McCown is a Dolphin

Now this move I'm not entirely sure about. Heck, I would have gone with Cote (and I never go with Cote) and taken David Carr at a minimum contract if you wanted a backup QB. Josh McCown isn't a great player, but he is good enough that the Dolphins front office might have the option of starting him. Rather, he isn't so bad that he deserves to be stashed on the bench for eternity even if Beck struggles.

That isn't a good thing. I want to see John Beck out there, and I don't want the team to panic and send McCown in there because Beck isn't doing well and because Josh isn't entirely inept. I wanted either a rookie QB to be the backup and compete, or just sign a completely useless guy that won't create a QB controversy. We can't waste more time having our draft picks sitting on the bench.

If we see McCown as the starter in Week 1, then you can throw your NFL schedules in the garbage and expect another 4 win season at best. He might be an average backup (though making 3 mil a year is pretty nice for a backup), but I don't want him anywhere near the field when the games start to count.

Dolphins Also Sign Starks

NFL Network is reporting we have signed DT Randy Starks from the Titans.

Starks had a decent first few years in the NFL before having a disappointing 2007. However, he's a big guy with some talent and is still only 24. This signing and the addition of Jason Ferguson probably means we have ruled out Glenn Dorsey and Sedrick Ellis as our choice in the first round. Ferguson will probably start, with Starks backing him up, unless Soliai improves dramatically in the offseason.

What I like is that we are signing a lot of young players with upside. Some might not turn out to be great players, but Smiley is 26, Starks is 24, Torbor is in his 4th year, and Wilford is still young as well. The only player we've gotten that is a longtime veteran of the league is Jason Ferguson.

Oh, and if you care, Cleo Lemon signed a 3 year deal with Jacksonville.

Players That Got Away

I discussed players that might be decent pickups if we could trade for them, but in the case of Shaun Rogers, the other team was asking for too much. Well Rogers is gone, having been traded to Cincinnati for a 3rd and 5th round pick. It's about time they worked on their front 7 anyway.

Another option I suggested was going after Kris Jenkins. He too, is gone, having been traded to the Jets for the same 3rd and 5th round picks that Rogers was worth. He also signed a 5 year, 35 millions dollar deal with New York. That's doubly bad luck for Miami, cause Jenkins can be a force in the middle and now we have to face him twice a year.

Additionally, we might be losing a chance to trade our draft pick to the Cowboys if they do go after Tatum Bell, as this report suggests. If they get Bell, then they have no need for McFadden.

Lots of Movement Going Around

I have a bazillion updates coming from the Dolphins and the NFL, so bear with me as I try to update you post by post on relevant news.

First off, the Dolphins traded for Jason Ferguson of Dallas. To acquire him, we had to swap 6th round picks this year and send them our 6th next season as well. The big DT was supposed to be sought after by many teams, so it might end up being a steal. He is 33, however.

We also have signed receiver David Kircus, who has been arrested in the past for violently attacking a man in Denver. So much for staying away from poor character individuals. Kircus is a 4th receiver in my mind, so it's not a big deal anyway.

Miami did sign Ernest Wilford, a big target in the redzone. The former Hokie and Jaguar will be our possession guy and hopefully will let Ted Ginn stretch the field a bit if the offensive actually decides to throw deep for once.

We also snatched Reggie Torbor away from the Super Bowl Champion Giants. The strongside linebacker isn't a superstar, but he is a decent player and if he came cheap, then I'm happy with the pickup. Supposedly we are also going after Calvin Pace and are potentially throwing big time money at him. The 6-4 275 pound LB is perfect for the system, but I'm not sure how wise it is to make a big splash on a one-year wonder from Arizona. We'll see.

Vilma a Saint, Shockey Next?

The New Orleans Saints acquired former Cane Jonathan Vilma from the Jets for a conditional 2009 draft pick. It's unknown what the conditions are at this point. Hopefully Jonathan can have an impact in a defense better suited to his needs.

Additionally, the Saints might be trying to trade for controversial TE Jeremy Shockey of the Giants. New York has said he is not for sale, but I wouldn't be surprised if a move is made. That would be a nice influx of talent from the U to New Orleans, and would probably make them the favorites to win the NFC South next season.

Jason Ferguson Going to Miami?

In what probably amounts to a cost-cutting move, the Dolphins are looking to trade a late pick to the Cowboys for DT Jason Ferguson. The only thing I can think of here is that they have given up on landing one of the premier players at the position because other teams are asking for too much. If this goes down, it probably ensures that Miami will get Chris Long with the #1 overall pick, barring a surprise trade.

Dolphins Sign Smiley

The Dolphins signed Justin Smiley to a 5 year 25 million dollar deal. The former San Francisco guard is a solid, solid player. Great pick up for the Miami Dolphins. This pretty much ensures Rex Hadnot is on the way out. I would say that Miami now has 3 of the 5 offensive line spots solidified for the next few years. If they draft Jake Long, they might have the best young offensive line in the NFL.

Latest NFL News, Including Vilma

God I love PFT.

Anyway, Vilma is now supposedly heading to the Saints. I don't know what happened to the Lions, but PFT reports New Orleans is the new favorite.

Next, forget about signing Flozell Adams from the Cowboys. There was the Parcells link there, but Dallas has signed the OT to a 6 year deal.

Tough loss for the Dolphins, but now that the Chargers have cut Shane Olivea, he might be a good option as well.

If we are interested in Panthers DT Kris Jenkins, then we'll have to compete with the Jets.

Boynton Gives Canes a Shot

Local shooting guard Kenny Boynton is a 5 star player according to any recruiting service. The kid has offers from just about every school in the country, and yet his list is said to be down to Miami and Duke. Frank Haith has recruited him since he was in 8th grade (Kenny is a junior now), and calls him every week.

So why is this important? Boynton represents the biggest recruit the University of Miami has really had a shot at landing in quite some time, if not ever. Aside from Devin Ebanks last season (who went to IU), most of the kids we target have historically not been McDonald's All Americans. If we actually start getting commits from these nationally recruiting players, then our basketball program has really arrived.

Beating a program like Duke for a talent like Boynton's would be the next step in making Miami a basketball school. This process might have the potential to be sped up if Ebanks decides to opt out of his LOI to Indiana due to all the recruiting issues going on over there. Imagine some dream scenario where both kids wound up in Coral Gables. Not only would the Canes be a Top 15 team, but they would have the exposure to stay there.

Heat's Offseason Options

Per request, I'll try to outline what the Heat should be looking at this coming offseason.

First off, if Shawn Marion doesn't opt out, then forget about being big time spenders. We won't have enough money to offer anyone a large contract, so we'd have to wait until 2009 for cap space. If he does opt out, then either we can re-sign him to a cheaper deal, or let him walk and go after a guy like Elton Brand or Baron Davis.

It's imperative the Heat get rid of Haslem and/or Blount's contracts for someone who can contribute, which is unlikely. If the Heat do draft Michael Beasley, then either of those two players become expendable. The problem is that the trade deadline has passed, so trading for expiring contracts no longer becomes a good idea. We would still have to wait till the 2009 offseason to spend that cash.

What I've suggested is packing Haslem and someone else to the Clippers for Maggette and Brand. Maybe letting them have Shawn Marion. Both Brand and Maggette look to leave the Clippers without giving them compensation. Brand has one year left that he, like Marion, can opt out of. If he chooses to leave, the Clippers are left high and dry. By trading them a pair of solid players for their two guys and a pick, both teams do very well.

Wade would have his sidekick in Elton Brand, and Corey Maggette would work well as a 3rd option offensively. Add in Beasley or Rose as the 4th option and you've got a playoff team that can make an impact in a very weak East. That lineup would instantly be Top 3. Add in a 2nd offseason of good drafting and signing a decent role player, then you've got a potential title contender again.

However, lots of things have to happen for this things to go well. Banks makes 4 mil/3 more years, Blount makes 8 for 2 more, and Haslem is looking at 6 for 2 more years. That's a lot of cap space tied into players who probably don't fit into the system we want down here in Miami. Haslem is excellent as a role player doing dirty work, but because of that is probably our best trade chip. We had to unload one of these contracts for an expiring one before the deadline to become major players in the 2008 offseason.

Instead, hope the Heat go after a guy like DeSagna Diop to play center. If they don't overpay him, they still have a solid core of Wade, Marion, Haslem, Diop, draft pick, Jason Williams (at a bargain price) and hopefully an improved Dorell Wright and Daequan Cook. The most important thing is that you don't see us giving extended minutes to guys like Alexander Johnson and Chris Quinn.

Guys like Keyon Dooling or Jose Calderon might be available at point guard, but Miami could fill in that need cheaply with Derrick Rose or TJ Augustin. As far as landing a huge free agent like Gilbert Arenas or Antawn Jamison, that sort of deal is impossible this offseason.

Also, next season should be very quiet in terms of trades. We no longer have any expiring contracts worth much. The only one we'll have next season, unless he opts out or signs an extension, is Shawn Marion. And he might well be in the long-term plans for this franchise. This was the year to make a move for a Mike Miller type with our expiring contracts. Unfortunately, it didn't pan out.

Ideally, Pat Riley will be patient and realize he has a playoff team next season if he signs one decent free agent and the rookie is productive. If he doesn't pull the trigger on a risky move that brings in older veterans with long-term contracts, then this team is prime to be a contender in 2009.

