SI Fan All Dolphins publisher Alain Poupart and columnist Omar Kelly break down the highlights and hot topics from the July 30 practice, including Eli Apple's debut, Tua Tagovailoa and Mike White starting off practice with deep completions, some thoughts on soon-to-be Hall of Famer Zach Thomas and his visit to the Baptist Health Training Complex, and a lot more.
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00:00 Hi everyone, welcome to the Sunday July 30th recap of training camp on the All Dolphins
00:09 podcast on YouTube, also on the Fans First Sports Network, wherever you get your fine
00:14 podcasts.
00:15 Today was the first practice that was open to the fans at the Baptist Health Training
00:19 Complex.
00:21 Start off with a bang Omar, didn't it?
00:24 Yeah, beautiful practice from the offense, love the way that they responded from Friday's
00:31 butt whooping.
00:33 It was a sexy practice, which is what you want to do when you have fans coming.
00:39 You tell Vic Fangio, okay, put the blitz package away.
00:45 Let's showcase what we could do.
00:47 What I did like is I thought that the offense was having issues getting behind Vic Fangio's
00:54 zone.
00:56 And what today's practice showed is that there is some creativity and there are ways to do
01:01 it that forces the defense to say, hey, I might need to reconsider this zone.
01:08 Those back and forth chess battles and chess games are what makes a team better.
01:16 And you know, I was having this conversation with Travis Winfield as we walked off the
01:21 practice because we were both talking about, man, what a way to respond to what you saw
01:26 on Friday, which was a 12 sack embarrassment.
01:29 I mean, it was a who's your daddy performance.
01:33 And I think Christian Wilkins might've asked them who's their daddy.
01:36 No, not Christian.
01:39 He was, I can't remember what he was saying, but it was, it was in the who's your daddy
01:44 realm.
01:46 And they just didn't respond.
01:48 And today they opened up a can of butt whoop on their own.
01:53 And it was like, how you, how you like that?
01:55 How you like them apples?
01:57 Red zone.
01:58 They killed it.
01:59 Big class plays, um, touchdowns.
02:04 It was impressive.
02:05 Okay.
02:06 Here's, I'm going to play party pooper or party pooper here for the offense.
02:11 Party pooper.
02:12 Okay.
02:13 So yes, the beginning of the practice was splash city for the offense.
02:18 And for those who don't know what we're referring to, the very first play of 11 on 11s, Mike
02:23 white hits Jalen Waddle on a deep crosser for what?
02:27 45, 50 yards.
02:28 And then on two, it was 46 in the air.
02:31 I looked at a fan's replay to, to count.
02:36 Okay.
02:37 Two was first play on the 11, 11 on 11.
02:41 He hits Tyree kill kind of the similar pattern also 45, 50 yards, same neighborhood.
02:47 So boom, right off the bat, uh, as a response to Friday, also as fans are here, let's give
02:54 them what they came for.
02:55 If you don't think the fans wanted to see some deep passes, I think you're crazy.
02:59 Then they did red zone work.
03:02 And the first time they did two separate periods of, of red zone work.
03:07 The first time, a lot of touchdowns, beautiful throw from two or two.
03:11 Every time to a touch the ball, it was a touchdown.
03:14 What you talking about?
03:15 Hold on.
03:16 Nice pass.
03:17 I believe it was Skyler Thompson.
03:19 No, it was a Skyler.
03:20 Mike, why I'm not sure to my house gas can on the other side, but, and this is where
03:26 I think I'm going to get the narrative from all the writers of like the offense responded
03:31 and won the day.
03:33 I want everybody, all the writers, the media out here, you first right here, because I
03:37 have you on the podcast right now, be honest and tell me what you noticed that really splashed
03:42 from the offense and the second half, both on 11 and 11 and the red zone.
03:46 So I think this notion that the defense got its ass kick today, no, sorry, no, at first
03:51 it did.
03:52 And they responded.
03:53 And in the last session of red zone work, there was one touchdown pass and it was from
03:57 Skyler to Tyree kill because Justin Bethel never turned around.
04:00 And then there was one for those who want to count it.
04:03 Those who were attended practice, the very last play of the session where to a completed
04:08 a pass to Cedric Wilson and the Cedric Wilson and the ends on what?
04:12 Well, 12 seconds after the ball was snapped sack, correct.
04:15 Same here.
04:16 So yeah, without question, the offense completely dominated, put on a show in the early part
04:21 of it.
04:22 Then it settled down and then the defense.
04:25 Well, that was not red zone.
04:27 That was goal line.
04:28 I always calculate everything if they're at the five yard line is not goal line.
04:33 Sorry, you thought seven.
04:34 I thought five.
04:35 No, it was set a seven yard line because I was watching it and charting it.
04:38 It was a seven yard line.
04:40 Okay, my bad.
04:41 I didn't have the angle to see what yardage it was.
