SB Nation Tampa Bay: All Posts by Charlie Crespo

In The Court Of The Miami Heat's King

2012-06-23T12:00:12Z

As the final seconds ticked away during the Miami Heat's Game 5 121-106 drubbing of the Oklahoma City Thunder, all the vitriol and venom spewed at Lebron James and the Miami Heat over the past two years vanished into thin air.

Vanished like the chalk Lebron used to toss in the air during his pregame ritual.

Vanished like James Harden's game during these NBA Finals.

Vanished like the deeply held beliefs of those who were sure that Lebron just wasn't championship material.

Oh, there are still tiny particles of that vitriol that will always linger. There will be those that say this championship is tainted because of the shortened season and because of injuries to key players like Derrick Rose and Dwight Howard.

No matter.

For as long as basketball is played on this Earth, the Miami Heat will forever and indisputably be the 2012 NBA Champions.

It's amazing how a month can change everything isn't it?

On May 17th, the Heat lost to the Indiana Pacers 94-75 to go down 2-1 in the Eastern Conference Semifinals. The Heat were left for dead. There were debates on which member of the Big Three would be traded and whether or not Dwayne Wade was over the hill.

And then James decided he had had enough. From that point on, the MVP went on a historical playoff run and dismissed his biggest criticisms one by one.

James couldn't play with Dwayne Wade.

In Game 4 against Indiana, "The 'King" put up a ridiculous 40 point, 18 rebound, 9 assist effort, while simultaneously meshing perfectly with Wade who scored 30 of his own. Without Chris Bosh to lean on, the two superstars realized it was up to them to get the Heat into the next round. For the rest of that series, they played as well as they ever have together.

James wasn't clutch in big games.

In Game 6 in Boston, James' legacy was seemingly on the line. The Heat were on the verge of being ousted by a creaky, yet proud Boston Celtics team who were looking for one last championship of their own Big Three era. Once again, it seemed like Lebron would come up short when it counted most. Lose to Boston and it could mean the end of the Heat's talented trio before it ever even got started and add to the cloud hanging over James' head.

As the vultures circled over the TD Garden in Boston, James put up a virtuoso performance in which he scored 45 points and grabbed 15 boards, while completely dominating every facet of the game. The Celtics never had a chance. Lebron put the Heat on his shoulders and forced a Game 7 back in Miami, where the Heat were able to put the nail in the coffin of the Celtics' championship hopes.

James didn't have any heart.

As tired as the cliche is, many of his critics believed it was a valid one. It isn't anymore. With Game 3 of the NBA Finals knotted at 94 and Lebron suffering from leg cramps, James rose up over Thabo Sefolosha for a three and knocked down the biggest shot of his life. That shot epitomized what those that like to use the cliche call "heart". Barely able to walk, Lebron wasn't going to stay on the bench or let someone else take that shot. It was his time. He willed that shot to go in.

Interestingly though, what may have been the most enlightening take away from the Heat's championship run was not James' play. We knew all along he had that in him. Rather, it was his comments after the game:

"Losing in the Finals last year put me back in place. It humbled me a lot. I was able to go back to the basics. A lot of people had a lot to do with it, but at the end of the day, I just looked myself in the mirror and said, 'You need to be better'."

Everyone wondered how he would respond to the pain of losing last year's NBA Finals. Some though it was proof that he would never win it. Others believed it was exactly what he and the Miami Heat needed to finally push them over the top.

If you listen to Dwayne Wade, it was necessary for their team to grow stronger, "But we had to go through what we had to go through last year. We needed to. And as much as it hurt, we had to go through that pain and suffering. To get to this point of this season and the rest of our careers together, we'll take nothing for granted."

So, if you're willing to believe James and Wade, losing to the Dallas Mavericks gave them the experience they needed to reach this point. They needed to lose for Wade to step aside and let the Heat become Lebron's team. They needed to lose for James to look himself in the mirror and finally understand what it would take to win a championship. They needed to lose for James to find the fuel that would allow him to prove all the doubters wrong.

The quotes that were once punchlines, you know, the 'taking my talents to South Beach' stuff, don't seem so funny anymore.

The 'not one, not two, not three, not four,' line is no longer something for everyone to laugh at.

It just might be a foreshadowing of what's to come.

Are The Miami Marlins The Best Team In Baseball?

2012-06-02T12:00:27Z

Don't look now, but the Miami Marlins just might be the best team in baseball.

Wait, you mean the team whose closer, Heath Bell, has already blown more saves than he did in the entire 2010 season?

The team who has two everyday players in John Buck and Chris Coghlan batting below the Mendoza line?

The team whose ace, Josh Johnson, is a mediocre 3-3 with a 4.83 ERA?

Yeah, that team.

