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Friday, May 02, 2008

Early report from first Dolphins minicamp practice

Here are some initial thoughts following the end of the first minicamp practice:

*The starting offensive line for this practice was LT Jake Long, LG Shawn Murphy, C Mike Byrne, RG Donald Thomas, RT Dan Gore.

*Chad Henne, as expected, took the first team snaps at QB while workout player Willie Copeland was second. Henne had an OK day. Copeland, predictably, struggled skipping a couple of passes and overthrowing three or four.

*Jayson Foster, playing exclusively at receiver, was impressive. He has great acceleration and catches the ball cleanly which is impressive because he played QB at Georgia Southern last year.

*Phillip Merling worked throughout the practice and said he felt "no pain," despite his hernia surgery a little while back.

*Partial owner Stephen Ross watched practice from the sideline. Wayne Huizenga was not present.

*Bill Parcells watched throughout. The only player I saw him talking to was Foster, which is great for Foster because Parcells obviously thinks enough of him to even know he exists.

*Foster was also used returning punts.

*Khristopher Kasparek and Davone Bess each dropped at least one easy pass.

[More later.}

55 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

thankx mando...keep up the good work and don't let the few distract you.

5:34 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

thanks for being our eyes and ears mando. Now go hide before Bill finds out you blogged and makes you run laps.

5:39 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

MAndo does Henne look better then Beck did at the start of his rookie camp?

5:40 PM  
Blogger Armando Salguero said...

No, Henne doesn't look any better. Actually, I thought Beck had a quicker release.

5:42 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Henne has been knocked for his slow delivery, and one of the problems with Beck they've been working on is his high release.

I have a feeling that Henne will be a third stringer all this year. It would make sense to play Beck over everyone if he does well in camp, because it will raise his trade value down the line if Henne does end up a starter in the next couple years.

5:46 PM  
Blogger DolGinn said...

How do Langford/Dotson Look? If those two does not pan out I a'm not sure that we will have any 2nd day contributors on this team.

5:57 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Mando, How is DaVone Bess doing?

5:59 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Armando, can you describe Henne's day other than "Beck has a quicker release?" We know Beck has a quick release. He did last year too, in between the time he was dropping the football and walking off the field on 4th down. How did Henne do?

No surprise Parcells talked to Foster, because he personally reviewed his film, and called him right after the Jake Long pick, during the draft. I think one of the coaches knows him too.

Anything of substance??

6:06 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Hey Armandito!

What can you say about Marcell Reece? Did he stand out?

Thanks in advance.

6:07 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

CMM - How did that son of a slgger look?

6:08 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Funny all these people asking questions but they didn't care when the Dolphins prevented Mando from blogging live.

You guys are suckers!

6:12 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I think Beck will have a shot!

6:19 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Can we plzz evaluate these players during mandatory camp when the vets are there. To come on here and ask Mando, how is Hess,Henne or Foster doing, is a joke. Its MAY folks, lets be real. And Mando, am a big fan, but lets stay of the scouting plz (Becks release is better then Henne), thats NEWS LOL. Just cause you have a quicker release does NOT mean you are a ELITE QB in the NFL. It does NOT do beck anything to have a quick release, but yet can't handle a snap from the center 9 out of 10 times.

I will never FORGET the last game of the season when beck came in the game vs (BENGALS) and Beck was in Shot Gun and he could not handle the snap and the bengals ran it back for a TD. Did ya see Parcells face, IT WAS CLASSIC. Lets be real folks, it may or may not be this year, but one thing parcells is, he is VERY LOYAL TO HIS PLAYERS. Chad Henne is his player (ENOUGH SIDE).

I see Josh statring the season and half way during the season Henne will be the starter for the remainder of the season and for the next 15 years.

6:23 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Henne looked great, other than the 9 fumbles today... but he definitely looked better walking off the field on 4th down than John Beck did last season!

6:24 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Wow, I just heard there's a player drafted by the Bill's who's father is Carl Malone, Malone fathered the guy when he was 18 and the boy's mother was 12 years old.


Ramsterone

6:27 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Can we plzz evaluate these players during mandatory camp when the vets are there. To come on here and ask Mando, how is Hess,Henne or Foster doing, is a joke. Its MAY folks, lets be real. And Mando, am a big fan, but lets stay of the scouting plz (Becks release is better then Henne), thats NEWS LOL. Just cause you have a quicker release does NOT mean you are a ELITE QB in the NFL. It does NOT do beck anything to have a quick release, but yet can't handle a snap from the center 9 out of 10 times.

