Will Jason Taylor Come Back to Miami?

A recent report by ESPN placed Jason Taylor on the fence, choosing between the New England Patriots and the Miami Dolphins. His decision is important now because it determines whether he will be pass rushing against Dolphins opponents or lining up to knock Pennington on his back. The big issue here is Taylor's priorities - the very issue that led him out of Miami in the first place. Bill Parcells may be the type to hold grudges, but now that the Patriots are in the conversation I'm sure he'll give it a second thought.

Taylor might be getting old (relatively speaking when it comes to the NFL - the guy is only 34 for Christ's sake!), but any NFL coach would rather have him on their defensive line rather than on the opposing end. The next question is, what is the probability that he will return to Miami as opposed to heading north towards New England?

I'd say there's a 51% chance he comes to Miami, leaving a 49% chance he ends up in New England, just because it's a toss-up with a very slight advantage for Miami.

Taylor definitely would like to win a championship before he retires, but he doesn't want to end up selling his soul to the Pats like Junior Seau did. On the other hand, he can fit well with Miami and only add on to their success. The comfort level is there on South Beach.

What remains is his final choice - "Should I stay or should I go?" Here's some insight JT: Miami forgives you for your Dancing With the Stars dilemma and is willing to accept you. Now is Bill Parcells forgives you...that's a different story. You might have to apologize to the Big Tuna when it's all said and done.

Heat Showing They Can Shoot the Three Ball

If you can point out an area in which the Miami Heat have improved over last season, besides the win column and D. Wade's coming back party, you need to look at the three-point department. Last season's miserable 15-win disaster was partly due to our lack luster offense. Yes, I know that Mark Blount as center was another big reason, but for the most part we could not score the damn ball.

If you look at our squad this year, we have a decent talent pool when it comes to three-point shooting ability. For one thing Daequan Cook was the All-Star Three Point Champion this season. Enough said on that note (despite his post-all-star drop off). James Jones and Luther Head can arguably be labeled as three-point specialists. Last off, if we needed to dig a little deeper, you could say that Dwyane Wade, Mario Chalmers, Jamario Moon, and Chris Quinn could hit a three-pointer from time to time. In particular, Wade has improved his "behind the arch" shooting considerably this season.

Let me give you some stats to back up all this talk. Daequan Cook has averaged a 38.9 three-point % this season. Luther Head has averaged a 38.5 three-point % as well. Even Chris Quinn, Jamario Moon, Michael Beasley, and Mario Chalmers have averaged over 35% from three-point land. The only reason why I have not mentioned James Jones' stats is because of his slump throughout most of the year and the fact that he has been recovering from wrist surgery.

The irony in this all is that as of March 29th, 2009, the Heat have made 491 three-pointers for the season. That is the same exact amount of three-pointers that the Heat had in all of the 07-08 season. There is no doubt that the team will surpass that mark in the remaining regular season games.

I think the March 29th game versus the Milwaukee Bucks sums this all up pretty well. James Jones hit three 3-pters, Daequan Cook hit two 3-pters, and Chalmers, Moon, Beasley, and Head all hit one 3-pter. That's nine shots from downtown from six different players. Can I get an Amen?

Let's hope the shooting stays up and continues to progress as the playoffs near. We will need every weapon in the arsenal if we hope to keep the 5th seed and especially if we even want to ponder the thought of 4th seed. I say to Coach Spo, "Let the threes rain." At the same time, emphasize on rebounding and making that extra pass. Let's see some real Heat basketball in action.

Where the Miami Heat Go From Here

As of March 26th, the Miami Heat dropped from a 5th seed to a 6th seed in the Eastern Conference playoff ladder. It was a result of losing two straight games to sub-par teams in the Indiana Pacers and Chicago Bulls. These were two games that were not "must wins," but rather "should wins" when you take into account Miami's capabilities. 

If you take a look at the team's predictions I made earlier on you will find that the Heat have played close, but not equal, to my projections. The conservative regular season record I predicted was 45-37, while the more ideal prediction was 49-33. With 11 games left at this point and the Heat's record standing at 38-35, it seems that the Heat might not even reach the 45-win mark.

If the Heat do not secure the 5th seed and stay at a 6th or 7th spot, we are likely to see a first round exit. This is where you weigh the two options of looking at things in an idealistic or realistic way. If we play the Boston Celtics or the Orlando Magic in the first round, I don't see us having a fair chance by any stretch of the imagination. It's always fun to imagine a huge upset like that, but we do not have Boston's number and surely cannot take a dose of Dwight Howard for a whole playoff series. We're not talking about the infamous Knicks versus Heat upsets that occurred in the 1990's. We're talking about established dominance versus a fledgling up-and-comers. It's wishful thinking.

Now if we end up playing the Hawks, there is a decent chance that Miami can give Atlanta a run for their money. The Hawks may have beat the Heat quite a few times this season, but it's not like they have a key player that can dominate the Heat on any given night (i.e. like King James, KG, and Superman). In that scenario I will not count Miami out, but in the Cleveland, Boston, or Orlando situations I will have to concede to the greater teams and not expect a Cinderella story to unfold. But then again, you never know...

Good Bye Florida, Hello Miami...

Yea, that's right. Say goodbye to the Florida Marlins and welcome the Miami Marlins of 2012. After 16 years of being named after the state, the Marlins must pay their respect to the city that "bailed them out" of their stadium crisis - The City of Miami and Miami-Dade County. Had it not been for them we probably would be talking about "Hello Las Vegas" or some other state interested in a major league baseball team. On behalf of the true Marlins fans, I would like to say, Thank Goodness. 

Now we can begin a grassroots effort in creating a team following beginning at youth. As a Mario Signorello, the Marlins Special Events Coordinator, once put it, "there are three things you don't change in your life: your name, your social security number, and your childhood baseball team." I'm sure some can argue that you can change your name legally, but you get the point.