Fins Interested in Rogers

A month ago I wrote suggesting the Dolphins take a look at unwanted DT/NT Shaun Rogers of the Detroit Lions. Apparently, somebody in the front office agrees with me.

The Dolphins are actively interested in trading for the troubled DT to fill that gaping hole in their roster. However, I am not in favor of what the Lions are asking for. They want a 2nd round pick, or a 3rd and a veteran player.

This team is not in the position to be trading picks away unless they are getting superstars in return. I'd trade a 2nd for Chad Johnson, but not for Shaun Rogers. Shaun is a very good player, but only when he wants to be. His character issues raise a red flag as well, so I'm not entirely sure their asking price is fair.

What we could do is potentially trade a veteran for him straight up. I wonder if they would be interested in Jason Taylor or Joey Porter. Particularly the former. I would rather send him to a legitimate contender, but a Taylor for Rogers trade is about as far as I'd ever go to get Rogers. It would hurt to lose JT, but he should leave anyway and go as far away from this mess as he can.

Another thing that should hurt the Lions is the fact they have no leverage. Marcus Stroud of the Jaguars is also for sale, as is Panthers DT Kris Jenkins. Both are very good players at their position, and I don't see any drop off in talent when comparing them to Rogers. Jenkins may be a bit past his prime, but Stroud certainly would be a force on this defense.

Tigers Top Canes

Clemson snapped the Hurricanes' 4 game win streak tonight, 79-69. Since the game wasn't televised, you probably don't know what kind of a rollercoaster ride this matchup became.

Miami started off spotting Clemson an early 21 point lead before crawling back late in the 2nd half to take a one point advantage. However, we didn't get much of a contribution tonight from the offense and couldn't keep the rally going.

What was good was that Miami fought back and made a game of it. Eddie Rios led us in scoring for much of the contest and finished with 12 points and 6 assists. Great game for the young point guard.

However, we were the recipient of some home cookin, with Clemson going to the foul line 34 times to our 13. The disparity eventually was what prevented the Canes from finishing the game off at the end. Miami did well in pretty much every other offensive category.

What they didn't do well in was keeping the Clemson offense from scoring. This team really is tough to gauge sometimes. Every time I write something good about them, they lay an egg. Now that I'm about to write them off again, watch them run the table and win their final 3 games.

Tonight's loss was disappointing but almost expected. Clemson is a tough opponent, and the game was on the road as well. Our final 3 games are much easier, though now we have to win 2 of the 3 to make a case for the NCAA tournament. If we blow our chance now, then it will be a disgraceful way to end the season. We've gone this far, beating several solid teams. All Miami needs to do is win a pair of games against average opponents and they'll be heading to the Big Dance.

Hopefully they'll show up for the first half next time and not have to pull themselves out of a huge hole.

Good Read on the NFL Draft

Just finished reading this ESPN piece on recent teams drafting in the Top 5 in the NFL Draft. Kind of staggering to see how low the success rate is for teams who do poorly and select the supposed best players in college football.

Makes me wonder if the Dolphins are even going to get a chance to trade down at all. The high cost and low success rate of Top 5 picks makes it a difficult decision for teams who want to trade up. Perhaps Miami can trade down and stay in the Top 5. Otherwise, I would expect us to be stuck with the #1 overall.

Funny how 3 months ago I was elated when we clinched this draft spot. Without an elite QB like Carson Palmer on the board, I am not as excited about the pick as I was before I stopped to think about what our options were.

Some NFL News and Notes

You might have seen the recent cuts made by NFL teams and come up with a wishlist of potential FAs for the Dolphins to pursue. Here's a summary of some of the moves I've considered to be notable:

• Jonathan Vilma is in Detroit and passed a physical. He'll likely be a Lion sometime soon. Tough luck for the Dolphins, but if we are really going to run a 3-4, then he wouldn't fit in down here.
• Javon Walker might get cut soon and he would be an interesting addition to the Dolphins.
• Ty Law was cut by the Chiefs. He's a good cornerback but I would prefer the Fins stay young. However, you can't fill in every need through just one draft, so maybe a short term deal wouldn't be a bad idea.
• Olindo Mare got cut by the Saints after they decided to keep Gramatica. Apparently Mare refused to take a paycut. Bad idea, Olindo.
• Anyone who was actually in favor of trading for Derek Anderson might not get their wish, as he is getting some serious offers from the Browns to stay in Cleveland.
• Kevin Carter got cut by the Bucs, but don't expect a reunion with his former team.
• Flozell Adams remains without a contract offer from the Cowboys. If he doesn't go back to Dallas, we would be the frontrunners to sign him in the FA period.
• Booger McFarland got cut by the Colts. I don't know what happened to this guy's career, but if we can't find another option he might be a decent acquisition. He might not be big enough to be a NT though.
• David Carr was cut, but don't expect him to be in Miami next season. Byron Leftwich might also be available as a backup.

Bryce Brown Video

Here's a sample highlight reel of Bryce Brown. The Kansas stud is Arthur Brown's brother, and is potentially the #1 overall prospect in the country. If anything, just watch the first play. Sick.

Lions Favorites to Land Vilma?

PFT is reporting that the Lions are the favorites for Jonathan Vilma's services. The Jets have allowed Vilma to shop himself anywhere other than to the Patriots. When I heard that, I hoped Miami could find a way to bring him home. It would be unfortunate if he ended up in Detroit. I find it hard to root for the Lions just because they might have one of my favorite players.

And if you were hoping to sign Asante Samuel, then we might be out of luck there too. PFT says New Orleans is the probable destination for the corner.

Heat Break Losing Streak

Hey, they finally won another game! I want to keep losing as much as possible, but it would be preferable to avoid these embarrassing double-digit game losing streaks. Tonight the Heat snapped an 11-game slide against the woeful Sacramento Kings, 107-86.

The surprise is that they did so with Wade scoring only 15 points to go with another 5 turnovers. The reason they were still able to win was due to the magnificent Shawn Marion, who poured in 24 points and 8 boards. The rest of the team actually contributed as well, with 7 of the 8 main rotation guys scoring in double figures.

I'm still disappointed that we didn't see more Dorell Wright and that Daequan Cook has been officially banished to the D-League. It's one thing to throw a young rookie to the fire when he isn't ready, but when you are so far out of the playoff hunt, what do you have to lose? If Cook regains his confidence by beating up on a bunch of D-Leaguers, then I'm not sure thats he has the right kind of mindset.

Nonetheless, the victory is refreshing. Particularly considering the fact Minnesota beat Utah and remains 1.5 games behind us for the worst record. Michael Beasley has been absolutely tearing it up of late, and against quality competition. He is the most sure-fire player coming out of the draft in a couple of years, so we are lucky we are this bad this year.

Some News From Spring Practice

If you're like me and are dying to find out more about our Canes football team, then I would suggest you read Manny Navarro's latest blog post about spring practice.

Several thoughts regarding Manny's reports....

I really like how Allen Bailey took one for the team. I fully expect him to contribute at the DE position once he learns the ins and outs. I wouldn't be surprised to see him start towards the end of the season. If not, then he will still be part of the rotation. You simply can't have a physical freak like him off the field. He's just too good.

I was surprised to see that Glenn Cook had such harsh words about Arthur Brown's coaching. He wasn't knocking Brown per se, but he definitely took a shot at Brown's HS coaches. If it's true that Arthur has poor fundamentals, then God help anyone who has to face him on defense over the next few years, because he was an absolute monster in high school despite his "bad coaching". Imagine what he'll be like with Michael Barrow showing him the ropes.

Another surprise is that Spence is starting at strongside OLB. Thankfully he's put on a little bit of weight (as has Brown) so that he'll be able to make an immediate impact. As great as Sean was at MNW, playing at 190 simply won't do at the college level. Arthur is currently backing him up there. The battle for playing time at LOLB will be one of the more intriguing competitions on the team this season.

Finally, I don't expect Marcus Forston to stay at 2nd team DT for too long. He is just way to good to be sitting on the bench.

DeCody Fagg Done for Good?

FSU fans may have heard about Fagg's unfortunate injury at the combine that will likely cost him a shot at being drafted this year. However, now word is that the injury was so devastating that he might never play again. That's a very sad story, even as a hater of all things Seminole. You never want to see a guy get hurt that badly.

Fagg didn't take out a personal insurance policy, but players at the combine do receive some sort of insurance benefits if they get hurt at the combine. That's nice, but if it's true that Fagg's career is over, then whatever small amount of cash he gets from the NFL won't be enough to cover his broken dreams and lost wages over what could have been a productive career.

New TE Commit for Miami

New commit from out West for the Canes. Miami landed a commitment from 6-4 235 pound Billy Sanders out of Arizona. The TE/DE combo player isn't someone I've heard of too much, but regardless of which position he plays at the next level he will be coming in to fill a need. Look for Billy to be the first of two TE commits this class. In terms of stars, for those who care, most recruiting sites haven't gotten around to evaluating all players yet, so he is still a NR.

Here's a video of him

Kenny and Calais at the Combine

Campbell worked out yesterday, and had what I felt was a slightly disappointing outing. I know he's huge and all, but I was under the impression he was a little faster than that 5.0 40. Although the 40 is pretty useless for DL, he didn't stand out in any of his other workouts as well. That being said, his frame is enough to land him a spot in the late first round.

