Oooooh the rich, creamy, delicious irony that the Central Florida Golden Knights — known for bucking the establishment by naming themselves national champions after beating the team who beat the team that won the national championship game — lost to the team with the best chance of finally representing the Group of 5 in the college football playoff.
Cincinnati rose to No. 2 after dominating UCF 56-21 this past week. Running back Jerome Ford looked like a Heisman candidate after rushing for 189 yards and four touchdowns, one of which went for 79 yards. The Bearcats scored 35 unanswered points in the first half and by the time the game was finally over, Cincy would have amassed 336 rushing yards.
Both UCF and Cincinnati will join the ranks of the Power Five next season once they ditch the American Athletic Conference for the Big 12 but for now, a chance at history is there for the taking.
Half of the conferences have been oppressed by the system and disqualified from competing for a national title well before the first kickoff of the season. Any team from the WAC, C-USA, MAC, Sun Belt, Mountain West and AAC with a perfect record were roundly dismissed by the gatekeepers of the crystal ball and golden scepter. The strength of schedule were instant argument enders no mater how high the margin of victory was.
Even Cincinnati, at a time when it was considered members of a power conference, were left out in 2009 despite a perfect record. Had Texas lost to Nebraska in the Big 12 title game that year, or there were four playoff spots like there is now, would the Bearcats been given a fair shake? Hopefully we will find out this year.
Cincinnati’s path to the playoff was two years in the making. The Bearcats had to establish their credibility last season by going 9-0 and coming close against Georgia in the Peach Bowl. Beating Notre Dame in a landslide this year backs up their best attempt to dominate their conference and remain in the top 4.
Boise State crawled for a decade so that UCF could power walk so that Cincinnati could sprint towards being the first Group of 5 program with a legitimate chance at the national championship.
The path for the Bearcats seems clear with No. 21 SMU being the only team left on the schedule with a winning record.
Realignment over the years
It’s amazing to look back and see how far college football has come in the last 18 years. In 2003, Boise State was trying to break through the glass ceiling in the WAC, which had SMU and Tulsa at the time. The ACC had 9 teams and five future members were in the Big East with Rutgers, West Virginia and Temple. The Miami Hurricanes could dominate the Big East but not the ACC Coastal? Cincinnati was in the C-USA with a lot of members of the AAC including Louisville and TCU. Meanwhile UCF, for some unknown reason, was in the MAC. New Mexico State and Idaho were in the Sun Belt before and after being in the WAC. Those were funny times.
Miami and Virginia Tech joined the ACC in 2004. Boston College followed in 2005, opening the door for Cincinnati, Louisville, UConn and South Florida to join the Big East. FIU and FAU began as FBS programs, joining the Sun Belt. TCU joined the Mountain West in 2006 as the WAC and C-USA took familiar form.
2011-2013 saw a major shift in the landscape. You look up and the Pac-10 has 12 teams now, the Big 12 no longer has 12 teams, the Mountain West all but completely absorb the WAC the same way the ACC absorbed the Big East. The C-USA of the previous decade spawned the AAC that’s here today. What’s left of the C-USA took a handful of Sun Belt teams while that conference replenished itself with eventual newcomers.
The same thing will happen in the near future. The SEC will be an even bigger monster with the edition of Texas and Oklahoma. The Big 12 will finally have 12 teams again with the addition of Cincinnati, UCF, BYU and Houston. Ironically, the two west coast conferences, the Pac-12 and Mountain West, have remained the most consistent.
By the time this new shift of college football realignment is done, the playoff will have no choice but to expand.
https://www.fivereasonssports.com/wp-content/uploads/GettyImages-1235920654-e1634425724690-1024x682-1.jpg6821024Tony Capobiancohttps://www.fivereasonssports.com/wp-content/uploads/FiveReasonsWebsiteLogo.svgTony Capobianco2021-10-19 03:26:332021-10-19 03:26:33Road to the Orange Bowl: Cincinnati needs to make it to the CFP
We’ve reached the end of the Miami Heat preseason and South Florida sports fans couldn’t be happier. Miami has now played an entire regular season, postseason, and almost a whole preseason before the one-year anniversary of their Finals defeat. While preseason records are not indicative of what’s to come; there are some things you can take from these games. General playing style, rotations, and placement of roles are a few that tend to bleed into the regular season. I’ll be taking a look at a few of these examples and others that especially caught my eye throughout most of the games. Some of these will definitely excite Heat fans, but there are a couple of worrisome spots as well.
1: Tyler Herro’s Added Strength Helping His Jumper
One of the big stories coming into Miami Heat Media Day was the newly chiseled Tyler Herro. The former Kentucky Guard is out to prove a point this season. While you see many stories of guys gaining muscle during the offseason, nothing much comes from it once the games get started. “Muscle Watch” only goes as far as the player implements it into their actual play. For Herro, he’s already shown how beneficial the new weight has been for his play. One thing that caught my attention was how his lower body strength has improved an already pretty jump shot. You can see how much easier it is for Tyler to shoot coming off of screens now.
Last season (black jersey, mirrored above) he needed to dip lower in order to get more power. Now (white jersey) you can see how much easier it is for him to immediately go into the pull-up; no longer needing to exert as much strength.
The newly added lower body and core strength also help Herro get a higher apex on his jump shot. One of the shortcomings many had for Tyler out of college was his wingspan. It has been said that he can negate that with the height he possesses.
Now with the added height, he’s added it will be even easier for him to shoot over defenders. He’s making the game easier for himself and has led to great results so far. Hopefully, it continues into the regular season.
2: Selective Pace
During the opening of Media Day, Coach Spoelstra talked about the pace that Kyle Lowry would bring to Miami. Heat fans and media employees scoffed at the idea due to how slow the Heat have played since 2014. However, pace doesn’t always mean playing like the 2007 Golden State Warriors. Pace can also mean getting into sets quicker, attacking in semi-transition, or constant movement at a consistent rate.
Kyle Lowry has already shown how much he’s going to help in all of these phases. The various ways he can attack in transition and semi-transition are akin to what I remember Dwyane Wade and LeBron James did. Lowry is not the athlete that those two were, but the way he manipulates space and reads defenders is very similar. He has shown his mastery at reading the exact moment defenses start to relax in transition and exploiting it for easy baskets.
