Greg Cote's Random Evidence of a Cluttered Blog

BRO BOWL! Harbaugh vs. Harbaugh! Ray Lewis! Ravens, 49ers in Super Bowl!; Ravens-Pats next; plus Panthers' big opening night, Jedd Fisch, Earl Weaver, Heat, Lance/Manti & more

[1) It is SUNDAY, JANUARY 20. Click on Lance 'n Manti for my Sunday Random Evidence wiseass notes column, led by a skewering of this week's Liefest. 2) R.I.P., Earl Weaver (pictured), dead at 82. The colorful and cantankerous longtime former Orioles manager, who lived in Pembroke Pines, suffered a heart attack while on an O's fantasy cruise in Caribbean. Also, a farewell to the great Stan Musial. 3) WQAM rightly suspended Dan Sileo two days for cartoonishly sexist Tweets about Erin Andrews. C'mon, Sileo. Don't go so low with the shock-jock schtick. 4) Join us on Twitter @gregcote]

Canes losing offensive coordinator: ESPN's Adam Schefter first reported that Hurricanes OC Jedd Fisch is leaving for the same post with the Jacksonville Jaguars. That's a sizable loss. Be interesting to see what Al Golden does for a replacement, especially now that Mario Cristobal is on the staff.

NFL PREDIX: 49ERS, RAVENS MAKE IT A HAR-BOWL SUPER BOWL: OK, get ready , America, for the onslaught. More Harbaugh vs. Harbaugh than you can stomach. More Ray Lewis farewell than you can stand. Storyline overload! WHOOOOO! Original post: The possibility of a 49ers- Ravens Super Bowl -- Jim Harbaugh vs. John Harbaugh in the Bro Bowl -- is pretty good, but won't happen. John's Niners get in. Jim's Crows do not, which means the end of the line for Ray Lewis. Click on Championship Game Gems for full version of this week's latest NFL picks. And on First Family for my Friday NFL column. I write how the Harbaughs have (temporarily) unseated the Mannings atop league's geneological marquee, and on other stuff that makes this year's Final Four a good one no matter who advances. A synopsis of my picks:

NFC FINAL: 49ers 28, Falcons 24 -- Atalnta just isn't there yet. Almost blew it a week ago vs. Seattle, and today sqaundered a 17-0 second-quarter lead. Niners clearly the better team and proved it, though SF pushed against the spread. Original post: Home dogs always are so tempting in playoffs (especially with ATL 8-1 at home), but Niners are a more physical and better all-round team, and Falcons defense has had trouble defending the kind of dual-threat QB embodied by Colin Kaepernick. SF has too many weapons. My pick was: 49ers (-4), 24-17.

AFC FINAL: Ravens 28, Patriots 13 -- Pats were 67-0 when leading at halftime under Tom Brady ... until tonight. Give Ravens credit. Big defense and three TD passes by Joe Flacco. Original post: I like Baltimore getting nine points but not outright in the first AFC title-game rematch since 1986-87. Ravens usually defend Tom Brady comparatively well, but you just don't bet against Brady at home in winter-time, even missing Rob Gronkowski again. My pick was: Patriots (-9), 34-27.

HOCKEY'S BACK, EH! ROOKIE HUBERDEAU LEADS CATS' BIG IN OPENER: Panthers routed Carolina 5-1 last night here to launch the NHL season, with a goal and two assists from rookie Jonathan Huberdeau,

the player of the game. Click on Earning the Ridiculous Red Hat for my column off the game. This season the Cats are having their guy voted player of the game wear a Three Musketeers-style hat in postgame interviews, and last night it looked more like a playful rookie hazing of the 19-year-old Huberdeau (pictured). Love it! Original post: Better late than never, Florida Panthers open their 19th NHL season tonight vs. Carolina in the Sunrise ice barn. I'll be there battling a deadline column. Cats won their first-ever division title last year to end a long playoff drought, and Carolina is one of the teams they'll have to beat to do that again so it's a big division test out the gate. Every game will seem a little bigger this season with the schedule truncated from 82 games to 48. Honestly I don't follow hockey intently but I do follow the Panthers closely. Love what GM Dale Tallon has done since arriving in 2010, second-year coach Kevin Dineen looks like the real deal, and I'm eager to see if young Jonathan Huberdeau will add needed scoring punch. Cats have a really good mix of veterans and rising talent. I had a nice long conversation with Dineen the other day and from that petri dish arose this preview column.

ALL IS WELL WITH HEAT AGAIN! (UNTIL NEXT LOSS...): Heat, off until Wednesday, ended a 3-3 western road swing on a high in L.A., 99-90 over the Lakers. Blearily I stayed up 'til 1:30 to watch LeBron James net 39 points, Dwyane Wade hit 27, and Kobe Bryant get hot too late. LeBron affirmed his BPE status (Best Player on Earth) for any doubters out there. Miami has struggled on the road and the Lakers are struggling, period, but this game still had an event/marquee feel and it was a nice win for the Heat. Lakers had the inside size to (theoretically) match up well with Miami, but tenacious D (pictured) and 

LeBron at his best were plenty. So it's official, then. All is well and Heat-repeat chances look good again. Until the next loss, of course. With this team, premature panic never quite disappears, right? It just lays dormant ... waiting.

Poll result: Manti Lie'o: We asked in the previous blogpost if you thought Notre Dame football star Manti Te'o was a liar or the victim of a hoax in the bizarre dead-girlfriend-who-never existed story. More than two-thirds, 68.4 percent, said liar, and only 6.7% said victim. Another 24.9% voted "not sure."

