GREG COTE'S RANDOM EVIDENCE BLOG: MIAMI. SPORTS. AND BEYOND.
1) It is THURSDAY, AUGUST 11. Pictured is Time magazine's latest cover, about the Donald Trump campaign, entitled 'Meltdown.' This is the most volatile, fascinating presidential election season of my lifetime, and I'm not sure there is a close second. 2) Single-game tickets to the Oct. 10 FSU at Hurricanes game have sold out. To go, you now must buy a UM season-ticket package. 3) R.I.P., ESPN broadcaster John Saunders, 61. 4) In The Previous Blogpost (ITPB): Favorite Summer Olympics sport poll, Tinder's favorite jobs, college football/Canes/Kaaya betting odds, your Marlins/A-Rod verdict & more. 5) Join us on Twitter @gregcote. Also Facebook, Instagram, Vine, Periscope and Snapchat.
Emboldened Tannehill, new offense on stage as Dolphins open preseason: Click on Result Won't Matter, But How Tannehill Looks In New Offense Will for my new column in advance of Miami's Friday night exhibition opener at the Giants.
Column six-pack: Six select recent columns, ICYMI: The Weight Has Just Begun, the latest, inside the office and expectations of new Hurricanes coach Mark Richt. A Chance for Football to Retake Miami, on Wade's departure from Heat creating opening for Dolphins and Canes. Ichiro!, on wonder of ageless Marlin as he chased 3,000 hits. Dolphins On Own to Escape Rut, Reshape Image, state of team as camp neared. Mission Accomplished, Legacy Secure, farewell-Wade column. These Marlins Deserve Support Despite the Owner, and that says it all.
Thank you, HBO: I am blatantly double-dipping into your product to float this latest blogpost. First comes my take on John Oliver's recent rant on journalism and newspapers, followed by Bill Simmons' interview last night with actor Seth Rogen and former Dolphin Ricky Williams discussing weed:
BULL'S-EYE: THANK YOU, JOHN OLIVER, FOR YOUR SPOTLIGHT ON THE VALUE OF, AND SAD STATE OF, THE AMERICAN NEWSPAPER: A bit belatedly (this first aired Sunday on HBO's Last Week Tonight With John Oliver), I wanted to thank Oliver for his typically astute take, in this case on journalism in general and finacially struggling American newspapers in general. As Donald Trump wars with the media, calls reporters the most dishonest people in the world and creates a climate in which his supporters chant "lock them up!" at journalists, Oliver properly places in context the continuing value of local newspapers while also skedwering the direction in which they are headed in the digital age. Most fellow journalists like myself -- infantry at the ground level who haven't been laid off, yet -- found the piece brilliant. Most management-level newspaper bosses likely did not. The Newspaper Association of America did, not, either. Click here for the story why. I thought it was spot on in every, on both its overarching points: 1) Why local newspapers continue to be indispensable even as they struggle economically. And 2) how newspapers have been forced to make unfortunate decisions and go in dubious directions in an attempt to survive in the digital age. A thoughtful and thought-provoking piece here. [Note to self: You should have led this blogpost with something about the Dolphins or Canes. Would have gotten a lot more online clicks!]
WEED CHAT: SETH 'N RICKY TALK POT WITH BILL SIMMONS: This was from last night's Any Given Wednesday With Bill Simmons on HBO. "High"light: Williams revealing he sautes marijuana in butter in order to stir-fry food in a cannabis flavoring. (I wonder if Malia Obama would enjoy that? OY!) Marijuana has officially been de-stigmatized when a popular actor, a prominent former NFL star and a major sports broadcaster sit around all talking about smoking pot, and doing it as casually as if they were discussing the Olympics. And, perhaps even more remarkably, when the reaction and attitude of an old sports columnist is far, far closer to nonchalant amusement than it is to outrage.
DOLPHINS, NFL STAT-LEADER BETTING ODDS: Via Bovada today: Passing yards--Drew Brees is favorite at 5-1 odds, then Ben Roethlisberger 6-1 and Philip Rivers 15-2, with Dolphin Ryan Tannehill tied for 16th at 40-1. Receiving yards--Antonio Brown is fave at 2-1, then Julio Jones 3-1 and Odell Beckham 15-2, with Fins' Jarvis Landry tied for 20th at 66-1. Rushing yards--Adrian Peterson is the pick at 3-1, then Todd Gurley 5-1 and Doug Martin 10-1, with Miami's Jay Ajayi tied for 22nd at 50-1.
