Bleacher Report - Articles by Rob Steele

If McCain and Obama Were NFL Football Teams, Which Would They Be ?

Rob Steele — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 03:23:22 -0500

Since the election ends in a couple days, I thought it would be fun to have everyone compare who they think Obama and McCain represent best as an NFL team.

So, if Barack Obama could represent one NFL football team, then have John McCain represent a football team, and have them both play a Super Bowl. Who would they be, and who would win?

I welcome everyone to comment with their picks, but here is how I see it.

Let's start with John McCain. John has some experience behind him, and he has also run his campaign like a true politician. He has been investigated and largely exonerated in a political influence scandal of the 1980s.

John has also been to the big show (Republican nomination) and has lost previous to this term.

I think John McCain is best represented by the New England patriots.

Both the Patriots and McCain have been investigated in scandals and both have lost a recent "big show."

As for Obama, it's fairly simple. Since he is a huge rival with McCain, it is only fitting that Obama will represent the Miami Dolphins.

Both teams will meet in my made-up Super Bowl, and the Obama Dolphins will win 28-10.

Denver Broncos Fans Are Haunted By Phantom Pass-Interference Call

Rob Steele — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 01:30:56 -0500

As scary as it sounds, Denver Broncos fans are trying to blame their loss on one play that was called back as a result of a pass-interference penalty.

Even though the Miami defense forced three Jay Cutler interceptions and held the Broncos to only 14 rushing yards, Denver fans live in denial.

Brandon Marshall's phantom 77-yard touchdown catch was a perfect example of how not to cheat. If you are going to be a playmaker, you must be able to do it without cheating, despite whether he cheated a little or a lot. The fact of the matter is, he still cheated.

Why can't Denver fans highlight that Greg Camarillo set a career high with 111 yards receiving instead of focusing on a cheating, subpar receiver ?

I will also give some credit where credit is do; Eddie Royal played an amazing game. His 95-yard kickoff return was incredible and sparked some life into the Broncos. This was a good example of how to cheat. The two blocks in the back that weren't called allowed this incredible play to happen.

So, in closing, Brandon Marshall, if you are going to cheat, hang out with Eddie Royal more often. He can show you some tricks. I do feel bad for Denver though, and I will go ahead and give them that Marshall touchdown. I'll also give them a two-point conversion as well. 26-25 Dolphins. So I guess it wouldn't of mattered anyway.

So kids, remember, cheaters never win.

Wayne Huizenga Looking To Sell His Soul

Rob Steele — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 16:26:11 -0400

If the only person interested in buying souls is the Devil, how can Wayne Huizenga sell his soul to himself?

On Monday, Miami Dolphins co-owner Wayne Huizenga announced that he plans to sell his remaining stake in the Dolphins. Currently, Huizenga owns 50 percent of the Miami Dolphins' franchise after selling the other 50 percent to Stephen M. Ross, a real-estate developer.

Huizenga was complaining about a possible increase in capital-gains taxes. "He wants to double the capital gains tax, or almost double it," Huizenga said. "I'd rather give it to charity than to him."

As greedy as they come, Huizenga is looking after himself as usual. He should be donating money to charity anyways; the tax write offs for his contributions could make up the difference on capital-gains.

Watching Huizenga dismantle the Florida Marlins after their World Series win was a true showing of his character and his heartless nature. I'm almost glad the Miami Dolphins did not win a Super Bowl under his ownership, I'm sure there would have been another fire sale. All of the players we've grown to love and buy merchandise for would be traded to other teams for a profit, leaving us the fans with nothing.

From a political view, I was split down the middle, but after seeing through what Wayne Huizenga is trying to do, I hope karma elects Barack Obama.

Wayne, for the sake of the Miami Dolphins, the Miami Dolphins' fanbase, and people with a soul, I hope you sell the rest of the Dolphins to Mr. Ross; sooner rather than later.

Miami's New "Be-Ginn-Ing"

Rob Steele — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 16:49:09 -0400

We all still remember the boos in the 2007 NFL draft when Ted Ginn Jr. was selected No. 9 overall. A Dolphins team in dire need of a quarterback and a hero comes up far short with a sad excuse for a Devin Hester knock-off.

