Skyforce Start Fresh, Secure Win

November 28, 2009

The Sioux Falls Skyforce began the NBA D-League season at home against the Maine Red Claws with a 112-95 victory. Skyforce forward, Reggie Williams, led the way with 29 points, followed by Keith Brumbaugh (18) and Michael Joiner (16). Williams was 10 for 13 on his shot attempts, shooting a stellar 77% from the court. Brumbaugh had a more complete game with 8 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 rebounds to go with his double-digit scoring night. Not to mention, Joiner was a perfect 4 of 4 from behind the arc, which made 12 of his 16 points.

Recent D-League assignment from the Boston Celtics, Bill Walker, was te leading scorer and rebounder for the Red Claws with 25 points and 11 rebounds. This is a good sign for the Celtics as they hope that Walker develops into a viable forward for their team one day.

Next up for the Skyforce are the Dakota Wizards, who play against the Red Claws tonight and will look to start off the year in the winning column. The Wizards defeated the Skyforce in their preseason exhibition by the score of 97-91. Six players scored in double-digits for the Wizards, while Reggie Williams hoisted up 27 points, similar to his season-opener performance.

More Than Just Decent

November 28, 2009

It was a put-back dunk by Michael Beasley that shocked the Orlando Magic crowd at Amway Arena on Wednesday night. Just moments after Jason Williams failed to seal the deal by missing two free throws, the Miami Heat edged out a victory against the league-leading Magic (now 12-4). It was another victory against an elite team that proved Miami has the potential to compete with the best in the Association.

Now, Miami has lost its fair share of games against solid teams, including the Cleveland Cavaliers, Phoenix Suns, Atlanta Hawks and Toronto Raptors. But with Wednesday's win, the Heat have now defeated two elite squads in the likes of the Denver Nuggets and Orlando Magic; all the while keeping their roster virtually intact and the rest of the East bolstering their depth charts.

There is plenty of basketball still to play, and an uphill battle still to be fought by the Heat, but the team that was scrutinized for its dormant off season state is beginning to stir up noise in the NBA. Miami's slogan, Good Enough Aint Enough, is beginning to permeate on the court as the entire team raises its performance level.

Five players are averaging double-digit scoring averages (actually four if you don't consider Mario Chalmers' 9.9 points per game). Dwyane Wade is, well, Dwyane Wade and continues to put up over 25 points a night along with spectacular defensive stops, steals and blocks. Jermaine O'Neal is playing much healthier and has become more efficient on offense - using mid-range jumpers to diversify his game. Michael Beasley and Mario Chalmers are maturing as players and decision-makers, which has shown by their improved offensive and defensive performances. Udonis Haslem continues to overachieve off the bench as an almost guaranteed double-double machine.

This team may not look like a formidable opponent for the league's elite on paper, but their actions are just starting to show otherwise.

The Heat face the Boston Celtics, Denver Nuggets, L.A. Lakers and Dallas Mavericks in four of their next seven games. Miami will continue put themselves to the test in the upcoming weeks. But above all, they will put their opponents to the test as the early surprise of the season.

AFC Playoff Hopeful Teams

November 24, 2009

Week 12 is about to get kicked off on Thursday with 3 Thanksgiving day games. it only means one thing - teams are ready to make a push for the playoffs. Today we will look at strength of schedule for the teams that are making a push to the post season.

Division Leaders:

AFC South - Indianapolis Colts 10-0

Week 12 - Houston Texans 5-5
Week 13 - Tennessee Titans 4-6

Week 14 - Denver Broncos 6-4

Week 15 - Jacksonville Jaguars 6-4

Week 16 - New York Jets 4-6

Week 17 - Buffalo Bills 3-7

Opponents Winning Percentage - .466

The Colts have the second hardest schedule among teams that are in the playoff hunt. Their next two games are against divisional foes Houston, who almost took one away from the Colts at Indy week 9, and Tennessee who on a four games winning streak with Vince Young.

AFC East - New England Patriots 7-3

Week 12 - New Orleans Saints 10-0

Week 13 - Miami Dolphins 5-5

Week 14 - Carolina Panthers 4-6

Week 15 - Buffalo Bills 3-7

Week 16 - Jacksonville Jaguars 6-4

Week 17 - Houston Texans 5-5

Opponents Winning Percentage - .550

The Pats have the hardest schedule among the teams in this article. Their toughest game comes this week against the undefeated New Orleans Saints at the Superdome. Two weeks ago the Pats had a chance to knock off the undefeated Colts but a crucial decision of going for it on 4 and 2 eventually ended up costing them the game.

AFC North - Cincinnati Bengals 7-3

Week 12 - Cleveland Browns 1-9

Week 13 - Detroit Lions 2-8

Week 14 - Minnesota Vikings 9-1

Week 15 - San Diego Chargers 7-3

Week 16 - Kansas City Chiefs 3-7

Week 17 - New York Jets 4-7

Opponents Winning Percentage - .435

The Bengals next two games are against two of the worst teams in the NFL but last week the lowly Raiders defeated the Bengals in overtime. Cincinnati is one of the biggest surprises of this year. After HBO featured them on their Hard Knocks show over the summer the Bengals have lived up to the name of the show. Can they keep up with the pace?

AFC West - San Diego Chargers 7-3

Week 12 - Kansas City Chiefs

Week 13 - Cleveland Browns

Week 14 - Dallas Cowboys

Week 15 - Cincinnati Bengals

Week 16 - Tennessee Titans

Week 17 - Washington Redskins

Opponents Winning Percentage - .416

The Chargers have ripped off 5 in a row. They are not showing any signs of slowing down and with the Broncos on a tailspin, San Diego has a good chance of taking the AFC West for the 4th straight year.

