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Thursday, December 20, 2007

Wayne Huizenga makes another bold bid

Gotta give it to Wayne Huizenga.

The Dolphins owner has proven time and again that he will do whatever needs to be done to make the Dolphins champions. Now, of course, after so many past failures the assignment now is to make the Dolphins relevant again.

But that's not Huizenga's fault. He has done and is continuing to do his part.

When Don Shula showed signs of slowing down and finally "stepped aside" in January 1996, Huizenga knew there was a mandate for only one guy out there. That guy was Jimmy Johnson and Huizenga got him.

OK, so he missed the boat on Dave Wannstedt and has made other significant management mistakes. But after that Wannstedt debacle there one was coach who was the darling of a dozen NFL teams' fancy and that was Nick Saban. And Huizenga got him when other teams couldn't.

Now, even as the Dolphins are mired in their worst season ever, the popular cry is to land Bill Parcells as a personnel guru and Bill Cowher as coach. Cowher apparently doesn't want to coach in 2008 unless it is in Carolina. And so Huizenga went and got Parcells -- even if it meant outbidding the Atlanta Falcons and changing his mind and plans to sell the team.

The point is Huizenga will move heaven and earth -- and trample over people if he must -- to get the big name that he hopes will give the Dolphins the best chance to succeed.

Clearly, it doesn't always work. Fact is it has never really worked as the Dolphins have fallen from the ranks of elite NFL franchises the past decade.

But you cannot say that fall is for lack of Huizenga trying. He definitely has made the bold attempts. And trying to get Parcells is just the latest example.

Your thoughts ...

50 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

We need Marty Schottenheimer. That's it, that's all. Somebody who can lift our spirits and build confidence from within. I think Bill Parcells is the "sexy" choice, but not the right one for this team. We need Marty!

9:45 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

At least he is doing something

10:10 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Wayne is a great owner!

Thank you Wayne for a fantastic early Christmas present.

10:19 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Parcells is one of the two best football active people in the league. The other one is Bellichick.

We know it hasn't work in the past all this hiring big names, but Parcells seems to be more ethical than any of the previous ones (J.J. Wanny, Nick). So let's see. Whatever happens we can't get any worse. Can we? Oh! We won a game last week! Perhaps we can. Would Parcells and his ego allow his name to be involved with a lousy team? I doubt it.

Huizenga is a nice person. Anyone can see.

At least it is interesting once again to be a Dolphan.

10:20 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Parcells hasn't signed the deal yet. He could still back out on us like he did Tampa Bay and Atlanta kids.

10:25 AM  
Blogger Unknown said...

To all of those that have been coming here and begging for Wayne to sell, I hope this shows that he's actually passionate about this team. He has proven time and time again that he is willing to shell out the money for this team to succeed and most everyone has been on the bandwagon before reality sets in. Jimmy, Dave (maybe not), and Saban have all been greeted with open arms till they fail and then everyone wants to know why we didn't go after Tomlin, who nobody knew about and is now the choice we all would have made. Say what you want about Wayne, but at least he KNOWS he's not a football mind and has tried damn hard to get one in there. I hope this one doesn't backfire too.

10:28 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

This just proves that Huizenga does not know what he is doing. An organization must build from within. Without Parcells, this team would continue to improve next year with a half-decent draft and a few free agents. What is Parcells going to tell Randy and Cam that they don't already know? Armando Salguero knows what the Dolphins need because he's been covering them so long.


Parcells is not the best evaluator of talent, nor is he the best people manager. He is retired COACH with a big mouth and little Parcells didn't even want TO on th Cowboys. Without TO, the Cowboys are irrelevant. I think this is another big news move that will prove costly in the future. Parcells has only won the super bowl with ONE team as far as I know. Almost getting there or turning a team around does not amount to success. It's even been documented that Parcells really didn't even build the Giants, their GM did.

I live in CT,so I've seen enough interviews with the TUNA in NE and NY to know that he is inept at dealing with people. He is another dictator-like person that cries when he doesn't get his way.

Picking up C-Pep, T.Green, and Joey Porter were mistakes because they were retreads from other teams. This same idea applies to Parcells.

10:29 AM  
Blogger Unknown said...

The good thing is that once Tuna leaves, which he always does, Miami will be better off than when he joined...especially if he hires a coach. Perhaps Mo Carthon....

