GREG COTE'S RANDOM EVIDENCE BLOG: MIAMI. SPORTS. AND BEYOND.
1) It's THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 29. Football is raging and the holidays are upon us. That means it's the perfect time to delight Dolfans you know with the gift of our 'Fins At 50' book. Check it out on Amazon. 2) In The Previous Blogpost (ITPB): Dolphins fall at Indy with DSM poll, Hot Button Top 10 & more. 3) Join us on Twitter @gregcote. Also Facebook and Instagram.
UM's Gerald Willis / All-America campaign: All aboooaaarrrd!: Hurricanes defensive tackle Gerald Willis III (pictured) got snubbed by the All-ACC first team, but Miami nonetheless has chosen Willis to push for All-America honors, and I'm on board. UM's promo video for Willis' candidacy is below. He'd be the first Canes DT so honored since Warren Sapp in 1994. To read my latest column, visit Why A Canes Defender Snubbed by ACC Deserves All-America Honors.
Cowboys-Saints NFL pick: The Cowboys have a clear path to a huge upset tonight. But the Saints have answer waiting. Visit Thursday Gem for tonight's pick.
BASEBALL HALL OF FAME. YOUR BALLOT. VOTE NOW!: There are 35 names on the new Baseball Hall of Fame ballot for 2019 induction -- 15 back for another shot and a big 20 first-timers. But of the 35, at least half have zero shot, no chance. (Besides, 35 names is a long-ass ballot!) So I have winnowed this ballot to include the nine returning players who got at least 20 percent of the vote last year, and added the four newcomers who, by general consensus, have the best chance. The names are combined and presented alphabetically, 13 in all. If I've left anybody off, it's because I meant to. (Sorry, Juan Pierre!) On the actual ballot, BBWAA voters (such as myself) get to vote for as many as 10 of the 35. Here, I'm letting you pick up to five (5) of the 13. Disclaimer: This poll is for fun only. The results will have no influence over my own official ballot. Ready? What five players from this list most deserve 2019 induction? Vote!
Vote for up to your top five (5)
Deciphering a five-vote ballot: In this poll, with five votes per person allowed, 20 percent would be a perfect total for a player to get if everyone cast all five votes. Take a player's total and multiply by five to get the percentage of times that player was included on a five-vote ballot. In other words, leader Mariano Rivera is being included on better than 90% of all ballots.
RIVERS IS FLOWING / MIAMI HERALD NFL QB RANKINGS / WEEK 12: Thanksgiving Week kicks off the start of the NFL playoff push and also the stretch run in our Herald NFL quarterback rankings. The Chargers' Philip Rivers (pictured) takes Week 12 honors with a 53.95-point game to edge Vikings Kirk Cousins by a couple of points. Saint Drew Brees maintains his overall season lead. Because our rankings are cumulative, players on a bye week take a temporary hit that evens out over the course of a season. With byes done, our playing field is now level to the finish line! This is our 21st season of Passer Success System (PASS) NFL QB rankings. Our formula is simple and unchanged since its inception in 1998, factoring accuracy, yardage, TD-interception ratio and team result. Most major ranking systems such as the NFL's and ESPN's are complicated and percentile based, allowing QBs who miss half a season to still win a title, while our system is cumulative, rewarding players who are consistently productive and avoid injury or benching. The Top 25 table (plus Dolphins) entering Week 13:
MIAMI HERALD PASS RANKINGS / WEEK 12
RK LW Player, Team WK12 Season
1 1 Drew Brees, NO 30.55 475.75
2 4 Matt Ryan, ATL 44.85 447.10
3 2 Patrick Mahomes, KC BYE 444.40
4 5 Kirk Cousins, MIN 51.10 430.95
5 3 Jared Goff, LAR BYE 422.35
6 7 Andrew Luck, IND 48.15 409.60
7 6 Ben Roethlisberger, PIT 46.10 408.20
8 8 Philip Rivers, LAC 53.95 389.95
9 11 Cam Newton, CAR 35.80 350.95
10 10 Tom Brady, NE 34.15 349.55
11 12 Eli Manning, NYG 29.85 343.65
12 9 Aaron Rodgers, GB 18.90 340.05
13 14 Matthew Stafford, DET 23.80 321.05
14 16 Deshaun Watson, HOU 35.50 320.35
15 17 Russell Wilson, SEA 40.95 319.55
16 13 Derek Carr, OAK 10.70 308.35
17 18 Carson Wentz, PHI 31.80 307.00
18 15 Mitch Trubisky, CHI DNP 290.45
19 22 Dak Prescott, DAL 38.45 277.35
20 20 Case Keenum, DEN 22.85 272.10
21 19 Andy Dalton, CIN 8.00 270.30
22 21 Joe Flacco, BAL DNP 246.25
23 26 Baker Mayfield, CLE 41.90 241.10
24 23 Alex Smith, WAS DNP 236.00
25 24t Blake Bortles, JAC 4.35 229.65
29 31 Ryan Tannehill, MIA 25.20 137.80
31 29 Brock Osweiler, MIA DNP 126.35
Bubble: Ryan Fitzpatrick, TB, 225.30. Week 12 best: Rivers, LAC, 53.95 (28-29, 259, 3-0 in win). Week 12 worst: Bortles, JAC, 4.35 (12-23, 127, 1-2 in loss).
NFL WEEK 12 PIX 'N FANTASY RESULTS: GOOD, BAD: Every Tuesday in the blog I update you on how I did the past weekend with my Miami Herald predictions and with my LeBatard Show/League Of Lobos fantasy team. The latest: Herald picks: Good. Our strong season continues. We were a solid 11-4 straight-up last week and a nifty 10-5 against the spread. Nailed another Upset of the Week with Bills over Jags ("Aawwk!") and had three 'dogs-with-points in Dolphins, Giants and Seahawks. Greg's Lobos: Bad. Lobos fall to 4-8 with a 117.1-94.8 loss to Stugotz, despite a heroic 29.4 from Deshaun Watson Monday night. With only one week left in the regular season the 'Bos are out of playoff contention and rightly so. We sucked this season, from the Le'Veon Bell nightmare on down. Only drama left: Who'll win season MVL honors. #WeAreTheLobos!
COTE'S STATE OF THE STATE RANKINGS: Each Tuesday I rank the state's seven FBS-level college football teams. Here's the latest, with one final, post-bowls ranking yet to come: 1. UCF (11-0); 2. Florida (9-3); 3. Miami (7-5); 4. Florida State (5-7); 5. South Florida (7-5); 6. FIU (8-4); 7. FAU (5-7).
GREG COTE'S RANDOM EVIDENCE BLOG: MIAMI. SPORTS. AND BEYOND.
1) It's MONDAY, NOVEMBER 26. Results are in on the latest Canesfan Satisfaction Meter postgame poll. Find them directly here. 2) Football is raging and the holidays are upon us. That means it's the perfect time to delight Dolfans you know with the gift of our 'Fins At 50' book. Check it out on Amazon. 3) In The Previous Blogpost (ITPB): Canes-Pitt and CSM poll, Tannehill/Litmus test column, other state Collball, Elton-in-Sunrise concert review & more. 4) Join us on Twitter @gregcote. Also Facebook and Instagram.
Latest column: Tannehill has 5 games left to earn his Miami future: Dolphins QB Ryan Tannehill returned Sunday at Indianapolis from his latest injury and played well, but Miami's loss and subsequent 5-6 records leaves the Fins likely needing at least four wins in the final five games to make the playoffs. This is Tannehill's Litmus test. No excuses. He must stay healthy, and perform like the highly paid, top-10-drafted passer he is. This is my latest column. Visit Tannehill's Litmus Test Is Pass or Fail.
DOLFAN SATISFACTION METER: G11: 4.1%: Results are certified in the latest Dolfan Satisfaction Meter postgame poll, and they show a season-low 4.1 percent overall approval -- the combination of "very" and "somewhat" satisfied votes -- in the wake of Sunday's 27-24 loss at Indianapolis putting Miami's season record at 5-6. The DSM is a continuous weekly gauge of how Dolfans are feeling about the team and its direction. Right after each game I invite you to share your overall degree of satisfaction. Criteria for voting is your own, but I suggest fans consider the most recent game's performance and caliber of opponent, season as a whole, direction the club is heading and your overall degree of optimism -- all in the context of reasonable expectations. Results are certified official the morning after one full day of voting. In this case that was around 6:45 a.m. today/Tuesday. (The DSM also takes place on our Twitter site @gregcote. The approval there was 21%).
2018 DSM game-by-game results
G1: 86.8% following 27-20 victory vs. Tennessee.
G2: 93.4% following 20-12 victory at N.Y. Jets.
G3: 96.2% following 28-20 victory vs. Oakland.
G4: 17.2% following 38-7 loss at New England.
G5: 6.4% following 27-17 loss at Cincinnati.
G6: 75.0% following 31-28 OT victory vs. Chicago.
G7: 8.9% following 32-21 loss vs. Detroit.
