Posted by ESPN.com's Matt Mosley

	Diamond Images/Getty Images
	Jason Taylor regrets missing the opportunity to play for Dolphins coach Tony Sparano.

ASHBURN, Va. -- Defensive end Jason Taylor was sitting in front of his locker at the Dolphins practice facility organizing his football cleats when he received a call from his agent at about 2 p.m. ET on July 20. It was the call he'd been hoping for all offseason, but that didn't make it less surreal.

As we sat at a table outside the weight room at Redskins Park on Wednesday, Taylor still sounded like things hadn't sunk in yet. That's what happens when you spend 11 years with a team and become the face of the franchise. After an offseason of strife that culminated in a blockbuster trade, Taylor is trying to get his arms around not being a Miami Dolphin. He continues to take the high road when asked about his public feud with Dolphins executive vice president of football operations Bill Parcells, but it's obvious the episode took a toll on him both personally and professionally.

"I was sitting there in the [Miami] locker room watching Greg Norman in the British Open while I organized my locker," he said. "It's what I do every year. I like to go in a few days early and get things in order. In my mind, it was 110 percent that I'd still be with the Dolphins."

When he called his wife Katina to tell her about a potential trade, she said, "Oh great! Now what?"

When the trade went through, Redskins owner Dan Snyder sent a plane to pick up Katina and the couple's children in Dallas, where they'd been visiting with Taylor's brother-in-law, Zach Thomas.

Meanwhile, Taylor went home to his empty house and reflected on the most tumultuous and rewarding offseason of his career. He was excited about the opportunity in Washington, but it was definitely a bittersweet moment.

"The whole thing with Bill Parcells got overblown by the media," he said. "It wasn't J.T. versus Bill Parcells. The Dolphins and the NFL are way bigger than us, but that didn't keep things from getting out of control. I regret the way it all played out because the picture painted of me wasn't accurate."

Taylor said he read things in the media that were totally unfair to him, but he didn't see what he could accomplish by calling out reporters. What a lot of people didn't realize is that Dolphins head coach Tony Sparano and Taylor had actually formed a respectful alliance during the soap opera. Sparano, who's certainly not in the target demographic for a reality dance show, would text Taylor after episodes of ABC's "Dancing With the Stars."

"That's one of my biggest regrets," he said. "I wanted the chance to play for Tony Sparano. Who knows? That's why you never burn a bridge."

The obvious inference was that he was leaving the door open for a return to Miami. Something tells me that's not going to happen as long as Parcells is involved, although he did invite Quincy Carter back for a workout last week.

We can talk more about Taylor's thoughts on the Redskins in a future entry, but on this day, he was more interested in looking back at the Miami situation.

"I became a liar," he said, referring to a report in the Miami Herald. "For years, I always talked after games -- win or loss. You just think you're going to get the benefit of the doubt. But that's not what happened."

When he began his professional career, Taylor put a notecard next to his nightstand with the following three messages: 1. Make the team; 2. Become a starter; 3. WIN!

He said he's filled out a new notecard since arriving in Washington. What does it say?

"I've got four things on there," he said. "And I'm not telling anyone what they say."

OK, I have a flight to catch. I'll post Part 2 of my Jason Taylor interview Thursday. I'll also have lengthy entries on Jason Campbell and Jim Zorn -- as well as some observations from practice. Oh, and lots of Eagles, Giants and Cowboys news.