Odds and Sods

Don Shula and the rest of the ‘72 Dolphins are scared, scared that this will finally be the season they need to keep the champagne on ice.

With the Patriots 9-0 and having no bogey game in site, the Dolphins’ 14-0 record looks to be under threat.

Shula has already moved quickly to diminish the Patriots accomplishment.  “The Spygate thing has diminished what they’ve accomplished,” Shula said.  “I guess you got the same thing as putting an asterisk by Barry Bonds’ home run record.”

That would have been an apt analogy, had someone caught Barry Bonds with the syringe in his hands before he could inject steroids for the first time.  The Patriots never used that videotape.  The camera and tape were confiscated before half-time.  The possibility, unproven, that they were videotaping defensive signals in years past may taint their past legacy.  But, they haven’t been taping anyone this season, so this season should be considered above repute.

The Patriots were already punished, losing money and a first round draft pick.  The league and everyone else got over this a while ago.  Even ESPN had more or less dropped the subject.

Don Shula bringing this up again only benefits one select group of people, the ‘72 Dolphins.  The amazing mythical team that managed to beat two teams with a winning record during a 14 game regular season.  The team that slogged through that grueling schedule of teams that combined for a 51-86-3.  Give me a break.

The ‘72 Dolphins were a very good team that won the Super Bowl and skated through an easy schedule.  Were it not for the ‘85 Bears, they would be the most overrated team in NFL history.

If the Patriots were to go 19-0, it would dwarf the Dolphins accomplishment.  They have a much tougher schedule and have had to do it in the salary cap era.

The ‘72 Dolphins are a bunch of pathetic old men maintaining their vitality on schadenfreude and big fat appearance fee checks.  The attempt by Shula to discredit the Patriots was both shameless and stupid.  The extra bulletin board material will probably ensure that the old men will be crying in their empty champagne glasses come February.

To quote the Globe: “Asterisk Smasterisk.”