MVN: Most Valuable Network

In what has to be scored as an absolute coup, Jason Taylor has signed a contract to return to the Miami Dolphins.This story has been developing all offseason.  Taylor was released by the Redskins when he refused to report to offseason workouts.  He made clear his desire to return to the Dolphins.  But the Dolphins were mysteriously quiet about it.  They never said they didn't want him, only because they said very little about him at all.  When asked, GM Jeff Ireland said he was one of the "acorns" lying around, available to be picked up.  Maybe he was confusing Taylor's alma mater, Akron?  The Dolphins seemed to be stalling, not interested in Taylor but not wanting to publicly say it.  They wanted Taylor to be the one to sign elsewhere, so it would appear he was the one rejecting the Phins.  But Taylor was patient, turning down offers from... Read more

As I reported a few days ago, the Dolphins are holding a press conference tomorrow.  If you just go by what the Dolphins are saying, then you have no idea why because they aren't saying anything.  But we do know that Jimmy Buffett will be performing.  Buffett wasn't much more forthcoming, only saying that he would be at the announcement and that it would be good.  The reason, as things often do in sports news, has already gotten out.  The Dolphins are selling the naming rights to Dolphin Stadium to Landshark Beer, a Busch beer brewed in conjunction with Buffett's Margaritaville restaurants.  But now, thanks to the quick eyes and quicker camera reflexes of Sun-Sentinel reporter Ted Hutton, the shark is officially out of the bag.Well, that pretty much makes it official, doesn't it?  Our thanks to Hutton, as well as Sentinel Business of Sports blogger Sarah Talalay, who posted... Read more

The NFL is celebrating the 50th anniversary of the AFL this season.  The league, which was absorbed by the NFL to become the NFL we know today, actually celebrates 50 in 2010.  But the Super Bowl takes place in 2010 and that will be part of the celebration, so this is the year that gets celebrated.Part of that celebration is Legacy Games; games involving the 8 teams that were a part of the original AFL.  Those teams are Buffalo, New England, San Diego (formerly the LA Chargers in the AFL), Denver, Oakland, Tennessee (Houston Oilers), Kansas City (Dallas Texans), and the New York Jets (who were the Titans).  Try not to get confused that one of those teams was the Texans but the team that is the Texans now isn't, and that the team that is the Titans is a part but wasn't the Titans while a team that isn't... Read more

In my daily survey of the sports landscape, today I found four different stories relating to the Dolphins that were worth sharing.  Rather than post a story for each, burying the first two, I decided to write a bit on each in one entry.  Here we go!Dolphins name Former Red Sox executive Dee Dolphins CEODolphins owner Stephen Ross has made his first major move as majority owner of the team, hiring Red Sox COO Michael Dee as the Dolphins new CEO.  This position puts him in charge of all the non-football stuff, basically team marketing and the operations of Dolphin Stadium.  Dee spent 14 years in Major League Baseball, including the last 5 years with the Red Sox.  Ross conducted a months-long search to replace Joe Bailey, whose contract is expiring.  Ross spoke to candidates across the world of sports, including the NBA and NHL as well as other NFL... Read more

A stadium that has had 4 names in its scant 22 years of existance is preparing for number 5; Landshark Stadium.If a parent renamed their child as often as the Dolphins have renamed their stadium, that child would go through therapy as an adult.  The stadium opened as Joe Robbie Stadium in 1987.  In 1996, Wayne Huizenga sold the naming rights to Fruit of the Loom and the stadium was renamed Pro Player Stadium.  A few years later, FotL dissolved Pro Player.  The stadium retained the name even with the company being defunct until 2005.  Then the Dolphins finally changed the name, but unable to find a new buyer they just went with their own name, Dolphins Stadium.  A year later, they wanted to focus less on the football team and more on the overall experience.  In perhaps the most "dramatic" name change, they dropped the S and made its... Read more

