GREG COTE'S RANDOM EVIDENCE BLOG: MIAMI. SPORTS. AND BEYOND.
1) It is TUESDAY, MAY 24. A happy 75th birthday today to an American music and cultural icon, Bob Dylan (pictured right). 2) I want to be Ichiro when I grow up. 3) Thank you, Bahamas and Royal Caribbean, for a wonderful weekend family cruise! The six of us had a terrific time. The photo at left was taken by me on Sunday; click on it to see a larger version. I would be remiss of course to not also thank my new best friend, a local named Kalik. Kalik Beer. 4) In The Previous Blogpost (ITPB): Gauging Dolfans' optimism with poll, Hot Button Top 10, your verdict on ESPN, woman chooses death over Trump or Clinton & more. 5) Join us on Twitter @gregcote. Also Facebook, Instagram, Vine, Periscope and Snapchat.
More signs nobody believes in Dolphins: Vegas NFL divisional odds are out today (via Bovada), and for the AFC East it's Patriots a huge favorite at 5-11, Bills and Jets both 21-4, and Dolphins the longshot at 8-1. Meantime this new list calls the Dolphins the fifth-most dysfunctional team in the NFL. Cue buoyant "We're No. 5!" chant.
"Yes, we have. We have reached a point where something Stephen A. Smith says, vaguely and speculatively, about LeBron James maybe somebody returning to Miami, passes as news that is regurgitated by other media. Pretty amazing when you think about." --Greg Cote
Thank you, LeBron. Thank you, Draymond: Those two sports videos-gone-viral over the weekend -- first of LeBron James' Flop and then of Draymond Green's Kick -- are why the Internet was invented, and also some of why you're probably still watching the NBA playoffs even if your team is out of the running. These are the dog days for pro sports in South Florida, with no Heat or Panthers left, the Dolphins pretending like May practices are important and the Marlins sunk back to mediocrity. So thanks, LeBron and Draymond, for keeping us interested. Click on The LeBron & Draymond Follies for my latest column.
SOUTH FLORIDA AWARDED 2019-SEASON SUPER BOWL. HOW MUCH DO YOU CARE?: In Charlotte, N.C. today NFL owners vote to award the 2019-season Super Bowl -- to be held in February 2020 -- to South Florida and the renovated Dolphins stadium. That's Super Bowl 54, or LIV for our Roman friends. Other competing cities were Los Angeles, Atlanta, Tampa and New Orleans. This obviously is a huge day for Greater Miami civic leaders embodied by the South Florida Super Bowl Host Committee, and also for Dolphins owner Stephen Ross as he (finally) justified his great personal expenditure on stadium improvements. I wonder, though, if hosting a Super Bowl is as important, or important at all, to South Floridians. To Dolphins fans. And you know what happens when I wonder. A poll happens! Take in a dip in our poll, say which answer most reflects how you feel, and check back often to monitor evolving results.
SPECIAL K: MARLINS' STANTON ON RECORD STRIKEOUT PACE: Giancarlo Stanton, the Marlins' $325 Million Man, is on pace to challenge 40 home runs, with 11 just past the season's quarter mark. That's the good news. That bad news? Just about everything else. He is batting .213 after Monday night's home win and had struck out 60 times in 42 games (1.43 per game) entering today. If he continues at that pace the remainder of the year his final strikeout total would be 229 -- an all-time major league single-season record. Stanton's current projected total compared to players who have struck out 200 or more times in a season:
Player, Team Year K's Per game
Giancarlo Stanton, Marlins 2016 229 1.43
Mark Reynolds, D'backs 2009 223 1.44
Adam Dunn, White Sox 2012 222 1.47
Chris Carter, Astros 2013 212 1.43
Mark Reynolds, D'backs 2010 211 1.46
Chris Davis, Orioles 2015 208 1.30
Drew Stubbs, Reds 2011 205 1.30
Mark Reynolds, D'backs 2008 204 1.34
Note: Marlins' current season record is held by Preston Wilson with 187 strikeouts (1.16 per) in 2000.
Poll result: Dolfans slightly more optimistic on 2016 Dolphins than Las Vegas: The Vegas betting over/under on Miami wins is 7. Yours is 8.1 -- slightly above .500 but likely not a playoff number -- based on an aggregate of votes in our recent poll. The breakdown: 10 or more wins 12.8 percent; 9 wins 31.4%; 8 wins 27.9%; 7 wins 13.3%; and 6 or fewer wins 14.6%. Although 9 wins was the most popular vote, the average of all votes cast was 8.145.
TWEAKING TRUMP, NORWAY-STYLE: Sign outside a Norwegian Mexican restaurant. The joke feels so five-months-ago to us, perhaps, but I like seeing American politics reflected around the world.
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GREG COTE'S RANDOM EVIDENCE BLOG: MIAMI. SPORTS. AND BEYOND.
1) It is THURSDAY, MARCH 17. Happy St. Patrick's Day! 2) In The Previous Blogpost (ITPB): Why Hurricanes' NCAA path isn't that scary, March Madness betting odds, tourney's worst teams academically, Hot Button Top 10, Year of the Rat remembered, Dolfans' free agency verdict & more. 3) Join us on Twitter @gregcote. Also on Facebook, Instagram, Vine, Periscope -- and now newly on Snapchat, too, @upsetbird2.
THE MARCH MADNESS PREDICTOR POLL: The four little play-in games are done, now, today, the real NCAA Tournament starts -- including Miami Hurricanes opening vs. big underdog Buffalo at 6:50 p.m. So, who wins it all? I have listed here, alphabetically, the nine teams that are either top-2 seeds or better than 20-to-1 in the betting odds. Vote for the the one team you think is most likely to be champion. Not the team you want to win, but the team you think will win:
OH NO! IT'S BACK! IT'S OUR 11TH ANNUAL MARCH MADNESS HAIKU CHALLENGE!: The entries are pouring in -- a veritable torrent -- but which I mean we have several ao far. We've done this as long as we've had this blog and it is back for tradition's sake and by unpopular demand. I say unpopular because many of you are intimidated by this contest, or simply do not agree that nothing captures America's mania over the NCAA Tournament and bracketeering better than ancient Japanese short-form poetry. I do not do this for the masses, but for the select, chosen few who await the contest every year with relish. It's sort of like a restaurant menu that offers liver. Few like it, but the few who do love it. You may know that a haiku is a 17-syllable poem. (Not 16! Not 18!) Ideally it's in 5-7-5 structure but we're loose with that. Rhyming is OK but not necessary.
Three simple but hard-fast rules:
1. If your poem is 17 syllables exactly and it's about the NCAA Tournament/March Madness/college hoops, it's a valid entry.
2. You may submit entries ONLY one of two ways: In this blog's 'Comments' section below, or via email to [email protected]. (No Twitter entries please!!). You may enter as many haikus as you wish.
3. Entries close Friday (today) at noon, with the winner to be announced later Friday.
Prize, you ask? I dunno, maybe a Dolphins media guide? A chance to visit the Dan LeBatard ShowWith Stugotz on a Tuesday we're in-studio? We'll figure something out. In any case, do it for the sheer glory and to flex your creativity, not for the prize. OK, ready? Get the mind revving. The entry window has banged open. Haiku!
