Is Mercury Morris the biggest D-bag in sports?

[ReasonablySober]

I use 'in sports' loosely.

My contempt for everything Boston is known around here. But I'm tempted to cheer for the Patriots in two weeks simply because I think this guy may be the biggest **** in the sporting landscape.

I only heard of him for the first time about a month and a half ago when he was on ESPN letting everyone know how great his Dolphins were and how we shouldn't even be talking about them and the Patriots in the same sentence. Then the Pats went 17-0 and he still couldn't wait to let everyone know it didn't mean anything because they hadn't won the Super Bowl.

Now I heard him on ESPN radio this morning saying that even if they go 19-0 you still can't say their the better team. If anything, he believes stats prove his old team was better. Called the Phins the 'husband' and the Pats could be the 'bride'.

When you talk about the great teams in NFL history, does anyone even think about the '72 Dolphins? Didn't the play one of the easiest schedules in NFL history and then barely squeak through the playoffs? I think I remember hearing they were actually underdogs in the Super Bowl.

I don't mind hearing about the Shula's and Griese's of that team opening champagne when the final team loses each year. They should want to be the only undefeated team. Nothing wrong with wanting to keep your record. But seriously, there's ways of doing it without looking petty, juvenile and obnoxious, which is exactly how Morris comes off.

[notoriousTJ11]

The answer to your question is Yes, yes he is ... I don't even want to elaborate thats how much of a D-bag he is.

[SteveScheffler]

my vote goes to tony romo, maybe vin baker.

[NeedsMoreCheese]

By in Sports you mean just anyone right? Because obviously its not just current guys. If so then no he isnt. Im assuming though that was more of a topic than an actual question though because im sure you know theres a lot more guys out there that are bigger douches.

[mnstinks]

Yes he is a giant crack baby...

Dolphins good but not the best...heck not only was their schedule crap, they didn't even face a top QB


(From ESPN)
1972 Dolphins

This Dolphins team was voted best ever by the NFL Films panel. Not when you take a closer look. The '72 Dolphins played a ridiculously easy schedule in a terribly weak AFC. Counting the division rivals -- the Colts, Patriots and Bills twice -- Miami's 14 opponents had a combined record of 70-122-4, a .367 winning percentage, the worst ever for a Super Bowl champion.


Don Shula's Dolphins beat everyone they played in 1972, but their list of regular-season victims included just two teams that finished over .500.

There's an old adage in sports: You can only beat who you play. Well, the '72 Dolphins beat a bunch of nobodies. None of their opponents reached the playoffs, and only two of them -- the Giants and Chiefs -- finished over .500. Each was 8-6.


The 1972 Dolphins are the only Super Bowl winner since the merger that didn't face a playoff team and the only Super Bowl winner ever that didn't face a team that won nine or more games. It looks like the Patriots will have beaten at least three teams headed for the 2007 playoffs -- the Chargers, Cowboys and Colts, and would have to beat two more: the Steelers and Giants.


What's more, that Dolphins team did not face a quarterback who finished that season with a rating north of 84 (that would have been Norm Snead, not exactly in the prime of his career).


There's something to be said for a team that knows how to win close games, but the Dolphins weren't good enough to blow anybody out in 1972. They beat the 7-7 Vikings by two, the 4-9-1 Bills by one, the 7-7 Jets by four.


And then they sputtered in their first two postseason games, overcoming a 14-13 fourth-quarter deficit to beat the Cleveland Browns, whose quarterback was the one and only Mike Phipps. That year, the Browns scored the fewest points of any playoff team. Phipps completed a lowly 47.2 percent of his passes during the '72 season.


In the AFC Championship Game, the Dolphins had to overcome a 10-7 third-quarter deficit to beat the Steelers.


In the Super Bowl, the Dolphins faced the Redskins. Washington's quarterback? Billy Kilmer, who was 2-4 in the playoffs in his career. Coach George Allen's offense was pretty one-dimensional. Kilmer did go to the Pro Bowl that season, but the Redskins' offense finished 17th in the league in passing. Kilmer couldn't beat Miami.


So, the undefeated '72 Dolphins were great, yes. But best ever? No way. If they go undefeated and go all the way, the 2007 New England Patriots will claim that title.


Sal Paolantonio covers the NFL for ESPN.

