Saving Tony Sparano: More Than Just a Catch-Phrase?

You have heard the one about the six blind men who stumble upon an elephant and try to distinguish it's characteristics? The one holding his trunk says it is like a snake. The one holding the leg says it is like a tree. The one holding the tusk says it is like a spear. You get the idea. Perception is not always reality.

Are the fans that call for the firing of head coach Tony Sparano not unlike these blind men grasping for the truth of the situation? I tell you, I am beginning to entertain the possibility. Please note the word possibility.

Dolphin fans know frustration. This season we had flashbacks to 2007, when a winless season was on the horizon. A few weeks back, I knew the team was better than that, but loss upon loss will conjure up these feelings, nonetheless. Somehow (see my previous articles) I knew this wasn't going to be so bad, and the team would begin to jell a bit, but even I, with all my optimism, didn't think that the team would suddenly be playing at this very high level.  Dominating three games and forcing a playoff team to pull some uncanny throws "out of a hat" to avoid a Thanksgiving loss.

Yes, there is plenty of room for improvement, but that isn't my point. The pluses are starting to add up: How about the acquisition of Matt Moore as opposed to Kyle Orton? In addition, the Dolphin's greatest critics often match the draft pick blunders against their 20/20 hindsight perfection (How would any team win such a comparison?). Well, from what I understand, this is the first draft class that we have had in recent years that was minus the Parcell's influence. Last I checked this same draft looks pretty good, pretty damn good, I would say.

It obviously took our team longer to put it all together after a shortened preseason. This I will admit. The presence of a healthy Vontae Davis and Sean Smith have helped to elevate the product. Ditto for the emergence of the front seven: Reggie Bush, Matt Moore, and even Brandon Marshall, who looked like Brandon Marshall against the Cowboys on Thursday. 

There is no doubt that the next five games are pivotal for the coaching and player grades across the board. For a team that will not make the playoffs, these games will be pretty exciting. Will Matt Moore prove he can be "the guy" in 2012? Will we play spoiler in the closing weeks against our division rivals?

Here is the bottom line for the Dolphins as they close out the stretch run. It is NOT simply the record that should be the final gauge on where the team's at with Sparano. I repeat, it is not-the-record!! Just ask yourself this one question: Is the team headed in the right direction? That's it! Wait for five more games and evaluate the coaching position then.

If we are headed in the right direction, I nominate that we hold on to Sparano. This may not be a popular opinion right now, but some exciting play and some big upsets down the stretch run will cause the powers that be to think twice, and we may not be so blinded after all!