Premium – Winds of change in Miami

It’s pretty interesting what is going on in Miami, and the names being floated down there for prominent positions.

Let’s take a closer look.

So far, offensive coordinator Mike Sherman and GM Jeff Ireland have been fired.

Wow, how things could have been different if Ryan Tannehill didn’t overthrow Mike Wallace on a go-route down the sideline. He was wide open, and this likely would have been a touchdown.

Or if Marlon Moore didn’t drop a wide open crossing route. He would still be running.

Or if the team’s leading receiver, Brian Hartline, didn’t get hurt in the first quarter,

Look, I’m not putting Sherman in Canton as a coordinator, but let’s be honest, he had a mediocre, inconsistent, young quarterback still learning and a lousy offensive line.

But let’s turn to Ireland. What is going on here has Jets connections.

You keep hearing the names Eric Mangini and Mike Tannenbaum as possible names for the Jets’ front office.

Supposedly, Mangini, who is currently a consultant for the 49ers, wants his future to be in a front office, not in coaching.

Obviously Tannenbaum, currently working as an agent, would love to get back in to the league.

So why would the Dolphins be interested in these two guys?

Simple – Matt Higgins.

Woody Johnson’s former right hand man with the Jets, is now basically Stephen Ross’ right hand man in Miami.

“He has a lot of say down there,” said one industry insider. “He is the horse whisperer with Stephen Ross.”

To his credit, the guy knows how to play the game, work his way up the ranks.

And it doesn’t stop there.

Former Jets team president, Jay Cross, is also working for Ross now.

So there is another ally for Mangini and Tannenbaum.

We all know how important connections are in any business.

And Mangini and Tannenbaum have a couple of really strong connections with people close to Ross.

And there are two former Jets executives, who worked with both Mangini and Tannenbaum with the Jets, are already in place in the Dolphins’ front office.

These two people were brought there by Bill Parcells.

You have assistant GM Brian Gaine, who is not only a former Jets scout, but a Jets player.

You also have cap guru Dawn Aponte, who got her start with the Jets, and is now a VP with the Dolphins.

So hearing Tannenbaum and Mangini connected to Miami in the rumor mill, should come as no surprise.

Whether this happens or not remains to be seen, but I keep hearing these names connected with Miami.

If it does happen, it will be interesting to see how the hierarchy will work, and who reports to who.

The tough part for Higgins, if he’s able to pull this off, is selling this to the Dolphins’ Nation.

We all know the Jets and Dolphins are huge rivals – for years.

Many Dolphins fans despise the Jets.

How will Dolphins fans feel if Miami hires a couple of former Jets power brokers to run the football operation in Davie?

That might not score well in the public opinion polls.

January 7, 2014

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