Wild Card Race

Jacksonville Jaguars 6-4

Week 12 - San Francisco 4-6

Week 13 - Houston Texans 5-5

Week 14 - Miami Dolphins 5-5

Week 15 - Indianapolis Colts 10-0

Week 16 - New England Patriots 7-3

Week 17 - Cleveland Browns - 1-9

Opponents Winning Percentage .533

The meat of the Jaguars remaining schedule is on the road. They visit Houston, Miami, and Indianapolis before coming home to face the Patriots. Jacksonville's chance will not be clear until after their week 16 match up with the Patriots.

Houston Texans 5-5

Week 12 - Indianapolis Colts 10-0

Week 13 - Jacksonville Jaguars 6-4

Week 14 - Seattle Seahawks 3-7

Week 15 - St. Louis Rams 1-9

Week 16 - Miami Dolphins 5-5

Week 17 - New England Patriots 7-3

Opponents Winning Percentage .533

The Texans have the hardest schedule of the teams in the hunt not based on games played. They play four teams in the hunt that have a combined .700 winning percentage. Houston is 1-3 in divisional play this year and their last two games were losses to divisional foes.

Miami Dolphins 5-5

Week 12 - Buffalo Bills 3-7

Week 13 - New England Patriots 7-3

Week 14 - Jacksonville Jaguars 6-4

Week 15 - Tennessee Titans 4-6

Week 16 - Houston Texans 5-5

Week 17 - Pittsburgh Steelers 6-4

Opponents Winning Percentage .516

After an 0-3 start, the Dolphins have turned it around mostly in part due to two big wins against the New York Jets but with the lose of Ronnie Brown and DE Jason Ferguson Miami is going to need to step up the game in order to be contenders. The Dolphins sort of control their own destiny. The play three teams, Jacksonville, Houston, and Pittsburgh that stand in their way of the wild card. If the Dolphins win out the will clinch you of the two wildcard spots.

Baltimore Ravens 5-5

Week 12 - Pittsburgh Steelers 6-4

Week 13 - Green Bay Packers 6-4

Week 14 - Detroit Lions 2-8

Week 15 - Chicago Bears 4-6

Week 16 - Pittsburgh Steelers 6-4

Week 17 - Oakland Raiders 3-7

Opponents Winning Percentage .450

The Ravens have to be the best .500 team in the NFL. The only problem is that luck is not on their side. they lost to Minnesota on a missed field goal ass time expired and to the Colts while in field goal range to go up and leave 2:00 minutes left in the 4th quarter. They failed to convert on a 4th down on the New England 14 that could of lead to a victory. They still have to crucial games against the Steelers that could make them or break them.

Pittsburgh Steelers 6-4

Week 12 - Baltimore Ravens 5-5

Week 13 - Oakland Raiders 3-7

Week 14 - Cleveland Browns 1-9

Week 15 - Green Bay Packers 6-4

Week 16 - Baltimore Ravens 5-5

Week 17 - Miami Dolphins 5-5

Opponents Winning Percentage .416

Last week was not good for the Steelers. First Roethlisberger gets knocked out of the game. then they lose to the Chiefs in overtime and Backup QB Charlie Batch suffered a wrist injury and is out 6 weeks. Big Ben's status is still uncertain even thou he says he feels better. Two big games against the Ravens still remaining on schedule.

Denver Broncos 6-4

Week 12 - New York Giants 6-4

Week 13 - Kansas City Chiefs 3-7

Week 14 - Indianapolis Colts 10-0

Week 15 - Oakland Raiders 3-7

Week 16 - Philadelphia Eagles 6-4

Week 17 - Kansas City Chiefs 3-7

Opponents Winning Percentage .516

The Denver Broncos started on fire this year. They were the biggest story of the year after starting the season 6-0 with big wins versus New England, Dallas and San Diego. The Broncos lost four straight after Qb Kyle Orton went down with a foot injury. If Denver hope to make a push and keep up ground they are going to have to return to early season form.

Resilience Defines Ailing Dolphins Team

November 20, 2009

Any team that were to lose their starting quarterback three games into the season, starting running back mid-way through the year and a starting veteran corner somewhere in between would likely be labeled under the "doomed" column. Add to that, two games in five days entering weeks nine and ten, and you have yourselves a rendition of the movie "2012." Nevertheless, the Miami Dolphins battled through adversity on Thursday and now find themselves at .500 with 10 games under their belt.

To make their chances of succeeding slimmer, the Dolphins lost Jason Ferguson and cycled through three different centers in Thursday's game, yet found a way to leave Carolina with a valuable victory. Many teams in the league would have found themselves in a hole too deep to dig out of.

Just imagine Indianapolis losing Peyton Manning and Joseph Addai or Minnesota losing Brett Favre and Adrian Peterson. It would be disastrous.

Miami was fortunate to have Chad Henne on standby and a wealth or running backs behind Ronnie Brown. The insurance policies were definitely in place for situations such as these.

This is what it means to be a well structured football team - where the foundations set are solid and methodical. It's not a coincidence that Miami kept Lex Hilliard, a fourth running back, on the 53-man roster and re-signed Ricky Williams to an extension. It's no mystery why Chad Henne worked closely under the tutalage of Chad Pennington all of last season. These were fail-safe precautions that were put in place by the Trifecta.

At moments during Thursday's game it seemed as if getting injured was a fad, with bulky linemen flopping to the ground like it was a new style. Things didn't look good, but in the end, all was good. That is because the Dolphins were focused on leaving Bank of America Stadium with a win, regardless of the circumstances.

That is what is known as resilience: the ability to rise from shambles and emerge in triumph.

