Radio Tuesday!: Tuesday means I'm back in-studio today with Le Batard and Stugotz on 790 The Ticket/FM 104.3 starting at 3. Ears welcome.
[1) It is TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 26. Happy 85th birthday to New Orleans legend Fats Domino (pictured). Chubby Checker tried to borrow his name and sound but there was and is only one Fats. Click HERE for his unmistakable signature song. 2) Jimmie Johnson won the Daytona 500 but Danica Patrick won much respect with her eighth-place finish off the pole position. She is a huge shot in the arm for NASCAR. 3) Speaking of women, I think I could beat up Ronda Rousey. Not really. I just like to annoy UFC fans. 4) In The Previous Blogpost (ITPB): On LeBron James maybe leaving next year, Canes lose, kvetching Perfectos, Marlins' young talent. 5) Join us on Twitter @gregcote]
"I'm a little worried about my weight. You know how Life of Pi was a big Oscar winner? I'll be starring in Life of Pie." -- Greg Cote
JEFFREY LORIA'S STUNNING LACK OF SELF-AWARENESS. (OR COULD IT BE THAT HE JUST DOESN'T GIVE A S--- WHAT FANS THINK?): On behalf of the newspaper industry I'd like to thank Marlins owner Jeffrey Loria for Sunday's full-page "Letter To Our Fans" ad that ran on page 21A of
The Miami Herald and also in the South Florida Sun-Sentinel and Palm Beach Post. We all can use the revenue. As for the content of the letter? That was combative, found Loria blaming everyone but himself for his abysmal public image, and left most fans I've talked to or heard from just shaking their heads. Loria just doesn't get it. "Something needed to be done," he writes. OK, but did that mean gutting the roster? Did that mean paring the payroll back to embarrassing meagerness? "Acquiring high-profile players just didn't work," he writes. Because you didn't acquire the right ones, perhaps. So go out and get better ones, don't scrap the entire higher-payroll philosophy after one stinkin' year. That higher payroll, by the way, was an assurance Loria made in order to get that new ballpark built. It was a public trust he has broken. It was something unaddressed in that self-serving open letter. It was not unaddressed last evening when I and other media meet with Loria for the first time in months. Take our poll, and see more on last night's Loria meeting just below the poll.
LORIA AT THE DIAMOND CLUB: THE OUTTAKES: Jeffrey Loria, club president David Samson and a few other Marlins officials met with a select group of media including myself last evening at Marlins Park. Click on Owner In Denial for my latest column, filed following that meeting. Included is Loria's reaction to the poll results directly above. Here are some outtakes from the Loria-Samson meeting, things that
wouldn't fit or didn't belong in the column: 1. I asked Samson directly if it wasn't accurate that the stadium was built on the promise of higher payrolls. He called that "accurate with an asterisk," saying, "We miscalculated" the revenue. 2. Samson said paid attendance was 2.2 million in year one of the new park but that the actual turnstile count was 1.4 million. 3. Samson said
the tone of Loria 's open letter, perceived as combative, was partly a reaction to the "constant personal pounding" his boss has taken. 4. Samson on Giancarlo Stanton's future: "It takes two people to sign a long-term deal." In other words, no amount of money will keep Stanton if he wants out. 5. Loria and Stanton were in Europe at the same time recently and the owner invited the player to dinner at the Eiffel Tower and said they had a wonderful time. I think it might take the Eiffel Tower to re-sign Stanton. 6. Loria's new PR
firm happens to be called Jeffrey Group, named after its founder, not Loria. The firm specializes in Latin America and U.S. Hispanics, an indication of markets the Marlins want to hit hard. 7. Loria labeled as a "smear campaign" the Dolphins' effort to win public funding for stadium improvements by putting the Marlins' ballpark deal in an unfavorable light. 8. Loria said Jose Reyes was "inaccurate" in saying Loria advised him
to buy a home in Miami two days before he was traded. 9. Loria: "It's not a fire sale. It's called hit the restart button." 10. Finally, apropos of nothing, the fastidious Samson selects what to wear from a prearranged order of clothes. Monday evening his socks were a pinkish red. "Maybe fuscia," he said. I'm not sure Samson is a great club president. But he is an interesting person.
HEAT HITTING REPEAT-LEVEL STRIDE: Miami ran its victory streak to a season-best 11 games Sunday and
Dwyane Wade lately is looking like the pre-LeBron dominator he was. We assume LeBron's nightly MVP-caliber output, but Wade showing he can still reach those elite levels is nourishing news. National media continue to harp on Heat's lack of size and insufficient rebounding, but I see a confident, championship team priming itself for a repeat run.
Poll result: Support for LeBron even if he left next year: I wrote an unpopular column on the likelihood from my view that LeBron James will return to Cleveland after next season, with a companion blog poll. I asked how you'd feel if that happened and 38.5 percent said they'd be positive and not begrudge him, vs. only 17.4% who said they'd see him as turning his back on the Heat. Another 25.7% said mixed feelings or didn't want to think about it yet, and 18.4% said the answer was to be determined by results this season and next.
HURRICANES FOOTBALL, MEN'S BASKETBALL:Football: UM completes its 2013 schedule. The seven home games are Aug. 30--FAU; Sep. 7--Florida; Sep. 21--Savannah State; Oct. 5--Georgia Tech; Oct. 26--Wake Forest; Nov. 9--Virginia Tech; and Nov. 23--Virginia. The five road games are Sep. 28--USF; Oct. 17--North Carolina; Nov. 2--FSU; Nov. 16--Duke; and Nov. 29--Pittsburgh. Men's basketball: Canes fall in polls: Miami dips from No. 2 to No. 5 in the latests Associated Press poll. The drop is to 7 in the USA Today coaches' poll and to 8 in the ESPN.com Power Rankings, all following the weekend loss at Wake Forest. The AP drop is pretty modest, and that's still the Big Daddy poll.
"WHO ARE YOU WEARING!?": This one question, asked of an actress on a red carpet, embodies much of what the rest of the world both envies and hates about America. The excess and ostentatiousness. The celebrity-worship so absurdly out of control there actually might be avid interest in what designer made Janie Pretend's gown. What a hoot! That's what made last night's Oscars so much fun. Hollywood needsa big female superstar who won't play along, who when asked "Who are you wearing" answers "Target" and then rails against the question. Found it intersting that Argo won Best Picture. Just saw it. Liked it. Didn't love it, or think it was transcendental in the way you hope Oscar champs might be. Quick aside for my right-leaning readers always needling me about my (apparent) left-leaning tendencies: the late video intrusion of First Lady Michelle Obama was spectacularly unnecessary and quite ridiculous.
LATEST AWFUL IDEA FOR TV SHOW: CELEBRITY DIVING!: God I wish I were kidding, but ABC in March
will premiere Splash, a new reality show in which ex-Olympian Greg Louganis (pictured) judges 10 celebrity divers. (No, seriously!) The show has a screwball chance because half of the contestants will be curvy young women in swimsuits, including Miss Alabama Katherine Webb. (At least we know Brent Musberger will be watching). Divers also will include Kareem Abdul-Jabbar -- Huh? Whu!? -- Ndamukong Suh and Louie Anderson. Counting on the latter two for cannonballs.
"DEAR GREG...": "...Your blog's OK but would be better if occasionally you would show a picture of Jim Carrey wearing giant prosthetic feet to Elton John's Oscars party. Thank you." Hmm. No promises, but let me see what I can do.
