As a sportswriter, I’m certainly wrong enough, but boy do I love it when I’m right. Here’s text I pulled from an article I posted here back on May 10th, titled “Kuechly, Tannehill: The Search For ‘George:’”

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April 28, 2012; Davie, FL, USA; Miami Dolphins first round draft pick quarterback Ryan Tannehill holds up a jersey next to his wife Lauren Ufer during a press conference at the Dolphins training facility. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-US PRESSWIRE

Any excuse to put up a photo of Lauren Tannehill is a good one.

I thought it interesting so many draft “experts” claim that Tannehill was “at least a year away” from starting.

I happen to think he’ll be starting from Day One. Can some people not think beyond what’s in front of them? Sherman was ALWAYS Tannehill’s old college coach, no?

As I have said before, he comes into Miami in as unique a situation of any QB drafted in the NFL. By now, it’s common knowledge Miami OC Mike Sherman was his college coach.

What people didn’t seem to grasp until recently is what that means. It means Tannehill already has had 2 years of learning under Sherman and in fact it will be Tannehill helping teach the VETERANS some of the finer points of this offense. More than 2 years if you count the time he was a WR, in fact.

Tannehill’s work will come more in film study, learning the NFL’s complex defenses, and how to defeat them. And praying for WRs to fall to Miami from heaven or wherever because they need them badly. Late-round rookies aren’t gonna cut it.

editor’s note: 8/17 – The Dolphins had since signed Chad Johnson, then cut him this week due to all-too-well-known sad events recently

He has recently stated “80% to 85% of the offense is the same” as what he ran in college. He knows the verbiage going in, and knows what Mike Sherman expects from his players.

He also has both the other Miami QBs beaten badly in his physical tools that cannot be coached. This is what provides him with his real edge – specifically, his mobility and ability to throw on the run. With an OL that was upgraded in the offseason and draft, it should be the strength of the Miami offense – WR sure as heck isn’t.

Add to that recipe the fact that Reggie Bush is a great checkdown receiver and Lamar Miller is coming in from Miami (college) and he’s a capable receiver, and the Dolphins appear on the road to forming an identity. I just think Tannehill will be the one directing it from the start. No offense to Matt Moore, who played well last season, but when you draft a guy this high it’s hard to keep him benched IF he knows and can run the offense.

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It would appear the words I wrote over three months ago are revealing themselves to be more and more true. While Tannehill hasn’t officially locked up the starting gig in week one, at this point I’d actually be surprised if he doesn’t. As I had said, Tannehill’s physical talents cannot be matched by either of the other QBs on the roster and he has outplayed Moore both in practice and in his first preseason game.

Unless he struggles mightily against a Panther defense that struggled against the Texans’ first-team offense (other than the goal-line stand), the job should be his to lose after tonight. Then there’s theory and there’s fact.

We’ll know what the facts are after tonight’s contest. Tannehill should play the entire first half with Moore playing in the second half. With a good showing next week against the Atlanta Falcons, who have a more evolved, veteran defense, he should solidify his claim.

Then again, we’re not sure quite yet and will know more in about 9 days.

That’s why they play the game.

August 10, 2012; Miami Gardens, FL, USA; Miami Dolphins quarterback Ryan Tannehill (17) calls a play against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during the third quarter at Sun Life Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Robert Mayer-US PRESSWIRE

Just a few hours before the Tampa Bay at Miami matchup last night, it was learned that Miami Dolphins quarterback David Garrard, at the top of their depth chart until then, would miss 2-4 weeks because of arthroscopic surgery on his knee. Garrard said this morning that he felt great after the procedure and is ready to get back to work very soon.

Arthroscopic surgery is a minimally invasive procedure that has been commonplace for decades now for NFL players. Garrard’s surgery was to clean up some particulate organic matter, usually cartilage or tiny bone fragments, that interfere, irritate, or inflame a joint.

This is a big gift for rookie Ryan Tannehill. He and fellow QB Matt Moore, Miami’s starter for most of last season, took the snaps in the 20-7 loss to the Bucs last night.

