Last night was the fifth and final episode of Hard Knocks: Training Camp with the Miami Dolphins. I was surprised to discover that I'm going to miss that show, but I can't say why.

The series chronicled the dysfunction of training camp and proved that there is no hope for the 2012 season exactly at that time of year where unfounded hope should be flourishing for fans of all 32 teams. Maybe that's what I liked about it: it demonstrated that I was right to be down on the 2012 season.

Although I can't say that I feel quite as hopeless as all that. The Dolphins released David Garrard yesterday, so I don't have to deal with that should-we or shouldn't-we quarterback quandary anymore this season. Joe Philbin looks a few fathoms out of his depth, but at least Fins fans don't have to be frustrated waiting through losing games for that to become apparent. And I got to see Jeff Ireland in action, so I know that I'm justified in complaining about his inability to recognize talent.

Could it be worse? Sure. But at least knowing how bad it is keeps me from worrying. Now I can embrace our upcoming 5 win season with schadenfreude. At least that's something to look forward to.

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Sigh. No Manning, no Flyyn, no Smith.... and after allowing their starting quarterback of the past three years to run off to join the Jacksonville Jaguars, the Dolphins -- who at this point should rename themselves the Miami Desperations -- have signed David Garrard to a one-year deal. This is the same David Garrad who was unceremoniously cut by the Jaguars before the 2011 season then refused to sign with the Dolphins mid-way through the 2011 season either because the Dolphins wouldn't offer him enough money (Garrard's version of the story) or because he wasn't interested in playing professional football anymore (the Dolphins version of the story). In any event, the Dolphins and Jaguars have now essentially traded unwanted quarterbacks Henne and Garrard. Hooray?

This obvious mismanagement by the Dolphins is drawing fire from past players, who are publicly criticizing team General Manager Jeff Ireland. NFL.com reports players calling Ireland untrustworthy and disrespectful. The League's media arm also reminds us that Ireland asked much-hyped potential draft pick Dez Bryant if his mother was a prostitute in 2010 and tried to hire Jim Harbaugh as Head Coach without first firing Tony Sparano in 2011. We have a name for guys like Ireland, and that name isn't "winner."

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