We have been suspiciously silent over here at Dolfans NYC and I figured I had to write an update of sorts. There has been so much Dolphins news of late it’s hard to keep up! I could talk to you for hours about the exciting new offensive acquisitions of Mike Wallace and Dustin Keller or the revamping of the linebackers or my disappointment at losing both Jake Long and Sean Smith. But all that stuff has been covered to death.

I could talk about our needs but I think it’s pretty obvious to everyone that we have big holes on the offensive line and in the secondary and if you guys are paying enough attention you know the names that are still out there in free agency (Winston & Grimes come to mind). I could talk about the draft but I watch about three college games a year and could bring nothing to the conversation. So what can I talk about? How about some Dolfans NYC business!

We have some big things planned for the draft. We are going to do a huge meet up and roll to the draft in force. Last year we got on TV when Tannehill was picked and hopefully we can do it again this year. Show the Dolphins that they have love in Jets country. We will of course update the site when we have firm draft plans, but if you want to get notified about the draft send us an email at dolfansnyc@gmail.com and we will put you on our draft mailing list. We also might be trying to organize something with Mike Wallace for the weekend of the draft but we have to keep all the details top secret for now but if that’s something you would be interested in, email us about that as well.

I also should probably say something about the new logo rumors. Everything I have heard from my source leads me to believe that this could in fact be the logo. I got two messages the day of the leak that lead me to believe the Dolphins are upset that it’s out there. I never thought our leaking what we thought was a draft of the Dolphins logo would turn into a big thing, but whatever the case I hope it doesn’t hurt any of the Dolphins plans.

Speaking of the logo, we need to make new Dolfans NYC shirts and although I wanted them for the draft, I think we might have to wait until after. I want to do a new Dolfans NYC logo when the new logo comes out. That way people who have the old shirt might want to buy a new one with the new logo. Logo changes are all about selling merch and since we are always trying to raise more and more money for charity this seems like a perfect opportunity. If anyone has any new ideas for raising money for charity let us know. We are always looking for new fundraising ideas. Raising money for the Miami Dolphins Foundation is not only a good cause, but it shows the Dolphins we are doing positive things and it makes them want to support us as a club. It’s a win win for everyone.

Anyway, that’s it for now and I hope to update the site more often as we get ready for the draft! Go Dolphins!

I know most people don’t care about the Pro Bowl and honestly I think the last one I watched featured Ricky Williams as the MVP but I haven’t updated Dolfans NYC much recently so I figured I should try to pretend to be interested in the Pro Bowl.  The Dolphins have a few players on the roster and as always I find the choices super questionable. So let’s talk about it.

Who made the team and who SHOULD have made the team?

Cam Wake is our only starter with John Denny the only AFC long snapper. Randy Starks and Richie Incognito also made the team as alternates after other players backed out. Reshad Jones, Mike Pouncy and Brandon Fields all should have made the team. Jones was one of the best safeties in the NFL this year much less the AFC. Pouncy out played his brother who is a Pro Bowl starter and Brandon Fields averaged over 50 yards a punt and was probably the best player on the Dolphins.

What happened?

The problem is that the Dolphins are not a great football team. Even with all their cap room and draft pics I doubt anyone has bet on the Miami Dolphins to win the Super Bowl next year. When you are an under .500 team you aren’t going to get any love from the Pro Bowl voters even if you have some really deserving players on the team. Hopefully our players will get a little more recognition next year when we finally make the damn playoffs. At least Fields was rewarded with a new contract.

Should you watch the Pro Bowl?

Eh, probably not. At least we are only three months from the NFL draft… sigh…

When Michelle and I started DolfansNYC we knew there were opportunities to make money doing it, but both of us felt the exact same way. We didn’t want to bring money into the equation because we are doing this for the love of the Miami Dolphins. We never even really had a conversation about it but we knew we would donate all of the money we made to charity.

Since 2009 we have been making yearly donations to both The Miami Dolphins Foundation and a local charity the I Will Foundation. The last two years we have also made donations to Ride DCC, the Dolphins Cycling Challenge. It’s been great to be able to give back, but this year has been really special.

