1) It is MONDAY, APRIL 29. Click on Random Evidence for the Sunday notes column, leading with Dolphins' fight to reclaim market's top-dog status from Heat. 2) In The Previous Blogpost (ITPB): Dolphins draft: Dion Jordan and Day 2; Heat Game 3 win, Shane Larkin, Marlins Sad-O-Meter. 3) Join us on Twitter @agregcote.
GRADE THE DOLPHINS' 2013 DRAFT: I know. It's a little bit insane, an instant-grade poll like this. So what! Sure, it takes a couple of years or even longer to fully, fairly judge any draft, but we're running a
blog here, not an encyclopedia. I don't care how you view this draft in restrospect after several years; I care what you think now. I don't care what Mel Kiper says; I care what Dolfans think. Looking for gut reaction here. From the trade-up for the top pick through to today's Day of the Gator (three picks from UF), how much did the Dolphins help themselves? Did they fill needs? How excited are you vs. how you hoped to feel? Factor in whom they might have drafted but didn't and give Jeff Ireland and Miami a grade on this draft, then say why. (Why did I not include an 'F' grade? Simply to disappoint Jets fans bent on anarchy). So here is a list of all Miami's picks to refresh the memory, followed by the poll. And the overall grade is...?
1st round (3rd overall) -- DE Dion Jordan, Oregon
2r (54th) -- CB Jamar Taylor, Boise State
3r (77th) -- OT Dallas Thomas, Tennessee
3r (93rd) -- CB Will Davis, Utah State
4r (104th) -- OLB, Jelani Jenkins, Florida
4r (106th) -- TE Dion Sims, Michigan State
5r (164th) -- RB Mike Gillislee, Florida
5r (166th) -- PK Caleb Sturgis, Florida
7r (250th) -- S Don Jones, Arkansas State
Poll result: Dion Jordan pick grew on you: This was an anomaly. Normally it just takes a few hundred votes for trends to set pretty firmly and results to not change much. But with the Dolphins' selection of Dion Jordan third overall, that was not the case. The immediate-reaction/initial-wave showed "don't like it" in the lead, but that would change substantially. The final verdict: "Love it" 29.0 percent, "like it" 28.3%, "don't like it" 17.7%, "lukewarm" 14.8% and "not sure" 10.2%. That's still a mixed approval rating, but the favorable side grew steadily.
Canes avert draft shutout: Cornerback Brandon McGee goes in the fifth round (149th overall) to the Rams, and running back Mike James in the sixth (189th) to the Bucs. Remembering when UM used to be all over the first round, not Day 3 scraps. FIU equals Miami with two picks: safety Johnathan Cyprien (2nd round/33rd) to Jaguars, and defensive end Tourek Williams (6th/179th) to Chargers.
G4: HEAT 88, BUCKS 77: SWEEEEEEEP!: Dwyane Wade sat out but LeBron James scored 30 to complete the four-game sweep Sunday in Milwaukee. Miami now awaits Chicago-Brooklyn winner, likely Bulls at this point. ..... Original post: Dwyane Wade is a game-time decision today with a sore knee. He should sit. Even if he says he can play, he should sit.
Miami, up 3-0 in the series, can win without Wade and also can afford a loss here. The clear priority should be geting Wade's knee right so is healthy in the ensuing series when he is far more needed.
CAN'T BLAME LARKIN: Two and done, Shane Larkin bolting the Hurricanes for the NBA Draft after his sophomore year. It's too bad for UM, but its understandable. Larkin is healthy and coming of an ACC Player of the Year season for a Sweet 16 team. His stock may never be higher, unless you think it will be one year older and coming off the down-to-earth season Miami is facing. It would have been tough for Larkin top repeat as a conference all-star as the only returning starter. He made the judicious call. Now, hvaing said that, he's still a borderline fiorst-round pick who is not seen as a future NBA star. Analyst Steve Kerr pegs Larkin a backup point guard in the pros. But I doubt one more year of college seasoning would have improved that judgment either.