Lowry knows some of the players, including himself, on the team won’t be able to run throughout a regular season. That’s why he’s been selective in the opportunities so far. Veterans play to the team’s strengths and fans shouldn’t worry about running out of gas late in the season. It’s a nice change of pace to have a team getting into sets faster instead of waiting until 15 seconds on the shot clock.
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3: Backup Point Guard – Tyler Herro or Gabe Vincent?
Once again going back to Media Day, Gabe Vincent talked about the expectation of having more ball-handling duties. After the preseason it still feels like those backup point guard duties might be leaning the way of Tyler Herro. While Gabe Vincent has shown he can be semi-capable in this role, Herro has shown so much improvement with his on-ball reps that it’s hard to argue with him not having the ball in his hands more.
Miami may have had a plan to give Gabe more responsibility, it looks like Herro’s newfound ways of attacking pick-and-rolls might have won him the defacto backup PG role. I imagine Lowry or Butler will be on the floor 98 percent of the time and the need for a definitive backup won’t be much of an issue. Hopefully, Vincent can focus on getting his jumper going to help the assist numbers of Herro early on.
4: The Markieff Morris Question
Erik Spoelstra and the Miami Heat have had a great track record of helping journeymen stretch 4s find their footing in the league. Players like Luke Babbitt, Okaro White, James Johnson, and Jae Crowder have had great success within the Heat system. However, Markieff Morris seems to be struggling to find what type of role he’ll be in early on. It is early but the returns are not strong so far.
Morris appears to be a player who’s best suited as a small-ball 5 on a team that already has a solid backup 5 in Dewayne Dedmon. It doesn’t hurt to have lineup versatility, but Morris isn’t good enough as a small 5 to warrant much hoopla. Markieff’s role will hopefully be figured out, or it seems much more likely Miami will be looking to add a different 4. Someone in the vein of Thaddeus Young to help during the buyout market or trade deadline most likely.
5: Bam Adebayo’s Score-First Mentality
We all heard the comments that Bam Adebayo made that he’ll look to be a shooter this season. The early returns after a full preseason lineup with those remarks. Adebayo averaged 18.7 FGA 7.4 FTA per 36 minutes in the dress rehearsals. Compare that to his 20-21 averages of 12.5 FGA and 5.5 FTA, it’s quite an uptick. Not only are his eyes focused on the rim at all times, but his teammates are constantly looking for him. Kyle Lowry has especially been a big part of Adebayo’s uptick in shots. It’s astonishing watching Lowry look for his big man on quick seals and transition opportunities. He’s using the athletic weapon on the Heat roster to his fullest powers.
Lowry is finally unleashing the big advantages that have been there for years for Miami. I expect Lowry to help Adebayo in the same way Chris Paul did DeAndre Ayton this past season. There will be some warts to deal with as well. Bam has had trouble finishing off self-created opportunities in the preseason. He has also health with his share of turnovers when his initial move is cut off. These sorts of issues should get ironed out with more reps and it will be fun when they do. It will be his first season truly being utilized in this role, so you can’t blame him for needing constant reps. He’s in for a big year and the Heat will go as far as he takes them.
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https://www.fivereasonssports.com/wp-content/uploads/A028C90D-A32D-46BF-BD6A-136FE2F94670.jpeg7201280Marco Romohttps://www.fivereasonssports.com/wp-content/uploads/FiveReasonsWebsiteLogo.svgMarco Romo2021-10-18 16:03:302021-10-18 16:03:30Five Preseason Notes to Take Into Miami Heat’s Regular Season
The Miami Dolphins are officially lower than they’ve ever been during the Brian Flores era. In 2019, it was excusable because the entire point of that season was to strip the roster down and start over from scratch. Miami went 5-11, and somehow should have been worse than that. However, the young players on the team overachieved behind Flores’s coaching, and there was hope for the future.
In 2020, the Dolphins signed a lot of expensive free agents, including veteran linebacker Kyle Van Noy, guard Ereck Flowers, and cornerback Byron Jones. Miami’s defense was a force to be reckoned with that season, and they went 10-6 with nowhere to go but up.
Or so everyone thought.
Now here they are in 2021. The expectations were through the roof. The Dolphins were supposed to compete for the playoffs this season. Right now, they are essentially the worst team in the NFL, losing to the formerly winless Jacksonville Jaguars in London.
“It starts with me.” Coach Flores said after the game. “I’m not doing a good enough job getting these guys ready to play. Not playing consistently enough, we’re not coaching well enough. We’re not playing well enough, we’re just not playing consistently enough. I mean, it’s in spurts. We had a couple – some positive plays, consistent ball in the first half, even a little bit in the second half. But we’re just not putting it together, and that starts with me.”
That’s the sentiment Flores has given for the past few weeks. It starts with him. Execution is bad. They’ll watch the tape and evaluate. And yet, every week, they promise to do better and they don’t. One has to wonder why that is. Why are the Miami Dolphins incapable of putting it all together when it counts? What has changed from last season to this one?
One easy answer? Veteran leadership.
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Experience Matters
Examining the Dolphins roster reveals a very telling reality. Miami only has three players in their 30s. Those players are 34-year old DB Jason McCourty – a free agent signing from New England, 32-year old DT John Jenkins – who is in his second stint with the Dolphins, and 30-year old OL Jesse Davis.
If you count DE Jabaal Sheard on the practice squad, then you can make the count to four.
Veteran leadership, that’s what Miami is missing. Aside from McCourty, it’s hard to pinpoint players on this team that can be considered true mentor types. Which means that the Dolphins are relying entirely on the coaching staff to get these young and inexperienced players ready week in and week out. That is not a wise move. In fact, one could argue it speaks to a certain arrogance and hubris that the coaches believe they don’t need veteran players to be successful. They traded mental acuity and experience for raw talent and athleticism.
That strategy only works if the coaching staff is elite at developing players. So far, there’s no indication of that being the case. The amount of turnover among the assistant coaches also doesn’t help matters. That’s where having a veteran presence on the active roster helps drastically. Having players who have been around the block more than once and know what to expect on Sunday is a factor that is regularly overlooked.