Aside from the three charities I mentioned we also made a small donation to a breast cancer foundation and did a big online fundraiser for Hurricane Sandy relief. Hurricane Sandy hit DolfansNYC hard and we wanted to do something to help out. Originally we were raising money for the Red Cross but after I took a trip out to the Rockaways, Roxbury and Breezy Point we decided to donate the money instead to Habitat For Humanity. Almost everyone we talked to said they were doing the most good in the area. We are also going take another $500 and donate it to a yet to be named Rockaways specific charity in honor of one of our most committed DolfansNYC members Bryan who had thousands of dollars of damage done to his place including losing 90% of his Dolphins memorabilia.

In 2012 we raised over $4000 for charity and here are the breakdowns of where the money went:

• $2000 to Habitat For Humanity
• $1000 to The Miami Dolphins Foundation
• $500 to a yet to be named Sandy relief charity
• $300 to the I Will Foundation
• $300 to Ride DCC
• $50 to a breast cancer charity

On top of all that money raised we also raised enough to buy a new order of DolfansNYC shirts, pay for some food/supplies for our Jets tailgate and pay for some other random club costs. It was a great year despite the Dolphins play on the field and we hope this is a new standard that we can reach every year. Thanks so much everyone! Go Dolphins!

Ps. If you donated do the online Sandy Fundraiser I am going to be sending your prizes out soon. You should have them by Christmas!

Last season, Vontae Davis claimed that he was one-half of the NFL’s best cornerback tandem. Today, the Dolphins traded the 24-year-old to the Indianapolis Colts for a second and a conditional sixth round draft pick, according to Jay Glazer of Fox Sports.

“We appreciate all the contributions Vontae has made to the Dolphins since we drafted him in 2009 and we want to wish him the best of success in Indianapolis,” said GM Jeff Ireland in a press release.

Davis, drafted 25th overall in 2009, had started 36 games of 44 games for Miami over three seasons, racking up 143 tackles, nine interceptions — including a team-high four in 2011 — and one sack, but never seemed to get on the right track with the new coaching staff, who questioned his maturity and conditioning. Davis had already lost his starting job to free agent pickup Richard Marshall, and the Hard Knocks cameras showed Coach Joe Philbin pulling No. 21 aside for his unprofessional behavior during training camp.

Having already dealt Brandon Marshall for a pair of third-round picks and released Chad Johnson during the offseason, the front office and coaching staff have shown a commitment to high character, but have also done little to replace three of their most skilled players on the field in the short-term (Terrell Owens, anyone?) while starting a rookie quarterback who has been up-and-down in the preseason.

While picking up future assets is essential for a rebuilding team, in Davis, the Dolphins are giving up on another young player with Pro Bowl-caliber talent, while also losing significant depth at cornerback, where Marshall, Sean Smith and Nolan Carroll are the only players with veteran experience.

After losing their first seven games to begin last season, there might be a sense of déjà vu in South Florida in 2012.

Best of luck to Davis, who will get a chance to face his former team in Week 9 at Indianapolis.

Short Michelle and I founded Dolfans NYC a couple years after becoming friends at a thing called Web Weekend. Web Weekend is an event the Miami Dolphins host every year bringing together people who run Dolphins fan blogs. I used to run a site called Bored With Losing and Michelle and her friend Tall Michelle ran a site called 2 Michelles. After Tall moved away from NYC we started doing Dolfans NYC as our full time Dolphins project. During the Web Weekend we also met a great guy named Tom Eddie. Sadly Tom passed away from Cancer and we come together every year and remember him. The best Dolphins website of the year is now called the Tom Eddie award.

For the second year in a row we are raising money for cancer research in Tom’s name. The Dolphins do a Cycling Challenge ever year and last year Dolfans NYC donated 200 dollars. I would like to beat that this year. To help get the ball rolling I found a sponsor that in exchange for mentioning them on the site will be donating $100 to the cause. So check out NFL betting on Top Bet and thank them for helping the cause.