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[1) It is SUNDAY, JANUARY 13. Welcome to the No. 1 Blog Community at MiamiHerald.com. Congratulations, and thank you! 2) Pictured right: The new TV season, starting tonight, to which I am most looking forward. 3) Join us on Twitter @gregcote]
Cats on ice: Florida Panthers to open their truncated 48-game NHL season next Saturday the 19th at home vs. Carolina.
UM 2013 ACC football schedule: Home games vs. Georgia Tech, Virginia, Virginia Tech and Wake Forest. Roadies at Duke, Florida State, North Carolina and Pittsburgh.
Sapp, Parcells make Hall cut: Ex-Cane Warren Sapp among four first-time eligibles to make cut to 15 finalists for Hall of Fame induction, with Michael Strahan, Jonathan Ogden and Larry Allen. Ex-Dolphins exec Bill Parcells also still in it. So, too, briefly-a-Dolphin Cris Carter.
NFL PLAYOFF PREDIX: WILD SATURDAY; CAN SUNDAY LIVE UP?: OK, college season is done. Time for King Sport to rise up like the Loch Ness monster and take over
America. Round 2 of the NFL playoffs: The Final Eight. Borderline teams gone, only serious contenders left. Now the Final Six, with favored Denver and Green Bay put to bed yesterday. Our four picks for this weekend are synopsized here. I found the two AFC games easy calls, the two NFC games thornier. Click on NFL Playoff Round 2 Gems for the full picks. And click Looking Ahead is OK for my predix-page column on the delightful anticipation of the inevitable likely Denver-New England/Manning-Brady AFC title game. One word: Oops. The thumbnails, chronologically:
FINAL: RAVENS 38, BRONCOS 35 (2OT) -- I was right on the close game/tough fight for Denver and right on Manning tending to struggle in freezing temps. It was the collapse of Denver's defense that stunned me. Original post: Many fans and prognosticating brethren expect a rout by Denver. I don't. Peyton Manning's playoff record when the kickoff temp is below 40 -- 0-3, one TD, seven picks -- could make this interesting if Ray Lewis' D can get into his pocket at all. [My pick was: Broncos (-9), 27-21. My record: Week, 0-1 overall and 1-0 vs. spread. Playoffs, 4-1 and 1-4].
FINAL: 49ERS 45, PACKERS 31 -- I had it way wrong on the QB contrast. Colin Kaepernick's 263 yards throwing and 181 running, wow. I could not have underestimated him more. Original post: Upset. Heavyweight duel is teams' first playoff meeting since 2001. See why Niners are favored but give me Aaron Rodgers, one of the all-time great postseason passers, to out-pitch an inexperienced-on-this-stage Colin Kaepernick. [My pick was: Packers (+3), 28-27. My record: Week, 0-2 overall and 1-1 vs. spread. Playoffs, 4-2 and 1-5].
FINAL: FALCONS 30, SEAHAWKS 28 -- Insanity! Falcons blow 20-0 lead, fall behind late, and win on 49-yard FG in closing seconds. They were Chokelanta, but then Matt Ryan came through and the ATL is at san Fran in next week's NFC title game. Original post: Folks wring hands over the Falcs' 0-3 playoff mark under Mike Smith/Matt Ryan, but ATL is a very good home team (7-1). And wrap the mind around this: No West Coast team since the 1989 L.A. Rams has won two playoff games in a row in the East. [My pick was: Falcons (-2 1/2), 24-20. My record: Week, 1-2 overall and 1-2 vs spread. Playoffs, 5-2 and 1-6].
FINAL: PATRIOTS 41, TEXANS 28 -- In many ways the most expected of the four weekend results. There were 276 points in these four divisional games including 154 by the winners. Did somebody tell the defenses to stay home? Original post: For me this is the biggest certainty of the four games. Pats are 13-3 all-time at home in the postseason. Tom Brady, at The Razor Blade, in deep winter, is money. He just is. And Houston, especially Matt Schaub's offense, does not seem in synch. [My pick was: Patriots (-9 1/2), 34-20. My record: Week, 2-2 overall and 2-2 vs. spread. Playoffs, 6-2 and 2-6].
ROAD WORRIERS?: HEAT TURN WARRIORS LAST NIGHT: Update: Miami wins at Sacramento last night. Original post: The 92-90 loss at Portland Thursday hurt for two reasons. First, the Heat led all the way until allowing a late 24-10 Blazers run that collapsed the night for Miami. Second, you could see real effort from the Heat in terms of defense and rebounding (which was tied 45-45). Palpably, this was a game they wanted. Instead the road record slips to 7-8 including losses in four of the past five away. Another downer: LeBron James' mortal 15 points ended his streak of 20-plus points at 33 games, longest in the NBA since 1981-82. (Love ya anyway, 'Bron). It isn't time to panic. The No. 1 East seed still is likely. But in terms of repeating as champions? That bandwagon has plenty of good seats available.
GOBLETS OF BACON ON THE BAR!: Wife had a business dinner at Prime 112 on South Beach the other night, and noticed over pregame drinks that the bar offered up goblets of bacon as a gratis snack. Sort of like a bowl of nuts on steroids. See the photo for proof. I find this funny because a goblet 'o bacon sounds like something a barbecue joint would serve, or something the Clampetts would have on the table when Mr. Drysdale came for dinner. The opposite of chic, in other words. But because Prime 112 does it? Uber trendy! Forgot to ask my wife if the restaurant bar had a cardiologist standing by.
OSCAR BEST-PICTURE ANALYSIS: The upcoming 85th Academy Awards will select a Best Picture from among nine newly announced finalist films: Amour, Argo, Beasts of the Southern
Wild, Django Unchained, Les Miserables, Life of Pi, Lincoln, Silver Linings Playbook and Zero Dark Thirty. I am canceling my analysis in protest because they should go back to five finalists; nine is way too many. Also, because I happened to not see any of the nine films mentioned. (I did see Ted, which recklessly was not nominated). Two of the nine films I may yet see -- Zero Dark Thirty, about the Bin Laden raid, and Lincoln, about the vampire hunter who went on to become 16th president -- therefore I hope those movies win everything.
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[1) It is Monday, July 21. New blogpost coming later this (Monday) morning! 2) We bring you the Rolling Stones' new 50th annivesary logo. I'd have thought the redesign might have had the tongue spitting out dentures. (Sorry, Mick). 3) InsideTheU.com reporting that Hurricanes safety Ray-Ray Armstrong has been suspended for discussions with a booster on Twitter. 4) Woman Super-Glued to Walmart Toilet. 5) Join us on Twitter @gregcote]
SUNDAY UPDATES: SPAIN REIGNS; MARLINS HOT AGAIN: Spain beats Italy yesterday 4-nil to win Euro '12. I said I'd be surprised if Spain didn't win but expected a better match for sure. Must admit I was rooting for Mario Balotelli and the u-dog Italians. (Sorry I had the final as 3-0 for a while. Stopped watching in the 86th minute; meant to recheck the final but forgot). ..... Congrats to Marlins outfielder Giancarlo Stanton for his first all-star selection today, well deserved and the first many I have a feeling. (He'll be in the Home Run Derby, too). Stanton is Miami's only all-star and showed why another homer leading a fourth straight victory. The topsy turvy Marlins are suddenly topsy again!
