The Future of the Miami Heat - 2009 & Beyond

It's been a fairly quiet off season for the Miami Heat, despite the Eastern Conference powers beefing up. It has become clear that the Heat are setting themselves up for the best possible opportunities in a lucrative 2010 free agent market.

Sure there were some issues with Dwyane Wade, but those problems seem to have subsided. And Michael Beasley's rehab issues flooded the news wires for a few weeks, but that too descended from the lime light. The focus is now on the season ahead and how it will position Miami for the future.

The Franchise: Dwyane Wade

Wade is the present and the future for the Heat - there's no doubt about that. Going into a contract year, fans can expect him to mimic a 2008 season filled with MVP-like moments and plenty of buckets (after all, he was the scoring champion). The doubters will still be present though, pointing at 2009 as a "wasted year" with more wear and tear on Wade's 28-year-old body. "He's getting old" they say. Last time the NBA record books were checked, Michael Jordan won his first NBA Championship at 28.

Those who know D. Wade know his passion and relentless attitude towards succeeding. His commitment is as high as anyone found in the league today. With that said, he has shared his desires to stay committed to Miami - bypassing the contract extension he was offered for strictly business purposes.

It should not be a surprise to see number three sign a new contract with the Heat come 2010 (with around 120 million reasons reminding him why he stayed in Miami).

Banking on Wade being the centerpiece of the Heat franchise, there are key pieces to the puzzle that make up the core of the team: Michael Beasley, Mario Chalmers and Daequan Cook.

A Young Future

Beasley has been the topic of criticism on and off the court, but is aimed at an improved season entering '09. Whether it's defensive struggles or substance-abuse issues, many have had something to say about the sophomore forward.

The facts are that Beasley is a productive player in Miami's offense. B-Easy averaged 13.9 points (pts) and 5.4 rebounds (reb) per game in about 25 minutes a night. Given enough minutes, Beasley could produce more for the team and become the definitive number two scoring option behind Wade. If he has matured as an NBA player and fixed some of his defensive flaws in the off season then expect a better year from the kid.

As for Miami's point guard, Mario Chalmers had an impressive rookie season given the circumstances. Starting every game in '08, Chalmers gained valuable in-game experience that should translate into this season's performance. His numbers were not staggering, standing at 10.0 pts, 2.8 rebs and 4.9 ast per game, but they should not be a cause for concern. After all, Jason Williams, Miami's starting point guard during their 2006 Championship run, posted similar stats en route to the NBA title (12.3 ppg, 2.4 rebs, 4.9 ast).

With continued development and one year of experience under his belt, Chalmers is setting himself up for a more productive year with less mistakes. He doesn't need to be the floor general of the team in order to succeed in Miami, that's what Dwyane Wade is in town for.

Daequan Cook is the oldest of the young core, being drafted in 2007. He has showcased his pure shooting ability thus far in his young career - with a 3-Point Competition Championship to prove it. His sporadic play is what has kept him off the court and on the bench the most. After the 2008 All-Star break, Cook's numbers decline drastically and were nothing like his early season statistics. Amidst the drop-off, the coaching staff voiced their confidence in the 6'5 guard and ensured he was a part of the team's future.

Now Cook must rebound in '09 with a cast of other deadly perimeter shooters surrounding him, all wanting playing time. James Jones and Quentin Richardson have already made a living off the three ball, it's Cook's turn to make his money's worth. Look out for more aggressive play coming from the third year three-point specialist.

Beyond 2009

It is clear that Miami will have difficulty making a run deep into the playoffs with teams like the Cleveland Cavaliers, Boston Celtics and Orlando Magic standing at the helm of the East. Miami's success lies beyond 2009 in what could be a franchise defining off season. Pat Riley will have to make all the right moves in order to catapult the Heat towards elite status.

Whether it's Chris Bosh, Amare Stoudemire or any other big name acquisition, the stakes are high and Miami has plenty of chips to play with. Having virtually no players on the books after this season, Pat Riley will have a bundle of cash to lure key players in with. The task is using that money to build a team with star power and quality depth, similar to the 2006 Miami Heat roster.

Fans may not recognize the team come 2010's opening day, but they can be assured that it will be a much improved roster (at least on paper).

Dolphins Acquire QB Tyler Thigpen

Call it lack of confidence, an insurance policy or desperation. Whatever the motive, Quarterback Tyler Thigpen is now a Miami Dolphin. Miami sent an undisclosed draft pick to Kansas City for their new backup QB.

With the season-ending shoulder injury to Chad Pennington, Chad Henne was the undisputed replacement. With the addition of Thigpen, there may be some disputes.

Henne went 10-19 for 92 yards with 1 interception that was run back for a touchdown (AKA "a pick-six") in his relief of Chad Pennington. He didn't look confident in the pocket. He rushed his throws as if he were tossing hot potatoes around Qualcomm Stadium. Most of his completions were wide receiver screens and check downs.

Thigpen passed for 2,608 yards with 18 touchdowns and 12 interceptions in 14 games last year. He started 12 games, including the week 16 shootout versus the Miami Dolphins were he threw for 320 yards and 3 touchdowns. He is no stranger to the role of starting QB. With Kansas City's acquisition of Matt Cassell during the off season, Thigpen's days were numbered.

So, where does Pat White factor into this new equation? When Miami started 0-2 last year they introduced the Wild Cat and righted the ship. They were planning on introducing Pat White to the NFL before Pennington was hurt.

Can Miami afford to add a wrinkle to a non-existing pass game? Can they run an offense based on the Wild Cat and hard-nosed running? Buffalo has the (un)fortunate luck of finding out when they travel to Land Shark Stadium on Sunday.

Chad Pennington Done For The Year

Miami Dolphins starting Quarterback Chad Pennington suffered a torn capsule in his throwing shoulder during the third quarter of a 23- 13 loss against the San Diego Chargers on Sunday. He is expected to miss the rest of the season and might be done for the rest of his career. This is the same shoulder that Pennington has had two major rotator cuff surgeries on - in 2004 and 2005. He has won the NFL Comeback Player of the Year Award twice in his career. If anyone can return from three major shoulder injuries it's him.

Pennington's contract is up at the end of this year and he isn't expected to be on the roster at this time next year. All signs are pointing to this being the end of his run with the Dolphins and maybe the end of his career. If Sunday was the game of his career, Chad Pennington would retire as the NFL's most accurate passer with a 66.1 completion rate.



Chad will travel to Alabama to seek a second opinion from Dr. James Andrew who performed the first two surgeries on his right shoulder.

The Dolphins will now turn to Chad Henne who was drafted in 2008 and heralded the Quarterback of the future. He will make his frist career start on Sunday against the Buffalo Bills at Land Shark Stadium.

