Swimming with Dolphins

We among others often criticize Miami sports fans for their fickleness. Pondering the approaching Miami Dolphins season raises some justification for the schizo nature of local sportsgoers. Our teams themselves are about as loyal as a crackhead -- to themselves. These teams -- Marlins, Panthers, even the Heat, and certainly the Dolphs -- make wholesale changes on a regular basis, sometimes to improve, sometimes self-destructively. The Dolphins are looking to improve, though to not improve on last year's disastrous season would be difficult. They needed a quarterback, they signed a top gun, albeit a guy with only one working knee. Secondary was weak; they strengthened it. A key lineman. Draft picks being signed right and left to multiyear deals. And perhaps most significantly, a resignation to the fact that Ricky Williams is gone. The hype is on for Ronnie Brown, and, frankly, unless he picks up a pound-per-day pot habit, he should be all the running back the team needs. Get a preview of how much the team has bettered itself when the Fins open the preseason against the Jacksonville Jaguars at 7:30 p.m. at Dolphin Stadium.
Sat., Aug. 12, 7:30 p.m.