FinsNation

Look Ma! No Flags! Weeee!!

For those of you who missed it (I’m looking right at you Lady Phin! Hey! You’re hot!), here’s Ted Ginn’s first (official) punt return for a touchdown. Posted here for posterity for us to enjoy forever and ever. Until the Gestapo over at NFL.com takes the video down.

Watching Teddy looking over his shoulder for a penalty flag makes me chuckle every time.

And then I weep silently and bitterly as I shake my fist in the air….

Why God? Why do we lose a game even when we lead it in turnovers and big plays???

Why??????!!!!

Update: Click here to vote for Ted Ginn as Diet Pepsi Rookie of the Week. Do it. Do it now!

Ted Ginn's Potential Has Dolphins Excited

Cam Cameron has been tempering fan’s immediate expectations for Ted Ginn as a receiver, saying the rookie will be a return-man before he becomes a receiver. But several Dolphins players have been buzzing about Ginn’s potential as a rookie.

''I think he is going to be a major contributor [on offense this year],'' defensive tackle Vonnie Holliday predicted, adding the team needs him to be ''one of those go-to guys'' and that his route running is ''nothing like'' the negative accounts he heard.

Some of the biggest knocks Ginn has received from scouts is that he’s a bad route runner, he’s afraid to go up the middle and that he will be a tedious project. But receivers coach Terry Robiskie says, although he’s still got “cobwebs” as he learns the system, Ginn is progressing well.

Expecting Ginn to make a monster impact this year is ludicrous. And no doubt we’re going to have some douchebag fans calling for his (and Cameron's and Mueller's) head during his rookie year (*cough*Salguero'scommenters*cough*). Yes, Ginn is a project but one with tremendous upside. He’s a threat to score every time he touches the ball and he can outrun just about any cornerback in the league (run this kid on some fly-routes and it's goodnight nurse!). He needs to learn the pro game. That takes time, especially for rookie receivers (there will only be one Randy Moss, folks). But judging from what his coach and even his own teammates are saying – so far so good for Ginn. 

Booya.

Zach Thomas Likes Rookie Class - There’s A Lesson In That

Zach Thomas is heaping praise on the 2007 Dolphin draft class. He’s excited about the speed of Ted Ginn Jr. and Lorenzo Booker and likes John Beck’s promise. Thomas has been critical of past drafts – how can he not be?

“That’s the reason we’re in the position that we are,” Thomas said.

"It hasn't just been for the last couple of years," said Thomas, who doesn't normally praise draft classes. "It's been a long time."

And he’s absolutely right.

Consider all that’s happened prior to this season’s draft. This franchise continually squandered draft picks for shit-kicking players in recent seasons. They gave away a total of five first-day picks for mediocre players like AJ Feeley and flakey players like Ricky Williams.

When the Dolphins traded for Ricky Williams in 2002, they gave the New Orleans Saints two first-round picks. The Saints turned the first pick into Pro Bowl DE Charles Grant. Instead of Williams and his love of all things hemp and yoga, the Dolphins could’ve kept that pick and had a shot at a plethora of Pro Bowlers like cornerback Lito Sheppard, center Andre Gurode, or runningback Clinton Portis. The Saints traded away the second first-rounder they got for Williams. But had the Dolphins kept that pick, they would’ve had a shot at none other than Larry Johnson, who fell to the Chiefs at No. 27 in the 2003 draft (Miami would’ve had the 17th overall pick). In 2004, the Dolphins gave the Philadelphia Eagles their second round pick of the ’05 draft for AJ Feeley. The Eagles turned that pick into speedy and talented wide receiver Reggie Brown.

Think about it. The Dolphins could’ve had Larry Johnson at running back and Reggie Brown at receiver. This means they could’ve spent their first-round 2005 pick on someone like Shawn Merriman or Demarcus Ware or Jammal Brown, instead of on Ronnie Brown. And it also means they could’ve been more conservative with this year’s draft, instead of taking a risk with Ted Ginn at No. 9 because of their lack of play-makers on offense.

It’s all hindsight and conjecture, of course. But the possibilities are all there. The lesson, of course, is that you don’t squander first-day draft picks for rent-a-players and freaks.

That mindset seems to be changing with the new regime. The Dolphins are putting a premium on draft picks and youth. So far Zach approves.

And that means a lot.