The Dolphins, Dol-fans

Miami Dolphins finished last season 1-15. The worst record in the NFL. The worst record in their history (which began in 1966). A nearly 'perfect' losing season saved/ ruined by a fluked win against the Baltimore Ravens in overtime, Cleo Lemon throwing to the unheralded Greg Camarillo, who scuttled and just about made it to the Ravens' end-zone. A season in which the starting quaterback (Trent Green, acquired from the Kansas City Chiefs for a 5th round draft pick in this year's draft) was concussed (again); in which both the starting Safeties (Bell and Hill) went down with season-ending injuries, Bell's in the first game against Washington; a season in which franchise icon Zach Thomas was also concussed and unable to play; in which the first-year Head Coach, Cam Cameron, had blazing rows with face-of-the-franchise defensive end Jason Taylor over card games on intercontinental flights (Taylor is now Dancing with the Stars); in which the Dolphins ranked 26th in points scored, 30th in points allowed, at last in run defense; in which the Dolphins lost 7 games by 3 points, including a bizarre 3-0 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers, a field goal kicked with 17 seconds left.
I've been following the Dolphins since the mid-80s, when Channel 4 started to cover the NFL in Britain. I chose the Dolphins partly because they were good (this was the era of Marino throwing to the two Marks, Clayton and Duper); and partly because I'd seen the Dolphins back in the mid-1970s one Saturday afternoon on ITV's World of Sport at my Nan's house, and I liked their name, and they won that day, too. I assume now it was highlights of one of their SuperBowl wins.
The Dolphins got to the SuperBowl in the 1984 season, too, but were beaten rather easily by Joe Montana, Jerry rice and the San Francisco 49ers. The Dolphins have never been back. Legendary coach Don Shula retired in the 1990s, succeeded by Jimmy Johnson (who had won the SuperBowl with Dallas); Marion retired; Johnson was succeeded by Dave Wannstedt, Nick Saban, and then Cam Cameron. And the Dolphins got worse, and worse, and worse.
At the end of the NFL regular season, I fervently hoped that Cameron would be let go. He was. I fervently hoped that Bill Parcells, the Big Tuna, who had transformed the fortunes of the NY Giants, the New England Patriots, and the Jets, before a spell at Dallas, would come in and do the same. To my amazement and delight, he did.
Parcells and new coach Tony Sparano (dead ringer for crime novelist James Ellroy) have cleaned house. They have signed solid players in free agency. And in two weeks it will be the 2008 draft. More on the draft soon.