I've only been in the Tampa area one hour now, and I'm already having Dolphin player withdrawls,.......kidding ! I think this team is going to do just fine tomorrow. Every player I encountered yesterday seemed relaxed and ready to go. Not cocky, but confident. Channing informed me that CJ was him man and I could cuss him out if I see him streaking down the sideline. But, with his next breath he informed me that they had a "special" gameplan in place to deal with their running game. Then when I said VY scares me as well, he srugged that off saying that VY is not the best passer they've faced and his moblity is going to suffer with a hurt hamstring and knee. Again, it was confidence I was picking up on, not cockiness. This is it, yet another do or die situation. I'm looking for another big offensive performance out of Henne, Ricky,and Fasano. And, lets not forget about DC$,.....we'll need him too. I can hardly wait til game-time,......this is huge !!!!

 

GO DOLPHINS !!!!!! BEAT THE TITANS !!!!!!!

I was going to leave this morning and head up to the Tampa area, but we had a little change in the plan. Firstly, our housing situation was not firmed up yet, and it was pouring,.......buckets !! A) I am not going to load up the car in a downpour (unless a have too, and I didn't have too), and B) trying to put my car on the tow-dolly is next to impossible in the rain. Now I knew that Henne & Hartline where going to do a signing a few days ago, but , I was ready to go. Since our circumstances changed I thought what the hell,......and I had to pay $50 for the signatures. If I do a breakdown and divide that $50 into all the stuff I've gotten signed for free, it works out to like a dollar per signature. Enough with the words,....here are some pics !

During the 30 seconds I was there I mentioned how I bumped into his family at the Jets game in NY. And, how his Aunt told me he had relatives that live in my hometown of Toledo, he confirmed that fact. I also had to bust out the fact that I root for the Buckeyes, however as I moved on I hit'em with the ol'  GO DOLPHINS, complete with a fist bump !

1st thing I said the Hartline,...........O ! H !, his response with a big ass grin looking over to Henne,......I ! O ! Funny ! I had to tell him, "you're a beast on SP, and we all loving your style of play at the Phinsider. Go get'em Killer, we need ya !" Thanks man, he replied. I also got in a few words about how I travel with work I spent late Summer / early Fall in Columbus and was able to catch 3 Buckeye home games. Sweet he said. As I left I gave him one more O ! H !, after he replied I finished with GO DOLPHINS !!!

My night was not over yet. I decided to head over to Channing's radio show one more time. So, when I get there not to many people where there and it wasn't long before Channing and I were yakking it up again. I said, "what, no teammates tonight ??" Channing said, " No man, D Bess is sitting right here behind you." Well you know How I roll........

That's it. I'm done. I got no more. This has been an awesome Dolphin vacation for me. Sunday I'll be watching the game somewhere up in Tampa and Monday I'll be back at work. Time to start making some money and stop spending it......

OFF4L

As we are about to heading North shortly and this is a HUGE game, I would love nothing more than to catch the game with some other hardcore Dol-Fans in the Tampa area. Now I know I can go to any sports bar to watch the game, but I'm really hoping one of you might know of a Dolphin stronghold up in the Tampa area. The other option is I could always start one.....Or, does anyone know of the best sport bar in the Brandon area ?? Any help/insight would be very much appreciated........

GO DOLPHINS !!!!!! BEAT THE TITANS !!!!!!

As we were lying here watching TV, on our 2nd to last night in Ft Lauderdale, I jumped up and sprang into action. What are you doing she asked, to my reply "making a mini Dolphin shrine". She smiled and laughed as I set-up, organized, and reorganized my recent acquisitions. She asked why. Because I want to take a picture of all the stuff I got since we've been here, that's why I said. We arrived here on Ft Lauderdale Beach Nov 12 with some pics I wanted to get signed, 1 blank mini helmet, a flag, a Dan Marino ball ( just in case ), a Dolphin ball ( now, the 2009 team ball), and a Ronnie Brown (knock-off) authenic. 2 home games and meeting several current and alumni Dolphins,...........here it is.