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Manti Te'o: Liar? Or victim? New poll. Vote now!; plus my own hoax, LeBron whips Lakers, Canes hoops, Lance's confessional & more

[1) It is FRIDAY, JANUARY 18. Brand new blogpost coming later this morning. A journalism professor once told me "brand new" was redundant. She may be right. I ignore her anyway. 2) Season debut of American Idol last night was more palatable than I'd imagined. Nicki Minaj adds something. Plus, credibility points for bouncing the one-legged guy. 3) Join us on Twitter @gregcote]

WHAT TO MAKE OF THE INCREDIBLE MANTI TE'O STORY: Yes, and Touchdown Jesus wept. Again. It isn't bad enough Notre Dame got schooled by Nick Saban's Alabama in the BCS National Championship that Miami hosted. Now its signature player, linebacker and Heisman runnerup Manti Te'o, is exposed as, well ... as what? He would be a liar of Lance-esque proportion (only much more creative) if we believe the Deadspin piece (here) that reported Manti completely made up the non-existent girlfriend who supposedly died of leukemia in November. Or ... Manti could be the victim of a heartless prank, as Notre Dame and Te'o now claim. Liar or victim. In this case there doesn't seem much gray area. Liar or victim? For the record, I lean to thinking Te'o contrived the whole tale, but am not sure. I invite you to vote and share your own thoughts.

When I was the victim of a (much smaller) hoax: Media outlets all over the country including this one were victims of the Manti Te'o/dead-girlfriend story, reporting it as fact. I sympathize. As a young reporter in 1982 I wrote what I thought was a nice, timely little story about how Fort Lauderdale Strikers soccer player Ken Fogarty (pictured) was worried because his sister was on a British military vessel headed to the Falklands War. Turned out Fogarty, a prankster, made the whole thing up. A certain trust is in play when media and subjects intersect. Should somebody have asked Te'o to see his girlfriend's death certificate? Should I have called the Royal Navy to confirm Fogarty's story? Maybe yes on both. But only in the clarity of retrospect.

LEBRON'S 39 LIFTS HEAT PAST LAKERS: LeBron's 39 points and Dwyane Wade's 27 powered Heat over Lakers in L.A., 99-90, late last night. Impressive win, and big show by the Big 2 after each was named an all-star starter earlier in the day. The result reignited the hope in Miami fans that, yes, there is a switch that this team is able to find, and flip. Original post: The Heat crushed Golden State last night as LeBron James breezed past 20,000 career points younger than anyone else. Now, tonight, it's Heat at Lakers and, yes, for this one I will stay up 'til 1 a.m. Lakers have won a couple in a row but still struggle off playoff pace. Miami is only 9-9 on the road. No matter. This is still a marquee, statement, event game, a stage on which both teams will want to bring the A-game and really perform. Can't wait! [Update: Remember last week when LeBron bragged that the pressure on the Lakers is "nowhere near what we went through"? Kobe Bryant today was asked about that. His response: "What does he want, a cookie?"]

UM HOOPS' NICE RUN, HUGE TEST: The nice run: A 13-3 record, five wins in a row and a pristine 4-0 ACC mark for Jim Larranaga's men. I'm-a start to float conspiracy theories if the Canes are still not ranked in the next poll. The huge test: This coming Wednesday, UM hosts No. 3 Duke. We'll be a college basketball hotbed ... at least for the night.

ANTICLIMACTICALLY INTO THE CONFESSIONAL WITH LANCE ARMSTRONG: Last night was the much-hyped interview with Oprah Winfrey in which shamed cyclist Lance Armstrong came clean about his PED use after years of indignant denials. "One big lie," he admitted. (I imagined the interview would star Oprah with an occasional appearance by Lance). It was the interview we already knew so much about there was almost no need to watch. It was on the network we have never seen and have no idea how to find.

Poll result: Support for Dolphins' stadium plan, but not strong: We asked in the previous blogpost if you supported the Dolphins' plan for a $400 million stadium improvement that would be shared equally by owner Stephen Ross and tax dollars. Yes won with 57.4 percent. Yes-but-only-if-Ross-pays had 35.6%. Only 5.1% thought the stadium was fine as is, and 1.9% were undecided.

THINGS GREG COTE PONDERS BUT SELDOM TALKS ABOUT (one in a series): With no evident protest or uproar, the classic 100-watt light bulb evidently is being phased out. Publix now maxes out at 75 watts. Updates as warranted.

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Alabama 42, Notre Dame 14: ROLL TIDE! 'Bama, Saban continue reign!; plus Ross' Dolphins promise, Arison's Heat Tweet, NFL playoffs & more

[1) It is MONDAY, JANUARY 7. Welcome to Championship Day in South Florida. 2) Heat today waived Josh Harrellson. 3) Join us on Twitter @gregcote]

Click on Big -- Even For Us for my column today advancing the Tide-Irish title game. I write of the history of Greater Miami hosting games on sports' biggest stage, and how this ranks.

ROLL TIDE!: ALABAMA, SABAN REIGN AGAIN!: Crimson Tide crush Fighting Irish, 42-14. Alabama completely dominated Notre Dame tonight at Dolphins stadium, leading early and once up 35-0 before the Irish made the score seem less lopsided than it really was. Eddie Lacy (140 yards rushing) was the game's MVP. My vote went to QB AJ McCarron (four TD passes).

ALABAMA-NOTRE DAME: YOU MIGHT WANT BOTH TO LOSE, BUT ONE HAS TO WIN: We asked back in early December, when this matchup first was known, which team you hoped would win, and 60.2 percent voted Notre Dame. Now let's take the hope out of it and find out which team you predict will win. Not against the spread, just straight up. Who'll reign as champion at Dolphins stadium around midnight tonight? I doubt Irish or Tide fans can vote dispassionately, so I'm counting on those who don't have a rooting interest or who hate both equally to step back and be steered by mind, not heart. You have $100 to place on either team winning outright. Where's your money go?  Vote and say why.

Crystal championship trophy traces roots to Miami: The Waterford crystal trophy Alabama or Notre Dame will win tonight traces to South Florida. The UM Sports Hall of Fame informs us the locally based Gerrits Foundation teamed with the UPI Coaches Poll to create the trophy in 1986. The foundation was formed by three Gerrits brothers (all UM graduates) to honor their father, Edward, who founded Gerrits Construction here in 1945. The family affiliation with the trophy ended in 1990, but the trophy itself endures.

OWNER SPEAKS: ARISON TWEET TWEAKS SPOILED HEAT FANS: Heat owner Micky Arison's Sunday Tweet: When did being 1st in the East at the beginning of January become not good enough for some @MiamiHEAT fans? Hmm. I get Arison's point. First is first. It's harsh if you look at team's record and see disappointment first. Arison must appreciate fans' concerns, though. Lack of rebounding has been a real issue, and two or three teams in the West seem capable, at this point, of beating Miami.    

