They say a picture says a thousand words, and the picture we all saw after Miami’s 29-17 victory over San Francisco explains a lot. A real lot.
I know there isn’t much for Dolphins fans, players, or management to cheer about this year. They were only over .500 for a week after the season’s first game, and they are on a path to miss the playoffs. With all of the expectations coming into this season, the 2024 season will go down as a colossal failure.
But you wouldn’t know that if you saw Miami Dolphins owner Stephen Ross on Sunday after Miami beat San Francisco.
He had a smile on his face from ear to ear, was jumping with his fist in the air, and celebrating like Miami won the Super Bowl.
Instead, he was celebrating Miami going to 7-8 on the season and a win over a 49ers team that has more injuries than his own team.
I get it; he is a billionaire who spends a lot of money on this team and wants to see results. And I am not naive to the fact that he is allowed to celebrate his team win a game.
But Mr. Ross needs to read the room and not be tone-deaf.
Fans don’t want to see the owner jumping up and down happy right now, with a season that has been a 100% disappointment.
Then it got worse after the game when it was released on the Miami Dolphins team’s social media. Mr. Ross gave a game ball to head coach Mike McDaniel.
Wait, what?
WHY?
For a job not well done this season?
Gotta keep believing.
Step into the locker room after our Week 16 win 🔊 pic.twitter.com/6tOfnPGS9r
— Miami Dolphins (@MiamiDolphins) December 23, 2024
What is Mr. Ross so happy about?
Seriously, I don’t get it.
Has the bar been set so low that now just beating anyone is a reason to celebrate like you just won the Super Bowl?
Mr. Ross, in the past 6 months, broke the bank for Tua Tagovailoa, Jaylen Waddle, Tyreek Hill, and Jalen Ramsey. Oh, and he gave a contract extension to Mike McDaniel (and Chris Grier, per unconfirmed reports).
Is he happy with the return on his investment, given all that money spent and being 7-8?
The barrier to entry into owning a sports team is very low; you have to have a ton of money. What separates the good teams from the bad teams and the truly great teams, though, is ownership at the end of the day.
Bad owners just want to make more money. Good owners want to make money and avoid having a losing team. The truly great owners, though, don’t care about the money. To them, losing a game and having a season in which you miss the playoffs and are under .500 is only the second worst thing that can possibly happen behind taking your final breath.
Here, we have Stephen Ross, who is giddy and happy at his 7-8 Dolphins, while fans are miserable and angry at how the season played out.
It’s easy to understand how a franchise goes 24 years without winning a playoff game. It’s this mindset.
Fans have been on social media wondering and arguing whether Chris Grier should be fired. Or if maybe Mike McDaniel should be fired.
Save your time and breath; Mr. Ross is giving the coach a game ball at the end of a losing season where expectations weren’t met and is putting off the appearance that he couldn’t be happier with this 2024 season.
Merry Christmas!
Post Game Wrap Up Show: Dolphins Beat 49ers to Keep Hope Alive