UPDATED: MARLINS "SAD-O-METER": We have a new feature we'll update in the blog throughout the
season as long as the Marlins' winning percentage is under .300. The New York Mets' 1962 record of 40-120 (.250) is widely regarded as the nadir in its class -- the single worst season in modern MLB history. Now, your Marlins are threatening that ignominy. Marlins Sad-O-Meter: Current record after Sunday's win, 6-19 (.240). Updated season pace, 38.88 wins, 123.12 losses.
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1) It is THURSDAY, APRIL 18. NFL says Larry Litttle will anounce Dolphins' 2nd- and 3rd-round draft picks. 2) UM linebacker Eddie Johnson officially departs for Hinds Community College. 3) R.I.P. Pat Summerall, 82, for many the voice of football. 4) In The Previous Blogpost (ITPB): Boston Marathon tragedy, Man vs. World on Heat, Dolphins' Mount Rushmore results, UM spring football, New Orleans visit. 5) Join us on Twitter @agregcote.
Heat-Bucks schedule: Game 1--Sunday 21st at MIA 7 pm; 2--Tuesday 23rd at MIA 7:30; 3--Thursday 25th at MILW 7; 4--Sunday 28th at MILW 3:30. If necessary: 5--Tuesday 30th at MIA tbd;p 6--Thursday 2nd at MILW tbd; 7--Saturday 4th at MIA tbd. Click on Must Win for my forward-looking column off last night's regular season finale. Dwyane Wade says Miami must win a repeat title for the record-setting regular season to matter.
FORGET THE BIG 3. WHO HAS BEEN HEAT'S MOST VALUABLE OTHER GUY?: LeBron James will win another NBA season MVP award or the league should be disbanded. So a vote on the Heat's season MVP
would be pointless; it's obvious. Likewise, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh are the Heat's second and third
best and most valuable players beyond argument. But after the Big 3? There the debate begins. In this poll I offer a choice of the eight other players who have played most. Any of four of them, to me, might be legitimate picks here. Have your say. Vote and say why.
KIPER PLAYS IRELAND ON DOLPHINS DRAFT: Dolphins GM Jeff Ireland, take the month off. ESPN draftnik Mel Kiper has done your job for you by revealing Miami's picks in the first three rounds. Dolphs are only NFL team with five, by the way. They'll be, says Mel: 1st round (12th overall)--Alabama OT D.J. Fluker; 2R (42nd)--Florida State DE Tank Carradine; 2R (54th)--UConn CB Blidi Wreh-Wilson; 3R (77th)--North Carolina State CB David Amerson; and 3R (82nd)--Harvard FB Kyle Juszczyk.
MORE REFLECTIONS ON BOSTON: I grew up in South Florida but was born in Massachusetts, 25 miles west of Boston, in Lawrence. Many longtime readers know the Red Sox and Carl Yastrzemski were my
first love in sports. My second was the parquet floor on which Bill Russell and John Havlicek worked. But of course I felt Monday's Boston Marathon tragedy not because of those roots, but as an American. Background matters not at a time like that. We are all one country. It sounds corny, but it is the one truism that the terrorists fail to understand: That what they think will tear us apart, binds us together instead. I was so moved to see people running toward where the bombs blew, to render aid. To hear of runners sprinting straight from the race to the nearest hospital, to donate blood. New York understands, and so the Yankees last night displayed both teams' logos with the banner, 'United We Stand,' and played the Red Sox anthem Sweet Caroline during the game. (Click here to see and hear that sweet gesture). Times like these remind us there are so many evil people in the world .. but also that there are so many, many more who are good. [Click on We Deal With It for my reaction to the tragedy, a column I am grateful to say has appeared in newspapers all over the country].
Papelbon goes there: Jonathan Papelbon, Phillies (and ex-Red Sox) pitcher, might have had a little internal voice saying, "Don't go there." But he went there. He might have heard that little inward voice warn, "Don't be that guy." But he was that guy. Papelbon, yesterday, on the Boston bombings: "Today's day and age has gotten so crazy. Shoot, man, Obama wants to take our guns from us and everything."
MARLINS UPDATED WORLD SERIES ODDS. NO, SERIOUSLY!: Hey, Mr. Vegas wants somebody to bet on everybody. Hence, odds. Updated World Series odds from Bovada, new today, have a bunched crowd for favorite, with Tigers 7-1, Braves 15-2 and Nationals 8-1. Your Marlins are dead last now at 1,000-to-1.