By starting at the youth level, the Marlins can begin to establish a loyal and sustainable following that will be there in the late game wins and the early game blowouts. If we want to start somewhere, we got to start at the childhood stage.

As for the Marlins in Miami, now there is a closer relationship between the team and the actual location it's placed in. Before, I'm sure that nobody in Tampa Bay, Jacksonville, and the greater north Florida considered themselves "Florida Marlins Fans." They have the Tampa Bay Rays over there and they are a much closer team to follow. Thus, the Marlins can actually relate to their constituents with their new name and begin promote the City of Miami as opposed to the state in general. 

This stadium deal may not be successful in the first few years, but if things go right I expect a positive outcome in anywhere from five to ten years after establishment. We'll see where the Marlins will go from now on as Loria and Samson now have to live up to their promises and dish out some money to get high-quality players via trades and signings in the upcoming future. For now you may want to take a look at the early spring training battles that are going on between the Marlins' players and see who will be the likely starters come Opening Day. 

New Marlins Stadium Approved, Finally!

Marlins owner Jeffrey Loria was able to accomplish something that the two other Marlins owners could not - get a new stadium. It took a long time. Fifteen years, three owners, two World Series Championships, two fire sales, and three law suits to be exact. 

Since Opening Day in 1993, the Marlins’ Inaugural season, the team has been petitioning to the City of Miami and Miami-Dade County for a stadium they can call home.

The Marlins have been sharing a stadium with the Miami Dolphins, under unfavorable revenue terms. Owner Jeffrey Loria receives little to no profit from concessions, parking, or suite sales. This, my friends, is the reason why our payroll is the lowest payroll in the league year in, year out.

Some good has come from the fire sales. Without them, we would have never attained players like Josh Beckett, Miguel Cabrerra, Dontrelle Willis, Hanley Ramirez, Dan Uggla, and most recently Cameron Maybin.

On Opening Day 2012, the Marlins will have a new stadium and a new name – the Miami Marlins. This was just one of the terms included in the new stadium contract.

The new stadium will include 37,000 seats under a retractable roof, two parking garages and about 60 luxury suites. This guarantees that South Florida will have a Major League Baseball team, indefinitely. Now, we can look forward to the Marlins attracting big name free agents in the upcoming years.

South Florida is already a hot ticket when it comes to football. We are hosting the Pro Bowl and the Super Bowl in 2010. Maybe this stadium will bring the MLB All-star game to town at some point down the road.

I would like to thank Miami-Dade County and the City of Miami commissioners that voted for the stadium and solidified professional baseball in South Florida for future generations to benefit from. 

Heat Need to Capitalize on Free Throws

The Miami Heat have not been taking advantage of basketball's most renewable resource - free throws. The essence of the word "free throw" clearly states that the points are free and uncontested. In other words, they are the easiest points you will make at any point in a game (unless you let the pressure get to your head).

For the season, the Miami Heat have a team free throw percentage of 76.1 %. That means they make about three out of every four free throws they take. It may sound decent, but when you realize that they are charity shots you begin to question how good that is.

Although free throw percentage does not necessarily equate to winning, it is still important to make your shots from the "charity stripe." In the Miami Heat's case it is especially important when Wade is the major scorer at about 30 ppg and the next leading scorer is Jermaine O'Neal at 13.7 ppg. You gotta find ways to score beyond Wade's contributions.

The Heat more recently have been shooting at a lower percentage than their season average. From March 15 through March 22, the team has combined for a free throw percentage of 69%. More specifically, Dwyane Wade (who played three out of the four games in that stretch) recorded a sub-par 71% free throw percentage. It's an obvious indicator of an area in need of improvement.

Look at it this way, in the three losses over that time frame (versus the 76ers, Celtics, and Nets) the team missed 22 free throws. Each game was lost by 8 points or less. If they make a few more free throws, the outcomes could have been drastically different.

My advice: Tell Coach Spoelstra, or "Spo" as they call him, to amp up the focus on free throws in order to avoid losing close games at the charity stripe. Make it a point that free throws can be the key to having more games decided in their favor. It boils down to "make or break" situations in the end.

Should the Dolphins look at the Ravens' Dump Offs?

It seems as though many teams have cut their "excess fat" by releasing some notable players for no value in return. One of those teams to join the release trend is the Baltimore Ravens; recently releasing DB Samari Rolle and CB Chris McAlister. Now the question is, should the Miami Dolphins go after any of these players?

The answer should be, at least one of them - Samari Rolle.

The Dolphins have already signed former Arizona Cardinals CB, Eric Green this off-season and I'm not sure how much depth they would like to add to the CB position. McAlister would be a decent veteran corner to add, but I'm not sure if he will start or warm the bench.

As for Samari Rolle, here's a guy that the Dolphins should consider as a solid back up safety to Yeremiah Bell and Gibril Wilson. I believe that his addition can definitely make the case for a solidified Dolphins secondary - something we haven't seen since the Patrick Surtain and Sam Madison era.

Both Rolle and McAlister are in their early 30's and probably won't be long term solutions for any NFL team out there today. At any rate, I'm sure many teams will consider adding a veteran piece to their secondary unit if they are lacking depth. The Miami Dolphins definitely fit the profile of a team in need for some extra back-up, especially with the bad luck they've had with injuries at the CB/DB positions. Last season was an exception to the rules because the Fins actually had some continuity in the secondary, which could have been part of the reason why they were so successful.

Samari Rolle has played 12 season in the NFL and has recorded 431 total tackles (solo & assists), 123 pass deflections, and 31 interceptions. Chris McAlister has played 11 season in the NFL and has recorded 339 total tackles, 89 pass deflections, and 26 interceptions.

