On the heels of wrapping up a 1-7 home record and in danger of a second consecutive losing season headed into the finale Sunday, Tony Sparano is in more danger than (#mandatorysopranosjokefollows) “Big Pussy” was after being discovered as a rat. Everyone from Bill Cowher to Jon Gruden to Brian Billick has been discussed as a potential successor, but in this immediate-news world, folks are picking over Sparano’s bones way too early. So I offer up a “Pros” list for why Miami might retain Sparano.
He’s fiery and no-nonsense. Yes, his fist pumps for field goals are becoming the butts of jokes, but that’s what happens when you’re losing. He’s emotional, and I think that’s a good thing for a franchise and a fanbase that has had to fabricate energy over the past dozen years or more.
He’s offensive-minded. OK, fill in your own jokes here, because Miami has been admittedly moribund (yep, I like that word) this year. But for too long, the Dolphins have relied on defensive-minded coaches and philosophies, and if the team could just find a quarterback it trusts, it would be refreshing to have a guy who understands and respects that side of the ball.
He’s proven himself willing to make moves on his staff. Jettisoning Paul Pasqualoni and replacing him with Mike Nolan as defensive coordinator was one of the only bright spots of the 2010 campaign. He changed out special teams coaches midseason when the third phase cost Miami a couple of early games. Of course, the pessimist could argue that he’s putting the wrong guys in place to begin with, but I respect a coach who recognizes a problem and is willing to rectify it.
He deserves a season outside of Parcells’s shadow. He and general manager Jeff Ireland were initially labeled the “Tuna Helpers,” seen only as sycophantic “yes” men for Bill Parcells. With Parcells slinking out of town a failure, quitting on the team he was trying to create, it could be argued that Sparano and Ireland have earned the right to have an offseason and regular season without the Tuna around. This is also another way of saying that it’s too soon, that three years isn’t long enough to determine his worth as a coach despite the troubling trending in the win-loss column.
He treats the fans and media with respect. This is a small thing, seemingly and admittedly, but I spend a lot of money and time following this team. There have been way too many douchebags coaching the Dolphins since Shula left, so I can appreciate the way Sparano interacts with the local scribes, although that relationship has been strained as the losses have mounted. So even though this doesn’t impact the bottom line of wins and losses, I’m still including it because it is important to me to have a coach that I can respect as a person.
His players respect him. This is another welcome change, considering that I got the sense that the players lost respect for Jimmy Johnson (quitter), Nick Saban (insufferable douche) and Cam Cameron (in over his head) in recent years. Sparano has demanded and would have appeared to have earned the respect of his players, and I think that deserves a check mark in his favor.
He wears his sunglasses at night. ‘Nuff said.
He loses weight the right way. Hear that, “Lapband Larry” up there in New York?
He doesn’t broadcast a foot fetish. OK, so this is just another F you to Rex Ryan. I've earned that.
So there you have it: nine iffy reasons that Tony Sparano could earn another year as the head of the Dolphins. Stay tuned for the, um, other side of the argument.
2 comments:
Agreed on mostof this, but think he's a goner. Likeable dude, bad fit for ownership.
I think you're right,I think he stays another year. Is the faith in him still there, though? That's the question.
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