'DIRTY SECRETS OF THE NBA CHAMPS!': Well I saw that headline in the Publix checkout line today and since the July 9 issue of the Globe called it a Special Report I had to waste spend $3.99 to find out what the dirty secrets are. 1) 'LeBron James' family shame': Old news about his mom Gloria's past run-ins with the law. 2) 'Dwyane Wade's boys in kidnapping drama': Rehash of the recent situation that led Wade to seek a revoking of his ex-wife's visitation rights. 3) 'Chris Bosh's Bitter Child Support War': In which the lawyer for the mother of Bosh's daughter claims his $2,600 in monthly child support isn't enough -- even though that is exactly what the courts ordered him to pay. Well, in summary, that's $3.99 I'll never get back, but I spent it so you don't have to. On the bright side, the Globe apparently failed in efforts to prove that any of the Heat's BIg 3 is, in fact, a space alien.
HEAT DRAFT TALL WHITE GUY JUSTIN HAMILTON: Interesting and arguably productive NBA Draft for the Heat last night. They end up with LSU center Justin Hamilton (pictured) as the 45th overall selection, plus a future conditional first-round (but lottery-protected) pick from Philadelphia, in exchange for sending forward Arnett Moultrie (originally picked 27th by Miami) to the 76ers. (I called Justin "Josh" before noticing the mistake. Sorry!) Arguably productive? Naysaying ESPN.com grades Miami's draft an 'F' because it says Moultrie was a better fit and that Miami also could have drafted a shooter such as Jeff Taylor. Hamilton, 22, is one of those advertised-as 7-foot guys who's really 6-11 but possesses a silky, Bosh-esque shooting touch from the outside. He also has dual U.S./Croatia citizenship, so you can expect the Heat will likely farm him out to develop overseas for a year or two. There was speculation Miami would go small-ball in the draft but they needed size, frontcourt help, so this looks like a prudent choice. That future No. 1 will be a nice bonus, too. Miami had no pressing needs that could be answered with a 27th pick, so call this trade-down for a developmental player the luxury of a champion.
PAT RILEY PREVIEWS FREE AGENCY: It starts Sunday and the Heat don't have the spending power available to be major players but would like to add an available shooter -- anybody got a number for Ray Allen? -- if he'd take less than he could get elsewhere. Miami's selling point? "Not many teams have a chance of winning a title," as club president Pat Riley (right) noted late last night in post-draft remarks. Riles said the club has "five or six guys earmarked" in free agency with the positional priority a shooter or a big. "We've got a compelling team," said Riley of his champions, "and it excites me to try to make it better."
LORIA: MARLINS STILL "ABSOLUTELY" HAVE PLAYOFF TALENT: Spoke to Marlins owner Jeffrey Loria yesterday for today's latest column. Click on "I Love Our Chances" to read it. At midseason of Year 1 in the new ballpark, much has been disappointing, from Muhammad Ali/Opening Night to Ozzie Guillen/Fidel Castro to the June swoon to less-than-expected attendance. But now, with the Heat done and football a ways off, this is the Marlins' window of opportunity. The stage is theirs. Do they have a big second-half and playoff run in them? The owner thinks so. Do you?
Poll result: Yearning for Dolphins Super Bowl beats Heat repeat: In the previous blogpost I asked which Miami prefers: The Dolphins to win the Super Bowl this coming season or the Heat to repeat as NBA champions next year. The winner? An end to the Dolphins' 40-year title drought, 63.6 percent to 36.4. The results sound reasonable to me.
PRO LACROSSE TO SOUTH FLORIDA?: Major League Lacrosse stages its all-star game in Boca Raton Saturday night at the FAU football stadium, testing waters for possible future expansion here. So there.
LONDON OLYMPICS PICKS OFFICIAL SONG: It is "Survival" by the English rock group Muse. Click on Survival to hear it. (You'll be sick of it by the Closing Ceremony). Sounds like a dirge for about the first minute but then gets all peppy, with lyrics about winning and never quitting -- imagine that!? I think bands now write songs expressly to be played at sporting events.
NEW USFL THREATENS 2013 LAUNCH: A new United States Football league is planning a March 2013 startup with eight teams, and initial cities being explored are Akron, Austin/San Antonio, Portland (Ore.) and Salt Lake City. Here is the new logo. You will next see it when the league announces it cannot possibly whip togerther an eight-team league in less than a year and is delaying its launch. You will then see the logo a final time when the USFL announces it is folding before ever playing a game.
WOO-HOO! I WIN A 'CUPY':The Miami Herald gives out monthly in-house CUPY awards for special effort (yeah I have no idea why they're called CUPYs), and I was one of three June winners for my deadline columns during the Heat playoff run. (The only negative? Now I'll need a new tombstone to replace the epitaph I'd planned: 'But He Never Won A CUPY!') Other June winners were news reporters Ellie Brecher and Nadege Green, heavy lifters on the Causeway Cannibal story. I was talking to LeBron James and Dwyane Wade about winning; they were talking to cops about somebody's face being chewed off. I like my job.
ON MAGIC MIKE: I have no interest in seeing the new male-stripper movie, Magic Mike, but the title interests me. I think it's a compromise, not quite what they really wanted. As for what they really wanted, use your imagination. In a totally, totally unrelated question, whatever happened to Richard "Magic Dick" Salwitz, harmonica player and founding member of The J. Geils Band?
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[1) It is Thursday, April 19. R.I.P., Dick Clark (pictured), gone at 82, a major figure in the growth of American pop music culture. 2) Happy birthday, Charlie Chaplin. He'd have turned 123 this week. 3) This new project by Jack White looks interesting. In other music news, Tupac Rises From the Dead. 4) I think Bobby Valentine might be crazy. 5) Join us on Twitter @gregcote]
Click Moving Past Fidel for my Wednesday column off the Marlins game.
SHOULD SPOELSTRA'S JOB DEPEND ON HEAT WINNING TITLE THIS SEASON?: Here's a theory that is not unreasonable. Last season was a mulligan. With all the turmoil and adjustments and intense scrutiny of Year 1 of the Big 3 era, reaching the NBA Finals and losing was acceptable. Not now. Now, in Year 2, winning it all is a must, or the Grand Plan will begin to feel like a disappointment and the idea of any sort of dynasty will feel like wishful thinking. Today's question (and poll): Should Erik Spoelstra's job depend on it? If you were Pat Riley, should you consider a coaching change if this season falls short again? Don't get me wrong. I think Spoelstra is a bright young coach. But is he the right coach to get the most out of this dream team? I'm not stirring up trouble here, just inviting a consensus. The poll results could be a vote of confidence for Spoelstra, I have no idea. So tell me, and tell each other. Vote now and say why. (And check back often to monitor evolving results. Close vote early on...).
TEBOW BLESSES WADE: Heat star Dwyane Wade was blessed to be in the direct proximity of Jets quarterback Tim Tebow and his magical aura at Sunday night's Yankees game in Da Bronx (see photo), with both wearing matching NY caps given them by a PR hack. They began seated one row apart but ended up elbow to elbow, the suggestion of divine intervention. Yankees fan, who would boo a puppy on Christmas morning, booed when Tebow was shown. Wade too was understandably booed -- he'd help beat the Knicks hours earlier -- but turned the jeers to obedient, Pavlovian cheers when he held up the Yankees cap. Miami's win over the Knicks, a possible first-round playoff opponent, means the lurching, roller-coastering emotions of Heat fans are "up" again, pending the results of this Thursday's next game in the endless litmus parade, a homie vs. Chicago. Wait. I just noticed that in the photo Wade and Tebow's sleeves appear to be touching, a direct contact that Biblical scholars say is tantamount to a poor man's Papal blessing.
Click on Jeff Van Ranty for a video of Jeff Van Gundy's comically irate rant against a "flop" by the Heat's James Jones during yesterday's Knicks game. The cartoon-y outrage starts about 30 seconds in.