Where Miami was at a loss in manpower, it was at an advantage in willpower - having players step up in the most crucial situations. Joey Porter awoke from his dreary slumber and sacked Jake Delhomme twice, both on third down situations. Davone Bess made a few clutch grabs to keep drives alive with first downs. Even Ted Ginn got in on the action, pulling in four catches for 32 yards. And don't leave out the Williams-Hilliard tandem as they combined for 143 yards rushing, with Ricky scoring all three of Miami's touchdowns (one reception TD) and Lex breaking loose for two first down rushes.

While the status of various Dolphins players under close examination, Miami can take a breather before facing their next opponent, the Buffalo Bills. Their nine days of rest will serve as a semi-bye week that will assist in the recovery process. One can only hope that they do not lose momentum and continue to build off of their success in that span.

As the NFL Network eagerly stated in their statistic of the night, at least one 5-5 team has reached the playoffs in 22 of the last 23 seasons. That is a trend Miami would like to personally continue.

11/18 - Miami Heat vs. Atlanta Hawks: Quater by Quarter

November 18, 2009

1st Quarter - Miami Heat 23 vs Atlanta Hawks 26

Miami was finally able to get off to a better start then they did their past two games where they were only able to score 17 points in the 1st quarter. The Heat got most of their scoring from Michael Beasley who had 11 points off 5-7 shooting. Beasley scored the first 8 points for the Heat who are without Udonis Haslem for tonights game. This opened up a spot for PF Shavlik Randolph to get his first action as a Miami Heat player. He entered at the game with one minute left in the quarter. Dwyane Wade missed his first four shots before being able to drop one over Joe Johnson on the baseline. He finished the quarter with 4 points.

2nd Quarter Miami Heat 43 vs. Atlanta 60

After taking a 35-32 lead off a James Jones three-pointer, Miami fell asleep on both sides of the ball. Atlanta went on a 28-8 run to close the second quarter and take a 17-point lead. Josh Smith scored all of his 14 points of the half in the second quarter; 12 of them came during Atlanta's burst of offense.

Wade was held scoreless by Atlanta in the quarter. He gave up a couple of shots and was looking timid. Miami's defense gave up 15 fast break points in the half and turned over the ball 9 times. Michael Beasley leads the team with 13 points followed by Quentin Richardson with 6. Joe Johnson leads all scores with 18 points.

3rd Quarter Miami 72 vs. Atlanta 79

Miami came out of half time blazing on a 17-6 run and were able to cut the Hawks lead to 8 going into the 4th quarter. Wade made 2 of Miami's 5 three pointers and scored 9 points. With 32 seconds left in the quarter, the NBA's free throw attempt leader, finally got to the line. Miami was able to hold Josh Smith scoreless but Joe Johnson continued to pour it on. He finished the 3rd with 27 points. Miami lost Richardson for the rest of the game to what was diagnosed as a lower back strain early in the quarter. The Heat, who are already short handed, are going to have to look towards the bench for someone to replace Quentin Richardson in the staring line up. Dorell Wright looks like the leading candidate.

Final - Miami 90 vs. Atlanta 105

Atlanta came right back at the Heat at the start of the 4th quarter with a 10-1 run that Miami was not able to overcome. Led by Joe Johnson's 30 points, the Hawks sent the Heat to their third loss in the past four games. The Heat are winless when giving up 100 points or more.

Atlanta held Dwyane Wade to 15 points and ended Wade's 23-game streak of 20 points or more. The Heat gave up plenty of open shots looking to get Wade the ball. It looked as if no one wanted to be responsible for what was going to happen. They must allow the game come to them and not what is given to Wade. Miami wasted a lot of time trying to get Wade to shake the double team.

Up next for Miami are the Toronto Raptors on Friday, November 20th. Atlanta is now tied with Phoenix for the best record in the NBA at 10-2.

49ers Should Thank Vontae Davis?

November 18, 2009

With the 6th pick of the 2006 NFL draft, the San Francisco 49ers took tight end Vernon Davis, out of the University of Maryland. The Niners were confident in his ability to catch passes and become a serious threat on offense, perhaps even to the level of elite tight ends like Tony Gonzalez and Antonio Gates. In his first three seasons in San Francisco, Davis did not live up to those expectations.

Until now.

With the 25th pick in the 2009 NFL draft, the Miami Dolphins took cornerback Vontae Davis, out of the University of Illinois. And it just so happens that 2009 has become older brother Vernon's breakout year in the NFL.

Which begs the question: Does sibling rivalry play into Vernon Davis' recent success?

What else could it be?

It wasn't a change of coaches; Mike Singletary was his coach last season. It wasn't a change of quarterbacks; Shaun Hill and Alex Smith have been interchanging at the quarterback spot for quite some time now. And Vernon Davis is not in a contract year.

So what else would motivate him to improve his game?

In his first three season in San Francisco, Vernon totaled 9 touchdowns in 40 games played. Nine games into the 2009 season, he has already recorded 7 touchdowns. He is en route to surpass his season-high reception yards total of 509 (2007) as he has tallied over 490 yards with seven games left in the season. The improvement is clear.

Now how does Vontae play into all this? Just imagine Vernon having played three seasons in the NFL without accomplishing any significant goals and watch his "little bro" enter the league and begin to upstage "big bro." It seems that Vernon told himself that's not going to happen.

Vontae has enjoyed valuable playing time as a rookie with the Dolphins, with 28 tackles, 7 passes deflected, 2 interceptions and one defensive touchdown in 2009. Not to mention, one of those interceptions was a spectacular grab over a 6-foot, 4-inch Randy Moss in Foxborough (see video below). His performance has been up to par with what was expected as a first year starter.

Which brings us back to the point, there is a serious possibility that a little harmless family feud between the Davis brothers has raised the level of performance for both San Francisco's Vernon Davis and Miami's Vontae Davis.

If that's the case, then 49ers fans and Dolphins fans can only hope they continue this petty competition as it has paid dividends for both teams.