SHANE LARKIN, DON'T GO: Hurricanes point guard Shane Larkin's protrcated decision whether to return
to UM or enter the NBA draft is said to be leaning toward go-pro, according to ESPN's Chad Ford. That would be unfortunate for him, I think. Larkin would not be a certain first-round draft pick. TNT's Steve Kerr, appearing on 790 The Ticket recently, responded to my question about Larkin's NBA future by saying he'd be a career backup. Larkin needs another college season to solidify his first-round status and improve perceptions about his upside on the next level.
On FIU's basketball hire: Norfolk State's Anthony Evans taking over FIU men's basketball feels like a solid hire if only because -- unlike star names Richard Pitino and Isiah Thomas before that -- Evans seems like he might not treat the job as an immediate stepping stone. FIU doesn't need another fast-break outta town. It needs a coach who wants to stay, and build.
"DEAR GREG...": "...your blog's OK but would be better if occasionally you would show a picture of Dolphins quarterback Ryan Tannehill riding a go-kart. Thank you." Dear reader, I'll see what I can do. No promises.
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1) It is THURSDAY, APRIL 4. New blogpost coming later today. 2) Dan Marino a big underdog to Joe Montana head-to-head in Sweet 16 voting for 'Madden 25' cover. Click here to vote. 3) R.I.P., Ralph Sanchez. If you live in South Florida and you care about auto racing, he deserved your thanks. 4) In The Previous Blogpost (ITPB): Marlins open season, Final Four poll, Ricky Williams' new song, Heat-Spurs, Cavalcade of Creepy Easter Bunnies. 5) Join us on Twitter @agregcote.
FIU losing Richard Pitino after one season: Men's basketball coach Richard Pitino has left FIU after one season for the Minnesota Gophers. It is no surprise. This was a stepping stone all the way for the son of Louisville's Famous Rick. Too bad for The Int'l, though. Kid Pitino did well, piloting an 18-14 season that fell one win shy of an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.
MARLINS FANS' DILEMMA: SHOULD DISDAIN FOR LORIA BE TAKEN OUT ON TEAM?: This is a difficult decision without a right answer, and I think either viewpoint should be respected by the other side. I
tackle this issue in today's latest column; click Marlins Deserve Support Despite Loria to read. The headline on the column (Marlins deserve our support) is a bit misleading because it allows a lazy reader -- don't get me wrong, lazy readers are better than non-readers! -- to think I mean Loria deserves support. He does not; he deserves the disdain he gets, for reasons I outline. But I think Marlins fans must be bigger than the current team owner. Supporting the blameless players in the uniform supports Loria financially much less than it simply supports the hometown team and the idea of baseball here. I am interested in your thoughts. Can you be a Marlins fan while also having disdain for Loria, or are those two things mutually exclusive? We ran a similar poll back in November but it's time for another pulse-read with the home opener just days away. Remember, this is NOT asking whether you support Loria. This is asking how someone who calls himself a Marlins fan should feel toward the team right now. Vote and say why.
Heath Hell Bell has not changed: Former Marlins closer Heath Bell gave up four hits, two home runs and three runs in 1/3 inning in his Arizona debut last night before being lifted to a rain of boos. Sound familiar?