OWNER SPEAKS II: DOLPHINS' ROSS VOWS TO OPEN WALLET: Owner Stephen Ross held his season-wrapup news conference today and promised, "I don't care what it costs. I'm willing to do whatever it takes" to build a winner. Ross said he believes in draft above free agency but won't hesitate to spend in the latter of right players are there. Ross also reiterates his belief that Miami has the "right guys" in coach Joe Philbin and QB Ryan Tannehill. Said those are any team's two most important ingredients, adding, "I think we have them."

NFL PLAYOFFS: ROUND 1 AND LOOKING AHEAD: The weekend's four wild-card games were a letdown, decided by 6, 14, 15 and 10 points. None came down to an exciting finish. The only real drama was A) the likely home farewell of Ray Lewis (left) in Baltimore, and B) Mike Shanahan's handling of Robert Griffin III's (right) knee injury at Washington. Doubt it would have changed the result, but Shanahan would have served RG3 -- and his team -- better by putting in a healthy Kirk Cousins sooner. Looking ahead to next weekend and the Final Eight, the initial gut feeling is that the two AFC games are easy picks but that the two NFC games are toughies. Broncos over Ravens and Patriots over Texans seem clear calls for the home teams. Packers-at-Niners and Seahawks-at-Falcons will require some deeper thought.

Updated Super Bowl odds: New from Bovada, the numbers bear out what I said above regarding the next round of games. Updated SB odds: Broncos 11-4, Patriots 7-2, 49ers and Packers both 6-1, Falcons and Seahawks both 7-1, and Texans and Ravens both 18-1. 

Poll result: Broncos, Ravens the fan favorites: We asked in the previous blogpost which of the 12 playoff teams you most hope wins the Super Bowl, and the three to draw double-figure support were the Broncos (21.6 percent), Ravens (17.8) and Seahawks (11.8). That's the power and popularity of Peyton.

BESS CITED FOR TECHNIQUE: Davone Bess is the only Dolphin honored among 26 NFL players on USA Football's 2012 All-Fundamental Team for "exemplary football techniques for youth players to emulate." Didn't even know the team existed, but a neat little honor for Davone.

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Is it time to forgive Nick Saban? New poll. Vote now!; plus ND, 'Bama arrive; farewell, Ray Lewis; Dolphins' draft; Orange's lost gamble & more

[1) It is THURSDAY, JANUARY 3. See results of our biggest-Miami-sports-story-of-2012 poll in blogpost directly below this new one. 2) Louisville and Miami's Teddy Bridgewater put the sweetness in the Sugar Bowl last night. Florida added the diabetes. 3) Join us on Twitter @gregcote]

Ray Lewis announces retirement: The great ex-Cane and Ravens linebacker is saying he plans to retire following the playoffs. It sounds like the right decision, alas. Five words for his career: Hall of Fame, first ballot.

IT IS TIME TO FORGIVE NICK SABAN AND MOVE ON, MIAMI: I like to take jabs at Nick Saban as much as the next guy. Probably more than the next guy. (See item directly below for proof.) I mean, he's such an easy target! But I also think, more seriously, that, six years later, Dolphins fans should forgive him the clumsy way he departed here, first lying, then leaving. He was far from the first coach to be deceitful about his intentions or abruptly change his mind. He has expressed regrets. Saban deserves to be appreciated for what he has accomplished since -- going for a second straight national title with Alabama and third in four years vs. Notre Dame here Monday night in the BCS National Championship. I make my case for forgiveness in today's latest column; click Burying Nick Satan to read. But I also know many of you don't agree, and won't ever. The poll below will tell Saban exactly how South Florida feels about him, six years later. Vote and make your case why.

NOTRE DAME EVIL LEPRECHAUNS, ALABAMA CRIMSON SATANS ARRIVE!: Hype and anticipation for Monday's BCS National Championship game at Dolphins stadium ramp up to another level yesterday as both teams arrived, No. 1 Irish in Fort Lauderdale, No. 2 Tide in Miami. It's the perfect dream bowl, because both programs are storied and deserve enormous respect, and yet each is vilified in a certain way in South Florida. So it's a matchup to love and hate all at once! Notre Dame of course is disliked by all but its fans in much the same way the New York Yankees are or the Dallas Cowboys (pre-irrelevance) used to be. Feelings for the Irish boil closer to hatred here on account of the bitter past rivalry with Miami's Hurricanes exacerbated by the Irish's rout-win this past season at Soldier Field. Remember when Irish fans called Jimmy Johnson "Pork-faced Satan?" What better segue to why so many locals will be rooting against 'Bama. It is because of Nick Satan Saban, who angered Dolfans with the way he lied left the Dolphins after the 2006 season. Saban is pictured here, practicing his creepy, robotic, fake smile alongside ND coach Brian Kelly. [Disclaimer: I don't dislike Saban. He's just such a ripe target and so damned much fun to make fun of!]

OBC gambles, loses on Northern Illinois: Sorry, Orange Bowl Committee. Points for thinking outside the box and tossing them dice, but Northern Illinois indicated in Tuesday's 31-10 loss to Florida State why a Mid-American Conference team hadn't ever before been invited to a BCS bowl. Huskies were no match for Seminoles on either side of the ball. Click on NIU Answers Whether It Belonged for my column off the game. OB last hosted a close bowl (under 10-point margin) in 2008. 

HEY HERE'S SOME COMICALLY EARLY NFL DRAFT TALK!: The draft is in 112 days. The reason I mention it here is because Monday's BCS title game include at least two players who realistically could be Miami's first-round pick at No. 12 overall. One is Alabama cornerback Dee Milliner (if he lasts that long). Another is Notre Dame tight end Tyler Eifert (if the Dolphins reach a bit or trade down). No wide receivers are rated worthy of being take higher than the low 20s. If Miami goes for a pass-rusher a plausible pick might be Oregon DE Dion Jordan.

GREG COTE'S FREE TIPS FOR PROPER LIVING (GCFTFPL): (One in a series) Florida drivers, those small yellow stickers are meant to be affixed to the upper right corner of your vehicle's license plate, as shown, and only there. When you get a new one, it goes right over the old one in the same spot. Get it? Do not -- as many drivers do -- place the stickers in all four corners or even in the middle of the plate. Doing so indicates to other drivers that the chances are very good you might not be a member of Mensa.