Kenny was the recipient of the greatest evaluation I've ever seen on NFL Network. His positives were standard "speed" "toughness" and whatnot, but his negative was "Not Ed Reed". I don't know what else to say except that it's hilarious that his most prominent negative is that he isn't someone else. His workouts were pretty good, having finished as a top performer in the bench press and running a solid 4.55 40 (with a pretty weird running technique, so he might be faster). I'm pretty sure he will be picked in the 1st round as well. It's unlikely he'd slip past the Dolphins at #32.

Also, a note on Tavares Gooden. He has been doing really well at the combine, running a 4.6 and having a huge 35 inch vertical (second highest at his position). He also did well in the broad jump. He might have slipped into Day 1 with his performance in Indy.

Daequan Demoted?

If reports of Daequan Cook's banishment to the D-League are true, then it might really be time for Riley to hand over the reigns to Erik Spoelstra. Cook showed plenty of confidence earlier in the season before his recent slump. He's got plenty of work to do, but shipping him off to Iowa won't do him any good. I don't know of many players that have gone through the D-League and come out better enough to play at the NBA level.

Demoting him will just hurt his confidence even more, not improve it. Cook needs playing time right now with the team well out of reach for the playoffs. See what he can do. What's the use of playing Ricky Davis when you've lost 26 of 27 anyway. Even Wade has been struggling this season with his ballhandling and his shot. Nobody is doing well for the Heat right now.

What happens next year when our top rookie comes in and struggles the first week or two? Is he going to get benched too? I think sometimes you have to cut your losses. If Cook is god-awful then he's god-awful, but that didn't stop Riles from playing Luke freaking Jackson.

Reuben Randle Gets an Offer

Widely considered to be the top receiver in the nation for the class of 2009, Randle has received a written offer from the U.

I'd venture to say Miami will target him and maybe 2 or 3 other receivers next year and will look to sign only one, maybe two of them. They are already overstocked at the position, but Randy Shannon won't make the same mistake that Larry Coker made in not signing a player at that position in a given year. If it's a talent like Reuben's we can sign, then Shannon will make room for him.

Haven't heard much else about recruiting. I'm pretty sure Lamar Miller won't be phased by the Bryce Brown commitment and ultimately should be the 2nd 5-star back to sign in 2009. If not, well there is always Jakari Gore in 2010.

As for the team itself, spring practice starts soon and I'm excited to see if any of the incoming freshmen/young guys can take a starting job from underachieving upperclassmen. I fully expect to see Jermaine McKenzie or Aldarius Johnson as one of our two starting receivers alongside Sam Shields (if he gets his head out of the gutter). Orlando Franklin should be a starting guard once he gets back to speed.

The most interesting battles might be on defense though. I think Brandon Harris has a shot at landing a starting job, as does Marcus Forston. I would be very surprised if either doesn't play a lot this year. At linebacker I think that most of our guys will be redshirted or be limited to backup duty. I don't think our LB corp is the best out there, but Shannon won't want to start 2 or 3 freshmen when he has a pair of heady seniors who will be better prepared to start the season. That means plenty of Glenn Cook and Romeo Davis.

Oh, and I wouldn't buy any talk of a QB competition. This is Marve's job. Period. Unless he stinks it up, I sincerely doubt they would put in Harris. The kid needs to pack on some pounds before he goes up against Div I defenses. I'm not sure about Cannon Smith's chances either, though he has had the most game experience at a level past high school of all our QBs.

McKinnie Arrested

Not good news for those of us who try to defend the UM football program. I have to say that for the most part, our players' altercations are typical incidents that really don't count as serious crimes. However, a lot of our guys have been showing poor judgment when they go out at night.

This time it's Bryant McKinnie who was arrested at Club Space for getting in an altercation with a bouncer there. McKinnie had been thrown out earlier and came back to continue the argument, which eventually resulted in the bouncer getting whacked with a pole.

This is Bryant's second run-in with the law after a night on the town (or on the high seas). I could get into how I think high profile players should be more careful when they go out, but I won't lecture anyone about that. Instead, I'd like to know what the heck he was doing at Club Space. That's in the middle of nowhere.

If you're going to get caught doing something dumb at least do it on South Beach.

Kicking Off Baseball Season

I'm not entirely familiar with much of our UM baseball team, but as a soon to be alum, I have to support all our athletics and give them their due respect. The Canes are ranked 10th by Baseball America and have a solid shot at going to Omaha this year.

I would root hard for them if I were you because they are our best shot at a title in any of our sports for the next couple of years. Everyone else is either in rebuilding mode or has just gone through a firesale.

UM has already started the season by sweeping Cincinnati 3-0, including an impressive 8-0 victory thanks to freshman Chris Hernandez's 6 shutout innings.

If you're like me and need to do your homework on our Canes, I would read Manny Navarro's blog entry on them. It's good stuff if you have the time to finish it all.

Combine Stuff

A few notes from the NFL combine:

• Darren McFadden ran blistering times of 4.27 and 4.33 in the 40. He is faster than Adrian Peterson. That much we knew. Let's see if he is as coveted as the Oklahoma back come draft time. We sure could use him as bait.
• Jake Long led all OL with 37 bench press reps as of yesterday.
• Glenn Dorsey is raising red flags with a broken tibula he suffered back in 2006. Those concerns might lower his stock so that if the Dolphins trade down to 5ish he might still be available. I wouldn't consider his injuries that big a deal if they didn't slow him down in college.
• A couple of Canes tried out from what I saw. Kyle Wright ran a slow 4.83 when he was advertised at a generous 4.6 coming into UM. Darnell Jenkins had a disappointing workout as well. He'll be drafted sometime in the later rounds I hope.
• FSU WR DeCody Fagg blows out his knee and will like miss his opportunity at getting drafted this year because of it. Tough luck for the young Nole.
• Andre Caldwell of the Gators posted a sick 4.31 40 time, matching speedster DeSean Jackson out of Cal. I'm not a huge fan of either but hey, they can run fast right? (cough Ginn cough)
• Potential 1st round pick Sedrick Ellis boasted a very impressive 34 reps. I've heard some tall tales about his strength and at this point he might be a better pick for NT than Dorsey.
• He was one-upped by pass-rushing Vernon Gholston of Ohio State, who had 37. That will likely solidify his Top 10 status if not Top 5.
  

Dolphins Interested in Williamson and Hall?

The Herald reported today that the Dolphins have been talking with the agents for WR Troy Williamson and CB DeAngelo Hall about potentially trading for those players.

My advice to Parcells: don't go anywhere near Williamson. The big red flag on him coming out of South Carolina was his inexperience at the position. In his 3 years in the NFL has has proven jack squat and hasn't been the deep threat anyone had hoped for. I would offer a 7th for butterfingers, and nothing more.

As for Hall, I sincerely doubt the Big Tuna will look his way. DeAngelo is a decent player but is probably the most overrated DB in the NFL aside from Dallas safety Roy Williams. He consistently makes the Pro Bowl on name recognition alone. And he will want a $10 million a year deal after the upcoming season to boot.

Trading for him would be an expensive risk because his salary demands might result in him being a one-year rental for the Dolphins. What I would seriously consider would be to trade our #1 pick down to #3 to Atlanta in exchange for the rights to Hall. It's unlikely anyone will really give Atlanta much more value for an overpriced malcontent.

Canes Pull Away From Terps

What seemed like a potential choke-job was quickly turned into a rout as the Canes dominated the final five minutes of today's game against Maryland.

The Canes held control of the game for the majority of the afternoon until Maryland tied it up with an 8-0 run early in the 2nd half. However, Frank Haith taught his boys well after the near-disaster against Duke on Wednesday. This time the Canes did not clam up against the full-court press and finished off a solid Maryland team 78-63.

The victory leaves the Canes at 19-7, with a 6-6 record in the ACC. Had you told me that a few weeks ago I would have laughed in your face. Now the Canes are looking at 4 remaining games that are all winnable. A 23-7 record and a potential bye in the ACC tourney aren't out of the question. Neither is an 18-11 record with a trip to the NIT. We just have to sit and watch.

I do have faith that the team has turned things around. It didn't look good at 2-6, but they finally have regained their confidence and are beginning to finish teams off in the 2nd half. A 2-2 record in the final 4 games should be enough for an NCAA bid. The Canes' RPI is in the 38th range and should go up with a nice win today, so the resume should be enough to sneak in.

Kyle Wright at the Combine

Much has been said about Wright's failures here in Miami. However, he never quit on this team or himself. He might not have performed up to our standards, but the kid is tough and deserves a chance in the pros. My guess is that his elite physical tools will get him drafted in the 7th round, but his resume doesn't allow for him to have any shot at Day 1.

At the combine, Wright is one of the three "throwing QBs" that stay an additional 2 days and are responsible for all the mundane activities that other QBs aren't forced to do. Visit NFL.com and read his combine diaries to get a feel for what Kyle is doing in Indy and how he feels about his chances against the other guys.

Cowboys Sign Zach Thomas

Whew. At least he won't be a Patriot.

Thomas returning to Texas was probably the best fit for him aside from the Patriots. He gets a chance to play at home on an excellent football team and has an opportunity to win that coveted ring. It will be very weird to see him in a Cowboys uniform though.

Not sure how much of an impact he will have though. He didn't play much last year and is getting older and who knows if those concussions will return. The bright side is that he will be playing on an infinitely better team so he has teammates to help him make plays.