04:44 I thought most of those were at work at five.
04:48 No, no, no, no, no, no.
04:50 And there was maybe one play on the running plays, maybe one where Devon that chain gained
04:55 the corner and use this.
04:56 Yeah, that would have been a touchdown.
04:58 All right.
04:59 Outside of that, the defense won.
05:01 No, you're you're you're a thousand percent correct.
05:03 The end of the period, the defense responded, but it was a little too late.
05:07 You you you can't you can't win round nine and ten and eleven and still win the fight.
05:14 You will agree.
05:15 I actually called it a drawn it, but it's going to look completely crazy.
05:20 Dude, it's going to look completely sad.
05:22 So remember, there was a session, a two or three, like two through like three passes.
05:28 And it was PBU ball tipped at the line of scrimmage.
05:31 There was a sack and the same Mike White goes in.
05:34 Same thing.
05:35 Skyler goes in.
05:36 Same thing.
05:37 There was a problem at the end of practice.
05:38 Nothing.
05:39 We're going to have a practice.
05:42 And yes, so it's easy to go look at those first two bombs early on and say, well, the
05:48 red zone first, let's go first red zone.
05:50 The red zone also correct.
05:52 Let's go first red zone period to a test of all three times, three touchdowns.
05:56 Yeah, and then and another quarterback.
05:59 Correct.
06:00 Correct.
06:01 Well, no, he had to I think he had to want to be like in gold on the gold.
06:05 Most hurt.
06:06 No, he had a I think he had a no.
06:10 There was a pass to Tyreek.
06:11 It wasn't a touchdown that got them inside like the five Tyreek goes and dunks it on
06:15 the goalpost.
06:16 Correct.
06:17 OK, yes.
06:18 But it was often the one that red zone session.
06:24 This was going from our right to our left when they did the other end of the field.
06:29 The defense won that one.
06:30 And clearly, and there was the same.
06:32 I don't know if you could say clearly I would I would say it was a closer match.
06:37 There were sacks.
06:39 Saw Christian saw Christian be dominant.
06:43 Saw Jalen Fields be dominant.
06:45 But that a chain touchdown to me, that was a that was an eye opener.
06:50 That was a that was that was an eye opener.
06:54 You if you're that defense and you finish fourth in the league against the run, a rookie
06:59 shouldn't be doing that to you.
07:00 Now that was I look at that as that's encouraging that that to me is.
07:04 But I don't know that wasn't their first team defense.
07:07 That was like a that was like second team defense.
07:09 Yeah, I can't remember.
07:10 And I also know it was good to see a change in the edge and basically nobody was catching
07:13 him.
07:14 So and you mentioned the guys who look good, like in the past, Mitchell Aguday again was
07:19 very noticeable today.
07:20 Mm hmm.
07:21 That's come on tomorrow.
07:22 Mitchell Aguday keep showing up and and and then then we'll give you the respect and props
07:29 that you you properly deserve.
07:33 I liked Mike White.
07:37 Imagine that fans were there.
07:41 Remember what everybody says about Mike White?
07:44 He's not going to impress you in practice.
07:45 He's a gamer.
07:46 OK, the fans were there.
07:48 People were yelling and cheering.
07:50 He showed up and didn't think he had it in him.
07:54 So I stand corrected.
07:56 46 yards in the air is a good NFL throw.
08:00 I enter today wondering if my wife had an NFL arm and I'm just being completely transparent.
08:08 And don't act like you're not thinking about it.
08:10 I know I was and I was going to point out again, since I use the same analogy for another
08:15 quarterback on the Dolphin roster who shall remain nameless at this time.
08:19 Of course, Mike White could complete a deep pass.
08:22 And just the fact that he completed that one to Jaylen Waddle today does not make him,
08:27 you know, dip so fact or if so fact or whatever, a great deep throw.
08:31 It was a great pass in practice.
08:32 That's not going to be his forte, but he was very efficient throwing the ball and it was
08:36 good to see him make that connection with Waddle.
08:39 But him talking after practice, he revealed a lot of things.
08:42 Great media session.
08:43 Oh my God.
08:45 Phenomenal media session.
08:46 And he probably revealed a little bit too much because he told you the difference between
08:52 the Jets offense and Miami's offense correlated it with the skill position players and the
08:58 concepts that they were trying to utilize or get comfortable with.
09:04 Obviously some of that is a challenge to him and probably a challenge to his skill set.
09:09 But he was basically like, I can't overthrow these receivers.
09:13 So I just throw the ball as hard as I possibly can, as far as I possibly can, because there
09:18 is no overthrowing them.
09:20 And that is that is a great thing and mindset to kind of have with this offense.
09:25 And it's true.
09:28 You know, if they have the time and they have the protection, you're not going to overthrow
09:34 them.
09:35 Oh, correct.
09:36 No.
09:37 And he also made like a very good point.