UPDATE: HERALD'S HEAT 'MOST INFLUENTIAL' BALLOT ADDS TICKET TAKER, BALL-INFLATER: I make fun of my own newspaper when warranted (appreciating that The Herald usually is thick-skinned) and feel an obligation to do so over our ongoing poll to name the
Heat's 25 most influential figures marking the club's 25th anniversary season. You can vote here if you have time to wend through a bloated ballot that started with 46 people and quickly, quietly and mysteriously ballooned to 62 because some folks left off the initial ballot evidently registered their pique. Leading the vote so far are who you'd expect: Pat Riley, Dwyane Wade, LeBron James and Alonzo Mourning. On the bubble at No. 25, when last I checked, was Grant Long. The eventual final list of 25 will be legit. So is the idea of the poll. It is the ridiculous names on the ballot that beg lampooning. The lowest vote-getters when last I checked included broadcaster John Crotty, arena noisemaker DJ Irie, the Golden Oldies, broadcaster Mike Inglis, team doctor Harlan Selesnick, and front-office background executives Michael McCullough, Kim Stone and Eric Woolworth. Stone had surged ahead of McCullough, 2 votes to
1, in the battle for last place as of this morning. Also on the ballot and drawing less than one-quarter of 1 percent of the vote: mascot Burnie (pictured) and the Heat Dancers. Was there anyone -- anyone at all!? -- who thought or said aloud, "Why are we putting Harlan Selesnick and the Golden Oldies on the ballot?" Surely the ballot should have swelled to at least 100 so we might have included the kid who mops up the sweat on the hardwood, the guy manning the T-shirt cannon, and the abuela selling game-night
arepas off Biscayne. Clearly, though, the most egregious, inexcusable ballot omission of all? Banana Man!
STUFF THE BALLOT FOR SAMMY SCHULMAN!: Blog friends, I ask you unabashedly to stuff The Herald's 'Heat 25' ballot for Sammy
Schulman and to encourage everyone you know to do the same. He is the face of the behind-the-scenes guy who few know but who deserves some public love! Schulman (pictured) is an original club employee who has risen to executive vice president and chief financial officer. He is one of Riley's most trusted right-hand men, and the man most responsible for keeping the franchise's and arena's financial houses in order. Click HERE to vote as many times as you like. He is up to 34th in the overall voting and climbing! Let's rally behind Schulman. Schulman! SCHUL-MAN, SCHUL-MAN, SCHUL-MAN!!
Three thoughts on star-less Heat's home loss to Knicks: 1) When LeBron James and Dwyane Wade sit out, never be the least bit surprised by a Miami loss. 2) Carmelo Anthony, when in his zone, is as good a scorer as anybody in the sport. 3) Nobody looks good wearing an orange hat. Especially you, Spike Lee. Pictured left is the Cleveland Plain-Dealer's April Fool's joke on readers yesterday. It also serves as a deferred nightmare for Heat fans.
DOLPHINS FAN TO ANNOUNCE DRAFT PICK: Longtime season-ticket holder Giovanni Estevez of Miramar has won a club promotion to announce the team's fourth-round pick of the NFL Draft in New York on April 27. I'd pay him a hundred bucks to announce his own name. The lucky fan is pictured with the giant, creepy-looking likenesses of Dan Marino and Don Shula. Bo caption was provided, but I'd guess Giovanni is the one in the middle.
Poll result: Most rooting for underdog Wichita State in Final Four: We asked not for a prediction but for who you most want to win the men's Final Four (you may still vote in blogpost directly below), and underdog No. 9 seed Wichita State led comfortably with 36.1 percent. After that it was Louisville 29.5, Michigan 21.7 and Syracuse 12.7.
DEAR GREG...: "...Your blog's OK but would be better if occasionally you would show a man walking down a busy street with a cat on is head. Thank you." Dear reader: Don't be silly.
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[1) It is SUNDAY, JANUARY 6. I'm already tired of Rex Ryan's tattoo but this interests me. Sexy Sofia Vergara involved in Miami nightclub skirmish, falls to floor as breast pops out of dress. I couldn't say it if it werent true; this is a blog! Click here for more. 2) Heat waive guard Terrel Harris. 3) Am told Alabama as a team will see a private screening of 'Zero Dark Thirty' tonight to get pumped for Monday's game. 4) Join us on Twitter @gregcote]
NHL, players agree to end lockout: Happened early this morning. A 48-game (or perhaps 50) season is expected to begin no later than Jan. 18. Panthers fans, rejoice! The rest of you, go about your business as usual.
NFL PLAYOFFS: PREVIEW, PREDIX, POLL: Here I offer my predictions for this weekend's first round of the playoffs, which I dislike calling Wild-Card Weekend as the NFL does because half of the eight teams playing are not wild-card teams. Anyway, I like all four underdogs with the points and all four home teams, meaning one outright upset. Click on Playoff Round 1 Gems for the full version of our picks; here is a synopsis, chronologically:
FINAL: TEXANS d. BENGALS, 19-13 -- Arian Foster and big defense carry the day as Cincy held without offensive TD. Original post: Houston backing in, Cincy hotter, but Bengals last won a playoff in 1990, and Texans much more talented. Arian Foster runs big, J.J. Watt harrasses Andy Dalton. [My pick was: Texans (-4 1/2), 24-21. Playoff record: 1-0 outright; 0-1 vs. spread].