Long Season Ahead for Dolphins

DolFans never thought they would be able to say this, but the Detroit Lions have a better record than the Miami Dolphins. Whether it's the tough schedule or just bad execution, the reality is that Miami has dug themselves into a dangerous 0-3 hole.

With serious issue on both offense and defense, it's safe to say that the lack of defensive effort has ultimately destroyed Miami's chances in each game. The secondary has now allowed an average of 278 passing yards to opposing QBs. That's 835 total yards through the air in three weeks. It cannot be any more clear that the primary issue is found in the secondary.

Conversely, it's the only defensive issue (besides the faulty tackling).

The run defense has been in lock down mode weeks one through three. Only allowing an average of 66 yards on the ground, Miami's front line has been stingy with opposing tailbacks. Add that up and it's under 200 rushing yards in all three games.

So the question is, how can Miami fix such a porous pass defense?

If the Wild Cat was last season's solution on offense, then Miami needs a solution for this season's defense. Maybe not as creative as the Wild Cat, but equally as effective.

Altered blitz packages, unorthodox formations and confusion should be the talking points in this week's meetings amongst the coaches. When you have Jason Taylor on one end and Joey Porter on the other, applying extra pressure to QBs should be a primary objective on defense. Miami needs not to look far from their own division to see a New York Jets team that has executed that game plan marvelously.

The most peculiar aspect of Miami's season thus far is the shoot-themselves-in-the-foot aura that they have carried with themselves.

It was amazing to see the team only cough up 13 turnovers in all of last regular season. Now they've already surpassed the half-way point on last year's total. Not to mention, fumbles that were in crucial situations - in or near the red zone.

It was the no-nonsense football mentality that drove last season's better-than-expected results. That's what Bill Parcells came to Miami for and why Tony Sparano and Jeff Ireland were brought on board. Clearly, the absence of that has reversed the outcome for the Fins.

And it does not get easier from here. The Buffalo Bills have threats at WR, with T.O. and Lee Evans. From there, the New York Jets stroll into town followed by the New Orleans Saints, with a bye week in between. Don't count out the two away games at New York (Jets) and New England once the home-stand is over.

Maybe come week 10 the Dolphins will have their first shot at a sub-par team in the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

With the way things are going, the Fins face a long season ahead of themselves.

N.L. Wild Card Race - Status Report

The Florida Marlins rebounded last night at home against the Mets after a devastating late-game collapse on Friday. The Fish batted their way into victory behind a collective effort from players like Hanley Ramirez, Chris Coghlan, Cameron Maybin and company. The relief pitching was a bit unstable at the end, but found a way to secure a crucial win.

With that said, the Colorado Rockies lost last night to the St. Louis Cardinals, clinching a playoff berth for the Cards. The Braves came out victorious and closed the gap in the N.L. Wild Card by 2.5 games, while the Marlins are 4.0 games behind.

Here are the upcoming games for the Rockies, Braves and Marlins:

Rockies

• vs Cardinals
• vs Brewers
• vs Brewers
• vs Brewers
• @ Dodgers
• @ Dodgers
• @ Dodgers

Braves

• @Nationals
• vs Marlins
• vs Marlins
• vs Marlins
• vs Nationals
• vs Nationals
• vs Nationals
• vs Nationals

Marlins

• vs Mets
• @ Braves
• @ Braves
• @ Braves
• @ Philadelphia
• @ Philadelphia
• @ Philadelphia

Based on record and home-field advantage, the Marlins seem to have the most difficult schedule in comparison to their two Wild Card rivals. The Braves face a struggling Nationals team 7 out of their last 10 games, which makes their schedule the easiest of the bunch. As for the Rockies, they won't be smooth sailing until they can win series against a difficult Brewers and Dodgers team.

This gives Atlanta the best chance to come back and take the Wild Card lead, at least on paper. With the way that the Rockies have played in the second half and the Marlins resillience in the latter months, who knows what the outcome will be.

The Fish have their work cut out for them, but miracles have happened in the past for young Florida teams. The question is: will destiny be on Florida's side this time around.

Marlins In It Until the Finish

The Florida Marlins have avoided a fate typically cast on them in recent history: being statistically eliminated from the playoffs. This time around their chances are not high, but they still exist, which is better than being done altogether.

The Marlins have strung together 35-26 second half to the season and have kept fans focused on the N.L. East and Wild Card standings. With Phillies and Rockies playing stellar baseball it has been a great task for the Fish to make a significant dent in their leads. Nonetheless, just nine games away from the end to the 2009 regular season the Marlins are still in the race.

Unfortunately, at the end of the day the run might not be enough, but that should not discourage fans from being proud of Florida's season. The Marlins have assured themselves another over .500 year for the third straight season - a sign of consistent efficiency from a team with the lowest payroll in the Majors.

Now the Fish must focus their efforts towards a legitimate playoff push - and we're talking deep into October. There are some roster moves expected to take place this offseason which could improve the team next year.

Dan Uggla and Jeremy Hermida have both come up in trade rumors and are not seen as part of Florida's future. With that said, the starting rotation has been unstable all season, outside of Josh Johnson, and should be a part of the roster tune-ups. Perhaps we will see a package that includes Uggla and Hermida for a starting pitcher and a prospect. All of this is speculation, but seems like the most plausible kind of deal for the Fish.

Beyond the potential offseason moves, the Marlins found some gems in 2009. Chris Coughlan emerged as a solid hitter in the rotation and worked his way into Rookie of the Year candidacy. With over 450 at bats, Coghlan swung into a plus .300 batting average and secured himself a job going into next season. Being a natural second baseman, he could be another reason why Dan Uggla wont be wearing the teal and black next season.

Let's not forget about Florida's two stars: Hanley Ramirez and Josh Johnson. High in expectations, both players lived up to the hype. Ramirez is batting for a dominant, above .350 average and could hold the hitting title come season's end. As for Johnson, he has posted a 3.15 ERA with a 15-5 record. There's no doubt he earned the role of Ace in the rotation.

It's safe to say that the Fish have a nice core to build around, but holes in their pitching and defense seem to be what plagues each season. Dominant pitching wins championships. And an example that clearly depicts that is the New York Yankees, going out and acquiring C.C. Sabathia and A.J. Burnett after a playoff-less season and entering the '09 playoffs with the best record in the MLB. Better pitching, better record, better team.

In the short-term, Fish fans can cross their fingers for a miracle post season appearance.

In the long-run, there's plenty to look forward to come next season (and two seasons from now when the Marlins begin play at their new stadium).

Familiar Territory for 0-2 Dolphins

Two games in, two games done and still no "W" in the standings. Seems like last season is repeating itself for the Miami Dolphins. Instead of going into New England for week three, the Fins head to Sand Diego for another difficult match-up - one that could make or break their season.

But with their backs against the wall Miami came out victorious in 2008 against a formidable Patriots team. Sure they unveiled the Wild Cat for the first time and now it's out in the public, but this is familiar territory for the Dolphins.