Chris Coghlan Wins N.L. Rookie of the Year

November 16, 2009

After all was said and done Marlins Left Fielder, Chris Coghlan, was named National League Rookie of the Year. Coghlan edged out Philadelphia Phillies pitcher J.A. Happ by 11 points and 17 first place votes to 10.

Chris Coghlan led all rookies in Batting Average (.321), Hits (162), Doubles (31), Runs (84), At-Bats (504), On Base Percentage (.390) and Slugging Percentage (.460). He finished with 9 homeruns and 47 RBIs.

Coghlan's play in the second half of the season certainly propelled him to winning the honors. He batted .385 in August and .382 in September. He led the league with 113 hits in the second half. When polls came out on who might win N.L rookie of the year, Coghlan wasn't even mentioned.

Coghlan is the third Florida Marlin to win Rookie of the Year. Dontrelle Willis won the honor 2003 and Hanley ramirez won it in 2006.

Who is Kory Sperry?

November 16, 2009

It seems these days the Dolphins don't care who lines up at the tight end position, as long as they can block and catch they are viable candidates - even if they come from the practice squad.

The 6'4, 238-pound Kory Kalani Kahauaele Sperry got his chance to play on Sunday against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and came up big. His three catches for 31 yards and a touchdown were crucial to Miami's win. After all, it was only a two-point victory.

But who is this Kory Sperry character? Not many fans had any idea of number 85 as he snatched his 5-yard touchdown pass from Chad Henne to put Miami up 16-3. Thirty one yards may not sound outstanding, but an average of 10 yards per catch is significant. And if you can add six points to the board while you're at it then you're in good standing. All that does is instill confidence in the coaching staff and create future opportunities on the field for you.

By taking a look at his background we can see where his motivation comes from and begin to understand this overnight surprise.

Sperry is a rookie out of Colorado State University, where his hometown of Vineland was. His Hawaiian heritage is a major part of his personality as his body is covered with tattoos, some of which derives from the struggles faced as a child. In essence, he's a tough kid that thrives on being an underdog in the league. How else would an undrafted free agent that was signed by the San Diego Chargers and later dropped find his way into Miami's active roster? Some of it is luck, but most of it is dedication.

His 2007 season-ending torn ACL injury dropped his stock greatly on the draft boards, but today he finds himself in the National Football League wearing a professional team's uniform. On Sunday, Miami was fortunate that Sperry's uniform was white and aqua.

Anthony Fasano and Joey Haynos have been lackluster thus far and clearly the former John Nalbone was not worthy of a roster spot. That leaves Mr. Sperry with a chance to fill that void and deliver results for the Dolphins.

If You're Not Convinced on Dwyane Wade...

November 16, 2009

In the past few games Dwyane Wade has already proven that he is prepared to embark on another MVP-esque season en route to leading Miami to the playoffs. Whether it's being a stellar playmaker or making the shots when the game is on the line, Wade is the Heat's end all be all at this point.

And the team has followed his lead by supporting his efforts on the offensive end. While Wade has averaged almost 30 points a night in the first nine games of the season, three other Heat players are averaging over 12 points per game.

Role players have stepped up in all shapes and forms. You never know when the second leading scorer will be Jermaine O'Neal, Michael Beasley, Quentin Richardson, Daequan Cook, Mario Chalmers or Udonis Haslem (yes, Udonis Haslem).

The Heat have not been blown out once this season and with a revamped defensive commitment they have placed themselves in a position to win every game, all thanks to the collective play of the team. And with every game in reach, what better person to trust in the clutch than D. Wade.

On Saturday night Wade hit a game-winning shot against the New Jersey Nets, just when everyone thought the game had gone awry. He stepped up like he did in the 2006 NBA Finals and various times in the 2008 season.

The verdict is in: Wade is back for more.

Miami's star guard is playing with a renewed focus on winning as he enters his contract year. Fans can see this in the fierce drives he takes to the hoop and the confident perimeter jump shots he hoists, all which deflate opposing teams. Need we mention the ferocious dunk Wade slammed over Cleveland Cavalier Power Forward, Anderson Varejao?

The fire is there and the potential is endless for him in this rising young team. Even the elite teams in the East have their calendars marked when they face the Heat this season.

(Dwyane Wade emphatically dunks over Anderson Varejao)

(Wade hits a buzzer-beater to defeat the New Jersey Nets)

Dolphins Don't Face Easy Task Sunday

November 14, 2009

For the Miami Dolphins it is not a good time for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to gain some momentum. Coming back last week to defeat the Green Bay Packers, behind a rookie quarterback at that, is definitely a significant motivation for the Bucs.

Josh Freeman threw for 205 yards and 3 touchdowns in his first NFL start, only giving up one interception in the process. To aide his efforts, the Tampa Bay defense intercepted three passes from Aaron Rodgers and sacked the Packers QB five times. It was a collective effort to secure Tampa's first win of the season and avoid another 1976 nightmare (when the Bucs went 0-14).

Miami is stuck with a mediocre 3-5 record after losing to the New England Patriots in a defensive struggle against Tom Brady and company. Fortunately for the Dolphins, Tampa Bay does not have any players with the last names "Brady" "Moss" or "Welker" on their roster.

That is no reason to relax for Miami though. Hate to use the cliche, but anything could happen on any given Sunday.

The Dolphins are still favored by approximately 10 points though. Not to mention, they face a good match-up in the run game as the Buccaneers are ranked 30th in rushing yards allowed. If the Wildcat can recapture some of its early season success, Miami should fare well on the ground - which in turn will create potential play action calls to open up the pass game.

Channing Crowder and Joey Porter are still ailing from injuries suffered a few weeks back and may not be full strength for Sunday's game. Expect Reggie Torbor and Cameron Wake to get some more reps in their replacement.