These past two seasons, the de facto veteran of the team was quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick. No one dared question his intelligence, and the team often followed his lead. He wasn’t a superstar by any stretch, but everyone wanted him to tutor Tua Tagovailoa, share his knowledge and experience with the Alabama standout. But why? If Fitzpatrick isn’t an elite player, why would anyone care if he taught Tagovailoa or not?
Because experience does matter. Fitzpatrick is good, not great. But the fact he’s lasted this long and is still in the conversation to be a starting quarterback is proof positive that experience is valuable. Either as a player, or a coach.
Miami’s philosophy demands execution above all else. All 11 players need to perform for plays to turn out the way they should. If not, then things tend to fall apart. But that level of execution comes with NFL experience. With the likes of Van Noy, Flowers and others gone, the Dolphins are relying on talented – but young – players to pick up the slack. Unfortunately, they just aren’t there yet. They’re making mental mistakes, like Brandon Jones rushing in to down the wide receiver, letting Jacksonville call timeout with one second left to kick the game-winning field goal. Veteran players would know to leave him alone until the clock ticks down to force overtime.
Jones, and many others, are very talented players. But Miami can’t afford to wait for them to stop making those small, mental errors.
Around the League
Looking at other teams around the league, many of the top teams feature vast amounts of experience either in the coaching staff, the roster, or both. The most obvious example is the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who are currently 5-1. Head coach Bruce Arians is now the oldest coach in NFL history to win a Super Bowl at age 68. His resume is impressive, and his ability as a coach is unquestioned.
As for the roster itself? The Buccaneers have 20 players (including practice squad and injured reserve) over the age of 30. QB Tom Brady (44 years old) is the headliner, but other notable veterans include DT Ndamukong Suh (34), CB Richard Sherman (33), WR Antonio Brown (33), OLB Jason Pierre-Paul (32), ILB Lavonte David (31), OL Ryan Jensen (30), and more. Essentially, a bunch of old guys got together and decided to show the young players of the NFL how it’s done. And they did.
The 5-1 Baltimore Ravens have had John Harbaugh coaching them since 2008, and he always seems to hire experienced assistants to handle both the offense and the defense. Also, Baltimore features 16 players over 30 on their active roster. Notable ones include DE Calais Campbell (35), OT Alejandro Villanueva (33), and RB Latavius Murray (31).
The Dallas Cowboys are on a roll this season under Mike McCarthy, who is in his 15th year as a head coach in the NFL. He brought in Dan Quinn, who is well known for his intelligence as a defensive coach and has some head coaching experience of his own, to be the defensive coordinator. The roster features eight players over 30, including offensive linemen Tyron Smith (30) and Zack Martin (30).
The currently undefeated Arizona Cardinals have 18 players over the age of 30. LB Chandler Jones is 31 years old, OT Kelvin Beachum is 32, DE J.J. Watt is 32, WR A.J. Green is 33, and so on.
The Buffalo Bills have nine players over 30. How about the Los Angeles Chargers who have 10? The Green Bay Packers have eight.
While many of these players aren’t as good as they used to be in their prime (Watt and Green stand out), they do have valuable experience they can impart to the young up and comers. Experience like that can’t come from a coach. It’s different coming from a teammate. Most good NFL franchises know how important having that veteran presence is for young players. There’s a reason Bill Belichick keeps bringing back his old players even when they don’t play well in their new homes. That experience in the system is invaluable, which Kyle Van Noy proves.
Brian Flores and the Miami Dolphins have chosen to disregard this.
The Dolphins Solution
The question now is simply this: If Miami had more older players, would they be better off? Maybe yes, and maybe no. Again, having older players doesn’t guarantee success. However, having experienced, proven players does. Ask the LA Rams how they view first round draft picks. They’re just ammunition to trade for players like CB Jalen Ramsey.
If the Dolphins had prioritized keeping veteran players along the offensive line instead of trusting in the young, inexperienced talent, the Dolphins may not have lost Tua Tagovailoa for three weeks. Miami basically paid OL Ereck Flowers to leave, and now he’s a solid guard for the Washington Football Team. Almost immediately after the Dolphins released Kyle Van Noy, he was re-signed back in New England and is back doing what he did to get paid in the first place. LB Benardrick McKinney was acquired and released in the same offseason, in spite of how well he played as a run-stopping linebacker. Miami now has one of the worst run defenses in the NFL.
Strangely enough, there’s still hope for the Dolphins. The Detroit Lions have Taylor Decker, a solid left tackle. And the Lions need wide receiver help. Miami could send DeVante Parker and a pick to Detroit and instantly shore up that side of the line if Decker stays healthy. Veteran right tackle Mitchell Schwartz is still available and is a stabilizing presence on the other side of the offensive line. He too is an injury risk, but is very good when healthy.
Having those veterans helps the likes of Liam Eichenberg and Austin Jackson immensely. Let them learn the game, instead of forcing them to start before they’re ready. Next season, there are some veteran offensive linemen who will be free agents. The Dolphins should prioritize signing a few to protect Tagovailoa, regardless of who the coach is. Find assistant coaches who know what they’re doing, and veteran players who are proven producers. It isn’t as hard as it looks.
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Maybe Brian Flores, if he stays, can convince Dante Scarnecchia to come out of retirement again. That would be a huge boon for the offensive line. Maybe he can bring back Jim Caldwell to be the offensive coordinator if he’s healthy again, or someone like Mike Mularkey or Mike Shula. All of these coaches have experience and a proven track record. That’s what Flores needs more than anything.
If Flores gets fired, then whoever the next choice is, they will hopefully understand the importance of veteran leadership. Youth is fine, but only when tempered by experience.
Luis Sung has covered the Miami Dolphins for numerous outlets such as Dolphins Wire for seven years. Follow him on Twitter:@LuisDSung
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https://www.fivereasonssports.com/wp-content/uploads/a3f74be87e1f2792e009a394e9096976.jpg427640Luis Sunghttps://www.fivereasonssports.com/wp-content/uploads/FiveReasonsWebsiteLogo.svgLuis Sung2021-10-17 18:09:502021-10-18 17:26:48Fresh Perspective: Dolphins downfall is lack of veteran leadership
A basketball looks more aerodynamic than Zion Williamson. Since his days at Duke, he’s punished the scales whenever stepping on them as his 6’7 frame carries 284 pounds of “reported” diesel.