G8: 5.8% following 42-23 loss at Houston.
G9: 29.6% following 13-6 victory vs. N.Y. Jets.
G10: 5.8% following 31-12 loss at Green Bay.
G11: 4.1% following 27-24 loss at Indianapolis.
Next poll: Dec. 2 following game vs. Buffalo.
G11: INDIANAPOLIS 27, DOLPHINS 24: TANNEHILL GREAT IN COMEBACK, BUT IT ISN'T ENOUGH: Final thoughts: A heartbreaking loss on a 32-yard last-second FG drops Miami to 5-6 and sends playoff hopes tumbling further. Tannehill was really solid in his eturn from injury: 17-for-25, 204 yards, two TDS. But had a 24-14 fourth quarter lead it failed to protect. A competitive loss. But still a loss .....Halftime thoughts: Tannehill is sharp in his return: 11-for-15, 179 yards, two TDs, and the defense has three takeaways (including two picks of Luck) in an even game at the half. A winnable game both teams need to win. Tannehill's performance thus far is encouraging to say the least. But can Miami, without a great track record on the road, finish strong? ..... Original post: Ryan Tannehill’s much-awaited comeback after five games out comes in a 4:25 p.m./CBS matchup between two of five Fortune .500 teams (both 5-5) currently jockeying for the sixth and last AFC playoff ticket. (Second billing to No. 17’s return: Frank Gore facing the team he ran for before coming to Miami). The betting line skied to 10 before settling down to a sane 7 1/2 favoring the hot Colts. The fat bet-number pays homage to Indy’s four-game win streak during which Andrew Luck has looked better than ever — adding pressure on Tannehill to outduel the QB drafted No. 1 overall in 2012, the same year Tanny went eighth to the Fins. (The two are pictured left in February 2012 at the NFL pre-draft Scouting Combine). Miami has won six of its past eight trips to Indy, but there are other reasons to not like the Dolphins’ upset chances. Luck has not been sacked in five straight games, and Fins are 1-4 away this year and 1-9 in past 10 roadies. And Tannehill may need to top 30 points to hang with a Colts’ offense fifth in NFL in scoring. But won’t he be rusty? And is his shoulder fully healed? (Really?) For me, the home field, Luck playing great and Miami’s notorious tendency to wither on the road make this a clear pick. I do like Miami, coming off a bye, against the spread getting 7-plus points, but an outright upset seems a longshot. Tannehill coming back from (another) injury and his team on the unsteady road leave Miami with much to prove here. My pick: Indianapolis, 30-23.
Visit Week 12 Gems for all of our latest NFL picks.
HOT BUTTON TOP 10 (UPDATED): WHAT SOUTH FLORIDA SPORTS FANS ARE TALKING ABOUT: Our blog-exclusive every-Sunday feature, updated Mondays, is part week-in-review, part look-ahead. Hot Button means what's on our minds, locally and nationally, from a Miami perspective, as the sports week just past pivots to the week ahead. This week's HB10:
1. DOLPHINS: Tannehill returns but Fins collapse late in Indy: Ryan Tannehill came back Sunday from five games' absence and Miami led 24-14 in the fourth quarter but somehow lost 27-24. Now there is a mountain to climb. Miami at 5-6 must win four of its last five games and maybe all five to make the playoffs. The odds of that? I'm not sure numbers go that high.
2. HURRICANES: UM beats Pitt, awaits bowl invite: The Canes beat Pitt 24-3 with terrific defense Saturday to finish 7-5, and now await a mid-level bowl invitation. It was a tough week in which Mark Richt had a top QB cancel a visit and had star receiver Jeff Thomas quit the team. The program needed what Manny Diaz's defense delivered.
3. HEAT: Miami struggling as Wade returns: Dwyane Wade is back from an extended paternity leave after the surrogate-birth of a daughter but Heat is stumbling at 7-12 after Sunday's loss in Toronto -- despite Wade's 35 off the bench. Team is home now for four in a row. Spark needed. And if 35 from Wade ain't enough, that's a bad sign.
4. GOLF: Phil beats Tiger in 'The Match': Phil Mickelson beat Tiger Woods on the 22nd hole of their charity pay-per-view match-play event Friday in Arizona to take the $9 million pot. I think the course won. The play was not scintillating. Or, as analyst Charles Barkley said: "This is some crappy golf." Imagine that? You pair two guys in their 40s well past their primes and you're disappointed. Shocking!
5. COLLEGE FOOTBALL: Michigan loss shakes up playoffs' top 4: Alabama, Clemson, and Notre Dame were 1-2-3 and all won Saturday. But No. 4 Michigan got clobbered by No. 10 Ohio State. No. 5 Georgia should now bump up into the coveted top four ... but might the Buckeyes make the big leap instead? Hmm.
6. UM HOOPS: Canes men fall in Wooden final: Miami's men reached the final of the Wooden Legacy Tournament in Fullerton, Cal., Sunday vs. Seton Hall, but fell 83-81 after beating Fresno State 78-76 in the semis. Team Larranaga is now 5-1, while he UM women are 6-1 and ranked no 24. Good start for Canes hoops all round.
7. PANTHERS: Cats continue struggling, lose Trocheck: Panthers lost star Vincent Trocheck to a bad ankle injury, and now are 8-13 after Saturday's 5-4 overtime home loss to Chicago. That was first of eight straight games at the Sunrise rink. Turn it on in this homestand, or the season's hopes could start skating away.
8. CANTON: Zach Thomas among 25 Hall finalists: Dolphins stalwart middle linebacker Zach Thomas finally made it to the round of 25 finalists for the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton. Is Greg Cote taking credit because of this column urging Zach's induction? Sure, why not!
9. COOPERSTOWN: Baseball's 2019 Hall of Fame ballot is out: Baseball's 2019 hall ballot was sent to voters (including me) and Mariano Rivera may be the only you'd-bet-your-life lock. One of the first timers includes ex-Marlin Juan Pierre. He won't make it, but I don't rule out his getting the 5 percent minimum to remain on ballot.
10. MARLINS: J.T. Realmuto and the long goodbye: The Marlins are expected to trade away their all-star catcher for prospects sometime soon, because Miami is rebuikind g from the farm system up, and because prospects cost a lot less to keep than established players about to command huge contracts.
Missing the HB10 cut:Gulfstream Park's championship meet opens in six days, on Dec. 1. Gentlemen (and ladies), start your betting! ..... I trust y'all had a lovely long Thanksgiving Weekend including a hectic, stressful Black Friday? ..... Gators beat Noles but the big news in state Collball was UCF QB McKenzie Milton's awful knee injury. Knights will still get a major bowl invite, but now probably see their 24-game win streak end ..... Joey Logano won the NASCAR championship at Homestead last week despite winning only one regular-season race. Time to tinker with the playoff format again? ..... First leg of the MLS playoffs semifinals is today. Soon, Miami. Soon ..... Update: Countdown now 2,766 days (give or take) until Miami hosts its first match in the 2026 World Cup.
GREG COTE'S RANDOM EVIDENCE BLOG: MIAMI. SPORTS. AND BEYOND.
1) It's SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 25. Hope y'all are enjoying your long Thanksgiving Weekend! 2) Football is raging and the holidays are upon us. That means it's the perfect time to delight Dolfans you know with the gift of our 'Fins At 50' book. Check it out on Amazon. 3) In The Previous Blogpost (ITPB): Our Thanksgiving thank-yous, NFL Week 12 and Turkey Day picks & more. 4) Join us on Twitter @gregcote. Also Facebook and Instagram.
New column: Tannehill has 6 games to earn his Miami future: Dolphins QB Ryan Tannehill returns Sunday at Indianapolis from his latest injury, with Miami at 5-5 likely needing at least four wins in the final six games to make the playoffs. This is Tannehill's Litmus test. No excuses. He must stay healthy, and perform like the highly paid, top-10-drafted passer he is. This is my latest column. Visit Tannehill's Litmus Test Is Pass or Fail.
CANESFAN SATISFACTION METER: G12: 32.7%: Results are certified in the latest Canesfan Satisfaction Meter postgame poll, and they show 32.7 percent overall approval -- the combination of "very" and "somewhat" satisfied votes -- in the wake of Saturday's 24-3 Miami victory over Pitt putting Miami's final regular season record at 7-5 overall and 4-4 in the ACC. The CSM is your invitation after every Canes football game -- no matter the result or opponent -- to vote on your overall satisfaction with the team and season in a continuing weekly gauge of how UM football fans are feeling. Criteria for voting is your own, but I suggest you consider the most recent game's performance and caliber of opponent, the season as a whole, the program's direction and your overall degree of optimism -- all in the context of reasonable expectations. Results are certified official the morning after one full day of voting. In this case that was around 8:30 a.m. today/Monday. (The CSM also takes place on my Twitter site @gregcote. The approval rate there was 25%).
2018 CSM game-by game results
G1: 9.2% following 33-17 loss to LSU.