Here's the list .........2 gameday programs, a shula bobblehead ($10 in tha mall, on sale), Fasano & Ayodele signed magnets, 4 signed mini helmets ( J Long, P White, R Williams, & J Offerdahl ), Dolfan Bandits card & make-up ( I'll use it sometime in the future), Signed Ronnie Brown jersey, 10 signed 8x10's, Dolphins used practice ball ( won at the charity wheel at the stadium), 15 signitures on 2009 team ball, 15 signitures on on alumni ball ( D Hagen autographed ball won at charity wheel at stadium, from worthless to priceless in one month ), another Dolphin ball given to me by a friend ( just happens to be another Ohioan) for future use, and FINALLY........... a Florida Panther's puck that I got at a game that I won tickets to at the Channing Crowder Show. Not a bad Dolphins vacation, or as I like to say ,.........one month in heaven.

Back to reality, work on Monday. Only to be followed by road trips back to South Florida the following two weekends for the last 2 home games..........

GO DOLPHINS !!!!!! BEAT THE TITANS !!!!!!!!!!

It was suppose to start at 6PM, so we got there at 5:30PM. From here it was a 1 hour and 45 minutes wait........As a point of reference, look at the lights on the ceiling.

Almost there, just another couple of minutes !!

My 2009 team ball now has 15 names on it. CP10, Soliai, Ricky, Ronnie, Pat White, Channing, Merling, D. Thomas, D. Bess, B. Fields(TOLEDOIAN), A. Fasano, P. Pasquali, HARTLINE ! (BUCKEYES BABY), A. Ayodele, and Jake Long !! Not bad for an out-of-towner.....

 

 

So, Ricky......."you da man" !! Please sign my shit......

So, my wifey told me not to talk so much before we got in there. And, what do I do,......talk, talk, talk. I forgot to turn around to get my picture and they where hurrying me along,.........AAHHHHHH !!! NO PICTURE WITH RICKY !!!!Oh well, I didn't forget to have him add something a little special to my mini helmet,......SCORE !!!!!

RICKY WILLIAMS PRO BOWL MVP 2003 !!!!!!!

That is all folks, Friday we move up to the Tampa area for the next 3 months. But fear not, we'll be commuting back down hear for the last 2 home games. As the adventures continues................

OFF4L

Firstly, what about the game !! Two weeks in a row, two nail-biters,......WOW. Nothing like making us fans sweat it out,....again. I'm OK now, but I'm sure that my blood pressure was climbing a little earlier. Hats off to the defense, they won the game for us. 17 straight completions by "The Robot",.....solid. Ricky, I ain't mad at ya,........just don't do that anymore (nice job going over 100 yards and getting closer to the all-time Dolphins TD record). One at a time, and that one is in the bank. But, enough about all that,......you all saw it. Let me tell you about the Road rally........

TD thinks he's a lady's mammal, trying to move in on my Wifey. Whatever. He doesn't know all about me.....

Keith Sims was there, and again we have another down-to-Earth Dolphin alumni. Pictures, autographs, chatted for awhile, and I got him to call my friends back at the Toledo Ohio Miami Dolphin Fanclub,.........You know, the normal stuff.

So, you know the drill. I got some swag for you guys too. 1st Phinsider that can give me Keith Sims career stats gets........the signed picture (not the our PC).

But wait !! There's more !! 1st Phinsider that tells me why they deserve some sweet Dolphins gear gets............A brand new Dolphin XL T-shirt and koozy !!!

To muck work, no problem I got peeps back in Toledo that would like it. But, I'm putting out there for you folks 1st for it is better to give than receive.

OFF4L

I've always tended to worry about a "let down" after a big win. But, I gotta say,......here & now, I like our chances. Judging from the conversations I had on Friday with Soliai & Crowder this team knows exactly what is at stake. Both commented on the need to win out and seemed to demonstrate a cool confidence. I liked that, ......alot ! Watching the local news down here, I get the same feeling when they interveiw different players. They are not looking past Jacksonville and they are not taking them lightly. It's on, my friends, ........IT IS ON !! It's not the playoffs, yet it is,.......for the Dolphins. As a football fan, I love the drama and the hype. We all know this is a young team that is only going to get better. How exciting,......VERY !! 13 long hours til kick-off, and Jacksonville is only 5 hours away. It's times like these I wish I had a girlfriend and not a wife. Why ? Because my happy-ass would be down the road. Period ! " I'll see you sometime late Sunday night or early Monday morning Honey, don't wait up. " I can dream, but I'll settle for second best thing. Another Dolphin Road Rally, with Keith Simms in attendence and a chance to win some more Dolphin swag. All the while watching the Dolphins do what needs to done !!!!

