Anatomy Of A Turnaround

Attitude, accountability part of major culture change

- Hal Habib 

It might be on team flights, where watching films (as in movies) has been replaced by watching film (as in game tapes).

It might be in team meetings and practices, where errors are corrected, no matter if the issue is small and the offender’s name is big.

Or it might be on the sideline, where any number of things can go wrong but the pervasive feeling is that ultimately things will be all right.

That doesn’t sound like the Miami Dolphins? That’s precisely the idea. For too long, 8-8 has sounded like the Dolphins.

Enter the locker room today and you’ll hear players talking about accountability, leadership, culture — words that aren’t just words.

These qualities were ushered in the day Adam Gase stepped foot in the door. Think about it: youngest coach in the league, telling this underperforming bunch to grow up. I’ll treat you like men, he said, because I expect you to act like men. I’ll lead you, he said, but I expect leaders in this room to do the same.

First, there were growing pains. Then the team went on a midseason winning streak, becoming one of the hottest in the league and throwing Gase in the conversation for Coach of the Year honors.

Maybe the ride will end with a postseason berth, maybe not. What is certain is the bar has been raised to heights rarely seen in Davie for most of these players’ adult lives.

“We’ve eliminated all of the type of nonsense that most of the teams around the NFL don’t have during the week,” Gase says, adding that the nonsense had been tolerated for “whatever years.”

Contrast that to the Nov. 30 practice. Gase learned defensive tackle Leon Orr had been arrested the day before on drug charges. Gase called Orr over and cut him on the spot — during the workout.