Who is the face of South Florida sports? (with poll)
The seed for this blog post (and poll) was a question a friend posed the other day: "Is it ludicrous to think Michael Beasley might already be the face of the Heat over Dwyane Wade?" Got me to thinking: Who is the face of South Florida sports from a national perspective? By however you'd define that, who is the most prominent figure currently involved on one of our local pro teams?
Partake of The Daily Poll (nominees are listed alphabetically) and add a comment to say why you voted as you did. Also let me know if I left anybody off the list. No "Where's Marino!?" please. Remember, this is current.
First
Posted by: Jacob | June 29, 2008 at 03:21 PM
Dan Marino and/or Don Shula
Posted by: I'madinnerjacket | June 29, 2008 at 05:51 PM
1 - ricky williams
2 - kimbo slice
3 - cecil collins
4 - luther campbell
5 - thomas vokoun
Posted by: dean | June 29, 2008 at 06:34 PM
Two of the choices have been in the media's eye for three decades...but they will always be better known for "Showtime" and job hopping more than they are for SoFla.
Wade and Taylor are the only two you see regularly on commercials. and Taylor is the only face someone who doesn't follow sports might even recognize, so it's gotta be Taylor for now.
Posted by: Stav | June 29, 2008 at 06:51 PM
For mere consistency, it will always be Shula and Marino. Those two were in our collective sports consciousness from 1971 through 1999. But the fish havent won anything or even competed since 1984-5. So how in the word can you, Mr Cote leave out ANY Miami Hurricane mention in this article? What- The canes arent part of South Florida sports? The canes have brought more joy to Miami-Dade-Broward-Palm Beach-lee-Collier than any Dolphin team since Dan was chucking it to Duper and Clayton, barr none. When was the last time the Dophins sold out a stadium? I can tell you- the canes sold out the OB as recently as early in 2004 when they played FSU in the O-Bowl.
The face of South Florida sports therefore, is one letter with the left half in orange and the right half in green:
+++++++ +++++++
+ + + +
+ + + +
+ + + +
+ + + + + +
Posted by: jaime | June 29, 2008 at 07:18 PM
Marino, Shula, Garo, Shaq, M. Irving, JJ, it's been a while for Miami. Your choices sucked, not for lack of trying, just, it isn't there now...
Posted by: Belichick, Mangini, Satan et al | June 29, 2008 at 07:32 PM
As much as I hate to give the Canes credit for anything, jaime is right. I'm surprised you left them out. Beasley needs to earn his way in. Noone will care about him again if he doesn't do anything.
Randy Shannon should have been on the ballot.
Posted by: David Tucker | June 30, 2008 at 12:20 AM
Cote,
You forgot Dan LeBatard with his God complex.
Posted by: St' Ricky | June 30, 2008 at 06:14 AM
Cote- You are really reaching, with Beasley.
#1- Wade
#2- Ramirez( a red sox castoff)
#3- The Tuna
#4- Taylor
#5- Riley
#6-Tie- rickey+ Beasley
Great to see all the marlins fans out in force sunday afternoon. 11,3000, what a joke. Most cities could draw more people, if somebody was jumping off a building.
Posted by: naplesjackpatsfan | June 30, 2008 at 04:34 PM
The face is the Tuna. If you showed me pictures of the GMs of the 32 NFL teams, and asked me to name them, I'd go 1 for 32. Bill Parcells has the highest Q rating of the choices you named, and everyone knows he's in Miami now.
Posted by: Bruce | June 30, 2008 at 05:20 PM
Wow Creg. You've got to find better topics than this. Look, we all know it's the off-season, but please! How about snooping around the #1 face of South Florida's office and report back something we might find interesting.
Posted by: OC Dolphin | June 30, 2008 at 08:18 PM
Not intending to sound harsh, but at last check:
Painters paint, Cooks cook, Reporters report, Lawyers......well, let's skip this one.
I suppose you may see yourself primarily a writer, and thus falling back on your "get out of reporting free" card. If this were so, a provocative or opinionated writing piece is still in order.
Posted by: OC Dolphin | June 30, 2008 at 08:34 PM
At boring times like this it has always been nice to have our reliable old punching bags around, Cam CamMoron and the bostonian. Fortunately, CamMoron is no longer relevant and the bostonian is most likely locked in a padded cell somewhere in NH.
OC you want something to discuss, here's a news item from Orlando. Gregory Allan Praeger argued with his mother, and then apparently settled the score by throwing a a big polish sausage at her. When police got to Praeger's home he was cooking. No word on whether he was cooking the sausage or whether his mother kept the sausage for later use.
Posted by: Tom | June 30, 2008 at 09:45 PM
It's obvious that Cote is talking about the current state of affairs- so with that said,
I would have to say JT & Dwayne Wade.
Now if we are talking about all time- then it would have to be Shula, Czonka, Griese, Kiick, Warfield & Marino.
Shaq will be forever black balled for being an A$$wipe...!!!