FINAL: PACKERS d. VIKINGS, 24-10 -- Aaron Rodgers was great as expected, and Joe Webb in for injured Christian Ponder doomed Vikes' upset shot. Original post: Tough to beat Gee Bees twice in a year, let alone twice in two weeks. Return of Charles Woodson big for Pack defense, and Aaron Rodgers comes up huge. [My pick was: Packers (-7 1/2), 31-24. Playoff record: 2-0 outright, 0-2 vs. spread].
FINAL: RAVENS d. COLTS, 24-9 -- Vintage Baltimore defense reminiscent of past years and a big day by Anquan Boldin carries the Crows. Original post: Lots of emotion here, with Ray Lewis facing his final game and the Chuck Pagano story. I see Lewis' return from 10 games out and the home field carrying the day. [My pick was: Ravens (-6 1/2), 27-23. Playoff record: 3-0 outright, 0-3 vs. spread].
FINAL: SEAHAWKS d. REDSKINS, 24-14 -- Thought I was looking foof at 14-0, Skins. RG3's injury didn't help. Original post: Upset! Seattle has not been a very good road team (3-5) and I'll take Robert Griffin III at home in a rookie-QB duel that should make this the game of the weekend. [My pick was: Redskins (+3), 24-23. Playoff record: 3-1 outright; 0-4 vs. spread].
Click Logic Vs. Sentiment for my Friday Page column. I rank the playoff teams 1 through 12 based on best chance to win the Super Bowl (Logic) and also based on my own Independent Rooting Interest scale (Sentiment). The column also includes my six end-of-season league awards plus my Dolphins MVP.
OK, your turn. Which team do you most hope wins the Super Bowl? I know 20 of 32 teams aren't in the playoffs, so about 63 percent of all fans including Dolfans aren't as passionately drawn. But don't fans develop a rooting interest in the playoffs even when their team isn't in it? I bet yes. Remember, this poll is not asking who you predict will win the Super Bowl. It's asking who you hope does. You can even still vote for teams that have been eliminated, if you wish. Vote and say why.
FIU RECYCLES, HIRES RON TURNER: Last month FIU and athletics boss Pete Garcia prematurely and
unwisely fired bright young football coach Mario Cristobal. Now the school introduces his replacement, Ron Turner, 59 (pictured), a college and pro journeyman coach who is seen as an offensive specialist and quarterbacks guru. My concern is that Turner hasn't coached collegiately in almost a decade, since Illinois fired him after the 2004 season. He was 35-57 in eight years with the Illini. In 2001 he was 10-2 and lost in the Sugar Bowl but apart from that didn't do much. I wonder how a 60ish guy out of the college game so long will be as a recruiter. Turner signed a five-year contract but I doubt Garcia's patience will last that long. The upside? Ron has a more normal first name than his brother, Norv.
HEAT BIG 5 @ 30: The blog loves bells 'n whistles especially of the nerdy-stat variety and so this season
we started this new one we are running throughout Heat season at five-game intervals (except we skipped @25; oops). 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 @ 30 Games (22-8, before Friday night's loss to Bulls):
Rank (@20) Player Total
1 (1) LeBron James 1,146.1
2 (2) Chris Bosh 746.5
3 (3) Dwyane Wade 703.5
4 (4) Ray Allen 475.0
5 (5) Mario Chalmers 447.7
Bubble: Shane Battier, 316.3
Poll result: Sorry, Nick. We still don't like you: I wrote this week that Dolfans should finally forgive Nick Saban, six years later, for the way he left Miami for Alabama, and asked in a poll if you agree. You didn't. Don't-forgive had 70.4 percent to only 21.5% who said forgive, with the other 8.1% undecided. So if you get booed Monday night, Nick, don't take it personally. Actually ... do take it personally.
