Dolphins Owner Stephen Ross will “decline to announce a rebuild because doing so is universally accepted by public relations and marketing people as a great way to keep fans away in droves,” according to Armando Salguero in a column for the MIAMI HERALD. Fans will not hear Ross “admit the team he bought for $1.1 billion is rebuilding because that’s a mortal sin cited in the NFL owner’s handbook just ahead of selling an opposing team’s T-shirts in your pro shop.” But the fact the Dolphins “decline to tell you they’re undergoing at least a partial rebuild doesn’t change the facts.” Salguero asks, “What kind of organization, after all, would have three consecutive losing years and want to stay the course and keep the same players?” Getting in on the ground floor “is a great pitch for a stock,” but it “isn’t the best way to pitch a football team in the same town with the championship-caliber Heat and the suddenly relevant Marlins.” Rebuilding “simply isn’t sexy” (MIAMI HERALD, 3/28). In Ft. Lauderdale, Mike Berardino noted Jeff Fisher “ultimately chose not to work for Steve Ross and with [GM] Jeff Ireland, but that doesn’t mean the new Rams coach … doubts the Dolphins’ power structure.” Fisher said of the criticism Ireland has recently received, “I think so much of that is unfair. I was very, very impressed with my visits and with Mr. Ross and Jeff. It’d be hard to find somebody that’s more organized and has a plan in place. I just think he’s an excellent evaluator. He’s got a great staff.” He added, “I think often times fans have this tendency to say, ‘Well, let’s go out and get the best player we possibly can.’ Well, guess what, there’s 31 other teams that are actually competing with him” (SUN-SENTINEL.com, 3/27).
CHIMING IN: New Dolphins head coach Joe Philbin discussed his involvement with CBA and contract disputes, and said, “It’s good to have a broad exposure to it. I’m not into the nitty-gritty and all of the details, but obviously [Senior VP/Football Operations] Dawn Aponte does a great job. She’s extremely knowledgeable. She’s worked with the league office. She’s about as knowledgeable as anybody that you could have in that position.” Philbin was asked “how badly” he thinks Ross wants to win. He said, “I wouldn’t have come here if I didn’t feel that way.” Philbin: “He’s very passionate. He’s committed. I like his frankness. I like his honesty. He’s up front. We’re changing. He’s invested a lot of money.” He added, “Anything that we’ve asked for in this point in time he’s been more than supportive of. It’s good. It’s like any other relationship, it grows over time as you get some work to it” (MIAMIHERALD.com, 3/27).
