TGIF!!! The Miami Heat welcome the LA Clippers to the AAA tonight, in the first of two games this weekend against the teams from the City of Angels. The Clips arrive having lost seven out of their last ten games, but they are hoping to have all their stars on the floor tonight against the Heat. Chris Paul, Blake Griffin, Chauncey Billups, and Jamal Crawford have all been fighting injuries. All four practiced yesterday, and their status for tonight will be a game-time decision. The Heat, meanwhile, have won 8 out of 10, and are 20-3 at the AAA. Chris Bosh missed Wednesday’s game because of the flu, but he is expected back for tonight’s game. Game time is at 8:00 pm, and the game will be televised by Sun Sports and ESPN. Kobe Bryant and the LA Lakers visit the AAA on Sunday afternoon. Tipoff on Sunday will be at 3:30 pm. You can watch that game on ABC, Channel 10 in South Florida.
In the NBA yesterday, only two games:
Boston 116 LA Lakers 95
Paul Pierce led the way with 24 points, seven rebounds, and 6 assists. The Celtics are 6-0 since Rajon Rondo suffered a season-ending knee injury.
Denver 128 Chicago 96
Wilson Chandler scored 24 points, Kenneth Faried added 21 points and 12 rebounds.
TONIGHT’S GAMES:
LA Clippers @ Miami 8:00 pm Sun Sports & ESPN
Brooklyn @ Washington 7:00 pm
LA Lakers @ Charlotte 7:00 pm
Toronto @ Indiana 7:00 pm
New Orleans @ Atlanta 7:30 pm
San Antonio @ Detroit 7:30 pm
Orlando @ Cleveland 7:30 pm
Golden State @ Memphis 8:00 pm
Portland @ Houston 8:00 pm
Phoenix @ Oklahoma City 8:00 pm
New York @ Minnesota 8:00 pm
Chicago @ Utah 10:30 pm ESPN
In college hoops, the #8-ranked University of Miami Hurricanes take on the North Carolina Tar Heels at the BankUnited Center tomorrow afternoon at 2:00 pm, and you can watch the game on ESPN on your cable or satellite system. If they are able to defeat the Tar Heels, look for the Canes to possibly move into the top five.
The FIU basketball team are looking much better than they have the last few years, and last night they destroyed their neighbors from Boca Raton, Florida Atlantic, by a score of 84-65. The win was the first for the Panthers over the Owls since 2009. FIU improved to 13-10, 8-6 in the Sun Belt Conference. The Panthers are on their way to North Texas to take on the Mean Green on tomorrow night at 8:00 pm.
Rivals.com ranked the University of Miami signing class #44 in the country, while FIU was ranked #111 out of 123 total schools. Alabama had the top rated class in the country, followed by Ohio State, Notre Dame, Florida, and Michigan. Florida State was #9 in these rankings. Ask me about the rankings for this particular class in 3 or 4 years. In case you missed them, here are the breakdowns for each of the local teams:
Miami Hurricanes
FIU Panthers
Florida Gators
Florida State Seminoles
Here is the follow-up to yesterday’s story of South Plantation High School running back Alex Collins. Check out what happened right here:
TODAY’S TRIVIA QUESTION: To celebrate Babe Ruth’s and Ronald Reagan’s birthdays earlier this week, (February 6th) we have a two-part question today. (1) What team did Babe Ruth hit is first major league home run against? (2) Ronald Reagan played a major league pitcher in a movie. Who was the player? Tell you later, alligator.
In baseball, pitchers, catchers, and injured players report in four days. This is earlier than usual, as many major league players will be participating in the World Baseball Classic, which begins on March 2nd.
In other news around the major leagues,
The Seattle Mariners made pitcher Felix Hernandez a very rich man, signing a five-year extension worth $135.5 million, covering from 2015-2019. The last two years of his existing contract remain intact, so King Felix will end up making $175 million total over the next seven years. The Mariners also signed free agent pitcher Joe Saunders to a one-year deal.
Infielder Mike Aviles and the Cleveland Indians avoided the arbitration process by agreeing to a two-year, $6 million contract.
