Honestly, I love Dolphin-mania

[borg]

You just can't say enough about that Dan Marino and Don Shula. I look for them to pull it together for another banner year in South Florida.

Funny stuff...while living in S Florida for the last decade, the greatest part about observing the fish demise was the always interesting..."Jimmy and Danny, Danny and Jimmy" psycho-babble. Never ending, daily documented analysis of what these 2 egos were thinking each and every day. You think the "what's Theo thinking now" nonsense was mind-numbing, you haven't heard anything that comes close to the JIMMY -DANNY soap opera.

 

[spacecrime]

Absolutely, positively right.

It's a straight fact that if you ask Patriots fans who their most hated division rival is - the overwhelming answer will be the Miami Dolphins.

Wrong. It's the JETS. And it isn't really hate. Look at it this way: If the Jets and Phins palyeach other, I am hoping the Jets lose. When I look at box scores, I check to see in Indy, Pittsburgh, Denver, Oakland, Jets have done, hoping they have all lost, before I evne think about Dolphins and Bills.

Sorry, you just aren't much of a rival yet. Even if you beat us, you still are feared. That one year the Redskins and Dolphins each beat us. Changed nothing in my mind. Neitehr team had my respect or admiration, even though they beat us.

Older Pats fans remember when the Dolphns were good, but you will need to climb higher for a fwew years before anyone worries about you. One or two winning seasons will make Pats fans notice you, but you need to win for a few years. Don't worry. It will happen eventually. Hang in there, bucky.

 

[Smash-MouthD]

Not strictly true... as the Dolphins were pretty close in the early 90's (Marino's achilles injury year was particularly tough to take), but your point is taken.

On the other hand, the reason the Dolphins are unquestionably the most hated division rival of every team in the East - is because they are always contending. Three sub .500 seasons in 36 YEARS. Most Patriots fans, on the other hand... don't have enough fingers and toes to count sub .500 Patriot seasons. (NOTE: I say MOST, because we are talking about a north-eastern based team... and contrary to stereotypes, the north east could teach the south TON's about in-breeding! LOL) j/k

There in no dobt the Phinz have some great history, but the fact of the matter is miami is not our most hated rival historically prob the jets, currently I would say the colts for me phinz being distant 4th or 5th. The only reason I ever hated Miami was Marino (the crybaby) much the way I am sure people hate Brady because they cant beat him.
And if you counting .500 seasons you are welcome too them.
(there is a reason people come to the northeast for higher education and go south to party j/k well sorta)

 

[pats1]

I agree with all of the above.

It's the Jets, not Dolphins. Always has.

 

[jaychamp]

I guess at one point you could say Pats fans disliked Marino more than the Jets, but it was never about hating the dolphins as a team. Personally, I dislike all other teams in the division equally

 

[captain stone]

According to wockenbauss, the '82 snowplow game and the AFCC game are "pretty much it as far as noticable irritants to dolphins fans from the pats franchise, if you exclude the last 5 years."
"If you exclude the last 5 years"? Surely you jest. If not, are you then not saying that the first 30 years are more relevant to this current debate? That statement is denial personified.
Don't forget, you have Daunte Culpepper and Joe Harrington as your QBs. 'Nuff said.
And if the Nicktator = Bill Belichick circa '91-'95, then we won't have to worry about you, or Mangini & the jesters, for another 8 years. G'bye.

 

[hobbsownscoles]

For us it's easily the Jets because they stole our rb and coach.

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

Most hated...
1. Jets - border wars, NY
2. Colts - Manning, perrenial press favorites, Pollian, and now the Vinitraitor
3. Denvah - because they still kick our ass
4. Squealers - SB Champs w/o playing the Pats, Big Ben, Big Chin
.
.
.
Miami - just another division rival without success against Brady & Belichick

 

[wockenbauss]

Wrong. It's the JETS. Hang in there, bucky.

http://www.patsfans.com/new-england-patriots/messageboard/showthread.php?t=37477

Wasn't even CLOSE spacey, on your own forum. *snicker* But hang in there little buddy. lol

 

[Brownfan80]

Miami was 9-7 last year the Pats 10-6. It's not like we were 4-12 for a second strait season and the Pats won another SB. Miami didn't lose talent, they added it. The Pats did nothing to help their D in the Draft and they lost not only talent in players but coaching....again!! The Pats run won't last forever, other teams want to win too it's like the NFC east, the Eagles are no longer the team to beat in that division. I'm sure you go to any Eagles website at the start of last year and Eagle fans were spewing the same "we are the best team in the division" crap as Pat fans are now, all good things will come to an end it's just the way it is.

