An open letter to Miko Grimes, wife of Dolphins cornerback Brent Grimes

Dear Miko,

I don’t know if you will read this but I hope you do. This is not a letter meant to sit here and bash you. It is simply a way of conveying things that take more than 140 characters. You might think I am just some 'blogger' or 'fan boy' but in reality, I am quite accomplished in my community and in the career I work in. This website is a hobby of mine that I do on the side. I have interviewed with numerous teams in the National Football League and have also interviewed with several high-profile companies. For the past decade, I have been in various positions which puts me squarely in the public eye and I have learned how to act and I hope the lessons I have learned can teach you a few things as well.

Whether you agree with it and whether you like it or not, you have a negative reputation amongst the vast majority of the Miami Dolphins fan base. There are many reasons for this and they have steadily increased over the past year or so. It’s hard to judge one’s personality over the internet. By all accounts, you sound like a great mother and a great wife. I’ve watched your videos on Instagram of you playing and teaching your son. I have seen pictures of you doing everything you can to make your family happy. I have seen pictures and watched videos of you doing things to make yourself the best that you can possibly be. I have heard numerous stories of you being completely different in person than you are on the internet. I have heard that you are one of the most down to earth people one can meet.

But then, the internet strikes and things change for the worse. This is confusing to me because on one hand, we see and hear about this awesome woman who will do anything for her friends and family. On the other hand, we see and hear this woman who is vulgar and disrespectful. I, along with many others, are trying to figure out who the real Miko Grimes is.

There are many times where you have indirectly bashed some players on the Dolphins. You may not call it bashing but the general perception is that you do, whether you agree with it or not. Thus, one must realize the consequences it may have. If I were to publicly call out people my wife works with and throw them under the bus, what kind of impact is that going to have on my wife when she goes into work? If I call out and disrespect those who can be advocates for my wife and her career, what kind of impact is that going to have on her life and career path? If my wife was in a career where she is in the public eye and is supported by fans, yet I called them out on a daily basis, what kind of impact would that have on her career? There are times when you need to hold your tongue and keep things to yourself. You have failed to do that on a daily basis. 

You have dreams and aspirations of landing on a national platform to voice your opinion. You have told us this many times over the years. However, you have not been successful in doing so. You wonder why you can’t get a national platform but then you turn around and call your followers and others all sorts of names. Some of the words and phrases that come out of your mouth are cruel, vulgar and downright disrespectful. Yes, I understand you have a lot of people coming at you every day trying to get under your skin and rile you up. Guess what? They are succeeding. 

Now, imagine if you were on a national platform. The amount of people following you would likely double, perhaps even triple. That means more people coming at you in more ways than you could have ever imagined. If you can’t handle it now at a local level, how will you ever handle it at a national level? Surely, producers and top executives have noticed this.

Do you see Mike Greenberg, Mike Golic, Colin Cowherd, Mike Florio, Peter King, Greg Gumbel, Matt Lauer, Katie Couric, Anderson Cooper, Bob Woodward, Carl Bernstein, Tim Russert, Shaquille O’Neil, Troy Aikman, Chris Collinsworth, John Madden, Al Michaels, Wolf Blitzer, Joe Buck, Matthew Berry, Jay Glazer, Adam Schefter, Chris Mortensen, Andy Katz and countless others go off and call those who follow them cruel and disrespectful names? They don't. And by chance, if they ever did, you bet that they would be immediately suspended and/or fired. I know that there are hundreds of people every day who personally attack these journalists. Yet, they understand that they can simply ignore it and move on with their lives. Do you think a top executive wants to hold their breath every day hoping that one of their on-air talents doesn’t fly off the edge and go off on rants like you do? No, they don’t.

There is no doubt in my mind that you are very smart and know a ton about football. You also know a ton about basketball and other sports. You obviously have access to what goes on behind the scenes that none of us can get. But, when you criticize us and talk down to us, we don’t listen to what you’re saying about the truth. We, as humans, feel quite disrespected and it becomes personal. Thus, the entire message is lost. There are many ways of going about relaying your knowledge without coming off as someone who has no respect for those who follow you. Unfortunately, the perception of you is that you have no care in the world for the very fans who cheer your husband and his teammates. Whether you agree with it or not, it is the truth.

There are many other things to talk about but I think my point has been made. The damage you have done over the past several weeks, months and years can still be repaired, if you even care anymore. It starts at the top with you by understanding that there are things you should and shouldn’t say. It starts with you realizing that if you ever want to accomplish your dreams of becoming a top-notch journalist and on-air talent that you can’t just speak whatever you think. You call it real but the executives in the industry call it a liability.

I hope you have taken these words under consideration. I hope you change. You are entertaining when you simply relay the message without all the name calling and disrespect. But when you cross the line, it’s a battle that you are never going to win.

Sincerely,

Matthew Cannata
Founder and Owner of PhinManiacs.com
Twitter: @PhinManiacs