The QB Roundabout Trade (That Should Happen)

Now that football season is over, there is only thing to do: look at next season. When you are a Miami Dolphins fan, that’s pretty much all you can do. It feels like forever ago when they went a shocking 11-5 and knocked the Jets and the Patriots away from the playoffs (that was a good time). That was when Soprano was relevant, and our Wildcat was replacing the flaw of us not having much of a quarterback at the helm. Then, the Wildcat started disappearing from the playbook and we desperately tried being a run-of-the-mill run-n-gun clichéd football team. We tried becoming like every other football team; a team whose sole focus is getting a strong quarterback to throw us some touchdowns and lead us to victories.

One little problem, we’ve been quarterback-cursed since Marino, as many hopeful talents just never delivered. The Dolphins have also been unlucky with the injuries, but our biggest flaw was that we didn’t continue being a unique squad with a different offensive mindset. Here’s a fun little secret: the NFL has trouble defending College Football play or anything different. The recent Patriots team was a great example as a mediocre team made the Super Bowl because tight ends suddenly became throwing targets, and everyone else struggled to adjust to that. If Gronkowski had been healthy against the Giants, we would have had a totally different ballgame. But back to the Dolphins and losing their identity as a scrambling running squad that likes to mix it up a little. We can get some of that energy and fun back if we perform a simple trade. Well, not simple, but one that can result in the Dolphins becoming a dominant team again. Hint: It involves Peyton Manning. Sort of.


The Colts need help, desperately. Their defense stinks, they have no offense, the offensive line crumbles like cookies in milk, and they just don’t have a leader or a go-to man. They are getting Andrew Luck unless they firmly believe in making sure their team never ever wins again. Guess what, Luck and Manning cannot work together, not happening. Not saying either is a prick, but Manning wants another Super Bowl ring and his time is running out. Andrew Luck will probably want to run this team immediately ala Cam Newton-style. The more time Peyton Manning spends as the leader of the Colts, the more hindering of progress will occur to Luck. Manning has to go, most unfortunately. In order to move forward, the Colts must part ways with the main player that has made them relevant in the last 10-12 years.

The Dolphins have been interested in Manning for a while now, as he is a very valuable asset despite his rising age. If Peyton Manning has a good offensive line, then he can still do some damage. In the trade market, he’s worth a couple good defensive players and whatnot. Teams that he would fit well with: Dolphins, Chargers, Jets, 49ers, and lastly the other team involved with my dream trade—the Denver Broncos.


Ah, the Broncos. John Elway would probably salivate over the possibility of Peyton joining the Mile High city. And he hates Tim Tebow with an absolute passion that can be heard underneath his few words of encouragement. Even if Tebow improves slightly as a passer (and more as an Act of God) he will still look mediocre in Elway’s eyes. And the coaching staff also would much rather see someone else running the show—they even picked the pitiful Kyle Orton over Tebow in the earlier part of the season. So here’s what we have now: the Dolphins need a quarterback, the Colts need help, and the Broncos want to part ways with Tebow as quietly and swiftly as possible.

Now comes the magic: the Dolphins should trade a few draft picks (we usually waste them anyway) and a few players for Peyton Manning. Then the Miami Dolphins should trade Peyton Manning to the Denver Broncos for Tim Tebow straight-up. A Manning-for-Tebow trade wouldn’t work since the Colts will have Luck. But if the Dolphins grab that playing card, they have a very good hand to deal. None of the three teams will have to give up too much, and since they are all in different divisions there will be minimal conflict of interest.

Everyone wins here: the Colts get a few building block pieces to support Andrew Luck and eliminate the Manning contract. The Dolphins get Tim Tebow, whom is one of the better running quarterbacks in the NFL and will do wonders with a newly-formed Wildcat offense—plus it will improve a dying fanbase. The Denver Broncos will have their veteran quarterback that Elway and co. prefers over everything else—plus it won’t piss off the fanbase too badly that they eliminated Tebow. Tim Tebow wins because he will be back in Florida where he grew up and studied, and will definitely play for a group of people that truly madly deeply love him. Gotta love the SEC pride. Peyton Manning wins because he will get to play in an easier division plus will get plenty of protection and a larger window of opportunity to make the playoffs.

This trade may not happen, but the possibility is definitely there, and I don’t see any negatives coming from all this. The Colts and Dolphins have nothing to lose, since they are staring at the bottom of their division regardless. The Broncos, despite winning the division, still needs plenty of room to grow to compete with the yearly juggernauts Steelers, Ravens, and Patriots---and will have that boost by getting a hungry future Hall of Famer. While three-team NFL trades are definitely rare, especially when compared to the other professional leagues, but this is one with few strings attached, few drawbacks, and little sacrifice. Best of all, all three teams improve, especially my Miami Dolphins. I’ve said in the past that we should have gotten Tebow by any means necessary and should still try to get him, and this trade will definitely make the dream a reality.

Bringing Oscar to Hollywood Studios

So we are less than a month from the Academy Awards and there’s an interesting thing happening at the Hollywood Studios: nothing. Absolutely nothing. The park with the Hollywood theme, early 1900s Hollywood vibe, Great MOVIE Ride in the center isn’t pulling anything special for the Academy Award season. No red carpet, no subtle changes to some of the area to match the season, nothing at all. This is nothing new; after all I am pretty sure Hollywood hasn’t done anything at all to celebrate the Oscars since 1989. But isn’t it time that they do something about it?

This park is now the least-attended of the four major Disney World parks. Star Wars Weekends is losing some appeal, the ESPN Weekend is totally null and void, and there hasn’t been an outstanding new attraction since Toy Story Mania many years ago. If someone brings up American Idol we will have problems. But one way we can definitely breathe some life into this park is by creating some exciting events similar to how Epcot spices its attendance with the Flower and Garden and Food and Wine Festivals. I propose 28 Days of Oscar.

