Tommy Streeter Video

Here's a 4 minute reason why landing Streeter on Signing Day was so important. The kid is a big play threat and has the size of a Dwayne Jarrett. Despite rumors, I doubt he'll be moved to TE.

The Heat and NBA Cap Myths

Woke up this morning and read an excellent blog post by Ethan Skolnick at the Sun-Sentinel on the myths regarding the Heat's newfound cap flexibility.

Certainly this paints a slightly less cheery picture for our future. Unless we can convince Shawn Marion to opt out and sign a long term offer at about 12-13 million a year, then we really aren't going to be players in this summer's free agent market.

Marion of course would be foolish to turn down the 17 million dollar payday for next season if he had no guarantees of a long-term deal. My biggest concern is that Marion is a guy who constantly feels neglected and under-appreciated. It's entirely possible he feels he is worth 20 million dollars a year (which he is not).

Hopefully, when the time comes, Marion will understand he will not receive a contract worth 17-20 million a year from anyone. Re-signing with the Heat at 12 million is more than fair for both parties, and it allows the Heat to offer potential free agents an addition 5 million per year. I'm not sure that going after a guy like Elton Brand is feasible in any scenario that has us keeping Marion.

Still, if the Heat end up draft Michael Beasley or Derrick Rose, a mid-level free agent would give this team 4 excellent starters. Trading J-Will or Ricky Davis before the deadline could bring in the 5th. Trading Haslem and/or Blount would likewise bring in some expiring contracts. The realm of possibilities is endless. For now, we have about 10 days to see what Riley will do with what he's got left. Then it's just waiting out the losses until the draft.

Panthers Cut Morgan, Wahle

As mentioned in today's YiM post, the Carolina Panthers cut ties with former Hurricanes LB Dan Morgan. They also released former Pro Bowl guard Mike Wahle.

Morgan is now available to be signed by any team, and a return to Miami would most definitely be a welcome one. Obviously, a contract would have to be incentive laden due to his extensive injury history. One problem is that the Dolphins have yet to decide on a defensive scheme. Regardless, I think Morgan has the size to fit in either the 3-4 or the 4-3.

The real issue here is his inability to stay healthy. More importantly, he has had the same problems Zach Thomas is now having with severe concussions. Is Morgan worth the financial risk? Should he even be playing anymore? I can't say. All I know is if the Dolphins' medical staff clears him, then the team should pursue a deal. When healthy, Morgan is one of the Top 5 middle linebackers in the game.

The former Cane isn't the only Panthers cut that I'm interested in either. Mike Wahle is only 30 and is a top flight offensive guard. He might have lost a step but he is easily an upgrade over what we've got at either guard position. The biggest problem with signing him, or Morgan for that matter, is that we have so many holes to fill that we cannot afford to make too big a splash on any one free agent.

Seminoles Land Another

Pretty fast start for the Noles. It's impressive how Bobby can continue to reel in top-flight talent despite his inevitable retirement. The newest commit is 4-star S/WR Willie Downs.

Yesterday in Miami: 02/12/08

After weeks of quiet changes in the coaching staff, the Dolphins finally make a splash by cutting 9 players.

Yesterday in Miami...

• Trent Green and Marty Booker are 2 of 9 players cut by the Dolphins. The moves save about $8 million in cap space.
• NFL Network reports the Virginia DE Chris Long is the favorite to be the #1 overall pick.
• Clint Hurtt and Michael Barrow are honored by Rivals.com as Top ACC recruiters.
• Richard Zednik is stable and recovering after surgery to repair his carotid artery. It's scary to read just how close he came to dying in front of all those people. Luckily the blade didn't damage any other arteries.
• As rumored, the Carolina Panthers cut former Cane Dan Morgan.
  

Dolphins Begin Offseason Cuts

The Dolphins made some news today by cutting 9 players off their 2008 roster.

Notable cuts were QB Trent Green, OT L.J. Shelton, WR Marty Booker, and DT Keith Traylor. Additionally, the Dolphins cut ties with linemen Anthony Alabi, Joe Toledo, and Marion Dukes. Also cut were DTs Marquay Love and Anthony Bryant.