Seemingly nothing could go right for the Fish in April. The Marlins lost their celebrated home opener. Ozzie Guillen followed that up by making his pro-Fidel Castro comments, which forced the franchise to suspend him for four games. To add to the team's problems, the Marlins' big off-season acquisitions weren't playing well, especially Bell and Jose Reyes. The team was inconsistent throughout the opening month of the season, at one point winning four straight and then following that up by losing eight of nine.

Since getting off to their dreadful 8-14 start, the Marlins rebounded to go 21-8 in May, the franchise's best month in their 19 year history. They capped off the month by sweeping the first place Washington Nationals, to move a 1/2 game back of the division lead. It's taken a while, but the Marlins are now playing consistent, solid baseball.

The bad news for the rest of the league?

They aren't even close to playing up to their potential.

During the month of May, the Marlins showed why their lineup can be one of the best in the league. Miami has one of the best leadoff hitters in all of baseball in Reyes, a player who is usually among the league leaders in batting average and has the ability to wreak havoc once he's on base. Reyes has slowly started to find his swing again, ending the month with a .265 average.

While Reyes is a key piece to this Marlins team, the real danger of their lineup (as with most teams) lies in the heart of the order. After Reyes and Omar Infante at the top of the lineup, the Marlins possess two of the most dangerous hitters in the league. Usually slotted as the three and four hitters, Hanley Ramirez and Giancarlo Stanton provide one of the most formidable one-two punches in baseball.

While Ramirez has struggled a bit this year, he has picked it up of late. Over his last seven days (as of June 1st), Hanley is batting .476 with a home run and four RBI's in 21 at bats. Although he is only batting .275 this year, his career statistics suggest this will go up, as his career average is .304. The mercurial third baseman is always a question mark, but he should thrive this year with Guillen as a manager and best friend Reyes around to keep his spirits up. If he can do so, Hanley has all the tools to be an MVP candidate and lead this team deep into the playoffs.

Although Ramirez and Reyes are the stars on this Miami team, the artist formerly known as "Mike" may soon surpass them. At only 22 years of age, Stanton is beginning to show why scouts thought he could be a force in the Major League for years to come. Tipping the scales at 6-5, 248 lbs., the Marlins clean-up hitter appears ready to have a breakout year.

Admittedly, Stanton didn't get off to the best start. The Marlins right fielder finished the month of April batting .247, with one home run and a paltry nine RBI's. However, Stanton had a downright monster month in May, raising his average 57 points to .304, while blasting 12 home runs and collecting 30 RBI's. The highlight of Stanton's month came on the 22nd. With a 3-2 count and the bases loaded, Stanton crushed a Jamie Moyer pitched off the scoreboard in Marlins Park, which had SportsCenter likening it to Roy Hobbs' famous shot in The Natural.

Formidable lineup aside, the Fish do have their faults. Gaby Sanchez, the Marlins first baseman and an All-Star a year ago, was sent down to the minors after an awful start. Aside form the top four in their lineup, the Marlins haven't gotten a lot of production from anyone else. Miami really needs Logan Morrison, who is only batting .231 with 14 RBI's, to become more of a threat in the five spot to protect Stanton in the order.

Miami's defense is also a concern. While with Reyes, Infante, Buck and Emilio Bonifacio or Bryan Petersen in center field the Fish are solid up the middle of the diamond, Stanton and Ramirez are both still learning their positions and are prone to errors. With Sanchez in the minors, the Marlins not only lose a normally reliable bat in the lineup, but also a solid defensive first baseman.

Considered one of the strengths of this team at the beginning of the season, the Marlins pitching has only been average so far. No starter has particularly stood out, although Johnson has won his last three starts. Even though the bullpen has been generally solid, Bell's blown saves have been an issue. However, like the batters, the pitchers are beginning to find their groove as well. If Johnson and Bell can return to their expected form, the Marlins staff will look a lot better as a whole.

It's clear the Marlins have had some bumps in the road but that was to be expected with the infusion of so many new faces and personalities.

OK, then, maybe the best team in baseball is a bit of a stretch at this point.

But it might not be for much longer.

Dwayne Wade Shouldn't Play In The 2012 Summer Olympics

2012-05-23T12:00:37Z

Whether the Miami Heat advance in the playoffs or are defeated by the pesky Indiana Pacers, one thing is certain.

Dwayne Wade shouldn't be a member of the 2012 U.S. Men's Basketball Team at the Summer Olympics in London.

In a perfect world, the man formerly known as Flash would once again take on the role of sixth-man off the bench for the Americans, a role he thrived in at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing. Unfortunately, as we all know, none of us live in a perfect world, something that has become painfully clear to Wade, who has been dealing with a lingering knee injury throughout the end of the NBA regular season and into the playoffs.

