Bleacher Report - Articles by Hotnuke

This Article Was Removed By Author, Hotnuke, Who Is No Longer Writing for B/R

Hotnuke — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 10:33:10 -0500

This article has been removed by me, Daniel Barber aka Hotnuke as I am no longer writing for this site.

This Article Was Removed By Author, Hotnuke, Who Is No Longer Writing for B/R

Hotnuke — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 13:33:15 -0500

This article has been removed by me, Daniel Barber aka Hotnuke as I am no longer writing for this site.

This Article Was Removed By Author, Hotnuke, Who Is No Longer Writing for B/R

Hotnuke — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 09:59:30 -0500

This article has been removed by me, Daniel Barber aka Hotnuke as I am no longer writing for this site.

This Article Was Removed By Author, Hotnuke, Who Is No Longer Writing for B/R

Hotnuke — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 10:19:15 -0500

This article has been removed by me, Daniel Barber aka Hotnuke as I am no longer writing for this site.

This Article Was Removed By Author, Hotnuke, Who Is No Longer Writing for B/R

Hotnuke — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 15:18:56 -0500

This article has been removed by me, Daniel Barber aka Hotnuke as I am no longer writing for this site.

This Article Was Removed By Author, Hotnuke, Who Is No Longer Writing for B/R

Hotnuke — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 09:51:55 -0500

This article has been removed by me, Daniel Barber aka Hotnuke as I am no longer writing for this site.

This Article Was Removed By Author, Hotnuke, Who Is No Longer Writing for B/R

Hotnuke — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 17:16:53 -0500

This article has been removed by me, Daniel Barber aka Hotnuke as I am no longer writing for this site.

This Article Was Removed By Author, Hotnuke, Who Is No Longer Writing for B/R

Hotnuke — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 10:09:23 -0500

This article has been removed by me, Daniel Barber aka Hotnuke as I am no longer writing for this site.

This Article Was Removed By Author, Hotnuke, Who Is No Longer Writing for B/R

Hotnuke — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 09:17:20 -0500

This article has been removed by me, Daniel Barber aka Hotnuke as I am no longer writing for this site.

This Article Was Removed By Author, Hotnuke, Who Is No Longer Writing for B/R

Hotnuke — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 16:26:56 -0500

This article has been removed by me, Daniel Barber aka Hotnuke as I am no longer writing for this site.

This Article Was Removed By Author, Hotnuke, Who Is No Longer Writing for B/R

Hotnuke — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 09:26:11 -0500

This article has been removed by me, Daniel Barber aka Hotnuke as I am no longer writing for this site.

This Article Was Removed By Author, Hotnuke, Who Is No Longer Writing for B/R

Hotnuke — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 13:55:41 -0500

This article has been removed by me, Daniel Barber aka Hotnuke as I am no longer writing for this site.

This Article Was Removed By Author, Hotnuke, Who Is No Longer Writing for B/R

Hotnuke — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 14:06:28 -0500

This article has been removed by me, Daniel Barber aka Hotnuke as I am no longer writing for this site.

This Article Was Removed By Author, Hotnuke, Who Is No Longer Writing for B/R

Hotnuke — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 17:47:36 -0500

This article has been removed by me, Daniel Barber aka Hotnuke as I am no longer writing for this site.

This Article Was Removed By Author, Hotnuke, Who Is No Longer Writing for B/R

Hotnuke — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 11:53:15 -0500

This article has been removed by me, Daniel Barber aka Hotnuke as I am no longer writing for this site.

This Article Was Removed By Author, Hotnuke, Who Is No Longer Writing for B/R

Hotnuke — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 15:12:54 -0500

This article has been removed by me, Daniel Barber aka Hotnuke as I am no longer writing for this site.

This Article Was Removed By Author, Hotnuke, Who Is No Longer Writing for B/R

Hotnuke — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 12:58:36 -0500

This article has been removed by me, Daniel Barber aka Hotnuke as I am no longer writing for this site.

This Article Was Removed By Author, Hotnuke, Who Is No Longer Writing for B/R

Hotnuke — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 10:57:24 -0500

This article has been removed by me, Daniel Barber aka Hotnuke as I am no longer writing for this site.

This Article Was Removed By Author, Hotnuke, Who Is No Longer Writing for B/R

Hotnuke — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 12:01:51 -0500

This article has been removed by me, Daniel Barber aka Hotnuke as I am no longer writing for this site.

This Article Was Removed By Author, Hotnuke, Who Is No Longer Writing for B/R

Hotnuke — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 13:22:32 -0500

This article has been removed by me, Daniel Barber aka Hotnuke as I am no longer writing for this site.

Miami-Chicago: Heat Hoping Bulls Can Provide More Fond Memories

Hotnuke — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 09:56:23 -0500

Miami played the Bulls three times last year, and all three games were memorable for different reasons; and more importantly, all three were wins for the boys from South Beach.

The first matchup was notable because it was played on Dec. 26, the day after Christmas. The Bulls had entered that game having won nine of their previous 11 contests with the Heat, averaging nearly 105 points in those victories.

That streak would end that day, as Dwyane Wade led a balanced Miami attack, scoring 28 points on 11-of-23 (5-of-9 from the FT-line) shooting to go along with three rebounds, two assists, a steal, and a blocked shot as the Heat rallied from a 45-40 halftime deficit to take the Bulls out 90-77.

The game certainly saw some controversy too, as with 30.9 seconds remaining in the contest, and Miami up by 13 points, Heat coach Eric Spoelstra called a 20-second time-out in order to get Chalmers, Wade, and Udonis Haslem out of the game. Some of the Bulls players and coaches were steamed about this decision, and voiced their displeasure in postgame interviews.

“That is something only done to disrespect the opponent,” said then Bulls forward Andres Nocioni.

Chicago coach Vinny Del Negro simply said of the controversy, “We’ll play them again.”

He was right about that. The Bulls faced off against the Heat again on Feb. 12, 2009, and that game is memorable for a myriad of reasons.

First, entering the game, Miami was on the verge of trading away two of their players, starting small forward Shawn Marion and reserve guard Marcus Banks, to the Toronto Raptors for center Jermaine O’Neal and small forward Jamario Moon.