Each player has solid statistics that show a consistent performance throughout their long careers in the NFL. THey were both a big part of the Ravens well-known defensive dominance, particularly McAlister (who was a part of the 2001 Ravens championship run).

I would be satisfied with any of these two guys wearing a Dolphins uniform, but I would believe that Rolle would be the more sensible addition. We'll see what Bill Parcells decides to do with his talent evaluation instincts. Stay tuned for an MSG Fin Meter evaluation in the case that either of these players join the Dolphins in the off-season.

A Show of Maturity by Heat Rookies

The Wade-less Miami Heat and the Garnett/Allen-less Celtics took on each other Wednesday night at the TD Banknorth Garden in Boston, MA. Both teams took on a burden that isn't typical to their game plan - going without their star player(s). Although the Celtics edged out the Heat in an overtime victory, I think it said more about the Heat than it did about the Celtics and their winning ways.

This entire season the Miami Heat had not played a single game without Dwyane Wade, and the way he was playing made him not only the MVP of the team but a prospective MVP of the league. All of Miami's success had been placed on his shoulders, and rightfully so, but nobody stops to consider how good his young supporting cast really is. I think Wednesday night they made a statement.

This statement was about letting everyone know that the Miami Heat is a team and not just a one-man show. Heat rookies, Mario Chalmers and Michael Beasley, combined for 40 points out of the Heat's 108 total. That's almost 40% of the team's scoring coming from first-year players versus a veteran Boston team. Not to mention, Chalmers was one assist shy of a double-double and Beasley recorded a total of seven rebounds.

This would mean nothing versus a team like the Oklahoma City Thunder, whose roster is made up of young guns and not-so-prominent players. But since Boston is the reigning champion of the NBA, we must give some credit to the performances that the two rookies displayed on Wednesday night. Most players that were dressed in green had a championship ring and intangible experience under their belts, for the exception of Stephon Marbury, Mikki Moore, and Bill Walker (and they only combined for 12 points).

In the fourth quarter of the game, Super Mario and B-Easy contributed 14 out of the Heat 24 and Chalmers went on to hit two big three-pointers in overtime to keep the game within reach. It was virtually a point-for-point showdown between the two teams and the Heat rookies were t the front lines. Unfortunately, it all ended in a losing effort although not much was expected from a team that was missing D. Wade.

For Chalmers and Beasley to show such poise and confidence in the final quarters versus the Celtics it was a pretty promising sight for Heat fans everywhere. I'd say that if you were to look at these two rookies as an investment, Pat Riley will likely be cashing in real soon once they develop even more by the end of this season. This seems like the future of the franchise and it's safe to say that it's a bright one. We'll see how the Heat youth continue to progress down the road and so that we can determine how significant their play becomes in the Heat's future success.

O'Neal Gets Comfortable in Miami

Jermaine O'Neal might not be the player he was in Indiana, but he's surely shown that he hasn't disappeared off the face of the league just yet. It seems as though J.O. is beginning to get comfortable in Miami's system with his recent success over the stretch of a few games.

Jermaine has averaged 18 points per game over the course of the last five games (from Mar. 7 through 15). He has even recorded back-to-back 20+ point showings in the games versus the Jazz and 76ers. I think that it can be said that O'Neal is beginning to settle into Miami's system, offensively at least.

The next area where O'Neal needs to improve is in the rebounding department. Since being acquired on Feb. 13, he has only recorded two double-digit rebound performances and is averaging 5.8 rebounds per game. That's not what Miami was expecting from O'Neal when they went out to make the deal for him.

On the bright side, his defensive presence is still visible. Over the course of the 14 games he has played in Miami, J.O. has averaged 2.1 blocks a night and had a 5 block performance more recently versus the Jazz. There is no doubt that this has helped the team out on the defensive end compared to the previous dependency on Joel Anthony's defense.

To sum things up, the Heat are 8-6 since the arrival of Jermaine O'Neal and are fueling off the MVP caliber performance that Dwyane Wade has been showcasing in the past month or so. Jermaine may not be living up to the MSG Heat Index score that we had previously given him, but he is showing signs of improvement and may live up to our projections.

We expect Jermaine O'Neal to get better over the course of the remainder of the season. As long as he stays healthy and continues to progress in Erik Spoelstra's offensive and defensive sets, Miami fans should look forward to some good production out of #7.

D. Wade - The Brightest Light on the Scoreboard

As you may have heard by now Dwyane Wade has become the leading scorer in Miami Heat history, surpassing former Heat great, Alonzo Mourning. The intriguing part of this all is that Wade is only in his sixth year in the NBA and has at least one more season with the Heat. In other words, it's going to be tough for someone else to come along and pass Wade's scoring record once he's done in Miami.

Wade, after the game versus the Philadelphia 76ers on March 15th, has a career total of 9,478 points. Now, this isn't about the individual statistics and franchise records. This is about the greatness of Dwyane Tyrone Wade Jr.

This kid has shown signs of brilliance ever since his rookie season in '03-'04. Nobody knew of this 6'4 combo guard that was coming out of Marquette University at the number five pick in the 2003 draft. Everyone was hyped up about the high school phenom, known as LeBron James, and the prolific scorer out of Syracuse University, known as Carmelo Anthony. A few years later only one of these three has a championship ring: Dwyane Wade.

For three straight seasons Dwyane Wade's presence in Miami took the team closer to the ultimate goal. In '03-'04, after an abysmal start of 0-11, the Miami Heat made it into the playoffs and battled the New Orleans Hornets. Dwyane Wade took the team on his shoulders when he drove the ball in versus Baron Davis and scored the winning basket to send Miami into the second round of the playoffs.

The next season, the Miami Heat acquired Shaquille O'Neal and made it all the way to the Eastern Conference Finals. After a host of injuries to key starters, the Heat lost to the Pistons, but D. Wade was left with a bad taste in his mouth and a fire inside.