Only 10 players remain from the original group of over 200 with pending arbitration hearings. Here is a list:
Jason Hammel filed for $8.25MM, Orioles countered with $5.7MM
Jim Johnson filed for $7.1MM, Orioles countered with $5.7MM
Darren O’Day filed for $3.2MM, Orioles countered with $1.8MM
Shin-Soo Choo filed for $8MM, Reds countered with $6.75MM
Mat Latos filed for $4.7MM, Reds countered with $4.15MM
Homer Bailey filed for $5.8MM, Reds countered with $4.75MM
Jordan Zimmerman filed for $5.8MM, Nationals countered with $4.6MM
Clayton Richard filed for $5.55MM, Padres countered with $4.905MM
Dexter Fowler filed for $5.15MM, Rockies countered with $4.25MM
David Freese filed for $3.75MM, Cardinals countered with $2.4MM
Congratulations to the Miami Herald and the rest of the local sports media for reporting a couple of days ago that a group headed by former Florida governor Jeb Bush was trying to buy the Marlins.
Someone needs to wake up and smell the coffee: I reported this in this blog TWO MONTHS AGO!
Furthermore, the Herald’s crack staff (Barry Jackson) ended the story saying that “A longtime official in MLB’s offices said MLB always has hoped the Marlins would someday have an owner with deeper pockets than Loria”. Really, Barry? Is that all you’ve got?
Here’s what I know: MLB is continuing its efforts to “persuade” the Marlins ownership to sell to Governor Bush and his group. (Maybe a financial incentive?) We’ve already seen how MLB is willing to punish South Florida as long as Jeffrey Loria owns the team.
Dear Jeffrey Loria and minions:
You're still here?!?!? What do you mean, you still haven’t sold the team? What are you waiting for now? Valentine’s day? Easter? Next year’s HOF election? Haven't you done enough damage already? Baseball fans in South Florida need a Marlins owner that loves the game of baseball, and doesn’t just love owning a team. We need an owner that wants to win, not one that just treats it only as a money-making business.
Stay alert out there, Mr. Loria. Your window of opportunity to get out of town is opening up in just a few days. 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. (I’m sure MLB is willing to cough up the 5% just to get you out of their hair.)
We’ll continue to keep our fingers crossed and light a candle in the meantime.
Here’s the answer to today’s question: To celebrate Babe Ruth’s and Ronald Reagan’s birthdays earlier this week, (February 6th) we have a two-part question today. (1) What team did Babe Ruth hit is first major league home run against? (2) Ronald Reagan played a major league pitcher in a movie. Who was the player?
(1) Babe Ruth’s first major league home run came on May 6, 1915 against the New York Yankees. Remember, the Sultan of Swat started his career as a pitcher with the Boston Red Sox.
(2) President Reagan played the role of hall-of-fame pitcher Grover Cleveland Alexander in the 1952 movie, “The Winning Team”. Doris Day played his wife in the movie.
Don’t miss my two “Descarga Deportiva” segments (for the Spanish-challenged, “Sports Jam Session”) every day, Monday through Friday, at 9:25 am and 12:15 pm on Radio Esperanza, 1550 AM or on the internet on www.miradioesperanza.com.
The 9:25 am segment on Radio Esperanza is brought to you by the fine folks at La Lechonera Products. The inventors of the original mojo criollo way back in 1970, also offer the BEST naranja agria (sour orange marinade) product on the market, along with the latest additions to the family - the SALSA PICANTE (hot sauces, both HOT and EXTRA HOT), SALSA DE ALITAS (Buffalo Wings Sauce) and the truly incredible SALSA PICANTE con AJO (Garlic Pepper Sauce - Sriracha). Look for all the La Lechonera products at Publix, Winn Dixie, Sedano’s, Presidente, and GFS. If they don’t have it where you shop, ask nicely the first time, then use whatever means necessary to make sure they start offering the complete line of products. Go to www.lalechoneraproducts.com and LIKE them on Facebook. Check out some great recipes!
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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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