Exit "The Matrix." Make Way for "Moon Rover."

The departure of Shawn Marion from the Miami Heat is now a mere figment of Heat fans' memories, as Jamario Moon's athletic presence and flourishing talent has taken off. Versus the Philadelphia 76ers, Moon tallied 12 pts and 2 blks, including 4 dunks (2 of which were alley-oops!). "Moon Rover" is definitely a freakish athlete, perhaps more freakish than "The Matrix" at this stage in his career.

Marion left Miami in a somewhat bitter mood as he called Miami's offense "boring" - he was glad to be a part or Toronto's fast-paced offense. Although Marion is virtually a double-double machine, the combination of O'Neal and Moon makes up for his contribution in the points and rebounds departments. In the long run, I would rather take "Moon Rover" over "The Matrix," because you get the same athleticism for a much smaller paycheck. Marion's contract is worth $17 million, while Moon's is worth $700 K. You be the financial advisor.

Heat fans will wish luck to Shawn Marion, but will offer better luck to Jamario Moon. There is a huge upside to this kid, with his seemingly endless potential and his considerable contribution to the Heat system. In his first official start with the Heat, he scored 17 pts, racked up 12 rebounds, and logged in one steal. Oh yea, and he had a sweet alley-oop and a nasty put-back dunk in between.

Early Spring Training Position Battles

Can you smell it? Flowers coming into bloom. Hot Dogs roasting over an open flame. The sound of Paul Bunyon chopping wood and four gumpy old men arguing foul, fair, ball, strike.

Yes, you guessed it. My favorite time of the year, Baseball Season - America's favorite pastime (regardless of all the steroids talk).

The Florida Marlins entered Spring Training last week looking to improve after a strong year. Even though the club traded away some solid pieces, they received players that contain the fundamentals that were key to our 2 world series wins - Speed and Defense.

I want to take a look at some of the position battles that are going to be taking place this spring. Who's in, and who's out. We are going to start with those that are cemented in their positions and the team.


SS - Hanley Ramirez
2B - Dan Uggla
C - John Baker
Utl - Alfredo Almezaga
Utl - Wes Helms
Utl - Mike Rabelo

Next, lets take a look at two players that will be in the starting line-up but their position could change before opening day.

RF- Cody Ross
3B - Jorge Cantu

This takes us to the players with nothing to gain and everything to lose.

CF - Cameron Maybin
LF - Jeremy Hermida
1B - Gaby Sanchez


Position Battle Number 1 - 3rd Base (Jorge Cantu, Emilio Bonifacio)

As of right now Jorge Cantu will be in the starting line-up in this position. It got a little tricky with the acquisition of 2B Emilio Bonifacio in the trade that sent Scott Olsen and Josh Willingham to Washington. The Marlins are trying Bonifacio out at third base this spring. He is considered the fastest guy on the team and has great defensive skills from the left side of the diamond. His only draw back is making contact. Emilio is a switch hitter, but he struggles from the right side. He will have plenty of time at the plate this spring with Jorge Cantu, Alfredo Almezaga and Hanley Ramirez participating in the World Baseball Classic. If he can hit around .280 this spring, consider the job his.

Position Battle Number 2 - 1st Base (Gaby Sanchez, Jorge Cantu)

This is a tough spot to be in for Gaby Sanchez. Unfortuanley, his performance may not factor in the decision to keep him on the team. With Jorge Cantu's ability to play both corners of the diamond, Sanchez's chances are slim. Gaby is going to have to hope that Bonifacio does not perform well at the plate this spring. As of right now, he is the starter. I believe that a solid defensive infield will trump his hitting abilities. Cantu has a one year contract and knowing the Marlins, he won't be around longer than that. If Sanchez doesn't make the team this year, a least he knows he is a lock for next year.

Position Battle Number 3 - LF (Jeremy Hermida, John Raynor)

Jeremy is on a thin line. He has been sent to the minors a couple of times for his lack of production. The fact that he is a left handed batter is what's keeping him on this team, but it might not be enough to keep him here this year especially with Raynor in the wings. Lets compare last years stats:

G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB OBP AVG
Hermida - 142 502 74 135 22 3 17 61 6 323 249
Raynor - 126 452 104 141 29 6 13 51 48 402 312

Regardless of Raynor playing in AA Carolina last year, his stats are impeccable. His ability to make contact and get on base will give the Marlins a scoring threat up and down the line-up.


Position Battle Number 4 - CF (Cameron Maybin, Cody Ross, Alejandro De Aza, Jay Gibbons)

Maybin has already been named the starting center fielder and will batting lead-off. Only an injury or horrible play will sink Cameron. But, in the event that he does, this is how it will lay out. If it wasn't an injury of his own, De Aza would of been the starting center fielder the past year and a half. The Marlins always have the option of switching Ross back to the center spot. That's where Gibbons plays a factor. If Gibbons returns to form, he can become the front runner for right fielder. This is the least likely sanerio, but it's interesting none the less.

This takes us to Miami Sports Generation's Roster Prediction

1B Jorge Cantu
2B Dan Uggla
3B Emilio Bonifacio
SS Hanley Ramirez
RF Cody Ross
CF Cameron Maybin
LF Jeremy Hermida (at least for a month)
C John Baker
Utl Alfredo Almezaga
Utl Wes Helms
Utl Mike Rabelo
Utl John Raynor

Dolphins resign Crowder and Bell: Sign S Gibril Wilson

Channing Crowder resigned with Miami Dolphins one day prior to the start of free agency. Crowder took the advice of two former Dolphins, Zack Thomas and Keith Traylor, that the grass is not always greener on the other side. They urged him to do all that he could to stay in Miami and not to get caught up in the money aspect.

''I love Miami,'' Crowder said. "So I basically told [agent] Joel [Segal] that if we could get to some numbers where everybody is happy, let's pull the trigger.''

This is great news for the team. A gift from two players that were cut by Parcells and company. That's what it means to be a Dolphin.

''As good as we did last year, I've had three head coaches in four years,'' Crowder said. "But now, I know the system. I know the defensive scheme. I know who my linebacker coach and my defensive coordinator will be. Now, I can just build on that."

"Now, I can maximize my talent. It's time for me to become a Pro Bowler.''

And now the Dolphins can get back to business and focus on other free agents.

Thursday afternoon Yeremiah Bell Agreed to a 4 year, 20 million dollar deal. Bell had a breakout year after struggling with injuries most of his career.

The Dolphins also signed Safety Gibril Wilson. Wilson was cut by the Raiders after last season. Why? Who knows. Their lose, our gain. Wison was second on the team with 129 tackles. We will move back to free safety, after playing strong safety the last 2 years. This leaves free agent safety Renaldo Hill out of the starting line up. If he resigns as a back up we will sure make a splash next year.

Hopefully, the Dolphins can come to terms with CB Andre Goodman. This will put our secondary in place, and leave our draft picks for wide receivers and lineman.