AS MARLINS RETURN TO THE LAND OF OZ, HERE IS A PHOTOSHOPPED PICTURE OF FIDEL CASTRO EMBRACING OZZIE GUILLEN. IT'S FAKE! IT NEVER REALLY HAPPENED! IT ISN'T MEANT TO BE TAKEN SERIOUSLY!:[Marlins beat Cubs last night, 5-2, on 3-run Hanley Ramirez homer in 8th]. Well I just found this photo funny and thought you might, too. (OK, not all of you). The Blizzard Of Oz returned tonight from his five-game suspension for comments favorable to Fidel. I hoped the baseball action inside the ballpark vs. the Cubbies was more interesting than any demonstrative action outside the gates, and it was. No protests and a big home win. Good combo. (In other Marlins news, a dead bird fell in the outfield to spark Sunday's home rally over Houston. National NBA writers are trying to figure a way to blame the bird's death on LeBron James).
Click HERE for 3-minute sneak preview of Showtime's "The Franchise" summer reality series starring the Marlins. (About 40 seconds in, the handsome guy in the red ballcap is Herald beat writer Clark Spencer).
DOLPHINS COULD GO 11-5. NO, SERIOUSLY!: I have scrutinized the Dolphins' schedule, out last evening, and I count 11 very winnable games. I would not fool you about a subject this grave. My very winnable games, in sequence: Sep. 16 vs. Raiders; Sep. 23 vs. Jets; Sep. 30 at Cardinals; Oct. 7 at Bengals; Oct. 14 vs Rams; Nov. 4 at Colts; Nov. 11 vs. Titans; Nov. 15 at Bills; Nov. 25 vs. Seahawks; Dec. 16 vs. Jaguars; and Dec. 23 vs. Bills. One other quick observation: 1) No Monday night games and only one in prime-time (a Thursday).
PANTHERS END 15-YEAR NHL PLAYOFF HEX, WIN STUNNER AT JERSEY: I can get jaded, so I must admit it was special being in the Sunrise icebarn Sunday night as the Panthers won a playoff game for the first time since 1997, powered (fittingly) by two goals from Stephen Weiss, the club's all-time games-played leader appearing in his first Stanley Cup playoffs. Click on Weiss' Perfect Smile for my column off that game. Cats also rather stunningly took Game 3 last night at NJ, rallying from a three-goal hole to a 4-3 win and 2-1 series lead. It was Florida's first playoff road win since Game 7 of the '96 conference finals. Rats redux?
McSHAY ON UM DRAFT PROSPECTS: ESPN draft analyst Todd McShay did a national media conference call yesterday. Here is his response (condensed) to a question about Miami Hurricanes draft prospects:
Question: This year they're saying possibly nine guys could be drafted, maybe more. Other than Lamar Miller, out of the guys going early, Tommy Streeter, Olivier Vernon, Brandon Washington, Marcus Forston and Lamar, who are the ones that have the most potential. And will Jacory Harris be drafted?
Answer: "Jacory, I doubt it. He played better this past year, but the inconsistency jumps out, and the turnovers and just not protecting the football. He's still kind of slight-framed and there are durability concerns. But he has enough arm talent, so it's not to say he won't one day land on a roster if he's able to continue to develop. Nine guys from Miami, I have to count. Travis Benjamin I would say yes, that's one. Chase Ford has a chance late as a sleeper. LaRon Byrd is in that same category -- there's a chance, but I'm not saying he really has a good chance to get drafted. I would take a chance on him in the last couple rounds. Marcus Forston makes it two (who'll be drafted); Lamar Miller, three; Adewale Ojomo is kind of on the fringe; Sean Spence is five; Streeter, six; Vernon, seven; Washington, eight. So you could see as many as nine guys going. It wouldn't shock me. But I probably a safe bet is seven. Olivier Vernon of all those guys after Miller is the most intriguing to me. Tommy Streeter there's a lot of interest because of the height, weight and speed, and certainly he's a great athlete and has more potential than we've seen him do at Miami, but the tape just doesn't match up with what I see. I would have a hard time drafting him in the first four rounds, even though there's a strong chance he goes somewhere in that third or fourth-round range. But Vernon, I think he's a better player than maybe the perception, and at 6'3", 262, I think he played end, can play outside linebacker, can do a little of both. He's not a great athlete, and his production didn't always match up, and I've heard some things -- is he mature enough, how does he work and all those things. But if he is focused and doing the right things and 100 percent dedicated, he's well built, solid, strong, shows some quickness, and has a chance to make an impact as a pass rusher at the next level."
FACE OF THE DOLPHINS: JAKE LONG: (Dolphins, why the Long face?) Thus concludes our blog's Face of the Franchise trilogy. We began with the Marlins and Ozzie Guillen (pre-Fidelgate) edged Hanley Ramirez. Continued with the Heat and of course Dwyane Wade dominated. The Dolphins vote to me was much less predictable and in a close tally in the previous blogpost the tackle Long edged running back Reggie Bush 23.9 percent to 22.3, with GM Jeff Ireland third among nine choices with 14.7. Poll analysis: I think y'all made a solid, justifiable choice in Long. But I also think your Face of the Franchise being an offensive tackle is accurately indicative of a faceless, star-challenged team.
SHENISE JOHNSON SETS UM DRAFT RECORD: Hurricanes' Shenise Johnson was drafted fifth overall this week by San Antonio in the WNBA Draft, highest ever for a UM woman. (Tamara James was taken eighth overall in 2006). Canes teammate Riquna Williams drafted 17th overall (fifth in second round) by Tulsa. Much will be expected; Tulsa's record last season was 3-31. Pictured, as a gesture of silent mourning, the logo of the Miami Sol, our short-lived WNBA franchise from 2000-02.
POOR PENNY CARSON: I just saw Poor Penny Carson, the intersection preacher with the dummy (pictured), at the intersection of University Drive and Peters Road in Plantation. I believe he is a celebrity of sorts among intersection preachers with dummies. Google Poor Penny Carson to see what I mean.
VICTORIA'S SECRET MARLINS STUFF NO LONGER A SECRET: Vicoria's Secret model Elsa Hosk stopped by Miami's Dolphin Mall to model the chain's new line of Marlins-related stuff. Here's Elsa now looking unbearably perky-cute.
ON JACKIE ROBINSON: I admire Jackie Robinson, baseball's color-barrier breaker, and like that MLB honors him every year (as it did again Sunday). But every player on every team wearing No. 42 on Jackie Robinson Day is overkill and a bit silly, not to mention confusing. Who's gonna say it if not me?
FIU MINES THE BLOODLINES: FIU has replaced sh--canned basketball coach Isiah Thomas with Richard Pitino, 29, the son of accomplished Louisville coach Rick Pitino. That's on the heel of FIU's hiring of new soccer coach Kenny Arena, son of former U.S national coach Bruce Arena. In other FIU news, football coach Mario Cristobal is given 5-1 odds by Bovada to replace fired Bobby Petrino at Arkansas. Only Gus Malzahn (5-2), Garrick McGee (3-1) and Skip Holtz (7-2) are speculated as more likely replacements. FIU loves Cristobal despite his not being the son of a famous coach.
VOLUPTUOUS ATHLETE WIVES(one in a series): Meet Syndal Gorden, pictured right, former star of a reality TV series about wedding dresses and married to Marlins relief pitcher Chad Gaudin. When Chad has a bad day on the mound, these mounds are where he finds relief. Can I say that in a blog? (I guess I can!)