09:38 And I think that's something we already knew, that there are certain things that the Jets
09:40 can't do offensively with their scheme that the Dolphins can because guess what?
09:45 Jets don't have the kind of speed the Dolphins have.
09:48 And spoiler alert, very few people in the NFL, very few teams in the NFL, if any, do
09:54 have that kind of speed.
09:56 No question about it.
10:01 I noticed that fans I tweeted out on one particular play, I saw Waddle running with new edition
10:09 Eli Apple.
10:11 And yeah, Waddle was behind him, but he wasn't behind him, behind him.
10:15 Correct.
10:16 Eli Apple had step for step was step for step with him.
10:20 You know, other people tweeted out, oh, Waddle with a, you know, great step on.
10:25 It was an incomplete pass from Skyler, I believe.
10:29 It was two.
10:32 Was it two?
10:33 It was two.
10:34 OK.
10:35 Left handed quarterback number one.
10:37 I think that's two, but I could be wrong.
10:39 I don't know.
10:42 And it would have taken a perfect pass 50 yards downfield for the connection, which
10:47 is kind of almost what you what you're asking for from your cornerback there.
10:51 Absolutely.
10:52 It made me wonder and reconsider.
10:56 You know, Eli Apple has a bad rep.
10:58 I don't know why, but he does because he does a lot of this.
11:02 My motion in my hand when I'm yapping on social media.
11:08 Whatever, man.
11:09 OK, hold on.
11:10 Let me let me enter.
11:11 I'm not going to hold that against anybody.
11:13 No, because you kind of put my statement.
11:15 Let me interject here.
11:17 OK, to point out that I spoke, I reached out to the publisher, the foundation publisher
11:22 of the Bengal site, James Ruppin, who was kind enough to send me a good, long, comprehensive
11:28 scouting report.
11:29 And basically the premise was, and I encourage you to read it, but to sum it up, that Bengals,
11:36 chances are, would have re-signed Eli Apple if it wasn't for the fact they were kind of
11:39 a little bit over his his social media escapades, I should say.
11:46 So and another quick point on Apple before you can chime in again as you shake your head,
11:50 tell it like I'm crazy.
11:52 The fact that to me, the fact that he's there's a practice and did some team stuff today was
11:56 very impressive, considering he didn't officially sign until this morning.
12:00 Go ahead.
12:01 He's a corner man.
12:03 You look massively unimpressed.
12:04 How often have you seen guys on their first practice the day after they signed do nothing
12:10 but individual work?
12:12 Come on, come on.
12:14 Don't roll your eyes like I'm talking crazy because I'm not.
12:17 It's more often than not.
12:18 They'll just do position drills.
12:22 I don't disagree with you, but I will say, I will say this.
12:27 He's an eight year vet, cornerback.
12:30 They do two things.
12:31 They play press, they play zone.
12:33 Go on whichever side and figure it out.
12:36 They'll tell you, the defense will tell you, you're right.
12:39 He probably didn't know a single play call that was out there, but somebody lined up
12:43 and said, you're impressed.
12:44 You're in zone.
12:45 We're in cover one.
12:46 We're in cover three.
12:47 And it is what it is.
12:50 I think there's a probably, I would say 25% of the NFL could probably run with Jalen Waddell
13:01 of cornerbacks.
13:04 Now on a given, you know, just now if Jalen got a step on you, okay, you're in trouble
13:12 no matter who you are.
13:14 If you slip, you're in trouble no matter who you are.
13:17 But for you to have the speed, the actual speed to stick with him, six yards downfield,
13:23 20%.
13:25 And if Eli's in that 20%, that's impressive.
13:28 Because I can tell you right now, I can tell you a lot of cornerbacks, I'm not going to
13:32 name them on the Dolphins roster, are not in that 20%.
13:35 No, and here's the other thing too, but Eli Apple started 30 games the past two seasons
13:41 for a team that went to the Superbowl one year and then went to the AFC championship
13:45 game the next year.
13:46 And as much as we want to talk about Joe Burrow and Jamar Chase, a big part of that also was
13:51 that their defense was pretty damn good.
13:53 Lou Ann Arumo.
13:54 Lou Ann Arumo, former Dolphin DC.
13:56 So Eli Apple, he's not Xavier Howard.
13:58 He's not Jalen Ramsey.
14:01 But he's no slouch.
14:02 He's pretty damn good.
14:03 And he's pretty solid.
14:04 And at this point, is he certainly more proven in the NFL than either Noy Benagany or Cam
14:09 Smith or even Cater Cahu.
14:13 Everybody but Jalen Ramsey and Xavier Howard.
14:16 Correct.
14:17 I will say this.
14:18 The signing of Eli Apple does indicate that they are fully invested in Cater Cahu being
14:26 the nickel cornerback.
14:27 And that's important and encouraging.
