On a very personal note, today marks the 50-year anniversary of the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. I remember vividly exactly what happened that day. I was a fifth-grader at Citrus Grove Elementary, and our class was in Mr. Schneider’s PE class. We were taken to our classroom by our teacher, Mrs. Keinert, and she instructed the class to sit quietly at our desks with our heads down. At that point, through tears, she told us of the horrible event that had taken place in Dallas a few minutes earlier. The rest of the weekend, everything revolved around the television coverage of what happened, with journalists like Walter Cronkite trying to explain what and why. I distinctly remember watching two days later when Lee Harvey Oswald himself was shot to death by Jack Ruby. As an innocent 8-year old, I was overwhelmed by the general feeling of sadness that gripped my adopted country. I was also very scared that the killing was going to continue and continue, and when my mom asked me to go outside and play, I really didn’t want to wander off very far from home, choosing to stay in our yard and coming in again and again to sit in front of the TV to watch Cronkite. That day I went from just watching Mighty Mouse, Top Cat, Quick Draw McGraw, and Tom & Jerry cartoons, watching Yankee baseball, saving baseball cards and clipping box scores from the paper to seeing life and death before my eyes. Unfortunately, we are not much closer today, 50 years later, to knowing what really happened on November 22, 1963. However, I still carry the memory of how I felt and what I saw around me that day in my mind.
Back to sports:
The Dolphins are in a position to make a statement this week when they take on the Carolina Panthers at the Seven Names Stadium on Sunday. Kickoff is set for 1:00 pm, and the game will be televised by CBS, Channel 4 in South Florida. Here’s more on the Dolphins:
More on the Dolphins from Armando Salguero:
Here are this week’s NFL games, along with the early lines, that continue to move around. Record this season on my picks is 37-37-4 against the spread, and 45-33 straight up.
LAST NIGHT
New Orleans 17 Atlanta 13
The Saints got two first-half touchdown passes from Drew Brees and their defense made those two scores stand. New Orleans improved to 9-2, the disappointing Falcons dropped to 2-9.
SUNDAY
Carolina @ Miami +5 1:00 pm CBS
Call me a glutton for punishment and a homer. I guess I am. Taking the Dolphins at home plus the points. History tells us that winners of the Monday Night game that go on the road the following Sunday have a hard time. I have a hunch.
Pittsburgh @ Cleveland -1 ½ 1:00 pm CBS
The Steelers and Ben Rothlisberger may be waking up, even though their defense is still not fully conscious. I’m still not convinced that Jason Campbell is the answer at QB for the Browns. For Pittsburgh to win, Big Ben is going to have to carry the team on his shoulders. I’ll take the Steelers on the road plus the points.
San Diego @ Kansas City -4 ½ 1:00 pm CBS
NY Jets @ Baltimore -3 ½ 1:00 pm CBS
Jacksonville @ Houston -8 ½ 1:00 pm CBS
Tampa @ Detroit -9 1:00 pm FOX
Minnesota @ Green Bay -4 ½ 1:00 pm FOX
Chicago @ St. Louis -1 1:00 pm FOX
Tennessee @ Oakland -1 4:05 pm CBS
Indianapolis @ Arizona -2 ½ 4:05 pm CBS
Arizona’s defense has surprised everyone this season, ranking second against the run and ninth overall in the NFL. Head Coach Bruce Arians knows the Colts well, and will have his team ready for them, although Cardinals’ QB Carson Palmer is 0-3 in his career against the Colts, and Indianapolis has beaten Arizona four straight times. I’m still going against my heart here and taking the Cardinals minus the 2 ½ points.
Dallas @ NY Giants -2 ½ 4:25 pm FOX
The Cowboys come off their bye week ranked as the NFL’s worst defense. The Giants have won four games in a row, albeit against four teams playing with their backup QB’s. Regardless, I’ll stick with the Giants and give the 2 ½ points.
Denver @ New England +2 ½ 8:30 pm NBC
In the Manning - Brady showdown, Manning is 4-9 overall against Brady, and 2-7 playing on the road. Advantage Brady. That was then, this is now. I’ll cautiously take Manning and the Broncos minus the points over the Patriots.
MONDAY NIGHT
San Francisco @ Washington +6 ½ 8:30 pm ESPN
After taking the NFL by storm last season, both Colin Kaepernick and Robert Griffin III have struggled this season. Another one of those hunches that Washington is due to have a strong game against a quality opponent. UPSET ALERT!!! I’ll take the Redskins at home, plus the points.
Here’s ESPN’s NFL Nation Blog, with more news from all around the league:
Of course, we can all continue to sleep at night, knowing full well that Aaron Hernandez remains in jail, where he belongs.
TODAY’S TRIVIA QUESTION: We’ll stay in the NFL today. The list of pass receivers in NFL history in yards gained is headed by the incomparable Jerry Rice, who not only gained 22,895 receiving yards, but also hauled in an incredible 197 TD passes. Who are the top three ACTIVE receivers in career receiving yardage? The answer comes later, alligator.
Off to baseball. I LOVE THE HOT STOVE!!
The Detroit Tigers traded first baseman Prince Fielder to the Texas Rangers for second baseman Ian Kinsler. The Tigers also sent $30 million to the Rangers to cover the long term obligation with Fielder, 7 years and $168 million. The Tigers save $72 million overall by making this deal and there are long-term implications for both teams:
Detroit can take the savings and use the money to keep Cy Young winner Max Scherzer. Getting rid of Fielder could possibly impact Miguel Cabrera, who could move back to first base to keep him healthier and open up a slot for Tigers minor league prospect Nick Castellanos at third base.