The keys to a Dolphins victory will lie in winning the turnover-takeaway battle and applying pressure to Tampa's rookie QB. This will be Freeman's first start away from Raymond James Stadium. We'll see if a crowd hungry for victory at Land Shark Stadium rattles his composure.

Playmaker Alert

• Sean Smith and Vontae Davis are due for another good game and could find themselves with an interception before game's end.

• The one-two combo of Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams may prove to be a load to heavy for Tampa's porous rush defense. Look out for Williams to deliver the knockout if Miami's rush begins to roll over the Bucs early.

• Ted Ginn has yet another opportunity to redeem himself in many ways. Whether he ends up returning punts or not, he could be used as a deep threat once again and will be dangerous on kickoff returns. He may just take one to the house on Sunday.
  

Wade Takes Over, Leads Heat to Victory

November 11, 2009

With just 12 points at the half, Dwyane Wade entered the locker room with the Miami Heat down 41-49 against the Washington Wizards. Wade was uncharacteristically missing open jumpers and had sporadic offense throughout the first two quarters.

Upon entering the court to start the second half, all that changed.

Wade blew up in the third and fourth quarters by scoring 19 points, totaling 41 points for the night. The Wizards could simply not stop him from taking over the game and creating playing for himself and his teammates.

But don't be fooled. Miami had three other players that scored in double-digits en route to their 6th win of the season. Carlos Arroyo provided an offensive spark off the bench as he put up 10 points and 2 assists in 14:37 minutes of play. Michael Beasley and Mario Chalmers recorded 15 points and 13 points respectively, in about 33 minutes of play each.

It seems that a different player steps up every night for the Heat, with Wade being the constant. It is this collective effort that has helped Miami start off their season with a 6-1 record.

Beyond Miami's balanced offense is their hard-nosed defense. The Heat are still ranked as number one in opponent's field goal percentage at 41.5%, as well as three-point field goal percentage (25.7). Their victory against the Denver Nuggets last week proved that Miami is prepared to face even the most prolific offenses in the league.

Give Erik Spoelstra some credit. The players are beginning to believe in him and the culture he is embedding in the Miami Heat brand.

Much to Learn for 3-5 Dolphins

November 8, 2009


The return to Foxborough, Massachusetts, was not what Miami fans hoped for; another road shocker against the AFC East leading Patriots. And while the loss put the Dolphins at 3-5 for the season, there was much more to be said about Miami than their record.

The Dolphins have yet to defeat a legitimate team outside of the New York Jets and Buffalo Bills -one which is sporadic, another which is in shambles. They have competed with the San Diego Chargers, Indianapolis Colts, New Orleans Saints, and on Sunday the New England Patriots. In each of those games Miami had a chance to emerge on top, but failed to do so.

Simply put, almost does not cut it.

Fans realized that this Dolphins team is still young and essentially in a rebuilding stage on Sunday at Gillette Stadium. Two rookie cornerbacks struggling to cover an elite wide receiver duo. One sophomore quarterback failing to mount a late-game comeback, with no help from a fledgling wide receiving core. It all points to the reality that Miami still has much to learn before being considered contenders in the NFL.

With that said, the Dolphins still have an opportunity to make a playoff push this season. Heading back home to play a struggling Tampa Bay Buccaneers squad, then away to face two more shaky teams in the Carolina Panthers and Buffalo Bills, the opportunities to rebound are present. All the while the Patriots face the Colts, Jets and Saints in the next three weeks.

Miami's playoff hopes have not yet been destroyed with eight games left to play in the season. What has diminished is the expectations from a team that has been exposed against elite teams in the league.

Calling timeouts when none are available. Being exploited on defense with young cornerbacks and under performing veteran defensive backs. Dropping passes when the game is on the line.

Those were the factors that plagued Miami's chances to win against Bill Belichick and the Patriots, some of which are the very factors that stunted the Dolphins in crucial games against the league's top teams.

It is up to Bill Parcells, Jeff Ireland and Tony Sparano to salvage what's left of this season, extract as much positive from it as possible and retool for 2010.

The future is bright for Miami, but nobody ever said success would not come with growing pains. Soon enough the Trifecta project will come full circle and begin to pay dividends for the Miami community - in the form of victories (and maybe even Super Bowls).

Dolphins Face Divisional Turning Point

November 6, 2009

The difference between three games back and one game away in the AFC East division standings hangs on the outcome of Sunday afternoon's match-up at Gillette Stadium. The infamous unleashing of the Wildcat occurred last time Miami rolled into Foxborough, Massachusetts, as the Dolphins dominated their division foes. The same cannot be expected this time around as New England will prepare for Miami's dynamic offense with extra emphasis.

The Patriots are favored to win by an average of 10 1/2 points, but that should not be a cause for concern for the Dolphins. The Pats have only been able to muster a 10-8 record against the Dolphins since Bill Belichick took the helm as head coach in 2000. So, don't plan on predicting the outcome of this game, when these two teams face off the results can be surprising.

We break down the factors that play in favor of and against the Dolphins:

In Favor of Miami

• Joey Porter recorded the most sacks in a single game in Dolphins history when he faced the Patriots on September 21, 2008. It was a total of four sacks.

• Jason Taylor has recorded 12 sacks in 22 games against the Patriots, totaling 74 yards lost by New England.

• Both Porter (85.5 sacks) and Taylor (126 sacks) combine for the greatest sack duo currently in the NFL - 211.5 total sacks registered.

• Yeremiah Bell is averaging over 6 tackles per game this season and leads the team in total tackles. In 2008, Bell recorded 15 tackles in two games against New England.

• Chad Henne in his first four starts is averaging a completion percentage of 62, 170 yards per game and has a record of 3-1.

Against Miami

• The last time a QB threw for 6 touchdowns in a game against Miami was October 21, 2007. His name was Tom Brady.