T.J. Houshmandzadeh Says "We Can Make it Happen" in Miami

So I'm on my way home in the late afternoon and I tune into The Dan Le Batard Show on the radio, just too see what's up. I hear the deep voice of an athlete speaking to Dan and his co-host about insignificant nothings, particularly about Walter Herman's ponytail (Detroit Pistons Forward). After a few minutes of listening to this amusing conversation about nothing, I realize that the athlete on the show is T.J. Houshmandzadeh.

The highly sought after free agent wide receiver from the Bengals, was on the radio show for a short segment and was answering whatever questions Dan threw at him. The biggest question Le Batard asked T.J. was right before the segment was over – “Why don’t you come to Miami and put on a Dolphins uniform?” T.J. answered by saying, “Why don’t you go talk to Parcells and Sparano and tell them to contact my agent. We can make it happen, just tell them to give me a holler.”

Those words got me, and plenty of other Dolphins fans that were listening, pumped at the idea that we could potentially have a legitimate #1 WR wearing the good ole’ teal and orange. With Housh and Ginn lined up on the right and left of Pennington, I think the Dolphins pass offense can be taken to the next level. I’m not sure of the chances that T.J. will actually land in Miami, but for now we should ponder the implications of this possible acquisition.

By looking at T.J.’s stats, we can clearly see that his prime years were in the ‘06 and ’07 seasons – logging in a total of 21 touchdowns and over 2,200 receiving yards throughout those two seasons. Now if we look at the Miami Dolphins and there three main receivers (Tedd Ginn Jr., Greg Camarillo, and Davone Bess), we can notice a lack of production at the WR position in the past couple seasons. Ginn had a combined 4 touchdowns and 1,220 receiving yards in ’07 and ’08. It’s downhill from here, because Bess and Camarillo only have 3 touchdowns and 1,300 receiving yards between each other. In other words, T.J. Houshmanzadeh bring more production to the table than all top-three WRs on the Dolphins depth chart.

Can we say that Housh would be a…how would you call it…UPGRADE?!?

Well, let’s not go into this idea too deep because he may never become a part of the Fins at the end of it all. For now, let’s hope that T.J. takes Dan Le Batard’s advice and comes down to South Beach to provide Miami fans with a continued sense of hope into the 09-10 season. Keep an eye open for an in-depth analysis of T.J. Houshmanzadeh if he indeed does become a piece of the Parcells puzzle – we will be evaluating his compatibility with the MSG Fin Meter.

How Much of a Threat are the Miami Heat?

It's past the All-Star weekend and fans begin to ask themselves a few questions: Where do we go from here? Will we make the playoffs? How deep will we go? And many other related questions about how their team will do down the stretch.

The Miami Heat came from the mid-season break with a record of 28-24, along with a 1-1 record in their first two games after the break. With 28 games left in the season, let's review each month and predict what the Heat's record, playoff seed, and playoff contention will be.


February Schedule Predictions
In the remainder of the month of February there are four key games that are all of importance to the Heat. Here they are:

Sun 22 @ Orlando
Tue 24 vs Detroit
Fri 27 @ Atlanta
Sat 28 vs New York

The Orlando Magic and Atlanta Hawks are in the Southeast Division (which the Miami Heat are a part of, of course) are will be key match-ups for the Heat if they hope to go up the standings. I believe the Miami Heat have a good chance of winning both games and breaking even at worst. As for the Detroit Pistons and New York Knicks, they will be extremely distinct match-ups, but equally difficult - Detroit is a defensive-minded, hustle-play kind of team, while New York is a run-and-gun team under the command of Mike D'Antoni. In essence, the Heat can come off the final four games of February with a 3-1 or 2-2 record, although a 4-0 winning streak is a potential result as well.

March Schedule Predictions
Looking forward to March, where a brunt of the final games will be played (16 total), the Heat have a tough road ahead as they hope to succeed into the playoffs. It won't be an easy task, as 9 out of the 16 teams they will play are over .500 and most are Eastern Conference rivals. At any rate, the Heat have already defeated elite teams, such as the Cleveland Cavaliers, Orlando Magic, Los Angeles Lakers, and Phoenix Suns. The problem with the Heat is their sporadic play and lack of consistency. The have not had a definitive winning streak this entire season, which could hurt them in the playoffs, when win streaks are paramount. Here's the March schedule:

Mon 02 vs Cleveland
Wed 04 vs Phoenix
Fri 06 @ Toronto
Sat 07 @ Cleveland
Mon 09 vs Chicago
Wed 11 vs Boston
Sat 14 vs Utah
Sun 15 @ Philadelphia
Wed 18 @ Boston
Fri 20 @ New Jersey
Sun 22 @ Detroit
Mon 23 vs Memphis
Wed 25 @ Indiana
Thu 26 @ Chicago
Sat 28 vs Milwaukee
Mon 30 vs Orlando

My predictions for March are somewhere between 10 and 12 wins. I believe that Jermaine O'Neal will settle into the Heat system by March and will begin to play more cohesively with "Wade and Company." The rebound disparity will begin to diminish and tough games will become close games. In double match-ups versus the Cavs and Celts, the Heat have the potential of coming away with one win in each series. They have not beat the Celts yet this season, but are capable of stealing one in March with O'Neal matching up versus Kevin Garnett.

April Schedule Predictions
To finish off the regular season, the month of April brings eight crucial games that will probably determine the Heat's playoff seed and playoff potential. Here's the schedule:

Wed 01 @ Dallas
Fri 03 @ Charlotte
Sat 04 @ Washington
Tue 07 vs New Orleans
Fri 10 @ Boston
Sun 12 vs New York
Tue 14 @ Atlanta
Wed 15 vs Detroit

As you can see, Dallas, New Orleans, Boston, Atlanta, and Detroit are five out of the eight teams that the Heat will play. It's a difficult way to end the regular season, but I'm sure the Heat can survive with at least a 4-4 record coming away from April. Charlotte and Washington are must wins, for the simple reason that they are not at the same caliber as the Heat. Many things can happen from now until April, and the team's performance will be determined by their success or failure up to that point. If they're "hot" then maybe they will be motivated to beat those elite teams. If they're "cold," then they may tumble down the standings to a 6th or 7th seed. Let's hope the latter is not the case.


Playoff Seed Prediction
With Orlando not showing any signs of slowing down, even with Jameer Nelson out (Rafer Alston is a worthy replacement) the 3rd seed seems a bit out of reach for the Heat. I don't see a late season collapse from Orlando, like they had last season, thus a 4th seed would be a reasonable goal. I'm not closing the door on the possibility for the Heat grabbing the #3 spot, but I'm not about to depend on another team's demise to rely on the Miami Heat's success.

Atlanta is a team within striking distance and a beatable foe down the stretch. They might have given the Boston Celtics problems in the first round of the 2008 NBA playoffs, but they aren't the same team anymore. I expect Miami to pass Atlanta in the standings and take control of that 4th seed in the end. There's no doubt that the spot will be up for grabs for quite a while, with so many teams within a couple games of each other, but I have confidence that you'll see the "Flaming Ball Logo" next to the 4th seed come April's end.