The ramifications for the Rangers are also interesting. They immediately add power in the middle of the lineup, and open up a spot for their hotshot prospect Jurickson Profar at second base. Here’s another interesting possibility: Texas could move Profar, a natural shortstop, or Elvis Andrus to a team desperate for a SS, such as the Cardinals, for outfield prospect Oscar Taveras or quality pitching, or work out a trade with the Tampa Bay Rays for former Cy Young winner David Price. It then gets better for Texas: The Rangers would possibly then be in a position to pursue free agent 2B Robinson Cano. Keep your eyes on this developing situation.
In something I definitely hate to cover, the MLB vs A-Roid circus is over for now, and we will have to wait until the arbitrator rules.
MY TAKE: Like I said in this blog the other day, A-Roid is trying not to have to lie again under oath and possibly face additional consequences. A-Roid showed up on New York talk radio after he stormed out of yesterday’s hearing, specifically the Mike Francesa program on WFAN. and denied that he used PED’s. Let us not forget that we’ve seen this A-Roid performance before. Remember that A-Roid denied using PED’s before he later admitted using them in 2009. His continued denials are telling everyone that he lied before, but he is telling the truth now. PLEASE! This is nothing more than a smokescreen for A-Roid to abandon the sinking ship that his attorneys and advisors are piloting.
If MLB used “shady methods” to obtain documents that prove that A-Roid and other players were guilty, so be it. That does not change the fact that these players are guilty. These documents and other allegations also may show that A-Roid leaked information incriminating other players. How do you think that is going to look for a cheater turning snitch?
The American public is quick to forgive and forget when athletes admit their wrongdoings and accept responsibility for their actions, and apologize, whether sincere or not. Lance Armstrong denied, denied, and denied some more before finally having to disappear from public view. Where is Rafael Palmeiro after pointing his finger at a congressional panel denying he ever used steroids, only to be busted by a drug test later?
Alex Rodriguez is a good guy, and is one of the best baseball players ever to grace the diamond. A-Roid, however, is just another loser, full of himself and another example of a professional athlete who forgot where he came from and who he was after surrounding themselves with the never-ending collection of leaches and parasites that want to live off the successful athletes by humoring their behavior and always telling them just what they want to hear, not what they need to be told.
YOU HAVE TO READ THIS:
Speaking of steroid-induced crazy people, here is the latest from the bizarre, eccentric, freakish, freaky, flaky, off-the-wall, outlandish Jose Canseco:
More rumors from around baseball:
In college football, the University of Miami Hurricanes play Virginia this Saturday, at 12 noon, at the Seven Names Stadium. Virginia is 2-8 this season, and 0-6 in the ACC. The Cavaliers could be exactly what the doctor ordered for the Canes, or could be the nail in the coffin for this season. Virginia is 109th in the country in points scored this season. You can watch the game on ESPN-U. The Canes have lost three in a row, and in those three losses, their non-existent defense has given up 1,609 yards and 131 points. Miami has also managed to lose three straight games to Virginia.
The Canes will close out their season on Friday, November 29th, in Pittsburgh, against the Pitt Panthers.
Manny Navarro and Susan Miller Degnan have more from Coral Gables:
The FIU Panthers are now 1-9 this season, and will take on the Thundering Herd of Marshall at FIU Stadium this Saturday, at 6:00 pm. No TV or radio.
The Panthers mercifully close out their season in Boca Raton on Friday, the 29th, in their annual crosstown battle against Florida Atlantic. That game will be televised on Fox Sports 1 on your cable or satellite system.
Here’s all the latest from FIU, courtesy of David J. Neal:
Here’s the latest from Tallahassee and #2-ranked FSU:
From Gainesville and the University of Florida:
Here are the NCAA Football rankings for this week:
Here is the complete schedule in College Football for week 13, including TV listings:
Moving to the hardwood,
The Heat are enjoying a couple of days with no games and will return to the AAA tomorrow night against the Orlando Magic at 7:30 pm. You can watch the game on Sun Sports on your cable or satellite system.
More Heat coverage:
Here is the Heat’s complete regular season schedule:
On the NHL ice, George Richards has all the latest on the Panthers, as they conclude their road trip against the Calgary Flames tnight. The team will be back home to take on the Philadelphia Flyers on Monday.
In boxing, Manny Pacquiao takes on Brandon Rios on Saturday Night. ESPN’s Dan Rafael brings us his take:
Here is Santos Perez’ weekly boxing spotlight column from the Miami Herald:
PERSONAL QUESTION: Can someone please explain to me why the Miami Herald Sports Department has a “PRO WRESTLING EDITOR” (Jim Varsallone)? Hasn’t the Herald figured out that Pro Wrestling is only entertainment, and not a real competition sport? Do they also have “SANTA CLAUS, EASTER BUNNY, AND TOOTH FAIRY EDITORS?
I enjoy watching professional wrestling, and I agree that wrestlers are tremendous athletes, but the fights are staged and the results are preplanned. The Herald needs to step it up when it comes to their boxing coverage. They’re boxing coverage is pathetic, and they are totally underutilizing one of the most talented boxing writers in the industry in Santos Perez. C’mon, Herald! Get with the program!
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THE ANSWER TO TODAY’S TRIVIA QUESTION: We’ll stay in the NFL today. The list of pass receivers in NFL history in yards gained is headed by the incomparable Jerry Rice, who not only gained 22,895 receiving yards, but also hauled in an incredible 197 TD passes. Who are the top three ACTIVE receivers in career yardage?
Tony Gonzalez of the Atlanta Falcons leads all active receivers with 14,879 yards. The next two on the active list are two guys that I had the pleasure of covering and getting to know very well when they were at the University of Miami - Reggie Wayne (13,566 yards) and Andre Johnson (12,220 yards).
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