GO DOLPHINS !!!!! BEAT JACKSONVILLE !!!!!!!

OFF4L 
 

The countdown is on. Six days until we move our operation up to the Tampa area. It's a bitch, but I'll do the 4 hour drive for the last 2 home games. So, with that in mind I had to hit the Channing Crowder show one more time. We got there about 45 minutes before the show started so we could get a booth that was up front. I got to say the food and the service at The Red Zone Sports Cafe are excellent. Not long after getting there I spot starting Miami Dolphin NT Paul Solaili. Dude was totally cool, I chatted with him for a bit and got a photo with him. Cool !!

A couple minutes later Channing arrived, after he made the round he wandered over our way. Again, I was able to chat with him for several minutes, talking about the interception missed and the drive ending interception. If you know me, you know I had to bust his balls a bit. I said, " Channing look here, next time don't go down. You find Brady and put cleat marks all over his back on the way to the endzone !". We chatted a bit more, before I had him call a good friend of mine back home that is also a huge Dolphin fan on my phone. Merry Christmas Bob, hope you like it. As the show started we sat back, ate a good meal, and enjoyed being amongst some of Miami's finest. About half way through Channing's Mother walked by and Wifey started a conversation with her. You don't know Wifey, but let me tell you,.....that girl can talk. And, it seems everyone she encounters seems to enjoy her company. Those two went on talking for a while then, and again after the show. As it turns out, Pauline Crowder is from someplace close to where we are from. She's from Detroit, an hour North of our hometown of Toledo, Ohio.

It was a good time, that is for sure !! The show was drawing to a close, and that's when Paul S. went up to the broadcast table. It has been said that a picture is worth a thousand words...........

I got to say, I'm one luckey son-of-a-bitch !!! A little kid in a grown man's body. An Ohioan that roots for a team from Florida,........it's all so odd.

GO DOLPHINS !!!! BEAT JACKSONVILLE !!!!

OFF4L 

 

While hanging out at the Grand Plaza we saw Larry King, Joe Perry , & T-Pain walk the orange carpet. Here's T-Pain.

After that we headed over to the stage to see the Joe Perry Project rock out.

So, all that made us a little late getting into the game. Wifey hit the females only line and got right in. Me,...I got stuck among the masses.....

1st & goal.....not on this play, but soon enough they would get 6.

You watched the game, you saw it with your on eyes, we all know it !!!!!!!! DC $ =  sure bet !

Game over ! We win !

Talking Wifey into a early exit from South Florida to Jacksonville before are eventually move to Tampa,........

That's going to be a hard one, but I got try,........several times !

What the hell !! I didn't sleep for shit last night, and true to form I arrived early and left late !!

Pre-game: spun the charity wheel 3 times, winning a practice used football, # 87 white mesh practice jersey, and a Gameday program. And, in this game's program on page 95 there is a picture of my wife & I from the Jets game in NY ! Sweet !! Met up briefly with fellow Phinsider Desrtro954 for a drink. Also got AJ Duhe & Lorenzo Hampton to sing my Dolphins Alumni ball. We saw Larry King, T-Pain, and Joe Perry walk the orange carpet. Then before we went into the Stadium watched the Joe Perry Project play a few tunes.

The Game: Thrilling !!!!! A statement game that saw the Dolphins play well in all aspects of the game. Stops on 4th down, an interception in the end zone to prevent a score, another to seal the win !! Way to go D !!!!! I didn't notice too many drops today, maybe some throws that were off target a bit. But, when Henne needed to make a play he delivered and our receivers answered to call,........my new favorite Dolphin,.........HARTLINE !!! With Crowder coming in a close second. The whole 1st half I had to listen to some Fin bashing by some Patriots fans, all I know is I feeling pretty happy about the way things went today !!! There is a changing of the guard,and some day in the future I'll say to somebody I remember when.........

After the game, following "The Stalker" getting more signatures. Kendell Langford on a 8X10 photo with him, Jake Long on a mini helmet, Pasquilli and P Soliali (? spelling) on a team ball.

I'm beat, but not beaten !

GO DOLPHINS !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!