G2: 73.8% following 77-0 victory vs. Savannah State.
G3: 76.7% following 49-24 victory at Toledo.
G4: 84.0% following 31-17 victory vs. FIU.
G5: 98.7% following 47-10 victory vs. North Carolina.
G6: 91.1% following 28-27 victory vs. FSU.
G7: 13.0% following 16-13 loss at Virginia.
G8: 7.8% following 27-14 loss at Boston College.
G9: 12.1% following 20-12 loss vs. Duke.
G10: 12.6% following 27-21 loss at Georgia Tech.
G11: 50.0% following 38-14 victory at Virginia Tech.
G12: 32.7% following 24-3 victory vs. Pitt.
Next/Final poll: Date TBD following bowl game.
G12: HURRICANES 24, NO. 24 PITTSBURGH 3: UM DELIVERS PAYBACK WITH HUGE DEFENSIVE SHOW: Postgame thoughts:A somewhat insane game. Miami mostly struggled early on offense -- especially in what turned out to be a comfortable win. N'Kosi Perry was pretty awful, going 6-for-24 for 52 yards. The total offense was 345 yards, but 148 yards of that came on three runs by Travis Homer. Great defense and DeeJay Dallas' 65-yard punt-return TD sparked UM in addition to Homer's 64-yard scoring run. The defense won this game, primarily. The good news? Canes finish a 7-5 season strong with two straight wins. The bad news (beyond this being a season of overall regression for the program)? The offense is still sputtering. Perry's proving is not complete. Miami will carry that into its bowl game, and likely into next season. Oh and by the way, Pitt is exposed as a thoroughly fraudulent rep in the ACC Championship Game. Clemson will name its score. The betting line should be 30 ..... 4Q: UM 24-3 on Dallas 3-yard scoring run. Game over. Rout on. Bowl next .....3Q: Canes' Davis loses fumble late in quarter ...UM 17-3 on Homer 64-yard TD run ... Pitt 3-10 on 40-yard FG abetted by pass interference penalty against UM ..... Halftime thoughts: At 10-0 at half, Miami's offense has done nada, with Perry 4-for-18 for 27 yards. But UM's defense has dominated, holding Pitt to 115 net yards, and a Dallas punt-return score gives the Canes their cushion ..... 2Q: Miami turnover. Homer loses fumble near midfield ... UM 10-0 on Dallas 65-yard punt-return TD. Score first was negated by illegal-block penalty but call was (properly) reversed. Was perfect block by Homer ..... 1Q: Perry struggling early (2-for-10, 18 yards) but defense enough to carry UM in opening quarter .... Canes' Bandy recovers fumble caused by Joghnson ... UM 3-0 on Baxa 37-yard FG after drive led by Homer's 47-yard run ..... Original post: Is it payback time (of sorts) for the Miami Hurricanes? We'll see in today's UM regular season finale at The Rock, a 3:30 kickoff on ESPN that will be the last home game for Canes seniors. Last season Miami was 10-0 and ranked No. 2 before a stunning 24-14 upset loss at Pitt sent The U's season crashing to three straight losses. "That game hurt," said Jaquan Johnson, one of UM's seniors. One year later -- exactly, to the day -- it is Pitt, not UM, riding high entering this game and bound for the ACC Championship Game while Miami is headed for a middling bowl game. (Quick Lane Bowl in Detroit? Independence in Shreveport?) So now it is Miami in the spoiler role. The (barely) ranked Panthers are 7-4 to Miami's 6-5, but the Canes are big 5-point home favorites. I say big because it indicates bettors think Miami is the better team beyond the home-field edge. (That's questionable, and to be determined). Even after a slump-ending win at Virginia Tech, it has been a tough week for Mark Richt's Canes. First a top quarterback prospect canceled his visit to Miami, then dynamic receiver Jeff Thomas abruptly left the program in frustration. Another worry for Richt should be that Pitt arrives hot, on a four-game win streak, and with an offense averaging 247 rushing yards a game. On the other side, QB N'Kosi Perry will start a third straight for UM. "He's getting better and more and more confident," says Richt. "There were times where he missed a guy here and there [last week], but he managed the game well. You could just see his comfort level rising. One day, I believe you'll see him really come into a zone." Pitt challenges Perry with a defense that is closer to average than great, although Dan Marino's alma mater averages 2 1/2 sacks a game and is facing a shaky Miami offensive line. If the line protects Perry and he avoids turnovers, Miami should win at home, though I'd hedge by leaning to Pitt getting this many points. My pick: Hurricanes, 27-24.
OTHER STATE COLLBALL: There are seven FBS-level college teams in Florida. Here's chronological Week 13 schedule for the rest (all Saturday unless noted):
No. 9 UCF (11-0) beats South Florida (7-5), 38-10: Unbeaten Knights, who had a game canceled, closed out second straight unbeaten regular season with Friday road win over state rival and will face Memphis next week in AAC title game. But UCF lost star QB McKenzie Milton to a gruesome, season-ending right knee injury, casting somber cloud over the win and season.
No. 11 Florida (9-3) beats FSU (5-7), 41-14: Gators, playing for poll 'n bowl position, were 8-point favorites at The Doak, with rival 'Noles taking their last shot at bowl-eligibility. It was the better team vs. home field and incentive. The better team won. And FSU sees its first losing season since 1976. It was a good run, Tally.
Marshall (8-3) beats FIU (8-4), 28-25: The ButchCats were 3 1/2-point home underdogs and never led, every rally falling just short. The loss eliminated FIU from a shot at reaching the Conference USA championship game.
Charlotte (5-7) beats FAU (5-7), 27-24: The home-nesting Owls were big 17-point favorites to get Lane Kiffin bowl-eligible under the wire. But: No bowl for you, Lane!
Week 13 national Top 25 matchups (5): No. 6 Oklahoma beats No. 13 West Virginia, 59-56; 16-Washington beats 8-Washington State, 28-15; 10-Ohio State beats 4-Michigan, 62-29; 22-Texas A&M beats 7-LSU, 74-72 (OT); and 23-Boise State beats 21-Utah State, 33-24. (Ohio State won't now leapfrog Buckeyes into CFP top four ahead of No. 5 Georgia ... will it?)
ELTON DELIVERS POWERHOUSE PERFORMANCE IN SUNRISE FAREWELL: We saw Elton John last night at the sold-out, filled to the rafters Panthers' arena in Sunrise as part of his continuing marathon farewell tour. The 2 1/2-hour show lived up to, and exceeded, expectations. The thought that kept occurring: This man is too good to retire. I don't care his age (71). Or that he sometimes seems that age when he is up from his piano and tottering around the stage. When he is seated before his keys, the years disappear. His playing is the best there ever was. His voice (save for the lost highest notes) remains robustly strong. His catalog of hits is top-tier in the history of pop music. The show is all hits augmented by a sprinkling of deep-album cuts such as "All the Young Girls Love Alive." A career retrospective on the giant video screen enhances the performance. I'm a lifelong fan (and admirer of his generosity and philanthropy) who has seen him in concert too many times to count. If you have not, your chances are running out, and you will have missed something special, and irreplaceable.
GREG COTE'S RANDOM EVIDENCE BLOG: MIAMI. SPORTS. AND BEYOND.
1) It's FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 23. Hope y'all had a very happy Thanksgiving! 2) Enjoyed sitting in with ESPN's Randy Scott on the LeBatard Show Wednesday. With Randy by phone from Bristol, I was in the Big Chair (Dan's seat), as pictured. I was out of my element, but the pros around me made it easy. 3) Football is raging and the holidays are upon us. That means it's the perfect time to delight Dolfans you know with the gift of our 'Fins At 50' book. Check it out on Amazon. 4) In The Previous Blogpost (ITPB): Herald NFL QB rankings, Pix 'n Fantasy results, college State of the State, new Back In My Day video (Banking!) & more. 5) Join us on Twitter @gregcote. Also Facebook and Instagram.
A PERSONAL THANKS, FROM ME TO YOU, ON THE HOLIDAY MADE FOR THAT: Thank you, readers and listeners, for continuing to allow me to have the career I never imagined I would. Thank you, Miami Herald and ESPN Radio, my professional families. Thank you most of all to the family I have known and loved longest, my wife and two sons and, now, my first grandchild, who will turn 1 just before Christmas. Her arrival has been a joy beyond any expectations or dreams. She has enriched our lives, which seems a cliche' even as I type the words, except that first-time grandparents out there are nodding, I'd bet. This has been a challenging year for me. The newspaper industry is evolving, transitioning digital, and I am trying to keep up. I went through a health scare, with major surgery in September to remove a benign tumor lodged near my lungs and spine. (And thank you, Dr. Irving David!) That reminds me of an old line from Don Shula. Asked once if a player's surgery was "major," Shula said, "If it's happening to me, it's major..." Thanks, again, all of you!