Second, it was the final game prior to the NBA All-Star weekend in Phoenix, and since it was a homecoming of sorts for Dwyane Wade as the game was in Chicago, there were plenty of viewers for the primetime matchup hoping to see Wade go wild on his hometown team.

Although Wade wasn’t the game’s highest scorer (having 24 points on 9-of-23 shooting), that honor belonged to now-former Bulls’ guard Ben Gordon, who lit up the Heat for 34 points on 10-of-21 shooting, he was still the main focus of the Bulls’ defense when the Heat made the decisive game-winning basket.

Miami had trailed 86-85 at one point in the game, when Wade led an 8-0 run, with Mario Chalmers getting a reverse layup to give the Heat the lead, Marion blocking Derrick Rose’s shot and finishing a dunk on the other end of the court, and Wade finishing the run off with a jumper and then a fadeaway over Rose that gave Miami the lead, 93-86 with 1:13 to go in the game.

The Bulls weren’t finished after that, though, and scored seven consecutive points of their own. When Gordon was fouled by Daequan Cook on a three-point attempt with 6.5 seconds left, the Bulls crowd went into hysterics as Gordon knocked down all three free throws to tie the game at 93.

Kirk Hinrich then stole Marion’s inbound pass, and the United Center went ballistic. That enthusiasm would turn to quiet desperate hope seconds later as Wade returned the favor, stealing Thabo Sefolosha’s inbound pass with 3.5 seconds left on the clock.

Accepting the inbound pass from the left sideline, and recognizing the Bulls were sending a double-team at him, Wade passed out of it to a cutting Marion who took one step and elevated for the game-winning dunk, giving the Heat a satisfying 95-93 road victory.

“It was just a read. I saw the man (Tyrus Thomas) was going to jump out on me as soon as I touched the ball. Shawn did what he does best and that’s cut to the basket. He made a great finish,” said Wade.

The third and final game between the Bulls and Heat wasn’t just memorable, it was legendary. You can read my recap of that game here .

In that game, Dwyane Wade’s heroics were so spectacular it challenged my vocabulary to truly describe them. What’s more spectacular was the fact he had such a performance following the mind-blowing fourth-quarter performance he had in a win against the Knicks the previous game the Heat played and the incredible performances he’d given NBA fans over the weeks previous to the game.

He had been named the Eastern Conference Player of the Week for the first week in March, and the Eastern Conference Player of the Month for February, averaging 35.9 PPG, 11.3 APG, and 3.25 SPG to win the Player of the Week award.

He followed all that up with his performance against the Bulls on Mar. 9, 2009 in a thrilling 130-127 double-overtime victory that frankly, is still unbelievable. As AP writer Tim Reynolds put it in his recap of the game:

“Dwyane Wade’s 3-pointer at the end of the first half was desperation. The one in the final seconds of regulation, dramatic. And the one that finally ended the game, unbelievable.”

Wade finished the night with 48 points on 15-of-21 shooting (13-of-18 from the FT-line), including 5-of-6 from beyond the arc. He combined that with six rebounds, 12 assists, four steals, and three blocked shots in nearly 50 minutes of play. However, his statline, as incredible as it was, could never convey everything he contributed to the Heat in this amazing win.

Simply put, Wade was a comic-book superhero on the court that night, and when he stole the ball from John Salmons with 3 seconds left in double-OT, there was no doubt the ball was going to sail through the basket as he launched a running three-pointer as time expired. He was Superman...err Flash ; of course it was going in.

That basket put a lid on the three-game series between the Heat and the Bulls, and since they never met in the playoffs, it was the last memory both teams have of each other. For the Bulls, it’s probably been eating at them all summer, as they itch to redeem themselves. For Wade and the Heat, it’s a fond memory of a nice year; nothing more.

Some of the players on the Bulls roster in that last game between the two clubs are gone. Ben Gordon is now with the Detroit Pistons, and Andres Nocioni, probably the player who got under Miami’s skin the most, is with the hapless Sacramento Kings.

Yet, there’s no doubt that the rest of the Chicago players, many of them who still remember the many wins Chicago had against the Heat prior to last year, will be looking to return to their winning ways against Miami.

That’s not going to happen, though. The Bulls may have added some players since last season, notably Brad Miller and the aforementioned John Salmons (who were both with the club during that last loss to Miami) and Taj Gibson and James Johnson in the offseason, but the loss of Gordon, Chicago’s leading scorer over the past four seasons, to the Pistons leaves a huge void on the Bulls roster.

They were able to find a way to get by the Spurs in their opening game, looking rather good in the process, but as the Celtics revealed, the Bulls have a multitude of problems, including shoddy defense both in the post and on the perimeter.

The Heat, conversely, are looking spectacularly balanced and like a well-oiled machine since they moved Udonis Haslem to the bench and made the final decision to move Michael Beasley into his natural slot at the power forward. While they came out of the preseason with questions, they seem to have answered them to some degree with their rousing wins over the New York Knicks and Indiana Pacers.

If Miami can continue to get effective production out of center Jermaine O’Neal, who had consecutive 22 point 12 rebound nights against the Knicks and Pacers, look for the Heat to rout the Bulls at home today.

We all know what we’ll get from Wade, and it’s looking like the rest of the Heat cast has finally found a groove and knows their roles on the team. Beasley has apparently come into his own, and is willing to be Miami’s second option; although with O’Neal doing what he’s doing there might actually be a three-headed monster in South Beach.

My prediction: Miami 110 Chicago 90

Quotes taken from AP recaps of games

This Article Was Removed By Author, Hotnuke, Who Is No Longer Writing for B/R

Hotnuke — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 11:01:28 -0400

This article has been removed by me, Daniel Barber aka Hotnuke as I am no longer writing for this site.

This Article Was Removed By Author, Hotnuke, Who Is No Longer Writing for B/R

Hotnuke — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 16:40:02 -0400

This article has been removed by me, Daniel Barber aka Hotnuke as I am no longer writing for this site.

This Article Was Removed By Author, Hotnuke, Who Is No Longer Writing for B/R

Hotnuke — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 10:11:50 -0400

This article has been removed by me, Daniel Barber aka Hotnuke as I am no longer writing for this site.

This Article Was Removed By Author, Hotnuke, Who Is No Longer Writing for B/R

Hotnuke — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 11:15:14 -0400

This article has been removed by me, Daniel Barber aka Hotnuke as I am no longer writing for this site.

