SWITZERLAND FORUM

[maineiacgirl]

WISHES SHE WAS IN MIAMI WITH THE COOL KIDS!!!!!!!

[Emeritus]

Well, one game down. The Dolphins and the Texans will play each other again next week. I still haven't figured that out. After playing the conference games, there are ten games left to play the other twenty-eight teams. Non-conference teams should play each other less than once every two years, nearly once every three years, but this will be our sixth game in nine years. Am I missing something?

[dredwak]

[Emeritus]

I feel your pain, dred. Losing is no fun, but losing to the Jets and their loudmouth coach is especially bad. I had to wonder at the Cowboys game plan. When we played the Jets in preseason, we sacked their quarterbacks seven times and caused three fumbles. It was a great start for Wade's defense.

[cklaurence]

I don't understand that at all, Em--but from what I can see these days, they just make up the rules as they go of late.

I am not a Dallas fan, but I hate the Jets even more--because they are the Jets AND in my division, so it killed me to see them pull off that win last night. I will refrain from making any remarks about the game tonight. When a person goes 100% wrong in their wishes for games on Sunday--watching every team they wanted to win go down with a crash (even if their heart was more in wanting the loss of the team that won--are you following me here?)--why dare I bother to make a call on the game tonight? I'll just go to the stadium and sit quietly and let the ball fall where it may...

[cklaurence]

Sorry dred, dear. You had the c.k. curse working against you last night. The misfortune of me rooting for you. Usually your pretty safe that way, but when it comes to the Jets, man I hate the Jets so much...

[Emeritus]

Actually, the Cowboys looked pretty good. Critical mistakes spoiled an otherwise good performance.

[Emeritus]

I was surprised at how unprepared the Dolphins were for the Patriots hurry-up offense. The defensive players were just standing around looking confused. Why didn't the coaches have them practice against that type of offense? What team did they prepare for? That was a game lost by poor coaching, in my opinion.

[cklaurence]

I don't know, Em--perhaps you haven't caught any of my posts about the idiot owner/coaches/coaching and the 13 year ongoing collapse of the Dolphins. Poor coaching has been key to the teams' deterioration, and it seems that is not changing. At least Chad Henne is still useless when it comes to the red zone--as is the rest of the offense. It is just unfathomable to me that with all the coaches, not one knows someone who can help solve the problem! Pitiful. Pathetic. I can think of a lot more descriptive words, but I'm pretty sure I've made my point.
Last year we had a defense. Not sure where it went.

[Emeritus]

TEAM RANKINGS
Average
OFFENSE DEFENSE
Points/Game 24.0 (16th) 38.0 (30th)
Total Yards/Gm 488.0 (2nd) 622.0 (32nd)
Rush Yards/Gm 98.0 (16th) 106.0 (20th)
Pass Yards/Gm 390.0 (4th) 516.0 (32nd)

The Dolphins rank second in all of the NFL in total offense. That's pretty impressive! They looked like the Texans on defense, but that is based on only one game - a game when Brady was at the very top of his form. It seems to me that the Dolphins have a lot to build on. I agree that the coaches need do a lot better. They should have been huddling with the defense on the sidelines, showing them pictures and explaining what Brady was doing to them. They are the ones who let the game get out of hand.

[cklaurence]

Exactly. Coaching.

[Baglady]

CK, you know I was impressed w/ your Dolphins play. Other than the long late TD to Welker, Henne would have had about the same yardage as Brady. Those 2 (I think) missed goal line opportunities really hurt Miami - can't be kicking FG's when you know NE is gonna be scoring TD's. Your D just got tired trying to deal w/ the no huddle but they did put a little more pressure on Brady in the 2nd half. Still the game could have gone either way imo and I enjoyed watching a great competitive effort....

Em, what a impressive start for your TX's....

dred, I may need to borrow that pic - tough way to end your Cowboys opener - seems a lot like a game I watched last season ag the Redskins???

Anyone else surprised at the Bills, Bengals and Ravens ???

[cklaurence]

[color=#00BF80]I think I screwed up with the color, but I'll see when I print it out--I'm hurrying to watch a show, "Castle," (anyone else seen it?) so I won't be previewing it, please excuse me for being so irresponsible. Anyway, wanted to respond to Ms B's comments before I got off of the computer...
I anticipate seeing a huge improvement in Indianapolis, but I I expect not much in the Dolphins. Coaching, coaching, coaching, coaching...

I think our defense was out to lunch (coaching) completely unprepared, and I do not believe that they will look that good every week. I could be wrong--it will be interesting to see.

I think the Texans are for real, but I'm not sure if they are THAT real. Indy was very tentative and once they have their comfort level up and aren't so unsure, they won't be giving it away like they did this past weekend.

I'm very very interested in seeing how the teams muscle up and find their ways...

Good night all. [/color]

[Emeritus]

ck, would you like to make an avatar bet on the game? If I win you use a Lucy Van Pelt avatar and if you win you pick one for me. Surely the Dolphins are due and they are playing at home.