Playoff Predictions
Based on my prediction of a 4th seed, the Heat have far greater chances of passing the first round, than if they were a lower seed. Obviously, nobody wants to play Orlando or Cleveland in the first round (Boston will probably hold the #1 spot and play the #8 spot - a seed I doubt the Heat will hold). Thus, I predict Miami will make it to the second round at least and have a fighting chance at a third round appearance. Eastern Conference Finals and NBA Finals are places that I'd love to see the Heat in, but given the dominance of the Cavs and Celts, I'd be pushing it to predict such a thing.

Final Note
The Miami Heat have some growing up and bonding to do in the second half of the regular season if they hope to have in impact in the post-season. I believe O'Neal will feel rejuvenated to be a part of the Miami Heat and begin to play a big role in the Heat's success. I'm only one man and my crystal ball is probably worth crap, but I have faith in the Heat to turn a 15-win season into an exciting playoff-thrilled success story in 2009.

The conservative final prediction I have for the second half is a record of 16-12, putting their total record at 45-37. As for my ideal prediction of the second half, I'd say the Heat go 20-8 and finish the season at 49-33. We'll see which of these predictions are the closest to the truth come April 15th.

Analyzing "The U" Schedule

The switch from the Big East to the Atlantic Coast Conference in 2004, has been a nightmare for the Miami Hurricanes. They've posted a sub par record of 21-20 and have failed to claim their first Conference Championship. The closest they came was in 2008 when the Canes were in control of their own destiny: win at Georgia Tech and at North Carolina State and you're in the Conference Championship game.

Last year the Hurricanes were one of, if not the, youngest team in college football. Their inexperience showed mostly in the QB position. Robert Marve was unsure, not confident and made too many mistakes. Jacory Harris was trying to play the role of passer instead of being a play maker. Most of the fault falls down on since-fired offensive coordinator Patrick Nix. His situation play calls were questionable and his players knew it.

Entering the 2009 season, Miami's #1 recruiting class in 2008 has grown and should put fear into their opponents while regaining it's edge. Offensive coordinator Mark Whipple has replaced Patrick Nix. Defensive coordinator Bill Young left for Oklahoma state and was replaced by John Lovett. Robert Marve transferred out, leaving Jacory Harris as the undisputed #1 Quarterback.

Randy Shannon boosted his team with a top 10 recruiting class this year.

Miami did their part, but the ACC didn't want to cooperate. Miami's first four opponents have given them trouble the last five years and they are projected to be in the top 16 in preseason ranks. Three of their four non-conference games are coming against teams from Florida. Here's a look of what lies ahead.

The Big Four

9/7 @ Florida State University (16th) - The ACC decided it was in the best interest of the Conference to kick off the year on Labor Day with a clash of inter-state rivals. The two teams met on labor day from 2004 to 2006. Miami is 2-3 against FSU since joining the ACC in 2004, with three of the games being decided by three points. Miami and FSU are expected to have another close game. These two are expected to provide another exciting game. This is an instance where the season can be determined by one game's outcome.

9/17 vs. Georgia Tech (14th) - The U has an abysmal 1-4 record versus this division rival. The worst loss came last year when GT's 41-23 whooping cost Miami it's first true shot at the ACC Crown. With QB Josh Nesbitt and RB Johnathan Dwyer returning to run the option offense that racked up 472 rushing yards of the Canes defense last year, expect the Miami staff not to take the 10-day break in between week 1 and 2 lightly.

9/26 @ Virginia Tech (8th) - Miami has not fared any better against the Hokies, posting a 2-3 record since joining the ACC. The U barely squeaked by VT last year, winning by two. The Hokies are returning 9 starters on offense and 8 starters on defense as they look to repeat as ACC Champions and become national title contenders.

10/3 vs. Oklahoma (4th) - What can you say about the Sooners that they haven't proven already. Since 2000, Oklahoma has one National Championship, played in four BCS Chapionship games and won the Big-12 seven times. This will be the second meeting in three years between the two schools. When they meet in 2007, the Sooners toyed with us in a 51-13 rout. Heisman trophy winner, Sam Bradford, is returning for his junior year and is looking for revenge after a bitter loss in the championship game.

The Rest of the Field

10/10 vs. Florida A&M - This is considered a break for Miami after a rough 30 days. The Hurricanes should have no problem putting away FAMU and looking ahead to the following week. Last time the 2 schools meet Miami thrashed them 63-17.

10/17 @ UCF - Miami barely took care of this inter-state foe last year, beating them 20-14. One of the many things the Hurricanes need to get back to doing is taking care of the teams they are supposed to beat, and do it convincingly.

10/24 vs. Clemson - After a two-game hiatus from ACC games, Miami returns home to face cross division rivals, Clemson. They have split their two ACC meetings, with the Canes winning the latter. The Tigers have not been to a major bowl since 1981, when they won the national championship.

10/31 @ Wake Forest - This should be a scary match-up, as the U squares off with the Demon Deacons on Halloween. Wake Forrest is one of two ACC teams that Miami is undefeated against. With the loss of All-Conference CB Alphonso Smith to the NFL Draft, Miami's receivers will try to pull some tricks and receive some treats.

11/7 vs. Virginia - Virginia lost their entire coaching staff, minus their Head Coach, as well as their leading receiver and leading rusher. This is as close to a rebuilding as you can get. The only bright spot was the signing of OL Morgan Moses from Richmond Meadowbrook.

11/14 @ North Carolina - Former Hurricane coach, Butch Davis, has gotten the best of his old team. We repaid the favor this year by taking John Lovett. Maybe this will even things out and settle the score at three games a piece.

11/21 vs. Duke - Note to self: Find something interesting to tell fans about the Duke Football program, besides them being good cheerleaders for Coach K and the basketball team or being
0-4 against Miami.

11/28 @ South Florida - USF started 6-0 and 5-0 the last 2 years, before faltering in the end of each of the seasons. This should fare well for the Canes since it's the last game of the year, but the Bulls are 3-0 against their last 3 ACC opponents and 16-2 against their last 18 non-conference opponents.

How Compatible is Jermaine O'Neal with the Miami Heat?

As we put the MSG Evaluation to the test for the first time, we analyze the compatibility of Jermaine O'Neal with the Miami Heat. To give a quick overview of the process, we will evaluate each player on the following categories:

-Statistical Analysis
-Attitude/Behavioral Research
-Talent Evaluation

Statistical Analysis
Let's begin by taking a look at Jermaine O'Neal's stats compared to the Miami Heat's centers. It's clear that an offensive game will be added to the Heat's low-post presence. O'Neal is averaging 13.5 ppg, whereas Joel Anthony, Jamaal Magloire, and Mark Blount are averaging 4 points or less a game. Primarily, Miami's centers have been used to gather rebounds and take up space in the paint - leaving the shooting up to Wade, Beasley, Cook, and Chalmers. If you thought offense was an issue, the Heat centers averaged 3.5 (Anthony), 3.6 (Magloire), and 1.9 (Blount) rebounds per game. Good news for Erik Spoalstra: O'Neal can be a significant rebounder for the team besides Udonis Haslem, Michael Beasley, and the former Shawn Marion.