Before Game 4 against Indiana, where Wade erupted for 30 points, 9 rebounds, and 6 assists, he clearly had not been himself, only scoring 5 points in Game 3, while shooting 2-13 from the field. It's obvious to anyone that has watched Wade throughout these playoffs that he is far from 100 percent healthy. For the majority of the playoffs, he has lacked both the explosiveness to get to the rim and the lift on his jump shot. On May 21st, everyone's suspicions were confirmed when it was reported that Wade had had fluid drained from his balky left knee.

Even if Wade is able to maintain the form he showed in Game 4 throughout the remainder of the playoffs, he still should skip the Olympics for the sake of the remainder of his career. This compacted season has clearly taken its toll on Wade, who has been unable to stay healthy throughout the lockout shortened season along with many other notable NBA players including, Dwight Howard, Derrick Rose, and Chris Bosh. The Heat's star shooting guard needs this offseason more than any other to stay away from competitive basketball and get his body back to 100 percent health in preparation for next season.

Wade had previously said that this Olympic games would be his last, but his body simply cannot afford that. If Wade does not allow his body this offseason to heal, it could have lingering effects for the rest of his career. Many analysts have wondered when D-Wade's reckless style of play would catch up with him, and it appears it finally has. Wade is no longer a spring chicken at the age of 30, and his body is clearly just not healing like it once was.

If Wade hadn't already won a gold medal, then it would be harder to make the case that he shouldn't go to the London Olympics. But Wade has been there done that. In 2008 he captured his first gold medal in Beijing, while leading the team in scoring. In 2004, he won a bronze medal in Athens. Wade has shown brightly in the international spotlight more than once, and he has nothing left to prove on that stage.

Unlike the injury to Dwight Howard, the loss of Wade doesn't affect the Americans as much because they possess a plethora of wing scorers to fill Wade's shoes. With or without Wade, the U.S. will still be the favorites to win the gold medal because they can still role out Lebron James, Kobe Bryant, Kevin Durant, Carmelo Anthony, Rudy Gay, et al. Need I say more? Wade should step aside, not only for his health, but also so that someone like James Harden can experience what it's like to play on that stage.

For Team USA, there couldn't be a better fit to replace Wade than Harden. Not only does Harden play the same role for Oklahoma City that Wade filled for Team USA, Harden has a similar game to Wade in that he can create his own shot and is able to score almost at will. The Thunder's sixth man of the year would also have the hunger to win his first gold medal and could be a spark coming off the bench for the Americans.

With that said, then, Wade won't have to feel guilty about missing the Olympics. Although he has felt pressure from some of his peers to commit to the London Games, Wade can rest assured that Harden would fill his role admirably. What's important for D-Wade is that he give his body the time to rest and recover that it sorely needs in order for him to keep playing at the level he is accustomed to for the remainder of his career. Playing in this Olympic games, after already playing in a compacted season, would seriously jeopardize the remainder of Wade's NBA career.

If Wade does decide to play in this Olympics, no one could blame him for wanting to play for his country one last time. In all likelihood, D-Wade would probably earn his second gold medal.

The question that Wade will have to ask himself is: is it worth it?

It will be hard for him to sit out because the 2012 Olympics will be the last time this generation's dream team of Wade, James, Bryant, and Anthony will ever play together. On the other hand, he must seriously consider missing the summer tournament for the sake of his health.

The last time he was asked about it, Wade said he would make the decision based upon his health. If that's the case, we've likely seen the last of Flash in a Team USA jersey. For those that want to see Wade in London, that will be a disappointment.

And, yet, for Wade's NBA career, it will probably be for the best.

Can Anyone In The Eastern Conference Stop The Miami Heat?

2012-05-12T12:00:38Z

When both Dwight Howard and Derrick Rose went down with injuries, it appeared that the Miami Heat would certainly return to the NBA Finals as Eastern Conference Champions. Howard had given the Heat fits all season with his ability to dominate the paint, and, along with the Orlando Magic's three point shooting proficiency, the Magic had the capacity to give the Heat a tough second round matchup. Rose and the Chicago Bulls, on the other hand, had been a thorn in the Heat's side not only because of their defensive strategy, but also because of Rose's dynamic scoring ability. Before Rose's injury, the Bulls appeared to be destined to meet the Heat in the Eastern Conference Finals for a second year in a row.

Yet, without the two stars, both teams were eliminated in the first round. With the Heat's biggest challenges gone due to injuries, is there anyone left that can prevent the Heat from reaching the NBA Finals?

There were some pundits that thought the New York Knicks might give the Heat trouble in the first round. For this to happen, the Knicks would've had to shoot lights out from three point land, get major production from Carmelo Anthony and Amar'e Stoudemire, and steal a game in Miami. While Anthony was a major producer at times in the series, it was basically Melo versus the Heat after Iman Shumpert and Baron Davis went down with injuries and Stoudemire was TKO'd by a fire extinguisher after Game 2. The Knicks never had a chance and were lucky just to steal a game at home.

