by Elise Warren

Created on: December 29, 2008

As I sit here writing, the sports newscasters are heralding the new AFC East division NFL champions! These guys are MY pick for the best sports team of 2008...the Miami Dolphins! Why, it was only a year ago that this "championship" team held a 1 -15 record, the worst in the National Football League. Since 2007, this gutsy team has taken themselves from a "worst to first " position.

2007 left our heroes in orange and jade spent and down and out. They were the laughing stock of their profession, and had nothing to show for the season except one "W" in the win / loss column, and a first round draft pick. Their head coach, Cam Cameron had been fired, and they had not one reliable quarterback. Would 2008 be any better?

After much thought and planning, the Dolphins owner, Wayne Huizenga, hired legendary Bill Parcells to take the reins of the Fins' Football Operations. Surprisingly, some of the most solid Fins were let go. Trent Green, Marty Booker, and Keith Traynor, all veterans, were terminated, and younger less experienced players were brought in. Had Parcells gone nuts? Was he trying to create the football version of the Bad News Bears? Even Jason Taylor , the famed #99 sacker was traded away. A rookie coach was hired, Tony Sparano, a former assistant for other teams. Other newbie assistants were brought on.

At the dawn of the new season, Miami even lacked a quarterback. Certainly, this would be a rebuilding year, but wouldn't it be necessary to have some kind of leadership? Then, as if by some miracle, Chad Pennington was let go by the New York Jets, as they welcomed the famed Brett Favre. Pennington fell into the laps of the "the Fish". Now, there was some experience on the throwing end of the ball. Still, the Dolphins looked to be an inexperience, gangly bunch of misfits. Rookies who had no clue how to play an NFL game, experienced but questionable veterans (Ricky Williams...could he still do it?), and a new management. Well, maybe they would win TWO or even three games this year, at best.

The 39th season for our Dolphins didn't start out so "swimmingly" with two losses. Sparano, still expected the best of everyone at each practice. Players were expected to give their all, and it was stated that the coach noticed even little things about players, once saying, "Ricky (Williams), you need to tie your shoes, you're going to fall." All players were asked to contribute, and bonds began to form in this odd ball group of athletes. Chad Pennington provided leadership

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