The NFL Offseason is a pretty basic checklist.  After the Pro Bowl (though this year, the Pro Bowl comes before the Super Bowl), the next major event is the NFL Combine and then College Pro Days.  That is followed by the NFL Draft.  We've now checked the next box that follows the Draft, the signing of undrafted free agents (UFA's).  Teams use these players mostly to fill in the larger training camp roster, but a number have been known to make teams, even ahead of drafted players that don't.Nine UFA's have been given the chance to become Miami Dolphins.  Here is the list, thanks to our friends over at MiamiDolphins.com.DE Ryan Baker (6-5, 295, 11/25/84, Purdue)TE Jared Bronson (6-4, 255, 12/24/84, Central Washington)NT Louis Ellis (NT, 6-2, 320, 10/7/85, Shaw)RB Anthony Kimble (6-0, 215, 4/9/86, Stanford)G Mark Lewis (6-3, 305, 7/17/85, Oregon)WR Brennan Marion (5-11, 190, 8/25/87, Tulsa)DE Orion Martin... Read more

In a move that will shock...well, absolutely nobody, the Dolphins tonight released QB John Beck.  It's a move that is really best for both sides.  Beck, selected by the Dolphins in the 2nd round of the 2007 NFL Draft, never caught on with the team.  Picked as the QB of the future by the now-former regime, Beck was thrust into the starting role during the toughest stretch of the Dolphins 2007 schedule.  His performance was unsurprisingly dismal.  The Triforce gave him a chance to compete, but he had an underwhelming camp and never saw the field during the regular season.  This is why I say this is a good move for both sides.  Each of the Dolphins QBs now has a clear role.  Chad Pennington is the veteran starter.  Chad Henne is the young backup, ready to step in and will be the starter in the future.  Pat White is... Read more

Mr. Irrelevant has probably even been asleep a few hours now.  Ryan Succop, a kicker from South Carolina, was selected last by the Kansas City Chiefs, and will receive a parade and celebration in California.But the Dolphins thankfully avoided irrelevance in their 1 year dip down the bottom of the league by coming back with a playoff season.  The Dolphins generated some buzz taking Pat White yesterday, sandwiched between two corners.  What would Day 2 bring?The Dolphins were really hoping, or at least so it seemed, to address the wide receiver spot by landing Florida WR Percy Harvin.  By when he went just three agonizing spots earlier to Minnesota, the Dolphins decided to settle that early in Day 2.  The Dolphins selected USC WR Patrick Turner.  Turner is seen as a raw talent, a classic Parcells receiver in that he's big and strong.  But he will apparently need some work,... Read more

Day 1 of the NFL Draft is obviously (very obviously, seeing as Day 2 starts in about 7 hours) in the books.  So how did the Dolphins do?Vontae Davis/Sean Smith - I can't really react to these guys separately because they just feel like a tandem package.  Davis is the tackler, knocking down both passes and players.  Smith is the ballhawk, grabbing the interceptions and keeping the star WR on the other team locked down.  This could be half of the Dolphins back 4 for years and years to come.Pat White - This pick wasn't as much as a head-scratcher as a throat-screamer.  And that throat screamed "WHAT?!".  To say the pick was surprising is a huge understatement.  But White will immediately be worked into the mix in the Wildcat.  And he will provide competition for Chad Henne when it's time for Pennington to move on.  And even if White... Read more

Gotta love guys who have that first name and spell it RIGHT...S-E-A-N.Anyway..the Dolphins further shored up the defensive backfield, clearly responding to the big-name receivers in the AFC East.  The Dolphins took on a bit of a project in Smith, who will need a little work but has all the raw talent.Utah's coaches had trouble deciding where he would even play.  He was recruited as a running back, but was quickly moved to wide receiver.  Later, the coaches decided his tall frame better fit a shutdown corner.  Smith hasn't spent much time at the position, with only 12 starts, but the time he's spent there has been very productive.  In just those 12 starts over two years, he led the Utes in picks.  He's 4th on the school's single-season interception yards list with 151 in 2008.  Smith is the perfect compliment to Vontae Davis.  Where Davis shuts down the field... Read more