Celebrities Help Dolphins Ring In New Era Under Stephen Ross

Venus Williams Joined Sister Serena, Other Celebs, At Season Opener

The Dolphins last night hosted their home opener at Land Shark Stadium, though it "could have been the Grammys or the opening of a hot South Beach club," according to Adam Beasley of the MIAMI HERALD. Dolphins Owner Stephen Ross' "vision of melding a gritty but exciting football team with some glitz kicked off Monday night, with fans lining up 15-deep to see A-list celebrities." Ross prior to the game addressed fans, saying, "Welcome to the new era of Dolphins football." Dolphins investors Gloria and Emilio Estefan, Serena and Venus Williams, and Jennifer Lopez and Marc Anthony all appeared at last night's game, in which the Colts defeated the Dolphins 27-23, as did Tiger Woods, rapper T-Pain, IRL driver Helio Castroneves and Heat G Dwyane Wade. Castroneves said, "With so many people, so many great friends going, you just want to be involved." Singer Jimmy Buffett was the "main attraction" last night, performing some of his "greatest hits before thousands at the Fin Zone bar area at the stadium's Grand Plaza." Buffett's appearance "motivated some fans to come to the game," but Ross admitted that "all the frills the area has to offer won't fill the stands if the product on the field is sub-par." Ross: "Everything we're talking about is on the margins, from the fans standpoint. They really love the Miami Dolphins, but it's all about winning football games" (MIAMI HERALD, 9/22).

Woods One Of Several Celebrities To Take In Dolphins Game

STARS COME OUT AT NIGHT: In West Palm Beach, Carlos Frias notes about 2,000 fans, "many dressed in aqua-and-orange game-day gear, lined a velvet rope along an orange carpet at a Land Shark Stadium entrance to get a glimpse of the Estefans and other celebrities." Black SUVs "delivered exactly the vision" of Ross, who promised an "electric, celebrity-studded atmosphere at Dolphins home games" (PALM BEACH POST, 9/22). In Ft. Lauderdale, Sarah Talalay wrote last night's game had a "Hollywood or awards show opening meets sporting event at Miami Gardens venue feel" (SUN-SENTINEL.com, 9/21). In West Palm Beach, Dave George notes Ross "put on a fairly spectacular South Florida dress rehearsal" for Super Bowl XLIV at Land Shark Stadium in February. The "whole crazy carnival was enough to make the traveling 'Monday Night Football' experience seem rather mild in comparison" (PALM BEACH POST, 9/22).

GOING BACK INTO THE SEA? ESPN’s Chris Mortensen reported people familiar with Dolphins Exec VP/Football Operations Bill Parcells believe it would be a “real surprise if Parcells does not walk after the 2009 season.” Parcells “wants to make sure ... that this football operation is stable with General Manager Jeff Ireland and (coach) Tony Sparano. … He's got to feel good about where they are as an organization before he does that." Parcells almost left the organization during the offseason after Ross took over ownership from Wayne Huizenga due to a “clause in his contract that stated he could resign from the team and still collect on the balance of his contract if ownership transferred” ("Monday Night Countdown," ESPN, 9/21). In Florida, Ray McNulty writes the "wedding of Bill Parcells' blue-collar brand of football and Stephen Ross' glitz-and-glamour marketing scheme" is a "strange marriage." McNulty: "We can only wonder what Parcells thought about the media-lined, Academy Awards-like orange carpet and all the trumped-up buzz that welcomed some of South Florida's biggest sports and entertainment names ... to Land Shark Stadium" (TCPALM.com, 9/22).