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In July, 1983, The First Miami Dolphins Training Camp for south Florida football fans who got a first hand
look at that famous quick release for which the legend is known. The former University of Pittsburgh stand
out was chosen in the first round, the 27th overall pick in the 1983 National Football League draft and karma
would follow this legend being chosen in his first year of eligibility following his 1999 retirement as a Miami
Dolphin. Dan Marino finished his rookie season as the AFC’s top rated quarterback who was named the starter in
the Pro Bowl of the same year and received Rookie of the Year honors. This all came from a player that the Miami
Dolphins considered themselves lucky to get. The Miami Dolphins picking at position 27 of the first round saw
many quarterbacks taken before history was made with the 27th selection of the 1983 National Football League
Draft, The Miami Dolphins selected Dan Marino.
There were five other quarterbacks chosen before the future legend; John Elway was #1, Todd Blackledge was #7,
Jim Kelly was #14, Tony Eason was #15, and Ken O’Brien was #24, they were all selected when the Miami Dolphins were
on the clock. Dan Marino and the Miami Dolphins spoiled us during his 17 seasons at the helm of the Miami Dolphins
offense. In his 17 seasons, the team experienced only one losing season. The nine time Pro Bowl selection rewrote
the record books and still owns most of the passing records in existence today. All of the accomplishments aside,
In 2005 the great ambassador of the game received the highest honor bestowed to the leagues greatest to ever play
the game. Dan Marino calls South Florida home and he also has a satellite office in Canton Ohio. Maybe you have
heard of the place it’s called the National Football Leagues Hall of Fame in Canton Ohio.
In closing, I would like to share a short poem sent in by James Hurt. He called it “My Memories of Dan Marino”.
I like to share this poem every year just before the draft because you never know where the next superstar will be
picked in the draft. “On every Sunday on giant fields of green, If you missed one imagine what you would have seen,
Distant roars still echo for the one man team, Poetry in motion constantly letting off steam, Built to perfection
the football god reflection, The best thing to happen to football since his conception, Timeless delivery and
pinpoint accuracy, Wait a lifetime and never better you’ll see, Vision clearer than the summer sky, Touchdowns
everywhere seen by the eye, His passes seemed thrown from somewhere on high, No amount of money a better player
could buy, Unmatched by mortals Hall of fame bust should say, Because no other shall grace the field in such a way,
Marino is living proof god is a Miami fan, Because he delivered Miami the Man.”
Click Here for Poem...
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