Dolphins to Fire Sparano, Keep Ireland, According to Report

Dec. 11 Breaking News 3 comments ---Bill

According to a report by Dolphins beat writer Armando Salguero, the Miami Dolphins will be looking for a new head coach this offseason.  Surprisingly though, according to Armando, the Dolphins will NOT be looking for a new general manager.  Following the Dolphins 24-10 loss to the Eagles on Sunday, we all knew that the questions about Sparano’s future would surface again.  Not that they’ve ever really gone away, but some fans were starting to warm up to the Dolphins coach after the team’s recent, solid play….There is even @GottaKeepTony on twitter…ugh!

The fact that the Dolphins will be looking for a new coach isn’t a surprise, it’s been speculated about for months.  However, many Dolphins fans thought that Sparano and Ireland would be a package deal, when/if they were fired.  We know that Dolphins Owner, Stephen Ross, has Ireland in his ear (and on his lap).  After all, Ireland was ON THE PLANE when Ross flew to California to meet with Jim Harbaugh, in hopes of replacing Sparano in January.  It seems that Ireland is close enough to Ross that he’s convinced him that he should stay.  Ross seems to believe that the Dolphins have enough talent to win, but Sparano just hasn’t gotten enough out of the Dolphins players.

I was surprised to see the report, as I’m sure many of you are.  I thought a sweeping change would be made and the Dolphins would be looking for a new coach and GM.  The quality of Ireland’s tenure is, I guess, debatable.  I’m personally not a fan of his because I think he’s had more misses than hits.  Some will say that you can only judge him on what’s happened since Parcells stepped down too, because it’s tough to specify what he did and what Parcells did.  I think that’s giving him a pass.  He was the GM, whether Parcells was in Miami or not.  He should be held responsible for what happened under his watch, while he was the GM.  By the way, the biggest ‘miss’ Ireland miss of 2011 was exposed again on Sunday, as Marc Colombo was beaten like a mule (along with Nate Garner), by the Eagles wide 9 technique.

So what does this news that Armando is reporting, mean?  Well, it means that Sparano has another 3 games to coach the Miami Dolphins.  That’s it.  It means the Dolphins will be starting a coaching search right after the season is over.  What really worries me is that the Dolphins will not be able to get the coach they want because he’ll refuse to take the Dolphins job with Ireland as the GM.   I haven’t decided who my favorite potential coach would be, I’m just assuming who some of the candidates will be.  I doubt Bill Cowher would come here with Ireland in place.  Jon Gruden?  Doubtful.  Jeff Fisher? Nope.  There is still time for Stephen Ross to change his mind, so don’t get too concerned just yet.  But, as of right this moment, it looks like Jeff Ireland will be back as the Dolphins GM and Tony Sparano will be out as Dolphins coach on January 1st/2nd.  As we’ve mentioned before, it’s likely the Dolphins will have a lot of competition in their Head Coach Search.

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  • Oma

    Seems to me that Ireland should be the first to go followed by Sparano. Hopefully Mr. Ross will wake up and see the light!

  • J

    I am totally distraught. Both of them should be release together. I have been a Dolphin fan my entired life and I am shock that the owner allowed Miami to go this many seasons with a losing record. It surely wasn’t the case when I was a kid. Get rid of Irleand so the team can get the coach that can put them back on the winning radar.

    • http://www.phinnation.com Bill

      J – you wrote exactly what a lot of Dolphins fans are thinking….it’s been such a frustrating season and with Ireland set to return, I fear it will continue.