Posted on 11/09/2004 8:28:23 AM PST by PoliticalInsider
MIAMI -- Coach Dave Wannstedt's latest loss with the Miami Dolphins was his last.
Midway through a dismal season that has left Miami with the NFL's worst record, Wannstedt resigned Tuesday. Defensive coordinator Jim Bates was named interim coach at a news conference.
Wannstedt was asked not to step down by team owner Wayne Huizenga on Monday, but Wannstedt did so "in the best interest of the team," it was announced in a news conference Tuesday.
Miami's season began with the retirement of star running back Ricky Williams and has left the team at 1-8. The timing of Wannstedt's resignation wasn't surprising with the Dolphins beginning their bye week.
Bates' first game as interim head coach will be Nov. 21 at Seattle. He was head coach of the USFL's San Antonio Gunslingers in 1985 and became the Dolphins' defensive coordinator when Wannstedt became head coach in 2000.
Miami blew two leads and lost 24-23 Sunday to the Arizona Cardinals, who ended a 17-game road losing streak. The Dolphins endured their most lopsided defeat of the season last Monday, 41-14 against the archrival New York Jets.
Dolphins players were aware of Wannstedt's tenuous future and the rising tide of discontent among fans.
"I feel sorry for the guy because he's a first-class guy," cornerback Patrick Surtain said after Sunday's defeat.
It's not like guys aren't going out there giving 110 percent and laying it on the line for him. We're doing it all -- getting holding penalties, offsides, we're doing crazy stuff. How can he control that when he's on the sidelines?"
Wannstedt barely avoided being fired after last season, when Miami failed to reach the playoffs for the second year in a row. Huizenga decided to keep Wannstedt but stripped him of authority over personnel decisions.
Little has gone right for Miami since. Wannstedt was twice forced to change offensive coordinators during the offseason, and Williams abruptly retired just before training camp. Receiver David Boston, the top offseason acquisition, suffered a season-ending knee injury before the first preseason game.
That was the start of an injury wave as the Dolphins endured the worst start in their 39-year history. They're one defeat from their first losing season since 1988.
Wannstedt, who succeeded Jimmy Johnson in 2000, has a record of 43-33 in Miami. His career NFL record, including six seasons with the Chicago Bears, is 84-90.
Wannstedt was fired in 1997 by the Bears. His final two teams there went 4-12.
The Dolphins won only one playoff game under Wannstedt, and that was four years ago. Even with seven Pro Bowl players in 2002, including NFL rushing champion Williams and sacks leader Jason Taylor, the Dolphins missed the playoffs.
One of Wannstedt's first moves when he became coach was to nudge a 38-year-old Dan Marino into retirement. As a replacement Wannstedt acquired Jay Fiedler, who has never been popular with the Dolphins' fans.
Wannstedt was just the fourth coach in Dolphins history, and only Don Shula coached the team longer.
While the Dolphins have been a perennial playoff contender -- until this year, at least -- they haven't reached the AFC championship game since 1992. Their last Super Bowl berth was in 1984, and they haven't won an NFL title since 1973.
Huizenga, who became sole owner of the Dolphins in 1994, has been through three coaches in pursuit of a championship. He nudged Shula into retirement following the 1995 season, and Johnson called it quits four years later.
As a Chicagoan, we got our fill of Wanny's World. Miamians should thank their lucky stars.
Bad move.
So do about 20 other NFL teams.
Maybe they can hire Steve Spurrier so they can actually go winless next season.
"All the pieces are in place."
Amen. The truth is, you can hardly ever tell who is going to be a good QB anymore. Over the past few years, Kerry Collins, Brad Johnson, and Trent Dilfer have led teams to Super Bowls (Dilfer's and Johnson's teams even won), and titles have been won by "who-the-heck-are-these-guys?" QBs Kurt Warner and Tom Brady, whom no one had even heard of before Trent Green and Drew Bledsoe got hurt.
Nah, if they want to do that they need to hire Ron Zook!
You won't miss him.
I still say it's all about the offensive line, and defense. Give me a good offensive line and I'll get you to the Super Bowl, regardless of who is behind the center.
While Roethlisberger is doing a fine job in the Steel City, the reason why the Steelers are the best team in the NFL (at least this week) is that they have a great offensive line, and a good defense.
Any chance you guys might take Aaron Brooks off the Saints' hands? I think we've got just the coach for you too...:-)
I disagree. You can just look around the league and see several examples of mediocre quarterbacks performing like stars -- look at Brees and Plummer in the AFC for object lessons on this score -- the one thing they all have in common is that they have an excellent running game. The counter-example is Brunell, as the Redskins have a solid running game, but he still sucks.
Perhaps he can start off by bringing back Danny Weurffel again, the guy he loves and everyone else in the world laughs at.
Also there is a thin line between being a Super Bowl team and an also-ran (can you say 'Carolina Panthers'?). Sure some teams may have better players from 1 to 22, and when they're healthy, they are on top. But lose one or two key players and you can quickly fall to the bottom half of the league. Over a long NFL season, it's the teams with the better 23 to 45 that prevail. It's all about depth.
Don't you dare take the sacred name of Danny Wuerffel in vain.
Yep. Exactly.
While Roethlisberger is doing a fine job in the Steel City, the reason why the Steelers are the best team in the NFL (at least this week) is that they have a great offensive line, and a good defense.
It's hard to give up many points when your defense is only spending 20 minutes a game on the field.
I hear that Mr. Bates is a defensive Master....
This Vol fan doesn't have anything bad to say about him. ><
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