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[1) It is SATURDAY, DECEMBER 22. I know Dallas was Dirk-less and down, but very impressed by the Heat the other night, especially the defensive quickness that utterly repelled the Mavs. 2) Just watched the movie 'Ted.' Draggy, cliche ending but liked it overall. Anyone who loves 'Family Guy' would be predisposed in that direction. 3) Join us on Twitter @gregcote]
Thought of the day: I bet $1, with billion-to-one odds, that the world really would end Friday as predicted. Had I win ... where would I have collected?
END OF THE WORLD POLL: WHAT DEFINES MIAMI SPORTS?: Two big things were to happen Friday. 1) It was winter solstice! 2) The world would end, or so said the Mayan calendar. It was amazing to me how the looming
apocalypse was so nonchalantly regarded. For example, the Dolphins never announced a ticket refund plan for the Sunday home game that obviously would have been lost -- not to the Bills, but to oblivion. Sure, the Y2K end-of-the-world never happened, but why assume this one wouldn't? In that spirit, and now to celebrate the globe's survival, our world-didn't-end poll aims to name what most defines sports in Greater Miami. The question is broad. We offer
four choices and you may pick your top two. (If we gave you three it'd be too easy, right?) Vote and say why, and if you chose "something else," what, pray tell? Then get on down into the bunker because, seriously, you never know.
NFL PREDIX: DOLPHINS GET EARLY CHRISTMAS GIFT: The gift is Buffalo and the Bills' fairly awful defense, the first in King Sport since 1986 to allow 45 or more points in four games. Like Jacksonville last week, this is a soft home opponent against whom the Dolphins cannot lose, and won't. Click on Week 16 Gems for all our latest NFL pix. And on Spinning The Records for our Friday Page NFL notes column leading with Adrian Peterson and Calvin Johnson chasing major season records.
Trading Cam Wake?: ESPN has crackpot speculation this week listing Dolphins sackman Cameron Wake among the NFL's top five most tradeable players. The logic: He's 30, and his backup, Olivier Vernon, is pretty good. My take: He is Miami's best defender and worth more to his team than you'd realistically get in return. And the club already has stockpiled draft picks. Keep him barring some silly-big offer.
Dolphins switch placekickers: Team signed longtime former Charger Nate Kaeding to work the final two games after placing Dan carpenter on injured reserve.
BLOG EXCLUSIVE!: WHY MARLINS' SAMSON NO LONGER ON 790 THE TICKET: The owner stepped in. Neither Marlins president David Samson nor 790 The Ticket wanted to end Samson's weekly show with Dan Le Batard in which Samson discussed movies along with baseball, but owner Jeffrey Loria didn't like the segment and finally exerted his authority. Add this to the view of Loria as a micro-manager to a fault. Another example: His hands-on editing of Showtime's The Franchise series starring the Marlins.
On Placido Polanco signing: Marlins announced they have signed veteran third baseman Placido Polanco (pictured) to a one-year deal. He spent last season with Phillies but battled back issues. He is 37 and past-prime but if healthy is a positive signing. He's a solid defender, a good clubhouse guy and a career .299 hitter.
RICK PITINO SCHOOLS HIS KID, FIU: No. 5 Louisville dreams of a men's basketball national
championship. FIU dreams of mere respectability. It was a mismatch in L-ville this week and you know the final score could have been far worse than 79-55 if not for Daddy Rick Pitino showing paternal pity upon FIU rookie coach/famous offspring Richard Pitino. I'm not sure if the meeting was particularly meaningful outside the Pitino family, but it rates a mention here because the blog has always looked for -- and until now never found -- a reason to run a photo of Robert Young as wise Jim Anderson in the 1954-60 TV sitom, Father Knows Best.
The road to March Madness: Louisville, Kentucky and Michigan all have current 12-1 odds to win the national title, trailing only Indiana at 5-1, Duke 6-1 and Florida 10-1. Miami is 66-1 and running fifth for the ACC crown after Duke, N.C. State, North Carolina and Maryland.
