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Sports Agenda for Monday (8/13/12)

Big Story:
Hmm, the Marlins are still playing, but no one really notices. The NBA is officially in hibernation mode until late September. What can we possibly talk about? Oh, Chad Johnson and the Dolphins quarterbacks. It's all Dolphins today.

Quote of the Day:
"Approach the game with no preset agendas and you'll probably come away surprised at your overall efforts." – Phil Jackson

Miami Dolphins:
Oh what a cluster of a weekend the Fins had.
We'll get to the game in a minute, along with the quarterback battle, but first…
Chad Johnson….really?
I don't know which part of the story made me smack myself in the forehead the most. The box of condoms argument or the alleged head butt.
Seriously, it was just dumb all the way around.
And is anyone surprised the Fins cut him?
Remember back earlier this year when the Fins traded Pro Bowl receiver Brandon Marshall for a bag of peanuts and a draft pick to be named later.
Marshall is in his prime. Johnson's prime was way, way back in Cincinnati.
Does make you want to watch Hard Knocks though to see if they documented the whole drama.
The Dolphins had nothing to lose with signing Johnson, as I wrote when they signed him.
His contract was not guaranteed, so the Fins owe Johnson absolutely nothing going forward and I don't think he counts against the cap.
Here's the funny part though: if Johnson was playing for FSU or UF, or many other colleges, he'd still be allowed to play. Typically, colleges don't remove you from the field unless you're charged with a felony.
Go figure, the NFL got tougher with a player than colleges.
I do have to give the Fins kudos for the move. They are thin at receiver, and this thins the crowd more.
Then there's Plaxico Burress.
He's a preeminent diva receiver and this team doesn't want or need that. Course on the other hand, the only person he hurts is himself, but I digress.
It was a low-risk, high-reward move and it blew up and it's time to move on.
Plus, we can stick a fork in Johnson as far as the NFL goes. Well, unless Pete Carroll wants to sign him, T.O. and Plaxico to have the all-diva team.

Now that we have that out of the way, let's talk quarterback.
We know that David Garrard is out up to a month and is not likely to factor in to the starting quarterback debate.
We also saw Matt Moore struggle to get anything going against the Bucs defense.
We know that Tannehill did well against a bunch of guys who won't be in the NFL this season.
So here's the predicament head coach Joe Philbin is in right now.
Does he start Moore and have Tannehill sit; or does he start Tannehill and go all-in with the rookie.
Here's the catch, if you start Tannehill, there's no going back.
You can't start him, sit him, start him, and so forth.
He's going to struggle this year, but if he's your guy, you hitch your wagon to him and ride through the muddied season this is likely going to be.
Otherwise, every time Moore throws an incomplete pass, he's going to be booed unmercifully by the crowd wanting the rookie.
On the other hand, if you play the rookie and he gets sacked 40-60 times, he could get gun-shy and never recover.
I doubt he'd be sacked that many times because the Fins do have a decent offensive line.
So that's the situation Philbin is in right now.
I think he starts Tannehill this week and if he does decent or plays well, the quarterback position is solidified for the year.
On the other hand, if he struggles and looks lost; Moore will step in and the fans will be told to wait and get over it until next year.
Course if Moore plays lights out and takes the team places this year, what do you do next year?

Still think you wanna be a head coach? Yeah, me neither.

Follow me on Twitter: @timkephart33
Oh and not to toot my own horn, too late, if you see my picture, you're looking at the guy who said Friday that Mitt Romney would pick Paul Ryan as his running mate. Knew I should have played the powerball this weekend.

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