Armando Salguero reports that the cap casualties resulted in about 8 million dollars worth of freed up cap space. The problem is that this doesn't factor in the opportunity cost of having to replace 4 starters, 2 backups, and 3 practice squad players. It wouldn't surprise me if the Dolphins ended up spending more money to replace who they cut than what they initially saved by cutting the players.

That's not to say these guys shouldn't have been released. Trent Green really should consider hanging them up. Besides his health issues, the worst thing this team can have happen is for Beck to start 5 games next year, lose 4 of the 5 and have the coaching staff panic and send in Trent Green to salvage the season. Forget Green. I don't want to re-sign him at any cost.

Shelton was overpriced for being a serviceable starter at best. However, by cutting so many players on both lines, we have left ourselves pretty thin. That pretty much shows everyone what our priorities will be come draft day. I would expect the Dolphins to end up draft 2 players on the OL and two on the DL in April.

As for Marty Booker, he also had to go. I felt he was an underrated performer in 2006, but last year his production dropped considerably. It's probably best for everyone that he goes elsewhere. The problem is now the Dolphins only have two receivers that are worth throwing the ball to (note that I'm being generous here), and they have only 3 years combined experience. I'm sure WR will be a major target of the team during free agency.

Now that the fat is beginning to get trimmed, we can finally see that there isn't much meat left. It's actually quite alarming how depleted this roster is. There's no way this is a one year turnaround. Maybe not even a 2 year project. We will have to be very patient with this new regime if we want the Dolphins to become relevant again. I don't want to hear anyone calling for Parcells' head if we go 4-12 next year.

A Few Canes Notes

Not all that much happening since Signing Day, but still a few things are worth mentioning.

First off, congratulations to to Clint Hurtt and Michael Barrow for getting consideration from Rivals as two of the top recruiters in the ACC. Hurtt's involvement in the recruitment of 8 players landed him the top spot amongst assistants in the conference. Not that they really care what a recruiting website thinks of them, but it's always nice to be recognized for your efforts.

Next is the news of two position changes on the UM roster. Incoming linebacker Jordan Futch has been slotted as the 3rd string TE for the Canes. My guess is that there is so much depth now at LB that his skills might be better off used at the TE position. Not to say Futch couldn't play ahead of Spence or Brown, but there's nothing wrong with moving guys around to see what works.

UPDATE: Interestingly enough, Manny contests that this is a permanent switch. Futch is apparently going to be given a chance to try both positions.

Additionally, Allen Bailey has finally been moved to DE. He came in as a 260 pound MLB recruit and signed with the Canes under the impression he would be allowed to stay a linebacker. However, he has grown way too much to play that role and I have to assume he and Randy Shannon had a conversation about his long-term future in the business and that putting his hand on the ground would be best for all parties. I'm glad Allen acquiesced to the decision rather than throwing a fit and transferring elsewhere. He should be a monster for the D, especially now that we don't have much DL depth.

As for recruiting, it's still pretty early in the game. USC did get a 9th commitment for the 2009 class, but it's next to impossible to compete with them at this point. We are early front runners for many South Florida stars, and should have no problem landing a Top 10 class next year.

Austin Fitzpatrick, son of former Hurricane defensive tackle Tony Fitzpatrick, has us as his top choice entering his senior year. He is an athletic TE out of Texas, so landing him will be a big deal for the future class considering the lack of bonafide threat at the position right now.

Will Chris Long Be the Pick?

An issue that has gone largely unnoticed the past month thanks to recruiting and the Shaq trade is the pending #1 overall selection by the Miami Dolphins in April's NFL Draft.

My position since we clinched the pick in late December was that we need to trade it away. Even if you don't get a premium offer, take something thats remotely fair. Call Cincinnati and offer them the pick for Chad and their 1st. Figure out a way to make the Cowboys trade work. Do something.

To me, picking a player is too huge a financial risk for a team as bad as the Dolphins. However, it seems unlikely we can find a trading partner because of that risk, so the team has been evaluating its options. I heard a few weeks ago Chris Long was the favorite because he fits into Parcells' system.