Florida Marlins' Front Office Must Throw Strikes in Pitching Coach Hire

Hotnuke — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 15:44:50 -0400

When the Marlins let pitching coach Mark Wiley go along with first base/infield coach Andy Fox I wasn’t all that concerned (and if you’re concerned about either of them, they were offered positions elsewhere in the Marlins organization, so they'll be fine). While I liked Wiley, I felt the results of his work were mixed at best. As for Fox, well, his position isn’t even a huge concern in my view.

Now, for the purists who’ll want my head for making that remark, let me just appease you by saying that I understand the first base/infield coaching job is an important one to the team, as are all the coaching positions. However, in comparison to the pitching coach, I think anyone would agree that Fox’s former position simply doesn’t have the possibility of making the same impact on the team and their success.

Also, it’s not as if Fox was doing a stellar job at that position either. Emilio Bonifacio’s play in the field at third base early in the year was atrocious, and while I won’t say that’s Andy’s fault, I also will say he obviously wasn’t a good enough infield coach to improve it in any way.

Defense was one of the keys the Marlins were supposedly focusing on at the beginning of the year because Beinfest had demanded an improvement, and if that’s so, then I’d say Fox’s results in that area of the infield were mixed at best.

Wiley and Fox were both relieved of their past duties on the same day the Marlins decided to keep Fredi Gonzalez as their manager. They also retained the services of bench coach Carlos Tosca, hitting coach Jim Presley, and bullpen coordinator Pierre Arsenault. Although Florida made offers to Steve Foster and Bo Porter, apparently the two sides couldn’t come to terms on a contract.

The controversy surrounding the fiasco with Fredi—where Loria actually contemplated letting Gonzo go because of the Fish not making the postseason; and even worse, thinking about bringing in Bobby Valentine—is fodder for another article for another day.

What I will touch on in this piece, though, is what the Marlins are considering in regard to the pitching coach hire.

Before I begin, though, let me point out that I don’t think Wiley’s service to the team was horrid. Ricky Nolasco was coming off an incredible season, but one in which his innings had increased dramatically over the previous year, and it’s not a real surprise in hindsight that he would have some problems.

To his credit, his demotion to the minors seems to have solved his problems, and his last outing of the year gives Florida fans hopes that he and Josh Johnson can be the one-two punch very few other franchises will have next year.

Also, Andrew Miller never figured anything out during the year—even though most were hopeful the changes he’d made to his delivery in spring training would transform him into the big league workhorse his talent has led everyone to believe he’ll eventually be. Instead, he struggled as much as a young pitcher can, and is hopeful winter ball may help him get back into form.

I can’t really blame Wiley for Chris Volstad’s troubles either. Volstad had started out strong during the beginning of the year and that was testament to Wiley’s abilities. The reason for his late-season problems had to do with his inability to get his sinker to work, which can be directly attributed to the fact he’d pitched a career-high 175 innings the year before.

Beyond that, Anibal Sanchez was recovering from shoulder problems and wasn’t even expected to contribute much to the team. What he did provide could even be attributed to the work of Wiley. So, all in all I’d have to say Wiley wasn’t the worst guy at his job. Nonetheless, the Marlins decided they want to go a different route—and who am I to argue with them? They get paid to make those decisions; I don’t.

Some of the names I’ve heard floating around to replace Wiley don’t even make me cringe, while others have me scratching my head. Rick Kranitz? Are you kidding me? Please, please, whoever’s making this decision in the final analysis, please don’t bring in this guy. I know, I know he was named Baseball America’s 2006 Major League Coach of the Year as a pitching coach for our beloved Florida Marlins, but I am not one for hiring retreads.

There’s a reason he was let go, and I’d rather see someone else get a shot. If there’s one thing that always bugged me about Billy Martin constantly being rehired by George Steinbrenner and the Yankees, it was that, beyond the fact Martin was never an awesome manager, why would George hire someone he’d once fired? If he wasn’t good enough once, I’m of the belief he never will be.

Another name that’s floating around is Reid Cornelius, who did a great job at the Marlins’ AA-affiliate Jacksonville Suns this year, helping them to their Southern League-best regular-season record of 47-23, and more importantly, their fourth Southern League Championship, shepherding such pitchers as great Marlins’ closer prospect Matt Peterson. He’s also worked well in the past for the Marlins’ Class A Advanced-affiliate Jupiter Hammerheads.

If the Marlins decide to stay in-house, they’ll have another name to consider as well, and one many people I’ve talked with feel might be the best choice, Marlins’ Class AAA-affiliate New Orleans Zephyrs pitching coach Scott Mitchell. While he shares the namesake of a former Dolphins quarterback, Mitchell is someone who’s stuck around Florida far longer than the other Mitchell ever did.

The Dolphins’ Mitchell, William Scott Mitchell on his birth certificate, a lefty backup to Dan Marino for three seasons before getting an opportunity to spell the injured Marino as a starter in 1993, parleyed his successful year into a free agent contract with the Detroit Lions in 1994. Unlike that short stint in South Florida, the Marlins’ Mitchell has been with the organization for eight long years.

He served as a pitching coach prior to the Zephyrs with the Marlins’ AA-affiliate Carolina Mudcats for three years, including 2008, when the staff finished second in the Southern League with a 3.86 ERA. He also worked in the PCL as a pitching coach for the Marlins’ affiliate Albuquerque squad in 2006.

A former pick of the Expos out of the University of the Pacific, Mitchell was in the Expos system for seven years before moving into coaching in 2002. So far he’s proven he’s a very capable pitching coach, capable of getting the most from the young pitchers he works with.

Two other names being mentioned are far more proven commodities, but I’m not sure either are someone the Marlins really want to be working with the young pitchers they’ll have on their staff next year. One is former Mets/Dodgers coach Dave Wallace, who worked in helping to develop Orel Hershisher, Pedro Martinez, and John Wetteland.

The other is former Braves coach Leo Mazzone, who knows Fredi Gonzalez from their days together in Atlanta under Bobby Cox. According to Juan C. Rodriguez of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel , though, you can cross Leo off your list, as the Marlins supposedly don’t have him under consideration for the post.