Good luck to Zach in Dallas. I will be rooting for the Cowboys next season to do well.

Huizenga Sells Half the Team

Part of the reason Bill Parcells agreed to come to Miami rather than Atlanta was because Wayne Huizenga promised him that he would be around as the owner of the Miami Dolphins.

Now, Huizenga has caved and sold half the franchise to Stephen Ross for $550 million. Though Wayne will still be around as the managing general partner, this is the first step out the door for the Trash Man. It should be interesting to see how Parcells reacts to the sale of the Dolphins after he was told it wouldn't happen.

It's entirely likely he was told of the possibility of part of the team being sold, but if not, then things could get messy. Let's hope that isn't the case.

Joe Flacco Video

One of the lesser known prospects heading into the combine was QB Joe Flacco of Delaware. That isn't the case now, with a lead story on him available on ESPN.com. The 6'6 QB is athletic and has a howitzer for an arm. This is a kid that might be worth a shot in the 2nd or 3rd rounds. If he slips to our late 2nd round pick I wouldn't mind selecting him.

Michael Lehan Re-Signs

While it's not earth-shattering news that the Dolphins will re-sign marginal starting cornerback Michael Lehan, the way his contract is set up is an indication of things to come.

Lehan signed a 3-year $5 million dollar deal. Typically these contracts come backloaded, with the final year worth something like 50-60% of the total contract. That's done to leave cap space open until the very end when the player is cut unless he completely exceeds expectations.

In this case, Lehan is set to make nearly 50% of the deal (2.1 million) in 2008. This could mean one of two things. First, it could just be an indication that the Dolphins are aware of the whopping $44 million in cap space they have to work with and feel they can afford to frontload the deal to protect against the cap in future years where most deals will go up in value and we will have less cap space to go around.

Conversely, they might be frontloading the deal because they are required to spend a certain minimum towards the cap (which they are well below right now) and don't really expect to make a major splash in free agency. They figure that they might as well frontload deals now to get close to that minimum threshold while giving them the opportunity to really spend money in the next offseason or two.

I'm not sure which scenario is being played out. One thing is for sure, this free agent market isn't exactly a bountiful one. We have a whole lot of cash to spend and not a whole lot of talent to spend it on. The high salary cap figure allows most teams to keep their players. The only guys we'll get are castoffs, overpriced veterans, or the rare quality free agents that top teams couldn't afford to keep around.

10th Straight Loss for the Heat

That makes two consecutive double digit losing streaks. With every loss, the Heat continues to set records for futility. Nobody has ever been this bad over such a long stretch. What's worse is that Minnesota lost in the final seconds against San Antonio, so they keep even in the run for the worst record.

As for the game itself, Miami was never really in it, but never really out of it either. Dwyane Wade made good use of the All-Star break and returned with a very efficient 33 point, 11 assist performance. It's too bad that other than Shawn Marion, nobody else bothered to come back from vacation.

The defense has gotten to the point it is tiresome to watch. The Heat allowed a whopping 41 points in the first quarter on 81% shooting from the field. I don't want to even begin to get into how unacceptable that is. Wasn't Marion supposed to help this team defensively? I know they want to lose but at least make it look like you're trying to win out there, guys.

I'm probably being too hard on them by now. I look at the box score and I am amazed at how this was a team that won a title less than 2 years ago. Chris Quinn, Alexander Johnson, Earl Barron and Marcus Banks made up our bench rotation. Most of those guys are training camp fodder on the Spurs or Pistons. It'll take some more moves by wily Pat Riley to fill out this roster with some talented players.

On the bright side, we no longer have the bloated contracts of Antoine Walker and Shaquille O'Neal. Imagine how depressing Biscayne Boulevard would be if those two were still on the roster. There would be no hope in sight for the franchise. Now, we only have to wait a year at most to start improving and becoming relevant again.

Miami Marlins Have Their Stadium

There are no more votes left to be taken. No more negotiations. No more delays. The Marlins finally have their ballpark ready to break ground at the OB Site in anticipation of the 2011 season.

I guess it's win for baseball fans in South Florida, and baseball in general. I'm still not overjoyed at the location, and I have a hatred for the ownership that runs pretty deep. But at least the drama is done and everyone can just move on. Personally, I won't be going to any games at the new site unless some drastic changes are made in the way they run their team. Hopefully, with the "increased revenues" they'll keep their promises to field competitive ballclubs.

One thing I wish would stop is when anyone involved with this deal pretends that it is about anything other than money. MLB COO Bob Dupuy gave us this heartwarming gem during voting sessions: " 'I believe it's worth it,' Dupuy said. 'On Opening Day, when you see the looks on the kids' faces as they come through the turnstiles to see their very first Miami Marlins game, you'll see it's all worth it.' "

Sure Bob, it's all about the children. Riiight. Can everyone just admit it's about making boatloads of cash in a market they feel can support a baseball team?

It will be interesting to see how the rest of the situation unfolds. There is no more negotiating, but I'm expecting at least 25% in cost overruns. We all know how impossible a task it is to build anything in Miami without someone screwing up or costing the project money. They better hope that park is ready by Opening Day because if not the team will pretty much be homeless.

Bryce Brown Commits

The Canes have landed their first superstar recruit of the 2009 class. Bryce Brown, 2008 signee Arthur Brown's brother, has decided to end the recruiting process early and commit to Miami.

Bryce is the #1 rated RB by both Rivals and Scouts, and is a 5-star, all world player. Many believe he will be the #1 overall player in the entire country regardless of position by the time NSD 2009 rolls around. He is that good. That makes things extremely interesting on offense, because this team will be LOADED at running back in 2009.

In addition to Brown, expect fellow 5-star RB Lamar Miller from Killian to be a Cane barring unforeseen circumstances. Add in an already experienced Graig Cooper, Shawnbrey McNeal, Javarris James, and the underappreciated but explosive Lee Chambers, and you've got the best backfield in America.

What also gets me excited is that kids tend to gravitate towards good classes. Locations and relationships with coaches are important, but many of these kids want to be on the national stage winning championships. They have the best shot of doing that with teams that have highly rated classes. It's why you constantly see USC, Florida and Texas sign 5-star guys out of the woodwork. They've only won a title apiece in the past 12 years but still see kids flocking towards them because they win the recruiting titles year in and year out.

There might be a flurry of local commits now, much like FSU has received in the past couple of weeks. Then it'll die down over the summer and pick back up again during the football season. Regardless, the 2009 class should be another good one. One thing to keep in mind is that it'll be a pretty small class in comparison to the huge one we hauled in just a few weeks ago. Think 20-21 kids instead of 33. And that includes a pair of grayshirts from this year's class.

Approaching the Deadline

Only about 20 minutes left until the NBA trading deadline and so far nothing new on the Heat front. I've been reading Chad Ford's live chat on ESPN and there have been several questions addressing the Heat's situation. From what I gather, nothing is likely to happen but the Heat are still in talks for Mike Miller or Nene. Forget about Eddy Curry, not happening.

Interestingly enough, Ford mentioned a ridiculously good trade that he would like to see go down between the Clippers and the Heat. He suggests trading Marion and Jason Williams' expiring contract for Corey Maggette and Elton Brand and a future 1st. If that were to happen, I would probably need a new pair of pants. Ah, but we can dream, can't we?

FSU Good and Bad

Recently, FSU has been trying to clean up it's act after an embarrassing academic scandal. Making things worse, their top commit E.J. Manuel revealed in an interview that he was told up to 800 students were involved, and the focus had been on football players. That story has it's own credibility issues I'll tackle another time, so we'll move on.

Part of FSU's self-imposed disciplinary actions was to cut football scholarships. Though we don't know how many were cut quite just yet, it doesn't seem to have been affecting the 2009 recruiting class. Yesterday they landed their 4th commitment from a high school junior looking to play football for the Noles.

The problem is that this commitment doesn't come with all-around praise like the previous 3 did. The recruit in question, C.J. Mizell, comes with some serious red-flags. Mizell apparently had to skip his junior year of football after transferring from a Georgia high school due to an incident where he attacked a coach and gave him a serious head injury that resulted in a concussion. CJ was then barred from GA high school sports and thus had to move to Leon.

His talent is unquestionable, but I have to say that it probably isn't the best idea for FSU to bring in kids with these kinds of issues right now. For all we know Mizell has learned from the incident, but it's still a pretty big risk for a program whose reputation is in decline.

Additionally, rumor is that two players have left the team. One, Jamaal Edwards, was a superstar RB recruit that didn't pan out for the Noles. The other player was junior OL Geoff Berniard. I'll try to find confirmation for you guys later.

Canes Topple Duke

Canes fans all over South Florida are waking up this morning beaming with pride. Their scrappy basketball team pulled off it's biggest win in nearly a decade with a 96-95 victory over the 4th ranked Duke Blue Devils. Maybe it was the lunar eclipse that threw the Dookies off, but I'll take it.

There is a lot to say about this game. First off, you have to give it up to the players for making the most of their opportunities. They forced 22 Duke turnovers and that helped produce one of the better nights of the season offensively. One of my biggest criticisms of the team this season was the poor shot selection and FG%, but last night the Canes drained over 57% of their shots.

The team finally got someone other than Jack McClinton to score in bunches, that someone being Dwayne Collins. The big man absolutely dominated Duke, who has no real presence in the paint defensively, for a career high 26 points.