One other side note. Parcells does not believe in drafting rb's high, so expect the Fins to pick Dorsey. He always says RBs are 4 year players then wear down.

10:32 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Wayne has always done what is best for the team. His reward- mediocrity. That's why he almost sold the team. This is a new hope. Probably his last. If this doesn't bring it back to par, then we will see a sell-off in 3-4 years. Thanks Wayne. Thanks for trying your best. Some of us think he's the real deal. Leave him alone!! We don't need a meddling Jerry Jones. We need a Wayne H.

10:34 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Even Spielman couldnt screw this rebuild up considering the Cap Space and number of picks we have upcoming and Randy is 100x better than him so I dont know what Parcells is going to do other than make some smart-a$$ remarks and end up taking credit for something that Cam and Randy couldve done without his mouth.

10:42 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

its all official the big tune is part of the fins he just faxed in the contract. i saw it on espn check for your self if you dont belive me. but this is great free agents will want to come to miami we could land a te maybe dallas clark or bob sanders to play safety or a cb in asonte samuels wow i like the direction the fins are going maybe draft a qb this offseason with the first pick and go def the rest of the draft i would like that

10:55 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I wouldn't use The Tuna not wanting TO on the Boys squad as an example to prove my point if you look back TO recked a few clubs before he landed in Dallas (Baltimore by changing his mind, Philly and SF) so that was a wise decision TO is a coach killer!

Look at Dallas's roster he brought in the majority of that team the Cowboys would be irrelevant if the Tuna doesn't make that stop Period!!!!

10:55 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I admire Wayne for his willingness to do something, anything to get his team back to respectability, but hasn't this been the mentality that has driven this franchise into the ground?

Dumping Shula for making the playoffs every year but failing to make it to the dance. Bringing in Johnson because he was supposed to be the second coming of, well, Don Shula. Listening to the quiting Johnson and allowing perennial loser Dave Wannstedt to disseminate the team as he had in Chicago. Jumping at the glamor boy Saban, when one look in his eyes relative to the words spewing from his mouth, screamed of deception.

Finally bringing in a coach who was unproven, young and hungry, who knows QBs and was willing to work with everyone in his organization to rebuild a team. Alas, the fruits of Wannstedt and Saban had finally come to bare and Cameron was left to pick up the pieces. Poor man thought he would get a chance, but Wayne only works in miracles. Deceived again by the charismatic bully boy, who patrols the playground with a billy club.

Sorry folks... This is a mistake. But as someone noted. Parcells will at least leave the team with some good players when he gets frustrated and quits.

11:01 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Bill won't take Dorsey, he believes in a 3-4 defense and Dorsey is a two gap defensive tackle. He is not a big fan of drafting QB or RB high so look for us to either move down or end up with one of the Longs

11:18 AM  
Blogger Unknown said...

Good point HP...Perhaps Bill will trade the pick to his old friend Jerry Jones. Thank you Wayne for making football matter again after a disaster of a season.

11:21 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Its a bold, needed move to hire someone like Parcells. But I think it would have been cool, and perhaps more successful, if Wayne let Shula back in to right the ship for a year or two. Shula is after all the winningest coach of all time and cares greatly about the Dolphin organization.

Armando: does Wayne not like Shula?

11:32 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

"Huizenga has proven time and again that he will do whatever needs to be done to make Dolphins a champion". Are you making a Christmas joke or are you just early April Fool's Day? Huizenga will do whatever it takes to hire a big name as coach or as VP of Football. Hence, Jimmy, Nictator, Marino and now the Tuna. Huizenga won't do whatever it takes to bring in big time free agents. The first big money free agent they ever brought in was this year with Joey Porter. When Ricky was running wild for 2 years they needed to improve the offensive line and they wouldn't spend the money. I remember when Pete Kendall was released, in a salary cap move, by the SeaHawks old Wannstache said "he might be a little too expensive for us". So Kendall went to the J-E-T-S. Who do you think said you can't spend too much on free agents? Not Wannstache. What this team needs a talent evaluator who will make smart draft picks. My money says Mueller is a better talent evaluator than Parcells. I hope I'm wrong. I want to be wrong. Big name does not mean big time talent evaluator.