What I would do is throughout February you spice up the Hollywood Studios with new features, shows, and events involving the upcoming Academy Awards, which are usually done at the end of February. Before the Oscars, you can use the Premiere Theater and continuously show the most popular movies that have won Academy Awards. They can range from modern Oscar-winning classics like Forrest Gump and Spirited Away to older classics like Casablanca, Mary Poppins, Gone With the Wind, etc. In the Drew Carey theater, you can do Oscar trivia games where guests can earn prizes and whatnot. Inside what used to be the Narnia exhibit can be an Oscar exhibit which showcases all the films in the Disney/Touchstone line that has won Academy Awards over the years.

The Citizens of Hollywood can do special Oscar-themed games and events throughout the day to commemorate the upcoming telecast. You can even change the music around the Great Movie Ride area to play music from every film that has won for Best Original Score. I know that certain competing companies might complain a little but there are over 80 years of music to go through, I am sure we got the background music part covered. In the Animation area they can play original scores from animated movies that won the Oscar (Up, Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, Pinocchio, Dumbo, Mary Poppins, etc.).

Lastly, the Fantasmic stage can be used to create a great montage of Oscar-winning films past and present. Set to music, a few special effects here and there, and plenty of Oscar flair, we can create a 30-minute experience that shows us all of the wonderful Oscar-winning moments we grew up with and love. What better way to celebrate the Oscar winners past and present than with a grandiose presentation in the Fantasmic area? Yes I know the stage is for Fantasmic, but this area has so much potential for other events. For those that know me best know I've been drooling for a Star Wars-like show during their Weekends.

Anyway, back on topic. The big night. Oscar night.

On Oscar night they should hold a very special ceremony for guests that are willing to pay a little extra. We can re-create Hollywood by rolling out an actual massive red carpet stretching from the front of the park to the Chinese Theater. Select guests that decide to participate will show up in their very best dressed ways and will walk down the carpet with the Citizens of Hollywood (and the Photopass team) posing as paparazzi and reporters. Inside the Chinese Theater they can watch the Oscars and are treated to an all-you-can-eat banquet inside the area throughout the Academy Awards. I have never been a fan of separate-ticketed events but this event is much too small for every random guest to enjoy.

But the regular guests will not be left totally in the dark. They can witness the well-dressed guests walking the red carpet, but will also be allowed to watch the Academy Awards from multiple locations including the American Idol screens inside and outside, the Premiere Theater, inside some of the quick-service restaurants, and of course, the Hollywood Brown Derby. On this night Hollywood Studios can stay open normally until 5:00, re-open at 6:00 with all the additional changes, and run until 11:00 at night, when the Oscar usually finishes.

Most of these changes are low-key, but can definitely spice up a park that has seen better days in the past. What once used to dominate the four parks in terms of events (Soap Weekend, Star Wars Weekend, ESPN Weekend) has really calmed down lately. Hollywood Studios has the space, themeing, and ability to re-create the park into a temporary Academy Award shrine and can re-create some of the hype and fun of attending the Oscars on the other side of the country. Remember, in Disney its all about the small details, so why not dedicate a month to celebrating movies that are associated with Oscar gold? It would definitely give repeat visitors a reason to return to Hollywood Studios in February. And best of all can bring back some of the original theme to the park: celebrating the movies.

Super Bowl XLVI Hangover

Now that the dust has settled, here are my random thoughts about last night’s Super Bowl:


1) Madonna did decent, but she is not the right performer to get us amped up for the second half. I really think we need a louder rock band rockin’ the halftime show next year. Motley Crue’s cameo in a commercial was more football-related energetic than Madonna singing ‘Music.” Me and my brother propose some Battle of the Bands-type Halftime Show.


2) M.I.A. flipping the bird. The life of a one-hit wonder…..


3) Wes Welker should have caught that ball. Brady in the 4th quarter threw at least four good passes that were dropped. Not sure why Boston has become Choke City in recent years (Bruins, Patriots, Red Sox multiple times). Welker should have caught it and it bears repeating. The game would have been over if he had made that clearly catchable catch. I don’t like blaming one said person for the loss of the Super Bowl, but Welker…..there is no excuse.


4) Eli Manning is the luckiest s.o.b. quarterback I have ever seen. Two Super Bowls that were won because of awesome catches that were done with mediocre throws. I will never believe that Eli is even close to the level of Peyton, its just never going to happen. The Giants overall are just a far superior franchise as compared to the Colts. The Giants have always had far better defense, far better receivers, and far better support.


5) One minute left in the game, two timeouts left, 1st and goal. Why on earth did the Patriots not let this team just score and get the ball back as soon as possible? The Giants were going to take the lead anyway, they were going to run the clock. Why not just give them the 7 points and get right back to work? The defense of the Patriots have been a letdown for the last couple years, it’s the offense that has always propelled them to wins. Instead, inexplicably, they tried to play defense, were forced to call a timeout, and decided one play later to let them score. If I were the Patriots, I would throw them at the end zone and just hope for a game-winning drive.


6) This was a good Super Bowl, it was a nice tough game, and it didn’t have much stupidity. The Giants definitely deserve to celebrate, while the Patriots deserve to go home empty.



7) Eli……..2 Super Bowl rings, Dan Marino none…………..ugh…………………………………………..


8) This was my favorite commercial



9) Have a nice day everybody



Post-Note: Go Dolphins!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Let's go get Tim Tebow from the I-Hate-Tebow John Elway's Broncos.