GREG COTE'S RANDOM EVIDENCE BLOG: MIAMI. SPORTS. AND BEYOND.
1) It is FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 17. Know any diehard Dolfans? Just in time for the holidays, surprise them with our book on club's first half-century. Click Fins At 50. 2) In The Previous Blogpost (ITPB): Herald NFL QB rankings, Pix 'n Fantasy results, latest SOPY standings, new Back In My Day video & more. 4) Join us on Twitter @gregcote. Also Facebook, Instagram, Periscope and Snapchat.
Malik Rosier: A family crisis and a father's love: In my new column I write about all that quarterback Malik Rosier is dealing with off the field as he leads the unbeaten Canes on it. Click on A QB, a Crisis & a Father's Love to read.
FERDIE PACHECO, THE FIGHT DOCTOR, 1927-2017: Ferdie Pacheco, "The Fight Doctor," passed away in his sleep Thursday at 89 in his Miami home. He would have turned 90 in three weeks. I knew Ferdie well and admired him much. He was a Renaissance man of many passions, including medicine, writing, painting and kindness. He was a boxing legend for his work as ring doctor with Cassius Clay-turned-Muhammad Ali in the 5th Street Gym heydays, and as a boxing analyst. Ferdie and I stood with each other and watched the day a wrecking ball turned that famed, gloriously dilapidated gym to rubble. What a fascinating life well led. R.I.P., good sir.
STANTON MVP MUCH DESERVED: Congrats to the Marlins' (for now) Giancarlo Stanton for last night being named NL MVP for his 59-homer season. He joins only Dan Marino (1984) and LeBron James (2012 and '13) as Miami-team athletes to have won their league's highest individual honor. I wonder if this will merit a personal congratulatory call from new Fish CEO Derek Jeter, or if Jeter will delegate a minion to pass along his good wishes? It seems a given Stanton and his enormous contract will be traded in the next few weeks. I hope it is not. Stanton genuinely loves living in Miami; just bought a new penthouse here. Hopefully the new ownership resolve to build around Stanton and grow their farm system other ways, such as other deals and smart drafting.
Speculation on Stanton's landing spot: CBS Sports here lists all 30 teams from most to least likely to end up with Stanton. Marlins keeping him ranks a fairly encouraging No. 6, after the leading Red Sox, Cardinals Dodgers, Yankees and Giants.
UPSET BIRD DAY IN AMERICA! NFL WEEK 11 PICKS: DOLPHINS SHED AWFUL, GET BACK TO AVERAGE, BEAT BUCS: Miami's defense has been terrible in three straight losses but I see a big bounceback at home Sunday. Click on Week 11 Gems for my picks on Dolphins-Buccaneers, Game of the Week (Eagles-Cowboys), Upset of the Week (Rams-Vikings: "Aawwk!") and all the rest. Our week got off to a perfect start last night. We said Steelers would cover a 7-point line over Titans, and Pittsburgh won, 40-17.
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