What is the reason, then, that I chose the Miami Dolphins as my favorite football team? About all that I can tell people is that in third grade (1979) I saw the light. It simply came upon me. 'Twas my calling, my destiny. However, after years of continuing my search for a more concrete answer, I may have found a piece of an explanation while cleaning out my Milbank home during the summer of 2025. As I was cleaning out a top bedroom closet that contained many old games and other miscellaneous "fun" stuff, I ran into a hand-sized plaque featuring Saint Gregory adorned in the same soothing colors of the Dolphins. It was part of my childhood in the '70s, and it paired my first full legal name, Gregory, with the calmative color combination of aqua and orange. When I uncovered the wood art piece of Saint Gregory after years of being kept in the dark in the upper part of my bedroom, the possibility that it helped something click in my mind/connected me to the Dolphins immediately filled me (see picture below).
The Dolphins went 10-6 in 1979 and were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs by Pittsburgh on December 30, 1979. Sixteen days later, on January 15, 1980, I made a Dolphin "plaque" (below) that hangs on the wall of The Palace today. I originally used to think that their colors were red and light blue and that the dolphin faced toward the back of the helmet. I had much to learn! (Click on the picture below to see a larger photo.)
I finished making this on January 15, 1980, in my
basement. I was nine years old. You will notice two
mistakes. I treasure this--goes back to my roots of being a most
loyal fan of the Miami Dolphins!
This is the team picture of the 1979 Dolphins. Coach Shula is in the white shirt (front row).
Bob Griese was the quarterback in 1979. David Woodley and Don Strock (also known as "WoodStrock") shared quarterback duties from 1980-1983. Then, some guy named Marino, the sixth quarterback chosen in the '83 draft, made his first appearance on September 19, 1983. It was the third game of the season, and the Dolphins trailed the Oakland Raiders, 27-0. Marino (first name Dan) guided the Dolphins to two late touchdowns in the fourth quarter to make the final score 27-14. He got his first start three weeks later. The rest, they say, is a Hall of Fame career. Having Dan join the team was a tremendous bonus to a team I had already loved.
It is hard to imagine not having the Dolphins to cheer for seven months out of the year. There's nothing like gameday. I have the Sunday Ticket so that I can see every Dolphin game of the season. I will follow the Dolphins, win or lose, for the rest of my life. And as long as people continue to ask, "Why did you pick the Dolphins?", I will either have to answer with "I SAW THE LIGHT!" or "SAINT GREGORY!"
