Back In The Booth...

The Miami Dolphins quietly made their best off-season move today.

"Mad Dog" Jim Mandich (not pictured) will be back in the broadcast booth to call games in 2010.

Put simply, he represents everything that is right with the franchise, with football, with radio, and with South Florida.
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There's been a tremendous void on the air since Mad Dog became ill earlier in the year and decided to end his daily show.

Obviously, as someone who worked on his show for 8 years or so, I had a personal interest in Mad Dog's show.

But that's not what his return to the air is about.
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I've missed him most as a listener.

He offers a sense of perspective and fun that is unmatched by anyone in the market.

He's been in our town for over 40 years and his keen insight is lost in a wave of juvenile pretenders.
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Nobody knows the Miami Dolphins like Mad Dog.

He's been there through every up and down.

He was on the field during the perfect season.

He was in the booth for the Marino-era.

His contacts have contacts.

And most importantly, he truly loves everything that the Miami Dolphins were and can be.
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Mad Dog is best known for his phrase "ALRIGHT MIAMI."

It's something that he screams in moments of pure joy.

But, when you have someone who knows so much about the team, when he yells that, you know, it's truly "ALRIIIIGHT."
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Football is a game that's about passion and dedication.

He doesn't make a show about it, but nobody is more prepared for a game than Mad Dog.

Even though on the surface, he's a homer, he's really not.

He can be critical.

He can say that the offense stinks right now, or the defense needs blitz more, because he really knows.

When he does criticize the team, you know that it's coming from a place of love and that all he wants is for the team to ultimately succeed.
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On top of all that, the man is battling cancer.

But, as he always says, no whining, no complaining.

During my 8 years of writing for him, no matter what was happening in my life, I would always send him a show.

Never missed a day.

He once told me, "You line up and play."

That's the bottom line.

I've taken that lesson to heart and he continues to embody it.

When the season starts, Mad Dog is lining up and playing.

We're all better for it.

I'll be listening.