With the Knicks dispatched, the Heat are set to face the Indiana Pacers on Sunday, May 13th. This series has already garnered some national attention due to Pacers head coach Frank Vogel calling the Heat flop artists. While Vogel's mind games won't have any affect on the series, the Pacers do present some matchup problems for the Heat. Roy Hibbert, the Pacers' All-Star center, will be a load to handle in the middle for whomever has to cover him. Heat coach Erik Spoelstra may have to look to start Ronny Turiaf against Hibbert, to keep Chris Bosh on the floor and out of foul trouble.

The biggest reason the Pacers have a chance against the Heat is because of their depth in the front court. Along with Hibbert, the Pacers can roll out David West, Tyler Hansbrough, and Lou Amundson to attack the Heat's biggest weakness, which is their lack of size up front. The player destined to give the Heat fits in this series, however, is West. The Pacers power forward is excellent in the pick-and-roll, something the Heat struggle to defend. West will be able to affect the Heat's entire defense through his post offense and passing ability, so Spoelstra will have to devise a scheme to limit him.

With all this said, the Pacers are no match for the Heat. Maybe the Heat will struggle defending West, but who on the Pacers can stop Lebron James, the newly crowned MVP, or Dwayne Wade? Yes, Chris Bosh will struggle to defend West, but West will have his hands full trying to guard Bosh. Sure, if the Pacers are able to play at their optimum level and the Heat play at their worst level, the Pacers will win the series. If that were the case, though, the Pacers would win the NBA championship, and that's not going to happen. Perhaps the Pacers will match the Knicks and steal a game from the Heat, but don't expect much else.

If the Heat play as expected, they will then move on to face either the Philadelphia 76ers or the Boston Celtics. The Heat faced both teams last year, easily dispatching the 76ers in five, and, while the Celtics series was harder fought, they met the same fate as Philadelphia did. If the 76ers advance, they will likely present less of a challenge than the Pacers. They don't matchup particularly well with the Heat and struggled to defeat a Rose-less Bulls team, stealing a Game 6 victory to claim the series after Omer Asik missed two crucial free throws.

However, the Celtics would prove to be a more formidable foe for the Heat. While the Celtics are equally small inside, they do still possess a talented group with Rajon Rondo, who is always a threat for a triple double, Ray Allen, Paul Pierce, and Kevin Garnett. The Celtics pose a threat because their core has been together for a significant time and they have the experience necessary to go deep in the playoffs.

So, yes, the Celtics would certainly be the Heat's biggest threat in the Eastern Conference, but they just don't have enough to beat Miami in a seven game series. The Celtics' stars are older than the Heat's and the Heat are stronger defensively. In addition, the shortened, condensed season hasn't helped the older Celtics at all. The Celtics could possibly push the Heat to six, but they struggled with the Atlanta Hawks at times and will have to play at their best just to get past the 76ers. The Heat will again prove to be too much for the aging team from Boston.

While some people are claiming the Heat's road to the Finals isn't as easy as it appears, it's likely they're only doing so just to offer a different perspective and to look like a genius if the Heat happened to slip up. If the Heat win as they're expected to, those people can just say, well, that's what they were supposed to do and avoid any criticism. After the injuries to Rose and Howard, Miami's path to another chance at a championship could hardly get any less challenging. It would be stunning if the Heat didn't repeat as Eastern Conference Champions.

While the Heat certainly won't look past the Pacers or the winner of the 76ers/ Celtics series, allow this columnist to do it for you. Pencil Miami into the NBA Finals. Once they get there, they'll likely meet the Oklahoma City Thunder or San Antonio Spurs. That's where the real test will be waiting for this Heat team.

Florida Panthers Season Already A Success

2012-04-12T12:00:20Z

Do you hear it?

For the first time since the 1999-2000 season that sound rustling the trees around South Florida isn't the breeze coming off the ocean. It's the sound of the Florida Panthers' faithful breathing a collective sigh of relief. After a decade of irrelevance, the Florida Panthers are finally back in the NHL playoffs.

Even though the Cats lost 4-2 to the Washington Capitals on April 5^th, they still qualified for the NHL's second season courtesy of the Philadelphia Flyers 2-1 win over the Buffalo Sabres that same evening. With their 4-1 win over the Carolina Hurricanes on April 7^th, the Panthers clinched the Southeast Division for the first time in franchise history. Although the NHL playoffs are just getting started, one thing is already perfectly clear. This Panthers campaign is already a resounding success.