One of the dilemmas with New Orleans’ star forward pushing maximum density is he is not a 7-footer, despite being an athletic marvel. Even if he was a pivot, weighing so much is not necessary. It doesn’t take a medical professional to point out the extra armor he is carrying on to the court is probably slowing him down and causing unnecessary stress on his lower body.
With respect to Williamson, he may have developed the extra mass while rehabilitating from injuries, which has resulted in him playing 85 games in two seasons. Yet, there were questions about his durability when he entered the league. His participation in Summer League didn’t last 10 minutes before bruising his left knee. He also tore his right meniscus in his rookie preseason, which caused a postponement for his real debut until January of 2020.
On draft night 2019, Williamson was listed at 285 pounds. It was an alarming number then, but he managed to get away with it as his arms still looked massive and defined. At media day on *Sept. 27,* #1 posed for a photo, spinning a ball on his fingertips, but the image captured is knight-and-day when it’s observed next to the same picture taken two years ago.
Williamson’s face looks puffier, and his arms aren’t as chiseled, but somehow he is still listed at the same weight of his rookie season. He’s rehabbing again, but this time for a surgery he had on his right foot during the summer, which will cause him to miss the start of the team’s campaign. There is no timetable for a return, per ESPN.
I don’t claim to be a doctor, but with an ailment to his extremities limiting him, maybe Williamson should work on abdominal exercises to slim down his waist. One would think less weight up top means fewer issues downstairs.
In 2021, Williamson earned All-Star honors. Of the 27 players who received the title, Williamson was the heaviest, and he is the height of a guard and small forward.
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For Williamson and the Pelicans, the upcoming campaign has enormous expectations. In his first two seasons, New Orleans had a realistic chance of making the playoffs, despite the extensive time their star forward missed or with the addition of the league mulligan known as the play-in-tournament.
In both tries, Nola failed to reach the postseason, and the coaches’ heads rolled after each of those years. The Pelicans needed a fresh start after Alvin Gentry. David Griffin miscalculated when he hired Stan Van Gundy as his replacement. First-year head coach Willie Green now holds command, and the anvil placed on his shoulders this year is massive.
With Williamson eligible for a contract extension at season’s end, it’s imperative for the Pelicans to grab a playoff spot without competing in the play-in-tournament. New Orleans’ worst-case scenario would be if Williamson refuses a new deal and shows a willingness to enter restricted free agency in summer 2023. A hot start and continued success might be the only way the Pelicans can avoid such a fate, but the odds are stacked against them as long as Williamson isn’t available.
https://www.fivereasonssports.com/wp-content/uploads/5CCDF702-BC55-4633-8A43-5BCB315F307C.jpeg342474Mateo Mayorgahttps://www.fivereasonssports.com/wp-content/uploads/FiveReasonsWebsiteLogo.svgMateo Mayorga2021-10-15 12:09:362021-10-15 12:09:36Mateo’s Hoop Diary: Zion Williamson, Thicker Than Most
During the 2020-2021 NHL season, the Florida Panther’s power play was average at best. By the end of the season the Cats finished right in the middle of the league as the 15th best power play with a 20.53% conversion rate. Come playoff time the power play percentage jumped up, seeing the team go 27.27% from the man advantage, getting six goals in 22 attempts during the first round series against the Tampa Bay Lightning. As the 2021-2022 season approaches, the power play is going to look a little different from the end of the previous season. I’m going to talk about a few different options the Panther’s can run on the power play this season.
After Aaron Ekblad was sidelined for the season from injury, the Panther’s special teams looked lost on the 5-on-4. Keith Yandle had to reassume the role of power play quarterback and it didn’t go too well. Florida’s zone entries were extremely predictable; Yandle would carry the puck from behind the net, make a telegraphed drop pass from the far blueline and hope that the other team wouldn’t know what was happening for the hundredth time that season. When the Panthers were able to enter the zone, they often tried to force cross ice passes that often got intercepted. There were a handful of games that saw the Panthers concede short handed goals from their lackluster “man advantage”.
Five Top Picks
This season, the Panthers once again have Ekblad as their power play QB and Yandle has taken his services to Philadelphia. With that, the top power play unit will look different. No team in the NHL can field what Florida can on the PP; put five top-four draft picks on the ice at once. After acquiring Sam Reinhart in the off-season, Florida could put Aaron Ekblad (1st overall, 2014), Aleksander Barkov (2nd overall, 2013) Sam Reinhart (2nd overall, 2014), Jonathan Huberdeau (3rd overall, 2011) and Sam Bennett (4th overall, 2014) all on the power play at the same time. Florida had run this five man PP unit in practice during training camp, and according to George Richards of Florida Hockey Now, “it looks scary good”.
While running this rotation, Barkov would be your center, Huberdeau would be on one of the wings and Ekblad would be the lone man on the blue line. One of Reinhart or Bennett would start the power play on the point and slide to the end boards once the Panthers retain control of the puck. This would have one guy at the point, two along the end boards on the wing, one guy in front of the net, who should be Bennett because of his size and one guy below the goal line who creeps towards the front of the net. I’d want to see Huberdeau down here because of his craftiness with the puck in tight spaces.
Obviously on the man advantage there’s more space, which will have the players moving consistently, but this basic type of “umbrella” power play allows for shots to be fired from all angles of the ice and have one to two players crashing for rebounds in front of the crease.
The addition of Reinhart is going to be deadly for the Cats while running this set. After scoring 20 plus goals for five seasons in Buffalo, the 25-year-old will feast when he has Huberdeau, Ekblad and Barkov feeding him pucks in the slot. If you watched Reinhart throughout his
career, you could see how good of a shot he has. On the other side you’ll have the captain Barkov, who is always dangerous with the puck. Since Barkov can shoot and pass without hesitation, he’s going to draw the attention of the other team’s penalty killers, which could leave a Panther open. At the top they’ll have Ekblad walking the blue line trying to find open players and shooting lanes. Before his injury last season, he had 11 power play points in 35 games.