14:29 And it doesn't really surprise me because if you know who this organization is and it
14:33 comes from Chris Grieger, they want you locked in on doing one thing in one job and only
14:40 that one thing in one job till you master that one thing in one job.
14:44 And then they say, OK, what else can they do?
14:46 And Robert Hunt falls into that category.
14:48 Like me and you, we are both in the same place.
14:52 Robert Hunt would be right tackle number one on this team if it were me and you.
14:58 But to Chris Greer, you're right guard.
15:02 You're only going to be right guard.
15:04 Focus on the right guard.
15:05 Don't do anything else but right guard.
15:06 We're not moving you to work at your right tackle.
15:09 We're not experimenting.
15:10 You're right guard.
15:11 And I said from from season one, his rookie season, pretty good right guard.
15:16 Well, the Dolphins believe he'd be an even better right tackle.
15:20 I mean, I mean, yeah.
15:23 And the Dolphins believe he'd be even better right guard.
15:26 We don't agree, but it doesn't matter because they're the experts.
15:29 But it's not an issue of not agreeing.
15:32 From where I sit is he has more value as a good to very good right tackle than he does
15:38 as a pro bowl right guard, which is where I think they see his ceiling.
15:41 So to me, it comes down to positional value.
15:44 I don't I don't necessarily disagree that it could be maybe he'll be a better right
15:49 guard and he would be a right tackle.
15:51 But to me, there's a lot more value as a right tackle and right guard.
15:55 OK, but getting back to the Eli Apple signing, because that surprised me that that surprised
16:01 me because Eli Apple does not play special teams.
16:03 So if he doesn't, isn't in the top five, he doesn't make this team.
16:08 So they went out and they signed a guy that they believe could pretty much be their starter.
16:13 And that says something about Cam Smith.
16:16 That says something about Noah Ibnagini, which, you know, it is what it is.
16:21 And that says something about Trill Williams, who I watch very closely today because it's
16:26 hard to miss him now that he's in a red jersey.
16:28 And rightfully so, because those guys don't touch him.
16:32 You know, red jersey means you don't touch me.
16:34 No contact with quarterbacks and injured players.
16:37 Yes.
16:38 So.
16:39 And he's he's not doing team drills.
16:42 Clearly, he's he's a ways away from from from doing that.
16:45 Maybe they they start that maybe the week before the exhibition season, maybe the joint
16:50 practices will see maybe maybe not.
16:54 But it just means that, hey, we're not comfortable where we are and we're going to supplement.
17:01 And so now Cam Smith has to respond.
17:05 You know, Noah Noah has the whole season's a you must respond season for Noah.
17:10 But now I think they're in a better place because this was a we're still going for Super
17:16 Bowls move as opposed to we're just filling a roster spot.
17:21 Correct.
17:22 It's it's basically those we will not sink because we did not have an answer opposite
17:27 X now that Jalen Ramsey is out.
17:28 That's what that move is.
17:29 It's entirely possible the Dolphins, their thinking is ideally it's going to be Cam Smith
17:34 emerging very quickly as a rookie or Noah, you know, like you like emerging in his fourth
17:41 season in the NFL.
17:42 Resurrecting his career.
17:43 Yeah.
17:44 And if neither of those two scenarios materializes, then we have a fallback option on our roster
17:49 right now with Eli Apple.
17:51 So I think that the move makes a lot of sense.
17:55 You know, I know I like the signing.
17:57 It wouldn't surprise me.
17:58 You see somewhere on social media was depth only.
18:01 No, it's not.
18:02 I'm sorry.
18:03 That's this is not a depth signing at all.
18:05 No, not at all.
18:06 A security blanket type of signing.
18:09 You mentioned kind of pissed off your top player doing it, but it is what it is.
18:15 I'm dying to know what their interaction was at.
18:19 Oh, no, but there was one place.
18:21 Interesting, because you and us, you saw that you mentioned that on Twitter or X, whatever
18:24 it's called.
18:25 But there was one play.
18:27 They were lined up across from each other.
18:30 But then there was motion from the offense and then they wound up shifting the assignment.
18:34 And then and then he'll wind up running a crossing pattern against another DB who was
18:38 covering him.
18:39 We want to be an incomplete pass.
18:40 But I didn't see any.
18:42 OK, yes, I wonder.
18:45 I'm dying to know the conversations.
18:48 Well, I spoke to Eli Manning.
18:52 I was in the group, the little group that was around him and he said, which we kind
18:56 of figured he would say, said everything was fine in the locker room.
18:58 And he said, like, basically, their lockers are like right across from each other.
19:03 And they sort of put them right next to each other.
19:06 No, that would be funny, actually, based on what we heard, Mike White might have had more
19:10 trash talking with Eli Apple.
19:12 Yes, in his first start, he lit up the Bengals and then he joked that he caught a two point
19:17 conversion and Eli Apple covering him, even though he was like 15 yards away in the.
