An Open Letter to the Miami Dolphins Organization

As a lifelong Dolfan, my journey with this team runs deep. I grew up celebrating the legacy of the undefeated 1972 Miami Dolphins — a team that will forever hold a sacred place in NFL history. I watched with pride during the era of Super Bowl appearances and waited patiently for the day we would return to that glory.

But as the years passed, that pride turned into something harder to hold onto.

There have been seasons when it was genuinely embarrassing to admit I was a Dolphins fan. And yet, we always found comfort in the one thing no other team could claim — the perfect season. The 17-0 record has become more than a badge of honor; it has become the thing we cling to while everything else about the team seems lost.

And now, I believe it’s time.

It’s time to bring that era to a dignified close — not just the season, but the identity itself. The Miami Dolphins name and brand, as it stands today, no longer represents excellence, unity, or hope. It represents years of mismanagement, disappointment, and missed opportunities. It’s time to start over. A fresh identity, a new brand, and a rebirth of what this franchise could be — all while honoring the greatness of that undefeated team, who should be celebrated as legends, not as shields from the present.

This isn’t just about the logo or the name — it’s about the foundation. The culture. The leadership.

Let’s be honest: The invisible hands shaping this team — from the top of the front office to the product on the field — have failed us repeatedly. The General Manager position has been a revolving door of poor decision-making and short-sighted planning. Remember the Bill Parcells era? Another lost opportunity. We need a GM who can truly build a championship contender, not just flash potential for a season or two.

To Coach Mike McDaniel — I respect your innovation and leadership, but it’s time. This team needs a fresh voice, someone who brings both accountability and toughness. And while it’s not about race, it is about representation and opportunity. The NFL has long needed more qualified Black head coaches, and the Dolphins have an opportunity to lead by example — not with tokenism, but with a real commitment to diversity and excellence.

And finally, the quarterback position. We’ve gone through countless names, countless promises. Tua Tagovailoa, while showing sparks of brilliance, has not delivered when it counts. It’s not personal. It’s business. We’ve waited long enough for redemption since the Daunte Culpepper decision. It’s time to move forward with clarity and conviction.

So I say this with all the love and frustration of a lifelong fan:

Fire Chris Grier. Move on from Mike McDaniel. Say goodbye to Tua. And yes — retire the Dolphins name. Let that legacy stand untouched, celebrated for what it was, and not dragged down by what the team has become.

It’s been time. Now, let’s make it official.

Sincerely,

A Heartbroken but Hopeful Fan

The End Of Racism: Why White Cubans Hated Fidel Castro

​The Cuban Revolution, which brought Fidel Castro to power in 1959, is one of the most polarizing events of the 20th century. While it was hailed by many poor and marginalized Afro-Cubans as a victory against racial and economic injustice, it was met with intense hatred and a mass exodus by a majority of the island's white, wealthy, and middle-class citizens. For these Cubans, the Revolution was not a liberation but a complete dispossession—a radical destruction of their way of life, economic power, and political freedom.