After Sunday's game, have we seen some sort of spark to potential talent? Will this be a weekly routine, or are we getting our hopes up?

Ginn was off to an impressive start, making a 46-yard, leaping catch on the first play of the game. He continued to capitalize on corner back Terrence McGee's sprained knee on his next catch for 17 yards.

However even after Sunday's win against the AFC East rival Buffalo Bills, Ginn still trails Greg Camarillo in receiving stats. He is also closely followed by both tight ends—David Martin and Anthony Fasano.

Ginn has yet to score a touchdown. I would like to see Ted Ginn score three touchdowns by the end of the year. It is a small goal, but if he can't meet that number we shouldn't be paying him the money he is getting; he also shouldn't take up space on the Dolphins' roster.

On the upside, Ginn is starting over the early-season acquisition and the very overrated Ernest Wilford.

The bottom line is, we are either seeing a start to an amazing player, or we are just seeing a quick reminder of what we should be seeing each week and are lacking.

Ted, please show us you were worth the first round pick.

Brannon Condren Signs with Dolphins

Rob Steele — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 07:32:52 -0400

In an attempt to stop big play receivers such as Andre Johnson (as pictured), the Dolphins signed Brannon Condren and released Tyrone Culver.

Condren was a fourth round pick in 2007 by the Indianapolis Colts. He has spent most of his NFL career as a special teams player but has had some time at safety when injuries allowed him a chance. Condren stands at 6'1" and weighs 205 pounds.

The Dolphins originally had their eye on Condren, but decided to sign Culver instead. This is just a small step in helping with the secondary issues.

Rebuilding the Dolphins' Franchise: Another Miami Dynasty in Progress

Rob Steele — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 18:23:41 -0400

After five games in the 2008 season, it is safe to say that there is a night and day difference between this year's Miami Dolphins lineup and last year's poorly managed and coached team.

I can't express enough that I am very impressed with "The Big Tuna," a.k.a. Bill Parcells. His new direction and many organization changes have been most impressive and we are starting to see the Dolphins as we should be...Winning.

So, I just wanted to break down what the Dolphins have and what the Dolphins need.

Team Strengths

It is very obvious that the strength of the Dolphins offense is the depth and talent at running back. Ronnie Brown, Ricky Williams, and Patrick Cobbs headline a very impressive and dynamic backfield.

Brown is averaging 4.7 yards per carry and Williams is averaging 3.9 yards per carry, while Cobbs has 152 yards receiving and two touchdowns. Even though Cobbs is listed as a running back, he has more receiving yards and more touchdowns than former first-round draft pick Ted Ginn Jr.

The Dolphins' offensive line has been revamped and is starting to look solid. Both tackles have Pro Bowl potential and the line as a whole has only allowed 10 sacks so far this season, which averages to two sacks per game.

Last year, the Dolphins allowed 2.62 sacks a game on average. While the difference isn't anything to celebrate, it is a step in the right direction.

I wouldn't list the quarterback situation as a strength; however, with the acquisition of Chad Pennington, the QB stats have gone from sad to average. I do believe that Chad Henne will be a future franchise quarterback for the Phins, but he will need some weapons.

The Dolphins' front seven on defense has been looking most impressive, only allowing 445 yards rushing, which is fifth in the NFL. Joey Porter and Matt Roth have been getting excellent penetration and shaking up opponents.

Team Weaknesses

I want to first outline the Dolphins' biggest weakness, which not only keeps them from blowing other teams away, but also is limiting the production of Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams...the Receiving corps. Miami's leading receivers, with the exception of recent production from Greg Camarillo, are the tight ends. Ted Ginn Jr., Ernest Wilford, Derek Hagan, and Davone Bess have a total of zero touchdowns this season.

I'm surprised Brown and the tight ends aren't on the injured reserve with back problems. They are single handedly carrying the team.

The Dolphins are also lacking a playmaking secondary. Andre Johnson made that very apparent, as no one was able to stop him in the recent loss to the Texans.

What Can We Do?