19:22 In on the play, he said he's going to get a picture blown up of that play and then stick
19:27 in his locker or something.
19:28 So that was part of like we said, Mike White's media session was completely fantastic.
19:32 You mentioned Trill Williams is for our record keeping purposes since we try to inform as
19:37 much as educate and entertain here with our back and forth.
19:42 Brandon Jones also had a red jersey, also did not do anything in Tim and teams.
19:47 And the one with the orange jersey as a practice player of the day Friday.
19:51 It's a cool day to go.
19:53 Correct.
19:54 And Isaiah Wynn is back from the PUP.
19:57 I did not see him do any team, but I wasn't really closely paying attention to that.
20:02 So correct me if I'm wrong.
20:05 That's generally.
20:06 They're generally going to ease those guys back in, but it's good to have him back.
20:11 My vision for Isaiah Wynn is to be a left side swing player now left tackle left guard.
20:21 I watched.
20:22 I know everybody.
20:24 Everybody is a ball watcher.
20:25 So I know the one on ones were absolutely going to be covered by everybody in their
20:30 mama including the 5000 fans that were at practice.
20:33 So I was watching one on ones and I was watching the receiver diversity because we're a team
20:39 here at all dolphins and you can you can handle the trenches and I'll take care of the passing
20:43 game.
20:44 So a couple things that concern me about one on ones and I will say this is a little premature
20:51 because they do not have pads on one on one tomorrow with pass.
20:56 Oh, it's going to be on and pop it.
20:58 I am excited and so are the players.
21:02 The Von a chain you are on, you know what I want to see.
21:06 Everybody knows what I want to see linebackers running backs collision.
21:12 Can you protect the quarterback?
21:14 But Liam Eikenberg.
21:17 No, that's a that's a deep sigh here for the audio only.
21:23 That's a deep sigh from Omar.
21:26 I am.
21:27 You're at a loss.
21:30 I had more confidence in Lynn Eikenberg based on what he had done in the games healthy last
21:36 year.
21:39 And I wasn't worried about it.
21:41 I figured he was going to grow into it.
21:44 He's going to get better as long as you healthy.
21:46 He'd be fine.
21:48 Watching him today in one on ones.
21:50 I don't know.
21:53 I don't know anymore.
21:54 I'm going against is there was part of the question.
22:00 It don't matter.
22:02 Christian Wilkins.
22:03 I get it.
22:04 Christian Wilkins, a very effective player.
22:06 He should he should not steamroll you backwards like you're on skates.
22:12 He should not.
22:13 You're an NFL.
22:14 Not ideal.
22:15 You're in.
22:16 You are an NFL star.
22:17 Rayquan, I'll allow it because two have to take on Rayquan.
22:20 Liam.
22:21 Yeah, I don't think you could block Rayquan one on one when Rayquan wants to practice.
22:26 And I'm not calling him Jordan Phillips.
22:28 I'm not saying that.
22:29 You're going to go there.
22:30 You're going to go down that road again.
22:32 I am not going down that road again.
22:34 Rayquan is hustled.
22:36 Rayquan, I would say, has been a top performer all every single practice, top ten performer
22:42 every single practice.
22:43 Right.
22:44 Yes.
22:45 No, I didn't notice him today.
22:46 I did the first three practices.
22:47 He was very he was very noticeable.
22:48 I didn't notice him today.
22:50 Yes.
22:51 He's not a guy who's oh, I can sit out here and say he's taking off practices.
22:54 But I expect Rayquan to dominate you one on one.
22:57 He's six foot seven, two hundred and two, six foot seven.
23:02 Probably two hundred and forty pounds like.
23:05 No, no, no, no, no, no, no.
23:06 You mean three hundred and forty pounds, three hundred and forty.
23:09 You're not going to block him one on one.
23:11 He's a big man and he's not and he's not flabby either.
23:14 He's strong.
23:15 Yes.
23:16 So but Liam and you got to do better.
23:20 Robert Robert Jones impressed.
23:25 Rookie rookie Ryan Hayes.
23:27 And you know, I'm not a you know, I'm not either.
23:32 Ryan Hayes.
23:33 How does all I was like, oh, OK, you like I might not be pushing you inside a guard.
23:41 You you might you might be able to do this job.
23:46 Cameron Good, not Cameron Good.
23:48 I'm Reed Malik Reed.
23:51 I apologize.
23:52 I'm still getting familiar with the players.
23:55 That's all right.
23:56 And I and I'm kind of anal about names and numbers.
23:58 And I like that I've had this rain man, this rain man thing going on.
24:01 So I'm good with those.
24:02 So I'll help you out.
24:03 Just point out Malik Malik Reed.
24:05 All right.
24:07 He does not look impressive, but he can get to the quarterback and.
24:13 I like he's got a lower body, he's got a lower body bend.
