Dolphins

Producer-director Greg MacGillivray scaled the heights in more than one sense with Everest, one of the most successful Imax films yet released. With Dolphins, he proves equally at home in the depths. Of course, it's hard to imagine how a film devoted to the hidden lives of such photogenic and fascinating creatures could go far off course. Dolphins is both a compact survey of what science has learned about the way the animals communicate and a heartfelt plea to encourage their survival.

The new IMAX movie "Dolphins" doesn't have a bad word to say about its subjects. Dolphins are smarter than dogs, better at sign language than chimps, they think creatively, they are "graceful, powerful, majestic and intelligent," they call each other by name, and when separated, call out to each other "like lovers. " They also echo-locate invisible food, have eyeballs that move independently, and, while "tough," are "capable of incredible tenderness. " Given all that, I can't believe that George W. Bush is president, when just about any dolphin would be better qualified.

The last time the Dolphins played Buffalo at Joe Robbie Stadium, they came away with a 30-7 win. That was in the second game of the 1990 season. In the three meetings since, all at Buffalo and all defeats, the Dolphins have given up 103 points. That includes a 44-34 loss in last season's AFC divisional playoffs, and a 35-31 loss in this year's opener, where Miami led most of the way. The teams meet in South Florida again tonight (Channel 6, 9 p.m.). The Dolphins (5-5)

The Miami Dolphins canceled a trade for Chicago running back Rashaan Salaam two days after announcing it. Miami said Salaam failed to pass the Dolphins' physical. "After looking at Rashaan Salaam, we felt he was not 100 percent at this time. For that reason we decided not to carry out the trade. He remains the property of the Chicago Bears," Dolphins coach Jimmy Johnson said. "They felt he was 90 percent. He'll be in this evening or tomorrow and we'll go from there," Bears personnel director Mark Hatley said.

The Miami Dolphins have asked Ricky Williams to return $8.6 million they say the running back owes the team because he has decided to retire, the Miami Herald reported yesterday. The star running back shocked the Dolphins by announcing before the start of training camp that he was retiring at age 27. The Dolphins had been hinting that they would ask for the money but only recently made the request formal in a letter to the player and his agent, Leigh Steinberg. The Dolphins and Steinberg both declined comment.

The Miami Dolphins acquired quarterback Joey Harrington from Detroit for an undisclosed conditional draft pick, giving the Dolphins a fallback position if new starter Daunte Culpepper isn't ready for the season's first snap. "We're pleased to have Joey Harrington join the Dolphins," coach Nick Saban said in a statement. "We will work with him to get him acclimated to our system as quickly as possible. " The Dolphins had been searching for a backup to Culpepper and targeted Harrington, the former No. 3 overall pick who didn't live up to expectations in 4 years as the Lions' starter.

Running back Ricky Williams will rejoin the Miami Dolphins next week after an 18-month suspension for violating the NFL's substance-abuse policy. Williams, 30, met with Dolphins coach Cam Cameron for seven minutes yesterday. They agreed that the onetime league rushing leader should begin practice Monday, the Dolphins said on their Web site. Williams, the NFL's top rusher in 2002, will not be eligible to play until Nov. 26, when Miami plays Pittsburgh. The Dolphins will play the Eagles on Sunday at Lincoln Financial Field.

In its recent past, the only thing Miami's defense stopped on a regular basis was Dolphins winning streaks. "When I got here, the defensive guys were invisible," said David Griggs, the second-year linebacker from Pennsauken who is one of five new starters on the Miami defense. "All anyone talked about was Dan Marino, Mark Clayton and the offense. " In this surprisingly successful season, though, the once pass-crazed Dolphins have undergone a remarkable transformation. By stopping opponents consistently, they've started winning consistently.

The NFL's top defense, the Miami Pound Machine, was beaten absolutely senseless yesterday by the Washington Redskins. With brute strength and relentless efficiency, Washington pummeled the Dolphins, 42-20, reinforcing its bid for a wild-card playoff spot while sledgehammering some gaping holes in a Miami defense that has developed an alarming vulnerability against the run. "That's about as thorough a whipping as you can take," said...

THE MIAMI Dolphins filled a big hole in their lineup yesterday by signing 330-pound free agent tackle Tyson Clabo. Clabo is expected to play right tackle, with Jonathan Martin moving from right to left tackle, where he'll replace the departed Jake Long. The 6-6 Clabo spent the past seven seasons with the Atlanta Falcons and was a 2010 Pro Bowl selection. He has 101 career starts, including every game the past 5 years, but was released by the Falcons this spring. "It was very sudden when I was released.

