There are only 14 shopping days until Christmas, and counting. What are you waiting for?
The Dolphins are tied with Baltimore with 7-6 records as they fight for the sixth and final playoff spot, but the Ravens have the tiebreaker advantage. For all intents and purposes, the post season is NOW for the Fins. Next opponent for the Fins are the New England Patriots here at the Seven Names Stadium next Sunday, while the Ravens travel to Detroit for a Monday night encounter with the Detroit Lions.
Regardless of what the odds are, the Fins are still going to need help and they need to take care of business and win their games.
Here is the remaining regular season schedule for the Fins:
12/15 New England 1:00 pm CBS
12/22 @ Buffalo 1:00 pm CBS
12/29 NY Jets 1:00 pm CBS
Here’s more on the Dolphins:
More on the Dolphins from Armando Salguero:
In last night’s Monday Night Extravaganza on ESPN, I told you to expect offensive fireworks between the Dallas Cowboys and the Chicago Bears. The Dallas defense, however, showed that they are much, much worse than I expected, as they allowed the Bears to score on their first eight possessions. The Bears beat the Cowboys 45-28. Josh McCown threw four touchdown passes and continues to thrive in Coach Marc Trestman’s offensive system.
Here is this week’s schedule in the NFL, along with the early lines. I finished last week 4-3. My record so far this season is 51-43-4 against the spread, and 58–40 straight up.
THURSDAY
San Diego @ Denver +10 ½ 8:30 pm NFL NETWORK
SUNDAY
New England @ Dolphins +2 1:00 pm CBS
Houston @ Indianapolis -6 1:00 pm CBS
Buffalo @ Jacksonville +2 1:00 pm CBS
Washington @ Atlanta -6 1:00 pm FOX
Chicago @ Cleveland -1 ½ 1:00 pm FOX
Philadelphia @ Minnesota +4 ½ 1:00 pm FOX
Seattle @ NY Giants +7 1:00 pm FOX
San Francisco @ Tampa Bay +4 ½ 1:00 pm FOX
Kansas City @ Oakland +4 ½ 4:05 pm CBS
NY Jets @ Carolina -12 4:05 pm CBS
Green Bay @ Dallas NO LINE 4:25 pm FOX
Arizona @ Tennessee +3 4:25 pm FOX
New Orleans @ St. Louis +5 ½ 4:25 pm FOX
Cincinnati @ Pittsburgh +3 8:30 pm NBC
MONDAY NIGHT
Baltimore @ Detroit -6 8:30 pm ESPN
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.
In baseball:
The Hall of Fame selection committee definitely got it right in selecting Bobby Cox, Tony La Russa, and Bobby Cox to the Hall of Fame. However, they definitely got it wrong by not selecting Yankee owner George Steinbrenner and former head of the players’ union Marvin Miller to the Hall.
TODAY’S TRIVIA QUESTION: Tony La Russa (2,728), Bobby Cox (2,504), and Joe Torre (2,326) are numbers 3-5 in all time managerial wins in MLB history. Connie Mack leads the list with 3,731 wins and John McGraw is second with 2,763. Who leads the active managers heading into the 2014 season in all-time wins? The answer comes later, alligator.
One of the class acts and great pitchers in recent history, Roy Halladay, signed a one-day contract with the Toronto Blue Jays and announced his retirement after sixteen seasons in the major leagues with the Blue Jays and the Philadelphia Phillies. Halladay was 203-205 with a 3.38 ERA, including a perfect game against the Marlins here at the Seven Names Stadium.
The MLB winter meetings are underway today in Orlando, and we are seeing a number of teams setting the groundwork to make some deals.
Some things I am hearing:
The Marlins are going to trade Logan Morrison. That is a given. Where and what they get in return is to be determined.
MY TAKE: This trade is going to be a barometer for me on how Michael Hill and Dan Jennings are doing in their new jobs. Trading a player who is at his lowest value is never easy.
Expect the Tigers to make a move. They freed themselves of the albatross Prince Fiedler contract, and that allows them to move Miguel Cabrera to first base and opens third base for hotshot prospect Nick Castellanos.
The Yankees need to try and fill the gaping hole left by Robinson Cano at second base, and they have been in negotiations with our old friend Omar Infante. They also need to upgrade their pitching. One need they will probably not be able to address during the winter meetings is third base. The Alex Rodriguez situation needs to play out, and once attorneys get involved, you know that will become a long, drawn-out affair.
The Dodgers are looking to trade outfielder Matt Kemp. There are a lot of teams kicking the tires.
The Cubs are dangling starting pitcher Jeff Samardzija out there, and the Yankees and the Atlanta Braves are among the teams that are very interested. It all depends on what the Cubs demand in return.