These two weeks have exposed a few flaws and answered a few questions. What can we take from these two losses and expect from the West side duel between the Fins and Chargers? Let's take a closer look at the pros and cons of Monday's game.

Con: Secondary Troubles = Primary Problem

The Dolphins have allowed a combined 508 passing yards in their first two games, 213 yds from Atlanta and 295 yds from Indianapolis. Beyond that, the average yards per pass play allowed is near the 10-yard mark. In essence, the secondary is allowing plenty of big plays off completions.

A major point of struggle is at the tight end position. Tony Gonzalez and Dallas Clark may be two of the best TEs in the league, but so is Antonio Gates - Miami's next challenge. Gonzalez (73 yds, 1 TD) and Clark (183 yds, 1 TD) have combined for 256 yds and 2 TDs against the Fins.

Let's put that in perspective. That makes up just over 50% of the total passing yards Miami has allowed this season alone. Not to mention, that's 2 out of the 4 TDs Miami has allowed in their first two starts.

If it isn't more obvious, Miami needs to find a way to stop TEs or else opposing QBs will begin to pick apart the D with a steady flow of passes to their big men. Sparano will surely need to bring them back to the fundamentals of making clean tackles, since broken tackles were a huge part of those allowed yards.

Pro: Offensive Line Pays Off

After all the talk about the $155 million that has been invested in the offensive line and their poor performance in Atlanta, the O-Line came out and redeemed themselves at home. Dwight Freeney was not much of an easier case than John Abraham, but Jake Long seemed to contain him throughout most of the game, with extra help from some TEs and fellow linemen.

Miami allowed 2 sacks against the Colts, which is an improvement over the 4 sacks they allowed versus the Falcons. Chad Pennington had plenty of time to throw the ball on most snaps and was able to execute with accuracy throughout most of the game. The O-Line as a unit accomplished what it had set out to do.

Con: To Receive or Not to Receive

The receiving core did a decent job of converting on third downs and making solid catches, but it was the big plays that they didn't make (and the ones that counted the most). The infamous Ted Ginn drop in the endzone was crucial for Miami's chances along with Fasano's leaping drop.

Miami is clearly not a big play offense, but must be able to execute on the few long yardage passes that they attempt. Ginn did an excellent job of keeping Miami in the game, but only proved the skeptics right by dropping a few endzone tosses. With a primetime matchup at home and the game on the line, Ginn has to make that grab. Had he done so there would be less questions raised about whether Miami should had drafted him in the first place.

Pro: On the Run & Stop the Run

The Dolphins have done one thing consistently successful thus far. That is running the ball and stopping the rush.

The Wild Cat dominated all game long, even while ESPN news analysts were calling it a fad before and during the game. Whether it is or isn't, the Colts could not stop what they knew was coming at them.

Miami ran the ball for 239 yds with a large portion of those yards coming out of the Wild Cat formation. It was what kept the drives going, tired the Colts defense out and kept Manning & Co. on the bench. Despite the stellar rush attack, Miami's defense could not hold up on their end and virtually made it irrelevant.

On the run stopping side of things, Indy only mustered 61 yds on the ground (similar to Atlanta's running performance last week of 68 yds). The front line is not allowing opposing tail backs to get significant yardahe on a consistent basis. Unfortunately, the secondary is still in the balance and has yet to string together a solid performance to supplement to D-Line.

Con: Questionable Game Management

There's two ways to look at Monday's game and the time of possession: either 45 minutes of T.O.P. does not guarantee a win or 15 minutes is all Peyton Manning needs to win a ball game. It's difficult to fathom how a team can dominate the clock, tire out the defense and keep the offense on the sidelines without coming out victorious.

Making things worse, when the Colts went ahead late in the game Miami had approximately three minutes to come back and the clock was poorly managed. The blame game does not make much of a difference at this point, but it was unacceptable to allow precious seconds to tick off the clock in a careless manner.

Don't expect that to happen again because this coaching staff prides itself on no-nonsense. Just looking back at the game tape will be enough to stop such things from ever happening again.

Pro: Special Teams Steps Up

After Coach Sparano announced changes to the special teams personnel the team made improvements on kickoff and punt returns last game. Lex Hilliard came up big with 3 tackles on kick/punt returns, which was much needed by a struggling special teams unit.

The team was successful in coverage throughout the game, only allowing an average of 18 yds per kick/punt return. It's safe to say that those changes made a difference.

Outlook Towards Next Week

In the NFL, almost every game counts in a 17-game season. The Fins showed that losing their first two games last year was not their doom, but do not want to make it 0-3 this time around - a hole too deep for most teams to dig themselves out of.

In order for Miami to win they will need to follow through on a few game plans:

• Make better open-field tackles on tight ends and receivers
• Get better penetration from their linebacking core (i.e. Porter, Taylor, Crowder, etc.)
  
• Force turnovers on defense - fumbles and interceptions
• Continue to get creative with the offense
• Attempt 25+ yard passes to speedy receivers (i.e. Ginn, Bess, Hartline, etc.)
• Contain the running game and capitalize on a one-dimension offense - prevent big plays
• Prove that they can overcome adversity once again
  

Hurricanes Gaining Respect

For the first time since 2005, the Miami Hurricanes jumped into the top 10 of the AP Poll. Miami's win over Georgia Tech was expected to move the Canes into the top 15, but such a drastic jump to 9 was a surprise.

Miami is vastly improved from last year's team, which couldn't find their identity. With Jacory Harris at the helm, the Canes are getting their swagger back. Although it might be a little premature, Heisman rumors are beginning to emerge.

With two big games ahead for Miami there is no time to get excited. Miami will visit #11 Virginia Tech before returning home for a showdown with #10 Oklahoma.

Virginia Tech struggled against Nebraska on Saturday, but don't take that game as a measure of the Hokies proficiency. Virginia Tech's ability to win close games is a threat Miami has to watch. The difference between the Canes being 2-0 or 1-1 was a dropped pass in the end zone by Florida State in week one. Miami is 2-4 in the past six meetings with Virginia Tech.

A convincing win this week might propel them up to #4 in the rankings. Ole Miss (#4), Penn State (#5), California (#6), LSU (#7) and Boise State (#8) are yet to play a ranked opponent. They are still riding the benefits of their pre-season rankings and easy schedules. The top three teams - Florida, Texas and Alabama - are not expected to fall anytime soon.

If Miami continues to play with the same level of productivity, a shot at the National Title is not out of the question. For now, let's take it one week at a time and shift our attention to Blacksburg, VA - the place where Miami will try to preserve their winning ways.

The Transformation of Land Shark Stadium

We know that Stephen Ross has gone to great extents to improve the fan experience at Land Shark Stadium. From the minority ownership gigs to the entertainment collaborations, he's tried to do his best.

