MIAMI GARDENS \u2014 Pop-A-Shot is the biggest attraction in the Miami Dolphins\u2019 locker room. <\/p>\n
The arcade-style basketball game, which features mini-basketballs being shot through mini-baskets the way you\u2019d see in a bar or restaurant, is, above all else, a bonding experience, according to players. <\/p>\n
Yes, Pop-A-Shot often attracts attention, and it occasionally becomes a lively event, but the Dolphins<\/a> refuse to view the game as anything other than a positive.<\/p>\n \u201cI think it\u2019s great camaraderie when guys are hanging out after meetings, after everything else, staying together,\u2019 said defensive tackle Zach Sieler, a team captain. \u201cI think it\u2019s a good thing.\u201d<\/p>\n The 2025 Dolphins<\/a> stand in contrast to the 2022 Dolphins<\/a>, who twice \u00a0removed the pingpong table<\/a> from their locker room, the first time after suffering back-to-back early-season losses, and the second time after a late-season five-game losing streak. The 2022 Dolphins thought pingpong became a distraction.<\/p>\n The 2025 Dolphins also stand in contrast to the 2025 Baltimore Ravens (1-5), the Dolphins\u2019 opponent next Thursday who are riding a four-game losing streak. Earlier this week, the Ravens removed a pingpong table and other games from their locker room.<\/p>\n But the 2025 Dolphins (1-6), who are riding a three-game losing streak, aren\u2019t blaming arcade games for their poor start.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019ve got to fix those mistakes,\u201d running back De\u2019Von Achane said in reference to the Dolphins\u2019 four turnovers and 103 penalty yards in last week\u2019s 31-6 loss at Cleveland.<\/p>\n \u201cWe can\u2019t have turnovers, self-inflected wounds and stuff like that. No matter who we play, we can\u2019t win football games like that.\u201d<\/p>\n The focus on fixing self-inflicted damage reinforces the idea that the Dolphins aren\u2019t blaming the pop-a-shot game for their poor record.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s not like everybody in the locker room is doing it all day,\u201d center and team captain Aaron Brewer said.<\/p>\n Of course, it should be pointed out that the 2022 Dolphins, who finished the regular season 9-8 before losing at Buffalo in the wild-card playoff game, were 3-7 with the pingpong table and 6-2 without it.<\/p>\n But whatever.<\/p>\n The point is that these moribund Dolphins seem rooted in a reality as they enter Sunday\u2019s game at Atlanta. They understand change must start with their attention to detail, not superstitions or basketball scapegoats.<\/p>\n \u201cAt the end of the day, we\u2019ve all got to execute,\u201d wide receiver Jaylen Waddle said.<\/p>\n Back in 2022, the Dolphins went back and forth with two pingpong tables.<\/p>\n The first time the pingpong table was removed in 2022 was after back-to-back losses dropped them to 3-2, taking much of the excitement from their 3-0 start.<\/p>\n The Dolphins lost their next game, but then went on a five-game winning streak. After going 5-1 without the pingpong table, they decided a new pingpong table could return.<\/p>\n They went 0-5 before the table left again.\u00a0<\/p>\n Then they won against Dallas in the finale to secure a playoff berth before losing at Buffalo in the wild-card playoff game, going 1-1 in the pingpong table\u2019s final iteration.<\/p>\n By the way, the Dolphins\u2019 love of Pop-A-Shot isn\u2019t nearly as much as their love of pingpong. In 2022, there was a teamwide pingpong tournament with standings posted on a wall. Kicker Jason Sanders considered himself the favorite when the tournament abruptly ended.<\/p>\n \u201cI was definitely going to make it to the semis or finals,\u201d he said at the time. \u201cThere\u2019s only two guys in this locker room that give a good game, and that\u2019s Gink (linebacker Andrew Van Ginkel) and Raheem (running back Raheem Mostert).\u201d<\/p>\n There\u2019s been nothing approaching that type of fervor or zeal with Pop-A-Shot.\u00a0<\/p>\n And for what it\u2019s worth, the Dolphins seem focused and serious this week. And everyone, especially coaches, seemed a bit more normal and relaxed, as opposed to last week when everyone seemed tense and edgy. Safety Ashtyn Davis said he didn\u2019t notice a big change in coach Mike McDaniel this week.<\/p>\n \u201cI think there\u2019s always been a sense of urgency, but I think the message has always been the same,\u201d Davis said. \u201cObviously, we didn\u2019t play well enough to win a football game on Sunday, and we\u2019ve got to clean some things up, especially the penalties on defense. I think that\u2019s what we\u2019re focused on.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"MIAMI GARDENS \u2014 Pop-A-Shot is the biggest attraction in the Miami Dolphins\u2019 locker room. 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