• The last time Miami allowed 400+ passing yards it was against the Patriots on November 23, 2008. Matt Cassel was New England's QB at the time.
  

• The last time the Dolphins allowed two receivers to catch over 100 yards receiving was November 23, 2008 against the Patriots. Randy Moss (125) and Wes Welker (120) combined for 245 total receiving yards.
  

• The Dolphins are allowing 236 net passing yards per game this season. Tom Brady is averaging 290 passing yards per game this season.

• Miami's turnover differential is -2 thus far, having turned over the ball 11 times and forced 9 turnovers.

Final Word

Miami will need to suppress Tom Brady's arm if they hope to keep the score within reach and compete in a hostile environment. Dolphins' CBs Vontae Davis and Sean Smith will have their hands full with Randy Moss and Wes Welker - their toughest test of the season. Fortunately, Miami has a history of applying pressure against Brady and disrupting the Patriots' offense.

And The Sioux Falls Skyforce Select...

November 6, 2009


November 5th was the NBA D-League draft, hosted on NBA TV at their Atlanta, GA, headquarters. The Miami Heat's D-League Affiliate, The Sioux Falls Skyforce, earned the 14th pick in the 1st round, followed by 20th, 45th, 52nd, 77th, 84th, 109th and 116th overall in the 128-player draft. Here's who they chose:

• 14th pick: Raymond Sykes (Clemson) Position: PF, Height: 6-9, Weight: 225
• 20th pick: Pete Campbell (Butler) Position: F, Height: 6-7, Weight: 220
• 45th pick: Reggie Williams (VMI) Position: SF, Height: 6-6, Weight: 210
• 52nd pick: Leemire Goldwire (Charlotte) Position: SF, Height: 6-6, Weight: 210
• 77th pick: Draezon Burns
• 84th pick: Nate Miles (Southern Idaho JC) Position: G/F, Height: 6-7, Weight: 200
• 109th pick: Rodney Alexander (Oklahoma City) Position: SF, Height: 6-7, Weight: 225
• 116th pick: Lawrence McKenzie (Minnesota) Position: G, Height: 6-2, Weight: 190

From the outcome of the draft it could be said that the Skyforce were mainly targeting the number three position (i.e. Small Forward) in hopes of finding a future swingman that can contribute with athleticism.

The Skyforce's first round pick, Raymond Sykes, played two seasons at Clemson at the center spot and average 6.2 points, 3.8 rebounds and .576 field goal percentage (FGP) in that span. His last year at Clemson proved to be his best as he averaged 7.9 points, 5.2 rebounds, 1 block and a .578 FGP. In Sioux Falls, Sykes will play the role of PF and compete for a spot against returning Skyforce PFs, Kevin Brumbaugh and Greg Stiesma.

With that said, here are the returning and allocated players for the Skyforce this season:

Name	Position	Height	Weight	College
David Bailey	G	5-8	165	Loyola (IL)
Keith Brumbaugh	F	6-10	215	Hillsboroough CC
Justin Johnson	G	6-6	190	Iowa
Michael Joiner	F	6-7	230	Florida State
Greg Stiesma	F	6-11	260	Wisconsin
Joe Krabbenhoft (Allocation)	F	6-7	219	Wisconsin
Bruce Price (Allocation)	G	6-1	190	Tennessee Tech
Mike Nelson (Tryout)	G	6-4	195	North Dakota State

Courtesy of NBA.com/dleague

Follow the Skyforce all season long as we cover the latest news and updates surrounding the Miami Heat's official D-League affiliate. You never know when one of these stars will get a shot to play in the NBA, maybe even in the American Airlines Arena next to Dwyane Wade and company.

2009 NFL Mid-Season Awards

November 4, 2009

Going into week 9, we are halfway through the 2009 NFL season. Here are our picks for mid-season awards:

NFL MVP: QB, Peyton Manning

Reigning MVP Peyton Manning is making a great case for his fourth award. He has led the Indianapolis Colts to a 7-0 start for the fourth time in the past five seasons.

Manning has been the most complete QB this year -excelling in every aspect of the passing game. His stats speak for themselves:

• Passing Yards - 2227 (2nd in NFL)
• Passer Rating - 109.3 (2nd in NFL)
• Completion Percentage - 71.1 (1st in NFL)
• Yards per/g - 318.1 (1st in NFL)
• Touchdowns - 15 (2nd in NFL)

Offensive Rookie of the Year: WR, Percy Harvin

What can't you say about Percy Harvin? When the Minnesota Vikings drafted him out of Florida they knew they were getting a play maker. Every time the ball touches his hands he has the ability to break off for big gains.

Harvin has done most of his damage as a kickoff returner, as his 30.7 yards per return tops the NFL. In the process, he has scored two touchdowns, including a 101-yard return.

As a 4th option for Brett Favre, Harvin has caught 28 passes for 369 yards and 3 touchdowns.

Mr. Underestimated: QB, Aaron Rodgers

Rodgers has done everything he can to get out of Brett Farve's shadow. He leads the league in Passer Rating (110.4) and yards per pass attempt (8.8).

He has completed 65.3% of his passes for 1,989 yards and 14 touchdowns. He has a 7-to-1 touchdown to interception ratio.

The Packers record (4-3) is not indicative of Rodgers' play. He has been sacked more times (31) than any other QB this year and still hoists good numbers. Rodgers is on pace for his second straight 4,000 yards and 25+ touchdown season.


Defensive Player of the Year: S, Darren Sharper

The New Orleans Safety is on the verge of tying two records: most interceptions returned for touchdowns and most interception return yards.


He has 7 interceptions (1st in NFL) with three of them resulting in a touchdown (1st in NFL). The record for most "pick-sixes" in a season is four, held by Eric Allen, Ken Houston and Jim Kearney. Sharper has 11 career interceptions for a touchdown, one shy of record holder Rod Woodson. The most impressive stat is the the 45.3 yard after the interception. Rod Woodson holds the record for most interception return yards (1,483). Darren Sharper is less than 150 yards away from breaking that record.