MY BRACKET: I have Kansas and North Carolina in the Final Four (no surprise), but against two opponents who'd be huge surprises to get that far. My FF has Kansas beating Texas A&M and UNC beating Iowa State. I have the Miami Hurricanes getting to the Elite Eight before bowing to the Jayhawks. We'll update you daily on how our bracket is doing. Got three out of four right in the play-in games. Our winners in today's/Thursday's 16 games games are, in order of tip-off times: Duke, Butler, UConn, Iowa State, Baylor, Virginia, Kansas, Purdue, Miami, Indiana, North Carolina, Utah, Arizona, Kentucky, Providence and Gonzaga.
THE LIST: NCAA TOURNAMENT RESULTS BY STATE SCHOOLS: NCAA Tournament men's Division 1 basketball, listed by number of appearances/invites:
Team Apps. Games Record Last Best result
Florida Gators 19 59 42-17 2014 National champions 2006, '07
Florida State Seminoles 14 29 15-14 2012 National championship runnerup 1972
GREG COTE'S RANDOM EVIDENCE BLOG: MIAMI. SPORTS. AND BEYOND.
1) It is SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 27. A website called VIP Concierge is selling tickets to Sunday's most exclusive Oscar parties. Highest price I saw was $6,450 to get into Elton John's annual viewing dinner and after-party. For that price, the ticket should include an Academy Award. 2) The Previous Blogpost (ITPB): Gronk Party Ship with poll, Marlins open spring training, legend of Snowflake Nelson, Joey Bats, thanks Jeb Bush & more. 2) Join us on Twitter @gregcote. Also on Facebook, Instagram, Vineand Periscope.
Heat sign Johnson: Team made it official at 7 p.m. this evening: Heat as expected have signed former all-star guard Joe Johnson.
SPORTS BLOG VEERS OUTSIDE ITS LANE, ANNOYS READERS WITH PRESIDENTIAL POLL:"STICK TO SPORTS, MORON!!" OK I get it. Many of you hate when my (mostly) sports blog delves into politics. That's OK. I'm done explaining that this is a wide-ranging blog exploring all of my interests, which include sports, music, food, politics and et cetera. Besides, if I have ever met anyone who is only a sports fan, that is not someone I really wish to know, quite frankly. We'll get back to sports shortly. For now, hey, I'm a presidential-politics junkie, the main race has winnowed to seven major remaining candidates, the Florida primary is fast approaching -- and those are reasons enough to get a pulse-read on how our blog readers might be feeling heading into all-important March. What? Oh, you still insist on a sports tie? OK, Trump's name is on Doral. How's that? By the way did anyone else watch the Republican debate last night? What a fascinating brawl among Trump, Rubio and Cruz, the Big 3. Poor Kasich and Carson may as well been potted plants. Anyway, it should go without saying this is anything but a scientific poll. It's just for fun. And because I'm curious. I actually care what the people who visit this blog might be thinking. Purposely I have not included a category for undecided, don't-like-any-of-them or "other," a.k.a. the wasted-vote repository of minor-party candidates. I'm offering only the remaining major candidates who might actually win, and offering a chance to state your preference if you choose. That's all. The poll is arranged alphabetically. God Bless America!
ON 'SEASIDE EATS' AND ROBERT IRVINE: When I probably should have been watching the Heat-Warriors game last night I was pleased to instead be attending Seaside Eats at the Bonnet House in Fort Lauderdale, a satellite event to the South Beach Wine & Food Festival benefiting FIU's School of Hospitality & Tourism Management. There were open bars, dozens of local chefs with mostly seafood-themed treats from area restaurants and ... did I mention open bars? Best bite I had was either the giant seared scallop (I forget the restaurant) or the sour cream confection from Dandee Donuts. My God! The event was hosted by celebrity television chef Robert Irvine, the buffed Brit who looks like he might be in trouble if the Food Network suddenly instituted steroid testing. Oy! I took the photo at right, standing close enough to squeeze Irvine' biceps had I been so inclined. Irvine exudes the same apparent big ego in person that he does on shows ,like Restarant Impossible: but is playful with it as when he was addressing a boisterous (read: drunk) crowd last night and interrupted himself to boom, "Be quiet! I'm talking!" Fun night. Quick aside: Irvine's second wife is professional wrestler Gail Kim, left. That's a lot of testosterone under one roof.
Poll result: Most would not like a Gronk Party Ship surprise: We asked if you would feel closer to lucky or annoyed to book a cruise and be surprised to learn you were aboard Rob Gronkowski's "Gronk Party Ship." The vote was 60.2 percent annoyed vs. 39.8% lucky.
THE LIST: MARLINS' PLAYOFF PAUCITY: The fewest playoff appearances by the 122 NFL, NBA, MLB and NHL teams since 1993, the Marlins's first season, is two, by these eight teams, listed from most recent postseason appearance to most distant:
Team PO apps.
Kansas City Royals MLB 2014, 2015
Winnipeg Jets-* NHL 2007, 2015
Toronto Blue Jays MLB 1993, 2015
Washington Nationals MLB 2012, 2014
Columbus Blue Jackets NHL 2009, 2014
Milwaukee Brewers MLB 2008, 2011
Miami Marlins MLB 1997, 2003
Cleveland Browns-* NFL 1994, 2002
*-Note: Jets only have been a franchise since 1999-00 season. Browns did not play in 1996-98.
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GREG COTE'S RANDOM EVIDENCE BLOG: MIAMI. SPORTS. AND BEYOND.
1) It is THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 11. In The Previous Blogpost: Should-Heat-retire-Shaq's-number poll, Miami Jackson's historic move, "Omahallelujah" (ode to Peyton), Super Bore 50, Canes' All-ACC brainiacs & more. 4) Follow us on Twitter @gregcote. Also on Facebook, Instagram, Vineand Periscope.
On Pat Riley's late-career imperative: Today's latest column by me is a reckoning of Pat Riley's career and Heat legacy as he nears his 71st birthday. I touch on the significance of his decision to retire Shaquille O'Neal's number and explore whether Riley has one last hurrah -- one more NBA title -- in him, and how his decision on Hassan Whiteside's future will weigh on that. Click on Riley's Last Push to read.
HEAT PLAYERS AMONG NBA'S ALL-TIME TOP 100, AND HOW MUCH OF THEM ARE "OURS": Lists-mad ESPN just named the NBA's all-time top 100 players (full list here) and seven of them (not bad!) have worn a Heat uniform. Here are the seven in order, and what percentage of their career NBA games (including playoffs) were or have been spent playing for Miami:
No. 3 LeBron James: 33.42% (and falling) -- James in 2010-14 played 381 games for Miami, of the 1,140 in career thus far.
No. 9 Shaquille O'Neal: 17.22% -- O'Neal played 245 games for Heat in 2004-07, of a career total of 1,423.
No. 27 Dwyane Wade: 100% -- D.Wade (pictured) has played all 983 of his career games, and counting, for Miami.
No. 45 Gary Payton: 11.69% -- Payton played 1,489 total games, and 174 were for the Heat to end his career in 2005-07.
No. 50 Ray Allen: 13.26% -- Allen ended career in Miami in 2012-14, playing 195 of his 1,471 total games for the Heat.
No. 65 Alonzo Mourning: 72.35% -- Zo played 675 of his 933 career games for Miami, in 1995-2002 and in 2004-08.
No. 86 Chris Bosh: 47.05% (and rising) -- With the Heat since 2010, Bosh as of now has played 462 of 982 career games for Miami.
