An open letter to Miami Dolphins owner Stephen Ross, National Football League Commissioner Roger Goodell and all fans of The NFL. I have been a football fan ever since I was a kid. I have been a Miami Dolphins fan as long as I can remember. I love every aspect of the game. I have enjoyed playing football in the sandlot, watch the game and even writing about football as a blogger. So it is with a heavy heart I announce my retirement as a fan of professional football.
This was not an easy decision to make. With the news of the extension of coach Tony Sparano in Miami I cannot commit to cheering for a team I feel has no chance in hell of making the playoffs until 2014. That is not counting the rebuilding years the Miami Dolphins will need after the Jeff Ireland/Tony Sparano dynasty.
The business decisions Stephen Ross has made regarding this team have been embarrassing. It is getting to the point where he is actually making The Oakland Raiders Al Davis look like a savvy owner. This star-studded ownership team that Stephen Ross has built truly has gotten under my skin. Why they insist on playing their shitty radio friendly hits from days gone by between plays baffles me. Hearing Marc Anthony’s “I Need To Know” during replay time-outs has pushed me to the limit as a fan.
This week Stephen Ross refused to give control of the team to Superbowl winning coach Bill Cowher. This is because he didn’t want to get rid of a GM that can’t interview a rookie candidate without screwing it up royally. We all remember the Dez Bryant is your mother a prostitute debacle. Later in the week Stephen Ross could not close the Jim Harbaugh deal. Now that Jim Harbaugh is the coach of the 49ers it is clear the Stanford coach was in play. I thought Ross was business savvy?
So while I love the game a football I cannot watch a team who’s game plan is to “play not to lose”. I need to be behind a team that plays to win. That is not only winning on the football field but also winning in the boardroom. There is no more settling for field goals for this fan. Tony Sparano is a field goal.
Some of you might suggest I support another team. That is not me. Even though I live in New England I could not root for the videotaping, HGH popping, cheating New England Patriots. Some would suggest I switch conferences and maybe change my allegiances to a NFC team. Though that would be even more probable and palatable I still don’t feel comfortable making that move.
So I will spend this Wild Card Saturday packing my Miami Dolphin gear in a box and dragging it all down to the basement. The assorted jerseys, tee shirts, mugs and glasses are all going in mothballs. Except for my #80 David Boston shirt that will go in the fireplace.
So is this farewell?…it looks like it. I could pull a Ricky Williams/Brett Favre and come out or retirement at some later date. But for now this fan is retired. For the first time in my life my TV goes silent durring the NFL Playoffs.
