Hurts to say, but credit to Yankees; plus litmus test for Dolphins; Joey Porter 2nd-dirtiest; Scott Rothstein shames local stars; Alan Ogg & more

[Hey it was LIVE CHAT WEDNESDAY in the Q&A Forum! Thanks for joining us today from 1-2 p.m. Click HERE to join live each week, to read past transcripts or to post questions any time].

Credit to Yankees. (Oh that hurt): I sure rooted for the Phillies last night to make it a true Fall Classic by gifting us with baseball's first seven-game World Series since 2002. Also I rooted for the Phils because, as a lifelong infantryman in Red Sox Nation, I instinctively root against the Yankees in any way possible. Having said that, give NYY credit. They had the best team, played like it, and deserve the title. Resist any urge, please, to now complain that the Yankees "bought" the title with their spending. Please! That's what good franchises and good owners are supposed to do! They are supposed to spend enough to win big. It would be disengenuous of me to constantly complain about the Marlins' cheap ownership (which I do), then turn around and fault a team for over-spending. Besides, spending alone guarantees nothing, as the Yankees themselves proved most of this decade. You still have to prove it on the field. There, your fat wallet can't swing the bat for you or make a 3-2 pitch. So, with grudging respect from a Red Sox fan, I say congratulations Yankees.

Pats the ultimate test awaiting Dolphins:

The Jets bring the noise, annoyance and nonsense to the Dolphins' schedule, for sure. But the Patriots -- led by genius-coach Bill Belichick and pretty-boy QB Tom Brady (pcitured) -- bring the true test, the measuring stick. That's why this coming week defines the season and its playoff hopes for Miami. Click here for today's column by me on the Dolphins' biggest game of the season.

Scoop! Porter a dirty player!: A new Sports Illustrated poll of NFL player names Dolphin Joey Porter tied for second-dirtiest with 6% of the vote, equalling Albert Haynesworth. Dirtiest of all? Hines Ward. Story here. 

Chris Chambers available. but goes elsewhere: The Chargers cut ex-Dolphins wide receiver Chris Chambers. Wouldn't he have been an upgrade to Miami's WR corps? Yes. Wasn't he still good enough to be in the mix with Camarillo/Bess/Hartline/Ginn? Yes. Alas, the Chiefs claimed Chambers off waivers.

Blog exclusive!: Dolphins wide receiver Brian Hartline and two team cheerleaders today were caught in broad daylight (pictured) stealing items from a Rooms to Go truck and -- whu? Wait. Really? Oh. Sorry. Umm, it turns out this was not a daylight crime at all, but rather an off-day charity event.

Disgraced lawyer embarrasses local sports: Apparent financial shenanigans by disgraced Fort Lauderdale lawyer Scott Rothstein (pictured), of the firm Rothstein Rosenfeldt Adler, has links to major South Florida players in sports. Rothstein has appeared in advertisements with Dan Marino and Alonzo Mourning, for example, and the RRA firm also is a major advertiser with local sports clients including the Panthers. Click here for the news story on the man who has embarrassed local sports by association.  

Heat novelty player dies: Sad news. Former Heat reserve center Alan Ogg has died at 42. Click here for the story.Ogg played for Miami in 1990-92 and became something of a fan favorite because of his odd surname and 7-2 frame. Fans would chant his name lately in games, hoping he'd get some garbage time.

Poker question: I'm not a huge poker player, so let me ask you something. When competing in a tournament, is it permissable to intentionally distract your opponent with (to use a totally random example) your choice of attire? I'm just wondering.

Why? Because if I am dead, how much enjoyment will I get out of a $5,000 casket?: So let me go out on the cheap.

Click back. Will be adding more stuff here later.

Love,

Twitter.com/gregcote

Comments

[JC]

RIP
So sad another former Heat player has passed.

[OC Dolphin]

Well Greg,

That young talent in your poker picture, at the very least, has a pair.

[Tom]

OC

I think I saw her on the total busts site you posted the other day.

[www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=629389201]

Bring Chamers in ASAP!! He wanted to retire a Phin, and can mentor these wideouts. At 31 he is still young, and can draw heat away from the other WR.

I think it would be a great pick up like Penny was.

[joe cedrick]

how about those JETS....aren't they a class act....they're about as classy as the coach they got...nothing upstairs...another wimp. Joe

[Jimbo]

take Chamber back U asked??
I'd say yes.
He has to pass the smell test by Parcells, Ireland, Sparano.

A crooked attorney??? say it ain't so, say it ain't so......

