To the surprise of no one, the Miami Dolphins fired head coach Tony Sparano Monday, a day after losing their ninth game of the season to the Philadelphia Eagles. Despite the team's utter failure in 2011, the man who assembled this year's crop of underachievers, general manager Jeff Ireland, remains employed.
The Miami Herald reported Sunday night that Ireland's job is "totally safe." On Monday, team owner Stephen Ross said he will consult Ireland, among others, while he searches for his next coach.
If Ross really wants to kickstart a franchise turnaround this offseason, he should get rid of the architect of the current team. Firing Sparano does nothing to change the fact that Ireland built a team that could not compete in the AFC.
Both Sporano and Ireland came to the Dolphins from Dallas in 2008 with former president of football operations Bill Parcells. The team has been on a downward trajectory since winning 11 games and a division title that year. Sunday's loss clinched the team's third straight losing season, and the Dolphins must win its final three games to avoid a ten-loss season.
But it's pretty clear who Ross blames for the team's disappointing season. According to the Herald, "Ross is convinced the Dolphins are a team that is underachieving despite considerable talent." Sparano is perceived to be the weak link in this situation.
Ireland is not totally off the hook, since even Ross can't deny the team needs a roster upgrade this offseason. Even so, Ross seems to be underestimating Ireland's role in the team's current mess.
The Dolphins have a number of quality players on the roster, but the team's inability to find a long-term solution at quarterback, spending a boatload of money on an offensive line that gives up more sacks than any other line in the NFL, and secondary problems suggest the need to clean house in the talent-evaluating department.
Ireland has done little to improve the Dolphins during the team's slide back to the basement, and he has made plenty of blunders along the way (not the least of which was asking Dez Bryant before the 2010 draft if his mother had ever been a prostitute).
If the Dolphins want to clean house after this dreadful season, they may as well go all the way.
While they are at it, the team could consider buying back Marc Anthony's ownership share. He hasn't done anything wrong, per se, but we think he could be carrying some bad luck.