However, this win was as frustrating as any I have ever experienced watching. The score indicates a close game, but in fact the Canes were up a whopping 20 points with about 13 minutes to go. From there, the team kept making maddening decisions to foul unnecessarily and take shots 10 seconds into the shot clock. Their ballhandling suffered in spurts and contributed to 21 turnovers of their own.

This team had the game won and very nearly let it slip away with all the miscues. Missed free throws. Leaving Duke shooters wide open for 3s. Panic against the full-court press. You name it, the Canes did it. Luckily Frank Haith had a couple of tricky plays set up to inbound the ball safely and both led to crucial baskets.

I don't mean to be a nitpick, but as great as being up by 20 against Duke is for this team, likewise the collapse at the end was very disturbing. They can't make those mistakes late in the season and expect to make an impact in any postseason tournament, if they even manage to get to one.

The win puts them at 5-6 in ACC play with 5 games against beatable teams remaining. Despite the victory, I'd say the team should look to go 3-2 in this final stretch. I suppose it beats having to go 4-1 had they lost to Duke. Winning three more games would leave them at 8-8 and with an impressive enough resume to land an NCAA bid. The Duke win is their 2nd high profile victory in addition to the Mississippi State road win.

One last thing, though I predicted a loss against Duke (who didn't after they lost to Wake Forest this weekend?), I'm on record as having said at the start that this team was deep enough to upset one major power this season. Hooray for me.

Canes Land First 2009 Commitment

Not more than a few hours after I posted the Sean Spence video yesterday, saying nothing much was going on so far in Hurricanes recruiting, AJ Highsmith committed to the University of Miami.

If the name sounds familiar, that's because he is son of former Canes great Alonzo Highsmith. AJ is a quarterback/athlete and currently is unranked by major recruiting services, but is still a talented kid. From what I've heard about him, he'll probably be in the 3/4 star range.

AJ is the 2nd of Alonzo's sons to commit to Miami, but the first, Ali, didn't qualify academically and instead had a stellar career at LSU. Shame.

As far as other recruits go, there continue to be rumors about silent commits, and the number is up to 6 now. Who knows. None of it really counts until NSD 2009 anyway, so it's not a big deal. We've offered a bunch of kids by now and many of them have come out as having the Canes on the top of their lists.

Some, like CB Darrell Givens have claimed they've always wanted to play for Miami. Doesn't surprise me considering many of these guys were 10-12 years old when Miami was last on top of the world. A young mind is a malleable thing so I'm sure many of them grew to like the Canes (what kid isn't a bandwagoner?).

Truth is, most of it is all for show until we get some verbals and then some LOIs in front of these kids. Chances are if a kid is highly rated and has an interest in us, then he's probably getting an offer from us, regardless of what the services have on their player profiles. That's just common sense. Then they'll tell us what we want to hear until Signing Day.

Look for Shannon to target OL, TE, DL and some corners in this class. I'm sure they'll still sign a QB (maybe two since Highsmith is technically a QB and Eugene Smith is super-high on us) and some running backs (I'm guessing 2 5-star guys in Lamar Miller and Bryce Brown), but those 4 areas are ones we should be concerned about heading into the 2009 season. The staff did an excellent job of stocking up on the other positions in this past class.

New Draft Trade Chart?

A recent comment on my Dolphins Draft Options post brought up the effectiveness of the old trade value chart in question. The problem with the old chart is that it doesn't take the financial windfall of missing on a top pick into account when assigning values. When it was first made, you didn't have to sign the #1 overall pick to $30+ million in guaranteed money.

Now comes the news that some people around the league are tinkering with the creation of a new chart. This would be an excellent tool for the Dolphins organization, who incidentally have that not-so-coveted #1 overall pick. Changing the values for the picks might mean that the franchise will trade the pick for less than the previous chart would have demanded, but in reality that's a good thing because under the current system it's unlikely we would trade the pick at all.

So Much For Curry

If you believe Pat Riley (and I'm not so sure you should so close to the deadline), then Eddy Curry is out of the question. I suppose that's a good thing because of his contract and lack of defensive prowess. However, I would still like to see Miami make a move before the deadline is up. We have some trading chips and there are some players out there worth taking the bait for. It's just a matter of whether or not a team likes our trash and we like theirs.

The Inevitable Wait

If you've been keeping up with Heat rumors, you'd know by now that we've been linked to Eddy Curry, Mike Miller and Kyle Lowry, among others. I have several opinions regarding these possibilities, and I'll get to them in just a bit.

First off, I have to warn everyone to not get your hopes up for the 2008-2009 season. Because Marion will be unlikely to consider opting out, we won't be major players in free agency. So forget about Gilbert Arenas or Baron Davis. Even if he does opt out, our hands would be tied with the contracts of Udonis Haslem and Mark Blount, neither of which are likely to be dealt by tomorrow's deadline.

According to Barry Jackson at the Herald, even if we were to somehow unload those contracts for expiring ones, we still wouldn't be far enough under the cap to make a major splash. We would need both a salary dump and Marion opting out for an extension in order to be a player. That makes winning a title, even with Wade, Marion and a top 3 pick, unlikely in 2008.

However, were Marion then to sign a new, cheaper deal after 2008, we would be in business. One of our heftier contracts would be easier to unload, and Elton Brand would be available for free agency in that year, not this one. He still has a player option to stay with the Clippers next season, a similar scenario that is being played out with Shawn Marion. It is in the summer of 2009 then, that this team will make it's final push back out of obscurity.

The lineup then will hopefully look something like Rose/Beasley teaming up with Wade, Marion and Brand. That's the best case scenario. The truth is that we still need more production out of our supporting cast. We can't buy quality starters or else we would be way over the luxury threshold.

As for recent rumors, I don't really like any of them. Ideally we would trade Haslem and Blount for expiring contracts and either let the Williams/Davis contracts go away or trade them for some quality players. Mike Miller is productive and would fit well here, but I personally have never been much of a fan. Maybe it's because he plays in the middle of nowhere though. I'd like to see us add Pietrus if possible.

As for Eddy Curry, I wouldn't be a fan of acquiring him because of his long deal. Otherwise, I'm not as skeptical as most about his inability to run with this new up-tempo offense. Sure he doesn't play defense, but that hasn't stopped Riley from signing a guy in the past. He can make him play defense. Heck, maybe we can still pry Ron Artest from Sacramento, who has pretty much mailed it in by now.

In any case, things should be exciting for the next year or so for the Miami Heat. The product on the court may not be up to par with what we've been used to watching these past 4 seasons, but the future is definitely bright now that the Shaq contract has been dumped on Phoenix.

Sean Spence Video

It's been a while since my last recruiting update. For the most part, nothing substantial has been said because it is still so early in the 2009 recruiting season. The Canes have offered several dozen players and later today I'll try to write up a summary of some of the kids we are looking at for the next class.

For now, here's a YouTube clip of Sean Spence, one of the many LBs we signed this year. The kid is a flat out baller.

Today's 2nd Sign That the Apocalypse is Upon Us

I think Dolphins fans better brace themselves for the shock of seeing Zach Thomas put on a Patriots uniform at a press conference sometime in the near future. NFL.com is reporting that Thomas received a contract offer from New England after today's visit. Zach presumably completed New England's physical, clearing him to play.

Technically, Zach still has visits to New Orleans and Dallas to go to. Also, about a half dozen other teams have called with interest in the former Dolphins LB. However, I would find it hard to believe that he would turn down a fair salary from the best team in pro football. The Giants may have won the Super Bowl, but the Patriots remain the elite franchise in the sport.

Watching him play against us two times a year will be a bitter pill to swallow. We've already seen it with guys like Wes Welker, Junior Seau, and even Heath Evans, who gained over 100 yards against us in one appearance. But Zach meant more to this franchise than any player since Dan Marino. Seeing him play for the enemy is not something many people in South Florida will be happy about.

Frankly, I want him to succeed. Another Patriots championship isn't a problem with me unless they are going undefeated. I know this Dolphins team will be terrible. I expect them to finish last in the AFC East, so losing Thomas to New England doesn't really have an effect on the short-term success of this team. I hate the Patsies as a fan, but the rational human being in me knows it's the best fit for Zach and he will have a chance to get what he has earned through 12 seasons in the NFL.

Today's Sign That the Apocalypse is Upon Us

As if I wanted yet another reason to avoid Marlins games, the team has announced tryouts for their new dance team. Sadly, its not competition for our lovely Mermaids. At least I hope its not. Instead, the Marlins are introducing an entirely new kind of dance team. Specifically the kind that involves fat guys dancing around.

While I might get the occasional laugh out of seeing a fat guy make a fool of himself on the dance floor, or watching the fat guy touchdown dance, this is probably low on my list of desirable entertainment at a ball game. I'm having a debate with myself as to whether or not I prefer these guys or the Golden Oldies.

It's a Canes Thing

One of the mantras attached to the University of Miami football program is that "It's a Canes thing." That motto gets tossed around by fans and players alike, but rarely do outsiders stop and wonder what the meaning behind it really is.

Being a fan of this team doesn't necessarily make us special in and of itself. There is a similar level of devotion and passion for fans of most other teams around the country. What makes us different is the expectations to which we hold our program, and the belief that it is in our manifest destiny to control the college football landscape.