While both Wallace and Mazzone are coaches who’ve proven their mettle, I’m of the opinion the Marlins should be looking for newer blood. Again, retreads simply aren’t my thing, and while both of these guys have had huge success in the majors, they’ve also shared another thing; failure.

If not, they’d still be working for their respective former clubs. Shuffling the same coaches from organization to organization is something I’ve always had a problem with, in all sports. It’s like these people have never heard the old definition of insanity.

You know the one: Insanity is defined as doing the same thing over and over again expecting different results.

Simply put, the Marlins need new blood.

However, I’m just a lone voice in the wind, and not likely to be listened to. Instead, the Florida franchise will most likely choose from one of the following four candidates, who are all considered the frontrunners for the position.

The first is Bryan Price, who worked as the pitching coach for both the Seattle Mariners and Arizona Diamondbacks, and who has already confirmed he was contacted by the Marlins about the position and has stated he’s interested.

The second is Randy St. Claire, who only failed to join the southern migration of many of the Expos coaches when Jeffrey Loria traded in the Montreal franchise for the Fish because of family matters that forced him to stay behind. He has strong ties with Loria and the organizations' management, and even after seven years they would welcome him back into the fold. Currently being interviewed, there’s no hard word on the status of his talks with the Marlins.

The third would be veteran pitching coach Chuck Hernandez, who also has strong ties to members of the Marlins’ current front office. Dan Jennings and Mike Hill both worked with Hernandez during their days with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays when he was a minor-league pitching coach there. He also later had stints in the majors as a pitching coach for the Detroit Tigers and Cleveland Indians.

The fourth candidate the Marlins are seriously considering is Rick Peterson. According to Juan C. Rodriguez of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel, Peterson isn’t actually revealing whether the Marlins were one of the teams he’s spoken with about returning to baseball, but anyone can read between the lines and tell that his purposely vague reply is a sign he’s probably doing just that.

The former New York Mets and Oakland Athletics pitching coach has expressed a desire to work for the Fish though, and if he were able to do what he did in New York or Oakland in South Florida, even I wouldn’t mind young blood not getting the job. Peterson spent five years with the Mets (2003-08), and was able to mold them into the National League’s third best staff in terms of ERA in both 2005 (3.76) and 2006 (4.14).

Peterson made his name with the young A’s staff that included Tim Hudson, Mark Mulder, and Barry Zito, developing those star hurlers from 1999-03. In every single one of those seasons, his pitching staff finished in the top three in ERA in the American League.

Whatever the Marlins do, they’re likely to do it soon. I can’t imagine they wouldn’t want their new pitching coach to have some input in what the Marlins intend to do in the offseason—in terms of bringing in new arms and moving others up from the minors to give them a shot in spring training. If they go with Peterson, I can’t say I’ll be overly disappointed, but I would like to see a young guy like Scott Mitchell or Reid Cornelius get their shot.

Whoever they bring in, I’ll be wishing them nothing but success, since it’ll be my beloved Marlins who’ll be benefiting from their success. Whoever makes the decision better be throwing strikes on this one, not balls.

Update: Randy St. Clair was hired as the Marlins Pitching Coach.

Miami-Memphis: Wade Burns Grizzlies for 35 as Heat Win 99-93

Hotnuke — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 12:31:29 -0400

The Miami Heat’s star guard, Dwyane Wade, hasn’t been asked to do much this preseason. He’s averaged just over 16 points on 38.6-percent shooting in the three exhibition games he’s taken part in, two of them losses.

Part of that’s due to the fact he’s nursed a strained rib muscle over the past week or so. He also entered last night’s preseason contest against the Memphis Grizzlies ailing from a bruised left calf, but that didn’t stop him from returning to midseason form and showing the world why he was the NBA scoring champion last year by pouring in 35 points in a 99-93 victory over the Grizzlies.

Apparently a little upset at the four losses the Heat had suffered prior to their scorching 97-81 victory over the Hornets last Thursday night you can read about here , Wade was determined to not see his team return to those losing ways.

As he put it after the game, “I was just trying to get a win, and I wanted to be aggressive, just to get my rhythm.”

Wade’s aggression was obvious, as he even argued with some of the replacement referees during the game, and willed his team to a victory in a game they’d trailed in by 18 at one point, 43-25, by pushing them to play their best.

Grizzlies’ star forward Rudy Gay wasn’t so pleased with his aggression when Wade fouled him in the third quarter on a breakaway dunk Gay was attempting, saying to Dwyane after the foul, “Come on man, it’s preseason.”

Preseason or not, Wade wasn’t going to lose, not this night. Scoring 14 of the Heat’s first 20 points, he finished with 19 by halftime and was Miami’s leading scorer after two quarters.

Memphis had jumped out of the gate on a tear, taking that 18-point lead and scorching the Heat with their shooting. Miami, however, stormed back and tied the game up at 60-60 on Wade’s turnaround jumper from the left corner with 9:27 left in the third quarter.

While the Grizzlies showed some moxie, the Heat seemed to heed Wade’s prodding and appeared determined not to fall to the squad from Memphis.

As Heat forward Udonis Haslem put it, “It’s good to get a win and show that we have some resolve, that even if we bend, we don’t break.”

Miami bent to the Grizzlies, mostly due to the impressive play of Gay, who poured in 28 points on 11-for-21 shooting and grabbed nine rebounds, helping his team jump out to a 24-7 lead after just 5 minutes—as they hit 11 of their first 17 shots.

Mike Conley added 12 points and three rebounds in the Memphis loss in limited minutes, connecting on 5-of-8 of his field goals, including 2-for-2 from downtown.

However, second-year forward and budding star for the Grizzlies, O.J. Mayo, didn’t live up to his team’s expectations, going 4-for-14 from the field and 1-of-4 from beyond the arc. He was his team’s second-leading scorer, though, and also contributed with four rebounds, two assists, and five steals.

Memphis forward Zach Randolph, acquired by the Grizzlies in the offseason from the Los Angeles Clippers, also didn’t do much to help his team stave off their fifth loss of the preseason, as he was a woeful 2-for-12 from the field, and 1-of-3 from the charity stripe for just five points on the night. He did contribute on the boards, as he hauled down 10 rebounds on the night.

Center Marc Gasol, brother of Los Angeles Lakers’ All-Star forward Pau Gasol, rounded out the Grizzlies’ starting lineup and put in a workman-like night scoring nine points to go along with nine rebounds and one blocked shot.

