Dolphins Owner Stephen Ross “has to abandon the fanciful fan role and look at his team like the billion-dollar investment it is” after yesterday’s loss to the Giants dropped the team’s record to 0-7, according to Armando Salguero of the MIAMI HERALD. Ross has “got to look beyond the next game and the next chance to turn this season around.” As the owner, it is “his job to think long and hard about turning this thing around for real by next season, after meaningful and significant changes are made.” Ross said, “I think everybody knows what needs to be done, and I think we’ll make some smart moves.” Ross said that the “big moves cannot come until after the season, without being specific on what those are and whether smaller moves -- such as change to an interim coach -- might come before then.” Ross: “I’ve talked to a lot of people, and I’m getting a much better feel for what is needed. But we still have nine games to go, and I’m hoping we win them all. I want to win every game that I can first” (MIAMI HERALD, 10/31). In N.Y., Judy Battista wrote under the header, “Dark Days For A Team Adrift.” The Dolphins are a “once proud and successful team that is being drowned by years of personnel mistakes, underachieving players, questionable business decisions and general ineptitude.” Former Dolphins LB and current team broadcaster Kim Bokamper said, “I’ve been around this team a long time, I’ve seen some pretty bizarre things, but that whole scene really takes the cake” (N.Y. TIMES, 10/29). In Boston, Greg Bedard wrote the Dolphins “brought this on themselves.” The team “quit last year in the regular-season finale” against the Patriots at Gillette Stadium and it is a “real big shock they’re doing it again.” Dolphins coach Tony Sparano “never should have been brought back” (BOSTON GLOBE, 10/30).
TURNING OFF THE FAN BASE: The Dolphins' woes were discussed on ESPN's "Sunday NFL Countdown" yesterday. ESPN’s Cris Carter noted people in South Florida "do not want to go watch the Dolphins.” Carter said, “We might want to blame it on the coach, but they got a lot of problems there, and they have a football credibility problem as far as the people making the decisions. Why do I know that? When Bill Parcells leaves you, every football franchise he’s left immediately afterwards they had a football credibility problem. People in South Florida will not support the team.” ESPN’s Mike Ditka said, “This is an organizational disaster, top to bottom. They’ve made bad decisions since Bill left and they got to suffer and live with them now.” ESPN’s Chris Berman said, “The orange carpet, man. Ever since they put in that stuff at the stadium they can’t win football games” (“Sunday NFL Countdown,” ESPN, 10/30).
PASSING THE PUCK: The GLOBE & MAIL’s Paul Waldie writes there are “signs hockey is making something of a come back in Florida.” After “years in the doldrums, Florida’s two NHL teams are not only winning again, they both have owners who actually seem to care about their fans.” The Panthers this season launched “a massive overhaul of the team, introduced a new flashy marketing program and hired coach Kevin Dineen.” The club “hopes those changes, along with the NBA lockout and the sagging fortunes of the Miami Dolphins and University of Miami football program, will help attract new hockey fans.” Panthers President & COO Michael Yormark said, “In light of the marketplace right now, this is our opportunity to grab the attention of casual sports fans -- who we haven’t been able to penetrate.” Meanwhile, Waldie notes Jeff Vinik “has been showing his love to fans ever since he bought the Lightning” in '10. He “just spent $40-million renovating the St. Pete Times Forum,” and the new features include “a giant pipe organ, padded seats, cup holders and special coils that shoot lightning bolts from the ceiling when the team scores.” The Lightning have had “near capacity crowds for each of their five home games so far this season and on Saturday the arena was packed, noisy and excited” for the game against the Jets (GLOBE & MAIL, 10/31).