[OC Dolphin]

Tom,

Totally off subject here, but... Every time I go on this blog and see your name, I can't escape the thought of what you must be going through with your son serving in Afghanistan.

All that I can say is that I don't know how you manage to sleep. Under similar circumstances, I would be a basket case.

You make sure to tell him that many people, even someone like myself who he has never met him, thanks him and admires his valor, courage and bravery.

You raised a good one.

[TheSergeantMajor]

Cote, Finally an idea that wasn't concocted while you were hallucinating. Just kidding:) Absolutely to Chambers, but who gets released to make room for him "oh great one"?

[Tom]

Hi OC

Thank you so much for your kind words. I think of my son often and fortunately get to speak to him frequently. Talking to him and hearing how calm he is really helps me. He is well and ready to get back to America.

I will not tell him what you wrote, rather I will send it to him as written in an email. When he responds, I will copy the response to you.

Thanks again. I appreciate your thoughts and those of a lot of the regulars here (Jimbo, r duke, shadow and others) who have sent their prayers his way.

[IMAWriterRobJ]

Tom, a +1 (as regards OC Dolphin's words) from me and mine regarding your son. As I'm infrequently here I miss the finer points, and personal stuff.

Back on topic, adding Chambers is not like adding Braylon Edwards. The return will not be near as great, and as he has lost much of the speed factor I can't see that much upside. Besides, his hands were always a bit suspect. Not what a young QB needs. Just my 2 cents.

[Jimbo]

joke of the day:

INVOLUNTARY MUSCULAR CONTRACTIONS

A professor at the University of Mississippi was giving a lecture on 'Involuntary Muscular Contractions' to his first year medical students.

Realizing this was not the most riveting subject, the professor decided to lighten the mood slightly.

He pointed to a young woman in the front row and said, 'Do you know what your asshole is doing while you're having an orgasm?'

She replied, 'Probably deer hunting with his buddies.'

It took 45 minutes to restore order in the classroom

[TheSergeantMajor]

Good one Jimbo. Please add my thoughts to the above ref your son. I sure appreciate his sacrifice and all the others serving our country.

FYI: By the way, Veterans eat for free at Applebees on Veterans Day. Proof of service is required and info on what's needed is at the Applebees website.

[klndry]

If I remember correctly Chambers drops as many balls as Ginn and never lived up to his potential in Miami or San Diego

[r. duke]

LOL. Jimbo time to change my shorts. IMAwriterRobJ good points regarding Chamber. Plus one of our other receivers Salguero(sp?) mentioned may be ready to get some playing time. Didn't we draft receiver from USC?

[Tom]

Thanks to all. You guys make me feel proud to be an American.

Now back to football. Bringing Chambers in can't hurt, but I would be surprised if it helped. He has 9 receptions this season with a pro bowl QB. My guess is he's the problem not Philip Rivers. If so, then I would not expect much from him with a much less accomplished QB.

Does anyone really believe that Tom Cable did not sucker punch his coach breaking his jaw? The guy's an asshole who deserves to be ushered out of the league. Oh wait a second, he already is out of the league, he works for the Raiduhs.

Good one Jimbo.

[Jimbo]

Tom,,

First and foremost, OC's sentiments are echoed here. Your Son is truly a Hero in my eyes. My wife was in Iraq last yr and will most likely see Afghanistan sometime in the next 2. Strange world being a spouse or parent of someone in harms way. Most citizens of this country don't realize the agony, pride, worry, etc that a family endures.

[Jimbo]

Duke, Tom, UBA writer2

Good point about Chambers. He had 1 good season after he left Miami. MAYBE coming home and change of address will respark something.... I'd rather have his teamates either Antonio Gates or Vincent Jackson.
The TriFecta will consider it and probably bring Chis in for a workout.

Henne has to find a go to receiver.. somebody.

[mike1]

For those of you who do not believe officiating effects games. If you've just been watching the Saints-Falcons. Up by 4 late in the 4th, On 3rd down, Saints throw incomplete. Wait...defensive holding called. 1st down. They get the momentum and march down field for the unsurmountable lead.

The problem: No way in hell was that defensive holding. Should've been a Saints punt and 3 minutes with the Falcons having 4 downs, going for the game winning TD.

[mike1]

Jimbo,

We need a best of Jimbo's jokes. Do you get these from Playboy? Anyway, put together a summary. I wanted to start collecting them, but now too hard to go searching.

[mike1]

Guess what guys? Soon we'll be rooting for the Cheatriots to beat Indi and the Saints tohelp preserve the undefeated 72 Phins. Better be nice to Naples, Kurt and the Bostonian.

