Miami Dolphins

Instead, they hired Louisiana State University coach Nick Saban. Even if Pacino could voice the game, his voice would probably have changed too much. Despite this, the Dolphins decided not to hire Bates for the permanent coaching position. Al Pacino refused to reprise the role of Michael Corleone because rival publisher VU Games is still trying to hire Pacino to voice Tony Montana in its upcoming Scarface game. He was replaced on an interim basis by defensive coordinator Jim Bates. Under Bates, the Dolphins fared much better, winning three of their final seven games, including a 29-28 upset victory over the defending champion Patriots on December 20. The Godfather: The Game features the voices of Marlon Brando, James Caan, and Robert Duvall. After a 1-8 start, Wannstedt resigned on November 9, 2004. However, this image bears little resemblance to the more sordid reality of a Mafia "family", which is depicted in the film Goodfellas.

This led to them being dead-last in the NFL as well as the subject to nicknames like "Stinky Fish" and, to fans, "We Stink". For example, in John Grisham's novel The Firm, the Mafia is depicted as having an organisation wherein the top mobsters marry into the "royal family". These predictions proved right; the Dolphins dropped their first six games of the 2004 year, marking the worst start in franchise history. The image of the Mafia as being a medieval-style organisation with a "royal family" doing favours for underlings is very popular. Many experts predicted a disastrous season for the Dolphins. Reports from Mafia trials and confessions have suggested that Mafia families began a "real life" tradition of paying respect to the family don by kissing his ring, in imitation of the opening scene of The Godfather. Tight end Randy McMichael was arrested for domestic violence and wide receiver David Boston (signed from San Diego) suffered an injury in training camp and will miss the season (Boston also failed a drug test for steroids later in the season). But the biggest shock came when Ricky Williams retired under mysterious circumstances, probably related to drug use. The scene where Don Vito in a deep voice says "I'm gonna make him an offer he can't refuse" is often parodied.

The 2004 offseason was terrible for the Dolphins. The movies have powerfully influenced the image of the Mafia among the public. At the end of the season it was announced that Dan Marino would return to the team as its president, but quit after a month. Francis Ford Coppola said in April 2005 that he was not informed of Paramount's decision to allow the game to be made and he did not approve of it. Miami finished 10-6, but it was still short of a playoff spot. Prior to his death, Marlon Brando provided the voice for Vito. In 2003 the Dolphins again started strong (4-1) but finished weak, with devastating mid-season losses to the Patriots, Colts and Titans submarining them. The video game company Electronic Arts is currently working on a video game version of The 'Godfather.

Fans wanted Wannstedt's firing, but he was kept on for the 2003 season. It has been almost universally maligned. Due to a tiebreaker, both the Dolphins and Patriots lost out on the playoffs as the Jets took the AFC East title. In 2004, Random House published a new sequel to the Godfather saga, The Godfather Returns (http://www.markwinegardner.com/godfather) by Mark Winegardner (http://www.markwinegardner.com). The Dolphins started the season 5-1 before Fiedler got injured and was replaced by Ray Lucas, who lost three straight. Because the competition in the division was so close, the Dolphins still had a chance to win the division in the final week against the Patriots, but blew a 10-point fourth-quarter lead and lost in overtime. However, after the death of Mario Puzo in 1999, a new sequel appears very unlikely. Miami revitalized its running game in time for the 2002 season by signing running back Ricky Williams from the New Orleans Saints. In the late 1990s, rumors circulated regarding another installment of the series, with Leonardo DiCaprio and Andy Garcia apparently expressing interest.

Miami had to settle for a wild card, and lost 20-3 to the Baltimore Ravens in the first round. Parts of the film were loosely based on real historical events, including the death of Pope Paul VI, the election of John Paul I, and his subsequent death. That honor went to Super Bowl champion New England. The movie was set in 1979, and focused on an aging Michael Corleone. In the 2001 season the Dolphins lost two games to the New York Jets, which cost them the division title. The film is notable for the key role played, though ineffectually, by Coppola's daughter, the future Academy Award-winning filmmaker Sofia Coppola, who was forced to play Mary Corleone on short notice after Winona Ryder became ill. The 2000 season notwithstanding, late-season collapses have been the norm in Miami since the late 1990s. However, the movie still received seven Academy Award nominations, among them "Best Motion Picture" and "Best Cinematography".

