Culpepper working hard to get released

With Trent Green in town, the Dolphins are trying to trade Daunte Culpepper but Culpepper is refusing to be traded. He does not want to restructure his contract and he's asking the team to just release him. The Sun-Sentinel has a copy of what Culpepper handed out at his locker today...

He basically thanks the people that have supported him and laments that the situation did not work out better. The statement ends with him asking Miami to what is fair, and to release him.

I am now waiting for the Dolphins management to do what is right and fair by granting my release so that I can find a team that will appreciate my talent and love for the game of football. I do not want to cause any disruption while I wait, so I will only be at the facility in order to run and lift. What happened yesterday in the team meeting and on the field was unfair to both me and my teammates. The NFLPA legal department is reviewing the situation and Gene Upshaw has encouraged me to continue to be patient and professional.

Miami's qb situation since Marino retired has been downright depressing. After Marino retired, the team has started the likes of Jay Fiedler, Damon Huard, Ray Lucas, A.J. Feeley, Brian Griese, Sage Rosenfels and Gus Frerotte. Fiedler was hands down the best from that bunch and that is saying something. (He went 21-10 during the '00-'01 seasons and even led the team to a division title)

After that, Nick Saban came in and he had the choice between Drew Brees and Daunte Culpepper. He chose Culpepper and the football landscape changed dramatically. Brees went on to an All-Pro year in New Orleans and the Saints are now considered Super Bowl contenders. Meanwhile, Culpepper played just a few games as Miami's season went up in smoke.

In fairness to Saban, picking Culpepper seemed like the best idea at the time, but one can only wonder what would've happened if Brees ended up in Miami. Michael David Smith wondered the same thing over at the NFL Fanhouse a few days ago.

After Culpepper was deemed damaged goods, Joey Harrington and Cleo Lemon were giving a chance but neither managed to really impress. Everyone imagined that Miami would fix the qb situation in the draft, and when the team passed on Brady Quinn, you can understand why an entire fan base lit itself on fire.

What followed was a Trent Green trade that took an eternity and now this Culpepper soap opera. It's at the point where I don't even know what to say anymore. I'm hoping that John Beck can take over when he's ready and finally give this team a quarterback again, but I'm noy holding my breath.