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Second Unit
Despite having so much fire power on the first unit, they can’t stay on the ice for the full duration of the powerplay. Luckily Florida is so deep at the forward position they’ll be able to put out a second power play unit that wouldn’t miss a beat. Carter Verhaeghe is going to be a mainstay on the powerplay this year for Florida after scoring 36 points in 43 games last season. Alongside him I would put Owen Tippett and Frank Vatrano on the ice. Tippett has become more confident in his game since making the jump into Florida’s top-six last season, playing on a line with Huberdeau and Bennett. Like Reinhart from unit one, Tippett can snipe the puck, which is why he will be on the wing for this PP. Vatrano’s speed and ability to score in clutch situations will pair nicely with Verhaeghe, so he will be on the opposite wing from Tippett.
Up front there’s two options I would consider looking at right now. The first one is Patric Hornqvist. When Hornqvist joined the team last season, he brought something that the powerplay didn’t previously have. A feisty net front presence. Nothing gets under a goalie’s skin more than someone who is sitting at the top of their crease and screening them while they try to track the puck. Hornqvist does exactly that and it fires up the rest of the team to keep pushing for opportunities in front of goal. Another option here would be Anthony Duclair. With his foot speed and skill with the puck, zone entries on the rush would be extremely efficient with Duclair on the power play. While he doesn’t bring that net front presence like Hornqvist, he will have more skill with the puck in the lower areas of the zone, which could help open up the other players.
For the defenseman on this unit, there are quite a few options. Florida has given Brandon Montour a few looks on the power play last season and in practice this year. He is good at jumping in the rush and controlling the puck in the offensive zone. MacKenzie Weegar could also be in consideration at some point during the season on the power play. Weegar has continued to elevate his game on both sides of the puck, and is becoming more of an offensive threat at this point in his career after scoring 36 points last season. Put him at the top of this power play unit and I see him filling out a similar role to Ekblad on PP1, quarterback of the powerplay. He looks more and more like a top defenseman and his confidence is through the roof, this could be a good move for Florida. Another player I wouldn’t count out here is Gustav Forsling. If Florida is running one defenseman on this power play unit I don’t think Forsling would get the nod over Weegar or Montour, but if they wanted to run two defenseman, his speed kills and it would make offensive zone entries and defensive transitions a lot easier for the Panthers.
The quality of players Florida has on their roster truly makes their special teams combinations endless. I had mentioned 13 players as potential guys to look for on the power play this year and I kept the likes of Anton Lundell and Joe Thornton off the list, both of whom could potentially find some PP time during the season. Florida is going to have two very skilled power play units to cycle through this year.
https://www.fivereasonssports.com/wp-content/uploads/Panthers-file-scaled.jpg17112560Alex Baumgartnerhttps://www.fivereasonssports.com/wp-content/uploads/FiveReasonsWebsiteLogo.svgAlex Baumgartner2021-10-14 10:46:042021-10-14 10:46:53Breaking down potential power play lines for the Florida Panthers
It won’t be a surprise if Kyrie Irving‘s attitude costs the Nets their best chance at a championship. To date, Nash has defended Irving in front of the press, but the former two-time MVP’s patience is tested every day while he supports the star guard’s decision to avoid the COVID-19 vaccine.
Whenever Brooklyn’s coach addresses media inquiries about Irving’s status, his body language screams he would rather be anywhere else than answering questions about a man who does not respect his instructor.
Teammates have not thrown him under the bus either despite Irving’s unacceptable actions. But GM Sean Marks drew a line in the sand with his statement Tuesday that Irving will not practice or play until he can be a full-time participant, per the Athletic.
Management’s ultimatum puts the ball in Irving’s hands to do the right thing. Still, his reluctance to do what everyone else on the team has done is a distraction and an indication that Irving is a walking contradiction.
Brooklyn’s lead guard is known for acts of generosity. He has given six-figure donations to food banks and personal protective gear to the Standing Rock Sioux tribe during the pandemic, where he is an honorary member, and for his support of women’s professional basketball. These initiatives paint the picture of a man who is not afraid to show empathy, but his anti-vaccination stance and the ramifications that come with it counter his good deeds.
The pandemic has claimed the lives of 4.5 million people worldwide, but Irving thinks taking the shot or even revealing he has is a personal matter. He even whined that his privacy should be respected. It would be nice if Irving could explain to everyone why all those dead people are a partisan issue beneath him. Unfortunately, it will probably never happen because when Irving is tested on anything, he goes off on a pseudo-intellectual rant that’s almost incomprehensible.
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He’s the same guy who thought it was hilarious because the fans and media were curious why he said the earth was flat four years ago. He did not understand that as a public figure, unfortunately, people will listen to what he has to say just because he dribbles a basketball. Worse yet, some will think that a man who went to school on an athletic scholarship for a semester before going pro is a revolutionary thinker.
Thus far, the mercurial guard has missed the first three preseason games. The first in Los Angeles was a coaching decision. The second exhibition was in Brooklyn against Milwaukee, where he couldn’t play because of New York City ordinance. The third was in Philadelphia and he was not with the team. These games are relatively meaningless and count only for making sure the players aren’t fat and that teammates develop timing and chemistry.
The regular season is approaching on Oct. 19, and there is no sign that he will vaccinate. If that’s the game #11 wants to play, the Nets should fine him for every game he misses. Executive Director of the Players Association Michele Roberts told the New York Daily News the Players Union did not agree to dock pay for missed games for an athlete who is not vaccinated, but that it is the position of the league that it can.
The Nets should fine him anyway. If the Players Union has an issue with that, then both parties should settle it in court. If it gets there, Brooklyn’s conscience should be clear. Irving made it ugly.
https://www.fivereasonssports.com/wp-content/uploads/8E179153-0F55-4C21-969E-AC1394B2DA36.jpeg8501200Mateo Mayorgahttps://www.fivereasonssports.com/wp-content/uploads/FiveReasonsWebsiteLogo.svgMateo Mayorga2021-10-12 11:39:072021-10-12 11:39:07Mateo’s Hoop Diary: Living on Irving Island
Ever since the College Football Playoff was established in 2014, the conference championship game has been reduced to being nothing more than the method of propping up the flag carrier. Look no further than the Big 12. The lack of a title game left out TCU and Baylor in the first year of the new era. It is the only Power 5 conference to have a title game without divisions, meaning the top two teams in the standings play for the crown.
