By: JJ Lanier

TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services

The Cleveland Browns have basically been the punchline for any demeaning NFL joke since Bernie Kosar was their starting quarterback. If you’re not sure who Bernie Kosar is, he’s probably the guy you actually think is Vinny Testaverde.

Much to the chagrin of my father and most fans in South Florida, over the past fifteen years or so the Miami Dolphins have been giving the Browns a run for their money. The main difference being that the Dolphins seem to really be trying to win.

I look at Cleveland in the same vain I looked at the Clippers when Donald Sterling was owner. Sure, every now and again he would make a big free agent signing or spend some money to retain the talent already on the team. Most of the time though he was more concerned with making money than he was about the product that was out on the court. The Browns aren’t necessarily at that level, but you get what I’m saying.

The Dolphins however, have spared no expense on bringing in high profile coaches and players to turn this around. They spend money like a coked up Donald Trump does at a singles retreat, with dare I say, similar results. Miami is seemingly doing everything they can to turn their misfortunes around, without any luck to show for it.

It would be different too if like the Browns and Clippers, the Dolphins had a history of ineptitude and losing. But, this is a proud franchise with a history of winning. There aren’t many teams that can claim names like Shula, Marino, Csonka, Griese (Bob, not Brian), Taylor, and plenty more that I didn’t name off the top of my head. Plus, there’s that little distinction of being the only undefeated team in NFL history.

I touched on this subject briefly earlier this spring after Miami had drafted Laremy Tunsil, but there isn’t one particular thing that has been the root of these issues. If there’s anything a team can do to “screw the pooch”, so to speak, the Dolphins have done it.

Bad drafts; poor free agent signings (some the fault of management, some were just players underachieving); either poor coaching hires or just flat out bad luck, depending on how you want to look at it. All of those, and then some, have contributed to their downward slide.

I think the most surprising aspect to all of this if just how mediocre Miami is in all phases of the game. Tannehill had all the talent in the world, but just can’t seem to put it all together.

There is no discernible running game to speak of, and their wideouts would be second or third options on most other teams.

The defense, the one area they should be stout in, are underachieving, similar to last year. They may be decent on special teams, I don’t really know, but even so that’s like a point guard telling his coach that he can’t really dribble, pass, or shoot, but is a decent rebounder for his size.

Obviously, I wouldn’t be writing any of this if this season was going any better, but it’s not, so here we are. There seem to be very few shining moments ahead for the team and their fans. At least for the time being the Dolphins are still being run like a football franchise and not a baseball team.

We’ll know Miami has finally hit rock bottom the day Billy Beane takes over as General Manager. Then again, when all else fails……