I will never FORGET the last game of the season when beck came in the game vs (BENGALS) and Beck was in Shot Gun and he could not handle the snap and the bengals ran it back for a TD. Did ya see Parcells face, IT WAS CLASSIC. Lets be real folks, it may or may not be this year, but one thing parcells is, he is VERY LOYAL TO HIS PLAYERS. Chad Henne is his player (ENOUGH SIDE).

I see Josh statring the season and half way during the season Henne will be the starter for the remainder of the season and for the next 15 years.

6:36 PM  
Blogger One Angry American said...

Sounds like Finsfan has a case of the Miss Cleo's. Why ocme on here predicting what you know??

Let's make a bet, If John Beck starts one game this year, you promise to leave this blog forever, if he doesn't then I will banish myself from this blog forever.

I mean you have been spouting this crap for a long time.

And a quick release coupled with accuracy actually does project very well to the NFL.

Mannin is a pro who threw 6 INT's in one game last year against the Chargers so yeah Beck had a bad beginnign that game. He overcame it in the next few series scoring two touchdowns and converting a two pointer. You forgot to mention that.

DO we have a bet?

6:45 PM  
Blogger DolGinn said...

Is this the worst minicamp group ever? (cept for Long)

6:52 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Thanks Mando..
Its Just Good To See Huezinga Build a High Quality Front Office. The Players and Wins Will Come. I Just Hate to See overly Negitive Press Implant impatiance in everyone. This is going to Take a While But Finally The Fines are on the Right Path!

6:57 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Ron in Charlotte,

Well Well Well lololol long time no see, I thought after our last conversation, you would never ever come on here again, since you have not been on for a while, but I guess I was wrong. First of all DON'T EVER COMPARE ANY LAST NAME MANNING TO BECK, how dare you sir, lol.

So lets say you are right, Beck starts one game, what does that prove??

Lets face it dude, I like Beck but he is NOT a parcells guy, and if you know anything bout parcells , he is very loyal to his PLAYERS and Beck is NOT one of his.

Your bet is laughable because he could start via injury.

Give me something to make the bet legit, and you are on.

By the way in reference to MISS CLEO, I did predict JAKE LONG FROM DAY 1!!

7:05 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Beck will be better than any of the QB taken in this draft. Have patience. Even Eli took a huge beating from press and teammates and now he shut them up for good. Beck will do the same.

7:06 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

finfart - you are just regurgitating the opinion expressed here by Mando with all that 'not being a Parcell's guy nonsense'. Wake up. He didn't exactly toss out all of the players on the other teams he went to, he took advantage of what was already there. Satele and Ginn are not Parcel's guys either, don't see them getting demoted.

7:10 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Finfans will be calling for Henne from game 1 on,I think Beck is a fine quarterback and will be around for a while, give the guy a line to block for him first see how he does then evaluate him, I wish finfans wouldn't start a lynch mob before a guy can prove himself, no one we have now is a Marino, just let the guys compete for the starting job.Remember everyone was calling for Beck last year over Lemon.GO FINS-GOOD LUCK ROOKIES, Hopefully we keep Foster.

7:15 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Am talking bout the QB POSITION!!

Example's: Phill Simms, Vinny testaverde, Drew Bledsoe, Tony Romo.

Now CHAD HENNE!!!

Get the picture, physically John Beck is none of these guys.

By the way how did Lorenzo Booker do under the parcells regime?

7:16 PM  
Blogger LaQuin said...

Finsfan
What you say about Henne being Parcell's guy may be true. But I'll say this, if Beck wins out after all the pressure and having to struggle against the grain of not being Parcell's guy, I think he will quickly become Parcell's Guy. Know what I mean?

7:53 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

It's funny how nobody even regards Sparano as the coach of the team.

7:58 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Armando, I was about to rip you for coming down on the Dolphins about the live blogging thing because I knew that a lot of teams have that rule. Thank you for writing the "in all fairness" thing because it shows that you are not as biased as some of us may think. You could have left that out but you didn't. Kudos. NYScott

8:16 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

sorry guys but if the dolphins liked beck they wouldn't have taken a quarterback in the second round. beck is finished.