Miami won a tough overtime game over the Indianapolis Colts on a Lamar Smith touchdown in the wild card round, but were shut out by the Oakland Raiders in the divisional playoff. This film was successful financially, but critical and fan response was mixed. Despite the obviously lowered expectations, the defense broke through with Jason Taylor and Trace Armstrong both getting 10 sacks, and four players (Sam Madison, Brian Walker, Brock Marion and Patrick Surtain) getting at least five interceptions. In addition, Lamar Smith rushed for over 1000 yards and Miami finished atop the AFC East with an 11-5 record. In 1990, Coppola released a belated third film, The Godfather Part III. Dave Wannstedt, formerly of the Chicago Bears, became the new coach; and Jay Fiedler became the new quarterback for the 2000 season. Both The Godfather and The Godfather Part II have been selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry. After the season, Jimmy Johnson left the team and Marino retired. While easier to understand, this version is not as interesting from a critical and artistic standpoint as the originals.

After a close win over Seattle in the wild card round, they suffered one the worst playoff losses in NFL history against the Jacksonville Jaguars: 62-7. Coppola re-edited the two movies together, in chronological order (adding some previously unseen footage but also toning down the violence), into one long saga for TV broadcast, entitled The Godfather Saga (aka "The Godfather: The Complete Novel For Television" and "The Godfather: 1901-1959--The Complete Epic"). Miami went 2-6 in their last eight games, but still backed into the playoffs at 9-7. Many critics consider the sequel to be equal to (if not superior to) the original film in quality. In Marino's first game back, he would have the worst game of his career, on Thanksgiving in Dallas, throwing 5 interceptions and having a passer rating of 0.0. This version of Vito is played by different actors at different ages, but the adult Vito is played by Robert DeNiro, who won a Best Supporting Actor Academy Award for a role in which, interestingly, he speaks almost no English-language dialogue. In 1999 Marino would be injured in a game where backup Damon Huard led a comeback. One storyline is the continuing story involving Michael Corleone in the 1950s; the other is a flashback sequence following his father, Vito, from his youth in Sicily up through the founding of the Corleone crime family in New York and the births of Michael and his siblings.

The Dolphins beat the Bills in the wild card round, but lost to the eventual champion Denver Broncos (who lost only one of two games that season to Miami) in the divisional playoff. It consists of two parallel storylines, and the film switches back and forth between them. McDuffie, but it was not enough to get past the New York Jets into first place in the division. A sequel, The Godfather Part II, was released in 1974. Miami had a solid 10-6 season in 1998 with a career season for receiver O.J. Additionally, The Godfather won five Golden Globes, one Grammy, and numerous other awards. In 1997 Miami stumbled late and backed into the playoffs with a 9-7 season, losing to the New England Patriots in the wild card round. As its sequel The Godfather Part II also won the Academy Award for Best Picture, the Godfather trilogy remains the only series ever to win multiple "Best Picture" Oscars.

In 1996 Miami finished 8-8 and out of the playoffs, with rookie Karim Abdul-Jabbar's 1000-yard rushing season one of the lone bright spots. It was nominated for eight additional Academy Awards. Jimmy Johnson, who had won a collegiate national championship at the University of Miami and two Super Bowls with the Dallas Cowboys, was named as Shula’s replacement. The Godfather won three Academy Awards:. Following the 1995 season Don Shula became an executive in the Dolphins’ front office. It is currently ranked #1 on IMDB's Top 250. In 1995 Marino broke the career passing records formerly held by Fran Tarkenton for yards (48,841), touchdowns (352), and completions (3,913). The Dolphins finished 9-7, second in the AFC East, but still made the playoffs as a wild card; losing to Buffalo in the first round. It was voted greatest film of all time by Entertainment Weekly, and #3 of all time by the American Film Institute.