VAN GUNDY'S HEAT WARNING: Stan Van Gundy said on 790 The Ticket that the Heat cannot repeat as champions playing defense the way they are now. To that I would add that Miami is presently last in the NBA in rebounding. But Heat has played D much better lately, including last night in Dallas. Heat is 17-6 and second in the conference after the Knicks right now, but the hand-wringing is for what waits beyond the East, in The Finals. Oklahoma City is looking better than last year, Memphis has showed it matches up well with Miami, and the L.A. Clippers are demanding to be taken seriously.
Poll result: Mixed feelings on Cowboy's barring Josh Brent: We asked in the previous blogpost if you agreed with the Cowboys and NFL banning player Josh Brent from the sideline because of his manslaughter-DUI charge even though the victim's mother asked for compassion. A plurality of 48.6 percent said yes. But, combined, a slight majority either said no (39.2%) or were undecided (12.2%).
SHAME IN WAKE OF NEWTOWN TRAGEDY: I read that a scam website is soliciting donations in the
name of one of the young victims, Noah Pozner. Even more galling, the outrageously infamous Westboro Baptist Church threatened to picket funerals and vigils associated with the murder of 26 at a Connecticut elementary school because, said a church spokeswomen, "God sent the shooter." And also because Connecticut legalized gay marriage. This is the same crackpot church that has protested at the funerals of soldiers killed in Iraq or Afghanistan. Terrorism remains the most sinful misuse of the name of God, but right after terrorism I'd nominate the Westboro Baptist Church. I love free speech, but must doubt that this is what the framers had in mind.
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[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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[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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[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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[It is SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 18. Welcome to the Collball Week 12 post. 2) Want to rent Dolphins QB Ryan Tannehill for a golf outing or bar mitzvah? Details in blogpost directly below this latest one. 3) Visit our video channel at YouTube/TheGregCote (under construction; new vids soon) and join us on Twitter @gregcote]
Canesfan Satisfaction Meter: Voting now underway!: Vote in the latest edition of the CSM in a separate post directly above this one.
G11: SOUTH FLORIDA @ HURRICANES: Final: Very, very impressive show by UM today on Senior Day. Now what? ..... Second half: It's 37-3 on Morris' 65-yard scoring pass to Clive Walford. Game over. ... UM now up 30-3 on Stephen Morris 87-yard TD pass to Herb Waters. ... Duke Johnson 8-yard TD run has UM in control, 22-3. ..... First half: Nervous lead for UM. Great opportunity for a late 23-0 lead was squandered. ..... Original post: The Canes are square at 5-5 following last week's 41-40 heartbreak loss in the final seconds at Virginia, and still seeking to become bowl-eligible today for a
bowl game they may or may not play in. UM improbably still has a chance to play into the ACC championship game, too, although a self-imposed postseason ban could erase that as well. We'll see, and likely soon, if a win today forces UM president Donna Shalala to make a decision. Meantime Al Golden tries to keep the blinders on his team and the distractions off. Today's visitor: the inaptly named South Florida Bulls. (Dear Opponent: You're from Tampa. That is in the middle of the state toward the west side. You are in South Florida about like the Napa Valley is in Southern California. I'm guessing USF does not offer a degree in geography). The Bulls have disappointed at 3-6, and their offense suffered a huge loss with season-ending injury to QB B.J. Daniels. Also, their defense has allowed 30 or more points in five games. Do not expect a replay of last year's puntfest in Tampa, won by UM, 6-3. Should be an emotional, high-scoring and victorious Senior Day in UM's home finale. Hope a nice crowd shows, although that's always dicey. Either way: Canes bowl-eligibility, step right in! My pick was: Miami, 34-23.
U thiefs! That's Bull!: Notice that USF's logo is a stylized green bull inthe distinct shape of a 'U.' Also note that USF has had an ad campaign around the theme, "Can U feel it?" Hmm. Doesn't 'The U' reside in Coral Gables? Will the real U please stand up, please stand up...
Ban, not bowl: In a previous blogpost we asked if Miami should self-impose a postseason ban or not related to the ongoing NCAA investigation. Self-impose a ban had 54.9 percent, compared to 36.7% who want to play and 8.4% who are undecided.
