Dolphins to Practice at Giants' Facility So Team Can See 'Lombardi' on Broadway

Filed under: Dolphins, Jets, AFC East

DAVIE, Fla. -- There is nothing unusual about an East Coast team traveling a day early for a West Coast game, but the Miami Dolphins have altered their travel schedule this weekend in preparation for their game with the New York Jets at the New Meadowlands in East Rutherford, N.J. In addition, they have made arrangements with the New York Giants to practice at their facility Friday afternoon -- and there is no time zone change.

With Dolphins coach Tony Sparano and Giants coach Bill Parcells both hailing from the Bill Parcells coaching tree, it makes sense that one would accommodate the other. This will allow the Dolphins to adjust to the drop in temperature and acclimate to the crazy wind conditions up there, but there also was another item on the agenda that helps explain for the early arrival.

According to Ben Volin of The Palm Beach Post, who pulled this bit of information from Zach Berman of The Newark Star-Ledger, Sparano is taking his team down Broadway to catch the play "Lombardi," which is based on the best-selling biography, "When Pride Still Mattered: A Life of Vince Lombardi."

Clearly this is another one of Sparano's motivational tactics as he wants his players to learn about the legendary Hall-of-Fame coach of the Green Bay Packers and the man the Super Bowl trophy is named after.

Dolphins owner Stephen Ross is the one who came up with the idea after meeting up with Giants owner John Mara at the premiere of "Lombardi" in October. Ross is a native of New York and figured the play might spark something in the team.

"He mentioned to me he might want to bring the team up early so he could take them over to see the show," Mara said. "I remember joking with him, 'Good luck selling that to your vice president of football operations,' which was Bill Parcells at the time."

The team had contacted the Giants a month ago, according to Volin, about using the facility but Mara said initially it was only going to be for the Saturday walk-through. Then once the prospect of being able to see the play became a reality a change was made and thus the request to be able to practice on Friday was made.

"We were not going to be using it," Mara said. "We were going to be out there Friday by 1 p.m., so as long as it was after 2. And Saturday, no problem. And that was it. Certainly it was a common courtesy to another NFL team and we would expect the same courtesy if we were in that situation and wanted to practice someplace. I did not consider it a big deal.

"I would not consider it a big deal if another team was using the Jets' practice facility. In retrospect I wish I had called (Jets owner) Woody (Johnson) and asked him about it first because my relationship with him and the Jets is far more important to me and this organization, than my relationship with the Dolphins."

 

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