Bottom line: Wade is all ours. Claiming rights to Zo are strong. Bosh will tip up over the 50% mark for Miami in the 2016 playoffs or early next season. And we had a substantial minority share of LeBron. The other three were glorified career rentals for Miami, although Shaq and Allen see their place in club history magnified by their role in winning a championship. Wade's 983 career games, by the way, rank sixth among active players who have played their entire career for one franchise, trailing only Tim Duncan/Spurs (1,610), Kobe Bryant/Lakers (1,545), Dirk Nowitzki/Mavericks (1,454), Tony Parker/Spurs (1,259) and Manu Ginobli/Spurs (1,095). Also of note: Three other Miami-related figures make ESPN's all-time top 100: No. 37 Rick Barry was of course one of the Miami Hurricanes' first stars; No. 52 Bob McAdoo was a Heat assistant coach in 1995-2014; and No. 88 Billy Cunningham was among the Heat's founding minority owners from 1988-94.
Poll result: Approval for retiring Shaq's jersey, but it's hardly overwhelming: Shaquille O'Neal remains a somewhat polarizing figure in Miami. We asked and 55.4 percent agreed with the Heat's decision to retire his No. 32 uniform number and raise it to the arena rafters. But another 38.3% said no, and the other 6.3% were undecided. Interestingly (at least to me), the percentages were running against Shaq when the poll started out in my blog only, but shifted in his favor when the poll began running concurrently elsewhere in MiamiHerald.com.
DOLPHINS' TWO-ROUND MOCK DRAFT: Via Sports Illustrated today, it is projected Miami's first-round draft pick in April at No. 8 overall will be Florida Gators cornerback Vernon Hargreaves, pictured (I could see that pick), and that the Dolphins' second-round pick (42nd overall) will be Kansas State guard/tackle Cody Whitehair. So there. Take that, Kiper!
THE LIST: MARLINS CAREER HOME-RUN LEADERS: To whet the appetite for spring training, for which Marlins players report late next week, here are the club's all-time Top 10 home run hitters:
Player Homers Years
Giancarlo Stanton 181 2010-current
Dan Uggla 154 2006-10
Hanley Ramirez 148 2006-12
Mike Lowell 143 1999-05
Miguel Cabrera 138 2003-07
Derrek Lee 129 1998-03
Gary Sheffield 122 1993-98
Jeff Conine 120 1993-97, '03-05
Cliff Floyd 110 1997-02
Preston Wilson 104 1998-02
Note: Marcell Ozuna, tied for 24th place with 36 homers, is second among active Marlins after Stanton.
BLASPHEMY! CHOCOLATE BUNNIES UNDER SIEGE: Not sure if this rises to the level meriting one of my "Back In My Day" radio-TV rants, but I find it mildly annoying nonetheless, and timely as Easter fast approaches. The bunny once stood alone in the animal kingdom when it came to chocolate treats for Easter. The Easter bunny! Now? As visual evidence presented here verifies, other chocolate animals -- in this case a sheep and a duckling, apparently -- are now infiltrating the bunny's holiday domain. Folks, I know there are greater, larger causes to get behind. Global warming, for example. But mustn't the small battles be fought, too? Reject as anti-American and perhaps anti-Christian those interloping, infiltrating chocolate animals that would blatantly denigrate a hallowed tradition. Stand with the chocolate Easter bunny!
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GREG COTE'S RANDOM EVIDENCE BLOG: MIAMI. SPORTS. AND BEYOND.
1) It is THURSDAY, DECEMBER 31. Happy New Year's Eve, all. Make it a safe one. Lots of amateur drinkers out tonight. 2) Panthers have won seven straight hockey games. ICYMI, click on Surging Cats for my recent column. 3) Brent Grimes' "apology" for his wife slamming Ryan Tannehill was pretty tepid. And still no apology from Miko. 4) In The Previous Blogpost (ITPB): Open letter to Miko Grimes, hot Panthers relevant again, NFL pix 'n Greg's Lobos Week 16 results & more. 5) Follow us on Twitter @gregcote. Also on Facebook, Instagram, Vineand Periscope.
Landry, Jones share Dolphins MVP award: Receiver/returner Jarvis Landry and strong safety Reshad Jones split Dolphins' MVP award announced today. Hate ties, but both are legit choices. That neither Ryan Tannehill nor Ndamukong Suh won says much about why Miami is 5-10 and looking for a new coach.
ORANGE BOWL/CFP SEMIFINAL: CLEMSON 37, OKLAHOMA 17 (Final): Clemson proved it had no business being the betting underdog in this College Football Playoff semifinal, winning all over the field in a 37-17 domination of favored Oklahoma. The Tigers won where it gets physical, rushing for 312 yards and limiting OU to 67. The Sooners averaged 52 points its previous seven games but was shut out in the second half Thursday. Clemson impressed more than Oklahoma disappointed on this New year's Eve. Click on Clemson Turns Disrespect Into Orange Storm for my column from the stadium on tonight's game. ..... Original post: To the sport, it's a College Football Playoff semifinal in the new era's second year. To Miami, it's the 82nd Orange Bowl, the continuation of a tradition conceived in the 1930s to draw attention and boost tourism. To the No. 1 Clemson Tigers and No. 4 Oklahoma Sooners, it's the win they need to reach the Jan. 11 championship game in Glandale, Ariz., vs. tonight's Alabama-Michigan State Cotton Bowl winner. Click on Miami Sets the Stage for my column previewing the game. Expect fireworks from two quarterbacks who combined for 65 touchdown passes this season. Clemson, though unbeaten and top-ranked, is a betting underdog; the buzz is that Oklahoma is right-now better. I don't buy it. My pick: Clemson 34-31.
YOU PICK THE 2015 NATIONAL SPORTS STORY OF THE YEAR: Welcome to our annual year-ending blog vote. The top 10 stories in our poll are not mine; they are from The Associated Press official annual ranking for the calendar year. I list them alphabetically, not in order, so as not to prejudice the jury. I want this to be your independent vote and not influenced by The AP's rank. I am purposely not including a synopsis of each story, figuring that if the ballot phrase alone is not sufficient, chances are the story mustn't have been that big or important to you. VOTE FOR YOUR TOP THREE and check back to monitor evolving results. And remember, this is a national list, so please consider your vote in that broad context. We'll ask your vote on the top 10 Greater Miami/South Florida sports stories of 2015 in the coming days. For now, let's go nationwide. Ready? Go!
Vote for the top three (3) biggest stories:
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GREG COTE'S RANDOM EVIDENCE BLOG: MIAMI. SPORTS. AND BEYOND.
1) It is TUESDAY, DECEMBER 15. I talked Dolphins on NBC Sports' Kate Delaney Show. Click here for the podcast. 2) In The Previous Blogpost (ITPB): Hot Button Top 10, dwindling faith in Tannehill quantified & more. 3) Follow us on Twitter @gregcote. Also on Facebook, Instagram, Vineand Periscope.
Dolphins at 50: My latest column: I attended Friday night's lavish Dolphins 50th Anniversary gala in Hollywood and it informs my latest Sunday column on how this franchise is so much better at celebrating its past than it is creating new glory days for its fans. Click on Yesterday Is Great, But What About Tomorrow to read it in full.
DOLFAN SATISFACTION METER: G13: 6.2%: Results are certified in the latestDolfan Satisfaction Meter postgame poll, and they show 6.2 percent overall satisfaction -- the combination of "very" and "somewhat" satisfied votes -- in the wake of Monday night's 31-24 home loss to the New York Giants putting Miami's season record at 5-8. The DSM, in its eighth year, is a continuous weekly gauge of how fans are feeling about the Dolphins and their 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 day after one full day of voting. In this case that was around 8:30 a.m. today/Wednesday.