Other Week 12 featured state FBS games (all Saturday except where noted):
FIU 34, FAU 24: Kleenex, please. Emotion getting me. It was the final Shula Bowl on Friday night up in Boca Right-on. These not-so-old rivals are soon to be ex-rivals as FIU prepares to leave the Sun Belt. Weird game featuring a long lightning delay left both squads with three wins. I expected better, Owls. My pickwas: FAU, 27-23.
No. 10 FSU 41, Maryland 14: Jimbo's Noles were steaming to a spot in the ACC championship game and sure as heck weren't to be derailed here, against a Terrapins team down to its fifth quarterback, a converted linebacker. My pick was: FSU 42-7.
No. 6 Florida 23, Jacksonville State 0: Jax State (the other Gamecocks) were pretty good for their size but unable to run with (or pass with, or defend) the Gators. My pick was: Florida 38-0.
My record: This week, 3-1. Season, 39-14.
Other state FBS game: Tulsa d. UCF, 23-21.
National Game of Week: No. 13 Stanford d. No. 2 Oregon, 17-14. No. 1 Kansas State also lost meaning the inside track to the BCS Championship game now belongs to Notre Dame and -- oh no! -- Nick Saban's Alabama.
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[1) It is SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 17. Find results of the latest Dolfan Satisfaction Meter -- a season low -- in blogpost directly below this latest one. 2) Visit our video channel at YouTube/TheGregCote (under construction; new vids coming soon) and join us on Twitter @gregcote]
RYAN TANNEHILL FOR RENT. NO, SERIOUSLY: Tiki Barber has founded a company called Thuzio, a forum through which fans can rent the time of athletes. Most are retired, many are obscure. But some
are not. One name that jumped out at me was our boy Ryan Tannehill, Dolphins rookie starting quarterback. Mets ace R.A. Dickey might have been the only other current athlete as prominent. The cost is not cheap, fans. It will cost you $5,000 to enjoy a private lunch or dinner with Tannehill, for example, and 5K for him to attend your fantasy draft. The same amount gets you personalized instruction on how to be a pro QB (although I doubt that includes "how to not get passes tipped"). Bump it up to $7,500 and you get a round of golf with Ryan, or have him attend your kid's bar mitzvah. Mazel tov! Personally I think I'd prefer to rent some time with Ryan's wife, Lauren, but I'd never say that because it could be misconstrued. (This whole thing has shades of The Sage Rosenfels Experience, if anybody recalls that -- not that I'm saying Tiki stole an idea!) Click on Thuzio to explore this on your own. Woody Bennett will have dinner with you for only 250 bucks! This whole thing strikes me as sad, but I'm not sure which is sadder: That a Woody Bennett might need the extra cash ... or that a rookie QB who signed a multimillionaire contract might be involved. Tannehill also offers a "Custom Request." OK, then. How much do you figure we'd have to pay Ryan to quit throwing so many interceptions!?
NFL PREDIX: SORRY FOR BEING RIGHT ON DOLPHINS-BILLS: Yeah I hit the Thursday game. Sorry. Click on Week 11 Gems for all of my other latest NFL predictions, and Jets' Extreme Turbulence for my Friday Page NFL column on the season's silver lining for Dolfans verklempt over a three-game losing streak.
FIU VS. FAU FOR THE SHULA TROPHY:[Update: FIU wins, 34-24] Tonight FAU hosts FIU in the continuation of each team's disappointing seasons; they are 5-15 combined. They call this the Shula Bowl, although these Sun Belt teams' short-lived rivalry sort of dies out tonight considering FIU is leaving the Belt. I'd say a tradition was ending, if ever this had risen to the level of tradition. The least-disappointing of the two disappointing teams shall prevail. My pick: FAU, 27-23.
Poll result: Landslide negativity for Marlins' big trade: We asked in a previous blogpost if you supported or disapproved of the Marlins' big salary-dump trade, and disapproval was 82.6 percent.
HEAT BIG 5 @ 10: 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 @ 10 Games (7-3):
Rank (@5) Player Total
1 (1) LeBron James 362.9
2 (3) Chris Bosh 259.2
3 (2) Dwyane Wade 196.6
4 (5) Ray Allen 179.9
5 (4) Mario Chalmers 159.7
Bubble: Shane Battier, 118.2.
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