MIAMI - Dion Jordan is built like Udonis Haslem. He wants to play like Lawrence Taylor. Jordan, the Miami Dolphins' latest first-round selection, arrived in Miami to great fanfare Saturday. Flashbulbs, his general manager and a lucky season-ticket holder were among those welcoming him to town. But with a passing glance, one could easily confuse Jordan with an NBA small forward and not a budding NFL defensive lineman. He stands more than 6-foot-6, but weighs a mere 250 pounds.

First round 1 Chiefs 2 Jaguars 3 Raiders 4 EAGLES 5 Lions 6 Browns 7 Cardinals 8 Bills 9 Jets 10 Titans 11 Chargers 12 Dolphins 13 Buccaneers 14 Panthers 15 Saints 16 Rams 17 Steelers 18 Cowboys 19 Giants 20 Bears 21 Bengals 22 Rams, from Redskins 23 Vikings 24 Colts 25 Vikings, from Seahawks 26 Packers 27 Texans 28 Broncos ...

Former Miami Dolphins wide receiver Mark Duper was released from jail on $5,000 bail Thursday, charged after police say he beat his 17-year-old son during fights at their home in Jacksonville, Fla. Authorities say Duper, 54, who starred for the Dolphins from 1982 to 1992, attacked his son, Marcus , three times and knocked him out twice. Duper told the Miami Herald the fight was "a family matter. " The New York Giants re-signed free agent David Carr as a backup for quarterback Eli Manning . The 2002 No. 1 overall pick in the NFL draft has been Manning's backup in four of the last five seasons.

The Miami Dolphins have agreed to a local referendum supporting their plan to have taxpayers pay for some of the costs of a planned upgrade of Sun Life Stadium, a person familiar with the discussions said Sunday. The Dolphins believe that approval of the referendum this spring by Miami-Dade County voters would help the club get financial help from the state legislature. A news conference was scheduled for Monday. Team and stadium owner Stephen Ross, who has resisted holding a referendum, apparently had a change of heart after the local delegation to Tallahassee left the stadium bill off its list of priorities for this year's session.

Norman Braman, who became a billionaire thanks to Florida car dealerships and investments in fine art and the Philadelphia Eagles, is no fan of taxes paying to upgrade Sun Life Stadium for the Miami Dolphins. "This is still welfare for a multi-billionaire. It's wrong," Braman said, according to WSVN-TV in Miami. This morning, South Florida's NFL franchise announced it would accept letting voters approve a deal that would fund $400 million worth of renovations. Supporting the deal was Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos Gimenez, who said final OK by lawmakers should hinge on landing the 2016 Super Bowl.

NEW YORK - A wayward dolphin that meandered into a polluted urban canal, riveting onlookers as it splashed around in the filthy water and shook black gunk from its snout, died Friday evening, marine experts said. The deep-freeze weather hadn't seemed to faze the dolphin as it swam in the Gowanus Canal, which runs 1.5 miles through a narrow industrial zone near some of Brooklyn's wealthiest neighborhoods. Marine experts had hoped that high tide, beginning around 7:10 p.m., would help the dolphin leave the canal safely.

Yoga teacher and medium Alaine Portner of Medford facilitated a human pod of 20 dolphin lovers in late September on her second annual retreat in Bimini for a week of snorkeling, yoga, breathwork, bodywork, and spiritual mediumship sessions. Each activity supports a feeling of harmony, enhancing a sense of wonderment at the mysteries of life, and even afterlife. The group gathered in Florida, and took a chartered flight 50 miles from Fort Lauderdale to Bimini. The Bahamian destination is actually three small islands, all surrounded by warm, clear turquoise waters that attract sea seekers from around the globe.

This is a tough time of year for the No Fun League, and it has little to do with convent-school rules over end-zone celebrations or players taking off their helmets. No, some of these games are just not, uh, inspiring. (Take for example, tonight's episode of Monday Night Football featuring the 2-8 Kittens vs. the 3-7 Chicks - or, Panthers vs. Eagles, for those of you still watching.) We've long advocated adding some extra elements to the games to liven them up - 12th-man ninja players springing up from hidey-holes to make tackles, or an NHL-NFL cross-promotion played on ice with high-sticking allowed.