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Cowboys' cold play on Josh Brent: Is it right? Poll. Vote!; plus Jets' MNF debacle, Saban's de-Satanization, Mark Trumbo, Dolphins playoff odds (0.02%) & more

[It is WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 19. Join us on Twitter @gregcote]

ON THE COWBOYS AND JOSH BRENT: This is tough. Made for some meaty palaver with Le Batard on the 790 airwaves yesterday. Josh Brent, of course, is the Dallas Cowboy charged with manslaughter-DUI in the death of his teammate and best friend Jerry Brown. The team has pledged to support Brent as he faces trial, and Brown's own mother -- in a magnanimous, noble display -- also called for the support of Brent, whom she has known for years. Well, Brent appeared on the Cowboys sideline i street clothes Sunday (pictured), was shown by TV cameras, and disappeared. Now the Cowboys and NFL say he will not be allowed back on the sideline. The debate: What's right? The courts will deal with Brent's penalty, and should. Meantime, I  feel he should be allowed on the sideline to feel the support of his team-family. The person who feels the most pain in all this, the victim's own mother, even thinks so. But many disagree. Pick a side. Vote and say why.

JETS HIT BOTTOM, ENTER RE-BOOT MODE: [Update: Sanchez has been benched] It isn't that a 14-10 road loss is that embarrassing by itself, not even to Tennessee. But when the loss happens the way it did to the stumbling, bumbling New York Jets on Monday Night Football -- with four Mark Sanchez interceptions and a dooming late fumble -- it goes beyond embarrassment. Heads will roll. One of the guillotined heads will be wearing sunglasses because it will be that of offensive coordinator Tony Sparano, our old friend. That seems very clear. Sparano won't survive. Less certain but not by much, I'd say the Sanchez era also is done. He is contaminated with Jets fans now, likely beyond repair. He has become Matt Leinart, the pretty boy without the talent to match the star-aura. (A phrase came to mind Monday as I watched I-Wear-My-Sunglasses-At-Night Sparano counseling Sanchez on the sideline: "The Blind Leading The Blind.") Tim Tebow isn't the QB answer, either, of course. Not sure even Rex Ryan should feel real secure about his job. The Jets are in free-fall and could be close to starting-over mode. Right now the Dolphins are positioned second-best after New England in the AFC East today, ahead of the Jets and the Bills to a degree far more clear than it was entering this season.

NFL PIX 'N FANTASY: Solid overall, if you can call winning a fantasy consolation-round game solid. NFL predix: I won't be bragging this up on a billboard or anything, but I'm marginally OK with 10-6 straight-up and 8-7-1 against the spread. (Redskins game was off-the-board when  I picked it). Had a few nice hits like Vikings and Cowboys winning outright upsets, and Niners-with-points at Pats. But too many results blindsided me. Way to lay down like mangy dogs, Giants, Ravens, Lions and Chargers. You bums! Greg's Lobos: My fantasy team won 143-100 (small league), with Aaron Rodgers and Andre Johnson both topping 30 for me. But I'm still 5-10 overall and (way) out of my league's championship round.

Dolphins' playoff odds: Got a microscope?: The computer model over at makenflplayoffs.com puts the Dolphins' chances of winning the second wild-card spot at 0.02321 percent. (Do you believe in miracles?)

MARLINS, NOLASCO AND TRUMBO: No secret the Marlins probably will deal starting pitcher Ricky Nolasco. He's unhappy, wants out and is set to make $11.5 milliion in 2013. Now it is being reported the Angels might want him and that Miami possibly could get outfielders Mark Trumbo (pictured) or Peter Bourjos in return, by possibly adding a prospect in addition to Nolasco. I'd do the deal for Trumbo in a heartbeat. He hit 32 homers last year and would give the club a power bat to augment Giancarlo Stanton. It would be a rare popular move by the Marlins, so, of course, don't hold your breath.

ON SABAN'S ATTEMPT TO DE-SATANIZE HIMSELF IN MIAMI: Alabama coach Nick Saban went on 790 The Ticket and extended an olive branch to Miami and to the Dolfans he lied to before leaving the team after the 2006 season. Saban admitted to "not handling the way I left well," calling it something "I've never felt good about." He also made some minor news by saying the Dolphins offered a contract to Drew Brees first before the '06 season, not to Daunte Culpepper, but that Brees then "didn't pass the physical." I hesitate to rehash, but it bears wondering, again, how Brees could fail a Dolphins physical and then a week or so later pass a Saints physical -- his New Orleans career since a strong indication the Saints medics got it right. What I took from what Saban said, if true, is that Culpepper-over-Brees wasn't a misjudgement of coach or management, but a medical error. As for Saban's attempted rehabilitation of his image in Miami in advance of the Alabama-Notre Dame title game, well, it's so much more fun to hold you as a villain, Nick. Hence, you pictured here as Ebenezer Scrooge. You charmed us on the radio the way you charm-recruit kids and moms in living rooms. But some lies you just don't forget.

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Free advice: Which free agents-to-be should Dolphins most want back? Poll. Vote!; plus Heisman, NFL predix, wakeup call for embarrassed Heat & more

[1) It is SATURDAY, DECEMBER 8. A happy start of Hanukkah to our Jewish friends. And a fond appreciation of John Lennon, 32 years to the day since his murder. 2) Congrats to St. Thomas Aquinas, Miami Central and Cypress Bay for big football wins last night. 3) Did you remember to remember Pearl Harbor yesterday? 4) Have a feeling Marquez finally will beat Pacquiao tonight in Vegas. 5) Join us on Twitter @gregcote]

FREE ADVICE: TELL DOLPHINS WHICH OF THEIR BIG 7 FREE AGENTS YOU MOST WANT BACK: Seven prominent Dolphins starters (four on offense, three on D) will be free agents when their contracts expire after the season. Personnel lord Jeff Ireland is using the final month of the season to decide which if any he wants back, which if any he most wants to re-sign. Help him. Tell him. The team's Big 7 free agents-to-be are listed alphabetically in this poll. I know: It's tough to choose just three. For me, I'd count Clemons and Fasano at the bottom but consider all of the other five desirable to have back. How about you? Vote for the three (3) you most want back and say why.