Now I know times are tough but donating would not only be a good thing to do but it would help Dolfans NYC’s relationship with the Dolphins. When we donated $1000 to the Miami Dolphins Foundation a couple years ago the Dolphins organization really took notice of our little club. Since then they have done a lot to help us and hooked us up with things like autographed memorabilia for our game day raffles.

When Michelle and I started this club we knew there were opportunities to make money with the club but we also knew we didn’t want to turn this into a money making venture. We do this for the love of football and we decided to put any money we made back into the club and then to donate the rest to charity. So this club from the beginning has been about helping others and I hope you guys can donate a little bit to the Dolphins Cycling Challenge.

So DONATE NOW and make sure when you mention Dolfans NYC in the comment section so the Dolphins organization knows it came from us. Thanks and Go Dolphins!

On Wednesday, the Miami Dolphins hosted a live chat with linebacker Gary Guyton, the third call set up exclusively for the fan websites invited by the team to attend the annual Web Weekend.

Guyton — who went undrafted in 2008 despite having the fastest 40-yard time at his position at the NFL Combine (4.47) — spent his first four seasons with the New England Patriots, starting 32 games, including all 16 contests in 2009 when he had 85 tackles and 1.5 sacks. Over the last two years, the 6-foot-3 LB recorded 110 total tackles, three sacks and three interceptions, including one pick-six. Following him on Twitter: @GaryGuyton59.

In addition to talking about his transition to a new coaching staff and defensive scheme, Guyton, as well as a member of the Dolphins Cycling Challenge staff, encouraged everyone to get involved in the third annual DCC, a two-day, 170-mile charity cycling event to benefit the Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, on November 3 and 4. Both of Guyton’s parents are cancer survivors and he recently lost his grandmother to the disease, making the support the DCC gives to cancer research — $1.6 million raised over the last two years, with a goal of doubling that amount this season — a very important cause to him.

Please go to RideDCC.com to register as a rider, volunteer or a virtual rider; click here to help raise money in memory of our friend Tom Eddie.

On the football field, Guyton has been pleased with the continued growth and development of the Dolphins while putting in the long hours in preparation for the upcoming season. Coming over from New England, he talked to DolfansNYC* about the  difference in coaching styles between the two organizations.

“(They’re) great coaches – all of them on both sides of the ball are very knowledgeable in the game,” he said. “Getting in here, learning other things you may not have picked up from other coaches, it all helps you be a better player.

“I think right now, (Kevin) Coyle and (Joe) Philbin, we’re all here just working together. It’s a first step for us on defense, just to get in here and learn the defense. We’re all here to learn together and just (be) the best we can.”

No. 59 also told us that all of the Dolphins’ tight ends, led by the veteran Anthony Fasano, have been tough to cover.

“They all do certain things differently – all are good,” he said. “Any one of those guys can come in and do a good job for us to be a good role player.”
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On Friday, the Miami Dolphins hosted a live chat with cornerback Sean Smith — the second call of the offseason exclusively for the fan websites invited by the team to attend the annual Web Weekend.

Smith, the 61st overall pick in the 2009 NFL Draft, has started 40 of the 47 games games he’s played during his three seasons in Miami, coming up with three interceptions. Last season, No. 24 tied for second on the team with a career-high two picks and registered 51 tackles. Make sure to follow Smith on Twitter: @SeanSMITH24.

Over the course of the 10-minute call, the 6-foot-3 CB discussed the impact of new defensive coordinator Kevin Coyle on the secondary, his new role as a mentor and leader, and, like Richie Incognito last week, told DolfansNYC that he takes great pride in seeing fans clad in aqua-and-orange in New York New Jersey and other opposing stadiums.

“It means a lot, because we definitely appreciate the fan support,” said Smith. “Whenever you’re on the road, you’re always the villain — you’re getting booed no matter what you do — so it’s always good to have that one section you can look up to (where) you get the fans screaming in aqua-and-orange.

“When you can only hear your crowd at their place, you know you’re doing something right.”

With long-time veteran Yeremiah Bell no longer on the team, Smith told us he has taken on the role of mentor to not only the younger players, but some of his more-established teammates.

“I’m always trying to pull guys to the side, whether it (is) the young guys, or the older guys like Vontae (Davis) and Richard Marshall,” he said. “We’re always out there trying to help each other get better.”