Whereas a program like Florida or Tennessee might be content with an SEC crown, I don't know anyone who ever counts our Big East titles amongst our accomplishments. Similarly, fans of storied programs at Notre Dame and Nebraska would like to contend for titles every year as they once did, but they gradually have become accustomed to lesser levels of success. Not here. Never here.

The University of Miami football team is a unique animal. True to its namesake, it burst upon the national landscape like a whirlwind. No program in modern history has ever matched, nor will ever match, the domination of it's competition like that of Miami's between 1983 and 1992. The sudden explosion of talent took the country by surprise, and unsurprisingly, many outside of Coral Gables were not pleased.

Over the years, the program was spun as public enemy #1 by major media outlets. Perhaps it was jealousy of our success. Maybe it was our speed-oriented defenses making traditional option-based attacks obsolete. Or maybe, just maybe, it was a long-standing, ingrained racism that still permeated throughout the nation. These cocky urban black kids were making a mockery of teams that prominently featured typical All-American corn-fed white boys.

Who knows the real reason why this team came to be hated so. Certainly the players did little to help their image on and off the field, but it's undeniable that they were singled out from a fairly large crowd of deviants. The result? Fifteen years after the end of our Decade of Dominance, this team is still labeled "Thug U" despite near spotless arrest records and admirable graduation rates. The media continues to take shots at our program for the slightest mishap, even when the team has sunk into irrelevance.

So what does it mean to be a Canes fan? Let me be so bold as to make the following analogy. We all live in a country that is misunderstood by the rest of the world. Many would replace the word "misunderstood" with "vilified". For many reasons, people can't seem to accept a relatively new nation's dominance over the rest of the world and it's established civilizations. And as Americans, we have the rooted belief that the destiny of those around us is and should be managed in part by our own actions.

Our great country certainly has had it's fair share of questionable policies and ill-fated wars. We've made more mistakes in our past than we care to count. However, even as the years go by and the impact of said mistakes begins to fade, there is almost no willingness to forgive on the part of the rest of the world. No matter what we do from here on in, the United States will always be hated for what it has done in the past.

Similarly, the Hurricanes are a relatively young program when compared to traditional powers at Michigan and USC. At best, this should have been a middle-of-the-road team that bowed before the Nebraska's and Oklahoma's of the world. Instead, the program came to define excellence on the field and in turn has become as isolated as the nation it resides in.

If you travel, people will be as likely to mock you for being a Canes fan as they are to show you disdain if you are an American in a foreign land. That isolation gives rise to the U. That "U" on our helmets signifies many things, but I believe above all it stands for Unity. Together, our players stand alone against the rest of the country. Their brotherhood is envied by those who don't have it, and shunned upon by those who don't understand it. When those kids take the field, they literally are living the "us against the world" mentality.

The bond they share as brothers is the irresistible force that compels Canes fans to devotion. It's the underlying element of Kellen Winslow's famous "All about this U" rant that nobody besides us seems to understand. There is a certain feeling of pride when you walk into the room and everyone hates you for being the very best. That is why the disappointment of recent seasons at Miami has run so deep, and why the University chose a former Hurricane to run the show. Only a man like Randy Shannon could fully appreciate what it means to be a Hurricane.

Our success has produced a unique expectation that is difficult to find anywhere else for an extended period of time. Some teams in different sports may expect a championship for limited periods of time, knowing full well that these things are cyclical. Miami is unique in that we full expect to compete for the national title every year. Anything less is unacceptable.

Do you know why it still hurts to much when thinking about the 2003 Fiesta Bowl? It's because something was taken away from us. Not just something that was earned, but something that belonged to this team. It belonged to them from the start. It belongs to them at the beginning of every season and only is relinquished to someone else when we fail to live up to our own expectations.

Call it hubris. Call it arrogance. Call it what you will. If you can't understand it, then that's probably because it's a Canes thing.

The Difference Between Steve Nash and Shaq

The parting of ways between teammates is rarely an easy thing. Usually it happens for a good reason. The guy who left may have been past his prime or overpaid. There might have been a trade proposal that couldn't be ignored. Or in many cases, the team's chemistry was suffering because of some individuals, so they had to be let go.

In the Shaq deal, all 3 elements were in place. O'Neal's welcome was beginning to wear thin, though reports were that things weren't necessarily hostile. His bloated salary and declining statistics demanded that he be sent elsewhere, and when the possibility of acquiring Shawn Marion came around, Riley had to pull the trigger.

Similarly, Marion had his issues in Phoenix. The team is over the cap and financially strapped. There was no way he was staying past next season, both because of his large salary demands and because of chemistry issues in the locker room. Marion himself wanted out. So the deal went through and both players had new beginnings with new teams.

Those left behind were under a barrage of questions from the media. For the most part, things were kept low-key and courteous. The only exceptions were subtle jabs coming from O'Neal, directed at former teammates. Nothing he said was necessarily a lie, nor was it outright criticism. However, it reeked of unprofessionalism.

Perhaps I should let go of it, but I don't approve of the way he handled the transition. His past remarks when switching teams are consistent with his behavior the past two weeks, so this wasn't a unique situation where Shaq was hurt and felt like lashing out.

In comparison, look at Steve Nash's remarks about Shawn Marion in today's Miami Herald. When asked about the rocky relationship with his former teammate, Nash was adamant about keeping the past in-house. He had nothing but praise for his former teammate, and spoke of how he expected positive contributions from Marion for the Heat.

"'It's all behind us now, and it's unfair to talk about things that are private,' Nash said."

That's how Shaq should have handled his departure. Not by alluding to the struggles of former teammates when complimenting new ones.

McClinton Keeps Season Alive for Canes

It looks like the Miami Hurricanes basketball team isn't ready to make reservations for the NIT quite just yet. A week after pulling off a rare ACC road win at Virginia Tech, the Canes repeated the feat in Atlanta today with a 64-63 nail biter against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets.

Today's hero was---surprise, surprise---Jack McClinton, whose late 3's helped propel his team to a victory. McClinton finished the afternoon with 23 points, and Miami needed every last one of them. That's because despite the win, the Hurricanes did not have an easy time of it.

In fact, the offense again failed to get on track, as the team finished with another disappointing performance from the field (35%). The team was also out-rebounded and had less assists than their opponents. What they were not, however, was out-hustled. Miami's effort resulted in 22 forced turnovers, which helped ease the negative impact of their own 18 miscues.

Frank Haith clearly has his team believing that a miracle turnaround is possible. Now they return home for a Wednesday showdown with 2nd ranked Duke and probably don't expect to come out on top. That's why today's game was a must-win if the Canes had any hope of securing an NCAA bid. The victory puts them at 4-6 in the ACC, when 8-8 is the unwritten minimum if they expect to be a bubble team.

The good news is that though the Duke game probably won't result in a win, the other 5 ACC games are all against beatable teams if Miami is playing their best. These last two road wins were absolutely crucial and showed us how much character this team has. They were left for dead at 2-6, but now have a legitimate shot at sneaking their way into the ACC tournament and beyond.

Saints, Colts Potential Destinations for Thomas

Looks like Zach won't be out of work for long, as his agent predicted. Both the Dallas Cowboys and New Orleans Saints have already contacted him and he is planning to visit both teams sometime around the NFL Combine.

I'd like to see him head to Dallas myself. Aside from their inexplicable collapse at the end of the season, they are the most talented squad in the NFC. If they can get around to playing well come playoff time, he would have a pretty good shot at winning that ring.

If not, then Indianapolis would be a decent destination. I don't think the Tampa 2 is necessarily the best scheme for Zach, but I'm sure Tony Dungy would find a way to squeeze him in. And I'm certain Peyton Manning will take relief in knowing Thomas will be on his side for once.

Roscoe Parrish Charged With DUI

Dumb move on the part of Roscoe, but I doubt it'll result in anything too serious. I keep wondering why these guys don't pay for drivers when they go clubbing on South Beach.

State of Miami: February 16th, 2008

My, how things have changed. In the month since I wrote my first State of Miami entry, our beloved teams have undergone huge transition phases. Last month, South Florida sports fans were the quintessential laughingstock of the sports world. Today there is renewed hope.

In January, the Heat were in the midst of a devastating tailspin. Until a January 26th victory versus Indiana, the Heat had lost 15 straight games. That stands as the lone victory of the 2008 calendar year, as Miami has gone on to lose 9 more in a row. One might think all this losing would have the franchise in panic mode.

But fear not, Heat fans. Pat Riley once again has saved the day. In a move that might prove to be as much of a steal as the trade that brought Shaq to Biscayne Boulevard, Riley shipped the Big Diesel to Phoenix for All-Star forward Shawn Marion. Now the Heat have a plethora of options with which to work with.

They can keep Marion and use the lottery pick to help build a "Big 3" of our own in Miami to rival that of the Boston Celtics. Or perhaps Shawn Marion will prove to be a rental and Miami can bring in a marquee free agent. Who knows? Ironically, for a team that sits on the bottom of the standings, things are beginning to look up (though I suppose there is nowhere to go but up after hitting rock bottom).

Likewise, our last-place Dolphins have begun their slow crawl towards relevance. It's been a month to the day since we hired Tony Sparano as our new head coach. The latest regime has begun the cleansing process that Nick Saban and Cam Cameron should have had the guts to do long ago. As of this moment, the Dolphins have $35 million in cap space, the #1 overall pick, and 4 of the first 64 picks in the NFL Draft with which to build a new future.