Then came '05-'06, the magical season of destiny where not only did the "stars align" in Miami, but Dwyane Wade showcased some of the most amazing playoff performances since "His Airness." Dwyane Wade was credited the Finals MVP and became a world champion at the age of 24.

Despite the two-year drop off in the ensuing years, Wade is back for more and the league could see this coming since the summer of '08 in Beijing. Ask any of the superstars of Team USA's "Redeem Team" and they will attest to Wade's greatness and his importance in their path towards the gold medal. Wade was the leading scorer of the team and was playing the best basketball in the world - literally.

Now in the '08-'09 season, Wade has proven to the doubters that he's back and that his performance in Beijing was no fluke. As the leading scorer of the league, Wade is out to make a final statement and push his team to the limit. Whether he secures the MVP award or not, Wade just wants to win and to show the world that he's not just a forgotten memory of the past.

I think that Wade's accomplishment in becoming the Miami Heat's all-time leading scorer is much more than statistics; it is about heart and passion for the game.

Sunday Brunch Rant Week 5

"Because no one likes to wake up early on Sundays"

It was a national embarrassment how Team USA laid down to Team Puerto Rico last night. In the WBC's short existence. No team has lost by the mercy rule in the second round, except for Team USA. This is a team who has, or should I say had, the potential to make it to the final round and compete for the title. This is not about losing because anyone can lose a game. It's the way they lost that ticks me off.

USA is now behind the eightball. They are on the brink of elimination. One game seals their fate.

America invented this game. We should be dominating! We finally get a chance to let Major League players play in international competition and we are not taking advantage. Maybe Team USA should do the same thing USA Basketball did. Get together once a year for two weeks and get commitment from players.Get a Coach that wont leave Barry Larkin in charge if he has to step out. Get a coach who wont leave his starting pitcher in the game if his stuff is not effective. This is not a long season where you say "let's see if he can work out of a jam'. You have to treat every game like game seven of the World Series.

I don't want to take anything away from Puerto Rico. They are a great team with pleny of star power.

I just want to see some effort from Derek Jeter and company. Show some pride and show some respect to the game. If you believe that this is "our game" and "national pastime", you guys will get your head right and show your fans that we are the best. Show that this game is nothing without the United States of America.

When you face the Netherlands, leave it all on the the field. Don't walk away saying we didn't try hard enough. If you don't do it for your fans or baseball, do it for yourselves. Make sure you can walk with your heads high at the end of the day.

Let everyone know "This is our house".

Wade: "This is My House!"

If the MVP race were an election, Dwyane Wade would be the surging underdog. The "crowd favorites" in Kobe Bryant and LeBron James have not been able to match Wade's stretch of dominance over the past couple weeks. Flash has had Miami fans blazing with excitement and seems to have built a solid case for his MVP bid.

Ever since the 4th quarter of the February 28 game versus the NY Knicks, Dwyane Wade has exploded to another level of play. It's almost as if the reincarnated Dwyane Wade of the 2006 NBA Playoffs has found its way back into that #3 jersey. Wade has averaged 38.4 pts ever since that balmy February night in Miami and has led the Heat to a 5-2 record over that stretch.

Now we must note that the two losses were important ones (versus the Cleveland Cavaliers) and the most recent win over the Boston Celtics was exclusive of Rajon Rondo and Kevin Garnett. Let's not get carried away with the Heat's recent dominance just yet.

Either way, the Heat have done particularly well and have definitely out performed the skeptics' predictions. Who would have thought that such a young Miami team would be fighting for the 4th seed in the East? Well, here at Miami Sports Generation we can't really comment on that because we would have a home team bias, but you can decide for yourselves.

What is most impressive about Wade's recent performance is the fact that a busted lip was what ignited this all. An accidental elbow to the face by Danilo Galinari was what began Wade's assault on the NBA. He ended up scoring 24 pts in the 4th quarter of that Knicks game and hasn't scored under 25 pts since.

Make way for D. Wade because he's coming full throttle at the league and is out to prove that he's back. A shot of Wade holding up that MVP trophy in April might be what finally silences all the doubters. If that happens, we urge them to take a trip to the American Airlines Arena and pick up a "This is My House" Wade Poster in order to pay some respect to the one they didn't believe in. It's hard to find one of those posters on eBay, but you can find other D. Wade posters here.

Just remember that you never underestimate the heart of a champion, as Rudy Tomjanovich once said, because their pride can never be taken away. Dwyane Wade will never forget about that 2006 run and has clearly shown that he's hungry for another championship ring.

How Compatible is Gibril Wilson with the Miami Dolphins?

As the Miami Dolphins continue to retool their roster and revamp their team, Bill Parcells and Company took the initiative to get some help for the secondary unit. Using the MSG Fin Meter, we take a look at the recent acquisition of veteran Safety, Gibril Wilson, in order to analyze how compatible he will be with the Dolphins.

Wilson played four seasons in New York under Tom Coughlin's Giants. He departed New York with a ring on his finger and experience under his belt. He secured a deal with the Oakland Raiders a season after, but was cut by the Raiders despite his team-leading tackle count (just another questionable move by the Raiders). In an effort to rejuvenate his career to that of his years in New York, Wilson comes to Miami to team up with the hard-hitting Yeremiah Bell under the Parcells/Sparano Administration.

Here is the criteria we will use to review the signing:

-Statistical Analysis

-Attitude/Behavioral Research

-Talent Evaluation

Statistical Analysis

Over the span of Gibril Wilson's career he's been able to record a total of 394 solo tackles, 105 tackle assists, 7.5 sacks, and 13 interceptions. His tackle count averages out to 78.8 tackles a season (without taking into account the small amount of minutes he played as a rookie in 2004). More recently, he's been considered a solid 100 tackle per season Safety, especially after he led the Raiders in total tackles (over any other Linebacker or D-Lineman). I'm sure that fits well with Yeremiah Bell's profile as a Miami Dolphin.