On the Marlins front,
The Marlins introduced Jarod Saltalamacchia yesterday and already signed free agent first baseman Garrett Jones to a two-year deal, pending his physical. Jones is a platoon-type guy, as indicated by his career .193 batting average against left-handed pitching. In his five seasons with the Pirates, he hit .254, 100 homers, and drove in 330 runs. The Marlins are actively looking at trading Logan Morrison,and there are a few teams that have shown interest.
Jarrod Saltalamacchia is very happy:
Here’s the latest buzz from the winter meetings:
Marlins’ pitchers and catchers report February 16th, position players arrive February 20th, and the spring training games begin February 26th, when the Fish play the University of Miami Hurricanes. They will then play the FIU Panthers on the 27th. Both of those games will be in Jupiter.
Here is the complete preseason schedule for the Fish:
In college football,
Six finalists were named Heisman Trophy finalists yesterday. The group includes last year’s winner, QB Johnny Manziel of Texas A&M, Alabama QB A. J. McCarron of Alabama, QB Jordan Lynch of Northern Illinois, FSU QB Jameis Winston of Florida State, running back Tre Mason of Auburn, and Boston College’s running back Andre Williams.
MY TAKE: Two big “IFS” - - - IF Alabama hadn’t lost to Auburn on that freak play at the end of their game, and IF I had a Heisman vote, I would have voted for A. J. McCarron. That being said, my non-existent vote would now go to Jameis Winston of Florida State, who I fully anticipate and expect will take home the hardware.
The BCS National Championship game will have the Florida State Seminoles squaring off against the Auburn Tigers in Pasadena on January 6th. The rest of the bowl schedule is here, including a good one in the Orange Bowl Classic, where we will see the Clemson Tigers and Ohio State Buckeyes do battle at the Seven Names Stadium.
Manny Navarro and Susan Miller Degnan have the latest from Coral Gables.
Here’s the latest from FIU. David J. Neal of the Herald has the details:
Here’s the latest from Tallahassee and #1-ranked FSU:
From Gainesville and the University of Florida:
Moving to the hardwood:
The Miami Heat are in Indianapolis, where they will face the team with the best record in the East so far this season, the Indiana Pacers. Indiana is 13-3, the Heat are 16-5. Incredible as it may sound, the Pacers and the Heat are two of only three teams in the Eastern Conference that have winning records. The Atlanta Hawks are 11-10. Tonight’s game is the first game of the four-game season series between these two teams, and it is their first meeting since Miami eliminated Indiana in game seven of the Eastern Conference Finals last season. Indiana won last year;s regular season series 2 games to 1, and have won the last three regular season meetings at home. The Pacers are returning home after a five-game road trip, and the Heat are playing the final game of a four-game trip. Never easy to win in Indianapolis, where the Pacers are 9-0 this season. After tonight’s game, the Heat will have a few days off before they welcome the Cleveland Cavaliers to the AAA on Saturday night.
The Heat’s upcoming schedule of games for the remainder of 2013:
Heat @ Pacers Tue 12/10 7:00 pm Sun Sports
Cavaliers @ Heat Sat 12/14 7:30 pm Sun Sports
Jazz @ Heat Mon 12/16 7:30 pm Sun Sports
Pacers @ Heat Wed 12/18 7:00 pm Sun Sports
Kings @ Heat Fri 12/20 7:30 pm Sun Sports
Hawks @ Heat Mon 12/23 7:30 pm Sun Sports
Heat @ Lakers Christmas Day 5:00 pm ABC
Heat @ Trailblazers Sat 12/28 10:00 pm Sun Sports
Heat @ Nuggets Mon 12/30 9:00 pm Sun Sports
More Heat coverage:
Here is the Heat’s complete regular season schedule:
On the NHL ice, the Panthers take to the ice again tonight, as they welcome the Red Wings to the BB&T Center. They will drop the puck at 7:30 pm, and you can watch the game on Fox Sports Florida on your cable or satellite system.
In boxing news,
Here is Santos Perez’ weekly boxing spotlight column from the Miami Herald:
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I’m selling three lots totaling a little over five acres in the beautiful North Carolina mountains, overlooking the New River, a quick 35-minute drive from Boone and Blowing Rock. Click here to see some photos and feel free to contact me if you have any questions:
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THE ANSWER TO TODAY’S TRIVIA QUESTION: Tony La Russa (2,728), Bobby Cox (2,504), and Joe Torre (2,326) are numbers 3-5 in all time managerial wins in MLB history. Connie Mack leads the list with 3,731 wins and John McGraw is second with 2,763. Who leads the active managers heading into the 2014 season in all-time wins?
Bruce Bochy 1,530
Mike Scioscia 1,233
Buck Showalter 1,163
Terry Francona 1,121
Behave yourselves, and always remember that tomorrow will bring us a brand new day.
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