Dolphins Purchase Disappointment

The Miami Dolphins found out what money can buy.

A shorter plank to walk.

At least that’s the destiny they face this weekend, their season on the precipice of disaster and a lot of sharks waiting to feed on them if they hit the water.

One of the main points that will be mentioned is all the money that the Dolphins and owner H. Wayne Huizenga spent to make the Super Bowl.

Before the season, the Dolphins shelled out more than $12 million in signing bonuses. That has risen to more than $18 million, ranking in the top fourth of NFL teams. Huizenga said money would not stand in the way of Super Bowl hopes.

But if 11 games of a season prove anything, it is that there are only two certainties when spending up front.

First, you generally get the players you want. Second, fans expect more.

At 6-5, the Dolphins have not fulfilled the expected destiny. They have discovered that spending is only a small part of how a winner is built.

Cohesiveness and incentive are just as important. Some argue that the big money the Dolphins spent has undermined those two things. That’s an easy, but problematic argument. Signing bonues seem to be working just fine in Dallas, where Jerry Jones spent more than $40 million in advance money this season, and worked last year in San Francisco.

The truth is that the Dolphins expenditures haven’t worked because of other problems:

1. The Dolphins aren’t using the talent they bought. Specifically, this is high-ticket tight end Eric Green.

Green’s greatest skill is blocking, and the Dolphins haven’t built a running game to match his skills.

Likewise, the Dolphins spent big money to keep All-Pro offensive tackle Richmond Webb.

Miami talked about an increased emphasis on the run. So far, they are running 41 percent of the time. Last season, it was 40 percent.

2. Too much money was spent at low-priority positions.

In two years of dealing with the salary cap, three positions have seen sharp drops in value: punter, kicker and safety. Yet the Dolphins have dipped deep into their pockets to spend on kicker Pete Stoyanovich and safety Gene Atkins.

Stoyanovich is one of the best, but Miami could have had someone like John Carney for less.

As for Atkins, the Dolphins want people to believe they were worried about Louis Oliver’s contract demands in ‘94 when they signed Atkins and let Oliver go to Cincinnati.

The truth is, the Dolphins loved Atkins, making him the first free agent signed that year. They wanted him so much that they had him in the team hotel the night before free agency began and put a huge package on the table to prevent Atkins’ previous team, New Orleans, from matching. At the time, they were quite proud of this bit of bidding.

Then, like Stoyanovich, the Dolphins went back to Atkins this year and gave him more money to create cap room. The result: Atkins has been more headstrong than ever and Shula had to bench him.

3. The Dolphins bought mostly solid players, but not enough stars.

Green is an exception, but what we’re talking about is players such as cornerback Deion Sanders and linebacker Ken Norton. Miami backed out because it felt it was too much ($13 million up front) for Sanders.

They key to the signing bonus system is getting star players who make those around them better. Sanders is that kind of player. Chris Singleton and Jeff Cross are not.

For the signing bonus that those two players got, the Dolphins could have afforded Sanders. Forget the $35 million figure. The real contract is three years, $14 million.

Sanders can keep a pass rush strong even when it seems to be slipping, as the Dolphins’ pass rush has been since the first three games.

Watters watch

The popular perception of Ricky Watters is that he’s selfish. For who? For what? For Ricky. For $9.3 million over three years.

Love him or hate him, there is no denying the Eagles wouldn’t be 7-4 and in the playoff hunt without him.

He ranks fourth in the NFC in rushing with 881 yards and fourth in the NFL in yards from scrimmage with 1,214. Surprised? Watters says you shouldn’t be.

“People act like I’m a rookie or something,” Watters said. “I’ve been to three Pro Bowls in three years. I’ve been in a Super Bowl and scored three touchdowns. I know how to play and I know how to win, and I just want my respect for that.

Justice for all

Mike Pritchard, Denver Broncos receiver, was fined $7,500 for bumping an official … but only $1,005 for vehicular assault and driving while impaired during a recent car accident in which he drove into two women.

Players’ coach

Carolina coach Dom Capers moved the team’s weekly weigh-in from Friday morning to Thursday morning so players could pig out on Thanksgiving.

Other wire services contributed to this report.