In one memorable afternoon, the Dolphins not only completed the most improbable one-season turnaround in arguably the history of sports with a 24-17 victory over the Jets in the Meadowlands. They not only went from one win to 11, from league laughingstock to division champions. They not only tied an NFL record for fewest turnovers in a season with just 13. They not only boast the shoo-in NFL Coach of the Year in Tony Sparano.
On top of all of those things, they pulled off the sweetest of hat tricks:
1. They knocked the hated Jets out of the playoffs on their home field.
2. They eliminated the cheatin' Patsies from the postseason.
3. They embarrassed and ended the career of one Butt Fraud, who likely spent most of last night being comforted as the pastrami in a Jim Nance-Phil Simms sandwich.
It's been seven years since the 'Fins had a meaningful game to play, and in this de-facto playoff contest, Miami wasn't going to be denied. From undrafted free agents like wideout Devone Bess and kicker Dan Carpenter to up-until-now disappointing draftees like Philip Merling to sage trade pickups like Anthony Fasano and Akin Ayodele (both for a fourth-rounder? Are you f'ing kidding me?), they all had a part in this. They all bought into what Sparano told them all year long, and reiterated in the bowels of the Meadowlands: "Don't let anyone ever say you can't do something."
Indeed.
Why not us? Why not now?
I believe. Now let's get back to business.
Bring on the Ravens. We're already underdogs again. Just where we want to be.
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