Yeremiah Bell led the Fins Safety unit with 100 solo tackles and 20 tackle assists (120 total tackles). Renaldo Hill was second to Bell with 63 solo tackles and 15 tackle assists (78 total tackles). Just based on Gibril Wilson's 2008 stats, he surpasses both Bell and Hill with 98 solo tackles and 34 tackle assists (134 total tackles). Based on these numbers, Wilson is definitely an upgrade at the Safety position.

Although he didn't record too many deflected passes with the Raiders, Wilson has racked up a total of 30 deflected passes throughout his career. If he can recreate the season he had with the Giants in 2006 (10 deflected passes), the Dolphins can expect some lock down defense from a Wilson-Bell tandem. Statistically speaking, this was a no-brainer for Bill Parcells and Company. Bottomline: Gibril Wilson is a Raiders loss and a Dolphins win.

Attitude/Behavioral Research

According to Giants.com, Gibril has been involved with various charitable organizations and foundations throughout his NFL tenure, including the:

-Boys and Girls Club of New Jersey
-Giants Foundation

-United Way
-Big Brothers and Big Sisters of New York City
-Lighthouse Feeding Ministry in Newark
-Habitat for Humanity International

Wilson was even a professor in the Giants Football 201 program for women. All of these endeavors show plenty of community involvement and overall genuine care on his part.

As for the stains on Wilson's record, there were no noticeable reports or claims that portrayed Wilson in a negative light. This is not to say that Gibril is a saint, but it's definitely good to know that he has does not have a bad reputation in the media and around the league. This kind of record is a great fit in the Parcells/Sparano "No Nonsense" system.

Talent Evaluation

The most noticeable talents that Wilson exhibits are his longevity, consistency, pass defense, and tackle ability. Over the span the past four seasons, Gibril has only missed four games out of 64 games. The reason I am not counting his rookie season is for obvious reasons - he's was a rookie (even then he played eight out of 16 games). That accounts for longevity and consistency, without even including his statistical consistency.

His pass defense is obvious particularly when you look back to his years in New York. A Safety that deflects 30 passes in five seasons is an impressive one. Deflecting passes is the primary objective of Cornerbacks. Safeties are just what their position name implies - to be a safety net in case Cornerbacks lose their Wide Receiver assignments. Wilson obviously goes beyond his duties and provides a solid pass defense for which ever secondary unit he plays in.

As for tackling, it may seem like a simple concept: drop the ball carrier to the ground. On the contrary, it isn't as simple as it sounds and any football analyst will tell you that Wilson has a knack for tackling. Let's hope that Gibril can continue his success in the tackle statistic and prove that the Raiders were not smart in waiving him.

There are no outstanding negative aspects to Wilson's game, other than the fact that he is no Brian Dawkins, Bob Sanders, or Troy Polamalu. In other words, he isn't a prime-time safety, but in a decent football team the unit is what matters, not the individual players.

Evaluation Score

Based on all the information we have gathered, we have gathered the compatibility between Gibril Wilson and the Miami Dolphins as follows:

Statistical Analysis: 5 / 5

Attitude/Behavioral Research: 2 / 2

Talent Evaluation: 2 / 3

----------------------------------------------

Total Score: 9 / 10

Conclusion

Wilson rates 9 on the MSG Fin Meter because of the upgrade he provides at the Safety position for the Dolphins. Now that the Dolphins will be facing receivers in the AFC East to the likes of Terrell Owens and Randy Moss, there is a much needed depth in the secondary. We hope that Gibril Wilson meets and exceeds the expectations he brings to the Fins. Keep your eye out for a follow-up article on Gibril's performance once the season starts.

Panthers Ready for the Fight

Strap up your ice skates, button you chin strap and hold on tight. The most important stretch in the Panthers Season is begins on Tuesday.

The Panthers have started off 3-1 in the month of March and are coming off a win against St. Louis. They are 24-1-1 when going into the third period with the lead. They are in sixth place in the standings and are 4 points behind fourth place Philadelphia. Only 4 points separate 5th place and 10th place. Lose one game and you’re out of the playoff picture. Lose two games and you have to climb Mt. Everest to get back in.

Out of the 16 games they have remaining, 11 of them are against playoff contending teams. Nine of those games are at home including a 5 game home stand. The Panthers are looking to return to the playoffs for the first time since 2000.

Here is in inside look at their remaining schedule.

Pittsburgh Penguins (@3/10, vs. 4/5)
Season Series: Tied 1-1

The Penguins and the Panthers are the 2 hottest teams in the NHL since the start of 2009. The Panthers 4-1 loss to them on March 5th is still fresh on their minds. Pittsburgh’s Evengi Malkin leads the league in points (94) and assists (65). Sidney Crosby is third in the league in points (82) and second in assists (57).


Buffalo Sabers (@3/12, @3/25)
Season Series: Tied 1-1

Sabers starting Goalie Ryan Miller is currently on the injured reserve with a high ankle sprain. This is good news for the Cats. Miller is third in the league in wins. Sabers got back their leading scorer Thomas Vanek for their push after he missed 9 games.

Tampa Bay Lightning (vs. 3/14)
Season Series: Panthers 3-2

The Lightning is a team far from their 2004 Stanley Cup Championship. They have struggled against the southeast division, posting a 4-11-1-2 record and were not able to recover from a 7-25 start.




Washington Capitals (vs. 3/17, vs. 4/11)
Season Series: Tied 2-2

The Capitols are in first place in the Southeast division. They have arguably the best all around player in the league, Alexander Ovechkin. Ovechkin leads the league in Goals with 46 and is second in the league in points with 83. The Panthers have the best division record at 11-5-2.