Smith explained that he doesn’t just want to give himself the title of being the leader of the secondary, but rather earn it on the field.

“I just go out there and do my job the best way I can and try to show the guys the right way to do things,” he said.

Smith also touched on numerous key topics, including his offseason routine, his expectations for the up-and-coming Phins wide receivers, and adjustments to the new defensive scheme.
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This morning, the Miami Dolphins hosted a live chat — exclusively for the fan websites invited by the team to attend the annual Web Weekend — with left guard Richie Incognito.

Entering his eighth NFL season (third with Miami), Incognito, a third-round draft pick by the St. Louis Rams in 2005 out of Nebraska, has started all 31 games he’s played for the Dolphins. Make sure to follow him on Twitter: @68Incognito.

During the call, No. 68 touched on everything from playing for new head coach Joe Philbin in the new west coast offense to his favorite beer (Coors Light), and also told DolfansNYC what it means to him to see aqua-and-orange represented in opposing stadiums.

“That’s great, and it’s a really unique deal for the Miami Dolphins — everywhere we go, there’s always aqua-and-orange in the stands and there’s always a strong following and that’s really special to us,” he said. “I like playing on the road, I like going into hostile territory, and I like (having an) “us against the world” mentality. So it’s really cool to see fans up there, especially when we score and the whole stadium’s quiet and you see the aqua-and-orange up there rocking. It’s always a delight to see the fans out at visiting games.”

During the offseason, Incognito, who owns an event planning business, took classes at the Harvard Business School as part of the NFL Business Management and Entrepreneurial Program, which he feels will allow him to remain competitive in a new field once he hangs up his cleats.

“The Harvard experience was great — it was just geared for NFL players and they really gave us the tools to move forward with confidence in the business world,” he said. “I’m a small business owner myself, and it’s kind of hard to take care of the business while I’m on the field, so I have to trust people to help me run it while I’m busy with football.

“Harvard gave me great confidence moving forward, and it actually inspired me — I’m actually going to go for my MBA once I get done playing.”

During the 15-minute call, Incognito also offered plenty of insight on his expectations for the upcoming season after concluding the third day of training camp.
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Miami Dolphins fourth-year wide receiver Brian Hartline, as well as CEO Mike Dee, held a conference call with the team’s season ticket holders tonight, and DolfansNYC had the chance to listen in on their thoughts and expectations with the 2012 season on the horizon.

Over the course of his career, Hartline has caught 109 passes for 1,670 yards and five touchdown passes in 44 games (23 starts). The Ohio State product’s 15.32 yards per catch ranks 15th among all WRs with at least 100 receptions over the last three seasons, ahead of Miles Austin, Hakeem Nicks and Andre Johnson.

During the 40-minute call, Hartline discussed a wide array of topics, including the unique way in which he mastered tip-toeing the NFL sidelines and which Dolphin he’d pick in the first round of a fantasy football draft.

*No. 82, who recently underwent an appendectomy, stopped short of calling himself 100 percent ready to go, but said his rehab from the surgery has gone well.

“I’m feeling pretty good. I think 100 percent is  kind of a lost thing at this stage,” he said. “(I’m) healthy from all of the offseason fun. Life just happens sometimes.”

*Hartline expressed confidence in the team’s coaching staff, including offensive coordinator Mike Sherman, and explained the West Coast offense relies on quarterbacks and wide receivers being on the same page.

“There’s a lot going on — there’s a lot on the table for the quarterbacks, like usual,” he said. “I think our job is really to try and make it easier for the quarterbacks. Timing is big. They’ve got enough going on — they expect us to be in certain spots at a certain time.”

*Asked about his daily routine, Hartline said he typically works out in the morning, keeps his mind focused on improving and tries to eat healthy “from time to time.”

“I”m pretty much a normal guy,” he said. “(I’m) just tying not to be normal on Sundays.”

*Hartline reiterated several times that he anticipates carrying a large role on offense and being used all over the field, and revealed his personal goals are to be a veteran leader on a young team and to hit a major milestone.

