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Owner Huizenga blames self, begins study of woes

The Dolphins are getting the most media exposure they will this season, playing in the NFL’s first regular season game in London. Most years, that would be a good thing. But this season, that spotlight is cast on a team that is 0-7, and hasn’t seen any form of success since advancing to Round 2 of the playoffs in 2000.

So, when team owner H. Wayne Huizenga was put in front of the cameras and asked all the questions we all have this year (well, nicer ways of asking “How can we SUCK this much?”), he held nothing back. But, his target may not be who or what you expected.

“I do realize we’re winless, and where that starts is right here with me, the owner,” Huizenga told a group of South Florida reporters. “The buck has to stop someplace, and that might as well stop with me.”

To many Dolphins fans, this is not news. The problem is, they and Huizenga are both wrong. Don’t get me wrong; as a Marlins fan I think Huizenga is far from a saint, but he’s one of the best football owners in the league. He’s made what were considered smart hires at the time (Jimmy Johnson, Nick Saban) with one mistake (Dave Wannstedt) that was actually slightly more successful than either of those two.

The most interesting bit of news to spring from this press meeting is that Huizenga has commissioned an “internal study” into the struggles of this season, and it will apparently be tied into the fates of Coach Cam Cameron and GM Randy Mueller.

*RED SIREN LIGHTS* No Wayne! Bad idea! The last thing this team needs right now is any idea of instability at those two positions. Maybe, MAYBE, GM, though I still think Mueller needs more time to be evaluated. But not Coach Cam! Even you know he needs more time!

“We’ve only seen [Cameron] work seven days. I know he’s been here longer, but seven games. Do you rush to judgment when you see the guy work seven days?” Huizenga said.

So don’t even mention that Cam’s future could be tied to the report! Already, one site has reported the Dolphins would consider Bill Parcells at least at GM if a change should be made. I just don’t like these sorts of rumblings at this time.

The Sun-Sentinel spoke with Huizenga and others about the report, and these issues will apparently be addressed:

1) Dom Capers. This will make me sound like a bad reporter, but this is news to me. Capers apparently changed his defensive scheme after being brought back. Excuse me? The Dolphins had the league’s 4th best D last year and added JOEY PORTER this year. Capers was apparently just managing Coach Nick Saban’s scheme, and out from under his thumb decided to use his own system. Wow, that’s really working. He has changed the defensive role that made Jason Taylor the Defensive Player of the Year. If this information is substantiated in this report, I’d have NO problem with Capers being fired TOMORROW. Joey Porter has spoken out about feeling handicapped, and we’re now starting to see signs that maybe it really IS the system. Tell Capers to install the old system or find a coach that will.

2) Joey Porter. I sort of agree with studying his signing, if they study the right thing. I’m in a big minority of sports people that feel this way, but Porter was a GOOD signing (maybe not at the price, but good just the same). But it’s worth looking into to see if he is being handicapped by the defensive system. This ties right back into Capers, and this report has to have him sweating a little.

3) John Beck/rookies. Are they being played soon enough? Is it time to play Beck, or is the staff right in holding back?

Huizenga has been the anti-Steinbrenner. Pick the right people, pay them, and let them do their job. The study is an indication that he’s going to get more involved. I think some of that is a good thing…just don’t want to hear rumors of Huizenga putting on a pullover and a headset.

Information from the Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel was used in this report.

This entry was posted on Saturday, October 27th, 2007 at 4:52 am and is filed under Miami Dolphins. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.