The Heat season is over, and the San Antonio Spurs are, once again, on top of the basketball world, winning the NBA Championship for the fifth time, their first since 2007.
The Spurs totally dominated the Heat in the finals, and they dominated every playoff opponent this year, winning their games by an average margin of 17 points.
The best team in the NBA since the Bulls of the 90’s, the Spurs have made the playoffs for 17 consecutive years, and won at least 50 regular season games in every one of those years, except the lockout-shortened 1999 season, when the entire season lasted only 50 games. I would be remiss if I didn’t repeat something I have harped on for a long time . . . Gregg Popovich is the best coach in the NBA, hands down. No one is a close second.
Losing a finals series to the Spurs is not an embarrassment.
What is next for the Heat? The local media talks about it:
My take: I truly don’t believe that the big three will not be here next season. They’ll be back. I don’t buy any of the rumors that LeBron will bolt to LA, Charlotte, New York, Dallas, or back to Cleveland. I also don’t believe that the Heat will bring in Carmelo Anthony. The Heat, specifically Pat Riley and Coach Erik Spoelstra, need to tweak the team and the system to help LeBron out. The Spurs exposed some of the Heat’s weaknesses in this series. I’m just glad there is only one Spurs team in the league, and that they play in the Western Conference.
Let’s go to MLB.
TODAY’S TRIVIA QUESTION: Tony Gwynn, who passed away on Monday at the age of 54, was the last player to have a legitimate shot at hitting .400 in a season. More on that later. Who was the last player to hit .400 in the major leagues? The answer comes later, alligator.
Another nail-biter for the Marlins on Monday night, as they fell in 13 innings to the Chicago Cubs, 5-4. The Fish are still in the middle of the dogfight that is the NL East. The Braves lead the division by ½ game over the Nats, and one game ahead of the Marlins.
Here are the probable pitchers for the rest of the Cubs series and the opener against the New York Metropolitans on Thursday:
Tuesday Jeff Samardzija vs Anthony DeSclafani 7:10 pm
Wednesday Jake Arrieta vs Nathan Eovaldi 12:40 pm
Thursday Zack Wheeler vs Andrew Heaney 7:10 pm
A lot of moves with the Marlins, as they brought up top prospects Andrew Heaney and Anthony DeSclanfani and they will be incorporated into the five-man starting rotation immediately. Randy Wolf and Kevin Slowey were designated for assignment, while Jacob Turner will assume the long-relief role in the Marlins bullpen. DeSclafani will start on Tuesday against the Cubs, while Heaney takes the ball on Thursday in the series opener against the Metropolitans.
OF Christian Yelich was placed on the 15-day DL with a back injury, and the Fish recalled OF Jake Marisnick to replace him. First Baseman Justin Bour will rejoin the team as well, while Donovan Solano was sent down to AAA New Orleans to make room on the roster.
Click below for yesterday’s recaps and results in the major leagues:
Here are the standings in MLB:
Today’s complete schedule in the major leagues:
Here are the individual leaders in the majors:
Some other things I’m keeping my eye on around the diamonds:
A sad day in baseball, as Hall of Famer Tony Gwynn passed away from cancer at the age of 54. Gwynn’s .338 batting average over 20 ML seasons is the highest since Ted Williams retired from the Boston Red Sox in 1960 with a .344 average. Gwynn won 8 NL batting titles and ended his career with 3,141 hits. I still remember the 1994 season, when he was headed to become the first player since Ted Williams to finish the season hitting .400. On August 11th of that year, Gwynn was hitting .394. Of course, that was the day that the players went on strike, costing Mr. Padre a .400 season. A great ambassador for baseball and a great person. He will be missed.
More from MLB:
Let us move on to the Miami Dolphins and the NFL.
