41st Annual Miami dolphins Award Night

On Thursday evening May 3^rd, 2007, the Miami Dolphins held their 41^st annual Awards night under the cover of their Davie, Florida indoor practice facility. Although it’s an event to recognize members of the Dolphin franchise, it also recognizes achievers of the community for their outstanding works and contributions. Kicking off with dinner and the opportunity for Dol-Fans to meet and mingle with players, this sold out event attracted Dol-Fans that flew in from all parts of the country.

Opening with a performance by the Dolphin cheerleaders, Jimmy Cefalo and Kenny Walker jumped into the evening as this years award show hosts by calling out and introducing the entire 2007 coaching staff and players. The electricity of lights, cameras, music and the roaring applause of the crowd filled the facility as, one by one, each coach and player crossed the stage as this years Dolphin team.

As a franchise that prides itself on character and an outpour of service to its community, it was only fitting to begin the awards with the recognition of South Florida’s outstanding citizens. An amazing group of individuals, this years recipients of the Community Service Awards, presented by wide receiver Chris Chambers, were handed to Jerry Gordon, Cedric Hooper, and an amazing 10 year old by the name of Eddie Hurowitz. At the age of 10, Eddie wrote a grant requesting art supplies for a homeless shelter that he volunteers at in an attempt to bring art to the homeless children of South Florida. Of the numerous grants written in this year, Eddie’s was chosen as the best.

Also recognized at this event were a number of high school players of the week and this year’s outstanding player of the year. A High School Coach of the Year was recognized aside from the Coaches of the Week that were announced. Then Dolphins Linebacker Zach Thomas presented the Junior Courage Award to Ronald Jackson, a young gentleman that took heart and displayed strength among his teammates after the loss of his mother. All-in-all, this years individually recognized community members were an outstanding example of great character and extraordinary achievement.

Following the community awards, the ceremony moved forward by the individual recognition and appearance of the 2007 Miami Dolphins Draft class. Beginning with the introduction of their final pick in the seventh round and moving in reverse each individual was recognized as he took the stage. Seventh round, sixth round, fourth round and through quarterback John Beck taken 40^th overall in the second round. Each of these individuals took the stage. All except the first round draft pick Ted Ginn, Jr., who remained absent from the stage after Randy Mueller announced his name, introducing the Miami Dolphins #1 draft pick of 2007.

Moving into the main events of the evening, John Offerdahl was introduced to the stage as the presenter of the 2006 Don Shula Leadership Award. Offerdahl, drafted in the second round in 1986, was a five time Pro Bowler out of Western Michigan University who played his entire career with the Dolphins from 1986 to 1993. The Don Shula Leadership Award is an award voted on by Dolphin players to recognize individuals that display leadership on and off the field. This year’s recipient was defensive end Jason Taylor, accepting the accolade for the second time (2002) in his career as a Miami Dolphin. Taylor took the opportunity in front of the podium to express his congratulations to all the recipients of this years community awards. He then proceeded to give his thanks to teammates, expressing his gratitude for their hard work and dedication to the organization.

The Nat Moore Community Service Award was presented next by none other than Nat Moore himself. Nat Moore was a wide receiver drafted in the third round of the 1974 draft by the Miami Dolphins. He spent his entire 13-year career from 1974 to 1986 with the team and is well known for his humanitarian services. He is the creator of The Nat Moore Foundation for disadvantaged youth in Miami-Dade County founded in 1998. This year he presented the Community Service Award to Safety Renaldo Hill. In 2003, Renaldo founded the “Top of the Hill Foundation,” an organization helping 11-17 year old orphans. He went to eight High Schools this past year for R.A.P. (Reaching and Accessing People) sessions, teaching Student Athletes about peer pressure, academics, family life, personal/school balance, and life after school. In Liberty City, Renaldo held a Back-to-School Program where he provided 21 children with backpacks, uniforms, and other school necessities. In the 2006 year he also held a Ticket Giveaway for the YMCA, visited a local school every week of the NFL season, built a home with Habitat for Humanity, provided food baskets or Thanksgiving Dinner to needy families, and provided clothes and toys to 21 families during Christmas.

The final Award of the evening was the Dan Marino Most Valuable Player Award, and although Marino himself wasn’t able to be present to present the award, Bob Griese was given the honor. The No. 1 draft choice in 1967, Bob Griese is a name that any true football fan would recognize. In his career as a Miami Dolphin, Griese led his team to three AFC titles and two Super Bowl wins. This year, Bob Griese was pleased to award the Dan Marino MVP Award to Jason Taylor, who was honored to be the recipient of two awards for this past season. Taylor lead his teams with 13.5 sacks this past season, he also recovered nine fumbles, and returned two interceptions for touchdowns, increasing his career touchdowns to seven. The Dolphins won all seven of his touchdown scoring games. Taylor also broke the 100 career sack plateau this season, was elected into the Pro Bowl, and received the NFL Player of the Year Award, only the third Dolphin to ever receive this honor. Since his draft in the 3^rd round in 1997, the Dolphins have ranked near the top in overall defense. A leader off the field, in the locker room, and on the field, Jason Taylor received hardy applause as he accepted his second award of the evening.