Don't leave out the block statistic when it comes to O'Neal because his forte is swatting the ball into the stands (Alonzo Mourning would urge him to keep the ball inbounds though). Joel Anthony is a very good shot blocker, but O'Neal is a definite upgrade and an intimidating defensive player. Just in the month of February, O'Neal logged a game with 9 blocks (versus the Lakers) and 6 blocks (versus the Spurs). Need I say more about his defensive presence?

Attitude/Behavioral Research
Examining O'Neal's past,there are only a few taints to his record: his involvement in the infamous Pistons-Pacers brawl and his outspokenness on race in the NBA. On the other hand, he has an official charitable foundation (Jermaine O'Neal Foundation) and served his 60 hours of community service for his participation in the 2005 altercation. The combination of his behaviors virtually neutralizes his image and keeps him away from the negative limelight. One thing that can be said is that O'Neal has not been in the headlines lately other than in trade talk news, which is generally good for pro athletes.

The Miami Heat is very involved with the community and has cultivated a select group of Heat players that find various ways to give back to the Miami-Dade area. It seems that O'Neal will make a decent fit into the organization's community affairs, especially when he has a big smile on his face now that he's in South Beach. Playing with an MVP-caliber player, such as D. Wade, will brighten up any disgruntled NBA athlete's day.

Talent Evaluation
On the talent evaluation front, we can easily label O'Neal's strengths and weknesses by looking at his career in retrospect. First of all, defensive awareness, low-post presence, height, and ambidexterity are his strengths. Blocking shots and posting up are what O'Neal makes a living off of. At 6'11 he stands taller than any other Heat player besides Mark Blount (but Blount is rarely spotted in the paint - it's his kryptonite). The fact that O'Neal can take it to the rack with either hand makes his game more dynamic. With Beasley able to do the same, opponents will now have to worry about Miami's front court eliusiveness. Who can deny that O'Neal will make a solid impact on Miami's game with all these strengths to account for? If you remember the game versus the Lakers (where Miami was out rebounded by 15 rebounds, yet only lost by two) you can imagine what impact O'Neal would have made defensively and on the boards - Miami could have won that game with O'Neal.

The weaknesses that are most notable for O'Neal include injury proneness, shot selection, and turnovers. The biggest thing people questioned during the O'Neal-Marion trade rumors was Jermaine's health. "Will his knees hold up?" "How long will he last?" And the criticisms continued. Well, if Shaq rejuvinated his career in Miami by getting in shape and losing excess pounds, I'm sure O'Neal can do the same for his health. Pat Riley know's what to ask of his players and health will be an issue he will surely address with J. O'Neal. The other downsides to O'Neal's game are his hesitation and shot complexity; he tends to think too much about how to attack the hoop and usually ends up taking a difficult shot in the process. This also leads to traveling calls and loose balls (i.e, turnovers). Hopefully, with Wade as the star and the facilitator, Jermaine won't feel the pressure of having to put the load on his shoulders.

Evaluation Score
Based on our final analysis of Jermaine O'Neal and the Miami Heat we've graded his compatibility as such:

Statistical Analysis: 5 / 5
Behavioral/Attitude Research: 1 / 2
Talent Evaluation: 2 / 3
-------------------------------------------------
Total Score: 8 / 10

Conclusion
O'Neal rates 8 on the MSG Heat Index and looks like a highly compatible player for the Miami Heat, their organization, and their system. We look forward to seeing how well he performs with the Heat and what his final impact on the team will be. Stay tuned for a follow-up article on O'Neal's performance compared to our evaluation rating.

Miami Heat Look to Rise Above Fourth Quarter Woes

So it's the midway point of the season and the Miami Heat are looking to continue their success (maybe in a less sporadic fashion) with a revamped roster in Jermaine O'Neal and Jamario Moon. One area in which the Miami Heat are looking to improve is in the fourth quarter. Many of you who know Dwyane Wade know that the fourth quarter is his quarter. Unfortunately, that hasn't been the case this season for him and the Miami Heat.

Over the course of the last four games, prior to the All-Star weekend, the Heat had a record of 2-2. In those games the Heat have been outscored in the fourth by an average of 9.3 points. Most notably they were outscored by 16 points in the late-game collapse versus the Philadelphia 76ers. Not to mention, they've allowed their opponents to score an average of 28.8 points in the fourth as well.

So this brings us to our next question: What needs to be done in order to address this issue and to close the recent gaps in fourth quarter scoring.

Obviously, defense is the first focus, but it's a little more complex than that. The team has become lax in the final twelve minutes of games seemingly because of fatigue, which leads to allowing open shots and missing easy rebounds. On the offensive side of the spectrum, there needs to be better shot selection. Player's need to set better screens, get in better position, and finally make the damn shot.

The good thing is that despite the horrible fourth quarters the Heat have played, they came out with a .500 record after the four games and an overall record of 28-24. We must now wait and see how Erik Spoelstra uses his added height in O'Neal and Moon to bring rebounds, presence, and energy to the team and avoid the fourth quarter woes in the second half. I'm sure we will begin to see more rebounds racked in by the Heat and more blocked shots as well. That in itself should ensure lower opponents points per game and increase shot opportunities. Let the second half be a healthy and productive half for the Heat as they make a playoff push and hope to capture that 4th or 5th seed in the Eastern Conference.

Sunday Brunch Rant Week 2

I Know it's Monday but it's a holiday, so I will use it as the last day of the week.

When will players learn!!! Believe me, I'm not against people carrying a firearm, but I am against people doing it the wrong "effing" way! Didn't Marshawn Lynch pay attention to what happened, and what's going to happen, with Plaxico Burress?

For those of you who don't know, Buffalo Bills Starting Running Back, Marshawn Lynch was arrested in Los Angeles for possession of a concealed firearm, a felony. Why don't you go a get a damn permit? If you don't feel safe and don't want to get a permit, STAY INSIDE. Why would you put yourself in a predicament like that? You have nothing to gain and everything to lose. All you are doing is looking for trouble and trouble usually finds you when you are ready for it.

To Roger Goodell: I say you ban every player that is charged, pleads guilty, doesn't contest, and is found guilty in felony cases. This is coming from someone who worked in a prison for over 5 years. I had juveniles angrily tell me that athletes get charged for crimes and get away with it. Maybe we should begin to make those athletes responsible for their actions and truly live up to the life of being a "PRO."

Miami Heat's Success in the All-Star Weekend Continues

On Saturday night in the middle of the Arizona desert, Daequan Cook continued a stint of success for the Miami Heat in the All-Star game events by winning the three-point competition. He dethroned former Miami Heat player, Jason Kapono, who was on his way for a three-peat. Nobody gave Daequan a shot - Hell, I doubted him too because of his shooting style (using a lot of leg energy to take a jump shot). In the end, the man who Wade calls "Dae-Dae" and who's mom calls "Pooh," took the three-point crown.


Kenny "The Jet" Smith highly doubted Cook, saying that it would be a "disappointment" if he won the competition. Hey Kenny, don't be too depressed now. You should have never doubted the passion of a Miami Heat player. Sure, Rashard Lewis gave him a freebie by missing 75% of his shots in the last round, but "Dae-Dae" proved that he deserved it by making 19 points in the end (one more point than his first round showing).