It’s basically a bonus ranked game for Oklahoma, whom has won the conference championship every year since 2015. We all got a sequel of the Red River Rivalry in 2018 because of it and this year might bring back-to-back Bedlam. Both No. 6 Oklahoma and No. 12 Oklahoma State are currently undefeated.
Pac-12
The Pac-12 is another example of a conference that needs the perfect matchup in the title game to give them a chance in the playoff. One of things I personally love about the Pac-12 is the parity, nearly every game is competitive. Unfortunately, the CFP committee doesn’t look at parity too kindly. Which means the top two teams need to meet for the conference title game for their best chance at crashing the party.
No. 9 Oregon and No. 18 Arizona State are both on top of their respective divisions and won face each other unless they meet in the title game. The Ducks lost to Stanford in overtime but the Sun Devils avoided the Cardinal’s attempt at a second consecutive upset with a 28-10 blowout win on Friday.
Oregon should win its remaining six games as there are no ranked teams left on the schedule. An early season win over No. 3 Ohio State served as the only ranked matchup and victory for the Ducks. That makes playing Arizona State in the title game important. The Sun Devils have gone 1-1 in ranked matchups but are one of two teams with perfect conference records in the Pac-12. That will change this week when ASU takes on Utah.
It is in the Pac-12’s best interest to have both Oregon and Arizona State meet in the conference title game without another loss. But will that be enough to distinguish the winner with Cincinnati?
AAC
Cincinnati has so far backed its perfect regular season last year with a 5-0 record including a win over No. 9 Notre Dame. The No. 3 Bearcats only have one more ranked matchup remaining in the schedule, assuming No. 23 SMU doesn’t lose until then. It would be interesting to see if the committee will respect Cincinnati’s victories or gradually move the Bearcats down the rankings.
SEC
Alabama has been so good for so long the Crimson Tide basically goes into every year with a +1 handicap.
The fact that they lost on the road to Texas A&M on the road by a field goal will not derail their playoff chances, especially when they run through the remaining six games of the schedule, which consists of a road game at Mississippi State, four straight home games and Auburn on the road, which is always tricky.
What the loss does do is eliminate the nightmare scenario in which a SEC Championship Game between Alabama and Georgia would result with both teams going to the playoffs regardless of the outcome. If No. 1 Georgia were to win that matchup then a two-loss Alabama team will be left out.
Big Ten
With Iowa beating Penn State, a battle between No. 3 and No. 4, the No.2 Hawkeyes serve as the top opponent for whomever emerges from the Big Ten East. Both Michigan and Michigan State remain undefeated, which makes their incoming matchup a highly anticipated affair. Ohio State already has a loss on its record but is a perfect 3-0 in conference play. The path for all three and even Penn State would be to win out and defeat Iowa for the conference title. There is a guarantee that the playoff committee will award the Big Ten with a playoff spot just like it will for the SEC.
ACC
With the fall of Clemson, the ACC has largely been forgotten in the playoff conversation. It be time for the nation to accept this version of Wake Forest for what it is, a high scoring team that will let their opponents catch up, only to make the game more entertaining. The No. 19 Demon Deacons avoided a scare with a 40-37 overtime win at Syracuse.
No matter who they play, they always seem to score somewhere between 35-42 points. Wake Forest is a fun team to bet the over on. Sadly it may not be enough for a playoff push unless they go undefeated.
https://www.fivereasonssports.com/wp-content/uploads/1B50F557-28A3-4639-8D49-B029C77CB6D9.jpeg15362304Tony Capobiancohttps://www.fivereasonssports.com/wp-content/uploads/FiveReasonsWebsiteLogo.svgTony Capobianco2021-10-11 04:32:152021-10-11 04:38:01Road to the Orange Bowl: The purpose of the conference championship game
As let down as Miami Dolphins followers feel about this 1-4 train wreck of a start to the season, imagine the gut punch for the 81-year-old team owner.
Steve Ross went all in on the Brian Flores/Chris Grier regime leading a rebuilding effort to finally get the Dolphins off the NFL island of lost causes. Instead we are reminded that one 10-win season with a young coach is no basis to declare him a success, as Flores follows the trajectory of predecessor Adam Gase that may lead him to oblivion.
The surprise is that the failings of Flores’ strength as a defensive technician may become his downfall.
Granted, Sunday’s trip to Tampa Bay to face the defending champion Buccaneers wasn’t a likely win. But the 45-17 debacle was an absolute indictment of Flores’ defense, which was supposed to be the cornerstone for improving on a 10-6 season.
There may be no opposing coach with the basis for defending against Tom Brady that Flores has, from all the years they spent on the same sideline in New England. And there was the Dolphins win in the regular-season finale of 2019 – Flores’ first season in Miami – that prematurely ended Brady’s Patriots career.
But Brady at 44 had his way with Flores’ defenders all day Sunday, making it look ridiculously easy while throwing for 411 yards, five touchdowns and a 144.4 passer rating.
The Bucs scored touchdowns on six of nine drives (not counting the final possession when they ran out the clock). They made a field goal, missed one and punted only once.
Dolphins disaster on third down
Perhaps most notable, Tampa Bay converted eight of 11 third-down chances.
But that is simply a continuation of what we have seen all season. Flores’ defense has gone from the best in the NFL on third down in 2020 (31.2 conversion rate) to second worst (54.2 percent) in the first four weeks. That was before the Bucs, missing Rob Gronkowski, converted 72.7 percent on third down.
This Dolphins defense has been a sieve on every down so far this season.
They were sixth in scoring defense last season, allowing 21.1 points a game.
They have given up an average 30.8 through five games this season, which would have all been losses if Xavien Howard hadn’t wrestled a fumble away from the Patriots in the final minutes of the opener.
But Howard was beaten by Antonio Brown for two touchdowns Sunday, including a 62-yard scorcher. Brady fended off the Dolphins’ highly paid cornerback duo of Howard and Byron Jones like a couple of common houseflies.
Meanwhile, Tampa Bay averaged 4.8 yards a carry rushing, which made Brady’s task easier.
The offense showed some promise early. It helped to have Preston Williams (three catches for 60 yards) back at wide receiver and Myles Gaskin (99 all-purpose yards, two touchdowns) back in the game plan.
They’re still not getting what was expected of rookie receiver Jaylen Waddle, who has his moments but too many drops.