8:16 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

sorry anon, teams need more than two potential starter qb's on the roster. no way to pass on henne at that spot.

8:23 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Parcells could never have accomplished what he has, had he been prejudiced to only elevate the players he choose or drafted. The guy is a pro, at the top of his class. He will use the best player available to WIN. Whether or not he was there before he (Parcells) arrived. So, you can park all of the BS.
It is what it is. These guys want players to compete for the starting jobs so the creme rises to the top, and they don't care who the creme is. YOU might, but they don't. They are professionals, and they just want to win. So, just sit back and enjoy the ride. And feel comfortable the "E" ticket will take you to the top...for a change.

8:34 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

you don't draft backups in the second round. henne will take over permanently eventually. stick a fork in beck.

8:48 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Yeah, Tuna has to realize he can't favortise just his picks...just b/c he didn't pick Ginn, Beck, etc, that doesn't make it right for him not to develop them...maybe he wouldn't have drafted them or drafted them so high...but they are hear now and it would be a big feather in his cap if he could develop players that were not necessarily on his list. I think this coaching staff will develop a lot of these less heralded players such as Jason Allen and Paul Solia...this team should produce right away from the way that i see it.

8:52 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

But what in the hell was this for? "Don Shula typically worked the rookies twice a day all three days so they could get their vomiting out of the way early. But what did he know; he only won 347 games". Why in the world would you compare Sparano to Shula? That isn't even remotely fair considering this is his first year head coaching in the NFL and every coach has a different style. I mean seriously you come off sounding like a jilted lover. Why do you dislike these three guys SO much? You were giving Cameron a pass saying he should be getting another chance after he bumbled his way through a 1-15 season but before Sparano even steps on the field you are complaining about his practice schedule? Is it really as simple as this, you dislike them because of their policys regarding the media? And therefore you will take cheap shots at them any chance you get? I don't expect you to answer me, you're there and I'm not and you have covered the team for many years so I can't tell you your business. What I can tell you is that when you write things like that, it comes off a little childish and unprofessional. NYScott

8:55 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Was not Beck taken in the second round??

8:59 PM  
Blogger Armando Salguero said...

NYScott: You are WAY out of line calling me unprofessional.

I have covered this team longer than ANYBODY. And that gives me a perspective no one else has. I will draw on that perspective whenever I see fit.

It does not escape me that Shula worked rookies harder than I saw today. Period. That is not an opinion, but a fact. If you think that is hating on the team, you are way too sensitive.

9:16 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

You guys are amazing. Beck had no protection last year and now he and Henne will have protection. They should both do well. To say Beck cant play or throw is amusing because if you go to youtube and type in John Beck and search, you will see 70 yd throws and miracle finish plays that Miss Cleo and others would not make.
Now we have guys in the trenches. Beck will lead this team to ten or more wins this yr.

9:16 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

And that folks is what I call a man laying down law on his own blog.

You feeling a little facialized there scottie?

By the way, Mando, where do you stand on this Henne vs. Beck thing?

9:19 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

FLPD, u get a 5. U and Mando and a few others understand this blog. Its for FINFANS. Not for doubters or crybabies. We love the dolphins and have forever. This is a new year with new management that is proven to produce winners. If the draft and free agency is not enough, go get lost.

Mando is just posting his observations. I don't care about other papers or other writers. John Beck will do fine. He has worked his ass off. If Henne is better, or Josh, then we all win. Get it?

Harri

9:33 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Armando, you have run raphshody over this team while you have been here, and haven't done them any services... You have covered a Bill Parcells team about as long as the Dolphans who read this stuff have. You are as much a beginner as we are. I think the BP's "No press access" is wearing on you...You don't know how to handle yourself unless some insider is telling you all the little secerets...

9:43 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

beck was taken in the second round but by another regime. he is going to have to be very very very very very good to stay on this team past this year.

9:45 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

and i was taken in the third round and got two rings. so what?

harri

9:51 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I am watching this from the sideline and feel I have to chime in.

I have already seen evidence that even in this new era with new people, Armando has already made a connection to somebody.

Last week he quoted a highly placed team source saying the Dolphins were not going to trade JT. And they didn't trade JT.

And the same quote I read in that article anonymously was repeated by Ireland in a press conference. So I know Armando has somebody. So before I personally start saying he doesn't know what he's talking about, I would be very careful because what I've read so far tells me he already does.