Now there is plenty of scrutiny and criticism of his efforts, but there is one thing that most fans agree on: at least he's stayed away from the game itself. Here are some of the changes that have been made to Land Shark Stadium and some others that are in progress.

Say what you will, it's what the reality of it is.

T.Y. Hilton the Next Devin Hester?

Get used to the name: T.Y. Hilton. This 5'10, 175 lb. Sophomore is stunning crowds left and right. Born and raised from the County of Dade, this hometown kid is giving Florida International University's football program some serious hype.

Losing on Saturday night to 4th ranked Alabama was no surprise. After all, FIU's football program is very young and is part of the dominant and unrelenting SEC. What mattered was that T.Y. Hilton took the Crimson Tide to the house with a 96-yard kickoff return. With that as a trademark of Hilton's young college football career, it was no surprise to see him do it.

Grab a stopwatch and clock this kid on a 40-yard dash - you will likely see the number 4.3 once he crosses the finish line. Blazing speed, agile footwork and a knack for finding holes on defense are the attributes Hilton carries. Attributes that are very similar to the former University of Miami star, Devin Hester.

Last season Hilton returned one kick and one punt for TDs as well as 7 receiving TDs (plus a throwing TD). He's an all-purpose player that uses his speed to the fullest potential. His talent is shining light on FIU's burgeoning football program and is giving opponents something to worry about, whether he lines up at wide reciever or sets up for a kick return.

Keep your eye on this one because he won't be going away any time soon. At this rate, he'll be a top prospect for NFL teams.

* * *

Come to think about it, T.Y. might be the reason why FIU has recently done so well in recruitment. According to the Miami Herald's high school sports blog, the Golden Panthers received commitments from a few reputable high school players - including QB Jake Medlock, RB Kedrick Rhodes and LB Caleb Vincent.

Here's the list of FIU's current high school commitments:

• Mac Brown, DB, 6-0, 155, St. Petersburg Gibbs
• Justin Halley, S, 6-2, 181, Boca Raton
• Wade Isaac, DL, 6-2, 255, Norland
• Khambrell McGee, CB, 5-9, 170, Northwestern
• Jake Medlock, QB, 6-3, 220, Neptune Beach Fletcher
• Sam Miller, Jr., DB, 5-10, 175, LaSalle
• Kedric Rhodes, RB, 5-10, 185, Ocala Trinity Catholic
• Caleb Vincent, LB, 6-2, 225, Hollywood Hills
• Randy Williams, S, 6-1, 195, Miami Springs

Courtesy of the Miami Herald.

Canes Swat Yellow Jackets in Convincing Fashion

Quarterbacks Robert Marve, Taylor Cook and Cannon Smith knew what they were doing when they transferred out of the University of Miami during the off-season. Marve knew he wasn’t going to share time with Jacory Harris as the starter. Cook and Cannon sensed they were going to ride the long bench if Harris decided to stay at UM until his senior year.

After last night’s game, they know they made the right choice.

Harris led the Hurricanes (2-0, 2-0 ACC) down the field with ease, going 20-25 with 270 yards and 3 touchdowns en route to a 33-17 win over the visiting Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (2-1, 1-1 ACC). The capacity crowd welcomed the Canes to their new home at LandShark Stadium, which only fueled Harris' fire. Cool and confident in the pocket deciphering Georgia Tech’s defense, the freshman QB used the play-action fake to gain big dividends.

Miami’s first touchdown came on a 40-yard strike to WR LaRon Byrd, who beat man-to-man coverage on a post route. A 13-yard bootleg to Dedrick Epps gave the Hurricanes a 14-3 lead. Jacory Harris’ third touchdown came on 14-yard pass to TE Jimmy Graham.

The best part: He made it look easy out there.

Georgia Tech entered Thursday with a 4-game winning streak against the Hurricanes, including last year’s embarrassing loss, where the Yellow Jackets' triple option offense ran for 472 yards.

Defense

New Defensive Coordinator John Lovett was not about to allow a sequel.

Keeping Georgia Tech under 100 yards of rushing was a stamp of the night for Miami, keeping Tech's offense to a one-dimensional passing game. The Yellow Jackets only mustered 95 yards on 39 carries, averaging out to 2.4 yards per rush.

That's what you call run stuffing.

And if that wasn't good enough, the Canes thwarted both of Georgia Tech's fourth down attempts and forced turnovers on downs. Getting stops when they needed, Miami kept the game at a comfortable distance and cruised onto victory.

Matt Bosher

Not all was wines and roses for the Hurricanes. K/P Matt Bosher had a night to forget. Bosher’s opening kick-off sailed wide left to give the Yellow Jackets prominent field position that led to their only points in the first half. After Miami countered with a touchdown, Bosher’s ensuing kick-off sailed wide left again. In the 4^th quarter Matt missed two field goals. He missed two all of last season. Don’t be surprised if Coach Shannon brings in some competition with nine days to prepare for Virginia Tech.

Can The Hurricanes Stop the Option?

In the first two weeks of the 2009 season, the ACC has produced the two most exciting games, Miami versus Florida State and Clemson versus Georgia Tech. Week three is poised to start off with a bang.

With a big Thurday night showdown against ACC rival Georgia Tech, the Hurricanes still have a lingering taste in their mouth from last year's embarrassing game. Georgia Tech ran for 472 yards, including 93 yards by returning Quaterback Josh Nesbitt and 128 yards by Superstar running back Johnathan Dwyer. The Hurricanes are an abysmal 1-4 against Tech since joining the ACC.

The Hurricanes defense should not be suprised when they line up against the Yellow Jackets' offense. In the first two games, 73 percent of Georgia Tech's plays from scrimmage were running plays. When the ball did go up in the air, Tech was 10-27 with 1 touchdown and 2 interceptions.

Miami's defensive strong point is also their weakness. The Hurricanes have always been known for swarming the ball carrier. A trait that typically makes defenses great. Which brings up the question - Can Miami defend Josh Nesbitt and the QB option?

Florida State Quarteback Christian Ponder effectively used the option against Miami in week one. He ran for a 9-yard touchdown and ran for a 30-yard gain on another play. Georgia Tech makes a living out of it. They have eclipsed the 300-yard rushing mark in both of their games and Nesbitt is averaging 92 yards rushing.

But Clemson showed resilience in the second half against Georgia Tech and I'm sure the Canes were watching. Down 24-0 at half time Clemson scored 27 unanswered points before succoming to Nesbitt's rushing attack in the 4th quarter.

Miami is 13-2 on ESPN Thursday night games. This is the second year in a row that these two schools meet on a ESPN Thurday night. The Canes we be looking to continue their winning ways, but they have to find an answer to this offense.