NFL WEEK 12 PICKS FOR DOLPHINS-COLTS AND REST, THANKSGIVING DAY RESULTS: Will Ryan Tannehill's Dolphins return be a triumphant one Sunday in Indianapolis? What won Game of the Week honors? What's our big Upset of the Week? Answers here. Visit Week 12 Gems. On Thanksgiving, the NFL's 13th year (hard to believe) of Turkey Day tripleheaders gave us nonstop football for roughly 11 straight hours. What were you sicker of by midnight? The thought of one more bite of food? Or the thought of one more damned penalty flag? If you're like me and my family, this day was about friends and relatives and gratefulness and turkey, but the football was a constant soundtrack and backdrop -- sort of the glue that knitted the day. We went 2-1 overall and vs. the spread on the day's three picks. Correctly had the Cowboys and Saints winning and covering, but misfired on predicting a Lions upset. Visit Thanksgiving Day Gems for the proof.
GREG COTE'S RANDOM EVIDENCE BLOG: MIAMI. SPORTS. AND BEYOND.
1) It's WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 21. Find the latest Canesfan Satisfaction Meter result in the blogpost right below this one, or directly here. 2) Football is raging and the holidays are upon us. That means it's the perfect time to delight Dolfans you know with the gift of our 'Fins At 50' book. Check it out on Amazon. 3) In The Previous Blogpost (ITPB): Canes win at Virginia Tech with CSM poll, LeBron torches Heat, Logano wins NASCAR, Hot Button Top 10 & more. 4) Join us on Twitter @gregcote. Also Facebook and Instagram.
It's Radio Wednesday!: I'm back in-studio co-hosting on the Dan LeBatard Show With Stugotz today. It airs 8:55 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Miami's 790 The TIcket and 10-1 nationally on ESPN Radio affiliates and on ESPNews. Join us!
OH DID MAHOMES AND GOFF PUT ON A SHOW! / MIAMI HERALD NFL QB RANKINGS (EXPANDED) / WEEK 11: With Thanksgiving Week signalling the start of the NFL playoff push, we're expanding our weekly Herald NFL quarterback rankings from a Top 15 to a Top 25 beginning now. The Rams' epic 54-51 win over the Chiefs on Monday night was driven by the QB play. Chief Patrick Mahomes' 52.90-point game wins the Herald's Week 11 title and moves Mahomes less than one point behind overall leader Drew Brees. Ram Jared Goff was secodn for the week at 50.65 to bump up one spot to third place. Because our rankings are cumulative, players on a bye week take a temporary hit that evens out over the course of a season. This is our 21st season of Passer Success System (PASS) NFL QB rankings. Our formula is simple and unchanged since its inception in 1998, factoring accuracy, yardage, TD-interception ratio and team result. Most major ranking systems such as the NFL's and ESPN's are complicated and percentile based, allowing QBs who miss half a season to still win a title, while our system is cumulative, rewarding players who are consistently productive and avoid injury or benching. The Top 25 table (plus Dolphins) entering Week 12:
MIAMI HERALD PASS RANKINGS / WEEK 11
RK LW Player, Team WK11 Season
1 1 Drew Brees, NO 49.15 445.20
2 2 Patrick Mahomes, KC 52.90 444.40
3 4 Jared Goff, LAR 50.65 422.35
4 3 Matt Ryan, ATL 28.55 402.25
5 5 Kirk Cousins, MIN 27.10 379.85
6 6 Ben Roethlisberger, PIT 24.70 362.10
7 7 Andrew Luck, IND 45.85 361.45
8 9 Philip Rivers, LAC 33.05 336.00
9 10 Aaron Rodgers, GB 34.60 321.15
10 8 Tom Brady, NE BYE` 315.40
11 11 Cam Newton, CAR 36.85 315.15
12 12 Eli Manning, NYG 38.55 313.80
13 15 Derek Carr, OAK 27.60 297.65
14 16 Matthew Stafford, DET 28.00 297.25
15 14 Mitch Trubisky, CHI 19.25 290.45
16 17 Deshaun Watson, HOU 20.40 284.85
17 19 Russell Wilson, SEA 33.25 278.60
18 13 Carson Wentz, PHI 3.80 275.20
19 20 Andy Dalton, CIN 18.55 262.30
20 22 Case Keenum, DEN 21.25 249.25
21 18 Joe Flacco, BAL DNP 246.25
22 25 Dak Prescott, DAL 27.40 238.90
23 21 Alex Smith, WAS -2.25 236.00
24t 24 Blake Bortles, JAC 7.20 225.30
24t 23 Ryan Fitzpatrick, TB 4.35 225.30
29 29 Brock Osweiler, MIA BYE 126.35
31 30 Ryan Tannehill, MIA BYE 112.60
Bubble: Baker Mayfield, CLE, 199.20. Week 11 best: Mahomes, KC, 52.90 (33-46, 478, 6-3 in loss). Week 11 worst: Smith, WAS, minus-2.25 (12-27, 135, 0-2 in loss).
NFL WEEK 11 PIX 'N FANTASY RESULTS: PRETTY BAD, BAD: Every Tuesday in the blog I update you on how I did the past weekend with my Miami Herald predictions and with my LeBatard Show/League Of Lobos fantasy team. The latest: Herald picks: Pretty bad. I'm having a strong season but it didn't show in last week's stumble. We opened with an exact-score bull's-eye on Seattle beating Green Bay Thursday night, ended perfectly Monday night (Rams winning, Chiefs) covering), but nosedived in-between. We ended 7-6 overall and 5-7-1 against the spread, with Bengals-Ravens off the board for the tie. I guess as bad weeks go, we can live with that one. We're on the rebound this week so look out! Greg's Lobos: Bad. Lobos fall to 4-7 with a 145-113 loss to Allyson. We got a gargantuan 43.5 points Monday night from Tyreek Hill. Alas, Allyson added to her big week from almost that many from Patrick Mahomes. With only two weeks left in the regular season the 'Bos still are mathematically alive to make the playoffs, but I'll need to win out from here, hope the right other teams all lose and maybe still need luck from tiebreakers. Not looking good, in other words. Nevertheless: #WeAreTheLobos!
COTE'S STATE OF THE STATE RANKINGS: Each Tuesday I rank the state's seven FBS-level college football teams. The latest: 1. UCF (10-0); 2. Florida (8-3); 3. Miami (6-5); 4. Florida State (5-6); 5. South Florida (7-4); 6. FIU (8-3); 7. FAU (5-6).
'BACK IN MY DAY': BANKING!: Here;'s the latest BIMD video, which debuted Tuesday on ESPN Radio and ESPNews:
GREG COTE'S RANDOM EVIDENCE BLOG: MIAMI. SPORTS. AND BEYOND.
1) It's MONDAY, NOVEMBER 19. Football is raging and the holidays are upon us. That means it's the perfect time to delight Dolfans you know with the gift of our 'Fins At 50' book. Check it out on Amazon. 2) In The Previous Blogpost (ITPB): NFL Week 11 picks, your Gase/Richt verdicts, Marlins' new logo, Hassan Whiteside's gun & more. 3) Join us on Twitter @gregcote. Also Facebook and Instagram.
HEAVYWEIGHT SUNDAY IN MIAMI: LOGANO WINS NASCAR VS. LEBRON TORCHES HEAT: NASCAR ran its season championship race down at Homestead this afternoon with final-four longshot Joey Logano winning the season crown. And as the race was ending the Heat would tip off downtown against LeBron James' L.A. Lakers in his only visit of the season -- with Lakers winning 113-97 led by LeBron James' 51 points. Yes, 51! Pretty rare we get two events of that size on the same day. I took a Twitter poll on who you wanted to win the racing title and it could hardly have been closer: Kyle Busch 27 percent, Kevin Harvick and Martin Truex Jr, both 25%, and Logano 23%. Betting odds have it Busch and Harvick co-favorites at 11-4, Truex 6-1 and Logano 10-1. #WhyWeLoveSports
NEW: LeBron torches Heat column: From the arena Sunday night as Lakers' LeBron James drops 51 on Miami: Oh What We Had, And What We Lost.
HOT BUTTON TOP 10 (UPDATED): WHAT SOUTH FLORIDA SPORTS FANS ARE TALKING ABOUT: Our blog-exclusive every-Sunday feature is part week-in-review, part look-ahead. Hot Button means what's on our minds, locally and nationally, from a Miami perspective, as the sports week just past pivots to the week ahead. This week's HB10:
1. HEAT: Miami hosts LeBron, LeBron torches Heat: LeBron James' L.A. Lakers were here tonight for their only visit of the season, and LeBron James' 51 points led a 113-97 L.A. win that dropped Miami to 6-10 in the continuing paternity absence of Dwyane Wade. Oh, and it was revealed Hassan Whiteside had a $50,000 assault rifle stolen from his unlocked car over the summer. That enough to digest for one week, Heat fans?
2. NASCAR: Logano wins season crown at Homestead: Mega-Sunday at Homestead-Miami Speedway as SoFla hosted NASCAR's season championship for 17th straight year. Kyle Busch, Kevin Harvick, Joey Logano or Martin Truex Jr. raced for the trophy, with Logano, the betting longshot, raising it.