[mnstinks]

(from ESPN) While it's true that they could only play who was scheduled, it's also true that with an opponents' winning percentage of .396, the Dolphins' schedule was one of the easiest since 1950.

How easy? Basically, 99 percent of the teams since 1950 had a more difficult season schedule than the 1972 Dolphins. That is a very easy schedule.

[jakecronus8]

I gotta go Bonds for baseball. Isiah Thomas for basketball. Belicheck for football.

[El Duderino]

When you talk about the great teams in NFL history, does anyone even think about the '72 Dolphins? Didn't the play one of the easiest schedules in NFL history and then barely squeak through the playoffs? I think I remember hearing they were actually underdogs in the Super Bowl.

I don't really care much about the undefeated season stuff and/or either team then claiming to be the best ever. The Patriots obviously are a great team, but the AFC East was so miserable, the Pats pretty much got six free wins and only amazing luck allowed them to beat the Ravens.

If i would win 10 grand by picking the winner of say this years Patriots team and the Jimmy Johnson lead Cowboys teams of the 90's, i'd take Dallas for sure. Hell, i wouldn't doubt if they'd be favored over the Patriots.

Don't get me wrong, i think these Patriots are a great team, i'm just not sold at all that they are the best team ever even if they whip the Giants.

[drew881]

For some reason I don't see the 08 Patriots popping champagne bottles every year if they pull this off. They will probably be too occupied trying to win in the coming years, and honestly, I don't see them being as lame as the '72 who wait every year until someone has lost just so that they can remind themselves how good they were. Please its been 36 years. I would have hoped that they moved on and did something else with their lives that was somewhat useful.

[ReasonablySober]

When you talk about the great teams in NFL history, does anyone even think about the '72 Dolphins? Didn't the play one of the easiest schedules in NFL history and then barely squeak through the playoffs? I think I remember hearing they were actually underdogs in the Super Bowl.

I don't really care much about the undefeated season stuff and/or either team then claiming to be the best ever. The Patriots obviously are a great team, but the AFC East was so miserable, the Pats pretty much got six free wins and only amazing luck allowed them to beat the Ravens.

If i would win 10 grand by picking the winner of say this years Patriots team and the Jimmy Johnson lead Cowboys teams of the 90's, i'd take Dallas for sure. Hell, i wouldn't doubt if they'd be favored over the Patriots.

Don't get me wrong, i think these Patriots are a great team, i'm just not sold at all that they are the best team ever even if they whip the Giants.

I'd also put them up against the '85 Bears, '89 49ers, the '96 Packers and the '79 Steelers.

But the '72 Dolphins? No.

[El Duderino]

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I'd also put them up against the '85 Bears, '89 49ers, the '96 Packers and the '79 Steelers.

But the '72 Dolphins? No.

Those 72 Dolphins would get crushed simply because they couldn't match up physically, the size and speed of players today would overwhelm them. IMO they played to long ago, same with any team from the 60's and early 70's to hang with great teams from the late 80', 90's, and now.

It would be awesome though to see this years Patriots team play the 85 Bears or those great 90's Cowboys teams.

Many will simply label this years Patriots the best ever, but they just don't look the best ever to me. Those Dallas teams had a better defense and the Aikman/Emmit/Irvin/great oline offense would match up well to the Pats offense.

[NeedsMoreCheese]

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Those 72 Dolphins would get crushed simply because they couldn't match up physically, the size and speed of players today would overwhelm them. IMO they played to long ago, same with any team from the 60's and early 70's to hang with great teams from the late 80', 90's, and now.

It would be awesome though to see this years Patriots team play the 85 Bears or those great 90's Cowboys teams.

Many will simply label this years Patriots the best ever, but they just don't look the best ever to me. Those Dallas teams had a better defense and the Aikman/Emmit/Irvin/great oline offense would match up well to the Pats offense.

Exactly. I wont be impressed unless the Patriots score at least 50 in the superbowl. (or win by 40some points, whichever works).

[Fort Minor]

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I'd also put them up against the '85 Bears, '89 49ers, the '96 Packers and the '79 Steelers.

But the '72 Dolphins? No.

Yep. It's definately arguable whether the Patriots are the best team ever even if they go undefeated.

Of course, those in the New England area would probably run after you with a pick axe and exile you from the city if you were to think as such.