24:18 I don't know how much power he plays with, but he's got a lower body bend.
24:22 Tackles can't stop him without pads.
24:23 They're going to have to hold him.
24:25 Well, yeah, and then the Malik Reed is the I mean, when he was in Denver, he was effective
24:29 and word out of Pittsburgh last year was.
24:34 Not a whole lot happening there.
24:37 No, and he's not going to be on the all looks team.
24:42 No, but that's that's all right.
24:43 Yeah, I mean, that's all right.
24:45 I did the ball watching and then the two the two takeaways I had.
24:49 And again, I'm going to preface this, as I always do.
24:52 That drill basically have to feel one on one.
24:54 It's designed to make the offense look good for passing game clicking.
24:59 So understand that you see those highlights of like deep completions and all that.
25:04 What to do?
25:05 Having said all that, Braxton Barrios has got some moves.
25:08 I mean, he is slick in the open field.
25:11 That's number one.
25:12 And then number two.
25:15 Justin Bethel and coverage today.
25:17 And there was one play also I mentioned the touchdown pass to Tyree Kill in a red zone
25:21 drill late when he never turned around.
25:23 And the ball basically just went right by him.
25:26 Had a rough time in coverage and a drill again that's designed to make the passing game.
25:31 Braxton Barrios, and he may play in teams also.
25:35 He may play in teams?
25:36 He did.
25:37 OK, I don't.
25:38 Yeah, I don't.
25:39 One on one.
25:40 If it's not a defensive win, I'm not counting it.
25:44 One on one wide receivers, cornerbacks or, you know, I think I do count it linebackers
25:50 versus running backs.
25:52 But yeah.
25:53 Obviously, he's out there running double moves.
25:56 With a lot of routes.
25:57 With a lot of people to work with.
25:59 Yeah.
26:00 Sorry, it's like.
26:01 No help.
26:02 No, correct.
26:03 If you have a pass breakup against Tyree Kill in that drill, I mean, might as well get fitted
26:08 for the gold jacket or something like that, you know.
26:12 Speaking of which, Zach Thomas was at practice today, did a media session before.
26:17 And if you don't love Zach, if you're a Dolphin fan and you don't love Zach, something's wrong
26:21 with you.
26:22 He made me cry.
26:23 I'm like sitting there just like listening to him and tears are coming to my eyes like
26:28 he made me cry.
26:30 And I mean, and the moment he made me cry was somebody asked, I can't remember, which
26:37 I could give credit.
26:39 What does this mean to all the undersized players?
26:44 Like what does your career mean?
26:46 And oh, my God, it was so moving.
26:49 Because it moves you because you have to know Zach.
26:52 And I'll share this story.
26:55 I've told people this.
26:56 Zach is my favorite football player of all time and will be.
27:00 It's a good choice.
27:02 And it's not so much the play that he made, but it's what he represented.
27:06 Like he wasn't supposed to be that good.
27:10 But he was that good because he put in the work and he gave such an amazing speech about
27:19 doing all the little things.
27:20 Choices.
27:21 Huh?
27:22 Choices.
27:23 The choices that you make to be great.
27:27 And like really was moving to my life because every day I say to myself, I want to work
27:33 out.
27:34 Then, you know, I know my daughter's waking up at a certain time.
27:38 I know I got to do this work.
27:39 I know I got to pack this lunch.
27:42 I know I got to do this stuff.
27:43 So let me just sit here and lay down and rest and chill.
27:47 Well, I can wake up at six thirty in the morning and get thirty five minutes of cardio in.
27:51 I have no excuse to do it.
27:54 It's the choice that I make not to be great.
27:58 And it convicted me.
28:00 And it just, you know, these are the choices that you make.
28:06 And I know how to do it, but I choose not to do it.
28:11 Zach, like that was so motivational and inspirational.
28:16 On top of that, I do want to share this story.
28:19 I started covering the Dolphins in 2007.
28:22 I was an intern many, many years before where, you know, and I saw Zach in his heyday.
28:29 But my first season of 2007, which, you know, was the end of Zach's career.
28:34 He was out on I.R.
28:35 He was barely in the locker room.
28:38 He had the neck injury.
28:41 He was having his roughest season in the NFL.
28:43 His career was potentially over.
28:45 And I went up to him and talked to him in one opportunity that I saw him in the locker
28:49 room one time, and it was just a one on one.
28:52 And I didn't have any plans to do anything with it.
28:56 At that point, it was, you know, a season was over and I was just being a compassionate,
29:01 caring person.
29:02 And I was like, like, how hard is this for you?
29:05 And Zach said, you know what?
29:07 My mentality.
29:10 And my mindset has been that I come.
29:14 I do recess every single day.
29:17 When you remember, though, he was like, you remember those days in elementary where, you
29:21 know, you got to go out to recess for 30 minutes, 45 minutes, and then you had to go to class,
29:28 go back into class.