This victory should be no surprise to NBA fans by now, as the Miami Heat have 7 Pre-All-Star Competition wins over the course of their 21-year existence. That's tied with the Chicago Bulls for most by any team. The Heat, Bulls and Suns are the only teams to have a winner in all three competitions.

Most recently, we remember Wade dominating the Skills Competition and becoming the only two-time champion when he won the challenge in 2006 and 2007. He buried a field that consisted of Lebron James, Chris Paul and Steve Nash in 2006 and Lebron James,Chris Paul and Kobe Bryant in 2007. He was dethroned by Deron Williams in his attempt for a 3-peat in 2008.


Also in 2007, Jason Kapono shot lights out tying Mark Price's record of 24 shots made in the final round.He went on to repeat in 2008 as a member of the Toronto Raptors.

In their second year of existence, the Miami Heat used the #4 pick in the 1989 draft to select Glen Rice. Rice won the 1995 NBA Three-point shootout by beating NBA 3 point record holder Reggie Miller by 1, 17-16.

Harold Miner completed a Miami Heat sweep of the the All-Star Festivities that year by winning the Slam Dunk competition for the second time. His first win came in 1993 when he beat defending champion Cedric Ceballos in the final round. Minor did not participate in the 1994 competition.

Miami Sports Generation's Evaluation System

Purpose:

To evaluate incoming free agents, draft prospects, and trade assets through a methodical process that will determine how compatible the player will be with the receiving team.

Three Steps to the Process:

1. Statistical Analysis
2. Attitude/Behavioral Research
3. Talent Evaluation

Description:

I. Statistical Analysis

• Compare a player's stats to a team’s stats - based on position-specific stats or on overall team stats

II. Attitude/Behavioral Research

• Research player's past for positive and negative activities and compare them to the organizational attitude (i.e. good reputation vs bad reputation)

III. Talent Evaluation

• Look at player's strength/weaknesses and determine how his talents will play into the team's style of play and gameplay strategies.

How We Grade Them:
Based on the aforementioned factors, we will use a scale from 1 to 10 to determine how compatible a player is with the team. Ten would be the highest, while one would be the lowest score possible. Through comprehensive research and in-depth comparison, we will provide a quality measuring scale to determine the effectiveness of a transaction or acquisition. Sport fans will be able to refer to this scale as an authoritative tool in their sport research.

What Will We Call It?
Each team will have a different name for their measurement tool, here's what they will be called:

• Miami Dolphins = Fin Meter
• Miami Heat = Heat Index
• Florida Marlins = Fish Scale
• Miami Hurricanes = U Barometer
• Florida Panthers = Instinct Factor

*All of the names will be preceded by "MSG," since they are tools created by our organization and are a part of our sport reporting efforts.

A-Rod + Cocaine = Miami

The date was July 27, 1975. It was a time when The City of Miami was turning into the Mecca of Cocaine distribution and the Atlantic Ocean was its Red Sea. Machine gun fire, explosions, and dead bodies were a norm throughout town. Thanks to "The Madrina", Griselda Blanco, Miami is what it is today. The economy boomed, and a shadow was casted over Biscayne Bay by towers of financial stability.

Today, you can count 31 construction towers along the Downtown Miami skyline. In what the Government calls a period of recession, there is no doubt in my mind that those skyscrapers are being funded by the remnants of the Cocaine Era. There is no doubt in the minds of many Miami residents either. Some say that the body count and crime rate was worth it, while some say they would've preferred to keep South Florida a swamp. Regardless of their opinion, Miamians continue to live in this tropical city and tourists consistently flock to our lucrative beaches.

The date was July 25, 1975. In the Washington Heights Section of New York City, Lourdes Rodriguez gave birth to, argueably, the greatest baseball player in MLB history. Well, that came into question on Monday, Feb. 9th, when Alex admitted to using performance enhancing drugs.

In 1980, A-Rod and his family moved to the southwest region of Dade County. He used to jump the fence at the UM stadium to watch the Canes play. He dreamed of one day playing for them, but never got the chance. Three days before the first semester started, Rodriguez signed a 1.3 million dollar contract with the Seattle Mariners.

To this day, Alex considers himself a part of the Miami Hurricanes and the City of Miami, his second home, considers him a part of it too. He has donated 3.9 million dollars to the school to renovate their baseball stadium, which as of February 13, 2009, bares his name - Mark Light Field at Alex Rodriguez Park. As a part of his community efforts in South Florida, he has done numerous charity events throughout his career and even wrote a children’s book.

With this I bring you the relation between the three objects of the story. Despite this city's dark past, people still embrace it and choose to raise a family here. Despite the city's dark past, people still come to enjoy their "fun under the sun" and their "night out in the city." The United States has forgiven Miami for being the gateway to the drug problem we have today, for washing our hands in blood, and for continuing to use the cocaine money to build this city. Thus, they should forgive Alex Rodriguez for using performance enhancers for merely two years of his bright career.

Alex, the City of Miami, as a whole, forgives you. If you say the pressure of signing the most lucrative contract in sports history (10-year deal worth $252 million) led you to taking PEDS, I believe you. Billie Bob Harrell Jr., committed suicide in Texas two years after he won the 31 million dollar lotto jackpot, because he felt the pressure of being rich. That's $221 million short of what you are making, so I understand and offer my empathy.

You never said you were perfect, but everyone expected you too. Not even God's first two humans were perfect, so I don't expect you to be so. I leave you with a quote that Alex wrote to kids eleven years ago:

"Nobody can act perfectly all the time. No doubt I'll make mistakes in the future. The thing is, we must always strive to do the right thing. In my case, that means playing hard and honorably. In doing so, I honor all those people who have supported me throughout my life."

The Second Coming of O'Neal

The anxiously anticipated day has come, where rumor and trade talk has evolved into official player transaction. Jermaine O'Neal has been sent to Miami to fill a void that was left upon the departure of the first great O'Neal (the self-proclaimed "Big Aristotle"). Now the Pat Riley's "big man" prophecy must continue to follow the legacy of success through centers like Kareem Abdul-Jabar, Patrick Ewing, Alonzo Mourning, Shaquille O'Neal, and now Jermaine O'Neal.


Now, you will hear the skeptics rant on and on about O'Neal's health, his consistency, injury proneness, and age. Let's remember one thing - those were the same criticisms they brought upon Shaq. A few champagne drenched memories and a championship banner held above AA Arena, we all know how that story ended. Today we are brought to another turning point in Heat history, where the next man in line to fill the 5 spot has the opportunity to prove himself to the skeptics. I feel confident that J. O'Neal has what it takes to go along with the Miami Heat's latest motto - "Something 2 Prove."

With the All-Star weekend full steam ahead, Heat fans have time to let this trade settle in. They can digest the prospect of bringing out their old #32 jerseys and replacing them with a number soon to be determined. This will give a renewed sense of hope for Miami fans and will incite even more excitement towards the playoff push led by D. Wade and the rest of the young guns. Only time will prove the success or failure of this trade, but for now it is a victory for Miami and a much needed improvement to Erik Spoelstra's roster.

