Let’s learn more about the man in charge, Kevin Nogle!

I have a very special person joining me today on Get to Know The Phinsider — our fearless leader on this site, Kevin Nogle! Kevin was kind enough to bring me into the fold nearly two years ago, and I’ve been thankful for everything he’s done for me along the way, yet I haven’t gotten to know the man as personally as I’d have liked. Today, that changes for me and for you as well!

It’s the offseason, so I figured it would be the perfect time to roll out a new column on here entitled Get to Know The Phinsider — a column designed to educate you on the writers beyond the words they provide for your reading enjoyment each week.

We bring you all the hottest Dolphins news, but who are we as actual real-life human beings? Well, you’re about to find out!

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Where do you live?

Currently Spokane, Washington, but it looks like I will be moving to the Dallas-Fort Worth area in Texas this summer.

What do you do for a living?

I’m in the Army.

When and how did you become a fan of the Miami Dolphins?

I grew up with a mother who was a Dolphins fan. It was in my blood from birth.

What is your best Dolphins memory?

I have to give you three. The first is the first home game I attended. I was with my mom and my brother and it was the game after 9/11. Just being in that crowd at that time was amazing. Then, the Jay Fiedler touchdown to win the game made it even better.

Number two was taking my son to his first game, which was the 2012 Week 1 game at the Houston Texans. I bought first-row, 50-yard line tickets behind the Dolphins bench for Ryan Tannehill’s first game. Getting to take my son to a game for the first time was so much fun. My son had a sign saying it was his first game and the man sitting next to us was a Texans season ticket holder. He flagged down a security guard and got us escorted under the stadium to where the family and friends of the players met them after the game. So many of the players, coaches, executives of the team stopped to talk to my son and to autograph his sign.

The final one was the next year, when I got to take my son to a home Dolphins game. I have been to several games, but Hard Rock Stadium was LOUD that day. Facing the Patriots always makes for a fun environment. Add in Michael Thomas’s interception of Tom Brady to seal the game, and I have never heard the stadium that loud. My son was standing on his seat right next to me, yelling things at me, and I could not hear him. Incredible game to attend, and to do it with my son made it something I will never forget.

What is your worst Dolphins memory?

I think my answer is the 62-7 playoff loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars, but not because of the game. Things went so horribly wrong in that game that it just became funny at some point. Just everything that could go wrong, did. There were six Dolphins fumbles in the game. Six. Just crazy. But what makes is the worst memory is that Dan Marino was benched for Damon Huard as the game got out of hand, and it proved to be Marino’s last game. It was an unceremonious end to one of the greatest quarterback careers ever. That is what makes it hurt the most.

Funny note - Jay Fiedler played for the Jaguars in that game. He was involved in my best and worst Dolphins memories...

When did you start writing for The Phinsider?

I discovered the site in 2008, posting comments and writing FanPosts for about a year-and-a-half as Mosul-DolFan (I was deployed to Iraq at the time, so thus the name). In 2010, I was asked to become an author for the site, so I did. In July 2011, I was offered the role as the editor and, not knowing what the Army would do in the future, I agreed to do it to get the site through the 2011 season. I have been doing it ever since.

What do you enjoy most about writing for The Phinsider?

I think it is just how much I have learned from doing this. From researching the team, learning more about the intricacies of the game, and learning about journalism/writing, it has been an opportunity for growth for me. Add in the people I have met here on the site, across SB Nation, other Dolphins fan sites, the Dolphins themselves, and the journalists and writers who cover the team, and I still cannot believe that I am doing this.

Pick three current members of the Dolphins you’d like to have a sit-down dinner with.

Mike Gesicki - just because he seems to make the best out of everything.

Blake Fergsuon - he does so much for the Tragedy Assistant Program for Survivors (TAPS) and military families/veterans, plus I would love to talk to him about working as a specialist and having a brother in the league.

Christian Wilkins - it’s going to be a fun night.

Addendum, if I get to turn this into a film session, I want Tua Tagovailoa and Mike McDaniel so I can get better at seeing what they see.

Who are your top 5 favorite Dolphins players of all time? Rank them in order.

Oh this is tougher than I thought it would be. Marino has to be number one, right? But maybe not...

Ricky Williams

Dan Marino

Zach Thomas

Reggie Roby

Jason Taylor

Honorable mentions: Richmond Webb, Michael Thomas, Cameron Wake, Sam Madison, Chris Chambers, Oronde Gadsden, Greg Camarillo, Rob Konrad, Jake Long, Mike Pouncey, the Marks Brothers...

Indecisive.

What is your favorite piece of Dolphins memorabilia that you own?

I am so bad at picking just one thing. I have so many things. The Brandon Marshall autographed jersey my brother got for me when he was stationed in Hawaii and Marshall was at the Pro Bowl is high up on the list. Some of the other autographed helmets or jerseys are up there. But, if I have to pick one, it is going to be the Don Shula autographed Orange Bowl seat. It is one of the first things that goes up on my wall whenever I move. My son got that for me for my birthday one year, and I absolutely cherish having it.

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Make sure you’re following Kevin (and us) on Twitter at @thephinsider! I will continue to chat with members of The Phinsider as the offseason rolls on, so if there is anything specific you would like to see asked to our writers, let me know in the comments below or on Twitter at @MBrave13! Fins up!