Now, PFT reports that Adam Scheftner of NFL Network has been told that Long is early frontrunner to be the #1 overall selection.

I'm not thrilled about this report, but it's pretty accurate to say Chris is the least likely bust out of the major players in the draft. We are a bit unfortunate in that there is no absolute monster prospect outside of Darren McFadden, who plays a position we don't have a need for. Still, the draft is over 2 months away, so a lot can change before we have to make the pick.

Yesterday in Miami: 02/11/08

Yesterday was a pretty bad day on paper for Miami fans. Mostly everything went wrong, and things even turned frightening at one point in the Panthers game. However, at the end of the day one will look back and see that with every bit of bad news that comes our way, there is always that silver lining.

With the Heat, it's the future. With the Panthers, it's the assurance that their teammate will be alright. For recruitniks, it's the promise that a young man will hopefully have a bright future, albeit not with the Canes. And for those who knew Sean Taylor, the healing process can truly begin.

Yesterday in Miami...

• Shawn Marion debuts with 15 points and 14 boards in a loss to the Lakers. Things are looking up for once.
• Panthers lose 5-3 at Buffalo, dropping a bit in the standings.
• More importantly, they lose forward Richard Zednik to a freak injury that resulted in a severely slashed neck. He is in stable condition as of this morning.
• Three Redskin teammates of Sean Taylor honor him by wearing #21 jerseys. The NFC wins the Pro Bowl with help of Devin Hester's exciting lateral pass on a kick return.
• Canes lose previously unsigned 4-star receiver Martavious Odoms to Michigan. Presumably there wasn't enough room for yet another WR on this roster. Good luck to him.
  

Panthers Lose to Sabres; Zednik in Stable Condition

The least important news regarding yesterday's game vs the Buffalo Sabres was that the Panthers lost 5-3. Midway through the 3rd period, Olli Jokinen was forced to the ice. On the way down, his skate cut a gash into Richard Zednik's neck.

The Panthers forward was rushed off the ice and taken to a local hospital where he underwent surgery to repair the damage. Thankfully, he is in stable condition for now.

The gruesome scene nearly caused the game to be postponed, with the Sabres leading 4-3. Olli Jokinen for one didn't think it should have continued.

"We shouldn't have finished the game," Jokinen said. "I saw the replay, that it was my skate that hit him in the throat. I think we were all in shock. I've never seen anything like that. There are bigger things than [finishing the game]. It was terrifying."

The defeat leaves Florida 2 points out of the division lead and 4 out of the 8th seed. However, I would imagine our players' minds will be on their teammate until he is back on the ice.

Heat Lose in Marion's Debut

Yesterday's game vs the Lakers was the beginning of something new and exciting in Miami. Sure, they lost their 22nd game in the last 23. But the result matters very little in the short term. What we saw was a little bit of hope for this franchise.

Watching Shawn Marion play, I realized he is one of only a handful of players in the last decade to have played for the Heat and make me say "Wow. This guy is good." A few exceptions would be Mourning's spurts of defensive brilliance (Game 6, anyone?), O'Neal's 2004 season, and of course Dwyane Wade.

The loss is sadly primarily on Dwyane's shoulders. His 9 turnovers were brutal, and Kobe Bryant dominated him on the defensive end. That's the kind of defensive prowess Wade needs to acquire if he ever wants to regain the title of best player in the league. In addition, Wade barely got to the foul line, meaning the Heat were in single digit free throws until the very end of the game.

Other than that, there were many more positives than negatives from the loss. For one, the Heat did come back from a 17 point 4th-quarter deficit by trimming it to 4 before falling apart again. The play seemed a bit more up-tempo and had the crowd enjoying themselves for once.

In addition, Dorell Wright turned in yet another solid performance. The young man has started to play very well of late. It's possible he's playing for a job next year, but hopefully it means he is growing into his role in the NBA. 15 points, 7 boards and 3 assists to go with zero turnovers is an excellent performance.