At the beginning of the season, many weren't sure what to make of Dale Tallon's rebuilding project. On paper, it clearly looked like the best team the Panthers had assembled in years, with the additions of All-Star defenseman Brian Campbell, speedy winger Kris Versteeg and Tampa Bay Lightning playoff hero Sean Bergenheim. However, many pundits weren't sure that new head coach Kevin Dineen would be able to get the team to gel quickly enough and were quick to write off the Panthers to another season as NHL cellar dwellers.

Yet, the Panthers were quick to prove the doubters wrong, as they got off to their best start since 1996 after their first 15 games. Since that torrid start, the Panthers battled through an inconsistent, but exciting season, at one point even putting together a five game winning streak, something the franchise hadn't done since the Jacques Martin era. Players like Bergenheim, Tomas Fleischmann and Jason Garrison have turned in career years for the Panthers, while others, including Campbell and Jose Theodore have rejuvenated their careers playing in the Sunshine State.

Most importantly, they've made hockey relevant again in the South Florida sports landscape. For too long, the Panthers were placed on the backburner and only supported by their die-hard fans. At the same time, it's hard to blame the common sports fan for not supporting a franchise that at times couldn't get out of its own way. Thankfully, those times are now only ugly memories and the Bank Atlantic Center is once again packed with fans ready to find this generation's Bill Lindsay.

It should be noted, however, that just because the season is already a success in the eyes of the Panthers' faithful, it's clear that the team isn't satisfied with just making the playoffs. In order to continue their best season in over a decade, the Panthers will have to knock off their first round opponent, the New Jersey Devils. While many experts aren't giving the Panthers much of a chance, the team seems to be relishing the old ‘nobody believes in us' role.

In a series ripe with interesting storylines, the Panthers will face the same team that swept them in the first round the last time the Panthers made the playoffs way back in 2000. Adding to the intrigue, the Devils are coached by Pete Deboer, the same man that Dale Tallon fired before hiring Kevin Dineen this past offseason. Dineen will have some interesting decisions to make, including whether to start Theodore, who has struggled of late, or Scott Clemmensen, who not only was in his best form of the season during the stretch run, but also has downright owned his former team.

In order to defeat Deboer's Devils, Dineen and Co. will have to find a way to keep Devils' stars Ilya Kovalchuk and Zach Parise in check, while also finding a way to solve Hall-of-Fame goaltender Martin Brodeur. It seems that this series is destined for a few overtime games and the Panthers will need someone to play the hero role if they plan on moving on into the playoffs. Fortunately, this Panthers squad doesn't lack postseason experience and Tallon acquired many of the new players in the offseason specifically for their playoff prowess. Expect players like Versteeg, Bergenheim and Campbell to come up big for the Cats in this series.

No matter what happens against the Devils, however, Panthers fans can once again hold their heads high. For the first time in a decade, their postseason isn't dependent on a lottery ball. It will finally be decided on the ice. Come next year, the Panthers will raise a Southeast Division Championship banner to the rafters to join the teams' '96 Eastern Conference Championship banner in what is hopefully only a sign of things to come.

Who knows? In a season that saw the return of the rats, maybe the Panthers can channel some of that '96 magic and make a legitimate run. Stranger things have happened.

Miami Dolphins Descent Into Irrelevance Won't Stop Anytime Soon

2012-03-21T12:01:07Z

The Miami Dolphins really should think about changing their fight song. The lyrics are downright laughable at this point.

"Miami has the Dolphins, the greatest football team". They're not even the greatest team in their own state anymore.

"We take the ball from goal to goal like no one's ever seen". More like from 20 to 20 and then maybe kick a field goal.

"And when you say Miami, you're talking Super Bowl". Well, maybe if the city is hosting it, but the Dolphins surely won't be playing in one anytime soon.

It's sad to say, but the Dolphins have fallen a long way from their glorious past. Due to horrendous management and the inability to find a franchise quarterback since the departure of Dan Marino, the Dolphins, once South Florida's most prominent franchise, are in shambles. This offseason, with their inability to draw any premier free agents and classless personnel decisions, has displayed the full extent of the Dolphins dysfunction. Yet, the worse part for the Fins is not even that South Floridians are angry about their decisions, it's that they've started to become apathetic because it's expected with this franchise.

When Bill Parcells was hired to become the Czar of Dolphins football operations in December of 2007, there was finally some hope around the listless franchise that had just gone 1-15. The team had only been to the playoffs twice in the seven years since Marino retired (losing in the second round to Oakland in 2000 and in the first round to Baltimore in 2001) after previously making the playoffs 10 times in Marino's 17 seasons. Parcells had a proven track record and he started by cleaning house, firing GM Randy Mueller and head coach Cam Cameron. He replaced them with Jeff Ireland and Tony Sparano, respectively. Finally, the Dolphins were expected to regain their rightful place as Super Bowl contenders with Parcells at the helm.