11:48 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

The Dolphins are the worst team in the NFL .This was a good hire how many wasted draft picks have we had over the last 10 years .How many poor free agent signings have we had.I think Parcells is a upgrade and will work well with a hands off owner like Huizenga.And as long as we are heading in the right direction when he leaves we will be better off.

12:41 PM  
Blogger Yitz said...

Whether or not he actually works out, once again Huizenga was willing to put out the money and do whatever else it took to help the team. I don't think you can ask for more from an owner. I'm excited about this hire, because I think finally there will be a guy with a plan, who will stick to it. I think that's the one thing we've been missing. Besides a quarterback, obviously.

12:45 PM  
Blogger Derek said...

Horrible management decision made in haste to please people (the majority of whom are morons in general) rather than get the job done right. Cameron and Mueller have had only one season in which they were hindered by a litany of injuries and a plethora of poor draft picks and free agent signings and trades of previous regimes. Give them time to rebuild the team in their own fashion.

Hiring the dictator coach means that he'll drag this team in another direction, and we'll be starting from scratch again. Is he going to let Mueller and Cameron continue their rebuilding plan and simply try to throw in some advice and guidance? I doubt it. He'll want to rebuild the team in his image, and we might as well fire Cameron and Mueller right now.

Then when we go 4-12 in 2008, we can all beg for Schottenheimer or Cowher or whatever flavor of the month and go in yet another direction to start from scratch again.

Impatience is not what this team needed.

12:45 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

At 77 (almost 78), I don't think Shula wants to end his retirement.

I'd be suprised if Wayne doesn't talk to Don occasionally and ask for advice. This is not something that Shula would divulge. Despite his ego, he has a sense of decorum and would not want to show up in the press as a "second guesser" or do something to undermine Wayne.

12:52 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

From what I heard from Mortenson or Clayton on ESPN, one of the deciding factors for Parcells was the current composition of this team. Apparently, Tuna likes the foundation here better than Atlanta.

They said that Parcells would have a lot more work to do in Atlanta to build the kind of team that he feels will be successful in the NFL.

12:55 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

THE MIAMI DOLPHINS WILL ALWAYS BE RELEVANT ARMANDO. THATS WHY YOU COVER THEM. OUR TEAM STUNK THIS YEAR AND DESSIMATED BY INJURIES WITH NOTHING TO PLAY FOR AND THE BLOGS,FORUMS AND CHAT ROOMS ARE AS FULL AS EVER. THE DOLPHIN BRAND SELLS.

2:52 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Derek - I couldn't have said it better myself. This team needs consistency, not to head in a new direction every year. Cam and Randy have not been given a fair shot at this, they deserved at least one more off season. I hope Cam stays, I'm sure Randy's gone though and probably both of them.

2:58 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I am surprised by the amount of people bemoaning Cam and Muellers fate. The Dolphins have just had one of the alltime worst seasons ever and people are saying that the current regime needs more time. That is just ludicrious. The current regime never said we were in rebuilding mode and thought at the beginning of the year we could make the playoffs. The current coach and GM were in way over there heads. We are in rebuilding mode and Parcells is the man to come in and rebuild us correctly. He is not setting the organization back farther because it really cant be set back much more. Parcells is smart knowing that he comes into Miami with lots of draft picks, salary cap money, and most importantly an owner that will completely leave him alone. Parcells for better or worse will be an absolute dictator and every decision will be his. However, with his ego there is no way he is going to haphazardly put this team together to try to compete immediately. I think he will build a team of young players that will be able to compete for a long time. I am excited the Fins are relevant again and I do thank Huzienga for giving us one last ditch effort. Huzienga who admits he does not know football has to go after the big names since he does not know who the good young up and cummers are. He is trying his best and that is much better than an owner that just tries to milk a team. It is hard to win in the NFL at least now the Dolphins are back on a level playing field.

3:43 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Lets see what happens. He isn't going give Cam and Randy a free pass. He said they could stay for now but he had better see some improvement. Of course Cam and Randy said we would make the playoffs. If they didn't nobody would play for them. All the vets would have laid down. And they still get paid to play. After 0-8 the cat was out of the bag.

4:40 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Miami fans have to be the least savvy and most fair-weathered fans in all of sports.

EVERY insider who I have heard comment on Wayne has been very positive about what kind of owner he is. From spending over $200 million to upgrade the stadium including the largest hdtv display in the world to getting Saban and JJ who were the hottest commodities at the time like the article said.

