For those of you that do not know, Jay Fiedler is a '94 alumnus from Dartmouth who is now the starting quarterback for the Miami Dolphins. In short, Dartmouth has more starting quarterbacks in the NFL than Nebraska, Texas, Oklahoma, USC, Alabama, Notre Dame and many other big name schools, making Fiedler a big deal for Dartmouth and the Ivy League. This week's Fiedler Report is a little different than the previous articles over the last two years. Somehow, someway, I scored a press pass to the Miami Dolphins versus New York Jets game last Sunday. The following is a rundown of my day.
9:00 a.m. Leave my house for the Meadowlands: the swamp area of New Jersey. The area was once dominated by sleazy strip clubs and auto junk yards but has now been transformed into a more family friendly atmosphere with restaurants, hotels, and sleazy strip clubs.
9:34 a.m. Get out of car but stick out in the parking lot. My attire clashes with the already drunk fans without shirts on.
9:40 a.m. Pick up my press pass and hurry to the press box to claim my seat.
10:00 a.m. Assigned seat as Miami press. Receive packets of information about players on each team and history of past Jets/Dolphins games.
10:30 a.m.. Have lunch with other writers. Sports Illustrated, ESPN, NFL scouts, and local media filter in.
11:15 a.m. Head down to field. See Commissioner Taglibue and lots of the players coming to and from the field. I watch some of warm-ups.
12:30 p.m. Head back up to my seat in the press box. The press box is now filled. A 24-26-year-old female television sports announcer comes over to talk to me. The question arises of which newspaper or television station I work for. I respond that I am a college writer from Dartmouth covering Jay Fiedler. Conversation soon ends.
12:45 p.m.Papers are handed out of the starting lineups and the weather forecast. Announcer of press box lists the inactive players and tells the press to remember not to cheer in the press box, for TV and radio announcers are broadcasting very close by.
1:02 p.m. Kickoff. The Dolphins have lost nine of the last ten to the Jets and have lost five straight at the Meadowlands. This is a must win for both teams as they both enter the game a disappointing 0-1. The Jets lost on the NFL's season opener to the Washington Redskins while the Dolphins lost to the Texans in a shocker 21-20.
1:25 p.m. With the Jets leading 3-0, Fiedler runs a bootleg to the left and dives into the endzone for a nine yard TD run. Fiedler collides with cornerback Donnie Abraham leaving Fiedler with a gash on the side of chin and Abraham with a separated shoulder.
1:52 Fiedler tosses a eight yard strike to Randy McMichael giving the Dolphins a 14-3 lead.
2:14 Ricky Williams continues to chew up yards and punishes the Jets for going offsides on a fourth and two with a two yard touchdown run with seventeen seconds left.
2:16- 2:31 Halftime. Dolphins lead 21-3.
2:51 Fumble by Fiedler. Chester McGlockton recovers.
2:54 Santana Moss hauls in a 32-yard touchdown pass. 21-10 Dolphins. Comeback?
3:34 No comeback for the Jets this time. Ricky Williams dominates while Curtis Martin cannot gain anything. I head down to the field to catch the players as they enter the locker room.
3:41 Game ends 21-10 in the Dolphins' favor. Fiedler was 14-19 for 190 yards with one rushing TD and one passing TD. Ricky Williams rushed for 125 yards on 34 carries.
3:46 p.m. I follow the pack of reporters and enter into press room for coach interviews. New York Jets Coach Herman Edwards gets behind the podium in the small room packed with reporters asking questions. After his interview, I slip out the door and back into the tunnel.
3:48 p.m. I flashed my press pass and entered into the Dolphins Locker Room. The locker room of an NFL team is very weird. There are a couple of reporters and video cameras getting a soundbite for the late night news in addition to the many naked football players. walking around As soon as I entered, several naked offensive lineman passed by me on the way to their lockers. I walked around listening to Zach Thomas, Junior Seau, Jason Taylor and Chris Chambers give interviews. I was a bit stunned by where I was, but a push from Adawale Ogunleye, a 6'4", 260-pound defensive end, brought me back to reality. I headed over to Ricky Williams and listened to him speak about topics ranging from his ground game, to his hair, to his cars, and finally to his nipple rings.
Eventually, the other three reporters left to talk to Coach Wannstedt and I was left sitting with Ricky Williams giving me an interview in a towel. I asked , "So Ricky, the Bills won today making them 2-0, and now with the Dolphins back on track at 1-1, this means next Sunday's game against the Bills will determine who is in first in the AFC East. Are you nervous about the red-hot Bills and their defense that has allowed only 17 points." Ricky's response: "I don't care." I continue, "Are you gonna focus on watching one player on the Bills defense. Takeo Spikes? Lawyer Milloy?" Ricky: "I haven't watched any tape yet." I respond, "Thanks Ricky, good game." My first of hopefully many awkward NFL interviews.
4:34 p.m. I move over to talk to Fiedler. Many reporters are crowded around him. Fiedler tells the reporters about his bootleg run, "The goal line was there, it was either jump over someone or stick my head down and try and get over the line."
I could see that I was not going to get an interview with Fiedler so I would have to shout a question to Fiedler and hope he would respond. I said, "Jay, Chris LaForgia from Dartmouth. You have the second best winning percentage of active QB's with 25 starts, placing you behind Kurt Warner and ahead of McNabb, Brady, even Favre, and I'm wondering if you think you don't get the respect you deserve?" Fiedler gave the standard, "I'm just trying to win ball games and if respect comes then that's great," but I was excited I had a somewhat decent question.
5:04 p.m. Leave locker room and enter typical New Jersey traffic.
This past Sunday, the Dolphins took on the Buffalo Bills and beat them 17-7 behind Ricky Williams' 153 yards on 42 carries. Fiedler was 16-28 for 154 yards with one TD and one pick. The Dolphins have a bye this week. Their next game is October 4, as they return to the Meadowlands to face the New York Giants.
