Happy Tuesday!
DON'T FORGET . . . CALL ME FOR ALL YOUR REAL ESTATE NEEDS IN THE VILLAGES AND OCALA AREA.
What a difference a week makes!
The Dolphins beat the living tar out of the Oakland Raiders in London, 38-14. After consecutive 19-point losses, this was truly refreshing. It was so bad that the Raiders fired head coach Dennis Allen after the loss. The possible replacements, at least in the interim, are their offensive line coach (and former Dolphins head coach) Tony Sparano and their offensive coordinator (and former Cleveland Brown head coach and former UM offensive coordinator) Greg Olson. If it were my decision, I would put Greg Olson in the position immediately and give him time to right that ship. I felt he did not get a fair shake in Cleveland and deserves another opportunity. Better him than giving the job on an interim basis to Tony Soprano.
PERSONAL NOTE: Since these are the Raiders, look for them to do the total opposite of what I would do, thus expect them to hire Sparano. Their recent track record does indicate that their front office decision makers aren’t the sharpest knives in the drawer.
Back to the Fins. QB Ryan Tannehill had a whale of a game against the woeful Raiders. Tannehill apparently was able to put on his big-boy pants and let his game speak for itself. He completed 23 of 31 passes for 278 yards, two TD’s and one interception. Lamar Miller, once again, played well at RB, carrying the ball 12 times for 64 yards and two touchdowns. Overall, the Fins ran 35 times for 157 yards.
The Dolphins will get to savor this victory with a bye week before returning to the Seven Names Stadium against Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers on Sunday, October 12.
How did I do on my picks this past week?
I went 4-3. My record now, after four weeks, is a lofty 20-9 against the spread.
My winners and losers are highlighted:
(HOME TEAM IN CAPS):
Thursday
Giants 45, REDSKINS 14
Sunday
Dolphins 38 RAIDERS 14 (London)
Packers 38 BEARS 17
RAVENS 38 Panthers 10
VIKINGS 41 Falcons 28
COWBOYS 38 Saints 17
Monday Night
CHIEFS 41 Patriots 14
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Here are all of last weekend’s game recaps and scores:
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 25
Giants 45 REDSKINS 14
Eli Manning tossed three of his four touchdown passes to Larry Donnell, who became the first Giants tight end to haul in three TD passes in a game in 52 years. Manning, completed 28-of-39 passes for 300 yards.
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 28
RAVENS 38 Panthers 10
Steve Smith Sr. hauled in two touchdown passes against his former team. Joe Flacco completed 22-of-31 passes for 327 yards and three scores. Justin Forsett and Lorenzo Taliaferro split the carries for Baltimore and combined for 124 yards with one touchdown apiece.
Packers 38 BEARS 17
Aaron Rodgers threw for 302 yards with four touchdowns. Randall Cobb had 113 yards on seven receptions with two touchdowns and Jordy Nelson hauled in 10 passes for 108 yards and two scores.
TEXANS 23 Bills 17
J.J. Watt had a 80-yard interception return touchdown. Randy Bullock kicked three second-half field goals, including a 55-yarder. DeAndre Hopkins hauled in a 35-yard touchdown pass from Ryan Fitzpatrick.
COLTS 41 Titans 17
Andrew Luck threw four touchdown passes for the second straight week, completing 29-of-41 passes for 393 yards. Reggie Wayne caught seven passes for 119 yards and one touchdown, while T.Y. Hilton hauled in six passes for 105 yards.
Lions 24 JETS 17
Matthew Stafford had two touchdown passes and ran for another score. Stafford went 24-for-34 for 293 yards and had touchdown passes to Jeremy Ross and Eric Ebron.
Buccaneers 27 STEELERS 24
Mike Glennon threw a 5-yard touchdown pass to Vincent Jackson with seven seconds remaining in the game as Tampa Bay picked up its first win of the season. Glennon, playing in place of Josh McCown, was 21- of-42 for 302 yards with two touchdowns and an interception.
CHARGERS 33 Jaguars 14
Philip Rivers completed 29 of his 39 passes for three touchdowns and 377 yards. Eddie Royal caught two touchdown passes and racked up 105 yards on five catches and Keenan Allen had a career- high 135 yards on 10 grabs. Nick Novak made four field goals.