YEAR OF THE WEIRD HEISMAN VOTE: The 78th Heisman Trophy is given tonight in New York and the three finalists -- Kansas State QB Collin Klein, Texas A&M QB Johnny Manziel and Notre Dame LB Manti Te'o -- make for a strange ballot and possible historic result. Klein, as a senior quarterback, would be the safest vote and most traditional winner, but he is seen as the underdog. The co-favorites would make history: Manziel as the first-ever freshman to win, and Te'o as the first linebacker to win and first defender of any kind since 1997. I'd like to see Te'o win but think Manziel will. But here is a real possibility: If enough voters can't bring themselves to vote for a defender or to anoint a freshman, Klein could win almost be default. Should make for a more interesting than usual Heisman announcement.  

NFL PREDIX: TALLEST TEST YET FOR DOLPHINS: Sunday's game in San Francisco looks like the unlikeliest victory yet for Miami, exceeding even the opener at Houston. Cannot see a struggling Dolphins offense doing much against an excellent Niners D. Click on Week 14 Gems for all our latest NFL predictions. Click King Sport Three-Quarters Awards for our Friday Page column. Is it time to start thinking of Robert Griffin III and Andrew Luck not just in the rookie of the year race but also as league MVP candidates? Getting there.

HEAT, THIS IS YOUR WAKEUP CALL: Interesting week for the Heat. First Miami becomes the first NBA defending champion to lose to a team with as awful a record as the Wizards. Then last night Miami suffers its worst home loss of the Big 3 era with all three playing, allowing the Knicks 18 3-point baskets. I think this twin embarrassment could be the double-slap this team needed. Coach Erik Spolestra admitted last night, "We need to address our defense." LeBron James (pictured) acknowledged, "We need more sense of urgency." They also need more D-Wade, more Chalmers and better defense -- perimeter to rim. Early December is way too early to panic, yes. But the national media is just waiting for the chance to portray the Big 3 Heat as a collapsing one-hit-wonder that won't repeat. More weeks like this one will open that floodgate.

MORE ON THE FIU/CRISTOBAL DEBACLE: Speculated frontrunner Butch Davis has indicated he is not interested in replacing wrongly fired Mario Cristobal at FIU. Just as well. Davis would be a recycled older coach who'd consider the school beneath him. What FIU needs is a young, talented, energetic coach who wants to be here, somebody like, well ... like Mario Cristobal! (I wonder if AD Pete Garcia is figuring out that he made a really bad mistake?)

Poll result: Go, Irish! (But not by a landslide): We asked in the previous blogpost if you are rooting for Alabama or Notre Dame in the Jan. 7 BCS National Championship in Miami, and the Fighting Irish won with 60.3 percent to the Tide's 39.7.

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Cristobal screwed by FIU; plus 'Bama-Notre Dame (w/ poll), the problem with the Heat, Philbin's rookie mistake, more Marlinsry, final SOPY rank & more

[1) It is THURSDAY, DECEMBER 6. Tonight's NFL pick is Broncos (-10 1/2) over Raiders, 34-16. 2) Join us on Twitter @gregcote]

CRISTOBAL WRONGED BY A DISLOYAL A.D.: College athletic directors who are impatient or ineffective or both can be funny to observe. Funny as in sad. Take FIU's Pete Garcia. What is he thinking in firing football coach Mario Cristobal? A year ago Cristobal (pictured) deservedly gets a four-year contract extension because he has led FIU to its first winning seasons, to consecutive bowl games, to a small but growing place on the sport's national map. Cristobal is The Hot Young Coach, pursued by others (Rutgers, Pitt) but loyal to FIU and his home town, Miami. Wednesday, after a losing season fraught with key injuries, the mercurial Garcia showed everyone exactly what his loyalty looks like. Sad. Click on No Loyalty In Return for today's latest column by me.

THE LOVE-TO-HATE GLORY OF ALABAMA VS. NOTRE DAME: Oh what a perfect matchup Miami gets in the Jan. 7 BCS National Championship at Dolphins stadium. It is perfect for the right reasons: Two vaunted programs of the highest echelon of college football in terms of tradition and accomplishment. It is also perfect because both are love-'em or hate-'em programs -- adored by their legion of fans, despised by the nation at large. 'Bama is personified by Nick Saban, loved by the houndstooth hat crowd but so unlikable to others, especially in Baton Rouge and in South Florida, it seems. And Notre Dame ... where to start? They are the Yankees, the evil empire. Their fans act as if no other team matters. This is why I have coined this matchup Nick Satan vs. The Evil Leprechaun. Alabama is favored, but I'm asking here who you want to win, not who you think will. There is no category for "neither," sorry. So I challenge you to declare a rooting interest, or at least to choose based on which team you hate slightly less. Vote and say why.

PHILBIN WRONG ON CAM WAKE, PERIOD: Dolphins are trying to stop the Patriots and save their chance of winning Sunday. It is late in the fourth quarter. And Cam Wake -- Miami's best defensive player and premier sacker -- is not out there chasing Tom Brady because Wake is on the sideline. Watching. Wondering. Seething. Coach Joe Philbin was resting Wake (and Jared Odrick, too) related to some lame adherance to a snap count. Are you kidding me!? Rookie mistake, Joe. Please don't do it again.

Long on IR; so long, Jake?: Dolphins left tackle Jake Long's season is finished as he was placed on injured reserve last night with a torn triceps. I have my doubts that Long, a pending free agent, will be back with Miami. He has become injury prone. Is he worth the money he'll still command elsewhere in a desperate market? He is worth the franchise tag?

THE PROBLEM WITH THE HEAT: Last night's loss to a 1-13 Wizards team inspires the question. I seldom overreact about the Heat, mainly because I leave that to everyone else. Miami is 12-4. Nothing including last night says they don't stil have a big chance to repeat. Two problems, though. One is physical: The downturn in attention to defense. What once was "who we are" (Erik Spoelstra always said) has become an afterthought. Problem two is mental. The Heat has developed a tendency to slough by on autopilot for much of a game and then believe they can turn it on when needed. More of a front-to-back effort is needed. Can't just rely on the magic Ray Allen 3 at the end. "This ain't a lesson for us," LeBron James said of losing to the Wizards. Too bad. 