Some may argue that Jared Allen of the Vikings is leading the race, but the truth is that 7.5 of his 10.5 sacks came against a struggling Green Bay offensive line.

Defensive Rookie of the Year: LB, Brian Cushing

The USC standout is 6th in the league with 66 tackles. He is always around the ball carrier and is disciplined in wrapping up opposing players.

With a young defense around him, the best is yet to come.
Cushing has two interceptions, two forced fumbles, one touchdown and a safety. His 7 pass deflections puts him atop all linebackers in the league.





Comeback Player of the Year: QB, Tom Brady

Did you expect anyone else after he missed all but one quarter last season?

Brady has the Patriots at 5-2 and on top of the AFC East. He isn't back to the standard he set in 2007, but he is back to competitive form.

He is on pace to thr0w over 30 touchdowns and his 3rd 4,000-yard season.

11/4 - Miami Heat vs. Washington Wizards Preview

November 4, 2009

VS.

Where: Verizon Center, Washington, DC
When: 7:00 PM EST
Television: ESPN

Starters

Washington Wizards (2-2)
PG - Gilbert Arenas
SG - Mike Miller
SF - Caron Butler
PF - Fabricio Oberto
C - Brendan Haywood

Miami Heat (3-1)
PG - Mario Chalmers
SG - Dwyane Wade
SF - Quentin Richardson
PF - Michael Beasley
C - Jermaine O'Neal

Miami will play their first divisional match-up of the season tonight in Washington, DC. With the Wizards acquiring G Mike Miller and G Randy Foye, more depth has been added to Miami's division rival. Washington is averaging 101 points-per-game and will look to push the ball and run up the score early. Miami will attempt to counter with forced turnovers and steals, which will aid their fast break game.

The Heat will have a greater chance of leaving the Verizon Center with a victory if they can hold the Wizards under the 100-point mark. So far, the Heat are 3-0 when holding opponents under 100 and suffered their first loss last night when they allowed 104 points to the Phoenix Suns.

The go-to scorers for each team will be G Dwyane Wade and G Gilbert Arenas, but the offensive battle will come from key contributors. Washington will use the perimeter threats of Foye and Miller, while Miami will toss F Quentin Richardson and F James Jones into the mix.

The tempo of the game will be essential to deciding the outcome. Miami has a shifty offense that can run the floor as well as run half court play sets. Washington is a team that enjoys a fast-paced tempo and thrives on scoring in bunches. Heat C Jermaine O'Neal will need to be effective in the post if the Heat want to establish any inside presence and create open jumpshots outside.

Injury Notice:

Miami G Daequan Cook will not be available for Wednesday's game as he is still bothered by a strained shoulder injury. This will hurt Miami's perimeter depth, but should not greatly affect their chances to win. Expect Jones to get playing time in replacement of Cook.

10,000 Reasons to Stay in Miami

November 3, 2009

We knew it would happen sooner or later. With Dwyane Wade's prolific scoring ability, there was no doubt that he would surpass the 10,000-point mark early in his career. And every one of those points gives him a reason to renew his contract at the end of the 2009-10 season.

The moment that Wade was selected by Miami as the 5th overall pick in the 2003 NBA Draft he took the Heat on a journey towards success. Just follow the path to the 2006 NBA Championship:

• 2003-04 = Conference Semi-Finals (lost to Indiana Pacers)
• 2004-05 = Eastern Conference Finals (lost to Detroit Pistons)
• 2005-06 = NBA Finals (defeated the Dallas Mavericks)

In a matter of three seasons, the Heat front office was able to draft a franchise player, build a contending team around him and secure their first NBA Championship.

Equally fast was the downfall of the Miami Heat, losing to the Chicago Bulls in the first round of the 2006-07 season and stumbling to a horrendous 15-win 2007-08 season.

Now it seems Miami is back on the rise and is positioned for a historic 2010 NBA offseason - filled with free agents that water the mouths of NBA GMs abound - leading to the ultimate question: Why would Wade want to leave Miami?

Once Pat Riley makes his first free agent or trade acquisition, any fluttering thoughts of parting ways with the Heat will disperse from Wade's mind. That is when he will realize that this team is economically and emotionally invested in him for the rest of his able career.

Every shot he made, every spectacular dunk he slammed and every buzzer beater he sunk will not be in vain as it will have led up to the juicy maximum contract offer that will be waiting at his doorsteps come season's end - all six years and $120 million of it.

The Miami community will forever remember the heroics Wade displayed in a Heat uniform, and will continue to do so once the star guard signs his name on the dotted line and hands it over to Pat Riley in 2010.

11/3 - Phoenix Suns vs. Miami Heat Preview

November 3, 2009

VS.

Where: American Airlines Arena,Miami,FL
When: 7:30PM EST
Television: Sun Sports

Starters

Phoenix Suns (3-0)
PG - Steve Nash
SG - Jason Richardson
SF - Grant Hill
PF - Amare Stoudemire
C - Channing Frye

Miami Heat (3-0)
PG - Mario Chalmers
SG - Dwyane Wade
SF - Quentin Richardson
PF - Michael Beasley
C - Jermaine O'Neal

The addition of Quentin Richardson has alleviated some of the defense workload off Dwayne Wade's shoulders. Teams are shooting a NBA low 38.58 percent and 22 percent from behind the arch against the Heat's stagnant defense . Tonight's game will be a true test as the NBA's highest scoring team(117.3 ppg) comes into town.

Wade has also received scoring help from his supporting cast. The play from his Big Three (O'Neal, Haslem, and Beasley) has been extraordinary. Haslem and O'Neal are averaging a double-double and Beasley is kicking in 14 ppg.