People forget how Joe Robbie use to be vilified for being a tightwad when he let Zonk, Warfield and Kiick go to WFL and led to the downfall of the Super Bowl Teams. We'll never have that problem with Wayne.

4:41 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Bravo.....Wayne. Congrats on a great move. The man can build a team and he doesn't take dookie from anyone. You can bet he will be straight forward with whomever he has to deal with and he will not BS Wayne either. He is going to go in there and set things right.

I guess from this point on there will no longer be any players cussing out the coaches in the locker room at least if they are smart and know what is good for them there won't be any.

I can't wait to see this party get started.

There are some butt holes puckering in Davie this afternoon.

4:51 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

cam is the one that demanded they go and get green!major boo-boo,everyone else knew it!he also insisted they draft ginn as a favour to his father(a close friend)another boo-boo!i'm also certain beck was his call too(because of religous reasons),he can't manage the clock,or put the best players on his roster on the field!his play calling is just as bad as is predecessors!i just don't see how parcells is gonna keep him as coach!

5:10 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Even if this turns out to be a bad decision you can't fault WH. He is doing all he can to turn this franchise around and its because he is a great Dolphan like the rest of us. The last game I had tears in my eye exactly like he had. He is fan first and fore most.

GO Phins!

5:11 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Wayne H. is a great owner and is doing whatever it takes to try to get this thing turned around. I'm glad that the fans and the media are acknowledging this. Although, I believe that this team needs stability. Cam has made rookie mistakes, which has cost the team some wins, however, not enough to make this team with not enough talent to be in the playoffs, a playoff team. No one has even mentioned how much RamCam freed up in the salary cap this offseason. I sure hope Tuna thanks them for that when he is kicking them out the door. Cam came in to a no-win situation and put his job on the line because he knows that the way to build a team is through the draft unlike the coaches weve had the last decade that created this mess. Dom Capers was signed before Cam even came in, and that is what let us down before our whole offense was either injured, or traded. I think Cam deserves another year to build his offense, he has no help ever since Ronnie Brown tore his ACL and our defense is to blame for all of the losses when this season still counted.

5:45 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Go ask Buffalo how Ralph Wilson is as an owner! Go ask how the Ford family is a owners. Wayne has always spent money to help this team win. No one was complaining on the JJ hire or the Saban hire. He built a pratice bubble with no questions asked, and allowed Nick Saban to have 1000 coaches and "strength and conditioning" coaches! Please stop hating Wayne! If you where not moved by Wayne's emotion on Sunday, you need to switch teams! That was an amazing display of passion and emotion. Stop hating!

7:06 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

FINFANINCHARLESTONSC SAID
For those of you with any common sense, understand the majority of comments re Wayne H have been positive and complimentary. If you still hate one of the best, if not the best, team owners in the NFL, as a previous comment said, "find another team." A better owner than Wayne would be hard to find.

10:23 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

FINFANINCHARLESTONSC SAID
For those of you with any common sense, understand the majority of comments re Wayne H have been positive and complimentary. If you still hate one of the best, if not the best, team owners in the NFL, as a previous comment said, "find another team." A better owner than Wayne would be hard to find.

10:25 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I like the Parcells signing. Sure the guy is a dictator, but remember this is a team that's been sleepwalking through most of the season both on and off the playing field, and this organization sorely needs some backbone. Love or hate tuna, he can't do much worse than has already occured this season. One thing about Parcells is that he doesn't stay off the sidelines for very long, Saban is certainly on the hot seat to keep his job.

10:27 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I have inside information that Nick Saban wont be back next year.

As for the Tuna, finally a ray of hope for this franchise. Clean house Tuna. I dont care if you only stay 3 years, just build the foundation before you go. Clean house!

12:40 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

thanks for listening to my late night calls wayne now tuna clean house fire these bums cameron and mueller!

3:04 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I was so happy I text everyone I knew when I heard the news about the Tuna. Not only about the Tuna but that Wayne wasn't selling the team. I think he has been an incredible owner and has taken so much pardon the pun garbage for to long.

11:18 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Get ready for the next bold move. Coach Cameron will likely be fired by Bill Parcells. The new head coach will be Patriots Offensive Coordinator, Josh McDaniels. It's gonna happen!