However, Parcells' football philosophy was old and outdated. On offense, Parcells and head coach Tony Sparano favored a run heavy offense, when the teams that were clearly succeeding in the NFL (think Saints, Colts, Patriots and Packers) had moved on to a philosophy centered around a dynamic passing attack. The team became fixated on acquiring Dallas Cowboy's castoffs, because, you know, if they're not good enough in Dallas they'll definitely be great in Miami.

Parcells and Ireland repeatedly said they would build through the draft, which is the only way to build a quality NFL team, but missed with picks all too frequently. With the 32^nd pick in the 2008 draft the Dolphins selected Phillip Merling, passing on players like Matt Forte, DeSean Jackson and Ray Rice. With the 57^th pick in the same draft they took Chad Henne and passed on Jamaal Charles and Carl Nicks. Now it's easy to sit here and criticize in hindsight, but some of the picks were downright baffling. Pat White in the 2^nd round in 2009? They passed on guys like LeSean McCoy and Mike Wallace. While there's still time for some of these prospects to pan out, Parcells decided he wasn't going to stick around to find out and left the Dolphins organization in March of 2011 for the cozy confines of ESPN. Somehow, Parcells has largely managed to escape the blame for the Dolphins doldrums from both the media and the fans.

After Tony Sparano was shown the door at the end of last season, the only one remaining from the so-called "Trifecta" is current GM Jeff Ireland. Ireland has drawn the most ire from South Florida fans, who at one point last season hired a plane to fly above Sun Life Stadium carrying a banner calling for his firing. And rightly so. If there is one person that represents the dysfunction going on with the Dolphins, it is Jeff Ireland.

Ireland has been the man in charge of a series of miscues that have embarrassed the once proud franchise and turned it into the laughingstock of the NFL. During an interview with then Oklahoma State wide receiver Dez Bryant before the 2010 NFL Draft, Ireland had the gall to ask him if his mother was "a prostitute". Ireland quickly apologized for his lack of judgment but the damage was already done.

Before the 2011 season, owner Stephen Ross and Ireland tried to woo then Stanford head coach Jim Harbaugh into becoming head coach for the Fins, even though Sparano was still the current head coach. However, the plan quickly backfired when Harbaugh turned down the Dolphins to coach the San Francisco 49ers. Ireland and Ross returned to South Florida with their tails between their legs and sheepishly offered Sparano a two- year contract extension. Yet, everyone knew Sparano was a lame duck coach and the team responded in kind with an 0-7 start, leading to his firing at the end of the season. You can't make this stuff up.

During the current offseason, things have continued to spiral downward for the Dolphins. First, the Fins swung and missed on landing Jeff Fisher as head coach, settling for former Green Bay Packers offensive coordinator Joe Philbin. The Dolphins then failed to land Peyton Manning, someone who instantly could have restored credibility to the downtrodden franchise. To make matters worse, the Dolphins missed out on signing Matt Flynn, who spurned the Fins for the Seattle Seahawks, and settled for David Garrard, a 34 year old QB coming off back surgery. Putting the cherry on top of the bizarre offseason sundae, the Dolphins traded their best wide receiver, Brandon Marshall, to the Chicago Bears for two third round picks (leaving them with a receiving corps of Brian Hartline and Davone Bess) and cut defensive captain Yeremiah Bell, after initially telling Bell's camp he would remain with the team. Seriously, you can't make this stuff up.

The Dolphins and Ireland have become such a joke that current NFL players, including Steeler's safety Ryan Clark, have started to take pot shots at them on twitter accounts. Former Dolphins Joey Porter and Channing Crowder recently blasted them in the press. Disgruntled fans even protested in front of team headquarters on Tuesday, but these people are sadly in the minority right now. If you ask someone from South Florida about the Dolphins these days, most will respond with shoulder shrugs and looks of what do you expect?

Yet, the Dolphins biggest problem of all may be the current sports scene in South Florida. Since the signing of the "Big Three", the Miami Heat has become the region's number one team. The Miami Marlins created a huge buzz in the offseason by signing Jose Reyes, Heath Bell and bringing in Ozzie Guillen as manager to go along with the opening of a new stadium. Even the Florida Panthers, a team that hasn't made the playoffs since 2000, are poised to not only make the playoffs, but also win their division and secure a top three seed in the Eastern Conference, after overhauling their roster in the offseason. As most people are aware of, South Floridians are largely a front running crowd, and with the success of the other major pro teams of the area, people will simply find other things to do.

Unless the Dolphins can figure things out fast, they'll continue to lose local support. Sun Life Stadium will once again look like the Florida Marlins are playing there. However, with Jeff Ireland and Stephen Ross at the helm, don't expect the Dolphins to right the ship anytime soon. Like Alice's trip down the rabbit hole, the saga of the Fins will only become stranger and more surreal. As things get weirder, the only consistency will be in the mediocrity of the team.