Not to mention he was often put on Kobe Bryant on defense. From what I saw, Dorell did an excellent job. On more than one occasion, Wright refused to bite on the pump fakes and alertly defended step-back Js as well as humanly possible. Unfortunately for him, Kobe is ridiculous and made the shots anyway.

Also, Mark Blount had a fantastic night inside the low post against the soft Pau Gasol. If it weren't for his high cap figure, I would be for keeping Blount around in the rotation, but he's certainly made a good impression with any GMs potentially watching. His play might result in an equitable trade that brings us back some cap space.

In any case, the loss keeps us a game ahead of Minnesota (who also lost) for the worst record in the league. All I want at this point is a top 2 pick. Anything past that and you are risking not getting instant contributions from your rookie. Guys like C DeAndre Brown might work well in the future, but I don't think anyone in this Heat organization want to wait around like the Lakers did for Andrew Bynum.

Hester's Competition

Read this last night while surfing the WWL.

I've seen lots of Cleveland Browns games and I'll be the first to tell you that Josh Cribbs is an excellent returner. He always seems to break one loose to midfield. However, the suggestion he is as good or better than Devin Hester is pure hubris on his part.

Cribbs might have the better average YPR, but Hester is entirely correct when pointing out that teams rarely even kick to him. Teams gameplan against Hester just so they don't end up watching the back of his jersey while he takes one back to the house. Cribbs isn't consistently the focus of anyone's special teams play.

Devin is a once in a lifetime talent when it comes to what he does. What's even better is that he is finally starting to grasp the WR position, something he couldn't do at Miami. Heck, Coker failed to develop Devin at any position at Miami.

On that note, you might notice a returners rankings on the side of that article. Clayton has Ted Ginn 5th in the NFL. It's an interesting opinion, to say the least. I'm not sold on Ginn as a game breaker quite just yet. I'll venture to say he'll take one back every season because he is so fast, but he doesn't have Cribbs' or Hester's skills.

Martavious Odoms to Michigan

It had been reported that Odoms was all but set to join the UM track team and "redshirt" there before switching to football next season so he would count against next year's 25 schollie limit. However, on signing day he decided to delay his decision and in the end, chose Michigan as his destination.

It's a bit surprising in that I really expected him to have been part of this class, however, Miami signed a boatload of receivers and it was unlikely that Odoms would have found much playing time with us. I hope he does well at Michigan, a program I respect and cheer for.

Skins to Honor Taylor in Hawaii

What will be our final chance to watch football this season will also probably be the last of a series of tributes for the fallen Sean Taylor. Three of Taylor's Redskin teammates will wear 21 the entire game in his honor.

Hopefully, now the healing process can truly begin for everyone who knew Sean, or for anyone who followed him play throughout his career. His tragic death gave us all a reminder of how short life can be. It hits us harder when a high-profile celebrity meets such a sad end, because part of us sees these guys as invincible.

My hope is that Sean won't be forgotten. People need to remember what he did to save his family, and they mustn't forget the impact he had on those who knew him personally. If anything good came from this, its that some athletes might start protecting themselves a little more. But more importantly, Sean's legacy will be defined by the outpouring of grief and moving tributes to him after his death, not his indiscretions as a young man.

However, as time goes by, I think of Bryan Pata. Sean's death was the one of the worst stories in 2007, but his family can rest easier knowing they have some closure, some answers. Bryan's case remains unsolved, and the longer these things take, the less likely it is they are ever solved. I pray for his family's sake that sometime soon the nightmare will be over for them.

Yesterday in Miami: 02/10/08

I think since there aren't always 4-5 newsworthy stories happening every day in South Florida, I might start adding in a few articles related to athletes and teams from Miami that are worth a read.

Yesterday in Miami...

• Believe it or not, the Canes win an ACC road game.
• Panthers blow out Boston, only 1 point out of the division lead now.
• Memphis loses, but the Knicks win in the every important battle for the lottery.
• Excellent piece on Kellen Winslow by John Clayton.
• Read about how Mark Cuban may have actually incited this Shaq trade.