Stay tuned for the release of Miami Sport Generation's latest player evaluation feature and see how we analyze Jermaine O'Neal's compatibility with the Miami Heat team and organization.

Support Your Florida Marlins!

Now I'm sure you've heard of all the negatives to building the Marlins' new stadium here in Miami. Whether it's the public funding, the product on the field, or the criticism of the administration, there's has been plenty of trash to throw around on the Marlins. It's time to shed light on the good side of the Marlins and building the stadium.

If you think this stadium is being built by your very own tax dollars, well you haven't heard the whole story. This stadium will be financed by Tourist tax dollars (for instance, hotel taxes). Thus, no tax dollars that could be used for social services are being wasted.

If you are a pessimist and are critical of the Florida Marlins' roster and team effort, then you quickly forget the basis of the Marlins' success. The team has been around for less than 15 years and has gone through the ups and downs of two World Championships and two fire sales. That's too much of a rollercoaster history for you to base your opposing arguments on. Not to mention, last year we were talking about the Marlins being #1 in the NL along with Tampa Bay in the AL. We all know where the Rays ended up, along with their youthful base that strikingly resmebles the Florida Marlins.

As I heard a sport talk radio caller say, "what about the rival teams? how will they get to see their out-of-state teams?" So, Mets fans say goodbye. Braves fans - adios. Yankess, BoSox, and other popular teams' fans - farewell. If we don't get this stadium, the fans of other teams will not get to see their teams live and in person anymore - and I'm pretty sure that there wont be any road trips up to Tampa to satisfy those desires. In essence, this is in the best interest of ALL baseball fans that live in Miami to support keeping the Fish in town!

Whatever reservations you may have of the Marlins front office, set it aside. It's about the team, not the President and CEO. We go to the ballpark to see "Hanley and Uggla" not "Samson and Loria." If we continue to see everything in such a negative light, where's the future of sports in South Florida? I hope you're not letting this economic climate affect your emotions, because if anything, this will help the surrounding area with economic stimulus. You and I know it works, so why not give it a shot. It's projected that building this stadium will create up to 2,000 construction jobs for the next three years and up to 1,000 ongoing permanent jobs. In a time where unemployment is rising and job creation is in dire necessity, this project can help Miami now and in the long-run.

If this fails, I will admit to supporting a failed cause. But by no means, will I let this opportunity slip from our grasps if it's perfectly available for us to exercise. Give the Marlins a chance. Give baseball a shot. Hell, give Miami a damn good chance to succeed.

Here's a PDF file of the Marlins Stadium promo: http://www.mediafire.com/?cvcnjz0weml

Download it, email it, print it, and spread the word. Friday is the day to go out there and show your support for the stadium. Make it happen and make a statement. Go Fish!

Dolphins Look to Improve Through Free Agency

With the Free Agency period beginning at the end of the month, we want to take this time and explore the Dolphins options. Bill Parcells took the economic route to improve the team last year by signing other team’s rejects. I'm not going to say it didn't work, cause look at the product that was put together. Sometimes it's better that why because no one has an ego and everyone plays to their full capacity to make sure they don't get bumped. This year, that won't work. Partly, because the players that we need to keep are not going to come cheap. Miami has to address their weakest positions (WR, CB,) before they can improve the rest and if they are not careful, that needs list is going to improve. It won't hurt to improve a running defense that gave up 101 yards a game either.

Miami Dolphins Most Valuable Free Agents

Channing Crowder (LB) - There is not enough i can say about how much of an asset Crowder has been to The Miami Defense since we drafted him in 2005. He stepped in and was fortunate to have a mentor like Zach Thomas for his first 3 years. When Thomas was released, Crowder did not miss a step, hesitate or back down from the responsibilities. He controlled the middle of the field and called plays for the unit. Reports out of Dolphins Camp say that the two sides are not close in making a deal. the Dolphins refuse to increase the offer the made to him last year and Crowder refuse to accept a "Special Teams Contract". This position is going to have to be addressed via trade or draft since the decent options are also big money.

Vernon Carey (OT) - The Dolphins will do everything in their power to keep Carey. They put together a Offensive Line that works and they want keep them together because they are only going to get better. They gave up 26 sacks last year as a unit. That was 10th least amount in the NFL. That’s coming from a line that consisted of a rookie, two 2nd year players, and two 5 year players making Carey the longest tenured Lineman that will have. Because of them, the Dolphins tied the record for least amount of turnovers in NFL history. If all contract talks fail he WILL get the Franchise Tag.

Andre Goodman (CB) - Already part of a soft defense back unit, the loss of Goodman will be a serious gut check. Goodman ranked in the top 20 among Cornerbacks this year with a 51 percent success rate defending passes. He is going to want top 20 money. Negotiations with him have fallen through but signs of restarting discussions are good. There are some decent CB's available this year but we have to make a move quickly.

Ricky Williams (RB) - Oh Ricky! Thank you for the ups and downs during your stay here. It seems as your day has come. Miami has Patrick Cobbs in the wings ready to take over the number 2 running spot. For our running game to be effective we cannot keep on splitting time between 3 guys. You have done wonders in helping the wildcat formation get into gear. The only way I see you staying with the team is if you keep your $735,000 price tag.

Yeremiah Bell (S) - Bell has been an injury prone secondary player for the Fins for quite a while, but last season he stayed healthy and showed his effectiveness. The Dolphins can likely place a Franchise Tag on Yeremiah in order to keep him here. He brings hard-hitting defense to the secondary unit and is very good at studying opponents and preparing a well-defined game plan. I would like to see Parcells and Sparano agree on keeping Bell for 09-10.

Notable Free Agent Line Backers

• Ray Lewis
• Bart Scott
• Jonathan Vilma

Notable Free Agent Cornerbacks

Bryant McFadden (CB) - I believe Mcfadden is the Steel Curtain's best Corner. He has been a terror to opposing wide receivers. This past year he missed 6 games duo to an ankle injury and was not 100 percent the last week of the season and throughout the playoffs. I will not hold his Superbowl performance against him. He is a 4 year player with loads of talent and has a great career ahead of him. Hopefully, it's with the Dolphins.

Phillip Buchanon (CB) - This former UM standout is part of the great Tampa Bay defense. He can bring a tough mentality to the team. He is a definite upgrade over CB Nathan Jones and CB Joey Thomas. If the dolphins are unable to re-sign Goodman, Philip will move right in to a starting spot opposite of Will Allen.

Sam Madison (CB) - As a Dolphin fan my whole life how can I not be happy about a return of Sammy to our team. Sam Madison and Patrick Surtain were the Mark Clayton and Mark Duper of our defense. Accept for last year that he spent most of the time on the injured reserves, Madison has been consistent and has not missed a beat. He brings leadership to a young core of backs. Maybe, we can get him for the league minimum.