Memphis, who played four seven-footers, including the aforementioned Gasol, as well as Hasheem Thabeet, Steven Hunter, and Hadem Haddadi, found itself being overmatched by the smaller Heat squad, who ended the night with a 7-3 edge in blocked shots.

That was in large part because Jermaine O’Neal played defense like Miami fans are hoping he’s still capable of throughout the regular season, blocking four shots to go along with his eight points and eight rebounds.

O’Neal was once one of the premier defenders in the league, terrorizing opponents who went to the hole, and while his play last year with the Heat never truly lived up to those expectations, Heat fans still hold out hope he can instill fear in anyone daring enough to drive to the basket against Miami this year.

Last night’s performance might be evidence he’s ready to do just that.

Another key contribution to the win last night came from Udonis Haslem. Not enough can be said about how important UD is to Miami’s success this season. Underrated, in my view, throughout his career, Haslem is someone who gives 100 percent every night.

Last night was no different, as he put in another yeoman-like performance, scoring 17 points efficiently on 7-of-9 shooting to go along with his team-high nine rebounds and three assists.

Miami Heat fans should expect just these kind of outings for Haslem this year, who has vowed to be more aggressive on offense this season. Considering it’s a contract year for UD, I’m guessing Miami can count on him to keep that vow.

Heat guard Daequan Cook also looked decent in the Miami win, although his shooting could have looked better as he went 4-for-12 from the field, including a dismal 1-of-6 from three-point land to end the night with 10 points, six rebounds, three assists, and a steal. Yet, his banked-in runner with 1.5 seconds remaining in the third quarter did give Miami a 79-71 edge heading into the final period.

It was in that fourth and final quarter where Wade truly shone, pouring in 11 points in the final period to seal the victory for the Heat. After Thabeet capped off a 7-0 run that was part of a 15-4 run by the Grizzlies, and brought them to within one point at 94-93, it was Wade at his best that preserved the victory.

With just 40 seconds remaining Wade brought the ball into the frontcourt against Memphis rookie DeMarre Carroll. Milking the shot-clock to under five seconds, he then proceeded to school the youngster, pulling up for a 16-foot jumper from the left side of the key, using a head fake to draw the first-year player into the air, and then drawing contact as he watched his shot go in. After the free-throw, the score was 97-93, and the game was effectively over.

“I had to use my veteran-ness at that moment,” Wade said. “He was a young buck, so I know how it is. When you’re young, you’re excited. So; got him.”

Got him, and the Grizzlies, who had one last chance to close the gap in the score, even if they couldn’t have tied the game. Yet, even that wasn’t going to happen, as they lost the ball and Haslem scrambled for it, throwing himself on the ground for the loose ball and then tossing it from his knees to Wade for a breakaway dunk to seal the scoring at 99-93.

All told, Wade scored 35 points for the night on 13-for-23 shooting, including going 9-of-14 from the free-throw line. He also added five rebounds, two assists, and six steals to round out his impressive stat-line.

However, neither head coach Eric Spoelstra nor Wade were pleased he had to contribute so heavily in order to ensure a win.

“Hopefully we don’t have to deal with this too much this year.” Wade said in response to queries about his having to carry the team on his back.

Some of that came about because the Heat were without the services of second-year forward Michael Beasley, who sat out the game due to a bruised left shoulder and sprained right thumb. Neither injury is very serious, and Spoelstra expected Beasley might play tonight against the Hawks in Miami’s final preseason game in Jacksonville.

“He’s going to come with us and we’ll see,” Spoelstra said. “He doesn’t really have much pain today.”

Whether Beasley plays tonight against the Hawks, the Heat will need to get a much better contribution from their starting point guard, Mario Chalmers. While the rest of the Heat played pretty well, Chalmers seemed off his game, going scoreless in 21:13 minutes on 0-for-2 shooting from the field.

He did contribute with three rebounds, three assists, and a steal, though, but will need to find his touch tonight and throughout the season if he expects to hold off a challenge from newly acquired point guard Carlos Arroyo.

Arroyo, who played his college ball for local Miami school Florida International University, finished the night with eight points on 4-for-6 shooting, along with four assists and a steal in 26 minutes of play as Spoelstra gave him and Dorell Wright, who had seven points on 3-for-5 shooting, more playing time than he did two starters, Chalmers and Quentin Richardson.

Richardson also needs to step up his game, as he finished the night with just five points on 2-for-6 shooting, including 1-of-3 from downtown in just 16:48 minutes of play. If he’s expecting to be the difference-maker we need this season, he’ll have to show a great deal more than that tonight against the Hawks and more importantly, against his former squad, the New York Knicks, next Wednesday.

Although last nights’ game didn’t reflect it, Miami needs to really fine-tune their perimeter defense, and another issue is being beaten on the boards. Even in a win, the Heat still managed to get out-rebounded by the Grizzlies 48-39, including a 14-7 margin on the offensive glass. That won’t get it done when Miami plays teams who aren’t from Tennessee.

While the Heat can count on Wade any night to will them to a win, they need more than just two or three others to contribute significantly. Hopefully they’ll see that begin tonight against the Hawks.

Quotes taken from the following:

Wade in Regular-Season Form, With 35 in Exhibition Win Over Grizzlies

By Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel

Wade Scores 35, Heat Get Past Grizzlies 99-93

Bye Tim Reynolds, AP Sports Writer

Game Note: Allen Iverson, who was expected to possibly play, was scratched from the lineup due to a decision by the Memphis coaching staff.

Preseason Winds Down—Miami Heat Tested Before Start of Season Against Knicks

Hotnuke — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 20:18:06 -0400

The Miami Heat take on the Memphis Grizzlies tonight in their second-to-last game of the preseason, which hasn’t been all that kind to the Miami franchise. The Heat started out the exhibition season with four straight losses before getting off the snide with a scorching 97-81 victory over the New Orleans Hornets, which you can read about here .

Tonight’s matchup features the debut at AmericanAirlines Arena of Allen Iverson with his new team, and there’ll be plenty of people hoping to see how well he gels with his new teammates. More important for Miami fans will be how well their own players do, especially new acquisition Carlos Arroyo.