2015 DSM Results
Game 1: 31.0% (following 17-10 victory at Washington)
Game 2: 1.7% (following 23-20 loss at Jacksonville)
Game 3: 18.0% (following 41-14 loss vs. Buffalo)
Game 4: 2.7% (following 27-14 loss vs. N.Y Jets in London)
Game 5: 92.0% (following 38-10 victory at Tennessee)
Game 6: 96.1% (following 44-26 victory vs. Houston)
Game 7: 32.4% (following 36-7 loss at New England)
Game 8: 4.8% (following 33-17 loss at Buffalo)
Game 9: 44.6% (following 20-19 victory at Philadelphia)
Game 10: 3.8% (following 24-14 loss vs. Dallas)
Game 11: 3.7% (following 38-20 loss at N.Y. Jets)
Game 12: 17.3% (following 15-13 victory vs. Baltimore)
Game 13: 6.2% (following 31-24 loss to N.Y. Giants)
Next poll: Dec. 20 (following game at San Diego)
G13: N.Y. GIANTS 31, DOLPHINS 24: Monday Night Football as a TV franchise isn't what it used to be, but then neither are the Giants or Dolphins, so who's complaining. On MNF you still have the national stage to yourself, to shine or be embarrassed, and these are two 5-7 teams desperate to shine. Tonight should see an emotional, big-event atmosphere worthy of the prime-time stage in Miami despite both teamsโ mediocrity โ the Dolphins with a negligible playoff shot, the Giants more so only because they luck to be in the stinky NFC East. The Fins will culminate the franchiseโs 50th anniversary celebration by introducing its 50 all-time greatest players at halftime. (Thatโs a lot of ceremony crammed into a short period of time. Some of those old-timers are gonna be moving faster than they have in years.) Adding to the evening's special, "event" feel: The Giants havenโt played here since 1996, the first year post-Shula. The anniversary festivities should make for an electric crowd and accentuated home-field edge, even as the occasion reminds forlorn Dolfans that the good olโ days are getting older all the time as the modern-day Fins slog toward what looks to be a seventh consecutive season out of the playoffs. I see the current Dolphins rising to the occasion tonight, especially Ryan Tannehill against what might be the NFLโs worst pass defense. Odell Beckham is more celebrated than his former college teammate Jarvis Landry, but Landry could put up Beckham-esque numbers as Tom Coughlinโs grip on his Biggies future continues to loosen. Upset! Sort of. Still not quite sure why NYG is a slight favorite. My pick: Dolphins, 27-23.
THE LIST: GIANTS-DOLPHINS A RARE TREAT: Last night marked only the teams' eighth all-time meeting. Miami has played the Giants less than any other franchise that has been around as long as the Dolphins. The eight meetings:
Date Result MIA coach/QB NYG coach/qb
12-10-72 Mia 23, @ Giants 13 Don Shula/Earl Morrall Alex Webster/Norm Snead
9-23-90 @ Giants 20, Mia 3 Shula/Dan Marino Bill Parcells/Phil Simms
12-5-93 Giants 19, @ Mia 14 Shula/Steve DeBerg Dan Reeves/Simms
12-8-96 Giants 17, @ Mia 7 Jimmy Johnson/Marino Reeves/Dave Brown
10-5-03 Mia 23, @ Giants 10 Dave Wannstedt/Jay Fiedler Jim Fassel/Kerry Collins
10-28-07 Giants 13, Mia 10 (London) Cam Cameron/Cleo Lemon Tom Coughlin/Eli Manning
10-30-11 @ Giants 20, Mia 17 Tony Sparano/Matt Moore Coughlin/Manning
12-14-15 Giants 31, @ Mia 24 Dan Campbell/Ryan Tannehill Coughlin/Manning
NFL PIX 'N GREG'S LOBOS FANTASY: WEEK 14:We update you briefly every Tuesday on how we did the previous NFL weekend with our published predictions and with our two Greg's Lobos fantasy teams: Pix: Meh. Not terrible: Another 9-7 record overall still isn't great but we're marginally OK with 8-7-1 against the spread (Colts-Jags was off the board when we picked). Bull's-eyed our Upset of the Week with Steelers over Bengals ("Aawwk!") and also had a pair of 'dogs-with-points in Saints and Chargers. Greg's Lobos / family league: Big win but too late: The original Lobos won our regular-season finale 162-110 led by Odell Beckham's big 36 points, but ended 5-9 to miss the championship-round playoffs by three games. Greg's Lobos / radio-show league: Winning but too late: The LeBatard Show Lobos are leading Dan 77.4 to 56.8 in our two-week consolation round playoffs. But all that matters now is that, in the championship matchup, Charlie leads Mike 144.7 to 138.3 entering next weekend's Lobos Bowl grand finale.
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GREG COTE'S RANDOM EVIDENCE BLOG: MIAMI. SPORTS. AND BEYOND.
1) It is FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 20. The atrocity was one week ago. PRAY FOR PARIS, AND FOR PEACE ON EARTH. 2) In The Previous Blogpost (ITPB): Larranaga's winning stewardship of UM hoops, Dolphins' playoff chances, cheetah forecasts Homestead winner, David Beckham, SOPY standings, NFL Week 10 'n Greg's Lobos fantasy results & more. 3) Follow us on Twitter @gregcote. Also on Facebook, Instagram, Vine and Periscope.
PULSE READ: WHO SHOULD BE HURRICANES' NEXT FOOTBALL COACH?: UM athletic director Blake James didn't ask for your help but let's give it to him anyway as his hired search firm, Korn Ferry, sets out to present James a list of contenders to replace the dismissed Al Golden next season. Our ballot below includes seven alphabetically listed contenders. They include four men with Canes ties (Rob Chudzinski, Mario Cristobal, Butch Davis and Greg Schiano); the current interim coach (Larry Scott); and two guys who'd be intriguing possibilities if they part ways with their current teams (Mark Richt and Charlie Strong). Our poll also includes the occasionally very popular Someone Else. Who, right now, do you most support as next Canes coach? Vote and say why.
PUTTING HASSAN WHITESIDE'S SHOT-BLOCKING IN HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE: Hassan Whiteside, the Heat's one-man SWAT Team, has 50 blocks in 11 games this season, impressive on its own. Break it down further and per 48 minutes, he is averaging 7.57. That's blocks per full game. His career average per 48 minutes is now 5.74 blocks. I wondered how that compared to the NBA's most prolific shot-blockers of all-time so I crunched the numbers. Here is how Whiteside ranks among the league's Top 12 in total blocked shots. I list them in order of blocks-per-48-minutes (BP48M), with their rank in total blocks in parentheses. The word is impressive:
Player BP48M
Mark Eaton (5) 5.84
HASSAN WHITESIDE 5.74
Tree Rollins (10) 5.08
Alonzo Mourning (12) 4.35
Dikembe Mutombo (2) 4.29
Hakeem Olajuwon (1) 4.16
David Robinson (7) 4.14
Patrick Ewing (8) 3.42
Artis Gilmore (4) 3.24
Shaquille O'Neal (9) 3.13
Tim Duncan (6) 3.08
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (3) 2.66
Robert Parish (11) 2.48
UPSET BIRD DAY: DOLPHINS/NFL WEEK 11 PICKS:Coming off a predictions week that, like the Washington team's nickname is probably best not mentioned, we got off to a strong Week 11 start last night, nailing the Jaguars' win both outright and against the spread. Click on Week 11 Gems for all of our latest picks and full prediction capsules. Highlights: Dolphins get huge home win over Tony Romo and Dallas; Arizona beats Cincy in Game of the Week; and it's Chargers over Chiefs in our Upset of the Week. ("Aawwk!"). Also, click on Upheaval Takes the Snap for my latest weekly Friday Page NFL notes column, leading with the leaguewide tumult at the quarterback position. Here, Ryan Tannehill in his fourth season hasn't made a Pro Bowl or the playoffs yet, but give him this: He gives Miami stability most teams don't enjoy. Tanny starts his 58th consecutive game Sunday. Only nine other teams, of 32, have had "perfect attendance" at the QB posotion with the same starter in every game since 2012.