With the trade deadline already passed, the Dolphins will have to rely on the wildcat offense. Parcells should target some play making wideouts, as well as cornerbacks in the draft. Until the draft, Phin fans should just sit back and watch the Ronnie Brown show. We are getting there.

The Patriots Will Lose to the Dolphins

Rob Steele — Sun, 21 Sep 2008 06:57:59 -0400

Are you still laughing? Well, as I'm watching the game with only one quarter down, it appears that the control is in the hands of the "defeated" Dolphins.

I'm not going to write much about the game right now, but I'd like to throw this prediction out there and I'll follow up after the Dolphins win, of course.

If there wasn't a better time for the Dolphins to step up and start winning, it's now. Ronnie Brown is healthy, and he and Ricky Williams make up the NFL's most underrated tandem.

Running shouldn't be an issue with the Dolphins, but with a non-existent passing game, a lot of attention has been put on the Miami rushing attack. Look for Chad Pennington to take some attention off of the running game by making a couple throws down the field.

The Dolphins' defense is looking sharp, and it seems like Joey Porter is backing up his mouth.

Final score: 28-23, Phins.

The Hurricanes Are Dusting off a Spot for Yet Another National Title.

Rob Steele — Sun, 21 Sep 2008 05:53:50 -0400

We have all seen and witnessed the Miami Hurricanes of old and many college teams of this era are trying to duplicate much of the winning attitude and antics of the five time National title holders. However as of lately we have yet to see the Miami we all know and love. Now after a couple sub par season finishes, Miami fans are finally ready for title number six.

Is it going to happen this year ? The simple answer is no.

With a total of 13 starters gone from last year’s 5-7 squad, inexperience will play a big factor. Although Shannon has been busy trying to rebuild the team much like Butch Davis did in the 90’s, the 2008 squad has too many freshmen for Miami to be considered seriously for the National title. But that doesnt mean you wont see Miami in a Bowl game or in the top 25 by the end of the year.

Randy Shannon has many talents and probably is strongest talent is recruiting. He knows the winning formula for putting together a team and not just pulling in a couple big playmakers. By the end of this 2008 season you will see the new Miami legacy start to take shape.

If we break down what we've seen so far this season, to gain a good idea of what we will see for the rest of this year, we can say the following:

1. Miami has finally found some talent and depth at quarterback. Redshirt Freshman Robert Marve and true Freshman Jacory Harris have already demonstrated their ability to score points and lead this young team to a 2-1 record.

2. There is no lack of talent at the running back level with Graig Cooper and Javarris James. Many critics agree that if James had been healthy during the game versus the Gators we may have seen a different outcome.

3. The Hurricane receiving core has flashes of talent but lacks a consistent go-to guy.

4. Defense is getting back to its roots with a fast core of freshman linebackers and a play making secondary.

5. The only thing that doesn't properly represent the Miami Hurricanes for this year is their 2-1 record. The loss to the Gators was expected by many, but those who actually watched the game saw how hard the Gators struggled early in the game and also received a sneak preview of a developing Miami Hurricane championship team.

Look for the Hurricanes to secure an 11-1 record with the only remaining tough game against Wake Forest and also a good rival game against the Seminoles. The Canes should prevail through to the ACC championship.

Miami is already building for next year with an early recruiting class that boasts Bryce Brown the top ranked running back out of Kansas. We should see another top ranked recruiting class next year and even though a National title may not be in the cards this year, the University of Miami have already begun making room in the trophy case for next year.

Brett Favre from Bay to Bay

Rob Steele — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 02:07:25 -0400

After weeks of waiting to see if the Packers would take Brett Favre back yet again, we have learned that Brett's motivation may not be staying loyal to the Green Bay Packers, but simply winning.

His first two choices for a transfer were the Minnesota Vikings and the Chicago Bears, neither of which had much interest in Farve.

Round Two of Brett's next possible destinations include the New York Jets and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Both teams are in need of a high-caliber quarterback. Sources reveal that although the New York Jets have offered Brett a very enticing deal, Brett has more interest in the Bucs.

The Bucs have about 38 million in cap room and it seems that there is still time for some negotiations. Come September 4, you may see Favre playing in a different Bay.