Of course, progress can't be made without some sort of compromise. This week marked the sad end to Zach Thomas' career as a Miami Dolphin. Though it is a bitter end for many fans, he will forever be remembered as one of the all-time greats to wear the aqua and teal. Hopefully Zach can continue playing at a high level while staying healthy for himself and his family.

Another team of ours poised to rise from the ashes is the proud Miami Hurricanes football program. Left for dead by rival fans and national media pundits, Randy Shannon nailed the #1 recruiting class no more than a week after Sporting News ran a piece on how his class was falling apart. Some real foresight there, guys.

Perhaps it's foolish to proclaim this incoming group of young men as the saviors of the program. We had similarly high ranking classes in the early 2000s that ended up initiating this steep decline on the field. However, there is something to be said about a group of 33 young men who have committed themselves to a team that fielded a 5-7 record and has had high profile deaths of both current and former players within the last 2 years.

These aren't the kids riding the wave of success and 1st round NFL draft picks. That's why Miami began to fall apart. People saw this place as a stepping stone towards the NFL rather than a breeding ground for competition. Kids would come here and go through the motions as they eagerly awaited what they felt would be NFL paydays. Someone forgot to tell them that the U on their helmets alone wasn't going to get them drafted.

The 2008 class is instead a group of young men who want nothing more than to rebuild this program and win a National Title. That's the kind of hunger we need in Coral Gables. Combine that with a stunning level of talent that some of these guys possess, and you've got the right formula for success.

Of course, not all is well in South Florida. It would be too much to ask to see a complete turnaround in just over a month. The Florida Panthers have made a recent surge, but continue to hover around mediocrity. However, the disappointment in the standings quickly became unimportant this week as forward Richard Zednik suffered a terrifying injury that could have potentially ended his life on the ice. Thankfully, he has recovered and the Panthers can rest assured that their teammate will be ok.

Hopefully they can make some sort of push into the postseason. There are only 20 or so games remaining, and the Panthers are only a game out of the division lead. A late surge would mean the first playoff hockey we've seen in South Florida in nearly a decade. With the way everything else has gone of late, Miami might yet find a team to rally around.

Finally, the Florida Marlins. They continue to depress us with their mere existence. Having traded it's only two remaining players from the 2003 World Series, the Marlins have officially become a AAA team. It's only a matter of time before they trade away Hanley Ramirez as well, probably to the Red Sox franchise where he was acquired from. Spring training is coming right around the corner, but I have to admit I couldn't be less excited. I'd challenge even the most loyal of Marlins fans to recognize half of this roster. What a shame it all has become, really.

What's worse is that as I write this, the Marlins have finalized a deal with all parties involved for a $515 million ballpark at the Orange Bowl site. What a sad day it will be when they tear down the Orange Bowl and begun construction on a new park that the Marlins will only be about 1/3rd responsible for financially.

Luckily, the general trend of Miami sports is a far more positive one than that of the Marlins specifically. I have to say I'm excited for the future of our other franchises. It won't be long before we can take the paper bags off our heads and beam with pride about our sports teams.

Stadium Saga is Over

Scratch that, it's about over. The deal is finally set, but still needs a vote.

Finally. Not that I'm in support of a Marlins stadium after the constant fire sales, but if they wanted to stay in Miami, this was the only way it was getting done. A downtown site would have been preferable to a Little Havana location, but I suppose baseball fans will take what they can get.

I for one refuse to go to a Marlins game at the Orange Bowl site. Too many bad feelings about what to me is desecrating historic lands. You couldn't pay me to go even if they one day return to the World Series. It just feels wrong.

It sure will be interesting to see how people react in a few years to having to call the team the Miami Marlins though.

Zednik Leaves Hospital

Good news out of Buffalo: injured Panther Richard Zednik is out of the hospital after a gruesome injury that resulted in his neck being sliced by a teammate's skate. Best of luck to Richard in his recovery.

T-Buck Joins Noles

Don't ask me why I have so much Florida State news today. I don't know, and I'd rather not think about it too much. Anyway, former Dolphin corner Terrell Buckley has joined his alma mater's football program as an assistant strength coach.

Crumpler's Release

Now that the Atlanta Falcons have released Alge Crumpler, I would suggest the Dolphins take a look at signing the Pro Bowl tight end. His production dropped off considerably last season, but that can be attributed to the chaos surrounding then head coach Bobby Petrino. If anything, he can come cheaper thanks to his low receiving numbers.

You don't find Pro Bowl TE's growing on trees, and unless the Dolphins want to spend a high pick in an unimpressive draft class or trade a high pick for Jeremy Shockey, they will be left without much of a threat at the tight end position next year. David Martin simply won't cut it. I wouldn't be surprised to see him get the ax at some point.

Also, we are out of the running for Mike Wahle, who signed a 5 year deal with Seattle recently. That's a pretty good pickup to help replace the loss of Steve Hutchinson. The 'Hawks' line suffered greatly once Steve left for Minnesota.

Glenn Dorsey Video

Here's some of Glenn Dorsey's plays from the National Title Game vs Ohio State.

Yesterday in Miami: 02/15/08

Ironic that on Valentine's Day, it was the sporting events/news that would make Miami fans depressed, lonely and bitter.

Yesterday in Miami...

• Long-time Miami Dolphins linebacker Zach Thomas is cut after 12 stellar seasons. Apparently there are no hard feelings and he is happy to be free of this mess.
• The Miami Heat lose their 24th out of the last 25 games to the Chicago Bulls. Now, a merciful break from the losing until after the All-Star festivities.
• FSU making headlines with a self-imposed probation...
• ...Only a day after landing their 3rd Top100 recruit of the 2009 class.
• Recently cut OT Anthony Alabi heads to the Chiefs, where he will (in typical former Miami Dolphin fashion) become a perennial Pro Bowler.
  

Heat Lose Again

It seems amazing to me that I haven't written a positive Heat recap in over two weeks. The Heat will now have only won a single game in the past 2 months. How insane is that? I knew they were bad, but this is just ridiculous.

Of course, I applaud the effort in the 99-92 loss to the pesky Chicago Bulls. I also appreciate the continued course towards the most lottery balls in the NBA Draft Lottery. But it has to be frustrating for such a great player like Dwyane Wade to continue to lose night in, night out.

Though the primary reason for the decline of this ballclub is the lack of talent, Wade has to start looking in the mirror. Sure, he dropped 30 on the Bulls, adding 7 assists and rebounds, while continuing to work on his improving 3-point game. However, he again turned the ball over way too much. The last of his half-dozen miscues cost us a crucial chance to get within striking distance in the final 2 minutes.

He needs to stop forcing things and take better care of the ball. His reckless play means he will probably always average at least 2.5 turnovers a game, but that's acceptable because of the dividends it pays out in the form of points and foul shots. But 4.5 is really too much. I don't know if it's his knee or if he has abandoned the need for careful ballhandling. Regardless, it needs to stop if the Heat plan on making an impact next season.

However, as troubling as Wade's turnovers are becoming, last night's loss was solely on the supporting cast. Nobody other than Wade and Marion scored in double figures. Dorell had a semi-productive game and you can't count on him to be the 3rd guy every day. That's not fair. Somebody else has to do something. You can't get outrebounded by an undermanned team by 20 and expect to win.

I suppose I'm being a nitpick at this point. Truthfully, I want this team to lose. The worse we do in the short-run, the better off we'll be next year. It's just a shame to see a season's worth of basketball from two players in their prime go to waste.

Farewell, Zach

In a surprising move, the Miami Dolphins have reportedly cut ties with former Pro Bowl LB Zach Thomas. I say surprising because I felt Thomas had some value in the trade market. Apparently, he did not. The Dolphins saved nearly $6 million on the salary cap with the move.

His release makes Jason Taylor the lone remaining player from the last Dolphins team we can consider relevant. It also signifies the departure of a long-time fan favorite in Miami. Zach is an absolute class act and a true underdog story.

Though undersized for his position, he still managed to accumulate over 1200 tackles in his illustrious career as a Dolphin. The 7-time Pro Bowler will be missed on the field and in the locker room.

However, as Dolphins fans we shouldn't be too sad that he is gone. True, it's a huge disappointment that Zach never got a chance to win anything with the franchise that drafted and came to love him. But if he continues to play football, it will likely be for a team that has a chance to give him the ring he deserves.

I personally don't know if it is worth the health risk for Zach Thomas to return to football. He's made his impact and proved himself time and again to all the doubters. A ring is important, but your health and family trump the glory of victory. Unless he is absolutely 100% ready to go, I would hope he at least considers taking the year off before considering a return to football.

As for his destination, as long as he doesn't go to the Patriots (a possibility), the Jets, or the Bills, I don't really care. I just hope he gets a chance to win a title some day. Thanks for all the memories, Zach.

The Steroid Mess

I've tried for the most part to keep away from national issues on this blog. You guys already have more than enough talking heads telling you what to think, and it's easier to focus solely on stuff that affects South Florida directly.

However, it's impossible to ignore the gravity of the Congressional hearings on the Clemens-McNamee Saga. It's easily the biggest story in sports.

My take? I honestly could not care less. I respect baseball purists' desire to keep the game clean and the stats legitimate. There's something to be said about having records to break, knowing that those records were achieved fairly. But times change and records really don't have the meanings they once did.