HEAT BIG 5 @ 15: The blog loves bells 'n whistles especially of the nerdy-stat variety and so this season we started this new one we'll be running throughout Heat season at five-game intervals. It's a top-five cumulative ranking of the players having the biggest overall impact this season based on eight statistical categories. We continue with The Big 5 @ 15 Games (12-3):

Rank (@10)   Player   Total

1 (1)   LeBron James   539.9

2 (2)   Chris Bosh   405.6

3 (3)   Dwyane Wade   314.5

4 (4)   Ray Allen   269.1

5 (5)   Mario Chalmers   239.8

Bubble: Shane Battier, 158.5

MARLINS' LATEST MARLINSRY: [Note: I have coined a new word: "Marlinsry." Marlinsry is the state or act of extreme frugality or cheapness] Quietly, the Marlins traded shortstop Yunel Escobar -- the only proven major-leaguer acquired in the recent salary-dump trade with Toronto -- to Tampa Bay for minor-league infielder Derek Dietrich. It was expected; Escobar came here as a temp. But it was expected because everybody knew the club would dump Escobar's salary, too. Miami Marlins: The Cheap Get Cheaper.    

NFL PIX 'N FANTASY: The good, the bad and the ugly... NFL predix: This is the good. A solid week. Went 11-5 overall and 7-6-3 against the spread. That included an Upset of the Week bull's-eye on Redskins over Giants ("Aawwk!"), another outright upset call on Chiefs over Panthers, and three 'dogs with points (Seahawks, Rams, Eagles). Fantasy: This is the bad and the ugly. Greg's Lobos fell to a miserable 3-10 with a 149-101 loss. Never a good sign when your leading scorer is your defense (Texans, 22).

CANES' MORRIS WINS 2012 SOPY AWARD; FINAL TOP 10: This year our blog debuted the State Offensive Player of the Year (SOPY) standings, a weekly updated list of the most productive quarterbacks, running backs and receivers from the state's seven FBS schools: Miami, FSU and Florida, FIU and FAU, and South Florida and UCF. Canes QB Stephen Morris wins. Our formula awards a half-point for every passing yard and one point for every rushing or receiving yard, with six points for every TD scored or thrown. We end it after every team has played its 12 regular-season games, so players in a conference-championship game or bowl do not have an unfair advantage. Now, the 2012 final SOPY Top 10:

Rank   Player, Team-pos.     Final 2012 SOPY Pts.

1. STEPHEN MORRIS, MIAMI-QB     1,900.5

2. E.J. Manuel, FSU-qb     1,868.5

3. Blake Bortles, UCF-qb     1,597.5     

4. B.J. Daniels, South Florida-qb     1,585.5

5. Graham Wilbert, FAU-qb     1,585

6. Jake Medlock, FIU-qb     1,395.5

7. Mike Gillislee, Florida-rb     1,316

8. Duke Johnson, Miami-rb     1,244

9. Latavius Murray, UCF-rb     1,233

10. Jeff Driskel, Florida-qb     1,229.5

Others over 1,000: Mike James, Miami-rb, 1,119; and William Dukes, FAU-wr, 1,003.

Final State of the State rankings: 1. Florida (11-1); 2. FSU (10-2); 3. Miami (7-5); 4. UCF (9-3); 5. South Florida (3-9); 6. FIU (3-9); 7. FAU (3-9).

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Miami gets Nick Satan vs. Evil Leprechaun in BCS title game. Perfect!; plus Orange gets FSU & more

[1) It is SATURDAY, DECEMBER 1. Thanks to ESPN's Outside The Lines for having us on yesterday to talk about the NBA's overreactive punishment of San Antonio for resting its stars against the Heat. Not David Stern's finest moment. 2) Join us on Twitter @gregcote]

MIAMI HOSTS BCS CHAMPIONSHIP AND ORANGE BOWL, AND WE GOT WHO WE WANTED, THANKS: Alabama was favored to beat Georgia yesterday and reach the BCS National Championship Jan. 7 at Dolphins stadium, and Florida State was favored to beat Georgia Tech and reach the Jan. 1 Orange Bowl at the same venue -- and we wanted both favorites and got 'em. It was nothing personal, Peach State. Here's why we wanted the Tide and 'Noles:

Alabama d. Georgia, 32-28, SEC championship -- The winner of this game would face Notre Dame for the national title, and defending champion Alabama vs. the exhumed ghost of the Fighting Irish is about as heavyweight as a matchup could possibly get in this sport in terms of dueling tradition. The Crimson Tide also delivers to Miami the added bonus of coach Nick Satan Saban, who remains vilified by most Dolfans for the way he left the Dolphins after swearing he wouldn't. What a regal, easy-to-love-because-it's easy-to-hate matchup 'Bama vs. the Evil Leprechaun will be! Georgia Bulldogs coming here would have been a crashing letdown, a dagger in our frothing anticipation; like, how dare they deny us or right to wish ultimate dejection upon Saban!? Tide leading nation in scoring and total defense made them a safe pick, but credit the Dawgs for a helluva fight and near miss. My pick was: Alabama, 27-20.

Florida State d. Georgia Tech, 21-15, ACC championship -- The winner of this game advances to the Orange Bowl here to likely face Louisville. (Louisville isn't that special but at least features QB Teddy Bridgewater from Miami, so that's neat). FSU should have been facing the Miami Hurricanes for the ACC title, of course, but UM's self-imposed postseason ban opened the door for a hardly worthy Tech. We wanted FSU because it is a much better and more exciting team and would bring more fans. Mostly we wanted the Seminoles because Georgia Tech is now 6-7, couldn't even beat the Canes at home, and has no business even playing in the Depends Adult Diaper Bowl, let alone in a BCS bowl. Thought E.J. Manuel would swamp the Yellow Jackets' abysmal defense, but the 'Noles just got by. My pick was: FSU, 41-16.

