Marino vs. Wade. Riley vs. Shula: The Ultimate Miami Greatness Polls. Both close. Vote now!; plus Al Golden speaks, experts analyze Tannehill, MLS-in-Miami verdict & more

GREG COTE'S RANDOM EVIDENCE BLOG: MIAMI. SPORTS. AND BEYOND.

Bumper sticker: 'Honk If You're Running for the Republican Presidential Nomination' --Greg Cote

1) It is WEDNESDAY, JULY 22. Click on Random Evidence for our latest Sunday notes-column package. 2) In The Previous Blogpost (ITPB): MLS-in-Mami enthusiasm poll, Hot Button Top 10, Dwyane Wade wine, Big 5 optimism verdict & more. 3) Follow us on Twitter @gregcote. Also on Facebook, Instagram, Vine and Periscope. (Watch our new Periscope from yesterday's show).

Al Golden speaks: Click here for an ESPN video interview with Hurricanes coach Al Golden from ACC Football Kickoff in Pinehurst, N.C. Golden says "leadership" is biggest positive change in team, and says of the job pressure on him, "I don't worry about it." He praises QB Brad Kaaya's improvement "as a commander," and also his "markedly better condition[ing]." UM, off a 6-7 season, is predicted by media to finish third in ACC's Coastal Division. 

Wanted: Evan Mathis: The Dolphins have a glaring need. There is a man available to help meet it. Click on Get The Missing Piece to read my latest column in full.

MARINO VS. WADE. RILEY VS. SHULA. OH MY!: I've gone and done it. With these two polls I feel like I may have breached a taboo, or walked into sacred ground where no man was meant to set foot. For many years Dolphins icons Don Shula and Dan Marino were Greater Miami's undisputed pro-sports kings in

any
conversation about the coach/executive and player who accomplished the most or meant the most to South Florida fans. It was understood. There was no room for debate, really. I think there may be now. What Shula and Marino did hasn't diminished. It's that what the Heat's Pat Riley and Dwyane Wade have done, are are
doing still, has risen onto that Shula/Marino echelon -- or close enough for debate, anyway. That's the premise and assumption of the polls. Our dear readers, as always, will tell me how right or wrong I am. I didn't even bother with an "other" poll option -- so confident am I that it's a clear either/or in both categories. And there's no need to lay out what these four men have done or meant, of course; it's well-known, a matter of history. Please try to not make this about which sport or team you prefer. I also thought long about how to precisely word the question, because I wanted the poll to be bigger than just "who's your favorite." I also understand you wish you could vote for both in each category. No losers here, clearly. It's understood by all that whomever finishes second here -- and someone will -- still is a revered, beloved figure of permanent standing. Take a dip in both polls and say why you voted as you did.

EXPERTS SEE TANNEHILL AS MID-PACK QB, BUT ON THE ASCENT: ESPN's second annual NFL "Quarterback Tiers" project, out this week, divides the 32 projected starting QBs into five possible tiers. Dolphin Ryan Tannehill is rated third-tier and 17th overall. That's up from No. 23 last year, and with an overall grade showing a 13.9 percent improvement. Click here for the full rankings, by 35 "league insiders." Here is ESPN's analysis of Tannehill (slightly condensed by me): "Voters moved Tannehill more solidly into the third tier, with most suggesting a 2 would be his ceiling. Tannehill has made statistical gains every year even though the Dolphins have struggled to build a capable offensive line, running game and receiving corps around him. Even with those mitigating factors, some voters wanted to see more from Tannehill. "He does not have any signature wins yet," an offensive coordinator said. "Who has Tannehill beat toward the end of the year?" A personnel director who studied Tannehill closely coming out of college said he thought accuracy and pocket poise would always be issues. He feels the same now. "Look, he is not Mark Sanchez, but there are some similarities in Mike Tannenbaum giving Tannehill [a six-year, $96-million] deal and Tannenbaum giving Sanchez [a three-year, $40.5-million] deal," the director said. "They want to be ahead of the curve and I get it, but you need to be right. Tannehill is a great kid, he works, he does everything you want, but there was a little bit of panic in college, and there still is. I have not seen a game yet where it slowed down for him. Say what you want, he has a losing record." A different director called Tannehill a 2 with the potential to reach the top tier based on athleticism and potential for positional growth after playing receiver in college. But he had concerns about Tannehill's deep-ball accuracy, adding that Tannehill could use a better running back. He also thought losing Charles Clay would hurt more than some anticipated. "His biggest issue is his lack of natural arm strength, and because of that, you watch him on tape last year, Mike Wallace is wide open constantly and he just can't get the ball down the field," a GM said. "But being a smooth operator, he is a guy who is trending toward a 2. I do see the physical tools to be a 1."

Poll result: Much enthusiasm for new MLS team in Miami: We asked your level of interest or excitement for Miami's new Major League Soccer team that is to begin play in 2018 near Marlins Park and nearly three- quarters answered either "very strong" (49.8 percent) or "fairly strong" (23.2%). Then it was "medium" at 7.6%, "low" at 6.9% and "none" at 12.3%.

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