VIKINGS 41 Falcons 28
Teddy Bridgewater, making his first NFL start, passed for 317 yards and ran for a touchdown. RB Matt Asiata scored three times and Jerick McKinnon rushed for 135 yards.
49ERS 26 Eagles 21
Frank Gore carried the ball 24 times for 119 yards and had a career-long 55- yard touchdown catch. Colin Kaepernick was 17-of-30 for 218 yards with two touchdowns.
COWBOYS 38 Saints 17
DeMarco Murray ran for 149 yards and two touchdowns and now leads the NFL with 534 yards on the ground. He has gone over 100 yards rushing in each of his first four games. Tony Romo was 22-of-29 for 262 yards and three touchdowns.
Monday, September 29
CHIEFS 41 Patriots 14
Jamaal Charles returned from a sprained right ankle and scored three touchdowns as the Chiefs routed the Patriots, 41-14. Charles carried the ball 18 times for 92 yards and added three receptions for 16 yards and Knile Davis posted 107 yards on 16 totes. Alex Smith completed 20-of-26 passes for 248 yards and three touchdowns, The Patriots suffered their worst defeat since losing to San Diego 41-17 in 2005.
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Here are this week’s NFL games and early point spreads:
Thursday, October 3rd
Vikings @ PACKERS -9 8:30 pm CBS
Sunday, October 5th
Bears @ PANTHERS -3 1:00 pm FOX
Falcons @ GIANTS -4 1:00 pm FOX
Buccaneers @ SAINTS -11 1:00 pm FOX
Bills @ LIONS -7 1:00 pm FOX
Rams @ EAGLES -7 1:00 pm FOX
Texans @ COWBOYS -4 1:00 pm CBS
Browns @ TITANS -1 ½ 1:00 pm CBS
Ravens @ COLTS -3 ½ 1:00 pm CBS
Steelers @ JAGUARS -7 1:00 pm CBS
Cards @ Broncos -7 4:05 pm FOX
Chiefs @ 49ERS -6 ½ 4:25 pm CBS
Jets @ CHARGERS -6 4:25 pm CBS
Bengals @ PATRIOTS +2 8:30 pm NBC
Monday, October 6th
Seahawks @ REDSKINS +7 ½ 8:30 pm ESPN
The bye teams this week:
Miami Dolphins
Oakland Raiders
If you play fantasy football, make sure you remember to take the bye weeks into consideration when setting your lineups.
What else are the Dolphins up to?
Miami Dolphins blog from Armando Salguero:
Chris Perkins and Omar Kelly bring us their Dolphin blog:
For more news from around the NFL, here is NFL NATION:
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In college football last week, after two straight perfect weeks, I fall back to earth this past week:
(HOME TEAMS IN CAPS)
Florida State 56 NC STATE 41
Florida International 34 UAB 20
FAU 41 University of Texas San Antonio 37
MIAMI 22 Duke 10
This coming week, in games involving state of Florida universities:
Thursday, October 2
Central Florida @ HOUSTON -3 7:00 pm ESPN
Florida Atlantic @ FIU +7 7:00 pm Fox Sports Fla
Saturday, October 4
Florida @ TENNESSEE -3 12 Noon SEC Network
Wake Forest @ FSU -40 3:30 pm ABC
Miami @ GEORGIA TECH +2 7:30 pm ESPN2
The best game of the day on Saturday, is #3 Alabama visiting #10 Ole Miss. Game time for that one is 3:30 pm on CBS. Also worth keeping your eyes on is #4 Oklahoma on the road against #25 TCU. That game also starts at 3:30 pm, on FOX.
I will, once again, bring you all my picks, both in the NFL and the Florida College games, on Thursday.
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Manny Navarro and Susan Miller Degnan have all the latest news from the University of Miami.
From FIU, David J. Neal of the Herald, who is, once again, allowed to see FIU play and practice, has the latest from the University of Westchester 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:
Every week, celebrating the fact that we will now have a four-team playoff to determine the national championship, I will bring you my TOP FOUR teams in college football, indicating what teams will end up in the four-team playoff. This list will probably change every week. On the fringe . . . Texas A&M and Auburn.