Other concerns for fans of the boys from South Beach will be whether forward Michael Beasley and Mario Chalmers can once again have a solid game and allay worries about how they’ll perform this coming year. I’m confident they’ll both account themselves well this evening.

Although it wasn’t clear from reports I’d read prior to the game whether Miami’s star guard, Dwyane Wade, would play tonight, from the progress reports I’ve read of the game, he is playing, and playing well, providing Miami fans with the excitement only he can.

Tomorrow’s matchup will see the Heat play the team that ousted them in the first round of the playoffs last year, the Atlanta Hawks, and will be the final preseason game for Miami (Atlanta will play the Orlando Magic in their final preseason game on Friday night).

In that contest I’m sure there’ll be a little desire by Miami players to exact some revenge for last year’s five-game postseason defeat.

However, more important than getting revenge in a meaningless exhibition matchup will be making sure the Heat solidify their lineup for the upcoming season, which begins a week from tonight in Miami against their longtime Eastern Conference rival, the New York Knicks.

The Knicks, whose fans still have hopes of obtaining D-Wade in the upcoming 2010 Free Agent bonanza, won’t be featuring any new faces other than Darko Milicic, acquired from the team Miami plays tonight, the Grizzlies, in the offseason, and who will be backing up their starting center, Eddy Curry.

Instead, the Heat will be facing the same players they faced at the end of last year when they played the Knicks: Chris Duhon at the point, Larry Hughes at the two guard, Wilson Chandler and David Lee at the forward positions, and the aforementioned Curry in the post.

Whatever happens in these two games tonight and tomorrow, the Miami Heat should be well-positioned to take on those self-same Knicks next week.

And while New York has some talented players, including reserve guard Nate Robinson and forwards Al Harrington and Danilo Gallinari coming off the bench, Miami isn’t without the weapons in their own arsenal to fend off that opening night attack.

I truly believe head coach Erik Spoelstra, or “Spo” as he’s known to fans, will have this Heat team ready for their debut, no matter what happens in these final two exhibition games. Miami’s players have put in the work over the offseason, and Dwyane Wade and many others on the team are looking to make this a breakout year.

Miami went 43-39 last year with tumultuous in-season trades affecting their chemistry, not to mention the fact they started a rookie point guard and the second-best player on their team was also a rookie. This year the team will have much more cohesion in my view, and I expect marked improvement from both Chalmers and Beasley.

That, along with the veteran presence and outstanding play of those on the roster such as Jermaine O’Neal, Udonis Haslem, Quentin Richardson, and James Jones, could make for an improvement of possibly 10 games or more in my view. The first of those possible 53+ wins should come against the Knicks next week.

Miami will follow that game up with one against the Pacers two nights later, and those two games, right out of the gate, will go a long way in revealing whether the Miami franchise has the makings of something special this year, or whether the fans will be calling for changes.

For my money, I’d say it’s a good bet Miami dominates both teams to end October, and begin their season on a 2-0 run in the win-loss column.

As another writer here on B/R said in the title and body of his preview of the upcoming season for Miami: Bring the Heat!

Miami Ballpark Still On Track Despite Quixotic Norman Braman Suit

Hotnuke — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 19:12:59 -0400

Okay, the 2009 season is over for the Marlins, and there’s a bitterness to that statement that is real, but not relevant. The squad this past year seriously disappointed only those who didn’t recognize they were playing above themselves the entire year.

Face it, Florida, with the smallest payroll in the majors this past year had no business even winning the 87 games they did, let alone making it to the postseason, and while I’d have loved another miracle playoff appearance as much as the next man, it’s more than likely the Marlins would have been dispatched as easily as Philadelphia is taking out the Dodgers.

So, our focus, as it should be, is on the future. Questions are raised, rightfully so, and trades are discussed. Who’ll stay and who’ll go? Dan Uggla, probably at the zenith of his worth to the Marlins, is the player garnering the most trade talk, with most feeling he’s played his last game in Land Shark Stadium for the home team.

Alejandro De Aza, the Marlins starting centerfielder at the beginning of the 2007 season is gone, having just been claimed off waivers from the Marlins by the Chicago White Sox. While he was talented, the Marlins had a glut of talent in the outfield, and De Aza hadn’t been able to stay healthy enough in his time with the Fish to really prove his value, so this isn’t really a great loss.

Other players will be talked about, and some will almost assuredly not be with Florida at the beginning of Spring Training, while new additions, some of them desperately necessary if the Marlins are to compete next year, will be made; you can count on that.

Whatever happens, though, in regard to trades and roster moves, I’d like to discuss something that really won’t affect the team till after some of the players who’ll be joining the Fish in those roster moves actually move on again; the Florida Marlins' (or Miami Marlins once they move into it) new home, Miami Ballpark.

Prior to the beginning of the 2009 season I wrote a piece on the new ballpark, which at that time hadn’t yet been approved, but was on the verge of being so which you can read here . That process went through some trying times immediately after I wrote that piece, and it was only after many weeks that Marlins fans received the fabulous news that our beloved team would forevermore have a home in South Beach.

Champagne popped and fizzed that night, and anyone associated with the beleaguered Florida franchise breathed a deep sigh of relief, knowing the long, hard-fought quest to secure a home for the Marlins had ended. Or had it?

Well, just recently, auto tycoon Norman Braman tried desperately to nix the entire project, taking the issue to court in an effort to stop local leaders from investing hundreds of millions of public dollars in the stadium.

Braman had support among the general public, as well. Polls showed that voters overwhelmingly opposed the deal, approved by both city and county commissions, which granted public funding to the stadium and basically allowed the project to go forward.

With one word, “affirmed,” though, the Third District Court of Appeal upheld a lower-court’s ruling last year that went against all seven of Braman’s claims in his suit, and ended the last gasp attempt by Braman to destroy what so many Marlins fans had cheered about.

While the stadium had originally been intended to open for the 2011 season, delays in the approval process, along with other unforeseen problems, have moved the finish date to April of 2012, with the Miami Marlins as they’ll then be called, hoping to start their season in the technologically-advanced retractable-roof stadium.

If the court had ruled in any other way, the case would have assuredly gone further in court, and had the potential to delay that opening-day extravaganza.

Instead, the Marlins will open the doors to the fantastic state-of-the-art stadium on time, as planned.

