Let’s start off today with the NBA, and, late last night, the Miami Heat obviously forgot that the NBA game is 48 minutes. Miami led Portland by as many as 13 points, including a 52-39 advantage at half time. The Trailblazers managed to rally, and tied the game at 82 with just over four minutes left in the game. Wesley Mathews hit the game-winning three-pointer with 26.9 seconds left in the contest, handing the Heat their second straight loss on this long road trip, 92-90. LeBron James’ streak of consecutive games with more than 20 points ended at 54 straight. LeBron scored only 15 points, with 10 rebounds and nine assists. Chris Bosh scored 29 points and Dwyane Wade finished with 18. Next game for the Heat is tomorrow night at Sacramento against the Kings. Tipoff is at 10:00 pm. Next up on this trip are the Utah Jazz (Mon, Jan 14), the Golden State Warriors (Wed, Jan 16), before the Heat close out their trip the next night in Los Angeles against the Lakers.
In the NBA yesterday,
Indiana 81 New York 76
The Pacers continue to play well, winning their fifth game in the last six. Paul George led the way with 24 points, 11 rebounds, 6 steals, and five assists.
Dallas 117 Sacramento 112 (OT)
OJ Mayo had 24 points, 10 rebounds, and five assists. Shawn Marion posted 19 points and 10 rebounds for the Mavs, who snapped a four-game losing streak.
TONIGHT’S GAMES:
Charlotte @ Toronto 7:00 pm
Houston @ Boston 7:30 pm
Phoenix @ Brooklyn 7:30 pm
Utah @ Atlanta 7:30 pm
Chicago @ New York 8:00 pm ESPN
San Antonio @ Memphis 8:00 pm
Minnesota @ New Orleans 8:00 pm
Detroit @ Milwaukee 8:30 pm
Cleveland @ Denver 9:00 pm
Oklahoma City @ LA Lakers 10:30 pm ESPN
Portland @ Golden State 10:30 pm
The NFL Playoffs continue this weekend with two games on Saturday and two on Sunday.
SATURDAY
Baltimore Ravens @ Denver Broncos
Den -9.5
4:30 pm CBS (Channel 4 in Miami)
I’ll go with Denver in this one. Ray Lewis and his defensive teammates will keep it close for a while, but it’ll end up being too much Peyton Manning for the Ravens and too much Denver defense for Joe Flacco.
Green Bay Packers @ San Francisco 49ers
SF -3
8:00 pm FOX (Channel 7 in Miami)
My upset special this weekend. This is the game where it finally catches up with the 49ers and their young QB Colin Kaepernick. Aaron Rodgers is ready to make up for last season’s playoff disappointment. I’ll take the Packers and the points.
SUNDAY
Seattle Seahawks @ Atlanta Falcons
Atl -1
1:00 pm FOX (Channel 7 in Miami)
The Falcons at home are a tough bunch. Their defense will control rookie QB Russell Wilson and RB Marshawn Lynch, while Matt Ryan and his stellar receivers, Julio Jones, Roddy White, and Tony Gonzalez do the damage. Watch for Falcons running back Jacquizz Rodgers do some damage out of the backfield. I’ll stick with the Falcons.
Houston Texans @ New England Patriots
NE -9.5
4:30 pm CBS (Channel 4 in Miami)
Houston has no chance in this game, right? The Patriots have Tom Brady, Wes Welker, Rob Gronkowski and the rest of the NFL’s #1 offense, and they have the best coach in the game in Bill Belichick. Brady is 10-2 as a starter at home in the playoffs, but his last loss came two years ago in this same round when they lost to a New York Jets team they had defeated earlier 45-3. I’m taking the Texans and the points.
The Cleveland Browns hired Rob Chudzinski as their new head coach. Chudzinski, who played at the University of Miami and was the offensive coordinator of the Carolina Panthers the last two years, becomes the sixth head coach for the Browns since 1999. Watch him go and get former San Diego head coach Norv Turner to join him as his offensive coordinator. In other NFL coaching news, as I reported here yesterday, the Jacksonville Jaguars fired head coach Mike Mularkey, making it a total of eight coaches to lose their jobs after the season. We’ll continue to show the list of casualties in the NFL until replacements are final:
Arizona Cardinals fired Ken Whisenhunt
Buffalo Bills fired Chan Gailey, HIRED
DOUG MARRONE
Chicago Bears fired Lovie Smith
Cleveland Browns fired Pat Schurmur, HIRED
ROB CHUDZINSKI
Jacksonville Jaguars fired Mike Mularkey
Jacksonville Jaguars fired Mike Mularkey
Kansas City Chiefs fired Romeo Crennel,
HIRED ANDY REID
Philadelphia Eagles fired Andy Reid
San Diego Chargers fired Norv Turner
Former FIU head coach Mario Cristobal will return to his roots next season. He joins Al Golden’s coaching staff at the University of Miami as associate head coach in charge of tight ends. Mario had the opportunity to join the Tampa Bay Buccaneers staff as an assistant for Greg Schiano, but again decided he preferred to remain in Miami. Goes to show you that you can’t keep a good man down. FIU’s loss is Miami’s gain.
TODAY’S TRIVIA QUESTION: While we’re talking the “U” . . . The University of Miami first played football in 1926, a freshman team that went 8-0 under the guidance of Howard Buck. That UM team played a home and home series, one game on Thanksgiving Day, and the other on Christmas Day, against what team? The answer will definitely surprise you. Tell you later, alligator.
In baseball news, MLB and the Player’s Association agreed to add in-season blood testing for HGH (Human Growth Hormones) to determine abnormal levels of testosterone. This is in addition to the already existing guidelines for urine tests for other performance-enhancing substances. Now we can look forward for more players to get caught.
Today’s article of the day comes from ESPN’s Jayson Stark, who takes a deeper look into the Hall of Fame voting in 2013.
Dear Santa Claus Tooth Fairy Cupid Easter Bunny Jeffrey Loria and minions:
What do you mean, you still haven’t sold the team? Christmas came and went! The New Year is here!!! What are you waiting for? The Super Bowl? Valentine’s day? Easter? Next year’s HOF election?
Your inept management allowed the Marlins farm system to deteriorate to the point of being horrible, and now have dismantled the major league roster while pissing off the players on the roster and the entire South Florida community. How soon before you get rid of Giancarlo Stanton for another group of so-called prospects? You allow your management to continue the policy of “sell low and buy high”. Please sell the team so we can once again enjoy baseball in Miami.
All kidding aside, your window of opportunity to get out of town is opening up in just a few weeks. The five-year anniversary of the Marlins and Miami-Dade County agreement for the baseball stadium is coming up on February 21, 2013. After that time, the “penalty” for selling the team is only 5%, a mere pittance, based on a $250 million value of the team. You’ve already saved much more than that on the salary dump this season alone. Of course, you and your minions have already decided not to field a quality major league roster this coming season, hopefully setting up the sale of the team.
We’ll continue to keep our fingers crossed and light a candle in the meantime.
Here’s the answer to today’s question: The University of Miami first played football in 1926, a freshman team that went 8-0 under the guidance of Howard Buck. That UM team played a home and home series, one game on Thanksgiving Day, and the other on Christmas Day, against what team? The Hurricanes defeated the University of Havana (La Universidad de la Habana) both times, first in Coral Gables on Thanksgiving Day, and in Havana on Christmas Day.
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Behave yourselves, and always remember that tomorrow will bring us a brand new day. HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND!
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