3. HURRICANES: UM (finally) bowl-eligible after big win in Blacksburg: A bit of a sluggish start but the Canes came on and rolled at Va-Tech 38-14 on Saturday, ending a 4-game losing streak and getting bowl eligible at 6-5. Still a disappointing season, but UM fans were smiling for the first time in a long while.
4. MARLINS: Rebranding Fish unveil new uniforms, logo: The Derek Jeter's group's rebranding of the Marlins -- i.e., an attempt to make you forget Jeffrey Loria and David Samson ever existed -- continued this week the revealing of a new Marlins logo and colors. Rebrand and move new merchandise all at once. Brilliant!
5. DOLPHINS: Fins spend bye week with fingers crossed on Tannehill: Miami spends its bye off this week at 5-5 after having lost five of past seven games, with a trip to Indianapolis on deck. Ryan Tannehil and his shoulder, out the last five games, is supposed to return. Any hope for a playoff run is all that depends on it.
6. PANTHERS: Cats on road trying to get hot again: Florida is now 7-10 with two straight losses following a five-game win streak. Team is away three more games before returning home as fans still wait to see who the real Cats are in an uneven start to the NHL season.
7. SOCCER: Miami hosts international conference: Miami hosted "SoccerEx," a two-day global networking conference that drew soccer officials from 40 nations to Marlins Park. No announcement yet, but choice of sites is a strong hint where David Beckham's Inter Miami MLS expansion team might be playing while its new stadium is built at the Melreese site.
8. UM HOOPS: Canes women lose first game: No. 24-ranked Miami women were 4-0 after Katie Meier's squad notched 63-55 home win over 19th-ranked Marquette, but UM lost Sunday at Iowa State. Almost forgot, Canes men, with an easier early schedule, are 3-0.
9. COLLEGE FOOTBALL: Playoff picture remains steady: The top eight teams in the College Football Playoff ranking all won, so teams just below, such as now 10-0 NO. 11 UCF and No. 13 Florida, will have a tough time moving up. Can anything stop an Alabama-Clemson title game? Rhetorical question. Answer: Doubt it.
10. FIU: ButchCats win again, thinking title: FIU is 8-3 after Saturday's 42-35 win over Charlotte on coach Butch Davis' 67th birthday. Mostly, Panthers remain well in the hunt for Conference USA championship.
Missing the HB10 cut:Awards week in MLB and so your Marlins have now traded away the 2017 and 2018 NL MVPs in Giancarlo Stanton and Christian Yelich ..... Tickets now on sale for Miami Open tennis as event moves from Key Biscayne to Hard Rock Stadium. Aesthetic downturn, yes, but the curiosity factor is there ..... MLS playoffs get intense with first leg of conference finals next Sunday. Soon, Miami. Soon ..... Update: Countdown now 2,773 days (give or take) until Miami hosts its first match in the 2026 World Cup.
CANESFAN SATISFACTION METER: G11: Results are certified in the latest Canesfan Satisfaction Meter postgame poll, and they show an even 50.0 percent overall approval -- the combination of "very" and "somewhat" satisfied votes -- in the wake of Saturday's 38-14 Miami victory at Virginia Tech putting Miami's season record at 6-5 overall and 3-4 in the ACC. The CSM is your invitation after every Canes football game -- no matter the result or opponent -- to vote on your overall satisfaction with the team and season in a continuing weekly gauge of how UM football fans are feeling. Criteria for voting is your own, but I suggest you consider the most recent game's performance and caliber of opponent, the season as a whole, the program's direction and your overall degree of optimism -- all in the context of reasonable expectations. Results are certified official the morning after one full day of voting. In this case that was around 9:30 a.m. today/Monday. (The CSM also takes place on my Twitter site @gregcote. The approval vote there was 34%).
2018 CSM game-by game results
G1: 9.2% following 33-17 loss to LSU.
G2: 73.8% following 77-0 victory vs. Savannah State.
G3: 76.7% following 49-24 victory at Toledo.
G4: 84.0% following 31-17 victory vs. FIU.
G5: 98.7% following 47-10 victory vs. North Carolina.
G6: 91.1% following 28-27 victory vs. FSU.
G7: 13.0% following 16-13 loss at Virginia.
G8: 7.8% following 27-14 loss at Boston College.
G9: 12.1% following 20-12 loss vs. Duke.
G10: 12.6% following 27-21 loss at Georgia Tech.
G11: 50.0% following 38-14 victory at Virginia Tech.
Next poll: Nov. 24 following game vs. Pitt.
G11: HURRICANES 38, @VIRGINIA TECH 14: MIAMI FINALLY WINS AGAIN, FINALLY IS BOWL-ELIGIBLE:Final thoughts: Big plays defined UM's 38-14 win over Virginia Tech today in Blacksburg to end a four-game UM skid and make the Canes bowl-eligible at 6-5. Shaq Quartman's interception return to the Tech 3. Cam'Ron Davis' 42-yard TD run. Jeff Thomas' 51-yard punt-return score. And N'Kosi Perry's two TD passes without an interception. For me, Perry tightened his grip on the starting job. And freshman Cam Davis gives UM a lot to look forward to at running back. Miami was not consistently solid on offense and the defense allowed two long scoring drives. Still, after a dispiriting four straight losses, this is a huge day for a bowl-getting sixth win. This has been a disappointing season, but the Canes did not disappoint today with a nice road victory. 4Q: UM 38-14on Perry-Davis 16-yard TD pass ...UM 31-14on Thomas 51-yard punt return TD ...UM24-14on Davis 42-yard TD run for biggest Canes lead .....Halftime thoughts: Another teetering game by Miami. Offense again has been unimpressive, considering seven of UM's points were directly set up by a turnover. Defense has been OK overall but has allowed 76- and 75-yard scoring drives. Canes still must prove they're the better team ..... 2Q: UM 17-14on Perry 1-yard TD run capping impressive 10-play, 71-yard drive ...VT 14-10 on 20-yard scoring run ...UM 10-7on Perry-Langham 3-yard TD pass, after Quarterman interception and return to VT 3 .....UM 3-7 on 33-yard FG, after Wiggins drops well-throw Perry pass that should have been TD ... VT 7-0 on 15-yard TD pass, after UM gouged for 5-play, 76-yard opening drive ..... Original post: Welcome to Saturday's Misery Bowl kicking off at 3:30 in Blacksburg before ESPN cameras. (Must be a slow week!) Trust us, when ESPN booked this game the Worldwide Leader thought it was getting something big. Instead it's getting oh what might have been! These were two preseason Top 25 teams expected to duel for the ACC Coastal division crown. This game should (theoretically) be to see who plays Clemson for the conference crown. Instead it matches two disappointing teams, also-rans scrambling just to get bowl-eligible. And both come in cold, Miami 5-5 after four straight losses, and Va-Tech 4-5 with three losses in a row. Sad! Two erstwhile proud programs trying to salvage unexpectedly down seasons and work an invite, at this point, to what? The Salad Bowl? Somebody has to snap their losing skid, and it'll be Miami, which opened as a 3 1/2 point favorite but saw that balloon to 6 1/2. And with reason. VT has been a bit of a nemesis for UM, which is 9-14 in the past 23 meetings and has lost four of the past five trips to Lane Stadium. That gives us some pause, yes. But more than that trend is this: the Hokies/Gobblers have one of the worst run defenses on Earth, and Travis Homer and DeeJay Dallas should run wild to alleviate pressure and burden from N'Kosi Perry. Also like The U's pass defense really limiting what Tech does best. People, if the Canes lose this game they flat-out don't deserve a bowl, any bowl. My pick: Hurricanes, 31-16.
OTHER STATE COLLBALL: There are seven FBS-level college teams in Florida. Here's chronological Week 12 schedule for the rest (all Saturday unless noted):
North Texas (8-3) beats FAU (5-6), 41-38: With Thursday night's loss, Lane Kiffin's Owls now have one game left to get bowl-eligible then pray somebody invites a .500 FAU.
No. 13 Florida (8-3) beats Idaho (4-7), 63-10: Gators, jockeying for poll 'n bowl position, were up 49-0 at half and coasted in mismatch.
Temple (7-4) beats South Florida (7-4), 27-17: The fast-fading Bulls allowed 17 unanswered points in fourth quarter to blow it again.
FIU (8-3) beats Charlotte (4-7), 42-35: The ButchCats, still with a shot to reach the C-USA title game, with a nice road win. And a happy birthday for coach Butch Davis!
FSU (5-6) beats No. 20 Boston College (7-4), 22-21: Nice little (small) home upset as the Noles stay alive (technically) at the Doak for bowl eligibility.