And boy are the fans going to be pleased—not only will there be an abundance of high-tech Jumbotrons on display in the 37,000-seat stadium, there’ll also be tons of other technology in place; including the ability to inform patrons of where the nearest concession stand is and when the lines are lowest for example.

In a word, the new Miami Ballpark is going to utilize technology in every way possible to make the experience for the people coming to the park “fan friendly.”

While I understand the arguments of those who had problems with using public funding for the stadium, I also know that the Miami community, many of whom aren’t always represented in those polls I mentioned, is and will in the future, benefit from this ballpark.

However, we’ll all still have to wait till 2012 to enjoy it. While the Marlins should be a good team next year, we won’t be enjoying the team play in their new stadium. Not yet, not yet.

Nonetheless, I’m of the opinion that if auto tycoon Norman Braman visits the park after its completion the Marlins organization should send instructions to his seat directing him to the nearest swamp.

Miami-New Orleans: Dolphins and Saints "Showdown in South Beach"

Hotnuke — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 12:22:17 -0400

The New England Patriots literally rolled over the Tennessee Titans this past Sunday, winning by a 59-0 score that shocked many in the sports world, including myself, who figured Jeff Fisher’s Titans were due to play well. We had hopes it would be against the Patriots, a team many of us love to hate because of their bellicose head coach, Bill Belichick.

However, as much as many were shocked by this outcome, because the Titans were 13-3 and their division’s champions last year, it really wasn't all that surprising considering how the Titans have played this year. While Tennessee was predicted by most to do well this year and possibly contend for a title, they've played as poorly as a team can in going winless in their first five contests prior to facing the Patriots. The shock was more due to the outrageously lop-sided score than anything else.

What did surprise many, and not just because of the equally lop-sided score, was the thorough destruction of the previously undefeated New York Giants by the New Orleans Saints this past weekend, 48-27 (and that final score wasn’t truly indicative of how badly the Saints demoralized the Giants, who scored 10 fourth-quarter points to make it appear a little more respectable).

Experts throughout the nation had gone into this game thinking the two teams, both unbeaten, would battle it out like two behemoths. They were expecting, to use a boxing analogy, a “Thrilla in Manila,” a grueling and savage 14-round fight between Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier (scheduled for 15 rounds) that took place in 100-degree temperatures in the Philippines and which Ali won when Frazier wasn’t able to answer the bell for the 15^th and final round.

Instead the NFL faithful got the “Phantom Punch” of Ali/Liston II, with the Giants playing the role of Sonny Liston lying on the canvas after a phantom punch as Ali stands over him yelling, “Get up and fight, sucker!” that was captured by the incredible photograph seen here.

Experts are quickly jumping on the bandwagon of the Saints (if they hadn’t already), and are predicting they’ll mop the floor with their next opponent, the Miami Dolphins, as easily as Ali dispatched of Cleveland “Big Cat” Williams in three rounds early in his professional boxing career.

After all, the Saints are the No. 1-rated offense in the NFL in points scored (38.4) and yards gained (430.0) per game, and their defense is nothing to sneeze at either, being ranked 10^th in the NFL overall and 5^th against the rush. They are, quite simply, nothing like the ‘Aints team of 1980, or to use another cliché, these aren’t your Daddy’s Saints.

And more than just the rankings prove that. Of the six games in the NFL this year where a team has scored more than 45 points, three of them were accomplished by the New Orleans squad (in five games). Think about that. Of the five games the Saints have played, their offense has rung up more than 45 points three times. That isn’t just offensive production, it’s mega-production. These guys are murdering people.

So, should the Dolphins just lie down and die before they get murdered? I don’t think so.

Winston Churchill once said, “A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.”

I’m of the opinion the Miami Dolphins and their fans should be highly optimistic about their chances against the New Orleans Saints.

Miami Dolphins offensive tackle, Justin Smiley, when asked whether facing the juggernaut that is the New Orleans Saints was a big test for the Fish, had this to say, “I don’t think there’s any doubt about that. Just an all-around team, from offense to defense to special teams. Those guys are really good. We’ve played some teams with one or two stars; this whole front seven is a bunch of studs. So, we’ve got our work cut out for us, but we’ll be ready.”

I’m confident he’s not just selling us a line, either. Tony Sparano will have his squad ready for anything. Thankfully for the ‘Phins their bye week came the weekend before they had to face New Orleans, and I’m sure Sparano has spent the entire extra week going over with the team exactly how they can beat the Saints.

And let’s not forget that this Miami team is nothing to sneeze at either. They may have started out 0-3, but as the past two games have proven, they might have been one of the best 0-3 teams the NFL has ever seen. Two weeks ago they literally destroyed a Buffalo Bills squad, 38-10, in a game that left many Miami fans wondering just where that offensive production had been prior to that game.

That win came after the ‘Phins had suffered the disappointing news they’d lost their starting quarterback, Chad Pennington, for the year due to injury. This made that 0-3 start they’d suffered even more devastating, as ‘Phins fans everywhere looked at the schedule ahead and figured this year would more resemble 2007 (when Miami struggled to win one game and set a franchise record for futility going 1-15 for the year) than it would 2008 (when Sparano and Bill Parcells orchestrated a division-winning 11-5 miracle season to shock the world).

Chad Henne, who replaced Pennington, made his first start in that game, and while the ‘Phins destroyed the Bills, he didn’t give rise to any accolades with his pedestrian play, shepherding the Dolphins offense in journeyman-like fashion to the victory, going 14-of-22 for 115 yards and a touchdown in the win.

While he’d performed well, no one was making any comparisons between him and former Miami great Dan Marino. Heck, they weren’t even making any comparisons between him and Pennington, who was brilliant last year for the ‘Phins even if he’s never orchestrated an offense the way ol’ “Dan the Man” could.

Still, Henne hadn’t messed anything up in that win, either, and ‘Phins fans were grateful for that. They watched as he did his job, as Miami continued to run through NFL defenses. For while the ‘Phins hadn’t won a game before beating the Bills, they had opened some eyes with their ground-game. There were numerous positives that could be taken from those first three losses Miami had suffered, chief among them the play of Ronnie Brown, Ricky Williams, and the Wildcat formation Sparano and Parcells had “re-introduced” to the NFL last year.