Week One Diagnosis: A Case of the Fumbles

If there's anything we can take from week one of the NFL regular season it's that plenty of teams came to play with "I Can't Believe It's Not Butter" on their hands. If you combine all the fumbles that occurred during the week one match-ups you end up with a total of 48 (yes, forty eight). That's an average of 3.0 fumbles per game.

Here's a breakdown of the total fumbles from each game:

• Rams @ Seahawks = 4 fumbles
• Redskins @ Giants = 5 fumbles
• 49ers @ Cardinals = 2 fumbles
• Cowboys @ Buccaneers = 4 fumbles
• Lions @ Saints = 3 fumbles
• Jaguars @ Colts = 1 fumble
• Jets @ Texans = 4 fumbles
• Vikings @ Browns = 3 fumbles
• Broncos @ Bengals = 2 fumbles
• Eagles @ Panthers = 4 fumbles
• Ravens @ Chiefs = 3 fumbles
• Dolphins @ Falcons = 4 fumbles
• Titans @ Steelers = 3 fumbles
• Bills @ Patriots = 3 fumbles
• Chargers @ Raiders = 3 fumbles

*Let it be noted that the Packers-Bears game did not involve a fumble. They actually wore their gloves.

At this rate, we can expect 816 recorded fumbles by the end of the regular season, and over 1,000 if you include the playoffs. As useless as this information may be, it's hard to believe the amount of players that were screamed at by coaches this past week.

I guess we can all sit back and eat some popcorn (make sure it's extra buttery as to make them slip out of your fingers) as professional football players make it a point to cough up valuable opportunities left and right. Then again, maybe we should give the defenders some darn credit.

Either way it's pretty damn ridiculous.

Q&A Session with Dave Hyde - About the Fins

Dave Hyde, sport columnist from the Sun-Sentinel, had the time to discuss a few key Miami Dolphins topics following Sunday's game in Atalanta. Dave has been with the Sun-Sentinel since 1990 and has a great understanding South Florida sports. He weighed in on the Fins' week one performance and the team moving forward:

Q: What was the biggest flaw exposed in Miami's offense and defense?

Dave: The biggest flaw was simply the turnovers -- as Prof. Tony Sparano said, teams that have four turnovers in a game win 10 percent of the time. That isn't the biggest worry, though. Tight end Anthony Fasano had two fumbles in the game. He had two in the three seasons before this. So it was uncharacteristic for a team that last year tied a NFL record low with 13 turnovers. I'm not worried about the turnovers being a long-term concern. The worry is the offensive line. Atlanta isn't expected to be a terror on defense, and the Dolphins gave up four sacks. Jake Long gave up 2 1/2 sacks all last year and he gave up two this game. The Dolphins have few big-play makers on offense, and a lot of money ($155 million) has been invested in the line. The question is whether this game was indicative of problems or also will be an aberration.

Q: Will the Monday Night game against Indianapolis be tougher, easier or about the same difficulty as the Atlanta game?

Dave: The Indy game got a little easier with the news that Colts receiver Anthony Gonzalez got hurt. That takes away a big target for Peyton Manning. You'd like to think the game will be easier in that it's at home, on a Monday night stage, rather than an opener on the road against a decent team. Manning will challenge the rookie cornerbacks, though. And tight end Dallas Clark must have seen how Atlanta tight end Tony Gonzalez had a big game against the Dolphins safeties. Miami doesn't want the game to turn into a Manning shootout, because they aren't a big-play offense. Easier than Atlanta? Sure. Easy? Nope.

Q: The secondary, special teams and offensive line all struggled, which one is in the most need of improvement entering week two?

Dave: Again, I get back to the offensive line needing to improve. It was expected to be a force behind which the offense can run. It wasn't close to that against an average-at-best Atlanta line. But, again, the track record suggests they'll improve. You don't expect Jake Long to get beat like that very often.

Q: Will we see any roster moves this week, including trades or free agent signings?

Dave: There won't be any major moves for the simple reason that the NFL doesn't work that way. After months of off-season roster maneuvers and practices, you are who you are. It's too early to make trades (again, not many happen in the during the season anyway). And so you are who you are right now.

Q: Should DolFans worry about Sunday's loss or was it just a minor misstep in a long season?

Dave: I won't go overboard on the worrying after one game. There were some good things. The defensive front seven looked to play with some good muscle, holding Pro Bowl running back Michael Turner to 68 yards on 22 carries. The defense also kept being put in bad positions because of the turnovers and came out pretty good. Ricky Williams still runs with power. So there were some good things. But, again, if they'd won the game you wouldn't be going overboard. It's a long season.

* * *

Agreeing with most of what Dave said, it only makes sense that the Dolphins played a bad game and were not showcasing what's to come for the rest of the season. Jake Long was a stud last season and he faced a very tough John Abraham in Atlanta - don't expect him to get steamrolled like that many more times.

As for the O-Line, it should pay off (figuratively and literally) as the weeks go on. New players equals new bonds that must be formed. Donald Thomas and Jake Grove are fresh faces that make up two-fifths of the Dolphins' front line. Give them a chance to get comfortable and work together as a unit.

If DolFans should take anything away from this it's not to see only "doom and gloom." As Dave stated, it's a long season and we should not be exaggerating after one game. Seasons are won and lost as they go, not before they even develop. The past two Super Bowl champions (New York Giants and Pittsburgh Steelers) were heavy underdogs to win it all at the start of the year. Not saying that Miami will be playing in Super Bowl XLIV, but don't act like they secured the #1 draft pick next year.

We would like to thank Dave for sharing his time and expertise with us despite his hectic schedule. We look forward to more interesting columns and blog posts from him down the road. Keep up the great work.

Miami Dolphins vs. Atlanta Falcons Preview

Game day is almost here and DolFans are asking the million dollar question: how will Miami fare against Atlanta? We break it down and evaluate Miami's chances by every facet of the game.

Who Has the Better Offense?

Many people see the Dolphins and Falcons as identical teams in a sense - both had resurrecting seasons last year and made the playoffs. The Dolphins used the Wild Cat early on to fight their way to victory. Atlanta used Matt Ryan's golden arm and Michael Turner's feather feet to put points on the board and win games.

So which team has the advantage on Sunday?

The running back cores of each team exhibit power and versatility. Michael Turner and Jerious Norwood on one end and Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams on the other. The Falcons have the more powerful starting RB, while the Fins have more depth and a better combo (maybe even trio - don't forget Patrick Cobbs).

Depending on how the game plays out, the running game could favor either team. If the defenses are not defending the run well, then Atlanta will likely get the most of it. If both sides are stingy against the run, then Miami has more depth to battle it out and keep the rush alive.