[cklaurence]

I'd be delighted to wear a Lucy avatar. I only bet for the Dolphins, you know. I'll be delighted to pick out a Fin av for you should you lose, but I believe you know that you will be winning. We won one home game last year. I'm not seeing any major changes in store this year, dear sir based on what I've witnessed this year, since the defense has taken up whee the offense left off. At any rate, I'm down with the bet.
We're going to the Gospel Brunch at City Hall tomorrow before the game (rather than tailgate in the noon day heat), then heading over to the game to be there for the kick-off.
Good luck to your team. I figure you'll win by at least 2 TDs, but as I always say, hope springs eternal and we do have the possibility of at least one win coming, so let's see.........

[Emeritus]

Gospel brunch? Sounds ghastly.

[cklaurence]

Oh no, no, no, no, no, no, no! Far from Ghastly, dear Em. It is heavenly at its bet! MaryEl Eps has the voice of an angel, the food is heavenly and he only let-down of the day was my Dolphins. BTW, congrats to you and my dear, young Reeceykins. The Dolphins, as I continue to say, will continue on disaster road until this owner sells the team to someone who knows (and cares) about football. Ninth year in a row we lose our two home openers. Tell me that isn't bizarre and indicative only of a bad owner and awful coach! I'm down, though. You can't get disappointed when you had no hope to begin the season...

[Emeritus]

It's a mystery to me why the Dolphins can't win at home. They are a better team than their record indicates - I'm sure of it. It's just a feeling, but I have a hunch that you are right about the Dolphins needing a top-down change in management.

[cklaurence]

There's not a doubt in the world that it needs a top/down change in management. Ross is in lalaland. Sparano should never have been given another year, his coaching has been nothing short of horrendous. His choices for assistant coaches are as bad as his draft choices and his other choices (free agents, etc.) The play calling is sinfully awful--we know that now from the past two stinking years. You don't just keep give chances in the NFL. Reggie Bush, who was a firebrand in the preseason is non-existent now, and Chad Henne dropped off the face of the earth as soon as the season started. Ricky Williams and Ted Ginn are doing fine, as is Wes Welker--and every other player we can't do anything with and trade. We are a joke. Who ever heard of a team that has a home field DISadvantage?????
It takes everything I have inside of me to attend the games now. I've stayed loyal for the past 13 years through season after season of disappointments at home, with no sign of any relief. It gets more and more frustrating when I can call plays, players and everything else better than the coaches and players. The organization is in such a state of disorganization that I can't imagine why this Ross doesn't get it and sell the team to someone who understands the game and can pull us out of this most painful situation.

[Emeritus]

I know that you are not a Cowboys fan, but in my opinion the OTHER owner of the Cowboys was an ideal owner. He was a very rich man who bought a franchise because one of his friends, Lamar Hunt, bought one. He was smart enough to know that he knew nothing about running a football team and he was not about to change careers. Instead, he asked who was the smartest man in football. Told that it was Tex Schramm, he hired him a general manager, gave him a lifetime contract and told him that it was his team. Tex became the face of the franchise. For all of those years, very few fans even knew who owned the team. Clint Murchison didn't need his ego stroked.

[cklaurence]

I so wish this Ross were like that. Alas, he's not and shows now signs of leaving. He seems perfectly content to surround himself with movie stars (so-called) and be a big shot. He doesn't seem to give a crap whether we ever win a game, just so long as they can close-up on his 'stars' while they say "Fins Up!" It's a travesty, and a far, far cry from football.....

[cklaurence]

Em, are you okay? I don't believe you've ever missed a day here, and it's really making me nervous now, 3:00-ish (my time) and no word from you. Please say "hey" if and when you check in. Our family grows smaller, but we are still a family...

[cklaurence]

p.s. Em: I left you a private message.

[Emeritus]

Message read. I'm fine, ck. I just allowed myself to be volunteered to oversee a charity function and I'm been pretty busy with it. I avoid joining clubs and things to avoid just such situations, but there are some that I'm obligated for just by being a member of my family. I haven't lost interest in Switzerland at all and I intend to be around.

[cklaurence]

Bless your heart, Em. It would seem the two of us are sharing the burden of holding the borders open here until we are rediscovered or re-invented. A lot of folks are off to a slow start, and frankly, I had expected to see more of our old friends over here rather than less, but I guess they've found another watering hole.

[Emeritus]

Wow, we have a tough run coming up on our schedule - the Saints, Steelers, Raiders and Ravens are up next. We could easily go from 2-0 to 2-4 over the next four weeks. I expect that the fair weather fans will begin blaming the coaches. Hopefully they will jump off the bandwagon and leave only the fans who are hoping for our first playoff appearance. That would make me a happy fan.

[cklaurence]

I suspect they will be better than you give them credit for, Em. They've been holding their own, and I think they have heart. I know they don't want to fall short yet again either. Be glad you aren't a FinFan--now THAT'S a tough road to hoe! I still can't get a call-back and it's been over three months. Six people in 'guest experience' and the most recent who doesn't, can't, won't, prefers not to, hasn't returned my call either. Way to go, Mr. Ross--that'll fill your stadium with the home-team fans!!!

[Emeritus]

It's a shame that some guy named Tony the Knife doesn't make him an offer for the team. An offer that he can't refuse. Oh, I forgot. Tony owns the Jets.

[cklaurence]

I would have thought this jerk would have grown tired of losing--he seems to me the type that would want to have his movie stars repping a team of winners rather than losers, but he just doesn't seem to care a bit about anything but having the stars around him, even for the losers. I don't get it...

[cklaurence]

It's crying time again in Miami...