Unless you're going to ignore that the Patriots played their third stringers in the final game, you have to admit that last seasons Dolphins were an 8-8 ball club and the Patriots were an 11-5 team.

Literally I understand the facts, but if you try to act as though that 9th win was a straight-up victory then you're kidding yourself. That 'win' was probably more depressing to the Miami players than it was exhilerating. They barely won against our THIRD STRING. Yet Miami closed the season on a 6 game winning streak and everyone is hyped up about them.

We'll see soon enough how far the Phins have come and exactly how far the Pats have 'fallen'.

 

[patsox23]

Miami was 9-7 last year the Pats 10-6. It's not like we were 4-12 for a second strait season and the Pats won another SB. Miami didn't lose talent, they added it. The Pats did nothing to help their D in the Draft and they lost not only talent in players but coaching....again!!

This is, I think, a perfect illustration of the misconception re: the Patriots defense. Yes, we lost McGinest. And Chatham (oh no!). On the other hand, what they don't talk about is that we gained:

1) Rodney Harrison
2) a full year of Richard Seymour
3) far more production from Tedy "2005 PUP" Bruschi
4) Randall Gay, Chad Scott
5) full years from Artrell Hawkins and a more experienced Ellis Hobbs and James Sanders
6) an improved Tully Banta-Cain, now given an opportunity


Honestly, people's analysis of football is so dreadfully shallow, I can't even believe it. Maybe from clueless posters, not as up-to-speed on another team, but from professional pundits, whose JOB it is to know this stuff? Amazing.

 

[Oswlek]

This is, I think, a perfect illustration of the misconception re: the Patriots defense. Yes, we lost McGinest. And Chatham (oh no!). On the other hand, what they don't talk about is that we gained:

1) Rodney Harrison
2) a full year of Richard Seymour
3) far more production from Tedy "2005 PUP" Bruschi
4) Randall Gay, Chad Scott
5) full years from Artrell Hawkins and a more experienced Ellis Hobbs and James Sanders
6) an improved Tully Banta-Cain, now given an opportunity


Honestly, people's analysis of football is so dreadfully shallow, I can't even believe it. Maybe from clueless posters, not as up-to-speed on another team, but from professional pundits, whose JOB it is to know this stuff? Amazing.

And the Pats' offense may have lost Ashworth and Givens (and possibly Branch) but:

1) Will likely not have Graham, Dillon & Brady playing with major injuries
2) Return Light and Koppen
3) Will see a much improved Watson
4) Should get more than 5-6 games from Faulk

I couldn't agree more with your post. It is exactly what I have been saying since the end of last year; that if NE only has 1/2 the injuries that they had in 2005 (which would still be more than the average team faces during a season), they are going to be the best team in the league by a wide margin. People totally underestimate the tremendous injury situation that NE faced last year because Brady never missed a game.

For instance, since this is a Dolphin thread, let's see Miami come into Foxborough missing the following players:

#1-#3 RB
#1-#3 SS
#2-#5 CB
#1 LT, C & RT

Add to that their best DL and LB are just returning from major injuries.

Does anyone think that Miami would even be within 10 points, let alone pulling out a win? Well, that's exactly the position NE was in when they won a close one in Miami last year. As I said earlier, the only thing that Miami's close battles with NE last year proved is that if you remove 10 of NE's better players, the two teams become pretty even.