TITANIC, FENWAY CENTENNIALS: The RMS Titanic sank 100 years ago Sunday. Fenway Park opened 100 years ago this coming Friday. Coincidence?
THE THREE STOOGES: Fresh light shines on the slapstick group The Three Stooges thanks to the eponymous new movie. Moe, Curly and Larry are pictured at left. (Quick shout-out to Shemp as well. Nyuk, nyuk). The group's heyday was before my time and I was never a huge fan, but I do think they were underappreciated and am glad for the new film. Of course the other famous Stooges were the punk band fronted by Iggy Pop. Saw Iggy at the Cameo Theater on Miami Beach years ago, once owned a "Lust For Life" T-shirt, and always loved the poster at right incongruously combining Stooges.
POLITICAL QUESTION...: Question: Is it possible that American politics would ever discover a major presidential candidate who was more robotic and less life-like than even Al Gore? Answer: See right.
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[1) It is Wednesday, April 4. Are you ready for some baseball? 2) No live chat today due to Marlins-related scheduling conflicts. Will pick it back up next Wednesday 1-2 p.m. as usual. 3) Concerned some people have way too much free time? You should be. For proof click on Million Mustache March. (Wonder if Dave Wannstedt gave the keynote address?) 3) Join us on Twitter @gregcote]
OPENING NIGHT! MARLINS LAUNCH NEW BALLPARK, NEW ERA: Opening Day (or Night) in baseball always merits the capital letters. That and the all-star game are what the American Pasttime still does bigger and better than football. And no season launch in MLB is bigger in 2012 than Miami's tonight, a one-and-out vs. World Series champion St. Louis. Five "soft openings" have made for a gradual introduction but tonight is the stadium's full, official and historic christening of the franchise's 20th season, with ace Josh Johnson on the mound and what should be a playoff-contending team behind him. The health of Johnson and SS Jose Reyes -- two stars with injury-pocked pasts -- will be a key to Miami's season. So will be a big bounceback year by 3B Hanley Ramirez, along with consistency by the starting pitchers beyond Johnson. The new ballpark and pricier, new-look team form a season of exceptionally high interest and expectations under the hand of colorful new manager Ozzie Guillen. I'm sure I speak for many in saying that not since the very first season in 1993 have I more looked forward to the call, "Play ball!"
The life story of Hanley Ramirez's bat: Ever wonder how a tree becomes the bat in Hanley Ramirez's hands? Yeah me neither. But it could be sort of interesting anyway. Click here.
New ballpark's roof wins award: The Colorado company in charge of constructing Marlins Park's retractable roof has won a national award from the Steel Erectors Association of America. Who knew there was such a group? Click here for the story. For some reason I am quoted.
Face of the Marlins: Ozzie Guillen: We had a "face of the Marlins" vote in our previous blogpost and in what may or may not have been an upset, manager Ozzie Guillen beat Hanley Ramirez by 34.1 percent to 26.2. Giancarlo Stanton was a distant third among eight choices with 15.2%, with Josh Johnson the only other guy in double figures at 12.1. My analysis of the result: It speaks of Guillen's force of personality, outspokenness and national reputation. But it also speaks of the fact Hanley, with past issues related to hustle and attitude, has never been the universally beloved fan favorite he otherwise might have been.
WITH MUCH TO PROVE, HEAT HOST THUNDER: Oklahoma City-at-Heat in a possible NBA Finals preview would top our sports marquee any other night but Marlins' Opening Night. Even now it might be a close call to many. Heat clinched a playoff spot last night (perfunctory, expected) but are a so-so 11-8 since the all-star break, with a nasty habit of being very beatable on the road. That's why a protect-home victory tonight is mandatory. Championship hopes are fragile these days, made of porcelain. This is another of those big-stage games Miami and its fans need to verify whether the Heat is indeed the best team in the league and a title favorite. Because no longer is either a given.
DOLPHINS' PHILBIN TO FANS: HAVE FAITH: New coach Joe Philbin availed himself on a conference call with Dolphins season-ticket holders on Tuesday and here is a representative passage, to a question about growing fan impatience: "Sometimes you have to have faith. There's a little bit of the chicken and the egg here, but I'm asking you for your faith and your confidence in me that I'm going to be able to deliver the results that will make everybody in Miami proud of what this football team does on the field and off the field. And I'm very, very confident that we're going to get this thing done." I find the chicken-and-egg reference interesting. Plenty in the Dolphins organization think privately that gloomy pessimism among so many fans is part of the problem -- that a more optimistic, supportive attitude would create a climate to help in the turnaround. (Pictured left: The Dolphins' new Nike-design uniform).
PAGING DR. HEIMLICH. THE PANTHERS ARE CHOKING: I was a disbelieving witness to a blown 3-0 lead at home and a 5-4 Panthers overtime loss to Winnipeg last night. Click here for the column that resulted. Cats had a chance to end their 11-year, 10-season playoff drought and monumentally blew it with a seventh loss in the past eight games. Florida could still clinch by earning one measly point Thursday night at Washington or in the season finale at home Saturday. You wonder, though. The Panthers sure aren't acting like a team that deserves the playoffs.
BAR REFAELI PLAYING TENNIS IN HER UNDERWEAR:Here is a video of supermodel Bar Refaeli (pictured) playing tennis in her underwear. This is a blog. Could I say it if it wasn't true?
BURGER KING YANKS MARY J./CHICKEN AD: Miami-based Burger King has pulled a national TV spot featuring Mary J. Blige singing soulfully about the chain's new chicken wrap after criticism from some that the ad played on stereotypes. Click here for more. This is political correctness gone wild. Bulletin: Black people are allowed to enjoy chicken without guilt or concern about perpetuating stereotypes.
ON BAYLOR'S WOMEN'S TITLE: I'll admit, I don't find women's basketball very interesting. I like women's sports in general (tennis, for instance), but find women's basketball to be low and slow comparative to the men's game. Inferior, in a word. Having said all that, Baylor completed a 40-0 season with a championship last night. Forty and oh. Respect is due. Hell, even Mercury Morris is probably impressed!
'THE AVENGERS': Pictured here is Robert Downey Jr. in the new film, The Avengers. I'm not saying this guy is not my favorite movie performer, but, for me, in every scene he's in (like this one), he looks like an actor wearing a costume.
HEADLINES YOU NEVER THOUGHT YOU'D SEE (one in a series): Click here. My comment? Him doing that is no more bizarre than the fact it took the women five months to catch on. "Jen, do you smell anything in my office?" "No, Barb. No I don't..."
THE LIST: MARLINS' TOP-RATED PLAYERS: ESPN.com listed the top 500 current MLB players in order, with Albert Pujols No. 1. Sixteen Marlins made the list. They are:
Rank Player, Pos.
26 Jose Reyes, SS
30 Josh Johnson, SP
33 Hanley Ramirez, SS
40 Giancarlo Stanton, OF
100 Heath Bell, RP
Others: 134 SP Mark Buerhle; 161 SP Anibal Sanchez; 191 OF Logan Morrison; 214 SP Ricky Nolasco; 219 1B Gaby Sanchez; 259 SP Carlos Zambrano; 315 C John Buck; 371 RP Edward Mujica; 412 OF Emilio Bonifacio; 414 OF Chris Coghlan; and 418 2B Omar Infante.