Maybe they will change that fight song though. Something like, "Miami Dolphins, Miami Dolphins, Miami Dolphins number...17...23...28?" Ah, who cares?

The Strange Case Of The Florida Panthers

2012-03-08T13:00:25Z

If the Florida Panthers were told at the beginning of the 2011-2012 season that the team would be sitting atop the Southeast Division with 17 games left to play, they surely couldn't imagine their season playing out much better. Due to all the new faces assembled by general manager Dale Tallon in the offseason, many people weren't sure whether this team would be a solid, playoff caliber team or a horrendous mix up of spare parts a la Frankenstein's monster. With more than three quarters of the season in the books, it's clear that this team is playoff worthy when healthy and even has a chance to make a little noise in the NHL's second season if they can hold onto the three seed.

Still, what's not clear is whether this team will live up to its' potential and actually make the playoffs. When the Panthers are playing their style at a top level, they are a fast, puck possession oriented team that outworks their opponents in all facets of the game. Unfortunately, this is not always the Panthers team that shows up at the rink. The "other" Panthers team is a team that is languid, unprepared and dreadful to watch.

On any given night, either Panthers team could show up. Some nights, the Panthers will crush teams as they did November 15^th against the Dallas Stars, winning 6-0, or on February 12^th when they manhandled the New York Islanders 4-1. Yet, there's always the possibility the Panthers will come out like they did on December 11^th when the got annihilated 6-1 by the New York Rangers and, just recently, on March 1^st when they were trounced 7-0 by the Winnipeg Jets.

Even stranger, sometimes both Panthers teams will appear in the same game as they did March 4^th against the Ottawa Senators. In the fist period, the Panthers lacked the energy and the desperation needed against a streaking team that was currently above them in the standings. It was no surprise to anyone watching that the Panthers quickly found themselves down 2-0 after the first period as they were clearly being outplayed. Just when you were ready to write them off, though, they came out in the second like their collective hair was on fire, scoring three unanswered goals and then adding a fourth in the third period to beat the Senators 4-2 in a crucial game at home.

The results over the past month show a team that is the definition of inconsistency. Since the All-Star break, the Panthers have won two, lost two, won three, lost four, won three, lost two and won their most recent. They have yet to string a four game win streak together this season. To put that into perspective, the Detroit Red Wings recently won 23 straight home games. Even the lowly Montreal Canadiens have managed a four game win streak this season, and they've done it twice.

Without a doubt, there are reasons for the Dr. Jekyll/ Mr. Hyde type of play the Panthers have suffered from this season. The main one is that the Panthers have rarely been fully healthy, with a whopping total of 291 games lost to injury as of March 4^th. Another reason is that the Panthers have had periods of time where their key players have been in prolonged slumps. Whether due to being overworked from having to pick up the slack for injured teammates, or fighting nagging injuries themselves, the Panthers top guns can ill afford these types of slumps as the Panthers are tied for 23^rd in the league in goals scored per game as of Tuesday night. Without consistent goal scoring, it's difficult for the Panthers to give themselves a chance to win every night because they lack the presence in goal of a Henrik Lundqvist or Jonathan Quick, goalies that can steal a game on any given night.

What may be most troubling, though, is that the Panthers have often come out flat in the most crucial games. Recently, the Panthers have had the opportunity to put considerable cushion between themselves and the Washington Capitals and Winnipeg Jets, who are both nipping at their heels. However, the Panthers squandered their past two games against the Capitals and were crushed in the previously mentioned last meeting with the Jets. It is frustrating and perhaps a bit ominous that the team cannot get itself up for games that have a playoff type of atmosphere.

While this Panthers season has been the most exciting of recent memory, it's clear that if one thing can be said with certainty about this Panthers team, it's that they are consistently inconsistent. The Panthers can only hope they've saved their biggest winning streak in years for the end of this season. If, by some benevolent blessing bestowed upon them by the hockey gods, the Panthers could rattle off even an eight game win streak, they could basically guarantee themselves a playoff berth. Don't hold your breath.

For The Miami Heat, Losing The 2011 NBA Finals Was A Blessing In Disguise

2012-03-04T13:00:49Z

Despite getting out to a 2-1 series lead in last season's NBA Finals against the Dallas Mavericks, the Miami Heat couldn't close them out, eventually losing the series 4-2. The Miami Heat collapsed due to a stifling Dallas defense, an opposing offense that caught fire, and the disappearance of Lebron James. While all these things have been documented already ad nauseum, what hasn't been discussed is how this may have been beneficial for the Heat in the long run.