Toronto Maple Leafs (vs. 3/19)
Season Series: Panthers 3-0

The Maple Leafs is the only team in the last stretch that the Panthers are undefeated against this year. They have struggled this year after losing their Captain, Mats Sundin, in free agency. Toronto has a 4-8-4 record against the Southeast Division.



Columbus Blue Jackets (vs. 3/21)
Season Series: Haven’t played

The Blue Jackets are in the midst of a playoff birth in the Western Conference. They look to stating in the hunt by defeating the Panthers to go undefeated against the southeast division. Vokoun will face his former backup in Nashville, Steve Mason, and forward Rick Nash has 7 points in his last 4 games.


Carolina Hurricanes (vs. 3/23)
Season Series: Panthers 3-2

This game against Carolina is the last game of the 5 game Homestand. The Panthers will have a better picture of their chances after this game. Carolina Has stepped up their playoff push efforts as of late and refuse to give up. Last time these two teams met Vokoun shoutout the Canes 5-0.


Philadelphia Flyers (@ 3/26, @4/7)
Season Series: Tied 1-1

This is the team Florida is chasing. If we want to get home ice advantage, we need these two games. All-star Center Danny Briere has only played 12 games this year due to a groin injury. He is day-to-day a might be available by the time the Panthers visit the Flyers. Foward Jeff Carter is 3rd in the league with 36 goals.

Dallas Stars (@ 3/28)
Season Series: Stars 1-0

Marty Turko is a solid goalie. He is third in the league in wins. Turko has played more games (62) then any other goalie this year. Dallas is in the same position that we are in. Lose one game and you can be out of the race. Look for both teams to leave it all on the ice.

Ottawa Senators (vs. 3/31)
Season Series: Panthers 2-1

Don't let Ottawa's record fool you. Their top line of Dany Heatley, Daniel Alfredsson and Jason Spezza is one of the best in the NHL. Goalie Alex Auld, Voloun's back up in his first year with the Cats, has failed to find his niche as a starter.

Atlanta Thrashers (vs. 4/3, @ 4/9)
Season Series: Panthers 3-1

Ilya Kovalchuk is on track to surpass his career high of 46 assists. He has benn Atlanta's Star player since 2001. The Thrashers are on the brink of missing the playoffs for the second straight year. They will be looking to play the role of spoilers as we make our push. Two out of our last five are against the Southeast Division foe.

Sunday Brunch Rant Week 4

Check your ego at the door. Yes, Terrell Owens, I'm talking to you. You keep receiving chances after destroying every franchise that you touch.

Everybody knows the reason you signed with the Bills. You want to restart that competition you had with Randy Moss a couple years ago about who's the best wide receiver in the NFL. What better way to do it than play in the same division?

You signed with a team that doesn't have a solid quaterback. Trent edwards has struggled to find his rythym and has dealt with injuries. Let's take a look at the QB's that you've complained about not getting you the ball. You have had numerous public altercations with Jeff Garcia, Donavan McNabb, and recently Tony Romo. No disrespect to Edwards but he is not half the quarterback that they are.They already have a solid wide receiver in Lee Evans and even he doesn't put on the numbers to his full potential. What are you going to do when you don't get the ball in Buffalo? I already know! 3,2,1 BOOM!!!!!

The Bills are the winners in this deal. If you work out and get them back to the playoffs they have a chance of re-signing you. If continue to be a cancer in the locker room like in the past, your contract is up and they didn't become any worse of a team.

Who is going to give you a fifth chance?

Learn from Randy Moss's stay in Oakland. His numbers were down but he didn't say a word. He proved that the game was more than just him and he caught a break 2 years ago when he was traded to New England.

Again, I tell you check you ego at the door and play team football for once in your career. Who knows? Maybe you will get another chance.

UM's 14 Year First Round Draft Streak Comes to an End

In 2008, the Miami Hurricane football team began a new chapter in their existence by switching their home playing field from the Orange Bowl to Dolphin Stadium. They also closed the history book on an unprecedented streak.

The first round of the 2009 draft, will be absent of a Miami Hurricane for the first time since 1994. The Canes currently have a 14 year streak that has no chance of survival of this year. No maybe’s, if’s or could be's. There will be a big goose egg in the UM college column of the draft board.

This doesn’t come as a surprise considering that Coach Shannon and the Hurricanes are in a rebuilding period, but the future is looking promising. Coach Shannon, two years into his own recruiting efforts, is stocking up the team for dominance. He had the top recruiting class his first year and in the top 10 his second year.

During the streak a total of 33 Canes were drafted, including six in 2005. No other college has had more players drafted since 1995 than the Hurricanes. No one has had six players drafted in any round, let alone the first round, but the Canes. They have supplied a consistent stream of All-Pro and future Hall of Fame players since 1995, like Warren Sapp, Ray Lewis, Edgerrin James, Reggie Wayne, Ed Reed, Santana Moss, Andre Johnson and Sean Taylor - just to name a few.

No other College has come close to achieving a streak of such longevity.

The Hurricanes look poised to begin an attempt at breaking their own record in 2010. Possible first round candidate:

RB, Graig Cooper – Cooper has improved his stock by rushing for 682 yards his freshman, 841 his sophomore year and averaging 882 total yards. If he continues the trend, he will break the 1,000 rushing yard mark and place himself in prime position for a first-round departure into the NFL.

Who Should the Miami Dolphins Draft in 2009? (2nd Edition)

Free Agency period has begun and sports writers are beginning their 5th mock draft for the year.

Some say that the Dolphins have lacked action during the past couple of days, but they have made, in my opinion, crucial signings. They were able to sign three of their five most valuable free agents and help bulk up their offensive line.

