The 5 Kinds of Miami Dolphins Fans
There are few teams with a fanbase as devoted as the Miami Dolphins. Dolphins fans are a proud bunch. From the youngest fans who have only seen Dan Marino play in reruns on YouTube, to the older fans who clearly remember the “good ole days” when it wasn’t unheard of for the Dolphins to make it to the playoffs. Despite all the ups and downs the Dolphins have given their fans over the years, there is one thing that can’t be disputed—the Miami Dolphins have some of the most loyal fans.
For a team that hasn’t won a title since 1973, or a playoff game since 2000, these fans stand by their team. There are five different types of people that are still willing to don a Dolphins tie and put up with all the new and unexciting ways their team disappoints them season after season.
Undefeated Dolphins Fan
In a broad sense, there are really only two types of Dolphins fans—those who are old enough to remember when the Dolphins were one of the best teams in the league during the early ‘70s, and everybody else. From 1971 to 1974, the Dolphins only lost 4 games and won two Super Bowl championships. Since 2009, the Dolphins have not seen more than one season where they haven’t lost at least eight games, with no sign of a Super Bowl on the horizon. Undefeated Dolphins fans have seen the highest of highs when it comes to professional sports. There is no topping their team, so don’t even try.
The Ryan Tannehill Dolphins Fan
Fans who can be classified as Ryan Tannehill fans are generally under the age of 14. They don’t know or remember the Dolphins before 2012, so they are used to seeing their team face defeat week after week. Even though these fans haven’t been around very long and can’t drive themselves to the games, they still know that on a Sunday afternoon, Hard Rock Stadium is the place to be to watch the Dolphins play.
Deserted Island Dolphin Fans
Fans who fall into this category are the best kind to have. This large group of 26 to 40-year-olds have been around long enough to come to terms with the fact that for their beloved Dolphins there isn’t even a ray of sunshine at the end of the long tunnel. They are on a deserted island, long lost and forgotten, where no one is going to come and save them. Back in the day, a loss would ruin their day. But now they have learned to laugh through the most miserable moments, predict missed field goals before they happen, and have no hope of going to a Super Bowl game. Despite all the losses and disappointments, these fans keep coming back, game after game, tricked into believing that everything isn’t as bad as it seems.
The Tailgate Dolphins Fan
These are probably the smartest fans of all. Not only do they come to games to watch their beloved Dolphins, they have also turned every game into another reason to drink and grill up some tasty grub. For these fans, games have always been more about the tailgate party than about the actual game. For some fans, they don’t ever step foot into Hard Rock Stadium, they just tailgate and party out in the parking lot before returning home.
Zombie Dolphin Fans
These fans are arguably the team’s biggest fans. In fact, zombie fans firmly believe the smallest decision the team makes is a step in the right direction, moving them toward Super Bowl glory. In fact, these fans often possess a “smarter than you” logic, as they know and understand every decision the team makes and why they make it. Even if you don’t understand the motive behind a trade or other decision that impacts the team, you are supposed to trust the process and throw on a Dolphins tie. Aside from being the smartest fans, the zombie fans also firmly believe the reason why they haven’t made it back to the Super Bowl is that every coach, general manager, and president of the team simply has bad luck. These fans will always have a multitude of reasons, not excuses, why the Dolphins haven’t been a winning team in years.