If someone were to have hit in 57 straight games 30 years ago, it would be the headline of every newspaper in the country. Now, it would probably still be on page 1, but I get the feeling people aren't as impressed by broken records as they once were. They are too busy fiddling with their iPhones.

I also respect the opinions of those who feel steroids are setting bad examples for their children. I agree, because a young mind is a very malleable thing. However, it's a parent's job to separate right from wrong, not a baseball player's. Nobody should let TV teach their children. Good parents will sit their young boy down and tell him that cheating is wrong and drugs are bad for you. What these fools on TV do to ruin their lives should not affect the general public.

That leads me to my last point: the general public's best interest is not being served by wasting tax dollars on this stuff. Why is Congress involved? Who cares what a professional entity is doing within it's own walls? If they are breaking their own rules, let them clean it up in house. If they are breaking laws created by the government, then punish them accordingly through the courts. I would hope that Congress has bigger issues to deal with. Like the deficit maybe? Education anyone? Bringing our troops back home safely?

All this hoopla is just a colossal waste of time and it annoys me to no end that I flip on the TV and I see it all over the place. Everyone knows Roger Clemens is a liar by now. The evidence is stacked against him pretty high. He should just give up and spare us the drama. His reputation is beyond repair now, so what's the point of all this? Go home to your family and stay off my TV screen.

Chris Long Video

I've been posting several recruiting videos for you guys to take a look at, but have neglected the fact the draft is coming up and many of you don't follow the college game too closely. Therefore, I'll be posting videos of potential picks for the Miami Dolphins so you can get a feel for who you want the team to select in April. First up is the frontrunner for the #1 overall selection, DE Chris Long from Virginia.

Florida State on Self-Imposed Probation

Have to say, that despite my general dislike of FSU and their university, I have to give them their due credit for taking care of a very nasty situation. The incident that left them shorthanded for the Music City Bowl has given Florida State no choice but to put itself on probation.

Obviously this is a preemptive move on the part of the Seminoles. If they didn't do this, eventually the NCAA would have come down on them, and probably a lot harder had FSU not admitted to the wrongdoings. It's interesting to see this in comparison to the UF "investigation" into potential recruiting violations by Urban Meyer. Granted a cheating scandal is far more serious, but at least FSU isn't sweeping this stuff under the rug.

The scholarship reduction will certainly have to affect the football program, though as of now I don't know how many (if any) scholarships will be taken away from Bobby Bowden. It should be interesting to see how this affects the 2009 recruiting class, which as I mentioned earlier, is off to a fantastic start.

FSU Receives Another Commitment

So much for Bobby being done. This time it's 4-star safety JaJuan Harley who commits to the Noles for the 2009 class. For a safety, he has some blazing 4.37 speed. That makes the 3rd Top 50 player the Seminoles have gotten a commit from in the past week. Very impressive.

Yesterday in Miami: 02/14/08

Yesterday in Miami...

• The Florida Panthers returned to the ice for the first time since Zednik's freak accident. Sadly, they lost to the Canadiens in OT. They still remain 2 points out of a 4-way tie for first in the division.
• Jeff Feagles and Randal Hill join 6 others in the UM Hall of Fame.
• This coming after Feagles agrees to a 2 year deal with the Giants that will have him playing until he is nearly 44.
• Keyshawn Johnson is eyeing a potential return to the NFL, with Miami as a possibility. No thanks.
• Former Dolphins receiver Marty Booker might end up returning to Chicago after a nasty split a few years ago.
• Seattle and Minnesota both lose. It's frustrating to be historically bad and still only have a 1/2 game on the next worst team.
  

My Two Cents on Shaq and the Trade

I had hoped that this divorce would be a clean, respectful break. I believed that by trading Shaq, we might have hurt his feelings, but I sincerely wanted the trade to go smoothly in the aftermath. Unfortunately, that didn't happen.

First, we heard the rumors that there was a growing rift between Shaq and Riles as O'Neal's days in Miami came to an end. Then we found out that Shaq's agent called the Heat about 3 weeks ago asking about a buyout. So Shaq had been wanting out for quite some time. That's fine. His primary interest is in himself and his legacy, but we all knew that all along.

However, now that we traded him away to a contender with nothing but praise and well-wishes, he comes off with a barrage of insults and back-handed compliments for his former teammates. The latest of said insults: "I've never had a point guard like him," O'Neal said of Nash. "As I was telling Steve, I haven't got an easy bucket in six years."

Alright, so guys like Derek Fisher, Jason Williams and Dwyane Wade weren't good enough to pass you the ball? Come on. Nobody in the Heat organization has said a negative thing about the fact you took up 1/3rd of the team's salary while producing at an "earthling" level for 45 games a season. We haven't heard a bad thing about Shaq from any of his former teammates. Yet he insists on dragging their names through the mud.

This isn't the first time he's done so either. Shaq has a tendency to insult his former teammates: Penny Hardaway, Kobe Bryant, Jason Williams, Dwyane Wade, as well as heaping praise on newfound teammates: Steve Nash, Dwyane Wade, Michael Doleac.

Heck, he has even backtracked on past insults of opponents once they became new teammates of his. Remember how little respect he gave Steve Nash when he won the MVP in 2004? Or how little he thought of Alonzo Mourning before he became his teammate?

It's evident that Shaq is a crowd-pleasing, brown-nosing weasel that doesn't respect anyone as a teammate or a coach. Wherever he goes he says the right things at the start to impress everyone and get on their good side. Once things go south there, he moves along like a parasite and trashes everyone he left in his wake. He really should consider handling himself with more class if he ever wants to be considered an all-time great.

As for the trade itself, I've been meaning to say it but haven't gotten around to it: why is nobody absolutely heaping mounds of praise on Pat Riley? I've read about a dozen "what was Phoenix thinking?!" pieces, and recently read Bill Simmons' "Phoenix made a bold move" article. I have yet to see a single story (that gets national coverage at least) that emphasizes just how insanely good a move this was for the Heat.

Riley literally pulled a rabbit out of a hat. Shaq's contract was untradeable. Absolutely untradeable. Yet he manages to unload it, and for an All-Star in his prime?! And not just an All-Star, but an All-Star with an expiring contract! Nobody has bothered to take note of Riley pulling off what has to be one of the Top 5 franchise-saving trades in NBA history. I think he deserves much more credit than he has gotten so far.

Booker Looking to Get Back to Chicago

In case you cared, recently released WR Marty Booker is entertaining the possibility of a return to the Chicago Bears.

The Dolphins acquired him and a 3rd round pick (used on Channing Crowder) in exchange for Adewale Ogunleye back in the Dave Wannstedt era (seems like so long ago now, doesnt it?). Then, he was adamant about not wanting to return to a franchise who wasn't interested in keeping him around. Seems he's had a change of heart.

Feagles to Play 2 More Years

Yes, that Jeff Feagles. The former Hurricanes punter has been in the NFL almost as long as I've been alive. He owns the NFL record for appearing in 320 consecutive regular season games. That's twenty seasons without missing a game. Even for a punter that's pretty impressive.

In addition to winning a Super Bowl last week, he has agreed to a 2-year deal with the champion Giants. On top of that, he will be inducted into the University of Miami Hall of Fame today. Don't be surprised if one day he isn't also invited to Canton.

Yesterday in Miami: 02/13/08

I hope you guys got a chance to watch the Denver-Miami game last night. We lost, but it was still one of the more entertaining games we've seen in a long time in Miami.

Yesterday in Miami...

• Wade's buzzer beater is off target and the Heat lose to the Nuggets 114-113.
• Richard Zednik is upgraded to "good condition". He was also released from the intensive care unit.
• Seminoles land their 2nd stud commit of the 2009 recruiting class.
• Former Cane Dan Morgan is cut by the Carolina Panthers.
• Minnesota somehow finds a way to keep up with the Heat's losing.
  

Heat Makes History

Thanks to an overtime loss to the Nuggets, the Heat have officially been the worst team in the history of the NBA in a 24 game period. Until now, nobody has ever lost 23 of 24 games. Congratulations guys.

Sarcasm aside, the Heat played a very good game. The only reason they didn't win is because J.R. Smith went nuts and dropped 8 bombs from long range, 4 of them in the 4th. The team is clearly better with the addition of Shawn Marion, who used his energy and athleticism to drop 23 points and 18 boards to go with a handful of assists and steals. Now that's some production.

He wasn't the only one who had a big night either. Dwyane Wade did miss an off-balance shot that cost us the game, but he finished with 29 points and 10 dimes with only 2 turnovers.

Mark Blount also had a good performance with 18 points and 13 rebounds. If it weren't for the lack of an inside presence on defense, I would be welcome to Blount's return next season. If anything, he has played well enough that Miami can actually consider him a chip in negotiations with other teams.

Aside from the last second loss, the story of the game might have been Dorell Wright's 1st half 17 points. He cooled off in the 2nd half, but that makes several games in a row that DW1 has made a considerable impact. Maybe this is really the turning point in his career. He plays very well alongside Wade and Marion and would be a great 6th man for this team if he continues this trend.

What I found interesting was that Pat Riley again resorted to what amounted to a 7 man rotation. I know our team is the walking wounded, but Daequan Cook is healthy and needs playing time to grow into his role in the NBA. He's struggled this past month but that doesn't mean we have to shut him down. If this team has any future, we need our draft picks to be productive.