The bottom line is these Dolphins look like a team in need of a rebuild rather than one in the third year of a complete makeover that was supposed to lead to the playoffs this season.
Granted the schedule looks more favorable the rest of the way (the 0-5 Jaguars next week in London). But the flaws of this team are plentiful and glaring.
Clearly they’ve miscalculated in player evaluation because they are getting pushed around up front and beaten at the skilled positions.
Most damning is the lack of impact so far from the nine draft picks taken in the first two rounds in the past two drafts.
Waddle may yet turn into a star, and fellow 2021 first-rounder Jaelan Phillips is looking better each week (first full sack Sunday). The jury is still out on quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, who may return next week.
But how patient will octogenarian owner Ross be as he watches another coach/front office combo foundering?
That may be more interesting to watch than anything that transpires on upcoming Sundays. Specifically, will Ross go into damn-the-torpedoes mode and order full-fledged pursuit of Deshaun Watson despite the legal issues hanging over the troubled Houston quarterback?
After all, it’s tough to justify refusing to part with a stockpile of high draft picks if you keep firing blanks year after year and remain mired in the same muck of mediocrity.
Craig Davis has covered South Florida sports and teams, including the Dolphins, for four decades. Follow him on Twitter @CraigDavisRuns
https://www.fivereasonssports.com/wp-content/uploads/fins-howard.jpg573963Craig Davishttps://www.fivereasonssports.com/wp-content/uploads/FiveReasonsWebsiteLogo.svgCraig Davis2021-10-10 19:03:012021-10-10 19:08:12Pressure Point: Dolphins’ decline on defense adds to heat on Flores
The Miami Dolphins play Tom Brady and the Buccaneers this upcoming Sunday; However, the biggest story regarding the Miami Dolphins right now is their 1-3 start.
Many might have not anticipated a 1-3 start in the beginning of the season. The outlook has been bleak ever since the injuries to Tua Tagovailoa, Raekwon Davis and Will Fuller V. It has also been rough water due to losses against the Bills, Raiders, and Colts.
Parker hurt again
There could be another loss this Sunday in Devante Parker. Death, Taxes and Devante Parkers hamstring injuries
DeVante Parker’s status (hamstring – popped up yesterday) will likely be a game time decision, per Brian Flores.
Devante Parker was limited on Friday because of his shoulder and hamstring injury and is listed as questionable for Sunday’s game against Tampa Bay.
Parker, who is the most experienced WR for the Dolphins had four catches, 77 yards, and one touchdown. Offensive Coordinator echoed more opportunities should be given to Devante Parker.
If Parker is unable to suit up against the Buccaneers, this is a golden opportunity for Preston Williams to show he is capable of being the “X” receiver.
“He is preparing so he can take advantage of that opportunity,” Flores on Preston Williams, who seems to be getting a call up.
Williams, who was a healthy scratch against the Colts, is destined for an increased role on offense this Sunday.
Williams doesn’t boast much utility on special teams, so it was difficult for the Dolphins to justify making him active for the Week 4 loss to the Colts.
Albert Wilson has been ineffective the last four games, Williams could have a clear path not only to being active versus Tampa Bay but potentially gaining meaningful snaps against a decimated Buccaneers secondary.
In 2019 where Williams played only 8 games due to a knee injury, showed consistency in making big plays when it mattered. Not to mention using his 6’5 220 lb frame to get 428 yards. An ankle injury forced Williams to sit out the 2020 season.
.@Tua delivers a perfect ball to Preston Williams. #FinsUp
The Dolphins will have to rely on Williams in the redzone as he and Mike Gesicki are the only notable pass catchers that create mismatches with their size when the field gets smaller. Williams, in his short playing career has done most of his damage in the endzone.
In regards to Preston Williams I have heard that he is, and I do quote “Ready to go”
The start of the new NHL season for the Florida Panthers is only a week away and the league should be scared of this year’s Cats team. With key players returning from injury and some new faces in Sunrise, can the Panthers compete for the Stanley Cup? Here is the 2021-2022 Florida Panthers season preview.
Last year the Panthers surprised a lot of people around the league after finishing second place in the Discover Central Division and taking the back-to-back Stanley Cup champions to six games in the first round of the playoffs. After a long off-season, the Cats are back, but Bill Zito and company weren’t going to let other teams get the jump on them for this season. The team made some huge moves in the summer which helped line up their roster for the upcoming year.
And the bookmakers have noticed.
The Panthers are in the top 10 favorites to win the 2022 Stanley Cup. Their current odds are listed at +1800 which is a slight improvement from prior to the preseason games.
It might be worth checking out some of the sportsbooks available for NHL right now before the odds get even better. If they win this season and bets were placed on the current +1800, the payout would be good. There are a bunch of other futures you could find on the sites, just make sure to shop around to find one that gives you the best value.
Forwards
Top Six
The biggest off-season move for the Panthers has to be the acquisition of Sam Reinhart from the Buffalo Sabres. The former second overall pick had five 20 goal seasons in his six full years with Buffalo. At just 25-years-old Reinhart has already scored 295 points in his NHL career, while playing on one of the worst teams in the league. He is expected to start the season on the first line with Carter Verhaeghe and Panthers’ captain Aleksander Barkov. Barkov just won his first career Selke trophy as the best defensive forward in the league and finished the year above a point-per-game. Verhaeghe finished his first year with the Panthers scoring 18 goals and 18 assists in only 43 games, proving to be a consistent scorer for the club. Expect this line to put up a lot of goals, night in and night out.
While Florida’s first line will be a nightmare for any opposition to come against, the second line is arguably just as lethal as the first. This line is led by Florida’s leading scorer last year, Jonathan Huberdeau. Huberdeau has been above a point-per-game player in his last three NHL seasons and has solidified himself as one of the best forwards in today’s game. To start the year on the opposite wing will most likely be 22-year-old Owen Tippett. Florida’s first round pick from 2017 played his first full NHL season last year with the team. After a shaky start to the season which saw him getting limited ice time, Tippett found his game and went on a tear while playing big minutes on Florida’s top-six. In six playoff games last season, he scored four points and has already shown good form this preseason. Down the middle is another former first round pick and potentially the hidden gem of Florida’s forward core; Sam Bennett. Bennett joined the Panthers at the trade deadline last season and immediately made his presence felt in the lineup. He’s a big, aggressive center who not only can lay the body, but can also put the puck in the back of the net. My main critique of the Panthers at the beginning of last season was their lack of physicality up front. With Bennett slotted down the middle, nobody is safe when he’s coming at them.