On the passing end of things, you face a slighly diferent scenario. Matt Ryan is obviously the pure passer, with arm strength on his side. Chad Pennington has experience, accuracy and efficiency on his side. Miami's secondary must watch out for Roddy White, Tony Gonzalez and the other targets Ryan has on his side. If the CBs are getting burned it may just be a long day for the Fins. The Falcons aren't notorious for a great secondary either, which is a plus for Pennington's game-managing style and short passes - it will keep drives alive, the defense on the field and the offense on the bench.

In essence, the secondary has to step up and the offense has to capitalize on key match-ups. Those are the keys to Miami's success overall.


Who Has the Better Defense?

If this were based on the team that has the bigger names then Miami would have the upper hand. Sure, Atlanta has John Abraham, but Miami has Jason Ferguson, Jason Taylor, Joey Porter and Channing Crowder. Most people around the league can recognize those players for their talents and accomplishments.

Based on statistics there are more valid reasons as to why Miami has the advantage:

2008 NFL Team Statistics (according to NFL.com)

• Total Defense: Miami = 15th, Atlanta = 24th
• Rushing Defense: Miami = 10th, Atlanta = 25th
• Passing Defense: Atlanta = 21st, Miami = 25th

Things have changed, players have been added, but the core of both teams have stayed. Rankings change every season, but typically not by a drastic number. Miami will have rookies integrated into the secondary this season, which will be a weak point for the defense. At the same time, Atlanta was not known last season for it's defense and made no major acquisitions in the off season to sure up their defensive woes.

Miami gets a clear advantage here, but has plenty to worry about with Atlanta's weapons.

Who Has the Better Special Teams?

A major point of concern for Miami this pre season was the special teams unit. Too many big returns, too many missed tackles and not enough consistency. According the Rick Gosselin's NFL special teams rankings, the Dolphins were in the bottom three of the NFL (30th), while the Falcons were in a tie for 10th.

Not expecting to make a huge improvement for Miami or a massive drop off from Atlanta, the Falcons are given the edge here. The Fins didn't do much to add better special teams players and may suffer from that. Beware of the kickoff and punts this Sunday, it may not be pretty for DolFans.

Side Note: The punt/kick returning position has not been officially addressed by the Dolphins, but may default to last year's go-to guy, Davone Bess. Unfortunately, the Black Eyed Peas singer, Will.i.am will not be given a walk-on spot with the team.

Who Has the Better Coaching Staff?

Atlanta's head coach, Mike Smith, won NFL Coach of the Year last season, with Tony Sparano falling just short of the award. When looking at the situations both coaches were put in, they did an impressive job of reviving franchises that were in a deep hole. The Falcons were still plagued by Michael Vick's departure a few seasons back and Miami was coming off a 1-15 season. With Coach Smith and Coach Sparano, both teams regained the respect of their fans and the league.

In that sense, the coaching aspect is a dead on tie. Then again, there are more than just head coaches on a team.

Miami's offensive coordinator, Dan Henning, was last year's savior when he brought in the Wild Cat during a crucial week three match-up against the Patriots. From then on it became a part of Miami's offense. Mike Mularkey is Atlanta's offensive coordinator and did a fine job at calling the right running plays for Michael Turner and the right passing plays for Matt Ryan.

Play-calling creativity goes to Miami, while Atlanta gets credit for fitting plays to players.

Defensively, the choice is obvious. Miami has a more sound defense than Atlanta and that is in large part to Paul Pasqualoni's coaching. Pasqualoni doesn't get much recognition for his efforts, but is highly valued by the Dolphins organization. On the other end, Brian VanGorder still needs some work to do in order to elevate Atlanta from the sub-par defensive rankings they currently hold.

Key Match-Ups

• Quarterbacks: Chad Pennington vs. Matt Ryan
  
• Wide Receivers: Ted Ginn Jr. vs Roddy White
• Running Backs: Ronnie Brown vs. Michael Turner
• Tight Ends: Anthony Fasano vs. Tony Gonzalez
• Defensive Linemen: Jason Ferguson vs. John Abraham

Potential Game-Changers for Miami

• Jason Taylor/Joey Porter - Matt Ryan may be on his butt more than on his feet.
  
• Ricky Williams - Fresh legs + tired defense = plenty of yards.
• Sean Smith - Another order of one-handed interceptions, please?

Final Verdict

For the most part, Atlanta and Miami have similar features and seem to be a clone of each other at times. When looking deeper, the Falcons have more weapons on offense, while Miami has the clear advantage on defense. Creativity will play a big role in this game as the Wild Cat will likely be in effect. If Atlanta can stop it, it's not the end of the world for Miami, but it will take away from the dynamic play-calling. Expect the unexpected from the Fins in Atlanta.

Final Score Prediction: Miami-27, Atlanta-17

Not So Fast Philly

Just when you thought that the N.L. East was out of reach, the Marlins moved within 5 games of the division leading Phillies last night. A 13-4 defeat of the Mets secured a win for the Fish, while the Phillies failed to mount a comeback run against the Nationals.

Now it looks like the Wild Card is the race that is beyond reach, as the Rockies continue a magical run and counter every Marlins win with a victory of their own. There's only one way to stay in the playoff race, and the Marlins are doing that now: winning.

Winning 7 of their last 8 games is a part of the Marlins recent success in September. So far, falling out of contention doesn't seem to be in their agenda. Typically we would be speaking of "another late season collapse," as recent history has shown, but things may be changing for the good.

Hanley Ramirez is steaming hot, batting almost .360 - Baseball's batting avg. leader - and has returned to his offensive juggernaut status. He has driven in 3 HRs and 8 RBIs in the last 5 games. He may not be in consideration for N.L. MVP, but he should be an honorable mention, given the fact that he's carried the Marlins all season long. It's just too difficult to match Albert Pujol's stellar performance this season, that's what you call a bonafide stud and future first-ballot Hall of Famer.

Looking forward to the upcoming series, the Marlins will finish off the season as follows:

• vs. Washington National (3-game series)
• @ St. Louis Cardinal (3-game series)
• @ Cincinnati Reds (4-game series)
• vs. Philadelphia Philles (3-game series)*
• vs. New York Mets (3-game series)
• @ Atlanta Braves (3-game series)

*The Phillies series will include a double-header, meaning 3 games in 2 nights.

With that said, if the Marlins get within 3 games of the N.L. East going into the Phillies series, there is a legitimate chance to take control of the division lead. Now, one thing has to happen - they must sweep the defending World Series Champs. It's a difficult task to amount, but it will define the Marlins as contenders or defenders.

Even if the Fish make it to the post-season and lose in the early rounds, it was worth the fight. Building a winning product on the field bring in attention and fan support. If that's what it takes to draw in players and put the Marlins on the map again, so be it.

Word of Blog: Bullpens & Captains

The Florida Marlins went 6 for their last 7 last night by defeating the New York Mets at Citi Field once again - Final Score: 6-3. The Fish aren't giving up the fight for the Wild Card just yet, although the N.L. East seems out of reach by now. It's going to take plenty of good baseball to keep the hopes alive and stay within contention for the Marlins.