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GREG COTE'S RANDOM EVIDENCE BLOG: MIAMI. SPORTS. AND BEYOND.
1) It is MONDAY, OCTOBER 5: In The Previous Blogpost (ITPB): Canes lose in Cincy and CSM poll, NFL Week 4 picks, locals teams in 'Ultimate Standings,' D.Wade on fashion, 'Marlins Man' motives & more. 2) Follow us on Twitter @gregcote. Also on Facebook, Instagram, Vine and Periscope.
Live in-game blog, postgame thoughts: Find them boht directly beneath the new DSM poll.
DOLFAN SATISFACTION METER: G4: Results are certified in the latest Dolfan Satisfaction Meter postgame poll, and they show 2.7 percent overall satisfaction (a combination of "very" and "somewhat" satisfied votes) in the wake of Sunday's 27-14 loss to the New York Jets in London putting Miami's season record at 1- 3. The DSM, in its eighth year, is a continuous weekly gauge of how fans are feeling about the Dolphins and their 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 4:30 p.m. today/Monday.
2015 DSM Results
Game 1: 31.0% (following 17-10 victory at Washington)
Game 2: 1.7% (following 23-20 loss at Jacksonville)
Game 3: 18.0% (following 41-14 loss vs. Buffalo)
Game 4: 2.7% (following 27-14 loss vs. N.Y Jets in London)
Next DSM poll: Oct. 18 (following game at Tennessee)
G4: DOLPHINS VS. JETS IN LONDON:FINAL: Miserable. The final score makes the Dolphins loss seem almost respectable, but it was not. Miami trailed throughout, could not run the ball, could not protect Tannehill, could not stop the run. It was a fundamental ass-kicking arising from domination of both Miami lines. Jarvis Landry had a positive impact. Nobody else showed up. I am not sure if this will save Joe Philbin's job with the team 1-3 after three straight bad losses and the bye week up next. ..... Fourth Q: Tanny picked in end zone on ball Jordan Cameron might have caught. Turn out the lights. The London party's over. ... Kenny Stills 33-yard catch. MIA still has a pulse, but a faint one, at 2-minute warning. ... Derrick Shelby fumble recovery for MIA with 3:51 left is overturned on review. That'll do it. ... Miami had 1st and goal at NYJ 2 with chance to still win this game. Instead, Tanny picked off in end zone by Darrelle Revis when Landry slips and falls with 5 minutes left. ... DeVante Parker flagged for offensive pass interference to negate TD toss to Landry. ... Another one. Jets penalties really helping Miami. ... The human spark, Landry, with a 24-yard punt return. Do you believe in miracles? ... Tanny to Kenny Stills for 9-yard TD pass and Fins within 27-14. Landry 28-yard punt return sparked the drive. So little has gone right for Miami I thought I'd mention it. ... Dolphins can't win this. All they can do is show a little fight and heart. But will they? ..... Third Q: Zach Bowman interception for Miami D but they make nothing of it and punt. Fins now 0-for-9 on third down conversions. ... Jets miss 41-yard FG. Hey something went right for Miami!! ... No signs of a miracle comeback. ... Miami needed a big stop and didn't get it. Half-opening Jets TD drive makes it 27-7. Getting ugly. ..... Halftime: Ouch. Miami is being dominated, bearing in mind Fins' only TD was abetted by 58 yards in Jets penalties. Dolphins will rally in second half or put Joe Philbin;s job in grave jeopardy. ..... Second Q: Momentum lost. NYJ now up 20-7 just before half on Ryan Fitzpatrick to Eric Decker TD. ... Miami TD then a Jets punt. For first time today Miami has an ounce of momentum. ... MIA within 13-7 on 8-yard scoring pass from Tannehill to the gloriously named Jake Stoneburner. Dolphins benefited from 58 yards in pass-interference penalties against Jets. ... Fins hole now 13-0 after Planes FG. ... Dolphins need one big play in the worst way. A takeaway. Anything. ..... First Q: Big to force that Jets punt. Miami is one big play from getting back in this game. ... At 10-0, Planes, this if fourth straight game Miami has had a double-digits deficit. Slow starts a killer. ... NYJ 7-0 on short Chris Ivory TD run set up by 58-yard pass to Brandon Marshall over Brent Grimes. And yet another early hole for Dolphins. ... Game-opening punt for Miami. Bad sign. Dolphins offense struggling + Jets defense good = not a fortuitous combo for Fins tosay. ..... Original post: You may recall that I wrote from the home loss to Buffalo last week that coaches already on the hot seat sometimes do not survive embarrassing defeats as bad as that one. Well, NFL.com first reported Friday night that -- with a bye week looming -- owner Stephen Ross might fire coach Joe Philbin if today's 9:30 a.m. game vs. the Jets in London produced another dispiriting result. We don't know this to be true, of course. Nobody but Ross knows at the moment. Reports citing anonymous sources must be treated as speculation. And in-season coaching changes rarely spark a dramatic turnaround. But it would make some sense. A loss would make the Dolphins, who expected a playoff season, 1-3 with a third straight defeat. A competitive loss might not cost Philbin his job, but a blowout very well could. Are those enough stakes for you, Dolfan? "Breakfast at Wembley" could completely reshape Philbin's life and this 50th Dolphins season. I don't see a blowout. But I do see a tough matchup for the Dolphins: a struggling offense facing a very stout Jets defense. My pick: Jets, 19-17. (Click on Week 4 Gems for all my latest NFL picks).
HOT BUTTON TOP 10 (OCT. 4): WHAT SOUTH FLORIDA SPORTS FANS ARE TALKING ABOUT: Our blog-exclusive 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:
1. DOLPHINS: Fins fizzle in London, Philbin future in peril: If this was Breakfast at Wembley, the Dolphins just upchucked, losing 27-14 in a game that hated Stinkin' Jets thoroughly dominated. Cannot confirm speculation that, with Miami now 1-3 after a third straight dispiriting loss, coach Joe Philbin faces deportation and may be denied a return to the U.S. Or at least to Miami.
2. HURRICANES: UM tries to shake loss as FSU Week awaits: Thursday nightโs 34-23 loss at Cincinnati turns up heat on UM coach Al Golden as Canes prepare now to visit No. 11 Florida State next Saturday. Few coaches need a positive result more than Golden needs to beat the Noles in Tallahassee โ unless itโs Philbin in London, of course.
3. HEAT: Miami drops first preseason game Sunday: The Heat lost to visiting Charlotte 90-77 here Sunday in its first preseason game and next plays Orlando Wednesday. Chris Bosh looked strong, though. Unfortunately center Hassan Whiteside hasnโt practiced yet because of a strained calf. Hmm. Wait. Didnโt Hassan have about six months to rest and be healthy and ready?
4. MARLINS: Dee Gordon wins batting title as Fish wrap season: Dee Gordon winning the NL batting title and Justin Bour's emergence were highlights but can't sugarcoat a disappointing 91-loss season that ended for Miami Sunday in Philadelphia. A new manager might help. Giancarlo Stanton and Jose Fernandez healthy for a whole season will help more.