Tannehill clearly outplayed Moore, leading the team on its only scoring drive of the night. His short TD pass to second-year fullback Charles Clay over the middle made me look twice – the rookie actually reminded me of Dan Marino on that _particular_ play. I’m certainly not comparing his upside ability to the godlike Hall of Famer, but his lightning-quick release and throw did look quite similar to Marino’s famous throwing motion. That alone will give their fans some hope.

He finished the game 14/21 for 167 yards and a TD vs. no picks for a 109.9 QB rating. Moore was 7/12 for 79 yards and no TDs with one pick. Moore played with the starters and Tannehill played with the reserves.

It was clear that Tannehill’s progress is well beyond that of where most rookies would be at this point. He’s only had a week and a half of practices after missing the first two days of camp during an abbreviated holdout over details in his contract.

It didn’t show at all on the field. While the playcalling for him was no doubt simplified, he came in knowing more of the offense than anyone else because as many now now, his offensive coordinator, Mike Sherman, was his head coach at Texas A&M.

While I wouldn’t yet read too much into this, so far it looks like Tannehill would beat out Moore for the starting job. Moore has had a slow camp, but is known to be a poor practice player that plays “up” when he’s actually in a game. By the time Garrard returns, it may be difficult for him to wrestle the job back. Moore and Garrard are just placeholders anyway until Tannehill gets up to speed.

How will we know what the Miami coaching staff is thinking before any announcements are made? Watch the next two preseason games. If Tannehill starts running with the starters and Moore gets relegated to the reserves, we’ll have a good clue as to what coach Joe Philbin is thinking.

April 28, 2012; Davie, FL, USA; Miami Dolphins first round draft pick quarterback Ryan Tannehill (Texas A

Looking back, I should have seen this one coming.

HBO has found a home for their series “School of Hard Knocks” in Miami, Florida.

1-15. New Head Coach Tony Sparano. One playoff trip, a bad loss at home to the Ravens. Ugly football. Botched reach for Jim Harbaugh by owner Stephen Ross and General Manager Jeff Ireland. Hmf. “Ire” land.

Former players publicly beating him down. Couldn’t get Peyton Manning, who lives in South Beach, to seriously consider them. New HC and new rookie QB with extremely hot wife. GM, owner, and entire franchise in need of a PR makeover.

Add one dastardly beautiful young couple from small town Texas to big-city culture shock Miami and HBO’s viewership is bound to rise. All the execs really had to do was take one look at Lauren Tannehill and know to pack the panama hats – if the Dolphins were interested in them.

Therein lies the metaphorical marriage’s beauty. The Dolphins need HBO as much as HBO needs the Dolphins.

All the ingredients are there for a storybook setup: The handsome rookie quarterback with the wife direct from Hollywood casting. The rookie head coach in Joe Philbin looking to build his proven system from Green Bay. The General Manager with a nice family whom is thought to be an out of touch jerk by much of the public. The owner that demonstrates all the competence and media savvy of Jed Clampett.

Will all this scrutiny hinder or help them? Nobody knows for sure right now because there are many facets to look at. In the short term, it could hinder things because of the team’s overall inexperience in key areas…namely QB and Head Coach.

Granted, Joe Philbin never was going to be the man orchestrating relations and interactions between HBO’s producers and the Dolphins’ players and staff – that’ll be the aforementioned Dolphins owner Mr. Magoo. What he doesn’t handle will be Ireland’s to deal with. It’ll be extra pressure on them to juggle with their regular duties.

The hope is that the media microscope will help the public image specifically of Jeff Ireland and Stephen Ross and the entire organization in general. In the long run, it could help as NFL players see the actual people behind the legends. Miami wasn’t able to attract any free agent help to speak of anywhere on the roster with the thirty-something David Garrard leading the list with a back injury that kept him out of football last year.

They got rid of ill-fitting Brandon Marshall for the two third round draft picks but they have no talent left at the WR position aside from slot man Davone Bess. Rookie Jonathan Martin should be an upgrade for the team at the right tackle position and fellow rookie Lamar Miller should see time as a sub at RB.

Will their development be hampered?

There’s the added dynamic of Ryan Tannehill and his offensive coordinator, Mike Sherman, having been his college coach. That familiarity should give the rookie a boost to start out his winning over of the locker room.

It’s a unique situation with a lot of moving parts that other teams don’t have. All said, there IS a clear winner here.

That would be the viewer.