[Elsewhere in college football, three state FBS teams ended their regular seasons Saturday, including FAU's Owls losing at home to Louisiana-Lafayette, 35-21. Bowl-bound UCF lost at Tulsa, 33-17 in OT. South Florida lost to visiting Pitt, 27-3].

EX-CANE SAPP AMONG FIRST-TIME CANTON NOMINEES: Defensive tackle Warren Sapp is one of six first-time nominees among 27 latest finalists for the Pro Football Hall of Fame. I see Sapp as a borderline candidate, likely eventually, perhaps, but not a first-ballot guy. He's the only ex-Cane on the ballot. Guys with Dolphins ties back for another try are receiver Cris Carter (played here in 2002), executive Bill Parcells (who'd probably rather forget his recent Miami term), and executive George Young (1975-78).

Poll results: Rose Hall-worthier than steroid-era guys: In the previous blogpost we asked which of four controversial baseball figures deserved to be in Cooperstown in 2013 (you may still vote), and it was 40.1 percent for Pete Rose, 16.8% for Barry Bonds, 16.2% for Roger Clemens and 8.4% for Sammy Sosa, with another 18.5% voting "none."

CHRIS BOSH IS NOT AMUSED: Told you in the previous blogpost about the animated short film, Adventures of Christopher Bosh in the Multiverse. Well, Christopher is not amused. The Heat star has sicced his attorneys to try to stop the film from airing Dec. 14 in a local film festival. The attempt is nonsense, and surprising. I've always credited Bosh with a sense of humor. C'mon, Christopher!

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What should a Marlins fan do? (with poll); plus Al Golden admits frustration, Fireman Ed, Heat's test, UM's Morris wins SOPY, NFL pix 'n fantasy & more

[1) It is WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 28. See results of latest Dolfan Satisfaction Meter poll in blogpost directly below this newest one. 2) Join us on Twitter @gregcote]

R.I.P., Sean Taylor: Remembering the former Hurricanes and Redskins safety on this week's fifth anniversary of his murder, Nov. 27, 2007.

WHAT SHOULD A MARLINS FAN DO?: It has been two weeks now since the Marlins' latest big salary-dump/sell-off, the one that felt like a betrayal and seemed to be the last straw for so many angry fans. Sports-talk phone lines and Internet comments bulged with outrage. Threats of boycotts were floated. A hilarious local poll found club owner Jeffrey Loria only slightly more popular in Miami than long-standing diablo Fidel Castro. We can all agree that Loria has earned his unpopularity with a history of ownership that suggests his own pocket has clear priority over his team or its fans. Two weeks later, though, as we reflect, how should disappointed Marlins fans move forward? What is the right course of action for someone who might both despise Loria and yet wish to support the hometown team? Is it right or even possible to separate the two -- to continue to cheer for the Marlins without feeling hyprocritical for, in effect, supporting Loria? I personally feel the Marlins are bigger than the current owner and that fans can support a team while simultaneously abhorring the way it is being run. But I may be wrong. Difficult questions. So let's take a shot at some answers. Vote and say why you feel as you do.

"Q-U-I-T, QUIT!": FIREMAN ED QUITS THE J-E-T-S, JETS!: Jets superfan Edwin Anzalone, best known as "Fireman Ed," has hung up his helmet, and I'm not sure what makes this story more ludicrous: That it would somehow be national news. Or that it's so predictable that this dude's "retirement" will be temporary. "I will attend games as usual, just not as Fireman Ed," he said. OK, whatever. Meantime we shall miss your angry face and abject sadness as an iconic, Dolfan-delighting symbol of Jet futility. Hey, maybe Tim Tebow can put on the helmet and become Fireman Tim! He isn't doing much else.

HOW GOOD ARE THE HEAT?: Seems like a dumb question, right? They're the NBA champs. They're 10-3. Of course they're good. Very. But are they repeat-champion good? There is not early unanimity on that. Miami is 23rd in defense, allowing 100.3 points per game. They are only fourth (for what it's worth) in the latest ESPN power rankings, after Memphis, the Knicks and Oklahoma City. So the next two games could be telling for the Heat -- an opportunity to reiterate their champ's standing, or feed the quiet doubts. San Antonio is here Thursday and then Brooklyn Saturday, two teams a combined 21-7.

UM'S GOLDEN ADMITS FRUSTRATION OVER POSTSEASON BAN: Canes coach Al Golden admitted to WQAM's Joe Rose that frustration over the university's self-imposed postseason ban related to the NCAA investigation was at its worst in the lockerroom after the victory over Duke, describing the team's attitude thusly: "We should be getting ready to play Florida State in Charlotte [in Saturday's ACC championship game]. We've got one of the hottest quarterbacks in America and we can't got to the championship game. It's disappointing." Golden also again brushed aside speculation he might leave, and voiced support for embattled defensive coordinator Mark D'Onofrio. (For more on what Golden meant by "one of the hottest quarterbacks in America," see below...)

CANES' MORRIS WINS 2012 SOPY AWARD, THE "STATE HEISMAN": This year our blog debuted the State Offensive Player of the Year (SOPY) standings, a weekly updated list of the most productive quarterbacks, running backs and receivers from the state's seven FBS schools: Miami, FSU and Florida, FIU and FAU, and South Florida and UCF. We declare Canes QB Stephen Morris (pictured) the 2012 winner because the two teams with one regular-season game left (South Florida, FAU) have no one within range. Our formula awards a half-point for every passing yard and one point for every rushing or receiving yard, with six points for every TD scored or thrown. We'll present our final top 20 next week. For now, the SOPY Top 10 entering Week 14:

Rank (LW)     Player, Team-pos.     SOPY Pts. Week=Year

1 (2)     Stephen Morris, Miami-qb     194.5 = 1,900.5

2 (1)     E.J. Manuel, FSU-qb     163 = 1,868.5

3 (4)     Blake Bortles, UCF-qb     145.5 = 1,597.5     

4 (3)     B.J. Daniels, South Florida-qb     DNP = 1,585.5

5 (5)     Jake Medlock, FIU-qb     DNP = 1,395.5

6 (6)     Graham Wilbert, FAU-qb     BYE = 1,392.5

7 (8)     Mike Gillislee, Florida-rb     174 = 1,316

8 (10)     Duke Johnson, Miami-rb     206 = 1,244

9 (9)     Latavius Murray, UCF-rb     111 = 1,233

10 (7)     Jeff Driskel, Florida-qb     59.5 = 1,229.5

Bubble: Mike James, Miami-rb, 1,119.