[r. duke]

Really no love lost for Pats but next to Jets they're a class act. Jets are trash of NFL. Real major league palookas except Kris Jenkins. Kris just disappear for a year, get Roy Black to represent you in divorce from Jets due to your alledged signs and symptoms of "DUMBING DOWN SYNDROME" the inevitable result of your being forced to endure the Jets franchise mindnumbing lack intelligence. Also don't be afraid to mention Coach Fat Bastard's notion of bonding with his players is snapping their bare butts with a wet towel and loudly laughing like a mean, smelly, level-three sex offending drunkard, when they cry out in pain...

[hiptosstonight]

please sign chris chambers asap, with him on team, we go to the playoffs!

[Rich]

Bring Chambers back please Ginn this week showed what he is a good return guy and nothing more we need a solid reciever. I believe Henne is a good QB for the future the recievers just drop the ball what seems like all the time

[Tom]

mike1 brings up a good point about th 72 Fins undefeated SB season. I know I'll root for the Colts, but can I really root for the Pats? I'm feeling dirty already just thinking about it.
Even more perverse is thinking these Saints just might go undefeated and win the SB when our own 09 Dolphins had them down 21 and then handed them the game.

[TheSergeantMajor]

mike1, I agree. Very bad call last night. I'm still ticked about the NC the officials stole from the U on another bad call vs. OSU years back.

[Eddy]

Bring in Chambers in to a 1 year contract with the option of another one just incase he does pretty good for the rest of the year, no one on the phins has really steped up so why not take a chance on him?

[the shadow knows]

mike1 and his clacque,

officiating is just part of the whole concept as sports, pro and college- being "entertainment". when the staubach cowboys were "america's team", it was good for america if they won; so too with florida, USC, UNC and duke in basketball. JUST DON'T TAKE THIS STUFF THAT SERIOUSLY!!!

[Lisa]

Yes to Chambers. I had a bunch of reasons why, but they match everyone else

[OC Dolphin]

A more appropriate question is, who would you cut off the practice squad to make room for __?__ who would be coming off the 53 man roster?

[Jimbo]

Mike1,, I have a pretty big network of email associates that I have made thru the Gov't job and even more since I started appraising real estate 2 yrs ago. Most jokes I get thru emails, some I hear, some are from magazines,,, Maxim, Stuff, kinda mags usually have the best. A corrections coworker of mine creates some and is regularly posted in those magazines as the contributing writer. Between the 2 careers, I probably sift thru 60 emails a day, not including junk mail.

Mike1 again, I am driving from CO Springs to Seattle Sunday. Got a lot to do in 1 week, house hunt (did most online), meet new bosses at Fed Detention Center, reconnect with my woman. Going to scope it out a little. You echoed what quite a few people told me about that area. I bet the drive is going to be interesting, going thru Oregon, Idaho, Utah, Wyoming.

[enrique1085]

Ladies and Gentlemen,

We need Chambers back ASAP! Think about how Belidick will have to start changing his gameplan against us knowing that we have another weapon on offense! He'll have to start from scratch,on the other hand, we just plug him into the offense. The Fins don't need to make any significant changes on offense. At the very least, Chambers can be an onfield distratction for that young Patriot defense; plus he can coach up Hartline and the other young guys!

[enrique1085]

Do you guys think a wideout is washed up at 31?

[OC Dolphin]

enrique,

No, don't think he's washed up, but who do you cut?

The team is not strong enough in any one position to weaken it by cutting one of its member. Not in special teams, not with the linebackers, line, DB's, rushing, etc. So the only answer is that you cut one of its own - Patrick Turner.

Is that what you would do?

[Marky]

Are you guys kidding me? Bring back Chambers?

He never lived up to his potential. He can’t catch and has lost speed. It would be a waste of a roster spot and money to bring him back. Keep in mind, he has to learn a new system and Henne hasn’t even figured that out yet.

If Miami signs him, he would be released before the season is over. In my opinion, he offers nothing. What, he’ll teach the young guys how to drop passes and run away from hits. He makes no difference to the offense…at all!! Besides, other than the “wild cat” formation, this team is going no-where offensively.

[Jimbo]

OC,
I'd be leary of cutting rookie WR Turner in favor of Chambers. We all know what Chris did a while back ,, but does he still have "it"? My guess is that they won't sign him. The team management likes the young players THEY bring in. Besides if they get him right now, he won't be ready come Sunday against the Pats. Too much to overcome in game preparedness.