5. BASEBALL: MLB postseason begins on Tuesday: Baseball playoffs open with wild-card games Tuesday and Wednesday, followed immediately by the start of the two ALDS and NLDS series. This year the New York Yankees and Mets both made it. So all of America has a rooting-against interest, at least.
6. GATORS: Huge Swamp upset of No. 3 Ole Miss!: Third-ranked Ole Miss and No. 25 Florida gave the Swamp its first Top 25 matchup since 2012 last night, and the ease of Florida's 38-10 win was a stunner. Didn't think that Ole Miss offense could be stopped like that, but The Gator was chompin'.
7. PANTHERS: Cats five days from NHL season opener: Florida has ended its preseason and now commences real hockey at home vs. Philadelphia next Saturday. Many experts see a playoff team. Considering the Panthers have been one of those only once in past 15 years, count the law of averages in Catsโ favor, at least.
8. LIONEL MESSI: Barcelona star out seven-plus weeks: A knee injury will shelve the sublime Barca scoring star almost two months. Although Messi's so good he could go out there in a full body cast and still average two goals a game.
9. NASCAR: Tony Stewart reveals retirement plans: Volatile NASCAR star announced that 2016 would be his final season of racing. Remember when star athletes quietly retired after the fact rather than trumpeting their own year-long, " worship me" farewell tour.
10. JURISPRIDENCE: Court strikes down college-athlete payment plan: A federal appeals court struck down a plan that would have paid NCAA football and basketball players up to $5,000 a year. Thank God. That might have cut into those $12 million coaching salaries!
Missing the cut: WNBA Finals underway ... Jordan Spieth tops golf's richest year ... FIU at Massachusetts ... Pro beach volleyball in Fort Lauderdale ... UM starts basketball practice ... Derrick Rose's latest surgery ... Miami's Ernst "Nono" Jean-Baptiste running for FIFA president ... Miami High vs. Coral Gables, 50 years later.
THE HOT LIST: COLD DOLPHINS STARTS: Say what you will about Ndamukong Suh's low impact or the run defense, but Miami's biggest fundamental, bottom-line issue after three games is a lack of scoring. Its 51 total points rank 27th in the NFL, and only 11 times in the franchise's 50 seasons has Miami scored fewer through three games. Dolphins' worst point totals after three games:
Points Year Record Coach/QB
23 2004 4-12 Wannstedt/Feeley
34 1968 5-8-1 Wilson/Griese
36 2006 6-10 Saban/Culpepper
37 1988 6-10 Shula/Marino
42 1967 4-10 Wilson/Griese
Revisit the blog a lot because we constantly update and add to our latest posts...
GREG COTE'S RANDOM EVIDENCE BLOG: MIAMI. SPORTS. AND BEYOND.
1) It is WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 19. Click on Random Evidence for our latest Sunday notes-column package, leading with UM's Al Golden being ranked No. 1 in a preseason list of college football's "hottest coaching seats." 2) In The Previous Blogpost (ITPB): My Don Shula video, Hot Button Top 10, fashionista Serena, Heat/Christmas verdict & more. 3) Follow us on Twitter @gregcote. Also on Facebook, Instagram, Vine and now Periscope, too.
Delmas out for season: Dolphins safety Louis Delmas will miss the entire 2015 season with a knee injury (torn ACL) sustained in practice, it was announced today. That's a fairly big blow to the defense, but hardly an insurmountable one.
NFL yardage-leader odds: Via Bovada, Andrew Luck is betting favorite to lead NFL in passing yards at 7-2, with Dolphin Ryan Tannehill 33-1 (13th). Adrian Peterson is 7-2 fave to lead in rushing yards, with Miami's Lamar Miller 50-1 (tie 17th). And Antonio Brown is receiving yards pick at 11-2 odds, with Dolphin Jarvis Landry 66-1 (tie 21st).
Con-men and South Florida sports: There's an in-depth piece this week at Grantland.com (click here to read) on how South Florida's hustler culture and engulfed Heat players in financial scams. All of this has been well-covered, but this is a comprehensive overview worth your time.
HERALD'S 'FINS AT 50' SPECIAL PROJECT:The Miami Herald's massive "Fins at 50" coverage commemorating the Dolphins' upcoming 50th season is now online. Click on FINS AT 50 to access the entire project and all of its parts. My contributions: COACHING LEGEND is my column and accompanying video on the great Don Shula. 50 GREATEST is my list of the 50 greatest figures (not just players) in franchise history. ALL-TIME TEAM are my picks for, well, for the Dolphins' all-time team! And VIDEO INTERVIEWS includes my conversations with not only Shula but also with Jason Taylor and Zach Thomas. Enjoy!
GRADING THE FANS: EXAMINING ATTENDANCE FOR SOUTH FLORIDA'S 14 MOST PROMINENT PRO AND COLLEGE TEAMS: We examined the attendance of South Florida's 15 most visible sports teams (five pro, 10 college), compared how it ranks among others in its leagues, and doled out grades out how each team is doing drawing fans. Only two of the 14 earned a better than average grade. Our results:
GRADE A
Miami Heat: Heat averaged 19,712 last season, officially 100.6 percent of capacity. That attendance ranked sixth of 30 NBA teams, even with no LeBron James and a non-playoff team. What Pat Riley has built continues to be a South Florida juggernaut of interest.
GRADE B
Miami Dolphins: The Fins averaged 70,035 per game last season, 92.7 percent of capacity. That attendance ranked 14th of 32 NFL teams. For a franchise that last made the playoffs in 2008 and hasn't won in the postseason since 2000, that isn't bad. An improved team and stadium-makeover both will help.
Miami Hurricanes baseball: Canes averaged 2,738 per game last season, which ranked 27th among NCAA Division I schools. UM was one of only 18 schools to surpass 100,000 (101,296) in total home attendance.
GRADE C
Miami Hurricanes football: The Canes averaged 52,518 per game last season. That ranked 40th of 125 NCAA teams at the premier FBS level. "C" means average, and that is what UM attendance, like the team itself, has become.
Miami Hurricanes men's basketball: UM averaged 5,777 per game last season, 93rd of 344 NCAA Division I teams. Canes under Jim Larranaga have ranged from competitive to quite good and must find way to more consistently fill their modestly-sized (just under 8,000) campus arena.
Fort Lauderdale Strikers: The Strikers averaged 3,626 per game in 2014 (combined spring and fall seasons), which ranked ninth of 10 NASL soccer. But attendnace through seven home games in 2015 has risen to 5,551, ranking seventh of 11 teams.
GRADE D
Miami Marlins: The Marlins are averaging 22,263 this season through 58 of 81 home games, or 59.5 percent of capacity. That attendance ranks 27th of 30 MLB teams. Clearly, the new ballpark has not been a panacea. But this season has been a major disappointment and will mark a sixth straight losing season, which would be debilitating for most any city's attendance.
Miami Hurricanes women's basketball: UM's women averaged 1,254 per game last season, which ranked 113th of 344 NCAA Division I teams. The good news? That's better than 231 others schools did. The bad news? Coach Katie Meier consistently fields a quality product that deserves better.
FAU football: The Owls averaged 14,122 last season, roughly half of the stadium's capacity. That attendance ranked 117th of 125 FBS teams. The nifty little campus stadium that Howard Schnellenberger saw built has not been the fan kick-starter hoped.
GRADE F
FIU football: The Panthers averaged 11,966 last season, about half of capacity. That attendnace ranked 123rd of 125 FBS schools, ahead of only Akron and Ball State. FIU must grow to meet the NCAA's 15,000 standard or risk demotion from the top-tier FBS level.