1. Alabama Crimson Tide
2. Florida State Seminoles
3. Oregon Ducks
4. Oklahoma Sooners
Another reminder . . . . I’ll have my picks, both NFL and College, in Thursday’s blog.
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Let’s shift gears, and head out to the baseball diamonds.
The regular season is over, and the playoffs are upon us. More on that later and on Thursday’s blog.
The Marlins and Henderson Alvarez ended the season last Sunday just like they ended it the year before, except this time, they were on the losing end of a no-hitter. Jordan Zimmerman beat Alvarez and the Fish, 1-0. Miami ended the season with a 77-85 record, an improvement of 15 games over their record in 2013. That was enough to get manager Mike Redmond a new contract through the 2017 season. For the first time in a while, I am looking forward to next year’s team taking the field and, perhaps, making a real playoff push in 2015.
Here is what I want from the Marlins’ offseason as we head into 2015 . . .
- Jose Fernandez will return to the rotation earlier than expected and be ready on opening day.
- Giancarlo Stanton will accept a long-term deal to stay in Miami.
- The Marlins will sign a front-line free agent bat this year.
My totally off-the-wall predictions for the baseball offseason as we head into 2015:
- Alex Rodriguez will report to the Yankees in the best shape of his life. So much so, that he will be tried at shortstop.
- Alex Rodriguez will be traded to the Marlins, who will use him at third base, while having to pay a very small percentage of his salary.
Back to reality:
The “play one game to get in to the playoffs” contests are on Tuesday and Wednesday.
On Tuesday, the Oakland A’s and the Kansas City Royals fight it out in Kansas City for the right to play the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim in the first round of the AL Playoffs.
On Wednesday, the Pittsburgh Pirates and the San Francisco Giants will meet for the privilege of advancing in the National League to face the Washington Nationals.
On Wednesday, the Pittsburgh Pirates and the San Francisco Giants will meet for the privilege of advancing in the National League to face the Washington Nationals.
The pitching match-ups:
Tuesday, Sep. 30
Oak @ KC
Jon Lester vs James Shields 8:00 pm TBS
Jon Lester vs James Shields 8:00 pm TBS
ESPN’s PREVIEW OF THE OAKLAND - KANSAS CITY game:
Wednesday, Oct. 1
SF @ Pitt
Madison Bumgarner vs Edinson Volquez 8:00 pm ESPN
Madison Bumgarner vs Edinson Volquez 8:00 pm ESPN
ESPN’s PREVIEW OF THE SAN FRANCISCO - PITTSBURGH game:
I’m not going to waste anyone’s time trying to pick a winner in a one-game matchup. That would be crazy. However, I will tell you I am rooting for the Oakland A’s and the Pittsburgh Pirates in these games.
I will bring you my picks for the first real round of playoff series in Thursday’s Blog.
TODAY’S TRIVIA QUESTION: As we say goodbye to Derek Jeter, who was the last Yankee to wear the number 2 before Jeter? The answer comes later, alligator.
For the latest Marlins news and stories, as well as Dolphin news, you need to make sure you follow my good friend Larry Walansky on nbcmiami.com.
Here is Joe Frisaro’s MLB Marlins Blog:
The Yankees’ blog is here, thanks to Mark Feinsand of the NY Daily News:
Here are the final regular season standings in MLB:
Here are the individual leaders in the majors in 2014:
THE ANSWER TO TODAY’S TRIVIA QUESTION: As we say goodbye to Derek Jeter, who was the last Yankee to wear the number 2 before Jeter?
The world-renowned journeyman infielder Mike Gallego.
Let’s go to the hardwood, and here is Ira Winderman’s Miami Heat Blog:
On a sad note, I can’t bring you Santos Perez’ “Spotlight on Boxing” column today, because the powers that be over at the Miami Herald are at it once again. Who in God's name runs that paper? How can they justify having five columns on wrestling, which is all fake and show business, and continue to ignore boxing? They have Santos Perez, a Hall-of-Fame boxing writer, at their disposal, and they continue to choose to publish the garbage that they get off the wires. Shame on them. Call the Herald and let them know that their policy SUCKS.
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