PS4: Saints 7, Dolphins 0

     I know you're ready for some football. But are the Dolphins?

     It's now nine days from the season opener. How confident are you in Cam Cameron, Trent Green and these 2007 Dolphins? And did the just-concluded preseason serve to raise or lower your expectations?

     Thank gosh the biggest ripoff in American professional sports -- the NFL "preseason" -- comes to a merciful end now and the games count.

    [By the way, the Dolphins and Saints are represented in our dueling pictorial by a divot repair tool and a talking bottle opener. Which is certainly NOT to imply the NFL has gone merchandising crazy].

      Dolphins in N'Awlins and hardly anybody important played for Miami in a game that determined things like who'll be the team's fourth guard and which defensive back will make the roster as the spare destined to be on the inactive list each week.

     Once again the result didn't matter a nit. Did anybody stand out to you? Anybody? Some people clearly did not. Aside to the Next Marino Committee: Let's hold off just a bit on John Beck, shall we?

     Also interested to gauge reaction to Coach Cam's decision to relinquish authority to aides in order to better "step back" and evaluate talent. The fuss and to-do has been comical. People, it's an exhibition game. Cameron letting Dom Capers wear the headset for one August night isn't the U.S. government ceding command to Cheney while Bush undergoes a colonoscopy. Cam seems to have a bit of flair to him. Daring, even. I like it.