Florida Panthers: The Cats averaged 11,265 per game last season, 66.1 percent of capacity. That attendance ranked dead last in the NHL, 30th of 30 teams. You can't get lower than that, so shouldn't the grade be rock-bottom, too? I can't see how this franchise can survive long-term in South Florida unless it starts consistently winning and the fan interest jumps commensurately.
FIU men's basketball: Panthers averaged 1,474 per game last season, 268th of 344 Division I men's teams.
FAU men's basketball: Owls averaged 1,346 per game last season, 281st of 344 teams.
FAU women's basketball: Owls women averaged 601 per game last season, 294th of 344 teams.
FIU women's basketball: And playing the caboose, Panthers women averaged 355 per game last season, 310th of 344 teams. That's officially "friends 'n family" territory.
NFL: IF THE BACKUP QB'S WERE STARTERS...: PredictionMachinbe.com, evidently with time on its hands, used its computers to figure how each team's playoff likelihood would change if the No. 2 quarterback were to start all 16 games. The biggest dropoff was New England's minus 54.4 percent from Tom Brady to Jimmy Garoppolo. The least was Jacksonville's plus 2.3% from Blake Bortles to Chad Henne. Miami had a modest 11.4% dropoff from Ryan Tannehill to Matt Moore, which ranked midpack (17th) in the league. It was 52.7% with Tannehill and 41.3% with Moore, who had the third-highest percentage of any backup.
WHY PLAY THE SEASON? HERE'S HOW HEAT WILL FINISH: ESPN.com's eighth annual NBA "Summer Forecast" is out, and its experts panel says Miami will finish fourth in the Eastern Conference at 47-35, after Cleveland (59-23), Chicago (50-32) and Atlanta (50-32). I think that's overestimating the Hawks and think the Heat have a great shot at third. Miami would host fifth place Washington in the first round of the playoffs if the forecast holds true. So there. Why even play the season?
JARVIS LANDRY WANTS TO SAVE YOUR DOG'S LIFE: The Dolphins' second-year receiver has recorded a public-service video for PETA urging you to avoid baking your dog in a closed car. Sounds like good advice! Here it is:
SEMI-HOT MARLINS: In a respite from The Lost Season, a small island in the roiling sea, your Marlins have won five of their past seven games, despite Giancarlo Stanton, Jose Fernandez and Christian Yelich all being on the DL. This rivals the second-best stretch Miami has had all season, deferring only to a 9-1 run April 22 to May 2. I continue to think this team can be very good next season, with a real manager and much better health the starting requisites.
THE LIST: NFL COACHING VICTORIES: The 10 winningest coaches for combined regular season and playoff career victories, and their percentage of losing seasons:
Coach Wins Losing seasons
Don Shula 347 6.1% (2 of 33)
George Halas 324 15.0% (6 of 40)
Tom Landry 270 31.0% (9 of 29)
Bill Belichick 233 25.0% (5 of 20)
Curley Lambeau 229 18.2% (6 of 33)
Paul Brown 222 16.0% (4 of 25)
Chuck Noll 209 30.4% (7 of 23)
M. Schottenheimer 205 9.5% (2 of 21)
Dan Reeves 201 39.1% (9 of 23)
Chuck Knox 193 36.4% (8 of 22)
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GREG COTE'S RANDOM EVIDENCE BLOG: MIAMI. SPORTS. AND BEYOND.
1) It is WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 12. Here's why people make fun of courtroom sketch artists. Pictured right is supposed to be Tom Brady in federal court today. 2) In The Previous Blogpost (ITPB): Your picks for 10 greatest Hurricanes, Hot Button Top 10, Weighing The Fish & more. 3) Follow us on Twitter @gregcote. Also on Facebook, Instagram, Vine and now Periscope, too. We have a new Periscope up from yesterday's radio show.
Honor for Canes men's basketball: In an indication of high expectation for UM's men's team, ESPN announced today Miami would host two of the network's "Big Monday" telecasts this season: Jan. 25 vs. Duke and Feb. 22 vs. Virginia, both at 7 p.m.on ESPN.
Drone Racing League! A, because there aren't enough ridiculous sports and B, because Stephen Ross apparently has more money than he knows what to do with: Dolphins owner Stephen Ross and his money are behind the new Drone Racing League. Yes I said Drone Racing League. Click here for the details. (Pictured, a young man racing his drone). A co-mingling of Ross' two sporting passions seems inevitable, so watch for it: Dolphin play-calls getting from sideline to huddle via drone. I apologize if I'm droning on. OY!
HEAT SCHEDULE OUT, INCLUDES CHRISTMAS GAME HERE: Heat released its 2015-16 regular season NBA schedule today, and it opens Oct . 28 at home vs. Charlotte. Other highlights include a Christmas Day home game vs. New Orleans, and visits by LeBron James and Cleveland on Dec. 5 and Mar. 19. Here is the entire schedule:
DATE DAY OPPONENT TIME TV
OCTOBER
28 Wed. CHARLOTTE 7:30 PM SUN
30 Fri. @ Cleveland 7:00 PM SUN/ESPN
NOVEMBER
1 Sun. HOUSTON 6:00 PM SUN
3 Tues. ATLANTA 7:30 PM SUN/NBA TV
5 Thurs. @ Minnesota 8:00 PM SUN
6 Fri. @ Indiana 8:00 PM SUN/ESPN
8 Sun. TORONTO 6:00 PM SUN
10 Tues. L.A. LAKERS 7:30 PM SUN
12 Thurs. UTAH 7:30 PM SUN
17 Tues. MINNESOTA 7:30 PM SUN
19 Thurs. SACRAMENTO 7:30 PM SUN
21 Sat. PHILADELPHIA 7:30 PM SUN
23 Mon. NEW YORK 7:30 PM SUN/NBA TV
25 Wed. @ Detroit 7:30 PM SUN
27 Fri. @ New York 7:30 PM SUN/NBA TV
30 Mon. BOSTON 7:30 PM SUN
DECEMBER
3 Thurs. OKLAHOMA CITY 7:00 PM TNT
5 Sat. CLEVELAND 7:30 PM SUN/NBA TV
7 Mon. WASHINGTON 7:30 PM SUN
9 Wed. @ Charlotte 7:00 PM SUN
11 Fri. @ Indiana 7:00 PM SUN/ESPN
13 Sun. MEMPHIS 6:00 PM SUN
14 Mon. @ Atlanta 8:00 PM SUN
16 Wed. @ Brooklyn 7:30 PM SUN
18 Fri. TORONTO 7:30 PM SUN
20 Sun. PORTLAND 1:00 PM SUN
22 Tues. DETROIT 7:30 PM SUN
25 Fri. NEW ORLEANS 12:00 PM SUN/ESPN
26 Sat. @ Orlando 7:00 PM SUN
28 Mon. BROOKLYN 7:30 PM SUN
29 Tues. @ Memphis 8:00 PM SUN
JANUARY
1 Fri. DALLAS 7:30 PM SUN
3 Sun. @ Washington 6:00 PM SUN
4 Mon. INDIANA 7:30 PM SUN/NBA TV
6 Wed. NEW YORK 7:00 PM SUN/ESPN
8 Fri. @ Phoenix 9:30 PM SUN
9 Sat. @ Utah 9:00 PM SUN
11 Mon. @ Golden State 10:30 PM SUN
13 Wed. @ L.A. Clippers 10:30 PM SUN/ESPN
15 Fri. @ Denver 9:00 PM SUN
17 Sun. @ Oklahoma City 7:00 PM SUN
19 Tues. MILWAUKEE 7:30 PM SUN
20 Wed. @ Washington 7:00 PM SUN
22 Fri. @ Toronto 8:00 PM SUN/ESPN
