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Got to our 2004 Schedule page or click below for MiamiDolphins.com printable schedule. |
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Reclaiming His Good Name I got the opportunity to attend Dolphins Training Camp last week. I was there from Aug.18-Aug.21. I saw many things I liked, Olindo Mare looking very good in practice. Turk, punting it as good as he ever has, Chambers catching ANYTHING thrown his way, and many other things. There was one thing that really stood out in my mind, that thing was the actions of Dolphin TE- Randy McMichael. When I say actions, I don’t mean the catches he made, or blocks he laid on defenders, I mean his actions AFTER practice. Randy McMichael’s off the field actions have been in the media spotlight this summer, some calling him a wife-beater, or calling his ability to be a parent into question. A few weeks back Randy and his wife were not in the best of times with each other, and an altercation led to their arrest. The charges were dropped, and nothing came out of this. To me, it was obviously a heated situation gone wrong. Nobody besides those two, know exactly what happened that night, but what I can tell you, is that Randy McMichael is NOTHING like some make him out to be. After practice on Wed. the first thing out of his mouth was “Where’s my wife”? He went over, gave her a hug and talked for a minute. They told each other I love you, and Randy went to sign autographs. As a fan I love to get autographs from players, it’s exciting and makes you feel like they care. It’s very disappointing for fans to bring out their cards, and hats and other memorabilia for the players to just walk off the field and send the fans home wishing they would have signed or just said hello. That’s one thing that Randy cannot be accused of. I literally watched Randy McMichael sign autographs after EVERY practice for at least 15 min. In every case, he had to run off the field because he was going to be late for a meeting. I saw some of the employees on radio’s saying, “He’s still signing, we are trying to get him to come in”. But he kept signing because he heard the voices of fans saying “Mr.McMichael could you sign please”? To some people this might not mean a thing. But to the hundreds of fans who leave with his autograph, it means a lot. He shows that he cares about his fans, taking pictures, shaking hands, just the little things, that make fans happy. I heard a little boy say “Randy, do you remember me”? He laughingly replied “yeah, I remember you, and I remember you asking me if I do, EVERY practice” the little boy said “thanks for remembering me Mr.McMichael”. That same boy turned to his friends and basically screaming with excitement he said “Did you hear that!!!! He remembers me.” The boy and all his friends were absolutely amazed with the fact that one of his heroes remembered him. That is just one example, but I know there are many, many more. Randy is not the animal that some make him out to be. And if there were more players like himself, the fan support for the teams would shoot through the roof, not because the players sign autographs, but because the players take their time to show the fans, that they appreciate them. Randy McMichael is one of my favorite players, but unlike some of my favorites, it’s not just because of his play ON the field, it’s what he does for his fans, OFF the field. I really hope that more players figure this out. Because ultimately it’s the fans that give them there paychecks.
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