No. 11 UCF (10-0) beats No. 24 Cincinnati (9-1), 38-13:Huge! UCF extended its nation-best winning streak to 23 games and will host the AAC title game Dec. 1 after routing Cincy. ESPN's College GameDay was in Orlando to bless the Knights, one more reason for Canes fans to begrudge how the UCF program (until further notice) has surpassed UM.
Week 12 national Top 25 matchups (3): No. 3 Notre Dame beats No. 12 Syracuse, 36-3; 11-UCF beats 24-Cincinnati, 38-13; and 15-Texas beats 16-Iowa State, 24-10.
GREG COTE'S RANDOM EVIDENCE BLOG: MIAMI. SPORTS. AND BEYOND.
1) It's FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 16. Visit Greg Cote Friday for the podcast from today's LeBatard Show on ESPN Radio. 2) Football is raging and the holidays are upon us. That means it's the perfect time to delight Dolfans you know with the gift of our 'Fins At 50' book. Check it out on Amazon. 3) In The Previous Blogpost (ITPB): Gase/Richt support-level polls, Herald NFL QB rankings, Pix 'n Fantasy results, college State of the State rank & more. 4) Join us on Twitter @gregcote. Also Facebook and Instagram.
Latest column: NASCAR celebrates, but under cloud: For the 17th straight year Homestead-Miami Speedway hosts NASCAR's Championship Weekend, and it's a quality Championship Four gunning for the top-series season title Sunday. But a celebratory weekend cannot hide the issues confronting the sport, including decreasing attendance and TV ratings and a loss of starpower. We explore. To read, visit NASCAR Needs A Next Big Thing.
UPSET BIRD DAY IN AMERICA!: NFL WEEK 11 PICKS FOR CHIEFS-RAMS AND ALL THE REST: The Dolphins are off this week on a bye. So is the rest of the AFC East. In keeping with division patterns, anybody doubt Bill Belichick will find a way to dominate the bye week? With Miami off, the Game of the Week, Chiefs at Rams in a battle of 9-1 teams, tops my latest NFL selections. Visit Week 11 Gems. Included are my Upset of the Week ("Aawwk!") and all the rest. Our 28th season of Friday NFL picks (online Thursdays) is rockin' hot. Entering the week we were at a .699 winning percentage overall and a big .587 against the spread. And we bull's-eyed last night's game (Thursday Gem), not only calling Seattle's 27-24 win, by getting the score on the nose for a rare Exacto!
YOUR VERDICTS ON GASE, RICHT: With both their teams slumping, we wanted to gauge your level of support for Dolphins coach Adam Gase and Canes coach Mark Richt. We asked, "Do you support Adam Gase?" You said: Yes, fully 10.32 percent; Yes, but wavering 36.90%; and Nope 52.78%. Overall Gase support: 47.22%. We asked, "Do you support Mark Richt?" You said: Yes, fully 18.75%; Yes, but wavering 41.07%; and Nope 40.18%. Overall Richt support: 59.82%. I'm surprised both results were so damning, but timing is everything in polls, and the timing of these ones admittedly worked against both men. I'm especially surprised the Gase verdict was so negative, given that his starting quarterback has missed 25 of the past 30 games injured. To make clear to those who misinterpreted my recent Gase/Richt column (Honeymoon Over: How Collapsing Seasons Put Heat on Gase, Richt) or these polls (love you anyway, Uncle Luke), I support both coaches and would have neither on any hot seat.
ONE WORD FOR MARLINS NEW LOGO: As Derek Jeter continues to distance himself from anything to do with Jeffery Loria with a broad rebranding of the franchise, the Marlins yesterday unveiled a new logo and uniform colors that eliminate the orange but have blue, black, red and gray as the new colors. The logo depicts a leaping marlin above red baseball seams and the word Miami in script. One logo variation features the Miami skyline, including the Freedom Tower, in the background. The Freedom Tower is notable because the Jeter regime makes unequivocal the overt appeal to Hispanic fans in the makeover. Example: the announcement of the new colors uses the Spanish spelling, "colores." Initial thoughts on the new logo? It's fine. OK. But one word jumps out. Dark. I mean, a black background!? Looks like a retro flyer for Disco Night at a South Beach club.
JUST ANOTHER CHAPTER IN THE BOOK OF HASSAN: Mercurial Heat center Hassan Whiteside has done it again: Made news for reasons dubious. Whiteside bought a $50,000 M16 assault rifle, ammunition, a rifle bag, and a silencer in Miami on July 5, all of which were immediately stolen from his unlocked car, 640 AM radio's Andy Slater reported. Whiteside, 29, in a statement issued through the team: "I have a license for the gun that was stolen from me over the summer. I should have secured it better and I’m glad it was recovered. It won’t happen again. It is now locked in a safe and I only use it at the gun range." Whiteside apparently did not violate any team rule, except perhaps the one about using common sense. Dear Heat: Please consider a team rule on the wisdom of players owning military-grade assault weapons such as mass killers tend to favor. Just a thought.
GREG COTE'S RANDOM EVIDENCE BLOG: MIAMI. SPORTS. AND BEYOND.
1) It's THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 15. R.I.P. Stan Lee, the Marvel Comics co-creator, gone this week at 95. I was a huge comic book reader as a kid, long before Comic-Cons and the nerd-trendiness of it. 2) Visit Greg Cote Tuesday for the podcast from this week's LeBatard Show on ESPN Radio. Included is my latest Back In May Day. 3) Football is raging and the holidays are upon us. That means it's the perfect time to delight Dolfans you know with the gift of our 'Fins At 50' book. Check it out on Amazon. 4) In The Previous Blogpost (ITPB): Dolphins lose in Green Bay with DSM poll, Hot Button Top 10 & more. 5) Join us on Twitter @gregcote. Also Facebook and Instagram.
Newest column: Wade paternity leave helps his legacy, not hurts it: Some Heat fans think Dwyane Wade's week-plus paternity leave (he'll miss at least seven games and maybe more) is too much. I sat no and tell why in my latest column. To read it, visit Wade's World Bigger Than Hoops, And Good For Him.
Tonight's Packers-Seahawks pick: Good Thursday night game between two desperate, better-than-their-records NFC teams. Visit Thursday Gem for the pick.
YOUR SUPPORT LEVEL FOR ADAM GASE AND MARK RICHT IS WHAT? TWO NEW POLLS. VOTE NOW!: The Dolphins and Hurricanes both are 5-5 in once- promising seasons gone bad. Both teams and head coaches are seeing downward-trending results even predating this year and each coach is the subject of some fan disenchantment on social media and fair criticism in his third season in Miami. I explore the job status, the criticism and the future of both in my latest column. To read, visit Honeymoon Over: How Collapsing Seasons Put Heat on Gase, Richt. Don't get this wrong: These polls do not presume either coach is unpopular with fans. I anticipate overall support for both. This is just for fun, to gauge strength of support relative to each other as much as anything. Read the column and then vote in both polls!
BIG BEN TAKES WEEK, BREES REGAINS SEASON LEAD / MIAMI HERALD NFL QB RANKINGS / WEEK 10: The Saints' Drew Brees nudges ahead of Chief Patrick Mahomes to regain the overall season lead in the Miami Herald's latest NFL quarterback rankings. Week 10 honors go to Steeler Ben Roethlisberger (pictured) with a big 55.40-point game on Thursday night, lifting him one spot to sixth place overall. Lower in the chart, Dolphin Brock Osweiler bumps up one spot to 29th, finally surpassing Ryan Tannehill. Because our rankings are cumulative, players on a bye week take a temporary hit that evens out over the course of a season. This is our 21st season of Passer Success System (PASS) NFL QB rankings. Our formula is simple and unchanged since its inception in 1998, factoring accuracy, yardage, TD-interception ratio and team result. Most major ranking systems such as the NFL's and ESPN's are complicated and percentile based, allowing QBs who miss half a season to still win a title, while our system is cumulative, rewarding players who are consistently productive and avoid injury or benching. The Top 15 table (plus Dolphins) entering Week 11:
MIAMI HERALD PASS RANKINGS / WEEK 10
RK LW Player, Team WK10 Season
1 3 Drew Brees, NO 46.25 396.05
2 1 Patrick Mahomes, KC 37.45 391.50
3 5 Matt Ryan, ATL 46.50 373.70
4 4 Jared Goff, LAR 43.90 371.70
5 2 Kirk Cousins, MIN BYE 352.75
6 7 Ben Roethlisberger, PIT 55.40 337.40
7 8 Andrew Luck, IND 38.25 315.60
8 6 Tom Brady, NE 13.70 315.40
9 9 Philip Rivers, LAC 29.15 302.95
10 11 Aaron Rodgers, GB 30.95 286.55
11 12 Cam Newton, CAR 29.65 278.30
12 16 Eli Manning, NYG 30.40 275.25
13 18 Carson Wentz, PHI 41.00 271.40
14 20 Mitch Trubisky, CHI 47.75 271.20
15 14 Derek Carr, OAK 23.15 270.05
15 13 Matthew Stafford, DET 21.70 269.25
29 30 Brock Osweiler, MIA 16.65 126.35
30 29 Ryan Tannehill, MIA DNP 112.60
Bubble: Matthew Stafford, DET, 269.25. Week 10 best: Roethlisberger, PIT, 55.40 (22-25, 328, 5-0 in win). Week 10 worst: Josh McCown, NYJ, 0.75 (17-34, 135, 0-2 in loss).