29:29 And he's like, I go to recess and I never go back into class.
29:35 And for that I am thankful for.
29:39 And from that point, that was the beginning of my career covering the Dolphins in 2007.
29:44 And they forced me to do it.
29:46 I didn't want to do it.
29:47 I never wanted to leave UM.
29:48 I never wanted to cover the Dolphins.
29:50 Didn't know really what it meant.
29:52 But Sun Tentano at that time needed me on that line.
29:56 So I accepted the challenge and I accepted the assignment.
29:58 But I went into work pouting every single day because I wanted to cover UM.
30:03 I made more of an impact covering those young people who were more impressionable other
30:08 than these millionaires who didn't give two craps about anything other than money.
30:14 And that was a horrible team, if you'll remember, in 2007.
30:19 And it won in 15, won in our locker room every day.
30:21 It was a nightmare.
30:23 But from that moment, that changed my mindset about my job.
30:28 And I'm just so thankful that he is in the Hall of Fame and that people will have an
30:35 opportunity to listen to him for 15 minutes.
30:37 Because I think if you listen to Zach Thomas for 15 minutes, 12 minutes, it'll make a difference
30:46 in your life.
30:47 I do want to share one more story about Zach Thomas because he gave me a shout out in the
30:51 press conference.
30:52 And I love Zach.
30:53 And Zach loved me.
30:54 And Zach has always loved my work.
30:56 And I appreciate Zach for that because he knows I keep it real and transparent.
31:01 I was newly separated and on a first date at Joe at the Steakhouse, the prime 112.
31:13 And I'm there and I'm eating, I'm doing my thing, trying to close the deal with this
31:18 young woman.
31:20 And who comes up to my table and goes, Omar, I love your work.
31:25 I love what you do, man.
31:28 Keep doing what you do.
31:29 Don't change for anybody.
31:30 Like it's great to see you hug me.
31:34 It was Zach Thomas.
31:36 So imagine that on a first date.
31:40 And for the record, I closed that day.
31:42 Yeah, you kind of had a lot of help there.
31:45 I did have I did have a lot of help that night.
31:49 And it was just like, you know, mind blowing.
31:55 But those are those are my Zach Thomas stories.
31:57 You guys, I don't have anything to rival that.
32:01 But to me, the thing that sticks out with Zach and the way talking is he's always very
32:05 humble and he's always self deprecating.
32:08 And his thing about like, he always makes fun of his intellect and all that, like, I'm
32:11 just some dumb guy, some country boy from Texas and all that.
32:14 Don't kid yourself, the dude was super smart, because he didn't get to the Hall of Fame
32:18 because of his athletic ability.
32:20 Mind you, he was quick, but he was smallish.
32:22 He wasn't fast.
32:23 He wasn't the strongest, but he was incredible work ethic and really, really, really smart.
32:30 And then another self deprecating comment of like he was asked about waiting for his
32:34 turn to the Hall of Fame.
32:35 And he's talking about like, well, I knew they were going to once they got JT in that
32:39 they were going to make me wait, you know, because it's Jason Taylor and all that.
32:42 And I'm sitting here like.
32:43 There's really a big difference between Jason Taylor and Zach Thomas in terms of
32:48 the impact on the Dolphin defenses of the 2000s.
32:51 And to that I say no, sorry.
32:54 So and I go back covered his entire career all the way back to 1996 when he came in as
32:59 a fifth round pick.
33:01 And I remember the time when it was the Dolphins released Jack Del Rio, who had been brought
33:06 in basically to start in, you know, middle linebacker.
33:08 And we're all like, this guy crazy with that.
33:11 What the hell is Jimmy Johnson doing?
33:12 Okay, I guess he knows what he's doing.
33:15 And it didn't take long for us to realize like, oh, man, this dude can play.
33:20 But always, you always are deferring, you know, giving credit to his teammates.
33:26 There's one name I'm surprised actually didn't mention to them what imagine he's going to
33:29 mention Saturday's Tim Bowens because he's so often about how much Tim Bowens meant his
33:34 career and any Dolphin fan, even though the guy never got necessarily major accolades,
33:40 do not ever underestimate the importance of Tim Bowens and Dolphin history for those who
33:44 kept them clean.
33:45 Yeah, that's unclear.
33:46 And you want to talk about country boys like big country strong dude.
33:51 Holy moly, Tim Bowens.
33:52 So anyway, and then Zach goes on the field and big time.
33:58 Raw, raw speech to the fans to get him pumped up.
34:01 And if you know Zach, you know, damn well, that's not Zach.
34:03 I mean, he was doing it.
34:06 I mean, come on, come on.
34:08 Hold on.
34:09 Hold on.
34:10 He's given that three games of similar pregame speech to his teammates before they go out
34:15 on the field 200 times.
34:21 With that kind of animation and that kind of, I don't know, it struck me as like it
34:25 was cool.