After beating the Kansas City Chiefs in the wild card round, they suffered a heart-breaking last-second loss to the San Diego Chargers in the divisional playoff. The film is greatly respected among critics and the public. With Marino back for the 1994 season they won the AFC East again with a 10-6 record. Vito Corleone was portrayed by Brando as a Mafia Don whom people could actually respect (although the actions of Don Michael Corleone in The Godfather Part II worked to tear down this image). Both Marino and backup Scott Mitchell suffered season-ending injuries, and Miami lost its final 5 games to miss the playoffs at 9-7. Since its release on March 15, 1972, The Godfather has been accused of glorifying the image of the Mafia. 1993 turned into a disastrous year for the Dolphins. Al Pacino and Robert Duvall, in particular, went on to enjoy long, successful, highly acclaimed careers.

They beat the Chargers in the divisional playoff, but were stunned by the Buffalo Bills in the AFC Championship. Many of the actors playing the supporting roles were largely unknown or minor actors; however, they rocketed into the limelight with the success of The Godfather. The Dolphins finished 11-5 in 1992, capturing the AFC East title in Mark Higgs' best season as a running back and Keith Jackson (newly acquired from the Philadelphia Eagles) leading the team in receiving. The role of Don Vito Corleone was memorably acted by Marlon Brando, and Brando won an Academy Award (which he did not accept) for his portrayal of the aging Don. They beat the Kansas City Chiefs in the wild card round, but lost to the Buffalo Bills in the divisional playoff. The team struggled with defensive injuries in 1991, and narrowly missed the playoffs on an overtime loss to the New York Jets the final week of the season.
Puzo helped in the making of the movie and its sequels and co-wrote screenplay. The movie was an enormous box-office hit, smashing previous records to become the highest-grossing film of all time (until that record was surpassed by Jaws in 1975, and a number of other movies afterwards). By 1990 the Dolphins had finally shaped up on defense, and finished with a 11-5 record, second in the AFC East. Pacino was only granted the role after Coppola threatened to quit the production.

Miami had their first losing season in years in 1988, and were back to 8-8 in 1989. Pacino was not well known at the time, and was not considered right for the part. The problems continued in 1987, with an 8-7 record in a strike-shortened year; their first at new Joe Robbie Stadium. The producers originally wanted Robert Redford to play Michael Corleone, but Coppola wanted Al Pacino. In 1986 the Dolphins, hampered by defensive struggles, stumbled to 8-8, out of the playoff picture. The film spans ten years from late 1945 to 1955 (after Don Vito Corleone's death in 1954). New England forced 6 turnovers on the way to a 31-14 win - the Patriots' first in Miami since 1969. Interestingly, this obliged the crew to use regular lights, instead of the production/set lights, lending a realistic look to the film.

The cinderella New England Patriots, the Dolphins' opponents in the AFC Championship, had different plans. The producers of the movie did not believe that The Godfather would be very successful; hence, there was an extremely low budget for the film. After beating the Cleveland Browns in the divisional playoffs, many people were looking forward to a rematch with Chicago in Super Bowl XX. Shooting began on March 29, 1971 and was completed on August 6, 1971. In 1985 Miami went 12-4 and was the only team that beat the Chicago Bears all year. Coppola had directed several films prior to this, but none of them had had a significant impact on the public. It would be Marino's only Super Bowl appearance. The motion picture adaptation of The Godfather (1972) was directed by Francis Ford Coppola.

In the title game, however, Miami lost to the San Francisco 49ers 38-16. However, in the book, this fact is made explicit, with the 12-year-old Vito adopting the Corleone name by choice, instead of having it given to him in error. Miami beat the Seahawks and Steelers in the playoffs to get to Super Bowl XIX. This was a common occurrence which still occurs even today. Marino, in his first full season, was voted MVP as he threw for over 5000 yards and 48 touchdowns. It should be noted that in the movie sequel, The Godfather II, it was revealed that the Godfather's real name was Vito Andolini and he was given the surname Corleone as a result of a mistake during his registration at Ellis Island. In 1984, the Dolphins won their first 11 games en route to a 14-2 season. Similarly, the surname of Don Vito's mother is Corigliano, coming from the town of Corigliano Calabro, Calabria, which is well known for ndrangheta activity.

