When Hard-Nosed meets Stupid

When the Dolphins hired Bill Parcells to run the show everybody knew what they were getting. Hard-nosed, big, and tough is what Parcells brings to the table. But where do you draw the line between old fashioned and Hard-nosed, and just downright stupid.

I think the line has been crossed. Tony Sparano is the man the Bill Parcells made head coach to help instill his style of play into his team. Tony Sparano is also the man who just recently called out the Dolphins' best player, Jason Taylor.

Sparano recently escalated the feud going on between the team and Jason Taylor by saying,

“I know that Jason is not going to be at any (offseason workouts), know that Jason is not going to be at any minicamps, and I know that, right now, Jason is not going to be at training camp. So that’s what we know. Jason is a player under contract with the Miami Dolphins. He knows that. Both parties are well aware of the information. That is all I am going to say about it. I am going to talk about our players now. I am not going to talk about another thing about Jason. I am not going to talk about another thing. What I just told you is what I know. It’s what we know, and that being said, we need to discuss the current players on our team right now that have been busting their butt for nine weeks here.” - Tony Sparano

Now, I don't agree with the fact that it is a bit ridiculous that Jason Taylor missed some offseason workouts to appear on Dancing with the Stars. However, for a coach to call a team's best player like that and shun him from the team is just downright stupid.

This is stupid to do whether or not the dolphins want to trade Jason Taylor, or have him play for them. First, if they somehow want Taylor around (which he's basically saying they don't), what Sparano said only alienates the Dolphins from their best player. Second, if the Dolphins want to trade Taylor, they have only decreased his value by making it appear they don’t want him.

I mean, sure, Sparano is letting everyone know who is in charge. That's really macho of him, but very shortsighted. Taking on Taylor really is retarded. Sure, Taylor has been poking and prodding with management lately. He recently finished second in “Dancing With The Stars” on Tuesday and then took a redeye to New York to appear on “Live with Regis and Kelly” on Wednesday morning instead of returning to offseason workouts with the Dolphins.

As much as some people may think that’s wrong, it is Taylor’s right to do that. With the exception of an offseason minicamp, offseason workouts are voluntary. In addition, Taylor has earned this right. This is a guy who never has been out of shape in his career. He has played hard and was the NFL Defensive Player of the Year in 2006. I guarantee you right now that Taylor could would until minicamp to step on a field and still be the best player on the entire Miami Dolphins team.

Off the field, Taylor has been everything that Huizenga has asked of players. His Jason Taylor Foundation runs a program that helps teach kids to read and last season, Taylor was named the NFL Man of the Year for his charity work. Even through all of this turmoil and being called out by his new head coach, Taylor has been a professional throughout. You don't see him making a scene and trashing the franchise to get out. Taylor has more than held up his end of the bargain as a member of the Dolphins and coach Sparano and the organization just made a big mistake.