THE BONUS LIST: MARLINS OPENING DAY CLEANUP HITTERS: Giancarlo Stanton, batting fourth tnoight, will join a select group. Players who have been Marlins' Opening Day cleanup hitter more than once (all twice):
Player, Pos. Years
Orestes Destrade, 1B 1993-94
Jeff Conine, LF 1995-96
Derrick Lee, 1B 1999, 2003
Preston Wilson, CF 2000-01
Mike Jacobs, 1B 2006-07
Jorge Cantu, 1B-3B 2009-10
Giancarlo Stanton, RF, 2011-12
Others, one each: 3B Bobby Bonilla 1997; RF Gary Sheffield 1998; RF Kevin Millar 2002; 3B Mike Lowell 2004; 1B Carlos Delgado 2005; and LF Josh Willingham 2008.
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"The Oscars and NBA All-Star Game on at the same time. It was confusing. I just asked Dwyane Wade, 'Who are you wearing?'" --Greg Cote
[1) Rick Santorum called President Obama a "snob" and now he's attacking JFK. Somebody tell Rick to get back on the meds. 2) Votes still accepted in our all-star-games poll in post directly below this latest one. 3) UM women, after loss at Duke, fall 5th to 7th in latest poll. 4) Join us on Twitter @gregcote]
DWYANE AND LEBRON'S BIG (AND WEIRD) WEEEKEND: Kobe Bryant has a nasal fracture, or what the old folks like to call a broken nose. That is because the Heat's Dwyane Wade momentarily forgot about the code that says nobody plays defense in an NBA All-Star Game -- let alone hard-foul defense. That the West beat the East 152-149 Sunday would verify the no-defense part. Except midway through the third quarter in Orlando, as Bryant attempted a layup, Wade fouled him from behind, over the shoulder (pictured), about as flagrant a foul as you'll see in an all-star game. Bryant's nose was bleeding within seconds. D-Wade never offered an apology. The Heat happen to play the Lakers in L.A. this coming Sunday, when Wade surely can expect some sort of physical payback. The All-Star Game also was spiced by The Shot Not Taken by LeBron in the final minute. I write about Wade and James' interesting Sunday in my latest column, newly online and shipping to Tuesday's pulp editions. Click on Never a Dull Moment for that column.
Heat, LeBron huge picks for title, MVP: Latest odds from Bovada have Heat a huge 7-5 favorite to win NBA championship, followed by Oklahoma City at 17-4, Chicago 5-1, L.A. Clippers 12-1, and L.A. Lakers and San Antonio 14-1. Miami's LeBron James is a prohibitive 1-2 betting pick for MVP, followed by Kobe Bryant 9-2, Kevin Durant 6-1, Chris Paul 9-1, Derrick Rose 15-1 and Dwyane Wade and Dwight Howard both 20-1.
Chris Bosh and custody: Click here for a part of the Heat star's life he'd probably prefer to not see splashed across TMZ.com.
HURRICANES 2012 FOOTBALL SCHEDULE: It is made official today and here it is, with all games Saturday except the one noted otherwise and with home games in all caps: Sept. 1 @ Boston College; Sept. 8 @ Kansas State; Sept. 15 vs. BETHUNE-COOKMAN; Sept. 22 @ Georgia Tech; Sept. 29 vs. NORTH CAROLINA STATE; Oct. 6 @ Notre Dame; Oct. 13 vs. NORTH CAROLINA; Oct. 20 vs. FLORIDA STATE; Nov. 1 (Thursday) vs. VIRGINIA TECH; Nov. 10 @ Virginia; Nov. 17 vs. SOUTH FLORIDA; and Nov. 24 @ Duke. All starting times are to be determined. In addition, UM's Spring Game will be April 14 and the ACC Championship Game is Dec. 1 in Charlotte. Quick observations: Kansas State, Georgia Tech and Notre Dame make a tough three-game road stretch, but getting FSU and Va-Tech at home is a big break.
FAMOUS ATHLETES POSING: For no reason at all, here is a picture of Serena Williams, Tim Tebow and Venus Williams last night at the Vanity Fair Oscar party. Serena (far left) looks like she could kick the crap out of me and possibly out of Tebow as well.
UM HOOPS (AND FANS) LOOKING THE PART: UM upsets No. 16 Florida State here yesterday despite the suspension-absence of Reggie Johnson, so thrilling the packed house that fans jubilantly stormed the court afterward. For that moment, this looked and felt like a college basketball town, and the Canes looked and felt like a squad deserving of an NCAA Tournament bid. UM's men, remember, also upset No. 5 Duke this season, up there amid the Cameron Crazies. Alas, coach Jim Larranga's group has lost its five other games against ranked opponents, and the 17-10 overall mark with two games left likely will leave Miami just outside the big bubble and settling for the NIT. (Meantime the national-title-dreaming UM women have won 40 consecutive home games. Extraordinary).
Haith on Reggie Johnson: Former UM coach Frank Haith, now at Missouri, says here he is cooperating with the NCAA over the matter that caused current Canes center Reggie Johnson to be suspended.
LORIA RAISES THE BAR FOR MARLINS: Owner Jeffrey Loria on Sunday called this the "strongest" team in his 11-year ownership entering a sesaon, and considering that would include the 2003 World Series champions, consider the bar officially raised. Loria is routinely overly optimistic in the spring, which leads to his managers tending to not last long. Clearly, though, an NL East title or wild-card playoff spot are not merely hoped for but absolutely expected. Are you listening, Ozzie Guillen? [Pictured, an aerial view of the new ballpark].
RAIN 1, DAYTONA 0: NASCAR's season-opening Daytona 500 postponed by rain until tonight for first time in race's 54-year history. Looking for a breakthrough by Dale Earnhardt Jr. or Danica Patrick. Didn't say expecting one. Said looking for one.
ON J-LO'S LEFT NIPPLE: Hey now there's a read-me headline! Normally I don't deal with gratuitous naughtiness in this blog :D but I figure since Jennifer Lopez is in the Offical Coterie of Stephen Ross Celebrity Friends of the Dolphins, it's practically a sports story. So I am dutybound to report that the edge of J-Lo's left nipple appeared to peek from her dress (see screen grab) during last night's Academy Awards as she presented (Irony Alert!) the award for Best Costume Design. Click on the pic to see a larger version. Twitter lit up with this apparent wardrobe malfunction, verifying once again that people who use Twitter lead the league in free time.
On Billy Crystal: Oscars host Billy Crystal looked mummified and that one hug-a-black-woman joke hit an off key as mildly racist, I thought. Still, always have to shake my head when something like "who is Billy Crystal" starts trending on Twitter. Dear People Unaware of Anyone Under 40: Here's what you do. You Google the words 'Billy' and 'Crystal' before broadcasting your comically narrow-minded youthfulness. (Trending next on Twitter: "What is Google.")
CELEBRITIES ARE DIFFERENT THAN YOU AND I: We conclude our Oscars report by mentioning that a movie called Hugo kept winning and I kept annoying my wife by saying, "Isn't that about a killer whale?" Also I was surprised Meryl Streep beat that black actress from The Help who pronounced the word children chirren. The fact that Celebrities Are Different Than You And I was evident not only at the Oscars but in the many exclusive after-parties. What I mean is embodied in this photo, which pictures, left to right: Elton John holding the World's Most Spoiled Baby, Fran Drescher holding a truly fightening looking miniature dog-bear that might or might not be a stuffed animal or a bizarre puppet, and Katy Perry with metallic-blue hair.
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[UM football coach Al Golden won an enormous vote of confidence in our poll. See results in blog post directly below this new one. Also, join us on twitter @gregcote].