NFL WEEK 10 PIX 'N FANTASY RESULTS: WIN, WIN!: Every Tuesday in the blog I update you on how I did the past weekend with my Miami Herald predictions and with my LeBatard Show/League Of Lobos fantasy team. The latest: Herald picks: Win! We were a decent 9-5 straight-up but on the right side (again) at 8-5-1 against the spread in Week 10, with the Colts win pushing at 3 for the tie. We nailed yet another Upset of the Week with Giants winning in San Fran last night ("Aawwk!") and also had four big 'dogs-with-points in Titans, Cardinals, Seahawks and Cowboys. (See Week 10 Gems to check my bookkeeping). Greg's Lobos: Win! Lobos rise to 4-6 on the year with a 147.7-48 crushing of Domonique Foxworth. He played three guys out injured -- not sly, Fox! -- but I'd have won anyway led by a huge combined 73.2 points from Zach Ertz and Tyreek Hill. (Zach making a case for season MVL honors; we'll see). Three weeks left in the regular season and the 'Bos are rallying for a playoff ticket! #WeAreTheLobos
COTE'S STATE OF THE STATE RANKINGS: Each Tuesday I rank the state's seven FBS-level college football teams. The latest: 1. UCF (9-0); 2. Florida (7-3); 3. Miami (5-5); 4. South Florida (7-3); 5. Florida State (4-6); 6. FAU (5-5); 7. FIU (7-3).
GREG COTE'S RANDOM EVIDENCE BLOG: MIAMI. SPORTS. AND BEYOND.
1) It's MONDAY, NOVEMBER 12. Veterans Day is when we honor all of those who have served in our military. Thank you! 2) Find results of the latest Canesfan Satisfaction Meter poll in the previous blogpost or directly here. 3) Football is raging and the holidays are upon us. That means it's the perfect time to delight Dolfans you know with the gift of our 'Fins At 50' book. Check it out on Amazon. 4) In The Previous Blogpost (ITPB): Hurricanes lose fourth straight with CSM poll, other state Collball, your Dolphins-in-playoffs verdict & more. 5) Join us on Twitter @gregcote. Also Facebook and Instagram.
DOLFAN SATISFACTION METER: G10: Results are certified in the latest Dolfan Satisfaction Meter postgame poll, and they show 5.8 percent overall approval -- the combination of "very" and "somewhat" satisfied votes -- in the wake of Sunday's 31-12 loss at Green Bay putting Miami's season record at 5-5. That ties for the season low. The DSM is a continuous weekly gauge of how Dolfans are feeling about the team and its direction. Right after each game I invite you to share your overall degree of satisfaction. Criteria for voting is your own, but I suggest fans consider the most recent game's performance and caliber of opponent, season as a whole, direction the club is heading and your overall degree of optimism -- all in the context of reasonable expectations. Results are certified official the morning after one full day of voting. In this case that was around 6:45 a.m. today/Tuesday. (The DSM also takes place on our Twitter site @gregcote. The approval rating there was 25%).
2018 DSM game-by-game results
G1: 86.8% following 27-20 victory vs. Tennessee.
G2: 93.4% following 20-12 victory at N.Y. Jets.
G3: 96.2% following 28-20 victory vs. Oakland.
G4: 17.2% following 38-7 loss at New England.
G5: 6.4% following 27-17 loss at Cincinnati.
G6: 75.0% following 31-28 OT victory vs. Chicago.
G7: 8.9% following 32-21 loss vs. Detroit.
G8: 5.8% following 42-23 loss at Houston.
G9: 29.6% following 13-6 victory vs. N.Y. Jets.
G10: 5.8% following 31-12 loss at Green Bay.
Next poll: Nov. 25 (after bye week) following game at Indianapolis.
G10: GREEN BAY 31, DOLPHINS 12: TEMPS in 20'S, PACKER POINTS IN 30'S. TOLD YA!: Final thoughts: Four field goals does not pass as decent offense in any world I know. Especially at Lambeau Field against Aaron Rodgers ..... 4Q: GB 31-12 as Pack add 38-yard FG. It's over, people ..... 3Q: GB 28-12 on Rodgers-Adam 25-yard scoring pass. This game feels over ... GB 21- 12 on Jones 12-yard TD run. Like I said, FGs will nit beat Rodgers in Green Bay ... MIA 12-14 on 40-yard FG ...Halftime thoughts: Rodgers less than 100 yards passing? Gore kicking ass? Good, encouraging signs for Miami. But field goals will not beat Rodgers at Lambeau. Book that ..... 2Q: MIA 9-14 on 47-yard FG. Fins competitive, but will settling for threes come back to haunt? ... MIA 6-14 on 25-yard FG after red-zone fizzle ...GB 14-3 on Jones 2-yards TD run set up by his 67-yard run ...1Q: Fins defense gouged for 67-yard run to arrange another Pack score as quarter ends ... MIA 3-7 on 37-yard FG after Pack fumble. A 3rd-and-8 sack forced the three ... Miami recovers fumble on punt return near midfield ... GB 7-0 on Rodgers-Adams 7-yard TD pass, capitalizing on Miami turnover ... Nice opening drive by Fins ruined by lost fumble. Shotgun snap to Osweiler looked fast and high, but catchable ..... Pregame: Patriots loss today means Miami can move within one game and re-energize whole season with win at Lambeau ... Starting OTs Laremy Tunsil and Ja'Wuan James both inactive today. Oh my. Good lukc, Osweiler! ..... Original post: Miami is a surprisingly not-terrible 5-4 and Green Bay is a surprisingly desperate 3-4-1 and yet the Packers are favored by a big 10 points in today's 4:25 p.m. Lambeau Field kickoff before CBS cameras. Why? Quotation of the week to Dolphins coach Adam Gase, who said it deadpan-perfect, when asked if his defense could carry the momentum of last week’s domination of the Jets into this Sunday’s game in Green Bay: "Aaron Rodgers is a little different than Sam Darnold," noted Gase. I might further note that Mr. Rodgers also is a little different than Brock Osweiler. And that temperatures diving into the 20s at Lambeau will be a little different for the Fins than the advantageous comfort of home humidity. I’m scrounging around for reasons to believe in a Miami upset, and finding the cupboard bare short of assuming least a couple of Dolphins takeaways. (Perhaps a pick by Reshad Jones, if he deigns to actually appear in the game rather than pouting on the sideline?) Reasons to not like the Dolphins today are easier to spot. Osweiler is gradually becoming Osweiler again; he has not thrown a touchdown pass for almost nine quarters. Miami is 1-3 away and the Gee Bees 3-0-1 at home. All four of Miami’s losses have been by double digits, and the Dolphins are on a 1-8 skid when kicking off as road underdogs. Miami’s best shot might be that Green Bay — after facing the Patriots last week and with roadies to Seattle/Minnesota on deck — might sort of not pay much attention to this game. Except the Pack’s scant margin of error in the playoff chase assures Rodgers and the Cheesers will be on high alert here, buoyed by the Frozen Tundra and the ghost of Vince Lombardi in a fedora. Bonus fact: GB’s offensive coordinator is Joe Philbin. How much do you figure he’d love to run up the score? The forecast for today in Green Bay: Temps in the 20s, Pack points in the 30s. My pick: Green Bay, 37-20.
Visit Week 10 Gemsfor all of our latest NFL picks.
HOT BUTTON TOP 10 (UPDATED): WHAT SOUTH FLORIDA SPORTS FANS ARE TALKING ABOUT: Our blog-exclusive every-Sunday feature, updated Mondays, is part week-in-review, part look-ahead. Hot Button means what's on our minds, locally and nationally, from a Miami perspective, as the sports week just past pivots to the week ahead. This week's HB10:
1. HURRICANES: It's four straight losses with UM's fall at Tech: With Saturday's 27-21 loss at Georgia Tech the Hurricanes are now 5-5, have lost four in a row, are not yet bowl-eligible and are 5-8 in the past 13 games. Let's all agree that the honeymoon is over for Mark Richt. Heck, at this rate, the divorce lawyers may be on call.
2. DOLPHINS: Miami fizzles on the frozen tundra: The Dolphins' defense handled the Jets in winning last week but Aaron Rodgers is different than Sam Darnold about as subtly as Green Bay temps in the 20s are to South Florida humidity. And so 31-12 Green Bay on Sunday has the Fins, once 3-0, now stalled at 5-5.
3. HEAT: Sputtering Heat brace for Sixers and Butler, then LeBron: Heat at 5-7 have lost two straight and five of seven as they prepare to host Philadelphia and newly acquired Jimmy Butler Monday night. Minnesota trading Butler into the East made Miami's playoff chase that much more problematic. Almost forgot: Lakers and LeBron here in seven days.