“Most of my personal goals revolve around the team,” he said. “I firmly believe that if you win football games, you play at a high level, the rest of it takes care of itself.

“With that being said, I want to be a 1,000 yard receiver — that’s my goal.”

*Hartline believes that other teams with rookie quarterbacks are not as fortunate as the Dolphins, who have two talented veterans capable of carrying the load until Ryan Tannehill is ready, but confirmed that if the eighth overall pick shines in training camp, it won’t be long until he is named the starter.

“You’re going to play the best guy, and if (Tannehill) really does separate himself and he’s the best guy, then he’s going to play the game,” he said.

*Hartline said the coaches have a very difficult decision to make on the Week 1 starter, which he expects to come towards the end of training camp in order to give the players a chance to work on their timing and communication.

*Hartline acknowledged that while the NFL is a team sport, he has taken some of the criticism the Dolphins WRs have faced in the media on a personal level, and believes the underrated corps will change the negative perception.

“I know what I think of our guys, and I’m impressed with where we’ve come to where we’re at now,” he said. “Definitely, I feel like this  is the best overall group we’ve had.

“I’m not living under a rock and I understand people like the flashy names and numbers, but I think there’s more involved to that than just personnel. Our room is ready and excited.”

*Hartline said that Chad Ochocinco Johnson brings knowledge, experience and familiarity with a lot of defenses, and will help the young receivers react to different schemes.

*When he was asked which player, other than himself, he would choose in the first round of a fantasy football league, Hartline jokingly (I think) asked if Jake Long produces a lot of points, before saying Charles Clay, Anthony Fasano and Davone Bess would be his picks and that Reggie Bush “will be very important with catching the ball out of the backfield.”

*Hartline said the two players who have the most break-out potential are fellow WRs Julius Pruitt and Roberto Wallace.

*Hartline declined to reveal whether he would be one of the main subjects on the “Hard Knocks” cameras, but said he is “excited to see what it’s going to be like.”

*One of Hartline’s most interesting answers came when he was asked about how he learned to tip-toe the sidelines and make his patented spectacular down-the-field catches.
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The Miami Dolphins agreed to a one-year contract with six-time Pro Bowler and two-time First Team All-Pro wide receiver Chad Ochocinco, after the former Cincinnati Bengals star and New England Patriots washout worked out for the team on Monday morning. Naturally, Ochocinco’s own news organization, OCNN, first broke the story.

Ochocinco, a one-time standout at Miami Beach High, certainly bolsters a receiver corps led by Brian Hartline, Davone Bess, Legedu Naanee and Clyde Gates, along with a host of even less proven players. Although at this stage in his career, the 34-year-old can’t even come close to replicating Brandon Marshall’s production, he is only two years removed from racking up over 1,000 yards and nine scores with the Bengals, and ranks fifth in receptions (766) and receiving yards (11,059) and sixth in touchdown catches (67) among all active players.

Still, Ochocinco comes to Miami with far more questions than answers, starting with whether he has anything left in the tank after his worst NFL season, in which he caught just 15 passes for 276 yards and one touchdown in 15 games with the Patriots.

A player who’s infamous for his off-the-field baggage, Ochocinco could also prove to be an unwelcome distraction for a rebuilding franchise grooming a rookie quarterback and hoping for a breakout year from one of its up-and-coming pass-catchers. The signing also raises questions about head coach Joe Philbin’s confidence in his receivers, after he had previously praised the young group’s collective talent and downplayed the possibility of bringing a high-profile player into camp.

Perhaps the biggest and most important question is how Ochocinco will fit into the newly-installed, complex West Coast offense. Last season, he struggled to pick up the Patriots’ playbook and couldn’t remember his routes en route to being declared inactive for the AFC Championship Game and ultimately released.

In the end, it’s a low-risk move by the Dolphins, who won’t find a more experienced and talented wideout on the market. In the best-case scenario, Ochocinco, hoping to resurrect his career and prove he still belongs in the league after flaming out in New England, could end up helping the team take a step in the right direction by providing veteran leadership.

At the very least, it will present an interesting storyline on “Hard Knocks,” on which Ochocinco starred three years ago (yes, of course he did).