NFL PREDIX: DOLPHINS WIN, PACKERS LOSE. AND I'M SERIOUS!: Old-school Dolfans -- defined here as fans wanting their team to win as a bedrock, unequivocal starting point -- will be happy on Sunday as Miami finally gets off the 2011 schneid. Also headed to happy this weekend: Old Dolphins, the 1972 Perfectos, who'll be cheering the fall of the last-unbeaten Packers. Miami will win at Kansas City, 23-20. Green Bay will lose at San Diego, 31-28. (I know most of you are guffawing in disagreement. That's why they're called upsets, people). Click on Week 9 Gems to find out why and for all my latest King Sport prognostications. Click on Marino Under Siege for my Friday Page colun on this finally be the year Dan Marino's 1984 passing-yards record will fall. I also anayze the Pack's chances of running the table and catching the ghosts of '72.
NFL Week 9 Bonus Fact Just For You: Giants-Pats game is 44th regular-season meeting between franchises that have faced each other in a Super Bowl. It's 21-21-1 in the first regular-season meeting afterward -- but SB winners have won 12 of past 15.
And another one...: Newark Star-Ledger reports Jets coach Rex Ryan will play a Patriots fan in a 2012 Adam Sandler movie called I Hate You, Dad. Also appearing: James Caan and Vanilla Ice. Not sure which is more surprising: That Rex Ryan acts. Or that somebody is bankrolling an Adam Sandler movie featuring Rex Ryan and Vanilla Ice.
THE SCIENCE OF DWYANE WADE: The Heat star offered himself for experimentation at the Gatorade Sports Institute this week. Click here for the tale. Just another reminder that our NBA stars are doing everything but playing a season.
UPDATED SUPER BOWL ODDS: From our friends at Bodog, it's Packers a prohibitive 13-5, then Patriots 6-1 and Steelers 9-1. Next at 12-1: Eagles, Saints and Ravens. The not-yet-officially eliminated Dolphins are a righteous steal at 1,000-1.
WHEN GOOD + GOOD = BAD: Love James Hetfield and Metallica. Love Lou Reed. Don't love their new collaborative CD, Lulu. Really dismal. Reed's lugubrious, sluggish, at times spoken-word delivery is no match for Metallica's thrashing pace. I do like the cover art, though. And I still think "Perfect Day" is a mournful masterpiece, Lou.
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[Join our live chat tomorrow/Wednesday 1-2 p.m. Click on Chatty to tap in live then or to post questions, bon mots and pithyisms any time. Also join the modest parade at Twitter.com/gregcote].
Click on TIME FOR JEFF IRELAND TO STEP UP, PROVE HIMSELF for my latest column, online now and shipping to Tuesday's pulp editions. It's on the end of the NFL lockout segueing into a truncated, madcap trades-and-free agency window that finds the Dolphins, and especially GM Jeff Ireland, under the gun to move both boldly and quickly. For Miami, this is an opportunity. Also, it is an obligation. Because Dolfans deserve better.
LONG NATIONAL NIGHTMARE ENDS! NFL MAKES PEACE!: This new 'Back to Football' logo (above) is bugled across the MiamiDolphins.com website. The two sides have agreed to a new collective bargaining agreement, the 132-day lockout is over, and free-agent and trade negotiations may begin today/Tuesday. Let the madness begin! Click here for a detailed pdf-document summary of the new CBA sent to agents. I'm being a bit facetious on the "long national nightmare," by the way. The NFL lockout of four-plus months affected my life not a bit and, by all indications, affected the NFL hardly at all. No games missed. Preseason scarcely impacted. Best I can tell, teams missed a few "mini-camps" and OTA (organized team activity) days. Big whoop. Plenty of players were secretly thrilled to not have those high-heat mini-camps. Now, on deck: the truncated piranha tank otherwise known as free agency. Click here for a recent column of mine on where the Dolphins should be looking. I would target QBs Kyle Orton or Vince Young, running backs Ahmad Bradshaw, DeAngelo Williams or Reggie Bush (in that order), and also consider WR Plaxico Burress and bringing back OLB Jason Taylor. What would your advice be to Dolphins GM Jeff Ireland? Let's pretend he asked. Help Ireland with his to-do list in terms of Miami's FA priority. Vote now.
DOLPHINS SIGN A QUARTERBACK! (SORT OF): Dolphins today/Tuesday signed undrafted Delaware QB Pat Devlin (pictured). This is good news if he's being brought in as a longshot training-camp body. This is bad news if this is the extent of Miami's run on guys to compete with Chad Henne. Let's assume and hope it's the former, and that Dolphins still are setting sights on bigger targets like Kyle Orton or Vince Young.
DEANGELO TO MIAMI, RONNIE TO PATS?: Sports Illustrated's wise Peter King projects Carolina running back DeAngelo Williams ending up with Dolphins in his outlook for top 50 free agents in the latest SI. King also guesses projects Miami will land Atlanta guard Harvey Dahl. Also notable, he has Ronnie Brown ending up with Patriots. Oy! In the same issue, SI's Jim Trotter calls QB Vince Young a "good fit" for Miami. Here's hoping it's yes for MIA on both Williams and Young. Meantime, ESPN's Adam Schefter reports Miami is interested in newly released Cowboys RB Marion Barber.
BIZARRE CIRCUMSTANCES CLAIM TORTURED LIFE OF HARRY POTTER'S BROTHER: The little-known older brother of Harry Potter has been identified as the victim in what London police are calling the world's first known planking-related death. An apparently drunk Al Potter, 36, died while planking in a West End intersection and being run over by a Fiat driven by the grandson of original Kinks drummer Mick Avory. Planking is a fad in which participants lay face-down in an incongruous setting. Relatives of Al Potter, an orphan, are calling the death a suicide. "He couldn't take it any more," said an aunt who declined to give her name. "Everything was about Harry and it drove him mad. Al was denied admission to Hogwarts, began drinking 12, 15 Stellas a day, had 'Voldemort' tattooed across the broad of his back -- just rebelled in jealousy and went off the deep end. Sad." Al Potter, single, attempted to enter trade school but failed as a blacksmith. He later failed as a Harry Potter impersonator (pictured). Relatives say his depression had worsened recently with failed efforts to self-publish a biographical novel, "The Smithying World Of Al Potter." Funeral arrangements are pending.
GIANT-HEADED DON SHULA LEADS "BACK TO FOOTBALL" RALLY: Love the big cardboard cutouts of Brandon Marshall and Jake Long, but not nearly as much as I love the gigantic Don Shula head. This is a local Dolphins-organized Back to Football rally that appears to be populated entirely by Dolphins employees, but, maybe it was just early. At any rate, GIANT SHULA HEAD RULES!
INKY LOVE FOR LEBRON: See, Cleveland, LeBron James is not universally hated, after all. A fan has had a likeness of LeBron's face (and a damned good one at that) tattooed on his leg. The fan posted this photo on Twitter, and LeBron Tweeted back: Oh damn! That's how u feel. I appreciate the love.
BELIEVE, OR BURN?: Some may know I'm a fan of puns and wordplay, so I rather enjoyed a church sign I saw today: "Follow the Son, And You Won't End Up Burning." However, upon further reflection, I thought it a tad harsh to consign cremation in hell to those of perhaps divergent beliefs. When did 'religious tolerance' become an oxymoron? I'm just saying.
BEARDED GIANT GETS PAST WHITE HOUSE SECURITY: Here is a photo of Barack Obama honoring the World Series champ Giants at the White House today. I am thinking it is no coincidence that closer Brian Wilson and his astoundingly creepy beard were not allowed anywhere close to the president. Also, cannot confirm that Republicans demanded equal time to profess that they love the Giants even more.