COMPLETE 2016-17 HEAT REGULAR SEASON SCHEDULE: Highlights include one visit by Dwyane Wade in a Bulls uniform, one visit by Kevin Durant and Golden State, two trips here for LeBron James' Cavaliers and (hallelujah!) no Christmas Day game:
DATE DAY OPPONENT TIME TV
OCTOBER
26 Wed. @ Orlando 7:00 PM FSS
28 Fri. CHARLOTTE 8:00 PM FSS --- HOME OPENER
30 Sun. SAN ANTONIO 6:00 PM FSS
NOVEMBER
1 Tues. SACRAMENTO 7:30 PM FSS
4 Fri. @ Toronto 7:30 PM FSS
7 Mon. @ Oklahoma City 8:00 PM FSS
10 Thurs. CHICAGO 8:00 PM TNT --- DWYANE WADE'S 1ST AND ONLY VISIT
12 Sat. UTAH 8:00 PM FSS
14 Mon. @ San Antonio 8:30 PM FSS
15 Tues. ATLANTA 7:30 PM FSS
17 Thurs. MILWAUKEE 7:30 PM FSS
19 Sat. @ Washington 7:00 PM FSS
21 Mon. @ Philadelphia 7:00 PM FSS
23 Wed. @ Detroit 7:30 PM FSS
25 Fri. @ Memphis 8:00 PM FSS
26 Sat. MEMPHIS 8:00 PM FSS
28 Mon. BOSTON 7:30 PM FSS/NBA TV
30 Wed. @ Denver 9:00 PM FSS
DECEMBER
1 Thurs. @ Utah 9:00 PM FSS
3 Sat. @ Portland 10:00 PM FSS
6 Tues. NEW YORK 7:30 PM FSS
7 Wed. @ Atlanta 7:30 PM FSS
9 Fri. @ Cleveland 7:30 PM FSS
10 Sat. @ Chicago 8:00 PM FSS/NBA TV
12 Mon. WASHINGTON 7:30 PM FSS/NBA TV
14 Wed. INDIANA 7:00 PM FSS/ESPN
16 Fri. L.A. CLIPPERS 8:00 PM FSS
18 Sun. BOSTON 6:00 PM FSS
20 Tues. ORLANDO 7:30 PM FSS
22 Thurs. L.A. LAKERS 7:30 PM FSS
23 Fri. @ New Orleans 8:00 PM FSS
27 Tues. OKLAHOMA CITY 7:30 PM FSS/NBA TV
29 Thurs. @ Charlotte 7:00 PM FSS
30 Fri. @ Boston 7:30 PM FSS
JANUARY
1 Sun. DETROIT 6:00 PM FSS
3 Tues. @ Phoenix 9:00 PM FSS
4 Wed. @ Sacramento 10:30 PM FSS
6 Fri. @ L.A. Lakers 10:30 PM FSS
8 Sun. @ L.A. Clippers 3:30 PM FSS
10 Tues. @ Golden State 10:30 PM FSS/NBA TV
13 Fri. @ Milwaukee 8:00 PM FSS
17 Tues. HOUSTON 7:30 PM FSS/NBA TV
19 Thurs. DALLAS 7:30 PM FSS
21 Sat. MILWAUKEE 7:30 PM FSS
23 Mon GOLDEN STATE 7:30 PM FSS --- ONLY VISIT BY DURANT/WARRIORS
25 Wed. @ Brooklyn 7:30 PM FSS
27 Fri. @ Chicago 8:00 PM FSS/ESPN
28 Sat. DETROIT 7:30 PM FSS
30 Mon. BROOKLYN 7:30 PM FSS
FEBRUARY
1 Wed. ATLANTA 7:30 PM FSS
4 Sat. PHILADELPHIA 7:30 PM FSS
6 Mon. @ Minnesota 8:00 PM FSS
8 Wed. @ Milwaukee 8:00 PM FSS
10 Fri. @ Brooklyn 7:30 PM FSS
11 Sat. @ Philadelphia 7:30 PM FSS
13 Mon. ORLANDO 7:30 PM FSS
15 Wed. @ Houston 8:00 PM FSS
24 Fri. @ Atlanta 8:00 PM FSS
25 Sat. INDIANA 8:00 PM FSS
27 Mon. @ Dallas 9:30 PM TNT
MARCH
1 Wed. PHILADELPHIA 7:30 PM FSS
3 Fri. @ Orlando 7:00 PM FSS/ESPN
4 Sat. CLEVELAND 8:00 PM FSS --- 1ST OF 2 VISITS BY LEBRON
6 Mon. @ Cleveland 7:00 PM FSS
8 Wed. CHARLOTTE 7:30 PM FSS
11 Sat. TORONTO 8:00 PM FSS
12 Sun. @ Indiana 6:00 PM FSS/NBA TV
15 Wed. NEW ORLEANS 7:30 PM FSS
17 Fri. MINNESOTA 8:00 PM FSS
19 Sun. PORTLAND 6:00 PM FSS
21 Tues. PHOENIX 7:30 PM FSS
23 Thurs. TORONTO 7:30 PM FSS
26 Sun. @ Boston 6:00 PM FSS
28 Tues. @ Detroit 7:30 PM FSS
29 Wed. @ New York 7:30 PM FSS
31 Fri. NEW YORK 8:00 PM FSS
APRIL
2 Sun. DENVER 6:00 PM FSS/NBA TV
5 Wed @ Charlotte 7:00 PM FSS
7 Fri. @ Toronto 7:30 PM FSS
8 Sat. @ Washington 7:00 PM FSS
10 Mon. CLEVELAND 7:30 PM FSS --- 2ND OF 2 VISITS BY LEBRON
12 Wed. WASHINGTON 8:00 PM FSS
Poll result: Pool wins poll as swimming reigns in Summer Olympics: In an incredibly unpopular poll we asked what is your favorite sport to watch in the Summer Olympics and among five choices swimming led with 31.4 percent, followed by track & field 22.0%, gymnastics 18.7%, basketball 5.1% and soccer 4.2%. Another 18.6% voted "something else."
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