Phoenix is shooting a NBA best 52 percent from behind the 3-point line and their 51.63 percent from the field is second best in the league. The Suns starting five and their sixth man, Leandro Barbosa, are all averaging over 15 ppg.

Michael Beasley will have his hands full tonight as he attempts to guard All-Star Power Forward Amare Stoudemire who is back after missing the last 2 1/2 months of last season with an eye injury. Stoudemire will become a free agent at the end of the season and who is on Heat's radar along with Chris Bosh and Carlos Boozer.

Tonight will be all about tempo control. Can the Heat get back quick enough to set up their half court defense? Will Eric Spolstra employ a full court press to trap the Suns? Both teams will go in 3-0 but only one will come out undefeated.

Defense is Key to Miami's 3-0 Start

November 2, 2009

Starting off the year 3-0 is not something to rave about, particularly in an 82-game season. But it does help build confidence in a young developing team like the Miami Heat. Sunday night the Chicago Bulls drove into town to face the Heat in what ended as a tight match throughout. When the final whistle blew, Miami came away with the victory by the score of 95-87.

That's not the story.

The story is in how Miami has won their first three matches of the season.

They've done it with defense, holding opponents to a 37.5 shooting percentage. Even Quentin Richardson mentioned that he had never seen a coach that preaches defense like Erik Spoelstra does in Miami. The message is starting to get across.

Miami forcing their opponents to sub-par shooting performances places them atop the NBA in opponent's shooting percentage - something that Coach Spoelstra can be proud about and use to fuel his team even more.

In Sunday's game alone, Miami blocked eight shots on Chicago - two of which cane from the defensively-aligned Michael Beasley. And when you add in the charges drawn from newcomers Carlos Arroyo and Quentin Richardson, it it obvious that the culture of sound defense is beginning to permeate in the Miami Heat locker room.

If Miami can continue to distribute the weight on offense and play solid defense, then fans can expect more success as the season progresses. Until now Miami has not faced an elite NBA team, although the Knicks, Pacers and Bulls all have their respective strengths, but may surprise the league with a few big underdog victories down the stretch.

The team has played good, but as the Miami Heat 09-10 slogan goes, "Good Enough Ain't Enough."

Intan-Ginn-ble

November 2, 2009

Ted Ginn was having a bad week. After dropping two crucial passes against the New Orleans Saints during last Sunday's loss, he learned that Coach Sparano was going to re-evaluate his starting wide receiver position. On Wednesday, an open competition was held in practice and Brian Hartline was named the new starter.

The only pass that was thrown in Ginn's direction was over thrown out of bounds.

With Patrick Cobbs out for the year with a torn ACL, Ted Ginn resumed the role of kick returner last week against the Saints.

On his first two kickoff returns Ginn was tackled by New York Jets Kicker, Jay Feely. They weren't your typical stretched out, reach-and-hope type tackles. Feely ran past Miami's special teams unit and didn't allow Ginn to pass the 25 yard line. Things were not looking good for Ginn.

And then things changed.

The Jets had just taken a 6-3 lead on their first drive of the second half. On the ensuing kickoff Feely did not have a chance to record his third tackle of the game. Ginn caught the ball on the goal line a hit a hole on the right side and didn't look back. It was Ginn's first touchdown return of his career - and it wasn't enough for #19.

On the next Jets kickoff, Ginn brought the ball out of the end zone. He broke two tackles before going back to the right side of the field where he had success the previous return. No one touched him after he crossed the 20 yard line and became the first player in NFL history to have two kickoff returns for a touchdown of 100 or more yards in one game.

The Dolphins defeated the New York Jets 30-25 to sweep the season series.

Tedd Ginn's two best games have come against New York. Last time these two teams clashed, Chad Henne connected with Ginn for a 53-yard touchdown strike over double coverage that put the Dolphins up in the 4th quarter.

Ginn is not out of the dog house yet. He is still tied for third in the league with five dropped passes.

His special teams play does not guarantee a return to the starting line-up.

The Dolphins have now won three of their last four games. Next up for the Fins are the New England Patriots, on the road, whom they have not faced all season. In order to keep their playoff hopes alive, Miami will need to muster some more magic out of their bag of wild tricks at Gillete Stadium.

With a win at New England, the Dolphins will be 4-0 in the division and at a manageable 4-4 record. With a loss, they will drop to 3-5 and give the Patriots a boost in the AFC standings.

11/01 Chicago Bulls vs. Miami Heat Preview

Where: American Airlines Arena, Miami,FL

When: 6:00 PM EST
Television: Sun Sports

Starters

Chicago Bulls
PG - Derrick Rose
SG - John Salmons
SF - Luol Deng
PF - Tyrus Thomas
C - Joakim Noah

Miami Heat
PG - Mario Chalmers
SG - Dwyane Wade
SF - Quentin Richardson
PF - Michael Beasley
C - Jermaine O'Neal

The Heat finally got the monkey off their back by winning at Indiana on Friday - breaking a 14-game losing streak at Conseco Fieldhouse. Now they return home to face the Chicago Bulls (1-1) who are coming off an embarrassing loss at Boston.

The Bulls and Heat use disruptive defensive strategies to force turnovers and score on fast breaks. Miami has the advantage in the low post, with C Jermaine O'Neal averaging 22 points and 12 rebounds in the first two games of the season. The Bulls can counter with their athleticism and energy on both ends of the court.

One key match-up will be Chicago PG Derrick Rose versus Miami PG Mario Chalmers, which played against one another in the 2008 NCAA Tournament Championship - Chalmers came out on the winning end of that duel.

G Dwyane Wade has had the luxury of spreading the offensive weight across the team. The Heat will look to continue this balanced offensive approach in order to keep gaining positive results in their record.