these years and Bill Parcells has been a total prick. I'm 80% with Taylor on this one.

FinsNation signifies the writing on the wall, entitling his piece: "JT's Days with the Fins are Done." How's he taking it?

"I just dialed up 976-SHRINK and the guy with the Jamaican accent who answered the phone told me that the most reasonable reaction to this news is pure unbridled anger. So just go with that."

That's FinsNation therapy for you. Then again, this sucks. I feel the unbridled anger coming already.

Maybe there's room for one last dance, last chance...for love? Come back Jason!

Phin-Mates the New Bengals?

We've had a lot of positive coverage of the Parcells-era Dolphins lately. You all know I've even been a bit ridiculous, projecting playoff possibilities. As Jason Taylor keeps improving on Dancing With the Stars, so are the Dolphins in their offseason standing.

I regret to inform you, then, that there's a disturbing trend developing among Dolphins players: arrests. Phinfever tells us that the Dolphins now have four arrests this year, thanks to some misbehavior from CB Will Allen. PhinFever's thoughts:

"Even though I am one of the biggest supporters of "innocent until proven guilty" at Phinfever, this is starting to get irritating. It's only May and we already have four arrests on our record for the 2008 season."

Keep in mind that the modern-day record was set by the 2006 Bengals, who managed double digits in arrests. At four, the Dolphins aren't far behind. Right now, Ricky Williams is looking like the most upstanding citizen on the squad.