It would be easy to simply point to tired clichés about how the Heat are "hungrier now" or how the loss "lit a fire" under them. While that may be true, there have been specific, observable aspects about the Miami Heat that have changed as a direct result of that loss. These changes are not only limited to certain player's games, but also seen in an overall change in the Heat's team philosophy.

Let's begin with Chris Bosh. The Miami Heat power forward struggled rebounding the ball at times last season, and he was clearly outmuscled against Dallas by Tyson Chandler and Brendan Haywood. The loss to Dallas made it clear that the Heat needed Bosh to be a stronger presence on the glass, due to their lack of a true center and front- court depth. With the added muscle mass Bosh put on in the offseason, the Heat has been stronger up the middle this season.

Along with Bosh, Dwayne Wade also altered his game for the better after last season's Finals collapse. During last season, Wade averaged 2.7 three- point shots per game. However, this season he has largely abandoned the outside shot, attempting only 0.5 per game. The deep ball has always been fool's gold for D-Wade, as he is only a .289 percent shooter from downtown for his career. By forgetting about the three-point shot, Wade has become a more efficient player. He's at his best when he is attacking the basket relentlessly and not settling for outside jumpers. Wade's adjustments to his game have helped the Heat's half-court offense significantly.

And then there is Lebron James. "The King" was largely blamed for last season's collapse in the Finals and he rightly deserved most of it. However, like Wade and Bosh, Lebron has also significantly altered his game for the better as a result of the 2011 Finals meltdown. The key change, or addition depending on how you see it, is in Lebron's post game. At times during the series against Dallas, Lebron was embarrassed in the post by being guarded by Shawn Marion and even J.J. Barea, players that James should easily have torched. Yet, he often struggled to come up with any offense even when he had the clear advantage.

During the offseason, Lebron committed to working on his post game. While he has added some new moves, the truly important change to his game is not in his mechanics, but rather in his basketball theory. Last season, Lebron seemed reluctant to go into the post often, even when he had a clear advantage against his defender. In contrast, he seems to be relishing his presence there this season. In doing so, he not only has become a more efficient player--- due to the fact that he no longer relies so heavily on fade away jumpers and three pointers--- but he also has made the Heat's offense more dangerous. Having Lebron in the post spaces the floor for the Heat's offense, allowing Wade to slash towards the basket for easy buckets, opening up the floor for Bosh's deadly jumpers and creating greater overall spacing and flow, which often leads to wide open three point shots for the likes of Mike Miller, Shane Battier and Mario Chalmers. Like the other members of the Big Three then, Lebron too has altered his game for the better as a result of last seasons Finals.

As we have seen, the Heat's individual players have clearly altered their games, but perhaps the most important change that took place because of last season's stunning loss is in the Heat's team philosophy. It was clear to anyone that watched the Heat last season that their offense was often stagnant. Too many times, the Heat fell into watching James or Wade dribble out the shot clock, only to launch a low percentage shot as the time ran out. This really became noticeable against the staunch Dallas defense and was a major reason as to why the Heat was unable to close out that series.

During the offseason, Heat coach Erik Spoelstra took time to pick the mind of someone most would have never thought to consider, Oregon Ducks football coach Chip Kelly. Kelly is the mastermind behind the Duck's spread offense, which is designed to get the ball in the hands of his playmakers as quickly as possible in as much space as possible. Interestingly, Spoelstra believed a variation of this (something he calls "pace and space") would help the Heat shake off their offensive doldrums. So far this season, it has worked. The new offense involves less play calling and allowing the Heat's talented trio to improvise and attack opponents without having to run through the exact same sets every time down the floor. Whether or not this new attack works in the playoffs remains to be seen, but so far it would be hard to argue with the current results.

Without a doubt, there will be some questions about the direct link between all of these changes and the Finals loss. But think about it for a second. If the Heat were rewarded in their first year together with a championship, why would they change anything? What need would there be for Bosh to bulk up, for Wade to abandon his prevalence for the three ball, for James to work out of the post more? What coach in their right mind would completely scrap an offensive system that had just won his team a championship in favor of an innovatively new system that isn't guaranteed to succeed?

Without that Finals loss, it's hard to see these changes occurring. Heat fans certainly remember the following season after the team last won a championship in 2006. The Heat didn't change a thing, were content with themselves, became fat and lazy (cough, Shaq, cough) and were subsequently swept by the Chicago Bulls in the first round. While it's unlikely that the same fate would have befallen this Miami Heat team had they squeaked by Dallas, it's equally unlikely that they would have changed so much about their respective styles of play. Yet, it is these very changes that have the Heat playing their best basketball of the Big Three era, finally appearing to be the team everyone thought they were capable of becoming. The scary thing is, many people still think they can get even better. If this comes to fruition, the rest of the NBA can thank the Mavericks for pushing the Heat to realize their true potential.