There is so much to say right now that I literally don’t know where to start. Sunday was one of the best moments in my life as a Dolphins fan, and certainly the best moment for the team since Dan Marino. As a New Yorker, I couldn’t have been happier to be on the 50 yard line with my father, brother, and best friend (all Fins fans), taking in the beauty of the Dolphins winning the division, beating the Jets, and knocking New England out of the playoffs all in one fell swoop.
“We are the Champions” has been on repeat on my iTunes all week, as it is important to remember that this is the grand prize of the regular season, what you play the whole year for, and the Dolphins finally did it again. Our team this year was a lovable group of guys who played with a lot of heart, and even though they’ve accomplished more than anybody could hope for and then some, you know they are not stopping now. Though satisfied, Pennington, Sparano, and company are looking for bigger and better things in the postseason and into next year.
As for now, though, the moment is sweet. Standing with the rest of the Dolphins fans, who hijacked the Meadowlands on Sunday, for the last five minutes of the game was an amazing thing. Sharing the victory with the team made it extra special. And hearing the fight song reverberate through the depths of the stadium on the last day the Jets played there was the perfect way to leave Marino’s old home away from home. I’m going to enjoy this one for a long, long time.
As the Dolphins completed the best turnaround in NFL history from 1-15 to 11-5, literally making last year’s record look like a typo, I couldn’t help but think about how Ty Law wanted to play for a “contender” a few short months ago and joined the Jets. It’s a good thing too, because Andre Goodman was nothing short of spectacular over the second half of the season and especially against the Jets this Sunday. The only players who I wish were a part of this team are Zach and JT. The two of them really deserve it, and even amidst all the glory, they would have made this team even better by filling two of our weaknesses. That’s a story for another time, but the point is that Thomas and Taylor are Fins for life, and they deserve to share this with their former mates.
As for the game, Pennington absolutely killed Favre in their matchup. Chad finished his season with a few beautiful touchdown passes, and legitimately cemented himself as a candidate for MVP. He had the season of his life, and no matter what transpires in the future, it will always be remembered. Sparano, for his part, turned a 1-15 team into a division champion. For some reason, Mike Smith is considered the front runner for coach of the year, but hype aside, this honor should belong to Sparano. Smith took over a team with pieces in place and got the best rookie quarterback since Marino to add to it. Sparano got a team that was every bit of 1-15 last year and 0-2 to start this year, but with brilliant fundamental coaching, phenomenal leadership, and open-minded philosophy, he turned them into champions, something that Mike Smith cannot claim.
It’s a phenomenal day to bleed aqua and orange. Miami Dolphins #1.
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