Why the Media is Wrong and the Dolphins are Right

Wednesday, August 25, 2004
Robert Henderson
MDBW Staff Writer

Why is it that the Miami Dolphins always seem to get the negative press? Whether it is local or national, the media never seems to think the Dolphins are doing the right thing. And with all due respect to the Miami Dolphins, until they actually win anything, these “know-it-all” reporters will be considered right.

The Dolphins recently acquired a Pro Bowl wide receiver that has often been acclaimed as one of the best in the NFC. Not only did the Dolphins get Marty Booker, but the Bears threw in a 3rd-round pick next year for fun. What did this cost the Dolphins? Adewale Ogunleye – a one year success who made the Pro Bowl and happened to be at the end of his contract. Had the Patriots made this trade, it would have been the most ingenious bit of NFL off season work that the media has ever seen. However, since it was the Dolphins, questions have been raised.

Len Pasquarelli, of ESPN.com, said, “The Dolphins are breaking up one of the NFL's best outside rush tandems,” when Ogunleye was first traded. He is right, but why didn’t he comment on how this raises a huge opportunity for DE David Bowens who has never started a game for the Dolphins, but has come in on a limited backup role and has made the plays he has needed to make. In fact, Bowens was the projected starter for the Dolphins in 2002, but then got injured in training camp and that gave Ogunleye his chance to step in. The Dolphins have not broken up one of the best sacking tandems in the NFL as Pasquarelli says, however they are just recasting it. Jason Taylor will still be double teamed, and David Bowens will have his chance to prove that he should have been the player in Ogunleye’s position for these past two seasons.

Ogunleye, on the other hand, will be going to a defensive line that produced the least amount of sacks in the NFL last season. Now, he will have Jason Taylor’s role of being double teamed, and will really have to prove his worth. This has raised an exciting opportunity for the Bears first round draft pick of 2003, Michael Haynes: “(Miami's opponents) double-teamed Jason Taylor and left (Ogunleye) one-on-one. Now (Ogunleye) comes here and he'll get double-teamed, and I'll get left one-on-one.” So, will Ogunleye be the one shining in Chicago? Will he be able to get 10 sacks like Taylor did last season even though he had 600 lbs to work against? We’ll see.

Marty Booker had two 1,000-yard seasons receiving passes from Jim Miller. Now, he is coming to a team with a near 1,000 yard receiver and playmaker in Chris Chambers, and will be receiving balls from Jay Fiedler (most likely), who is not better than most starting NFL QBs, but is better than Jim Miller.

Yet, the media has chosen to label Booker as a “possession receiver”, a player that can be found anywhere. Marty Booker is not a player found just anywhere. If Miami could find receivers like Boston, Chambers and Booker anywhere, the Dolphins would not have started Derrius Thompson last season, or James McKnight the year before. If Chicago could find Bookers anywhere, then they wouldn’t have an unproven receiving corps with only one name worth mentioning (David Terrell).

Ethan J. Skolnick called Booker a “statistically regressing player.” Is Jason Taylor a “statistically regressing player” because he had 18.5 sacks in 2002 and only 9.5 in 2003? No, you have to consider the circumstances. It is common knowledge around the NFL that Booker was injured for three games and was receiving balls from three different quarterbacks. Not only are none of those three quarterbacks anything special (Kordell Stewart, Chris Chandler, and rookie Rex Grossman), but Booker led the team in receptions and yards. So, to say Booker himself is a “regressing player” is ignorant and absurd.

The Miami Dolphins did the right thing in trading a player who says its General Manager has “no class” when he was holding out because he wanted more money than an amount that half of America will never make in a lifetime. Ogunleye will not only not be ready to play in Chicago until about week 4 due to his holdout, but this whole money thing has gone so much to his head that he probably won’t produce. Miami, however, will benefit from a Pro Bowl receiver rather than a third-stringer in Washington who can only catch 26 balls in a season as a starting receiver.

So, why was this such a bad trade in the eyes of the media? Because the Miami Dolphins made it. Rick Spielman has had to deal with the retirement of Dan Marino, Ricky Williams, and then the injury to David Boston. In spite of that he has created a quarterback battle that the fans and media have been asking for for 4 years. He totally revamped an offensive line that the fans and media said needed to be overhauled, and has brought in a Pro Bowl receiver to replace an injured Pro Bowl receiver that he brought in as well.

Dave Wannstedt told the Fan sites at the first annual Miami Dolphins Web Weekend, “keep what you report positive.” The media should take this advice; it might produce positive results. The criticism received by this team from the media is uncalled for in most instances, like this one, and it rubs off on the fans.

The Dolphins offense is extremely improved because of this trade and the defense will still be top five because of capable backups such as David Bowens and Jay Williams.