These are the signings:

- (LB) Channing Crowder
- (G) Vernon Carey
- (SS) Yeremiah Bell
- (FS) Gibril Wilson
- (G) Joe Berger
- (C) Jake Grove

The signing of Wilson, Berger and Grove helped fill 3 critical team needs at safety, guard and center, respectively.

We still have 3 needs to address whether it is thru free agency or the draft – Wide Receiver, Corner Back and Defensive Tackle. I think the wide receiver and corner back issues are going to be addressed with the first 2 picks,25thand 44th, unless they sign some veterans prior to the draft.

Wide Receivers

Height should be a factor when we look for a wide out. We lack size and strength. There are two players that meet the criteria:

Darius Hayward-Bey, Maryland – Bey was a combine standout. He ran the 40 yard dash at a blazing 4.3 and had an impressive broad jump of 10’6”. He stands at 6’2 and weighs 210lbs. He is projected to go in the late first round. The downside is that the Dolphins are not a down field passing team. We play a short game, but maybe Bey can turn that around.



Kenny Britt, Rutgers –Can Britt drop down to us at 44? It’s possible. If he does, expect Parcells to make his move here. Britt is more physical than Bey. His height (6’3) and weight (218) are more conducive to interior route running. He is not scared of crossing the middle and if needed he has enough speed to be a deep threat.




If we can get Kenny Britt at 44, he would be me choice. If we can’t, we won’t mind settling for a great receiver in Bey.

Cornerback

Vontae Davis, Illinois – On the grounds of all around package, Davis is it. He has the speed and the skills to be a top performer in the NFL. His physique and strength make up for his lack of height (5’11”). He gets physical and has good coverage in short routes. His downside is that he has the young Randy Moss syndrome. He plays when he wants. One summer in “nobody is guaranteed a spot, you got to earn it camp” should adjust that. There is a slim chance, if there is a chance at all, that Davis will fall to 44. If he’s on our draft board he will have to go in the first round.

Side note: The only CB that Parcell’s drafted in the first round was Ty Law with the 23rd pick in 1995 and we saw how good that move turned out.

Prediction

25th - Vontae Davis

44th - Kenny Britt

South Florida Dominating the Sports Industry

If you haven't noticed already, Miami has recently been an attraction for a multitude of sporting events of national and international recognition. It seems that South Florida has become a point of interest for the sport industry - something many Miami sport enthusiasts are delighted about. Let's go over the events that will be coming to the south side of the Sunshine State within the 2009-10 time span.

World Golf Chamipionship - CA Championship
Date: March 9-March 15, 2009
Location: Doral Golf Resort & Spa
Website: http://www.pgatour.com/tournaments/r473/

I believe that Tiger Woods might be coming back off his knee surgery for this tournament, depending on his recovery. This event is a great opportunity for all golf lovers and sport enthusiasts to go out on the greens in Doral and watch some of the greatest golfers on the planet. This event is internationally renowned and South Florida is lucky enough to be the host of such an event. Golf is a growing sport and you know a sport is big when it has its own channel (i.e. the Golf Channel), thus the CA Championship will undoubtly be televised across the globe. So, you can experience it live and come out on TV or spectate from afar as you watch one of the Sunshine State's most pristine golf courses - The Doral Golf Resort & Spa.

The World Baseball Classic
Date: March 14-March 18, 2009
Location: Dolphins Stadium
Website: http://web.worldbaseballclassic.com/index.jsp

This event is baseball fan's dream come true. You get to see the MLB's top stars represent their countries in a battle for national pride. You'll see Derek Jeter & Jimmy Rollins (USA), Miguel Cabrera & Magglio Ordonez (Venezuela), and Ichiro & "Dice-K" (Japan) on one field for four days of top-notch baseball action. Florida Marlins fans will get to see their very own Hanley Ramirez, Jorge Cantu, Alfredo Amezaga, and Matt Lindstrom play for their respective countries in their Marlins home turf. Essentially, this is an all-star event for baseball and Miami is proud to be a part of the multi-cultural competition that the WBC bring to town. After all, Miami is well known for its cultural diversity.

Sony Ericcson Open

Date: March 25-April 5, 2009

Location: Crandon Park
Website: http://www.sonyericssonopen.com/1/en/home/default.asp

Whoever likes the back-and-forth action of tennis will love to be a part of the Sony Ericcson Open. The stars will align in Crandon Park to play in a week-long event to decide who indeed are the top tennis players in the world. On the men's side you have Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer, Novak Djokavic, and Andy Roddick as just a few players that will duke it out on the courts. As for the women's end, Venus Williams, Serena Williams, Maria Sharapova, and Jelena Jankovic will showcase their talent and fight for a title. If these star athletes aren't enough to drive someone to the event, the Sony Ericcson Open offers special events such as fashion shows, live entertainment with world renowned recording artists, great shopping, and more. It's an all encompassing experience for families and individual spectators.

McDonald's All-American High School Basketball Game
Date: March 30-April 1, 2009

Location: BankUnited Center

Website: http://www.mcdonaldsallamerican.com/

If you watch the NBA today, you will realize that many of the top players in the league were once McDonald's All-American players. Whether it's Shaq, Magic, Jordan, or LeBron, the NBA's elite have historically come from the McDonald's All-American game. At the American Airlines Arena, basketball fans will take a first-hand look at the future of college and pro basketball on one court. These kids might be young, but they are the cream of the crop and represent the best players in the US coming out of high school. So if you want to witness the future of basketball, take a trip to the AA Arena and watch these young men and women perform under the bright lights.

NFL Pro Bowl
Date: January 31, 2010
Location: Dolphins Stadium
Website: http://www.southfloridasuperbowl.com

For the first time in 30 years, the Pro Bowl will be played somewhere else other than in Hawaii. That "somewhere else" happens to be Miami Florida - different scenery, same tropical ambience. In the week prior to the Super Bowl, football fans will get to watch the NFL's best battle it out on the gridiron inside Dolphins Stadium. Miami fans will likely get to see a handful of their hometown players as well as experience the best of the rest. This game, coupled with the Super Bowl, is set to draw huge crowds to Miami and set off 2010 in a bang.