Biggest Need - Wide Receivers

I don't want to knock Tedd Ginn, Greg Camarillo or Devone Bess because I think they did a good job but when Camarillo went down with an injury, you noticed the lack of depth that we have in that position. Our weakness is really exposed in the 5 wide spread formation when he have to line up David Martin, a TE, and Ronnie or Ricky. Devone Bess and Greg Camarillo play their best from the slot position. We need to add height to the squad and a true number two or one if we can acquire someone better than Ginn. Adding one good player can open up things for the rest of the WR.

Anquan Boldin (WR) - This is a long shot but will be a perfect fit for the Dolphins. He has everything we need. Some Height (6'1 is a improvement from our 5'10 and 5'11 WR's), Versatility, Deep threat, and some Shake and Bake in him. He will be a consistent 1,000 yard receiver year in year out. The problem is that Parcells is in the business of taking in draft picks not sending them out. Anquan will cost this year’s first round pick and then some. But hey, we never thought we will land Shaq either, so we will wait and see how things develop.

T.J. Houshmandzadeh (WR) - T.J. has averaged 1020 yards and has lead the Bengals in receiving touchdowns the past 4 years despite being lined up on the opposite side of Chad Ocho Cinco. Early signs show him leading towards the Eagles but maybe an offer of South Beach is enough to bring him down to Miami.

Jabar Gaffney (WR) - Jabar has been a quite threat for the Patriots as their number 3 receiver. He does most of his damage in the 5 wide spread set. As I stated above, that is a big weakness. He can come cheap and maybe for once we can take someone from New England and make them Great instead of the other way around.(Cite: Patriots signing Welker when he was a RFA)

Final Note

There are two big names out there in the free agent market when it comes to defensive lineman, Julius Peppers and Albert Haynesworth. It is very unlikely the Fins will pursue either one since they both come from a 4-3 set and they want to plug someone in who doesn't have to adjust to the system.

Not Another A-Rod Story!

I know, I know. You've heard everything you can about A-Rod and his alleged banned substance use over the past 24 hours. ESPN has changed their slogan from "The Worldwide Leader in Sports" to the "Worldwide Leader in A-Rod Roid Coverage." I think it's time to stay away from the actual news coverage and take a look at Alex Rodriguez and the very words he used to admit to his mistakes in 2001-2003.

The first question that comes to mind is how effective was it for A-Rod to publicly and openly come out and address the media with his admittance. Was he convincing? Did he come off as defensive? I'm sure there are plenty of questions that swirl in your mind whenever the A-Rod issue comes up.

The truth is that A-Rod did what was best for him and best for the game of baseball. Knowing that performance-enhancing supplements are a hot button issue in the MLB today, he faced the music and came clean. Had he resorted to a Roger Clemens-like approach, there would be a constant and relentless coverage of his allegations over the course of many weeks and months. By telling the truth, he purges all of the media's bottled up emotions on the issue and allows it to tide over quickly.

It's common sense to realize that this is another taint on MLB's bad reputation with steroids and other performance enhancers. The positive side to this story is that A-Rod comes off as genuinely regretful and eager to put his mistakes in the past. A-Rod uses the phrase "the truth will set you free," in order to sum up his reason for addressing ESPN's Peter Gammons on Monday. He argues that despite his use of banned substances between '01-'03 he was better off in the years after his use, citing his two MVP awards and his historic 2007 season.

Many people will feel betrayed by A-Rod's admission, but it is better to live in disappointment with the truth, than to live in happiness through deception. When we, as a public, place an athlete on such a high pedestal, we set them up for a harder fall and a tougher recovery whenever they make mistakes. A-Rod claims that his reason for taking such substances in the first place was because he felt so much pressure to perform at the highest level possible for his team and the fans. Had we not placed such pressure on athletes we might not be experiencing the effects of a steroid era to the extent at which we feel it today.

There is no doubt that this brings his home run record and Hall-of-Fame status into question for many years to come. Those are issues that will be dealt with in time and will be determined by history's portrayal of A-Rod. As for now, A-Rod has shed light onto a very dark area of MLB by opening up to the truth, admitting that he knowingly took the supplements, and moving forward with his career. This dilemma has even drawn commentary by President Obama in his address to the American Public on Monday night.

"The thing I'm probably most concerned about is the message it sends to our kids...What I'm pleased about is Major League Baseball seems to finally be taking this seriously, to recognize how big a problem this is for the sport, and that our kids hopefully are watching and saying, 'You know what? There are no short cuts, that when you try to take short cuts, you may end up tarnishing your entire career, and that your integrity's not worth it.' That's the message I hope is communicated."

Indeed we all hope that this sends a positive image to children who see players like A-Rods as role models and idols. This should be the final chapter in the steroid era, and the youth should realize that performance enhancers are not the answer. For the sake of baseball, let's begin to put this all behind us and focus on the realities of our lives today. Speaking more of A-Rod's admission will not solve our country's economic problems, it will only shed more negative light on our our already-gloomy situation. The man has spoken, the truth has been told, and it's time for us to forgive the human being we like to call "A-Rod."

The Wolves are Howling Now

If you can imagine a thunderstorm on a miserable rainy night and can't imagine a night that could be any worse, then think again. On Sunday night at New Orleans Arena, the Minnesota Timberwolve's already-plagued season was struck with a "death blow" of sorts when their star forward went tumbling to the hardwood floor clasping onto his right knee.

It was the epitome of the worst-case scenario in living flesh for a struggling T-Wolves team. It was bad enough that Al Jefferson was snubbed of an All-Star position in the Western All-Stars' roster. This brings a whole new meaning to the phrase, "adding insult to injury." As a genuine basketball fan, I feel sympathy for Jefferson and his team, as they now face an even tougher journey to get through the rest of this season.

This closely resembles the Miami Dolphins and the tragic 2007 season. Looking back, the Miami Dolphins were playing atrocious offense and struggled badly on defense. The only bright spot for the team was in Ronnie Brown and his consistent performance each week. He was averaging 5.1 yards per rush and had racked up over 600 rushing yards, coupled with 4 rushing TDs, in the span of seven games. All that went to waste, when Ronnie sprung into the air and landing awkwardly on his knee on that fateful day. This resulted in a torn ACL - an instant season-ender. The Dolphins salvaged one win that season thanks to Greg Camarillo's heroic catch in the overtime game against the Baltimore Ravens.

Similarly, Al Jefferson was averaging great numbers this season with 23.1 points per game and 11 rebounds per game. He was virtually a walking double-double machine - and now that machine has shut down for the rest of the season. It will be a long road to recovery for Al and the Wolves, but there's always hope for next season and a revamped effort to start fresh. Now will be the true test of resilience for the T-Wolves and their young core. I'm sure they would like to avoid a season like the Miami Heat in the 08-09 season - managing to win only 15 out of 82 games.

Here at Miami Sports Generation, we give kudos to Al Jefferson for his valiant efforts this season, as he played so well amidst a trouble-ridden season with the T-Wolves. Good luck to him in surgery, therapy, and training for next season. We'll be awaiting his arrival once again in Fall of '09.

Sunday Brunch Rant Week 1

This will be the first week of Sunday Brunch Rant (Cause no one likes to get up early on Sundays). For anyone who tuned in to Sun-Shine Network or Fox-Sports Network last night, I feel your pain. The Miami Heat and The Florida Panthers were in prime position to win their games and failed miserably.