One area that will need to be consistent is the bullpen. Michael Jong of Marlin Maniac examined Fredi Gonzalez's usage of the bullpen to see how effective he has utilized it. His use of in-depth baseball analytics is commendable as it allows him to use a wealth of statistics to make his points. Here were some of his conclusions:

Leo Nunez, the team’s closer and reliever facing the highest leverages entering the game, is the worst reliever on the team in terms of FIP. Of course, FIP doesn’t take into account the fact that Nunez isn’t likely to give up as many home runs as he has, but even if you move him up to where Dan Meyer and Matt Lindstrom are, you’re still dealing with a reliever who is not performing the best on your team...

If you looked at the track record of the team’s relievers in terms of defense-independent pitching, you would likely conclude that Kiko Calero was the team’s best bet in terms of a good reliever. Sure enough, Calero has been very good at missing bats and keeping the Marlins’ fairly poor defense out of the situation....

...For some reason, Fredi has cast Calero as a 7th inning guy while deciding that Nunez and Pinto are worthy of high leverage situations. And you wonder why Marlins fans want to pull their hair off with regards to the bullpen this season.

Fairly valid statement the Marlin Maniac makes there. The Marlins, particularly Fredi Gonzalez and the coaching staff, must use the relievers effectively down the stretch in order to win close games and close out the necessary victories. If you're a fan of sabermetrics and other baseball performance statistics, follow the Marlin Maniac - he won't disappoint you with numbers.

* * *

On the Miami Dolphins front we have the team captains being officially named. Three defensive players were voted by the team to be "head hanchos," if you will: Jason Taylor, Joey Porter and Jason Ferguson. As for on offensive, it is to no one's surprise that Chad Pennington was dubbed captain.

Patrik Nohe of Phin Phanatic had something to say about Jason Taylor's captain status. Here it is:

[CBS' Jeff] Shain says the choices came down by virtue of seniority, but I still think it’s a good sign that Taylor has curried enough favor with the coaching staff in his return to Miami to regain his role as a captain. Taylor had little to prove to the fanbase. Even during his exodus most of Miami still held JT in high regard and the conditions of his return seems to have more than made up for the sting of his one year Redskin sabbatical...

...Winning over a coaching staff hired and groomed by Parcells would certainly be the larger challenge for Taylor...

...Seniority or not I feel like Taylor has earned it.

To side with the Phinatic, Jason Taylor has made it an effort to come back into a team he neglected last season and fit into their system, as opposed to the team adapting to Taylor. Earning the title of captain only actualizes that goal of working hard day in and day out to be a leader on the Dolphins.

Great work by Patrik at Phin Phinatic, who always puts together interesting pieces about South Florida's favorite pro football team. As for JT, DolFans are glad he's back in the teal and orange and cannot wait to see him record his first sack this season. It may very well come against Matt Ryan and the Atlanta Falcons in week one. Watch your back sophomore QB.

News Flashes: September 9, 2009

Miami Heat

• The Miami Heat may have interest in a back-up point guard, not by the name of Allen Iverson, but Steve Blake (of the Portland Trail Blazers). Source: Ira Winderman of the Sun-Sentinel.

• Other available veteran guards in the free agent market that may fit in Miami include Flip Murray, Bobby Jackson, Brevin Knight, Tyronn Lue, Jason Hart, Luther Head and Damon Jones.

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Florida Marlins

• The Marlins won last night in a 4-2 victory over the Mets, but stayed 5.5 games back from the Wild Card. The Rockies and Braves won, while the Giants lost.

• A few Marlins were activated yesterday before the game, including Brendan Donnelly, Gaby Sanchez and Chris Volstad.

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Miami Dolphins

• The Dolphins waived veteran tight end David Martin and claim Davon Drew, only to waive him as well.

• The final 53-man roster was set last Thursday and can be seen on the Dolphins official website (which was recently re-designed). See it here.

UM vs. FSU: An Instant Classic

September 8, 2009

All it took was for these two teams to step on the field for the dated rivalry to reignite and make the season opener for UM and FSU an instant classic. There were no wide right kicks in this showdown, but FSU did botch an extra point kick reminiscent of the old days. The battle was fought to the bitter end with fans on both sides chewing their nails all the way down to the stubs. In the end, the Miami Hurricanes prevailed and took a valuable victory from a raucous Talahassee crowd, moving into the 20th spot in the AP top 25.

No matter the outcome, the fact that the game was decided in the final minutes and seconds made this one to remember. It was an offensive shootout as both teams combined for 74 points and were able to score at will.

Jacory Harris entered his third NCAA start with poise and confidence, throwing for 386 yds, 2 TDs and 1 rushing TD (coupled with 2 interceptions). The Noles' QB, Christian Ponder, had a standout performance of his own, passing for 294 yds, 2 TDs and 1 rushing TD (he had an interception of his own as well). The entire Canes team mustered 476 yards of offense and 5 TDs on their way to victory.

In the greater scheme of things, Miami's offense looked explosive once again - a potential threat for other ACC teams. FSU was ranked 18th before the game began and to defeat a ranked team with such offensive numbers is impressive for a rebuilding team like the Hurricanes.

The obvious concerns are on the defensive end of things. Giving up 34 points is not something to be proud about, especially when you allowed the Seminoles to drive you deep into their redzone with just under two minutes to play. Randy Shannon must take this victory with a grain of salt as the final seconds were the difference between an upset for UM of FSU. It's safe to say that once the Canes get back on the practice field defense will be the number one priority.

On a side note, there has been plenty of public praise of Miami's Offensive Coordinator, Mark Whipple, primarily on sports talk radio. The man did a great job of play calling and helping the Canes move the ball down the field, thanks in part to Coach Shannon's new strategy of letting him control the offense. With that said, the rhetoric should be toned down when praising Whipple. It's only game one of the season and there are three more big games to worry about.

The Big Three

The next three games for UM include Georgia Tech, Virginia Tech and Oklahoma - part of the four tough games Miami had scheduled to start off the season. Now that the Seminoles are out of the way and Miami got their first win under their belt, it's time to focus on the challenges ahead.

September 17th vs. Georgia Tech
A difficult match-up for Miami with GT's offense, especially the option play. Look out for a follow up article on a Miami-Georgia Tech preview.


September 26th @ Virginia Tech
Virginia Tech is always a cause for concern in the ACC, as they can be a handful on both sides of the ball. It should be a close game.


October 3rd vs. Oklahoma
With Sam Bradford likely out for this game, the match-up does not seem as daunting as it did before the season started. Everyone saw what Oklahoma was like without Bradford, and it wasn't pretty. The U should capitalize on this opportunity and come out with a win.