Super Bowl XLIV
Date: February 7, 2010
Location: Dolphins Stadium
Website: http://www.southfloridasuperbowl.com

The game of all games is coming to Dolphins Stadium to host the NFL's top-two elite teams in the vibrant city of Miami. As NFL fans push for their hometown teams to reach the ultimate game, everyone will tune in to see next year's best two teams play for the Vince Lombardi trophy. Selling out stadium seats and generating record-breaking TV ratings is something the Super Bowl is known for and on February 7th, 2010, Miami will the host of this global spectacle. This is the million-dollar answer for Miami on top of all the aforementioned events that will be coming to South Florida. Strap yourselves in because South Beach is in for a thrilling ride through sports madness.

Reflection on Jason Taylor

Jason taylor has just been cut by the Washington Redskins for refusing to take part in 8 weeks of off-season workouts.

Lets look at last Summer. The Dolphins were putting together a new team and implementing a new system, while the face of the franchise was dancing in tights on tv. He threw the team to the side for himself. Now he wants to spend time with his kids. He should of thought about that before.

Jason Taylor is now in his 13th year. No team is going to take in a new player and allow him not to attend workouts, especially when its a new system.

Jason says he still wants to play football. He still makes Miami his home but don't expect him to reunite with the team. The Tuna looks like someone who holds a grudge and believe me there is one between the two. Parcell's pride trumps the teams needs.

Laveranues Coles to Dolphins?

Laveranues Coles is set to make a decision today on his future employer. Will it be the Buffalo Bills or the Miami Dolphins?

It has been reported that the Bills are offering more money but at this stage of Cole’s career, he is looking for a little more incentive. Miami offers a chance to reunite with his good friend QB Chad Pennington and the guy who drafted him, Bill Parcells.

The Jets gave up on Pennington last year and released him. They did the same with Coles this year. Here at Miami Sports Generation, we are hoping that Laveranues picks the Fins and he becomes a great asset to the organization as Chad did. After years of the Dolphins giving away players to their AFC East counterparts, it’s about time the Dolphins start getting something in return.

Coles is a Jacksonville native and Florida State University graduate, so a close-to-home factor is also involved. He would be a great acquisition, even though I believe he has lost a little pep in his step because of recent injuries.

Wade's Busted Lip Enough for Spoelstra to Let One Slip

March 1, 2009

If anyone saw Saturday night's game between the Miami Heat and the New York Knicks, you would know what I mean when I say Wade exploded. The 6'4 guard from the Heat suffered a cut lip in the fourth quarter by an unintentional elbow to the face from Danilo Galinari, the Knicks 2008 1st-round draft pick. It took the referees over thirty seconds to call a time out - something they are obligated to do when a player begins to bleed.

That pissed Wade off and it pissed Erik Spoelstra off as well, leading the head referee to "tech-up" Spoelstra as a result of his verbal display of anger.

From that point on, Dwyane Wade put on his cape and took the role of "Flash" for the Heat. Wade went from scoring 22 points in the first three quarters, to lighting up the scoreboard with 24 additional points in the fourth quarter alone. Wade looked like his former self from the 2006 NBA Finals versus the Dallas Mavericks. He was unstoppable. One of the announcers said at one point, "you don't step on Superman's cape." Fans at the American Airlines Arena witnessed the result of such an act.

Wade finished the game with 46 points, 10 assists, 8 rebounds, and 4 steals - just two rebounds shy of a triple-double. The Miami Heat went on a 19-0 run in the fourth quarter and outscored the Knicks 37-17 on their way to an emphatic comeback win.

After the game, Coach Spoelstra was so relieved with the win that he let an expletive slip during the post-game press conference. "I drew up a simple game plan...get Wade the ball and get the f*** out of his way," Spoelstra said in response to one journalist's question. SUN Sports was airing the press conference in a live streaming format and had no time to bleep out the comment. Jason Jackson, a SUN Sports reporter, made sure to apologize for airing the coach's "slip of the tongue."

The comment needed no apology because any fan watching knew that it was a hell of a game. It was worthy of a four-letter reaction, or two. Not to mention, Wade brought himself back into MVP talks with his fourth quarter heroics in Saturday night's nail-biting finish.

Sunday Brunch Rant Week 3

On the wake of the NFL's free agency period opening up, there has been a plethora of contract talks involving dissatisfaction amongst NFL players. We haveDT Albert Haynesworth locking in a 7-year, $100 million, deal with the Redskins. We have CB Nnamdi Asomugha getting a 3-year, $45.3 million, deal with the Raiders. And we have a number of other players inking huge contracts during the early days of the free agency period. Recession? What recession? I know some people aren't fond of criticizing what wealthy people do with their money, but these teams and players SHOULD have SOME consideration for the economic hardships average Americans are going through.

On the other end, we have Manny Ramirez and his continued denial of contract offers by the Los Angeles Dodgers. $45 million isn't enough i guess. All of this showmanship might actually cause him to enter the season without being part of any team's roster. That's a pretty smart idea - "I would rather not play at all and receive no pay, than to go with a $45 million deal with the Dodgers." Good job Manny. Give Scott Boras a shout out for me.

Thank goodness the NBA isn't in this conversation, because they are actually in need of $175 million for who-knows-what. It has gotten to the point that the league will have to lower the salary cap as a result of America's recession. At least they are feeling it just like you and I. No sport is immune to economic climates and when we are faced with troubles, more fiscal responsibility should be practiced by everyone. Hear that Steinbrenner? Well let me not single him out, because he isn't the only one I'm talking about. At any rate, I just want some teams to practice restraint - at least for now.