The Heat entered the 4th quarter up 69-63 over The Philadelphia 76ers until the slump was engaged. Missed shots, Turnovers, Fouls, and did I say Missed shots. Miami lost their lead when Philly went up 74-73 with 9:22 left to play. How do only score 12 points in over 9 minutes? This doesn't come as a surprise to Heat fans. It's been years of the same old story. Dominate the game for three quarters, then give it away.(I would like to recall all those games against the Pistons). If NBA games would last 36 minutes instead of 48, the Heat would have at least 3 championships under their belt. Let’s see if they can play 48 minutes tonight against the Bobcats at AAA.

Panther fans, all I can say is I don't believe it. With 5 minutes left in the game, and trailing 2-1, The Cats drew a penalty from the Capitals. A minute later Washington's Shaone Morrisonn, received a 5 minute major for checking Cory Stillman in the back. That gave us a 5-3 man advantage for a minute. Washington blocked every weak attempt by Florida to score. They cleared the zone 3 times during that long minute. Enter Sergei Fedorov after his 2 minute penalty. The Cats now have a 5-4 advantage for the rest of the game. They pulled Thomas Vokoun with two minutes left to give the Panthers a 6-4 man advantage. The panthers didn't give a full-hearted attempt to win this game. With 1:13 remaining, Defenseman Mike Green stole a pass and connects on an empty-net goal. The door was shut for the day. Pack it up and take it back to sunrise for Tuesday's match against Toronto.

If You're Not First, You're Last?

When is it not always a good thing to finish first? When you're the Miami Dolphins. After an improbable season and a division championship, the Fins have won the Grand Prize of having the Hardest Schedule in the NFL for the 2009 season.

The NFC South was the best division in the league last year. The AFC East was the best division in the AFC last year. The AFC South was the Third Best division in the league. Throw those three divisions in along with the return of Tom Brady, the Super Bowl Champions and the AFC West Champions, and you get the 2009 Schedule for the Miami Dolphins.

Even though the NFL has not released its official schedule, they do have a system that they follow. So, here are our 2009 opponents and their 2008 record:

• Pittsburgh Steelers - (12-4) - Super Bowl Champions
• San Diego Chargers - (8-8) - AFC West Champions
• Carolina Panthers - (12-4) - NFC South Champions
• Tennessee Titans - (13-3) - AFC South Champions
• Atlanta Falcons - (11-5) - Playoff Team
• Indianapolis Colts - (12-4) - Playoff team
• New England Patriots - (11-5)
• New York Jets - (9-7)
• Tampa Bay Buccaneers - (9-7)
• New Orleans Saints - (8-8)
• Houston Texans - (8-8)
• Buffalo Bills - (7-9)
• Jacksonville Jaguars - (5-11)

If the Dolphins don't improve significally this offseason, they can easily fall from the top.

Playing Around with Miami's Trade Options

So I just stumbled upon this awesome tool ESPN has on their website called "Trade Machine." It simulates all possible trades that can be made in the NBA, by taking into account multiple teams' salary caps, roster space, and other factors in order to determine whether a trade is possible or not. As a result of playing with this cool gadget I tried some interesting trade scenarios that the Miami Heat could consider (although most are not likely, it's still enjoyable to imagine).

Since the Miami Heat's number one priority before the trade deadline would be a center who can rebound, block, defend, and score in the low-post, I began to look at potential big men that are somewhat plausible options. Here are the trades i simulated:

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Heat & Hornets

Shawn Marion
Salary: $17,810,000 Years Remaining: 1
PTS: 12.1 REB: 8.9 AST: 1.8 PER: 16.22

for

Tyson Chandler
Salary: $11,350,000 Years Remaining: 3
PTS: 8.8 REB: 8.3 AST: 0.5 PER: 14.19

Rasual Butler
Salary: $3,630,000 Years Remaining: 2
PTS: 9.6 REB: 2.8 AST: 0.8 PER: 12.12

The way that the Hornets have been playing this year is sub-par compared to what their potential is and what their record was last season. This trade will unlikely happen, but it's still a possible option with a small percentage of availability. I'm not sure the Hornets are ready to give up their big man, but I'm sure Chris Paul can envision countless alley-oop passes to Shawn Marion from all over the court. Marion will definitely fit into the Hornets system and the same for Chandler in the Heat.

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Heat & Kings

Shawn Marion
Salary: $17,810,000 Years Remaining: 1
PTS: 12.1 REB: 8.9 AST: 1.8 PER: 16.22

for

John Salmons
Salary: $5,104,000 Years Remaining: 3
PTS: 18.6 REB: 4.2 AST: 3.6 PER: 16.41

Brad Miller
Salary: $11,375,000 Years Remaining: 2
PTS: 11.9 REB: 8.0 AST: 3.4 PER: 15.95

Although this trade is easily compatible for both teams when it comes to salaries, I highly doubt this is a "top option" for Pat Riley. There's no doubt Brad Millers on the list, but at the same token, he isn't a piece that would make Miami a playoff contender. John Salmons would add some scoring to the team and is a good compliment to the trade, but once again, it doesn't make Miami an elite team (at least in my opinion). If this happens, let's hope that Miller's career is rejuvenated and he proves us all wrong.

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Heat & Raptors

Shawn Marion
Salary: $17,810,000 Years Remaining: 1
PTS: 12.1 REB: 8.9 AST: 1.8 PER: 16.22

Marcus Banks
Salary: $4,260,000 Years Remaining: 3
PTS: 2.6 REB: 0.9 AST: 1.4 PER: 8.82

for

Jermaine O'Neal
Salary: $21,372,000 Years Remaining: 1
PTS: 13.7 REB: 6.9 AST: 1.6 PER: 16.80

In all likelihood, this would be the most plausible trade option for Miami (money wise and stats wise). Everyone has been talking about this trade, nothing has happened yet, and Pat Riley is sitting in his "War Room" ready to make a move. Most people believe that on his list, this is the first item, and that it's only a mater of time before he pushes "the red button" to make the deal happen.

Update (February, 2009): Our prediction was correct, except we didn't predict Jamario Moon into the equation.

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Heat & Suns

Shawn Marion
Salary: $17,810,000 Years Remaining: 1
PTS: 12.1 REB: 8.9 AST: 1.8 PER: 16.22

for

Amare Stoudemire
Salary: $15,070,550 Years Remaining: 3
PTS: 20.9 REB: 8.2 AST: 2.0 PER: 20.40

This would be the "Grand Slam, Interception for a Touchdown, Alley-oop, Goooooooal!" that would put the Miami Heat over the edge. A tri-combo like Wade, Beasley, and Stoudemire would definitely put the Heat up there with the Orlandos, Clevelands, and Bostons of the NBA world. Will it happen? I don't know. Is it in the talks? Absolutely (according to ESPN). The only downside to the supposed trade is that some reports claim that the Suns would also like Michael Beasley in return, and Riley has already said no to that option. We'll see how this deal may work out - if it ever does.