[OC Dolphin]

Jimbo,

My question was rhetorical. There's no way management cuts their 4th selected player for a guy with marginalized current skills.

Now, if one of the receivers happens to get injured...well, that would be a different story.

[r. duke]

I say we bring back Irving Fryar and OJ McDuffie. Chambers must really suck to just be cut loose by Chargers... Hey any potential stars in Canada eh?

[sagester]

I am a big fan of Chambers and by bringing him back we can leave Ginn on special teams and he could sty healty longer .

by the way didnt we sign another return guy after Cobbs went down?

[FZB]

On the chambers front, I don't think he is Tuna's type of player, Guys, I know we all have high expectations of the dolphins, but they have way to many holes, they can't fix the lack of talent they inhereted in only two years....

is going to take time, they are doing this the right way, they need time...In tuna I trust.

that is all...

[OC Dolphin]

duke,

If the Dolphins are considering any oldsters at all at wideout, they should just bring back Marlin Briscoe.

[Chicago Dolfan]

I'm really hoping they do bring back Chris. He was great!! I think he may be able to teach the new guys a thing or two. Yes Yes Yes, please bring him back!! Chicago Dolfan

[Dave in VA]

The practice squad guy (forget his name) they grabbed after Cobbs went down could be dropped to make room for Chambers. But the question remains would he be worth it? You never know, a trip back to your old home sometimes lights a spark. Jesus, could it really hurt?

My guess is that they roll the dice, see if he clears waivers and low-ball him for a second chance in So Fla, ala Jason Taylor.

[OC Dolphin]

Dave in Va,

Not likely. In fact, this just in from the Sun Sentinel:

The Miami Dolphins have managed to slip another member of their 2009 draft class onto the eight-man developmental squad.

Tight end John Nalbone, a fifth-round pick out of Monmouth, cleared waivers and was re-signed to the Dolphins' practice squad, according to a source.

Nalbone was waived on Saturday to make room for veteran linebacker Matt Roth, who was activated off the reserve/non-football injury list. Roth made his season debut Sunday at the New York Jets and produced one first-quarter tackle after missing three months with a groin injury.

Fellow fifth-rounder Chris Clemons, taken four picks after Nalbone in April, made his first career start at safety on Sunday.

Nalbone, who was inactive for the Dolphins' first six games, joins 2009 seventh-rounder J.D. Folsom, a linebacker, on the practice squad. Kory Sperry is the only other tight end on the practice squad.

It's unclear which member of the practice squad has been cut loose to make room for Nalbone.

[Tom]

Who do we root for if Indi and the Saints make it to the SB undefeated? The better question is who do we blame if Indi and the Saints make it to the SB undefeated?

[Tom]

BREAKING NEWS

Chris Chambers just signed with the KC Chiefs.

[Jimbo]

OC,
Sun Sentinel has been a pretty good source for Fins news.

[Jimbo]

Dave in Va:

Are you talking about the second yr RB Ike Hilliard? Dude had some explosive runs in the preseason.

[Jimbo]

I didn't think Tuna woulda retreaded Chris Chambers who has diminishing skills.

[Jimbo]

Unbiased Media:

THE BIKER AND THE LION
A Harley rider is passing the zoo, when he sees a little girl leaning into the lion's cage. Suddenly, the lion grabs her by the cuff of her jacket and tries to pull her inside to slaughter her, under the eyes of her screaming parents.

The biker jumps off his bike, runs to the cage and hits the lion square on the nose with a powerful punch. Whimpering from the pain, the lion jumps back, letting go of the girl and the biker brings her to her terrified parents, who thank him endlessly. A New York Times reporter has watched the whole event. The reporter says, "Sir, this was the most gallant and brave thing I saw a man do in my whole life."

The biker replies, "Why, it was nothing, really, the lion was behind bars. I just saw this little kid in danger, and acted accordingly. Right" The reporter says,
"Well, I'm a journalist from the New York Times, and tomorrow's paper will have this story on the front page...
So, what do you do for a living and what political affiliation do you have?"
The biker replies, "I'm a U.S. Marine and a Republican." The following morning the biker buys The New York Times to see if it indeed brings news of his deed, and reads, on front page:

U.S. MARINE ASSAULTS AFRICAN IMMIGRANT AND STEALS HIS LUNCH

[Dave in VA]

No Jimbo, they signed some dude off someone's practice squad after Cobbs got hurt. I'm too lazy to look it up and it doesn't matter anyway if the Chiefs signed Chambers...