DAVIE, Fla. – Joe Philbin comes across at first glance as yard-marker-rigid, a tight-lipped disciplinarian type. But the Miami Dolphins second-year head coach has a touch of the unexpected in him, too, and he revealed it to his team this past week.

For instance, did you know he's a huge Seinfeld fan and can recite lines from every episode? His favorite 30 minutes from the popular television sitcom?

A episode called "The Opposite," when George Costanza, snake-bitten by life, decides to do the opposite of what his instincts tell him -- and the strategy helps him land an attractive girlfriend, a job offer from the New York Yankees and an apartment.



So, maybe it's no surprise, then, that Philbin went Costanza on his team this past week, with an impromptu getaway from the grind of a three-day minicamp: He ordered his players and coaches to a late-day pool party at nearby Nova Southeastern University's aquatic center.

"The players have always been on me about going to a water park and blah, blah, blah,'' Philbin told USA TODAY Sports after Thursday's practice. "We kept it a pretty good secret. I didn't think they were expecting it. Then, we all went over to the pool, and I happened to jump in the water along with them.''


"Coach let his hair down, the little hair he does have,'' defensive end Cameron Wake said. "We had some fun with him -- him just being able to take care of us and keeping the morale up, that makes everybody want to go out there and work harder for him.''

After going through a full year's cycle of football, Philbin knows his players better and vice versa, and that has enabled him to let his more natural personality emerge.

"I think we've all gotten more comfortable, ripping him, giving it back to him,'' quarterback Ryan Tannehill said. "He's got that real dry sense of humor. I try to rip him as much as I can.

"(Wednesday) he was the last one on the practice field. He wasn't late. But he was the last one up there. I got everyone to start ripping him as soon as he walked out.''

Yes, how dare they have a life outside of football

Just play effing football.

It's just dumb to me that something so stupid gets into the paper. "Morale" boosting....lol. making millions a year and you still need your morale boosted is dumb. Play the game. Some of you hang on the players like they really care about you. Again, play the game and shut up.

It's just dumb to me that something so stupid gets into the paper. "Morale" boosting....lol. making millions a year and you still need your morale boosted is dumb. Play the game. Some of you hang on the players like they really care about you. Again, play the game and shut up.

It's team building and good leadership. Take care of them, and they take care of the game. I use the same philosophy at work. I take care of my people, and they take care of the airplanes.

George Lopez, is that you???

Not to mention the fact that their career is one that a significant portion of them are broken down physically (and mentally) before the age of 50. A lot of them won't ever be able to have a normal life outside of football. Won't be able to play with grandchildren, if they even live to see them. You live with that knowledge and see if you don't need a morale boost every now and again.

Yes, players are robots. There isn't a thing such as chemistry, believing in the guy next to you etc. Team building does not play a role when building a team.

Brilliant stuff.

Although I am supportive of the morale booster, I am not sure about this statement. I suppose that this could be true, but part of me thinks that these people spend their career being in the best physical shape of their lives (OK, maybe not the big lineman). I might want to think that they put themselves in good position to have a decent life expectancy. Especially compared to the rising numbers of obese sedentary individuals in this country.

Yes, obviously they will have significant orthopedic issues, but I'm not sure how many will decrease ones life span given the state of medicine today

I dunno, just a different spin on things

Jeez a simple little story about the team having a pool party turns into a back and forth about morale boosting here on Phinfever.

On the next edition, did Tannehills wife have any work done? Or is she ALL natural?

Jeez a simple little story about the team having a pool party turns into a back and forth about morale boosting here on Phinfever.

On the next edition, did Tannehills wife have any work done? Or is she ALL natural?

The article is not even about the team having a pool party... it is about Joe Philbin and how he and his players relate to each other.

The pool party is simply an example.

Talk about people missing the point...

I know the point... its just not worthy of a huge discussion to me I guess. It's morale boosting... yay!

It's not... but there are people replying to the article saying "Just play football"...

Except there is no game scheduled...

An Internet forum, or message board, is an online discussion site where people can hold conversations in the form of posted messages.

Jeez a simple little story about the team having a pool party turns into a back and forth about morale boosting here on Phinfever.

On the next edition, did Tannehills wife have any work done? Or is she ALL natural?

I would suggest not engaging in discussions if you feel they are unworthy of it, that will limit the countless responses to said topics...

On the next edition, did Tannehills wife have any work done? Or is she ALL natural?

Jeez a simple little story about the team having a pool party turns into a back and forth about morale boosting here on Phinfever.

Big Dave can host a Phinfever pool party to clear the air. Bring your own towel.