That formation, along with Henne’s play, in the Jets game two Monday’s ago, sparked lots of talk about these suddenly resurgent Dolphins, as Miami stunned many of the same “experts” who believe New Orleans will roll over them this coming week by beating the New York Jets and their talented young quarterback, Mark Sanchez.

Henne came alive in that game, and unlike his previous performance against the Bills, did draw comparisons to the aforementioned Marino. Even Jets’ head coach Rex Ryan seemed to think Henne looked a lot like “Dandy Dan” with his play, as he orchestrated three fourth-quarter touchdowns to give Miami the upset victory. However, Henne was also helped by the magnificent use of the “Wildcat” in the late stages of the game.

Some still label the formation Miami made famous last year a “gimmick.” Jets linebacker Calvin Pace didn’t mince words about it after the Dolphins win, even though it had just been used to decimate his team’s defense, saying:

“I can’t respect that stuff, all that Wildcat. We’re in the NFL, man. If you’re out there running that nonsense, it’s crap.”

Many “experts” throughout the football world seem to agree with Pace, including Ron Jaworski, who belittled the formation in his analysis right after the game.

Miami Dolphins linebacker Channing Crowder had a response for both Pace and the “Polish Rifle” or “Jaws” as Ron was known to many of his fans in his playing days, saying:

“We nonsensed their ass all the way up and down the field. Nonsense, I love nonsense. They say gimmick; gimmick this, gimmick that. We’ve won games with the Wildcat. They ran two fake punts. So, if you’re going to say gimmicks, those are real gimmicks. The Wildcat is an offensive formation. They have thousands of plays on film about it; go stop it.”

Dolphins’ running back Ronnie Brown, who is one of the key players the ball is snapped to in the formation, was a bit more diplomatic in his response, saying only, “I think we’re all afraid of what we do not understand. We have a motto. The motto is, ‘It works for us!’”

It certainly does, Ronnie.

While many other teams throughout the NFL have tried to copy the use of the formation, which is nothing new (the power “I” and “T” formations have been around since the days of the Four Horsemen of Notre Dame in the 20s and 30s), they’ve had limited success, while Miami has used it effectively in many cases to win games.

Quite frankly, the ‘Phins may have their greatest offense ever because of the use of the formation now that Henne has found his groove; and yes, I was alive during the glory days of both Czonka and Griese and Marino and Duper. As one writer pointed out, those glory days featured offenses that, while great, were one-dimensional. The current Miami Dolphins offense, with the addition of a suddenly vibrant Chad Henne, who has a rocket for an arm, is playing in 3-D.

While the Saints may have the No. 1-rated offense in the NFL, it’s the Dolphins’ rushing attack that ranks highest in the land this moment, averaging a whopping 177 yards on the ground thanks to the contributions of their tandem of backs, Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams, not to mention the Wildcat formation.

Miami plays football the way it was meant to be played when it was first formed as a game. They play smashmouth football. And while it doesn’t quite look that way to some, it is just that.

As Miami nose tackle Jason Ferguson described it, “When you see it, you’re going to try and disrespect it. That’s when you get hit in the mouth. Because they’re coming downhill, they’re double-teaming you, they’re hitting you in the mouth, and they’re moving you off the ball. When you see it, you think it’s a finesse deal, and it’s not. It’s hard-nosed running plays.”

And those running plays are working, unlike when Jimmy Johnson laid waste to the Dolphins offense trying to pretend the Dan Marino-led squad he coached was the 1990 Dallas Cowboys. Sparano, unlike his predecessor, makes full use of the talent he has, and doesn’t ask them to accomplish things they’re incapable of.

He does have talented ballcarriers, though, and he utilizes them. He now also has a talented quarterback in Chad Henne, who proved his worth a little over a week ago in front of millions of Monday Night Football fans, and I expect Sparano will make full use of him as well.

Whether the ‘Phins make a deal for a big-name receiver before the trade-deadline tonight such as Dwayne Bowe of the Kansas City Chiefs, they’ve still got Ted Ginn Jr., who they’re apparently now comfortable throwing deep to with Henne in the pocket. Ginn has the tools to be a star wide receiver, and the ‘Phins have the tools to be a very productive offense.

More than all that potential, the Saints and their supporters should remember one thing, too. These are still the Saints, who have only had three quarterbacks beat the Miami Dolphins in their entire history, Ken Stabler in 1983, Bobby Hebert in 1992, and Jim Everett in 1995. Drew Brees, while a great quarterback who I myself wanted the ‘Phins to draft, and who is playing phenomenally, hasn’t fared as well against Miami.

In three previous appearances against the Dolphins, Brees has thrown for less than 200 yards in two of them, and only managed two touchdowns against Miami—both coming in a 23-21 loss to the ‘Phins in 2005—while he’s been intercepted by the boys from South Beach five times. He’s also been sacked by Miami 12 times in those contests.

So, while Brees may come into this game with all the “experts” thinking he and the Saints are going to destroy the “hapless” Miami Dolphins just as many thought George Foreman would beat the living snot out of Muhammad Ali in their “Rumble in the Jungle” fight in Kinshasa, Zaire in 1974, they might end up just as stunned as George, his supporters, and the boxing world in general were at the results of that fight.

Just as Ali used the now infamous “Rope-a-dope” to wear out his younger opponent, the Miami Dolphins might use their “Wildcat” formation and pounding running attack to wear down the Saints defense, and then strike late in the game with Henne’s new-found confidence to produce a “Showdown in South Beach” that surprises even Saints fans.

A friend of mine, Adam, has made a wager of a cup of coffee with me on the game. Another part of the wager entails the loser wearing a jersey of the opposing team all day. If the Saints win, I’ll have to wear a New Orleans jersey all day, and if asked about it by anyone, will have to reply “The Saints are just a better team than my beloved Dolphins.” If the ‘Phins win, he’ll have to do the same; wearing a Miami jersey, of course and extolling the Dolphins.

I’m optimistic he’ll be the one wearing the Miami jersey.

My prediction? Miami 31 New Orleans 21

Quotes taken from the following:

Bye Week Over, Dolphins Set to Say Hello to Saints by Tim Reynolds, AP Sports Writer

Miami Dolphins to Wildcat Critics: ‘It works for us!’ by Jeff Darlington of the Miami Herald

Miami Dolphins’ Final Drive Could Be Start of Something Big by Edgar Thompson of the Palm Beach Post