 

[Kdo5]

And the Pats' offense may have lost Ashworth and Givens (and possibly Branch) but:

1) Will likely not have Graham, Dillon & Brady playing with major injuries
2) Return Light and Koppen
3) Will see a much improved Watson
4) Should get more than 5-6 games from Faulk

I couldn't agree more with your post. It is exactly what I have been saying since the end of last year; that if NE only has 1/2 the injuries that they had in 2005 (which would still be more than the average team faces during a season), they are going to be the best team in the league by a wide margin. People totally underestimate the tremendous injury situation that NE faced last year because Brady never missed a game.

For instance, since this is a Dolphin thread, let's see Miami come into Foxborough missing the following players:

#1-#3 RB
#1-#3 SS
#2-#5 CB
#1 LT, C & RT

Add to that their best DL and LB are just returning from major injuries.

Does anyone think that Miami would even be within 10 points, let alone pulling out a win? Well, that's exactly the position NE was in when they won a close one in Miami last year. As I said earlier, the only thing that Miami's close battles with NE last year proved is that if you remove 10 of NE's better players, the two teams become pretty even.

If I remember they are all perfectly healthy...

 

[Oswlek]

If I remember they are all perfectly healthy...

That was my point. Last year they didn't miss most of the season like Faulk and Light, but they were playing hurt for much of it. I didn't feel that saying they were "returning" was accurate, so I called it something else.

 

[pats1]

If I remember they are all perfectly healthy...

Exactly. But they weren't last year.

Read it again: "The Pats lost Givens and Ashworth, but Graham, Brady, and Dillon don't have injury problems [like last year]"

 

[Brownfan80]

If I remember they are all perfectly healthy...

That's his point. They are healthy now, but all were banged up last season (Brady had a Sports Hernia [same injury that ended McNabb's season, I believe],
Dillon had his leg issues, and Graham had his shoulder).

 

[patsox23]

If I remember they are all perfectly healthy...

He was saying that, unlike last year, those 3 WILL be healthy this year.

 

[Brownfan80]

Nothing like overkill, four helpful posts with a clarification of the same thing. lol

We're like car salesmen all jumping a customer the second they step on the lot.

 

[deeds]

You know what, screw it! I was writing (wasting my time) about the Dolphins and why they wouldn't play up to expectations this year.

Screw it! Who cares? So, let these so-called experts say whatever the F they want. Whatever they say is meaningless once the games begin.

So, the Dolphins are the fashionable pick this year just like the Jets, KC and Baltimore were last year. This puts a lot of pressure on the Fins to produce and be competitive. Their fans, players and owner are going to fall into a false sense of security and be shocked if they play well right away and fail to make the playoffs.

For the Pats, they do what they are capable of doing and we won't have to worry about the Fins, believe me!

Oh, one thing regarding the comment one of the Fins fans said, "it's not going to last forever!" Let me tell you, it will last as long as they continue to draft well and keep their finances in order!

 

[wockenbauss]

Good grief. lol

I just wanted to point out to a few posters here that they were WRONG in saying that Miami would not win a poll as the most hated division rival of EVERY other AFC East teams fans.

But as soon as this OLD OLD OLD thread gets bumped to the top... you guys start refuting other posts in the thread as if they were posted minutes ago! LOL You can't BUY entertainment like this.

In any case:

It's a straight fact that if you ask Patriots fans who their most hated division rival is - the overwhelming answer will be the Miami Dolphins. If you ask Jets fans who their most hated division rival is - the overwhelming answer will be the Miami Dolphins. If you ask Bills fans who their most hated division rival is - the overwhelming answer will be the Miami Dolphins. And if you ask Baltimore COLTS fans who their most hated division rival used to be (I suspect many fans on this site will not know the Colts were in the East - much less that they were located in Baltimore! lol) - the overwhelming answer will be the Miami Dolphins. There are reasons for that.

And:

1.)

Wrong. It's the JETS. Hang in there, bucky.

2.)

There in no dobt the Phinz have some great history, but the fact of the matter is miami is not our most hated rival historically prob the jets, currently I would say the colts for me phinz being distant 4th or 5th.

3.)

It's the Jets, not Dolphins. Always has.

4.)

For us it's easily the Jets because they stole our rb and coach.

5.)

Miami - just another division rival without success against Brady & Belichick

Read it and weep:

http://www.patsfans.com/new-england-patriots/messageboard/showthread.php?t=37477