State of the State rankings: 1. Florida (11-1); 2. FSU (10-2); 3. Miami (7-5); 4. UCF (9-3); 5. South Florida (3-8); 6. FIU (3-9); 7. FAU (3-8).

NFL PIX 'N FANTASY: A double dose of bad. NFL predix: Went 8-8 straight-up last week (awful) despite nailing two outright upset picks on Redskins over Cowboys and Jaguars over Titans. Was 4-6-6 against the spread; two winners pushed (Texans, Falcons) and four games were off-the-board when I picked them. Fantasy: Greg's Lobos lost 124-104 despite 27 from Andre Johnson, fell to a dismal 3-9 and were eliminated from playoff contention. Otherwise a good week!

MOST-SEARCHED ATHLETES OF 2012: The top 10, in order, according to Bing: Peyton Manning, Tiger Woods, Tim Tebow, Maria Sharapova, Kobe Bryant, Serena Williams, Lamar Odom (assist to Khloe Kardashian), LeBron James, Cristiano Ronaldo and Terrell Owens.

VENDING-MACHINE CAVIAR: Three Beverly Hills-area malls now have vending machines (pictured) that dispense ultra-gourmet items including caviar -- some $500 an ounce -- escargot and truffles. Hmm. Would you think less of me if I just stuck with a Cinnabon? 

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G12: Hurricanes 52, @ Duke 45 (Final): Morris, Duke of Gables lead wild season-ending win!; plus Gators upset Noles, FIU & more

[1) It is SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 24. Welcome to the Collball Week 13 post as most teams -- including five of the seven state FBS teams -- wrap up their regular seasons. 2) R.I.P., boxer Hector "Macho" Camacho and actor Larry Hagman, TV's J.R. Ewing. 3) Join us on Twitter @gregcote]

Canesfan Satisfaction Meter: Voting underway!: Voting now underway in the season-ending CSM poll in a separate blogpost directly above this one.

G12: HURRICANES @ DUKE: MEANINGLESS? NOT TO UM: Final: The story of the season to a large degree: Enough Miami offense to overcome a faltering defense as Canes win season finale, 52-45, at Duke to finish 7-5, and 5-3 in the ACC. Stephen Morris' 369 yards passing and three TDs and Duke Johnson's 169 yards rushing and three scores lead the victory. How many 'Duke Beats Duke' headlines and references might we now expect? ..... Second half: UM lead down to 52-45 with 2:30 left. ... Canes lead whittled to 45-38, mid-4Q, after allowing a fourth TD pass of the game. ... UM lead down to 45-31 on 99-yard Duke scoring pass-n-run. ... Duke of Gables with a short, Tebow-esque scoring pass to Wilford, but ruled incomplete upon review. Looked like a TD catch to me. ... Miami lead comfy again at 45-24 after Morris to Mike James for 72-yard TD catch and run. ... Sensational Duke Johnson with his third TD run, a 65-yarder, and Canes gor wlead to 38-24. ... A 23-yard Duke TD pass narrows UM's lead to 31-24, suddenly too close for comfort. ... Duke within 31-17 on 10-yard scoring toss. ... Canes add 23-yard FG for 31-10 lead. ..... First half: Mike James 1-yard scoring run makes for a safe 28-10 halftime lead for UM. ... Breathing room again for Miami at 21-10 on Duke Johnson 6-yard TD run. ... Blue Devils within 14-10 after Brandon Connette 4-yard TD run caps 81-yard drive. ... Duke on board with 43-yard field goal to cut UM lead to 14-3. ... Miami now up 14-0 after Duke Johnson 18-yard TD run. ... UM up 7-0 on Stephen Morris 11-yard TD pass to Clive Walford. ..... Original post: I heard this game described on local radio as being "utterly meaningless." It is not. It is quite the opposite for Miami. The university self-imposing a postseason ban for a second straight season due to the NCAA investigation makes this tantamount to a bowl game for the Canes. A win to finish 7-5 also would mark symbolic (as well as literal) improvement for UM over last season. Perhaps most important, Miami by winning would claim at least a share of the ACC Coastal Division title -- postseason ban or not. For these reasons I think coach Al Golden's troops will be fired up. And they'd better be, because Duke (also 6-5) isn't the doormat it typically is. Give me the Canes. Stephen Morris has too many weapons for this opponent, and the biggest one is diminutive freshman Duke Johnson. In the Battle of the Dukes, give me The Duke of Gables. My pick was: Miami, 30-20.

The end for some, not for others: UM (self-imposed ban) and FIU (not bowl-eligible) are the only two of seven state FBS teams that will end their 2012 football seasons today. FAU and South Florida are not bowl eligible but end their regular seasons next Saturday. Florida, FSU and UCF are bowl-eligible.

Other featured state FBS games:

No. 6 Florida 37, No. 10 FSU 26 -- This for me was the national game of the week -- although that would be Notre Dame-USC in retrospect if the Trojans can upset the No.1 Irish tonight. The Gators were 4th in the all-important BCS rankings and still could play themselves up into the national championship game with this win and some luck with other results. I figured that to be moot. I'm surprised Florida won. Gators offense had struggled lately, and for them to put up 37 on FSU's awesome defense was impressive. They're partying tonight in Tallahassee. (Then again, when aren't they partying in Tally?) My pick was: FSU, 24-13.

Louisiana-Monroe 23, FIU 17 -- Seems like ages ago that FIU was the preseason Sun Belt favorite, but now the Panthers (3-9) say goodbye to The Belt after wrapping up a disappointing, injury-marred, bowl-less season at home. La-Mo was a stronger team and ended things fittingly for The Int'l. My pick was: La-Monroe, 31-17.

My record: This week, 2-1. Season, 41-15.

Other state FBS games: UCF d. UAB, 49-24; and Cincinnati d. South Florida, 27-10, Friday night. FAU had a bye.

National Game of the Week: Florida-FSU (see above).

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