​The Seizure of Wealth: Economic Dispossession 
​The most immediate and profound source of hatred came from Castro's sweeping socialist reforms, which systematically targeted the economic assets of the elite and middle classes.
• ​Nationalization of Private Property: Castro's government quickly nationalized all major industries, banks, and businesses, many of which were owned by Cuban families or American investors. This action annihilated the wealth of the Cuban elite and effectively ended private enterprise.
• ​Agrarian Reform Laws: These laws limited the size of landholdings and expropriated large estates without adequate compensation, destroying the power base of the wealthy landowning families.
• ​Loss of the Middle Class: It was not only the ultra-rich who fled. The professional and entrepreneurial middle class—who were predominantly white—saw their savings, small businesses, and professional autonomy vanish overnight as the state took control of the entire economy. A typical early exile was a white, older executive or professional whose entire economic status was vaporized by the new regime.
•
​The Death of Democracy: Political Tyranny
​For many who initially supported the overthrow of the corrupt dictator Fulgencio Batista, the quick turn to a one-party communist state was a profound betrayal of the promise of democracy.
• ​Suppression of Dissent: Castro rapidly consolidated power, silencing all opposition from within and outside his government. Independent newspapers were shut down or placed under state control, and freedom of speech was abolished.
• ​Political Persecution: Those who spoke out against the socialist shift or the growing authoritarianism were labeled as "counter-revolutionaries" and faced imprisonment, torture, or execution. This suppression of political freedom was cited by early exiles as the main reason for their flight.
• ​Fear of Communism: The formal alliance with the Soviet Union and the adoption of Marxist-Leninist ideology—the great enemy of the United States and the Western world—instilled a deep fear in the conservative, anti-communist Cuban population.
•
​The Exodus: Creating the Miami-Cuban Identity
​The mass departure of these dispossessed and politically alienated Cubans fundamentally reshaped both Cuba and the United States. The first waves of the Cuban exodus were overwhelmingly white and financially stable—the exact class that was targeted by the Revolution's economic policies.
• ​By allowing this opposition to leave, Castro's government arguably stabilized the Revolution by exporting its most powerful and vocal domestic critics to Miami.
• ​The resulting, highly motivated Miami-Cuban exile community was founded on an unrelenting hatred for Castro and a commitment to overthrowing his regime, an animosity that has defined the political and cultural landscape of South Florida for over sixty years.
​In essence, white Cubans hated Castro because the Revolution took everything from them: their land, their businesses, their money, their political voice, and their deeply held beliefs in a capitalist, Western-aligned Cuba.

REMEMBERING YVONNE McDONALD | A Legacy Etched In the Heart of Coconut Grove.

Miami — In the tight-knit neighborhood of Coconut Grove’s Village West, few names carry the weight and warmth of Yvonne M. McDonald — a tireless community advocate whose impact continues to echo through the streets she once walked.

McDonald, who passed away on October 14, 2008, dedicated her life to service, compassion, and advocacy, despite losing her eyesight at a young age. Her work, carried out with unwavering determination and love for her community, earned her a rare honor: her name now lives on in one of Coconut Grove’s oldest corridors.

On June 30, 2009, the Miami-Dade County Board of Commissioners unanimously approved a resolution officially co-designating SW 32nd Avenue, from Grand Avenue to Day Avenue, as “Yvonne M. McDonald Road.” The street runs through the heart of the community she championed — a lasting tribute to a woman who worked relentlessly to preserve and uplift Coconut Grove’s historically Black neighborhood.

A Life of Service in the Face of Adversity

Though legally blind, McDonald’s vision for her community was clear. She spent years as an advocate and grassroots organizer, helping families gain access to housing, medical care, food, and clothing. As a trusted aide to former City Commissioner Marc Sarnoff, she served as a vital bridge between local government and a community that often felt overlooked.

Her leadership extended beyond City Hall. McDonald was involved in organizations like the Village West Homeowners and Tenants Association and the Urban Empowerment Corporation, where she played a critical role in addressing housing rights, preserving neighborhood heritage, and guiding young people toward brighter futures.

“She knew everyone, and everyone knew her,” said a longtime Grove resident. “If you needed help, you called Yvonne. If you needed to be held accountable, Yvonne was already at your door.”

Honored in Life — and Beyond

Following her passing in 2008, community members, church leaders, and local officials gathered at Christ Episcopal Church in Coconut Grove to mourn her loss and celebrate her life. Among those in attendance were representatives from the City of Miami, paying tribute to a woman who had long held their feet to the fire — always on behalf of her community.

In the years since, additional memorials have been initiated to ensure McDonald’s story lives on.

A mural honoring McDonald’s life and legacy is slated for installation by Coconut Grove Cares, Inc., a nonprofit dedicated to youth and family services in Village West.

At Elizabeth Virrick Park, children from the community helped create a butterfly garden in her memory — a peaceful space filled with native plants, color, and hand-painted stones bearing her name and messages of hope.

The renaming of SW 32nd Avenue to Yvonne M. McDonald Road now serves as a physical and symbolic reminder of the woman who worked behind the scenes and in the spotlight to ensure Coconut Grove’s soul was never erased.


A Permanent Mark on the Grove

Yvonne McDonald didn’t hold public office. She didn’t seek the spotlight. But her work, done humbly and tirelessly, has left a mark that will not fade.

“She was the conscience of Coconut Grove,” said one city official. “And now, every time we drive down that street, we’re reminded of the standard she set for all of us.”