4. NASCAR: Championship Four is set for Homestead: Joey Logano and Kevin Harvick were joined by Kyle Busch and Martin Truex in the Championship Four for next Sunday's NASCAR title run at Homestead. The final two spots were filled in yesterday's penultimate race in Phoenix. Now the entire sport packs up and heads south of Miami.
5. SOCCER: Miami MLS wins stadium vote: The David Beckham group's embryonic Major League Soccer expansion franchise, Inter Miami, comfortably won voter approval on stadium plans for the Melreese site. Meanwhile the MLS playoffs continue with semifinals pitting Portland vs. Sporting KC and New York vs. Atlanta.
6. PANTHERS: Ice on fire! The Cats are heating up: Slow-starting Florida has now won four in a row to rise to 6-8 with Sunday's victory over Ottawa prior to a six-game road trip. Credit some of the rally to the return of goalie Roberto Luongo. They honored the late Bill Torrey, Panthers founding father, before Saturday's home win. All hail the Bowtie!
7. UM HOOPS: Canes men, women off and runnning: UM men routed Lehigh in their opener and will now beef up their record vs. a soft schedule until the serious games start in January, when we start paying attention for real. Meanwhile he 25th-ranked Canes women are 2-0 and continue relentlessly competitive under Katie Meier.
8. GATORS: UF protects ranking with big rally: No. 15 Florida scored the game's last 21 points Saturday to survive South Carolina in the Swamp, 35-31. UM and FSU have lost a combined seven games in a row, but The Gator (oh, and 9-0 UCF) are holding up the state.
9. FIU: ButchCats sail to 7-3 record: Well at least one Miami college football team is winning. As the Canes marinate in a four-game losing streak, FIU is 7-3 with Saturday's 45-7 rout of UTSA. Overlooked program continues to climb under Butch Davis.
10. DOG RACING: State bans greyhound racing: Florida citizens this week voted to ban dog racing in the state, meaning some 6,000 suddenly retired racing greyhound may need new homes. Breathing a well-earned sigh of relief: the mechanical rabbit!
Missing the HB10 cut: State of Florida's election recount is underway in several key races. Depending on your point of view, it's a noble effort to get it right or screwing your candidate who thought he'd won ..... Alabama, Clemson, Notre Dame, Michigan: the CFP top four, uninterrupted ..... Would somebody give Bryce Harper and Manny Machado a bunch of money already!? ..... I'd like to report that the Duke men's basketball team is, like, really good ..... Update: Countdown now 2,780 days (give or take) until Miami hosts its first match in the 2026 World Cup.
GREG COTE'S RANDOM EVIDENCE BLOG: MIAMI. SPORTS. AND BEYOND.
1) It's SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 11. Islanders were at Panthers last night, and they honored the late Bill Torrey (pictured). He made champions of the Isles and founded the Cats. The legacy of the kind man in the bowtie is secure. 2) Football season and the holidays up on us means it's the perfect time to delight Dolfans you know with the gift of our 'Fins At 50' book. Check it out on Amazon. 3) In The Previous Blogpost (ITPB): NFL Week 10 picks, Bill James column, Mahomes/Marino parallel, Dolphins-playoffs poll, congrats D. Wade & more. 4) Join us on Twitter @gregcote. Also Facebook and Instagram.
Latest column: On Bill James and replaceable athletes: The sabermetrics ace and Red Sox adviser fell into hot water by saying baseball players are replaceable, likening their importance to that of beer vendors. By extension he meant athletes in general. But here's the thing. He may be right. I discuss in my latest column. To read it, visit Bill James Struck A Nerve, But He's More Right Than Wrong.
CANESFAN SATISFACTION METER: G10: Results are certified in the latest Canesfan Satisfaction Meter postgame poll, and they show 12.6 percent overall approval -- the combination of "very" and "somewhat" satisfied votes -- in the wake of Saturday night's 27-21 UM loss at Georgia Tech putting Miami's season record at 5-5 overall and 2-4 in the ACC. The CSM is your invitation after every Canes football game -- no matter the result or opponent -- to vote on your overall satisfaction with the team and season in a continuing weekly gauge of how UM football fans are feeling. Criteria for voting is your own, but I suggest you consider the most recent game's performance and caliber of opponent, the season as a whole, the program's direction and your overall degree of optimism -- all in the context of reasonable expectations. Results are certified official the morning after one full day of voting. In this case that was around 8:30 a.m. today/Monday. (The CSM also takes place on my Twitter site @gregcote. The approval there was 21%).
2018 CSM game-by game results
G1: 9.2% following 33-17 loss to LSU.
G2: 73.8% following 77-0 victory vs. Savannah State.
G3: 76.7% following 49-24 victory at Toledo.
G4: 84.0% following 31-17 victory vs. FIU.
G5: 98.7% following 47-10 victory vs. North Carolina.
G6: 91.1% following 28-27 victory vs. FSU.
G7: 13.0% following 16-13 loss at Virginia.
G8: 7.8% following 27-14 loss at Boston College.
G9: 12.1% following 20-12 loss vs. Duke.
G10: 12.6% following 27-21 loss at Georgia Tech.
Next poll: Nov. 17 following game at Virginia Tech.
G10: @GEORGIA TECH 27, HURRICANES 21: UM DROPS 4TH STRAIGHT:Postgame thoughts: Ugh. Three turnovers. Dumb penalties. And a fourth straight loss. UM now 5-8 in its last 13 games under Mark Richt. N'Kosi Perry was OK tonight. The defense wasn't terrible. Mistakes killed UM ..... Original post: The stakes? With both teams at 5-4, only the winner here becomes bowl-eligible, and only the winner keeps at least some semblance of hope (against odds) of still winning the ACC Coastal and reaching the conference title game. That seems far-fetched right now, of course, especially for the Canes. The two teams are aimed in opposite directions. Miami carries the weight and burden of a three-game losing streak into tonight's 7 o'clock game in Atlanta, while Georgia Tech has won two in a row, both on the road. That and the home field are why the Yellow Jackets are favored, albeit by a modest 2 1/2 points. UM's desperation for a win is underlined by the fact next week's game at Virginia Tech will be another huge challenge and loss-threat. In other words, if the Canes fall tonight, they'd be realistically facing the school's first five-game in-season losing streak since 1977. But that's getting ahead. The challenge tonight: Finding some offense. UM hasn't scored more than 14 points in a game in over a month as neither Malik Rosier nor N'Kosi Perry has been successful. Mark Richt's latest coin flip landed on Perry, who is to start tonight. The other major task for The U: Contain Tech's vaunted triple-option ground game, which leads the nation averaging 377 rushing yards per game. UM's defense must win the early downs and force Tech to pass, which the Jackets hate to do. Why I like the Canes to end their losing streak with an upset tonight: It isn't that I trust Perry or the offense. Manny Diaz's defense will win this game. UM leads the nation in tackles for loss and is well suited to disrupt or at least limit what Tech does best. GT also is prone to sloppiness, with nine turnovers in their four losses, and forcing those is sort of what Miami's D does. Also, Miami has won eight of past nine meetings in this series including three of the past four in Atlanta. My pick: Upset! Hurricanes 27-23.
OTHER STATE COLLBALL: There are seven FBS-level college teams in Florida. Here's chronological Week 11 schedule for the rest (all Saturday):
No. 12 UCF (9-0) beats Navy (2-8), 35-24: Knights, headed for AAC title game, were 25 1/2-point favorites but coasted on autopilot vs. overmatched Midshipmen.
No. 15 Florida (7-3) beats South Carolina (5-4), 35-31: Gators off two straight losses were modest 6-point Swamp favorites and needed to rally and score game's final 21 points to survive.
FAU (5-5) beats Western Kentucky (1-9), 34-15: Lane Kiffin's Owls were 3-touchdown betting picks but needed big second half to win.
FIU (7-3) beats UTSA (3-7), 45-7:ButchCats, still fighting to reach C-USA title game, were 10 1/2-point road faves and crushed it at Texas-San Antonio.
Cincinnati (9-1) beats South Florida (7-3), 35-23: Sinking Bulls have now dropped three in a row, giving up 133 points in the process.
No. 3 Notre Dame (10-0) beats FSU (4-6), 42-13: Noles have now lost three straight. Backup QB? NO problem for Irish as they solidify hold on College Football Playoff.
Week 11 national Top 25 matchups (4): No. 10 Ohio State beats No. 18 Michigan State, 26-6; 1-Alabama beats 16-Mississippi State, 24-0; 5-Georgia beats 24-Auburn, 27-10; and 2-Clemson beats 17-Boston College, 27-7.
POLL RESULT: LANDSLIDE SAY NO DOLPHINS IN PLAYOFFS: We asked very simply, yes or no, will the 5-4 Miami Dolphins make the playoffs? Your answer: 84.75 percent no, 15.25% yes. Ouch.