10:25 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Fair enough Armando. I didn't mean to imply that you WERE unprofessional as I was just trying to say that some of the things I read seem a bit uncalled for. I am guilty as charged for being too sensitive and I do read into things more than I should. I don't know you on a personal level so it's hard to get a read on the general tone of some of your blogs. That's why I said "it comes off unprofessional". Not that it is, but that it reads that way. With that being said, I never stated you were hating on the team as that would include the players, owners, etc. but it seems pretty obvious that you (you're not alone as a reporter) dislike the Tuna. And I'm sure you have your reasons, it just looked like it was trickling down to Ireland and Sparano. Sorry for the misunderstanding and I will always be a fan of your blogs ya crazy Cuban! :) NYScott

11:25 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

And as for you flpd, are you asking me if I feel like Armando gave me a facial treatment? I see a nightmare coming on tonight! On a serious note if I disagree with Armando I have as much right to question him as he has a right to give me a verbal slap on the wrist. I have a mind of my own and will use it as I see fit. If it weren't for disagreements what fun would we have?! Lets go Dolphins! PS To the guy who said Jake Long was carted off the field, not funny! You almost gave me a heart attack. NYScott

11:42 PM  
Blogger Steve said...

Thanks for the update on everything. Also thanks for listening to my request about Jayson Foster :)

11:54 PM  
Blogger BlueWhiteLion said...

Scott and Armando, BOTH of you sound like you take things a bit personally. And you need to make up. But anyway, thanks for the blog Armando, and the comments, NYScott. Mix it up and stay semi-professional. :)
BlueWhiteLion

11:55 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

hey everybody that says jhon beck is done is a retard! beck never had a chance last year! let's see what line did he have the worst in the league he couldent even take 3 steps back before getting hit. maybe he fumbled all the time under center because he knew he had to hurry up and run backarwds to make sure he didn't get sacked so he rushed alot! what wide recivers did he have? he had no chambers or marty booker! he had ginn but he was doubled covered all the time! wbhat RB did he have? he didn't have brown or ricky or chatman! he had cobbs and lorenzo booker 4th 5th string guys! he never had a chance to succeed he had no offense if u put dan marino in his prime when beck came in with no running back no line and no recivers marino would of not done anything either! and marino is the best QB ever in history so that makes my point right there! beck will start the season and if he don't win by week 4 he is getting pulled if he don't score a TD by week 3 he is done! then josh mccown will come in not henne. and unless mccown puts the dolphins in the playoff hunt u will see henne in like week 14 ,or15. so if beck fails with all the pieces he will be replaced by mccown in week 5 then mccown will be replaced in week 14 by henne and he will play the rest of the way out! either way we will not see henne intill week 15 if we see him at all! what i predict is beck starting the season and finishing the season! with the QB roster like this #1 beck #2 mccown #3 henne! beck starts all year and the dolphins finish 8-8 then mccown will be gone in 09 and beck will be #1 and henne will be his backup at #2 and we then we will draft some bumb loser in the 09 draft with our 7th rd pick to be our 3rd string QB! so now everybody shut up and this is what is going to happen so stop bickering!---------- by big rob

12:03 AM  
Blogger DolGinn said...

Beck; what has he done? There is no philantropy in football.

12:25 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I really want to understand this. The Dolphins don't want you to blog live, Armando. They say it is a competitive disadvantage. But in your previous post you told us the Giants allow their media to blog live.

So WTF? The Giants are the effing Super Bowl champs.

That makes zero sense to me. I wish this team would concentrate on resolving its quarterback issue instead spending time worrying about the media.

Fix the win column and everything else will follow.

12:43 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

A.S.- Why in tarnation can your competitor post VIDEO on their site of the rookie practice, yet you guys have nothing and can't even post a live blog? 'SUP?!

12:47 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Armando - an opinion on professionalism, since you seem to have taken offense to being called unprofessional.

In my experience, true professionalism is a characterization that is earned on an everyday basis, regardless of tenure or age. A true professional should never have to use their tenure as a defense for any accusation. Your body of work should be able to stand on its own.

Defending that body of work with the tenure defense smacks of insecurity, thus rendering the defense ineffectual altogether.

While it is true you have covered the Dolphins for much longer than most (if not all) of the others in your line of work, it that does not absolve you of the responsibility to conduct yourself in your professional life with class on a daily basis. How you do that will dictate how all people, regardless of age, gender, social background, etc. view you.