UM to Kick Things Off With FSU

The first week of college football saw 4 ranked teams fall, Heisman winner Sam Bradford go down with an injury and the re-emergence of Michigan and Notre Dame. There is no better way to end the week than with a bang.

The ACC decided it was in the best interest of the Conference to kick off the year with a clash of inter-state rivals on Labor Day . When the University of Miami made the switch over to the ACC they met FSU on labor day from 2004 to 2006. These to teams have not disappointed throughout the years. 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. This is an instance where the season can be determined by one game's outcome.

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.

Randy Shannon and the Hurricanes will be tested early and often. Will they step up to the plate? We will all find out soon enough.

Dolphins Have a New Punt Returner?

Not quite. As some may know Will.i.am from the Blacked Eyed Peas made a video publicly addressing the Miami Dolphins to let him be their new punt returner. He slipped in a few mofo bombs in the video, but it was pretty hilarious in all.

Besides the jokes, the video actually raises a valid question as to who the punt/kick returner will be for Miami once the season starts. Throughout most of the pre season WR Chris Williams was the Fins' returner - now he's gone. In the two games following Williams' cut the Dolphins used five different kick/punt returners, which included Ted Ginn Jr., Patrick Cobbs, Davone Bess, Courtney Bryan and Charlie Anderson.

Which one of these guys will be the guy when it comes to game day? Will Miami go with last year's choice of Bess? Or will they implement a rotating returner system where different players share time at that spot?

Obviously we don't know the answer to that. As for now, let's sit back and take another look at the Will.i.am video. Be warned, it contains profanity. All we gotta say is "how many people you know wear blood red shoes?"

The Undefeated (Pre) Season

September 4, 2009

Celebrate! Not really.

With a win in New Orleans the Miami Dolphins head home to get 10 much-needed days of rest and preparation for the NFL's regular season. A 4-0 pre season record does not mean much at all once you step on the gridiron for week one. But the lessons behind each of those wins are valuable enough.

The final game of pre season is, how do you say, the most forgettable game of them all. A bunch of backups trying to secure a spot on the team and preserve the energy and health of the starters. The talent level is obviously a bit lower than usual.

At any rate, the New Orleans game showcased a few highlights for Miami, including Patrick Cobbs and Sean Smith. Cobbs had a nice 25-yard run and TD to prove he belongs as the number three RB on the depth chart.

As for Smith, did you see that interception? It was all the buzz on forums like FinHeaven. Just take a look at the photograph above and the video below to get an idea, or if you saw it, a double take, of his one-handed endzone grab. Defintely a veteran CB play by a rookie NFL athlete.

Beyond that it was a low scoring game that had its moments. What mattered was that it was the last chance the Fins had to "practice" before the games begin to count. So how can we sum up the pre season?

Pros

• Offense has been good enough to score when needed and be dynamic throughout.
• Defense only allowed a total of 39 points combined in all four games.
• Wild Cat is still alive and a viable option for Miami's offense.
• Chad Pennington still looks like the Chad of last season, which is definitely a good thing.
• Linebacking core has been dominant and puts plenty of pressure on opposing QBs.
• Defense has recovered on sloppy drives by making clutch stops/good red zone D.
• Dolphins as a whole looks more polished that last year's team.
  

Cons

• Secondary unit is still in limbo and not as cohesive as they should be.
• Special teams has been unimpressive and in need of better tackling.
• Run stopping has been inconsistent and may be a problem versus elite RBs.
• Wide reciever depth chart is still unsure while Ginn hasn't convinced he's a #1.
• Offense was not "high octane" - didn't score a lot of points.
• O-Line struggled with running game, failed to open gaps for RBs various times.
  

Expectations of the team are higher this time around, and while the media and league analysts are skeptical of their chances the players know just another playoff appearance isn't enough. It's back to the drawing board and week one in Atlanta will be a worthy test for Miami. The pre season should only serve as a guide to see what worked and what didn't, and not as a bragging right for the players. When you have first-teamers out there playing from the first snap to the last it's a whole different ball game.

Some players fans should look out for this season include:

• Sean Smith - because he's a flat out beast, even as a rookie.
• Vontae Davis - he'll have plenty to prove and the talent to prove it.
  
• Jake Long - this year he's out to make the Pro Bowl as a starter (not a reserve).
• Ted Ginn Jr. - we need to know if he's our go-to guy (third season = breakout year for wide receivers).
• Greg Camarillo - he's coming off a tough injury and has a chip on his shoulder.
• Gibril Wilson - new face, same goal: to be a solid presence in the secondary.
• Jason Taylor - he's back for one more season and he's shaped up, so watch out.
  

* * *

Here's the Sean Smith video we referenced above. A catch like this doesn't happen from even the best corners in the league. What a future this young gun has a head of himself.

Dan Uggla vs. Chase Utley

Last night Dan Uggla was able to do something that Rogers Hornsby, Jackie Robinson, Joe Morgan, Ryne Sandberg, Jeff Kent, and Chase Utley couldn't do.

Uggla, a .259 career hitter, placed himself in the record books by becoming the only second baseman to hit 25 homeruns in his first four years. The homerun came in a game that started with Uggla getting into a confrontation with teammate Hanley Ramirez about him pulling himself out of Tuesday night's game.

"Whether that fueled emotion for tonight, who knows," Uggla said.

With one month remaining until the bell tolls, Dan is looking to have his 3rd straight 30+ homerun season.

Uggla is currently second among active second basemen with 115 career homeruns behind Chase Utley's 159, who is in his 7th season. Jeff Kent, regarded as one of the best offensive 2nd baseman to play the game, is the all-time homerun leader among second basemans with 351.

Some can argue that in an era of steriods this feat is irrelevant, but one thing is for sure, Uggla and Utley are a new breed of 2nd baseman. Both of them still have a lot of baseball to play and as long as neither of the two get overtaken by the pressure that succombed Alex Rodriguez into taking performance enhancers, fans will be able to enjoy a duel a la Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa (maybe not that exciting though).

One, if not both, of these talented athletes could very well reach the 500 homerun plateau in their careers. It's almost guaranteed. The question is will there be any more players that follow their suit. Only time will tell. For now just sit back and enjoy the show.

News Flashes: September 2, 2009

Miami Dolphins

• Ricky Williams signed a one year extension with the Miami Dolphins worth 4.35 million and said we will retire after the 2010 season.
• The Miami Dolphins are not among the 12 NFL teams that face possible blackouts for the season.

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Florida Marlins

• Hanley Ramirez left last night's game with a tight left hamstring. It is not known if the injury will cause him to miss time.
• Nick Johnson, who has been on the disabled list since August 17, started for Single A Jupiter last night. He doubled in his only at-bat.
• After a 3 for 4 night, Chris Coghlan raised his batting average above .300 for the first time this year.
• Cameron Maybin struck out in his first at-bat after being recalled from AAA New Orleans.