2:30 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Was Ted Ginn's family involved in this hiring?

4:34 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

When someone says that Wayne is a great owner. Just remember he hired Wanstedt a coach that did not want Dan Marino back. Marino had a year or two left in his career.

5:09 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Parcells is a typical New Jersey guy(nasty,and rude).

5:10 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Big Tuna say ....
Dolt-moves accountability ....

B-Bye Losing & wasting draft pics on dumb trades.

B-Bye Front Office
B-Bye Mueller
B-Bye Cam
B-Bye Wayne, oh crap wish I could do that, he ran the stupid show!!!

Hello, HOPE for the first time in 10+ years.

10:18 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I think the Tuna is going to put the hammer to the Scam Cam Randy fishes. I don't see him keeping them but they will pay them off at full contract price and those Fishies will go to sleep with gold in pockets.
If my Phins Dream comes true we will bring in Josh McDaniel’s as head coach (Pats OF Coordinator) and Scott Pioli will join us from the pats soon, any of u journalists know his contract situation?
Anyway if the fat Tuna keeps CamScam and Mueller I would be surprised. After our performance I think it is time to pay them and say goodbye.

2:39 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

What garbage Mando - did he send you a present or something? This is a results business and this man has taken us in one direction - for EVERYTHING - results, reputation, exciting football, poor coaches, poor players, poor personnel. So what if you think he moves heaven & earth - it's a sign of increasing desperation. Good God, Mando - I can see it from 'across the pond' - GO NOW WAYNE - SELL UP & GET OUT OF TOWN YOU BUM!

9:54 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

We FINALLY got someone (BIG TUNA) who knows how to draft talent. He and Jimmy Johnson were the best at picking good-great players. Now you will see how fast we will FINALLY get a great offensive line just like the rest of the good teams (Dallas, New England,Indy). When you have great talent it's easy to coach. Just ask Bill Belichk.

9:54 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

READ THIS IF YOU WANT TO HEAR SOMEONE MAKE SENSE!!!!!!!!!!!!

Let me make ONE THING CLEAR. I keep on hearing this "BIG NAME" thing-- and the Dolphins as someone who has been getting them. There is only one BIG name that we have ever had and that was Jimmy JOHNSON. He put together ONE team that was probably some of the best talent ever put on one team--even the towel boys were great. The team was so good that Barry Switzer could have won with them...oh wait, he did. BUT when he tried to do it with the DOLPHINS, he couldn't do it. And he couldn't "take it".

Wanstadt wasn't a big name---unless you are considering the LOSER category, and then you may be right. SABAN was a college coach that won the CO-NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP in where? COLLEGE. Not the NFL. He couldn't take the NFL and now is back in "school again".

CAM CAMERON? He was a very good offenive coordinator---but with Ladanian Tomlison, Antonio Gates, Drew Brees, etc.

Bill PARCELLS-- Took the GIANTS and won two Superbowls. Had to leave after having health complications. The GIANTS then sucked for years after he left. PATRIOTS--Won two games before Parcells took over and within four they were in the SUPERBOWL. THE JETS-- they were the worst in the league and Parcell's actually brought the Jets to the AFC championship game...the JETS? And then he took over the COWBOYS and built the team we see today. This was done all in the NFL and done several times over and over agan. PARCELLS is the definition of a BIG NAME.

12:24 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Geesh. These columns are flip flopping back and forth so much it makes me think that Armondo should be driving a swift boat. It'll be interesting to see if he still has the same access to the club after the Tuna gets into town.

BTW, who was the columnist that was supposedly gunning to get Zach cut as has been reported by multiple sources?

1:10 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I think if I were a surgeon, I could attach you lips to Waynes ass. The man gave us garbage..."please say it anit so Joe (Wayne). you have changed you mind and are not sells....get out of sports. if winning is everythin, Wayne is nothing. My grandmother could have managed the Fins better, and she is dead.

10:16 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

You are right, Wayne is comitted to winning, even if his past moves have not always worked out. I disagree though that he "missed" on Wannstead. Jimmy Johnson missed, as he HIGHLY recommended the guy to Wayne. Wayne did what any highly successful businessman does, you go out and hire smart, expert people to run various aspects of your business. So he listened to JJ.

2:35 PM  

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