25 Mon. @ Chicago 8:00 PM SUN
26 Tues. @ Brooklyn 7:30 PM SUN
29 Fri. @ Milwaukee 8:30 PM SUN
31 Sun. ATLANTA 6:00 PM SUN
FEBRUARY
2 Tues. @ Houston 8:00 PM SUN/NBA TV
3 Wed. @ Dallas 8:30 PM SUN
5 Fri. @ Charlotte 7:00 PM SUN
7 Sun. L.A. CLIPPERS 2:00 PM ABC
9 Tues. SAN ANTONIO 7:30 PM SUN
19 Fri. @ Atlanta 8:00 PM SUN
20 Sat. WASHINGTON 7:30 PM SUN
22 Mon. INDIANA 7:30 PM SUN
24 Wed. GOLDEN STATE 7:30 PM SUN
27 Sat. @ Boston 3:00 PM SUN
28 Sun. @ New York 7:30 PM SUN
MARCH
1 Tues. CHICAGO 7:30 PM SUN/NBA TV
3 Thurs. PHOENIX 7:30 PM SUN
4 Fri. @ Philadelphia 7:00 PM SUN
6 Sun. PHILADELPHIA 6:00 PM SUN
9 Wed. @ Milwaukee 7:00 PM SUN/ESPN
11 Fri. @ Chicago 8:00 PM SUN/NBA TV
12 Sat. @ Toronto 7:00 PM SUN
14 Mon DENVER 7:30 PM SUN
17 Thurs. CHARLOTTE 7:30 PM SUN
19 Sat. CLEVELAND 7:30 PM SUN
22 Tues. @ New Orleans 8:00 PM SUN
23 Wed. @ San Antonio 8:30 PM SUN
25 Fri. ORLANDO 7:30 PM SUN
28 Mon. BROOKLYN 7:30 PM SUN
30 Wed. @ L.A. Lakers 10:30 PM SUN/NBA TV
APRIL
1 Fri. @ Sacramento 10:00 PM SUN
2 Sat @ Portland 10:00 PM SUN
5 Tues. DETROIT 7:30 PM SUN
7 Thurs. CHICAGO 8:00 PM TNT
8 Fri. @ Orlando 7:00 PM SUN
10 Sun. ORLANDO 6:00 PM SUN
12 Tues. @ Detroit 7:30 PM SUN
13 Wed. @ Boston 8:00 PM SUN
FLOYD MAYWEATHER JR. VS. RONDA ROUSEY, NO HOLDS BARRED. HEY, IT'S FUN TO DREAM: I doubt we'll ever see this fight. I'd bet big on that. Yes, the boxing champion vs. the UFC champion would be a huge draw. And, yes, it could work weight-wise if Mayweather (151) dropped and Rousey (135) added. But too many male athletes including Mayweather himself have made too many ugly headlines for domestic violence to imagine that the possibility of a man pummeling a woman in a ring (or octagon) would ever be sanctioned for sport. Rousey keeps keeping the topic alive, though. Just Monday night, in an ask-me-anything chat on Reddit, Rousey was asked if she would beat Mayweather in a no-holds-barred, mixed martial arts-style bout, and she said: "Floyd is one of the best boxers of all time. He would definitely beat me in a boxing match. I unfortunately don't get into 'matches.' I fight for a living. In a no-rules fight, I believe I can beat anyone on this planet. Boxing is a sweet science with strict rules that I respect. But you said rule-less fight, and that's my honest answer." Is she right? Could she beat anyone no-holds-barred even including Mayweather? She is 10 years younger; I'd give her a real chance. What do you think? Remember, this is not asking who you'd want to win, but who you honestly think would win. Take a dip in our poll and say why.
THE NEW 'BACK IN MY DAY': Many know that my Tuesday appearances with the Dan LeBatard Show on radio/TV include a "Back In My Day" segment that has grown quite popular with listeners and viewers. They're on Fusion TV's YouTube channel now, and here is the latest one, from yesterday:
WHERE DOLPHINS FALL IN 2015 FANTASY DRAFTING: If you're like Greg's Lobos you are preparing for your fantasy draft. And you may be wondering how Dolphins players will be slotted. A good indication comes this week in ESPN.com's annual fantasy draft, based on a 12-team standard league and 16-round draft. Dolphins taken, in order, with round and overall selection: RB Lamar Miller, pictured (3rd round-30th overall); WR Jarvis Landry (7-75th); WR DeVante Parker (7-84th); QB Ryan Tannehill (10-113th); TE Jordan Cameron (10-117th); WR Kenny Stills (12-139th); RB Jay Ajayi (13-154th); Dolphins defense/special teams (15-171st); and PK Caleb Sturgis (16-192nd). Tannehill is pictured (left) on the cover of Sports Illustrated's 2016 fantasy issue.
NFL MVP odds: Newly out via Bovada, it's Packer Aaron Rodgers the favorite out the gate at 5-1, followed by Colt Andrew Luck at 7-1. Only others under 20-1 are Viking Adrian Peterson and Texan J.J. Watt both 12-1, and Bronco Peyton Manning at 16-1. Dolphin Ryan Tannehill is 40-1, tied for 20th.
My Uber driver is a Dolphin: Dolphins defensive tackle A.J. Francis earned extra money as an Uber driver during the recent offseason. No, seriously. Not everybody makes Ndamukong Suh money. Click here for a feature video as ESPN.com's James Walker goes along for the ride. Not sure how much extra money A.J. made. I only hope he gets as much attention for football as he got doing this.xx
JUMP-STARTING MARLINS' MANAGER SEARCH: Worst record in MLB hosts worst record in AL in a two-game series ending today at Marlins Park, after Fish won 5-4 in 10 last night. So it's Stinkin' Fish vs. Bostgon Red Sux. Sorry. Truth hurts. I suggest in my latest column that the Marlins' managerial search should be on now, not wait until after the season. If their guy is out there and available -- and many are, including Bud Black and Ron Gardenhire -- why not make the move soon and give the new guy a chunk of this season to learn his team? An experienced manager with a track record is a must after the failed experiment that is Dan Jennings. This season has turned hopeless. Everything now should be about 2016. Click on Look Ahead to read the column in full. Meantime, fans last night received the poster pictured of the Marlins' "Franchise Four," part of an MLB promotion in which fans selected each team's Mount Rushmore. The Fish are Jeff Conine, Gary Sheffield, Mike Lowell and Giancarlo Stanton.
GOODBYE, GOODY: Joe Goodman, a Herald sportswriter since 2005 and most recently our main Heat beat guy, is leaving us to write for AL.com in his homestate Alabama. His hunger for college football will be well sated; his love of soccer, not so much. Joe's talented and we wish him well. He and I shared some good times on the road, including a memorable drinking night at New York's wonderful little Tribeca bar, Ward III. Joe and I are pictured at right doing a Heat postgame video. He's the one who's young, handsome and well-dressed.
THE LIST: MNF LONGEVITY: Broadcasters who have had the most tenure in the Monday Night Football booth (on ABC in 1970-05, on ESPN 2006-current):
Broadcaster Years Duration
Frank Gifford 27 1971-97
Al Michaels 20 1986-05
Howard Cosell 14 1970-83
Don Meredith 12 1970-73, '77-84
Dan Dierdorf 12 1987-98
Mike Tirico 10 2006-current
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