Here’s more on the Miami Dolphins from Armando Salguero:
Chris Perkins and Omar Kelly bring us their Dolphin blog:
The countdown is on until the Dolphins take the field. Their first preseason game is just over two months away. Here are both the Preseason and Regular Season schedules:
2014 MIAMI DOLPHINS Preseason schedule:
Aug. 8 at Atlanta Falcons (Fri) 7:00 pm
Aug. 16 at Tampa Bay Bucs (Sat) 7:00 pm
Aug. 23 Dallas Cowboys (Sat) 7:00 pm
Aug. 28 St. Louis Rams (Thu) 7:00 pm
Aug. 16 at Tampa Bay Bucs (Sat) 7:00 pm
Aug. 23 Dallas Cowboys (Sat) 7:00 pm
Aug. 28 St. Louis Rams (Thu) 7:00 pm
2014 MIAMI DOLPHINS Regular Season schedule:
Sep. 7 New England Patriots 1:00 pm
Sep. 14 at Buffalo Bills 1:00 pm
Sep. 21 Kansas City Chiefs 4:25 pm
Sep. 28 at Oakland Raiders (London) 6:00 pm
Sep. 14 at Buffalo Bills 1:00 pm
Sep. 21 Kansas City Chiefs 4:25 pm
Sep. 28 at Oakland Raiders (London) 6:00 pm
Oct. 5 BYE
Oct. 12 Green Bay Packers 1:00 pm
Oct. 19 at Chicago Bears 1:00 pm
Oct. 26 at Jacksonville Jaguars 1:00 pm
Nov. 2 San Diego Chargers 1:00 pm
Nov. 9 at Detroit Lions 1:00 pm
Nov. 13 Buffalo Bills (Thu) 8:25 pm
Nov. 23 at Denver Broncos 4:25 pm
Oct. 12 Green Bay Packers 1:00 pm
Oct. 19 at Chicago Bears 1:00 pm
Oct. 26 at Jacksonville Jaguars 1:00 pm
Nov. 2 San Diego Chargers 1:00 pm
Nov. 9 at Detroit Lions 1:00 pm
Nov. 13 Buffalo Bills (Thu) 8:25 pm
Nov. 23 at Denver Broncos 4:25 pm
Dec. 1 at New York Jets (Mon) 8:30 pm
Dec. 7 Baltimore Ravens 1:00 pm
Dec. 14 at New England Patriots 1:00 pm
Dec. 21 Minnesota Vikings 1:00 pm
Dec. 28 New York Jets 1:00 pm
Dec. 7 Baltimore Ravens 1:00 pm
Dec. 14 at New England Patriots 1:00 pm
Dec. 21 Minnesota Vikings 1:00 pm
Dec. 28 New York Jets 1:00 pm
For more from around the NFL, here is NFL NATION:
Of course, we can all continue to sleep at night, knowing full well that Aaron Hernandez remains in jail, where he belongs.
From around the universities,
The University of Miami added a quarterback to their team. The Canes are trying to find a replacement for last year’s starter, Stephen Morris. Ryan Williams, who was expected to be the starting QB, is recovering from a knee injury, they only have redshirt freshman Kevin Olsen, sophomore Gray Crow, and incoming freshmen Brad Kaaya and Malik Rosier in line. Meet Jake Heaps, a former top-notch recruit who is transferring from Kansas:
Manny Navarro and Susan Miller Degnan have more from the University of Miami.
From FIU, David J. Neal of the Herald has the latest in his blog:
Here’s the latest from Tallahassee and the Seminoles:
From Gainesville and the University of Florida:
The Central Florida Knights are in the house:
In other sports,
There is some sort of soccer thing going on. I hear the American team won a game. Here is the latest from Brazil:
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THE ANSWER TO TODAY’S TRIVIA QUESTION: Tony Gwynn, who passed away on Monday at the age of 54, was the last player to have a legitimate shot at hitting .400 in a season. Who was the last player to hit .400 in the major leagues?
The incomparable Ted Williams, the Splendid Splinter, hit .406 in 1941.
Behave yourselves, and always remember that tomorrow will bring us a brand new day.
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