I believe that NYScott's characterization of you being unprofessional is accurate to a large degree. It's been my experience in reading many of your recent blog entries, columns, etc that there always seems to be a swipe, slur or negative judgment on the new leadership of the Dolphins. Whether it is a commentary on their media policies or their perceived treatment of one of the players, it is always negative and repeatedly enables competing news outlets to beat you to the punch on reporting real team news to us readers.

Just because you are a journalist with an amount tenure does not give you professional license to pass judgment on anything. I believe that should be up to your readers and you should be merely the vessel through which they gather the information upon which they draw their own conclusions.

I think it really speaks to NYScott's character that he went on to explain his comments and put them in perspective so as to come to an understanding with you. Given that, my advice is to look long and hard inwardly before lashing out at readers such as NYScott . If you cannot take the criticisms offered (the constructive ones, obviously), you should not open up your blog to comments.

Just my 2 cents (of course in this case it's probably more like 200 cents).

2:07 AM  
Blogger Unknown said...

I can't believe the fact that Henne was drafted in the second round is some guys' justification for believing Beck doesn't have a snowball's chance of being anything but out of a job soon. You have to remember, that while Henne was technically a second round pick, it was the FIFTY EIGHTH PICK. Were the Fins serious about replacing Beck, he, or Brohm would have been picked at THIRTY TWO.

Henne was the pick at fifty eight because he was the top player left on their board. If Henne was gone by then, Do you really think they would have picked another QB? Maybe they would have spent a sixth, or seventh on Colt Brennan, but I doubt it.

Every report I have read about SPORANO, AND IRELAND's( the Dolphins HEAD COACH, and GM, respectively, as so many seem to have forgotten)opinion of Beck have been really positive. They seem impressed by him, are actually coaching him, and tweaking the only minor concern they have had with him.

Nothing in Parcells' past leads me to believe he is the type to have his hands up the head coach, and GM's Hooey, making their lips move in concert with his words. He is Bill Parcells, not Jeff Dunham. If he says he is prez of football opps, and the other two are GM, and Head coach, then I believe him.

As far as the reporting on this blog, if you don't like Mando's reports, DON'T READ THEM. I agree with some I see here, and disagree with other stuff, but making personal attacks at him, or others commenting bores me.

I come here for Dolphins discussions, not to read people bitching about how other people have a differing opinion. Mando, make a Sag Attack blog, so those who feel the need to Kvetch about you, or anyone else who comments here have a place they can discuss their contempt to their hearts' content, while we discuss the team (Mo I wasn't necessarily meaning you, NYSCOTT, You have made plenty of intelligent comments in the past, I am sure you weren't just ragging on Sag). You know, I never mean to write as much as I do.lol.

8:52 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

How does the TE kid Matt Mulligan from Maine look, i saw him lift at his pro day and he may be the strongest kid in the draft this year - he did 36 reps and as I am a powerlifter his 405 clean is what is amazing - he could be a free agent find at TE watch this kid block and motor...

6:00 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Foster is one of the best athletes I have ever seen. I attend Georgia Southern and can tell you that Jayson Foster was the "X" factor in many of our games. In 2005, we went to the playoffs. In 2006, we had a new coach who didn't use Jayson half the time. We went 3-8 that year. Last year with the 3rd coach in 3 years we went 8-3 because Coach Hatcher wanted to put the ball in Jayson's hands as much as possible. Jayson singlehandedly beat many of those teams. Without him, we wouldn't have been able to end Appalachian State's Division I record 28 game home winning streak in Boone, NC. He runs a legit 4.34 40, can catch, throw (not at the NFL level though), run, can use his superhuman agility to make people look stupid while trying to tackle him, has great vision and awareness, and is a tremendous leader. When I heard he signed with Miami I instantly became a Dolphins fan.

By the way, the only reason he didn't early on in the draft (or at all) is because he is really only like 5 feet 6 inches, if that. I'm 6'0" and he barely comes up to my chin. If he had another 6 inches everyone would know his name. He more than makes up for it though.

8:54 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

In his collegiate career Jayson Foster had a:
Touchdown run of at least 80 yards
Touchdown pass of at least 80 yards
Touchdown reception of at least 80 yards
Touchdown punt return of at least 80 yards
Touchdown kickoff return of at least 80 yards.

12:05 AM  

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