Posted by: Flipper72 | July 01, 2008 at 05:16 AM
Everywhere Shaq has gone he has bad mouthed teammates from his previous team like he did with Nick Anderson and Penny Hardaway when he left the Magic. He then has the audacity to say he and Grant Hill would like to come back and run the Magic. Stay away from the Magic, Shaq. We are just fine now without you.
Posted by: Noel | July 01, 2008 at 08:43 AM
Naples Jack,
We are getting closer to the beginning of the season. Jets, Cards & Pats then a BYE Week. I am sorry to say Jack, that the dynasty is over in Foxboro. It's time to move over and let the real men lead.
The FINS ARE BACK...!!!
Posted by: Flipper72 | July 01, 2008 at 04:26 PM
Flipper72- The real men are the leaders!!! BRADY,SEYMOUR,HARRISON,WILFORK, THE LIST IS ENDLESS!!! The pretenders, taylor,beck,ginn,allen,the entire dolphin defense, is endless!!! God I cannot wait till Sept.21. The 2-0 Patriots, vs. the 0-2 dolphins.Bring it on.
Posted by: naplesjackpatsfan | July 01, 2008 at 06:14 PM
naplesjackpatsfan,
it says here that it won't be 2-0 facing 0-2 on sept 21-we shall see!!!
Posted by: the shadow knows | July 01, 2008 at 08:25 PM
Yeah, let the real men lead!
1-15 leads 18-1 in Flipper's mind, I guess.
Posted by: Kurt | July 02, 2008 at 05:58 PM
That was last year sick-trick-Brody..!!
This is a whole new year and a whole new season- so stop living in the past.
Besides, I would rather go 1-15 without cheating, than 18-1, lose the Super Bowl
and forever be associated with the spygate scandal. That is the legacy of the Pats that is embedded in everyones brain...!!
Fins will win their first three games.
Yes, you heard it here first!!!
3-0 going into the BYE WEEK.
Posted by: Flipper72 | July 03, 2008 at 04:27 AM
Funny to be told to stop living in the past by someone who goes by Flipper 72! How ironic.
We shall see what this season brings, then you can go back to making excuses and making personal attacks.
Posted by: Kurt | July 03, 2008 at 07:28 AM
How soon you (ahem) forget there, Flipper. The tape of the Jets was the first game of the season. The tape was confiscated. No other tapes were made last season during the 16-0 regular season or the play-offs.
There was NO cheating during the 18-1 season. Try to get your facts in check.
Posted by: Kurt | July 03, 2008 at 02:25 PM
Don't believe everything you read Kurt.
I'm sure there were more tapes- thats why Arly Specter wants the beans spilled on this whole cover up by Goodell.
Goodell destroyed several tapes. That means that there were tapes from the previous years but we'll never really know because he is directly involved in this cover up.
His justification for all this will be that he is protecting the integrity of the league from any further fall out, that this whole incident has created.
The first game of last season was part of the 18-1 season....they were caught cheating man!! End of story.
I bet they also had enough film on several opponents that they were able to figure out their defensive and offensive signals and adjust accordingly.
Posted by: Flipper72 | July 04, 2008 at 12:55 AM
Right....I should believe you over Goddell?
Spygate is dead and burried. Let it go.
You and me should have a bet on this season. You've said miami will go 12-4 and NE will go 8-8.
I say NE goes 12-4 and Miami goes 5-11.
How about $10 for each game we're off by?
Posted by: Kurt | July 04, 2008 at 08:21 AM
I said the Fins will go 10-6 and the Pats will go 9-7. The Bills will win the Division with a 11-5 record and will get the the 6th seed and a Wild Card Game on the road (which we will win) but then lose the following week in the Divisional game.
The Pats will not make the play-offs..!!
That's what I said..!!
Straight bet...$50.00 bucks that the Fins have a better record than the Pats this year. It should be easy money if your so confident that the Pats are far superior.
I'll leave it up to you!
Happy 4th to everyone!!
Our country turns 232 years today.
Stars & Stripes forever..!!
Posted by: Flipper72 | July 04, 2008 at 06:17 PM
Flipper - you're on - it's a bet!
I am very confident NE will have a (much) better record than Miami this coming year.
Posted by: Kurt | July 05, 2008 at 07:18 AM
OK...then, it' a done deal!
$50.00 bucks that the Fins will have a better W-L-T record than the Pats.
________________________________________
Everyone on this blog is a witness to this bet, so there is no backing out now!
Posted by: Flipper72 | July 05, 2008 at 11:56 PM
Easiest $50 I've ever made.
Posted by: Kurt | July 06, 2008 at 08:49 AM
Only Time Will Tell...!!!
Posted by: Flipper72 | July 06, 2008 at 10:25 PM
Right. I agree. Anything can happen. Heck, stranger things have happened. Just look at the Presidential election and the current polls. Wow.
Just don't send the money to the Bostonian because as you've probably come to realize he and I are two different people!! : )
Posted by: Kurt | July 07, 2008 at 04:52 PM