To cap off the end of the evening Miami Dolphins new head Coach Cam Cameron took the podium to give his keynote address. Met with cheers and applause Coach Cameron expressed his excitement over his new team in Miami. Looking ahead to great accomplishments in Miami, he points to the character of the players on the Dolphins. He states that character is a trait that should have already been established in an individual at this point in their life, and that the Dolphin organization has good character and that they drafted this year on character. Coach Cameron believes that such character brings strong work ethics, and team players that can work to refine their talent. So he closed out the evening, along with whistles and cheers as he stated into the microphone: “We are the Miami Dolphins…we will make you proud, and we promise you that together, together we will bring you a championship! Because we are the Miami Dolphins!”

Round One's Drafting Drama 2007

So I hope that nobody was shocked or surprised by the #1 pick of the 2007 draft. When NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell took his first ever walk to the podium to announce the Oakland Raiders decision to take the 6’6” 263lbs quarterback from Louisiana State, JaMarcus Russell, you had to just shrug your shoulders and say you knew that. The offensive-minded Al Davis loves a strong arm behind center, and he couldn’t pass up on the former junior QB who could toss a ball 80 yards down field. Just as the Raiders offense didn’t fool anyone on the field last year, their attempts to blow smoke in the direction of Adrian Peterson and Brady Quinn were never taken seriously.

The fact is, the draft started out on a very predictable level. Although many would say the Detroit Lions didn’t need to take yet another wide receiver in the draft, you’d have a difficult time arguing that Detroit didn’t take the most valuable player in the 2007. Calvin Johnson, a 6’4”, 237lbs. receiver from Georgia Tech, is the closest you’re going to find when looking for an NFL ready starter fresh out of college. He’s blessed with a size, strength and quickness that stand out over all the other receivers in this draft and his college stats aren’t bad either. Chalking up 2,151 receiving years, 121 receptions and 20 touchdown-scoring catches in only 28 games definitely makes him a stand-out player.

What did come as a shock would be the fate of Notre Dame Quarterback, Brady Quinn. Expected by most to go to the Cleveland Browns on the third pick, the 6’3”, 226lbs quarterback was passed over for the Wisconsin offensive tackle Joe Thomas. Many had felt that if Cleveland didn’t take Quinn, they would probably be moving down in the draft. With a need to fill numerous area on their roster, more picks during the duration of the draft might have proven useful. However, Joe Thomas did address one of their needs on the line of scrimmage.

As for the possibility of Quinn going to Tampa Bay, Arizona, or Washington: many felt these teams had other needs besides a quarterback. The Minnesota Vikings were the next team in line that had a need to fill a quarterback position. Of course, that depended on whether or not the Miami Dolphins could trade up with Washington in their attempt to acquire Quinn. But Quinn would continue to fall. Miami didn’t make the move to jump ahead of Minnesota and the Vikings chose to pass on Quinn as well. Announcers and fans alike couldn’t believe that Quinn would actually drop into the lap of the Miami Dolphins. Just like when Dan Marino fell to Miami in the 1983 draft, Cam Cameron’s decision or inability to move up in the draft seemed about to pay off. Not that Brady Quinn is in any position to be compared to Marino at this point of his career, but the need for a quarterback was about to be filled. Or was it?

The largest blunder of the first round of the 2007 Draft has to go to the Miami Dolphins. As the Miami Dolphins took the clock at number nine the camera closed in on Quinn who had expectations of going to Miami. The city of Miami had expectations of Quinn coming to Miami. Only Coach Cameron had other plans as he made the shocker of the afternoon by taking Ted Ginn Jr. from Ohio State. Once again Quinn had been passed over. Miami had fumbled their chance at a quarterback for a wide receiver who had injured himself celebrating in the opening of the BCS title game. A wiry 6’0” 180lbs receiver who will need extensive improvement on his footwork, pass routes, and holding onto the ball, Ginn has difficulty beating press coverage and will back away from a pass across the middle.

Ironically, Quinn did have his day when Cleveland made the bold maneuver to trade up with Dallas to number twenty-two and obtain Quinn before he might have fallen to the Kansas City Chiefs. Quinn, who grew up a Browns fan in Dublin, Ohio, let out an obvious sigh of relief in front of the cameras, then took the stage with his Browns jersey to shake the commissioner’s hand.

Few other big moves were made within round one. The New York Jets traded up with Carolina to fill their need at cornerback with Pittsburgh’s Darrelle Revis, and Denver sacrificed too much in order to move up four picks in order to obtain a defensive end in Jarvis Moss. Although Jarvis Moss is an extraordinary pass rusher that stands 6’6” and weighs in at 251, one would have to believe Denver could have waited four picks to fill that position. Chances are, Moss could have still been available. New England stepped forward in order to grab hold of free safety Brandon Meriweather out of Miami and Dallas moved back into the first round courtesy of a trade with Philadelphia. At pick number twenty-six, Dallas acquired Purdue’s defensive end Anthony Spencer.

So round one of the 2007 draft has come and gone. The only true test of who scored big and who bombed will come with time. Can JaMarcus Russell be the turning point for the struggling Oakland Raiders? Is Calvin Johnson really the outstanding athlete we’ve all claimed him to be on the professional level? And did Miami know something we didn’t when they passed on Brady Quinn? Or will this be a mirror of the Texans choice to pass up Reggie Bush in 2006? Only time will tell who know it and who blew it, and we haven’t even started that timer yet.