Defensive End Doug Betters was the Defensive Player of the Year. (See godparent for the origins of the term.) In the novel, this character was Don Vito Corleone, whose surname recalls the town of Corleone, Sicily. Seldom sacked by defenders, Marino was protected by an outstanding offensive line as he passed to receivers such as Mark Clayton and Mark Duper. Despite the regular season success (the Dolphins went 12-4, the only team in the AFC East with a winning record), they were upset in the divisional playoff by the Seattle Seahawks. "The Godfather" (in Italian, Il Padrino) is a term used to identify the boss of a Mafia clan, the eldest or the most representative member of a family. During the mid-1980s Marino produced the most impressive set of passing statistics in NFL history, setting single-season records for most yards (5,084), touchdown passes (48), and completions (362) during the 1984 season. The film spawned two sequels. During the third game of the 1983 season, Shula replaced quarterback David Woodley with rookie Dan Marino, who went on to win the AFC passing championship and rookie of the year award. The novel was adapted into a film of the same name directed by Francis Ford Coppola and starring Al Pacino as Michael Corleone.

Ironically after enjoying success rooted in a defense-first philosophy, and employing a ball control offense to take pressure off of lacklustre quarterbacks, the next 17 seasons would be marked by an average rushing game and defense that limited a great quarterback. The Godfather is a novel written by Mario Puzo about a fictitious Italian Mafia family. After shutting out the New York Jets in the AFC championship, they lost Super Bowl XVII to Washington 27-17. ISBN 0451205766. In the second round against San Diego the Dolphins got revenge for their loss the previous year, winning even more handily. The Godfather. New York: Penguin. In the first round in Miami, they met again, with the Dolphins winning easily. Mario Puzo (paperback, 2002).

Late in the season in a snowy game against the New England Patriots, a convicted felon on work release cleared a path for Patriots kicker John Smith to score the game-winning field goal. ISBN 0451208447. During the first two rounds of the playoffs they got revenge for previous losses. The Godfather. New York: Penguin. In the strike-shortened season of 1982, the Dolphins, led by the "Killer B's" defense (Baumhower, Bill Barnett, Lyle Blackwood, Kim Bokamper and Bob Brudzinski), held five of their nine opponents to 14 or fewer points en route to their fourth Super Bowl appearance. Mario Puzo (hardcover, 2002). Chargers tight end Kellen Winslow, under exhaustion, blocked Uwe von Schummann's field goal try on the last play of regulation, and Rolf Benirschke kicked the game-winner for San Diego in overtime. ISBN 0451167716.

After being down 24-0, Miami tied it at 24. After taking the lead, San Diego tied it up 38-38 late. The Godfather. New York: Penguin. The Dolphins were back on top of the AFC East in the 1981 season, with an 11-4-1 record. They reached the divisional playoff against the San Diego Chargers, regarded by some as one of the most memorable games in NFL history. Mario Puzo (mass market paperback, 1978). The Dolphins finished 8-8 and out of the playoffs. ISBN 0399103422. In 1980 the late David Woodley took over at quarterback and Griese retired after the season. The Godfather. New York: Putnam.

After winning the division with a 10-6 record, the Dolphins lost the divisional playoff to the eventual champion Pittsburgh Steelers. Mario Puzo (hardcover, 1969). Csonka returned to the Dolphins in time for the 1979 season. Best Writing (adapted screenplay) (Francis Coppola, Mario Puzo). They made the playoffs as a wild card in 1978, but lost in the first round to the Houston Oilers. Best Actor in a Leading Role (Marlon Brando refused the award). The Dolphins went 10-4 again in 1977, but again lost the division title (and playoff spot) to the Colts. Best Picture.