34:26 It was very cool to see, but it was like, you know, because Zach tends to be like, you
34:30 know, kind of humble, modest, you know, all shucks a little me, you know, when I try to
34:34 get it done.
34:35 So anyway, he kind of said he said the tone.
34:40 What struck me is his kids were sitting there in the front row and all I kept thinking about.
34:45 And yeah, he's going into the Hall of Fame like and he talked about how his kids were
34:49 just excited to meet Tua and Tyreek and take pictures with them.
34:52 And all I'm thinking about to myself is.
34:56 Do your kids know how great you were?
34:59 Like do you do you do your kids know like you inspired a whole generation of players?
35:06 No but he made he made a great point.
35:10 And I don't know, five, 10 years, whatever, the kids are going to learn more about what
35:15 their father did.
35:16 And they're going to truly understand and appreciate, you know, the significance not
35:20 only of his career, him making the Hall of Fame and all that.
35:22 And right now he made the point, look at him there on the phone.
35:24 And I was sitting in the front row to the side and I leaned over and I looked and sure
35:27 enough all the kids are like checking out the phones and all that.
35:32 And then and then he mentioned like, you know, they're more excited about going out to the
35:35 field and getting autographs and meeting Tua and Tyreek Hill or whatever, and the kids
35:40 are laughing like, yeah, he nailed it.
35:43 And that's completely normal.
35:45 But it was cool.
35:46 And again, as special as it is now, and I asked Tua, like, what's been the part of the
35:51 Hall of Fame process so far that's stood out to him, including like sitting for the bus
35:58 to be made or getting the gold jacket in the mail.
36:02 And he mentioned the gold jacket because the kids were there and he got to open it and,
36:07 you know, look at it in front of them.
36:09 And they're going to appreciate all those moments even more a little bit further down
36:14 the line.
36:15 I mean, goodness gracious, I can't even like, like, I sat there the whole time.
36:21 And before some before he even mentioned him, I sat there thinking like, man, those kids,
36:26 those are Zach's kids, and they probably don't know how great his dad, their dad was like,
36:32 and it just, you know, because he wasn't like Jason Taylor, where Jason Taylor had his kids
36:36 in the locker room, and they were always there.
36:38 Zach had kids at a very later stage in his career.
36:42 After his career.
36:43 Was it after his career?
36:45 Yeah.
36:46 Probably.
36:47 Yeah, you look at his kids.
36:48 There's no, I mean, his last year was 2007 or 2008.
36:50 None of his kids were 15.
36:52 So Zach's kids were always around.
36:54 I mean, Jason Taylor's kids were always around, always there, whereas Zach's kids, they never
36:59 saw, they never saw their dad play.
37:02 And that's just, you know, mind blowing.
37:05 But you know, he was a phenomenal player.
37:07 And I'm going to be excited to see him go into the Hall of Fame.
37:10 No, no, same here.
37:12 I mean, very well deserved.
37:14 And I've said that before on social media, as great a guy as he was a player, and he
37:18 was a hell of a player.
37:20 So okay, final thoughts on this practice.
37:23 I know we do have a final thought.
37:25 I'm going to address the fact that my stock down today is chosen.
37:30 Robbie chosen.
37:33 I've seen him catch one pass in four practices.
37:38 I've had this guy clear cut to me the number three receiver.
37:44 Obviously that was work he was doing when Tyreek wasn't there and Jalen Waddle was being
37:49 kind of limited.
37:53 And I don't know what happened.
37:57 I can't.
37:59 And Elijah Higgins, whoo, good talk, got a good look today.
38:06 I didn't notice him.
38:07 What would happen with Elijah Higgins today?
38:09 He's slow.
38:10 He's slow.
38:11 Well, that's not good.
38:12 The fact that that if I didn't notice him today, but the fact that I've noticed that
38:15 he's got a hard time catching the ball, that's not a good combination.
38:19 Yeah.
38:20 I'm I'm I've watched him today closely because I'm trying to I thought, figured, hoped that
38:29 tight ends would come alive during red zone day.
38:31 I didn't see any of them catch a ball.
38:35 Not one.
38:36 No, sorry, I take that back.
38:39 I take that back.
38:40 I'm going to have to wrap it up here because we're getting getting against it.
38:43 There was one play in a red zone where two had a little bit of pressure.
38:47 Jalen Phillips came up.
38:48 He pumped fake and then threw an outlet past the Durham Smyth on the side.
38:52 That's the one time I remember.
38:54 Anyway, that's going to do it for now.
38:57 Big day tomorrow.
38:58 Practice practices.
38:59 Sorry, I'm on for the first time.
39:03 So we'll and we'll recap it all again tomorrow.
39:07 He is Omar.
39:08 I am Pupar.
39:09 Thanks again for watching.
39:09 Yep.
39:09 [BLANK_AUDIO]