GOTTA LOVE JOE PA: Pictured is a photo of Penn State octogenarian football coach Joe Paterno in his office staring through lenses thick enough to be hurricane-grade glass at a computer screen the size of a braggart's television. You go, Joe!
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[Follow at Twitter.com/gregcote. It's like having me in your home or office, but without having to call the cops].
CONFESSION OF A REFORMED MARCH MADNESS AGNOSTIC: That's me. I don't call myself a March Madness atheist because I don't deny the men's basketball NCAA Tournament exists as something that sends millions into annual rapture. I'm an agnostic in that I don't get into the religious fervor as much as I stand back from it with bemusement over others' orgasmic involvement. Now here comes the caveat: Virginia Commonwealth going from a play-in game to the Final Four finally convinces me that what the March Madness acolytes say is really true: The little team really can win it all, and in a way that doesn't seem nearly as possible in most other sports. I'm sold. I still think there are too many teams to start (68), but VCU getting this far -- and for the first time ever, no No. 1 or 2 seed in the FF -- affirms for me that anything is possible. It's a good Final Four all-round, with traditional powers in Kentucky and UConn, and upstarts in Butler and Virginia un-Commonwealth. My bracket exploded, so my rooting interest from here is purely emotional. UConn won as recently as 2004 so is my fourth choice. Butler, an overqualified Cinderella, is my third choice. Kentucky, which last reigned in 1998, is my second choice. I'll be rooting for VCU. Because the glass slipper fits. Take a dip in our poll. This isn't who your cold money thinks will win. This is who you want to win (and why).
HEAT'S LOSE AT CADAVALIERS: Amusing last night to watch Clevelanders celebrating like it was Game 7 of The Finals. Another dip in the topsy turvy season, this loss to awful Cleveland. You measure Miami's Big 3 Experiment in the playoffs, the ones coming up soon and in the years beyond. That hasn't changed. But a reminder had come just Sunday that Pat Riley's coup already has been a huge success. LeBron James (33 points, 10 rebounds), Chris Bosh (31-12) and Dwyane Wade (30-11) became only the second set of three teammates -- and first since 1961 -- to top 30-10 in the same regulation game. Bosh's assertion on the offensive end makes me think more and more that Miami has a real shot at the title this season. Last night's aberration didn't change that thinking. Well, much.
MARLINS COUNTDOWN: 1 DAY 'TIL OPENING NIGHT: Friday night begins the 19th season and last in the old stadium, versus Bernie Madoff's Mets. Look for our big preseason poll in a new, separate blogpost later this week.
ADVERTISING FROM HELL: A TV ad for the new movie, Your Highness, mentions -- as if it were a good thing -- "...from the director who brought you Pineapple Express!" Which is sort of like introducing a new music act "...from the producer who brought you Milli Vanilli!"
JET EDGES DOLPHIN IN MADDEN VOTE: Jets QB Mark Sanchez advances over Dolphins tackle Jake Long by 55 to 45 percent in the first-round of bracket-style voting on ESPN.com to pick the cover of EA Sports' Madden NFL '12 video game. It was surprisingly (to me) the closest of 16 first-round matchups. It also was a statement about Miami's lack of starpower that an offensive lineman would be the club's rep.
JOSE CAN YOU SEE YOU'RE A MORON?: Jose Canseco, the former 'roid-boy baseball slugger from Miami, continues to embarrass himself at every turn. His latest stunt: To appear on a "celebrity boxing" card Saturday at Hard Rock Live, an indictment of both the promoter's inability to book real celebrities and Jose's amazing knack for making career choices as if guided by Charlie Sheen. So what's worse than celebrity boxing? No, it isn't being on the new season of Celebrity Apprentice. It's failing to show up for Saturday's boxing sham and trying to get away with sending your twin brother Ozzie in your place. One of life's small wonders, by the way, is why Ozzie has not yet tried to distance himself from his odd bro with massive plastic surgery.
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HEAT-KNICKS BACK AS TOP-TIER RIVALRY:[Update: Knicks defeat Heat 91-86, which figures to cause the onset of what I would estimate as Panic 4.0. Postscript: Spike Lee is gaining on Fireman Ed as my most disliked human mascot. Can't spike come up with another $4 million opening gross dud film to occupy his time to keep him off courtside?] Original post: How you like that my-how-times-have-changed photo? The 'Bockers adding Carmelo Anthony to Amare Stoudemire, with prospects of luring Chris Paul next summer, partners with the Heat's Big 3 to return New York-Miami to big-rivalry status for the first time since the late '90s. I mean, what's a sexier visit than Knicks now? Celtics and Lakers are the only opponents that might be arguable. Maybe Jimmy Buffett will bonk Spike Lee on the head with a margarita glass. Hey, I can dream. Maybe ESPN analyst Jeff Van Gundy and Heat executive Alonzo Mourning will reprise the 1998 playoff melee in which the then-Knicks coach latched onto Zo's leg like a toy poddle trying to bite a redwood. This is an "event" game and I'd expect a huge home show from Miami, especially after that loss in Chicago. The over/under on combined points LeBron, D-Wade and 'Melo needs to be around 100. And you know Anthony will put on a show. He has been overshadowed by LeBron and Wade in his career and feels he finally has the stage to get up to their stardom level. We'll see. Sweet night. Let's go!
NAME THE GREATEST OSCAR: In honor of tonight's Academy Awards, we open the poll envelope and name the greatest Oscar. It was not tough limiting the poll options to 10 Oscars, although we did have to omit former Costan Rican president Oscar Arias Sanchez and South African paralympian Oscar Pistorius, the guy with blades for feet. Sorry guys. Also the list does not include Oscar the movie award, pictured, because we wanted to give the other Oscars a fighting chance. (Did you ever notice that Oscar the movie award, up close, resembles a creepy space alien? Trivia: Oscar is the 131st most common male baby name in the U.S., after peaking in the 1880s, but remains an enormously popular name in Sweden. Select your top THREE Oscars from the list. Vote now!
MOVIES VS. BASEBALL: Last night the main acting awards went to Colin Firth of "The King's Speech" and Natalie Portman for "Black Swan." That means it has been 1997 since the same film produced both the leading actor and actress -- a feat that has occurred only seven times. Got me to wondering how often we have had the baseball equivalent: One team producing both the year's batting champion and ERA leader. Answer? Much more common in baseball.
The only seven times one film has had winning leading actor and actress: 1934--Clark Gable & Claudette Colbert in "It Happened One Night"; 1975--Jack Nicholson & Louise Fletcher in "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest"; 1976--Peter Finch & Faye Dunaway in "Network"; 1978--Jon Voight & Jane Fonda in "Coming Home"; 1981--Henry Fonda & Katherine Hepburn in "On Golden Pond"; 1991--Anthony Hopkins & Jodie Foster in "The Silence of the Lambs"; and 1997--Nicholson & Helen Hunt in "As Good As It Gets."
The last seven times one team has had leading batter and pitcher: 2006--Joe Mauer & Johan Santana, Minnesota; 2003--Bill Mueller & Pedro Martinez, Boston; 2002--Manny Ramirez & Martinez, Boston; 2001--Ichiro Suzuki & Freddy Garcia, Seattle; 2000--Nomar Garciaparra & Martinez, Boston; 1999--Garciaparra & Martinez, Boston; 1995--Edgar Martinez & Randy Johnson, Seattle.
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