Duhe and linemen Bob Baumhower and Doug Betters. J. Shula built a solid defense around a new set of stars, including linebacker A. Miami rebounded from a losing record in 1976 by winning ten or more games in four of the next five seasons.

After the disappointing defeat, several players, including Csonka, Warfield, and running back Jim Kiick, joined the short-lived World Football League. The Dolphins managed to win ten games in 1975, aided by Griese’s consistency and the fine play of wide receiver Nat Moore. They did not make the playoffs however, losing on a tiebreaker to the Baltimore Colts. Miami reached the playoffs again in 1974 but lost in the first round to the Oakland Raiders. The Dolphins won 12 games during the 1973 season and repeated as Super Bowl VIII champions, routing the Minnesota Vikings 24-7. It was led by linebacker Nick Buoniconti, end Bill Stanfill, and safeties Dick Anderson and Jake Scott.

The 1972 Dolphins defensive unit, called the No-Name Defense because Miami’s impressive offense received much more publicity, was the league’s best that year. The offensive line included future Hall of Fame members Jim Langer and Larry Little. During this season, Griese and veteran quarterback Earl Morrall shared the passing duties, and running backs Larry Csonka and Mercury Morris became the first teammates to rush for more than 1,000 yards each. (This is sometimes called the "Perfect Season".) Miami went on to win two playoff games and then Super Bowl VII, defeating the Washington Redskins 14-7.

In 1972 the Dolphins accomplished an amazing feat, becoming the first NFL team to finish a season undefeated (the 1948 Cleveland Browns had accomplished the feat, but as members of the All-America Football Conference). In Super Bowl VI, however, Miami lost to the Dallas Cowboys 24-3. The AFC Divisional Playoff Game, in which the Dolphins defeated the Kansas City Chiefs, was the longest contest in NFL history (82 minutes 40 seconds). The Dolphins were a successful team during the early 1970s, capturing the AFC championship in 1971 behind quarterback Bob Griese and wide receiver Paul Warfield.

Miami joined the NFL in 1970 when the NFL and AFL completed their merger. The Dolphins began play in 1966, and after four consecutive losing seasons, Don Shula replaced George Wilson as head coach. Miami joined the American Football League (AFL) when an expansion team franchise was awarded to lawyer Joseph Robbie and actor Danny Thomas in 1965. He piloted the Dolphins to numerous playoff appearances and one Super Bowl, and he holds numerous NFL career passing records.

During the 1980s and 1990s quarterback Dan Marino became the most prolific passer in NFL history. Five future Hall of Fame members played for Miami during the 1970s, including running back Larry Csonka and quarterback Bob Griese. In 1972 the Dolphins became the first and only NFL team to complete a 14-game regular season (and the entire postseason) without a loss. His Dolphins teams posted losing records in only 2 of his 26 seasons with the club.

For most of their history, the Dolphins were coached by Don Shula, the winningest head coach in professional football history. The team is named for the dolphins that inhabit the coastal waters of Florida. Miami Dolphins, professional football team and one of the four teams in the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference (AFC) of the National Football League (NFL). The Miami Dolphins are a National Football League team based in Miami, Florida.

Jimmy Johnson (coach). Garo Yepremian. Ricky Williams. Paul Warfield.

John Stofa. Dwight Stephenson. Jake Scott. Mercury Morris.

Nat Moore. Gene Mingo. Wahoo McDaniel. Larry Little.

Jim Kiick. Cookie Gilchrist. Mark Duper. Mark Clayton.

Keith Byars. Nick Buoniconti. Dick Anderson. Larry Csonka 39.

Dan Marino 13. Bob Griese12. Zach Thomas. Jason Taylor.

Junior Seau. Randy McMichael. Sam Madison. Sammy Knight.

Jeno James. Gus Frerotte. Chris Chambers. Tim Bowens.

Marty Booker. Paul Warfield. Dwight Stephenson. Don Shula.

Dan Marino. Larry Little. Jim Langer. Bob Griese.

Larry Csonka. Nick Buoniconti.