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Depth forwards
The Panther’s top two lines will be carrying the load offensively for the majority of the season, but where the true heart of the team lies is in the bottom-six, or the depth lines.
The third and fourth lines aren’t as clear cut as the first two; there are too many different options the Panthers can field for me to create accurate lines. However, this isn’t a bad thing. Some depth guys this season will include Anthony Duclair, Frank Vatrano and Mason Marchment; all of whom spent time playing on top lines throughout the last few years. Duclair and Vatrano both can be moved up and down the lineup throughout the year, as seen last season. With the speed and skill of Duclair and the clutch late scoring genes within Vatrano, Florida won’t have to continuously depend on Barkov, Reinhart and Huberdeau to provide consistent offense.
Compared to the beginning of last season, a lack of physicality isn’t an issue for the Panthers anymore. Mason Marchment made his debut last year after being acquired from Toronto the season before in the Denis Malgin trade. The 6’4, 210 pound winger is big and will need to lay the body when he is on the ices;. However Marchment isn’t the energy bus of the bottom-six, that would be 5’9 Ryan Lomberg. While he isn’t the most offensively or physically gifted player on the team, Lomberg plays with his heart on his chest. He will drive the net, get into the corners, fight guys twice his size and throw his body everywhere. Both of them played in all six playoff games last season and let their presence be felt.
While this team is composed of mostly guys in their mid twenties, Bill Zito hasn’t been afraid to bring in veterans during his tenure in Sunrise. One of his first moves as GM last off-season was bringing in two-time Stanley Cup champion Patric Hornqvist from Pittsburgh. Hornqvist became a fan favourite and was part of the Panthers’ leadership group last season. This year another long-time NHL vet will be joining him at FLA Live Arena, future Hall of Famer Joe Thornton. Thornton has accumulated over 1,500 NHL points in 1,680 NHL games. Jumbo Joe also has 134 points in 186 career playoff games.
Florida lost Alexander Wennberg to Seattle in free agency this year, but his replacement is the 2020 first round pick, Anton Lundell. Lundell was a star at last year’s IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship (U-20) and IIHF World Hockey Championship (Seniors) for Finland, leading the Finns in points at both tournaments. He showed that he was a man amongst boys at the World Juniors; his puck moving ability paired with his speed and hockey IQ helped lead Finland to a Bronze medal in Edmonton. Lundell didn’t miss a beat when he got the opportunity to play for the senior national team at the World’s, once again proving he could play with the best in the world. He won a Silver medal for his country in Riga. Lundell is only 20-years-old but the 6’1 Finn is going to be good and playing on the same team with one of the best Finns on the planet Aleksander Barkov will only boost his development.
Defense
Defense wins championships is a true statement. Look at the bluelines of the last few Stanley Cup winners. Each team had a Norris trophy caliber defenseman. Luckily for Florida Aaron Ekblad is back and looks better than ever after he suffered a season-ending injury against Dallas last season. Before the injury, Ekblad looked as if he would be contending for the Norris. When the number one defenseman on the team went down, it seemed as if Florida was in a tough spot. And then MacKenzie Weegar stepped up and never looked back. Weegar ended the season with 69 Norris trophy votes, the seventh most in the league. For this upcoming season, a healthy Florida D-core would have two elite level defenseman playing on the top pair with Ekblad and Weegar.
The top-two defenseman on the team are set in stone, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t more to be excited about. Gustav Forsling joined the Panthers before the start of last season after being waived by the Carolina Hurricanes. When Ekblad went down, Weegar assumed the top defenseman role and Forsling leaped into that number two spot. The Swede is extremely fast on his feet, both with the puck and without. I’d say he is the fastest defenseman on the team. Forsling will command that second unit and he has a few guys that could pair up nicely with him. As of now it looks like Brandon Montour will round out the top-four defense pairs for the Cats. Montour was traded from Buffalo to Florida last season and jumped into the lineup straight away. Both Montour and Forsling have the ability to jump up in the play and create offense from the back-end. The pair also extended with Florida this off-season, each signing three-year contract extensions.
To round out the defense, the butcher himself Radko Gudas will continue to be a human wrecking ball on the blueline. Gudas led the NHL with 250 hits last year in his first season with the Panthers. The sixth defenseman spot is up in the air as of now, with the likes of Markus Nutivaara and Matt Kiersted in contention. I wouldn’t be surprised if Kevin Connaughton also gets a look.
Goalies
The biggest question heading into next season for the Panthers is between the pipes. With the departure of Chris Driedger, there’s no doubt that Sergei Bobrovsky and Spencer Knight will be the two goalies for Florida this season. Yet, we don’t know who the starting goaltender will be for the year. It looks like Bobrovsky will be the starter on opening night and if that’s the case, it will be his net to lose. Spencer Knight is the future of the Florida Panthers goaltending and he did a great job coming in the middle of a playoff series last season and winning the Panthers a game at just 20-years-old. But he is still only 20 and has yet to officially play in his rookie season (didn’t play enough games in 2020-2021). Goalie is the most important position on a hockey team. A hot goaltender can carry you in a series, as we saw last year with Carey Price taking the Canadiens to the Stanley Cup Final. Even if Bobrovsky is the starter opening night, down the stretch, who will the Panthers call? On one hand you have a two-time Vezina winner with Bob. When he is on his game, he is one of the best in the world. However he hasn’t performed like his former self in his two seasons in Florida. On the other hand Spencer Knight is a rookie playing on a team that could very well compete for the Stanley Cup. Goalies VERY rarely ever make their NHL debut at such a young age, but Knight isn’t a normal goalie; he is a first round pick and a proven winner at the junior level. Only time will tell who is the number one goalie going forward for the Panthers.
Expectations
Looking at this roster, it is extremely deep. The top-six has proven scorers in this league and they seem to be very comfortable playing alongside one another. Every team experiences injuries and setbacks throughout a season. Having guys who can jump in and out of the lineup on the forward side will be a key to the year round success of the team. The defensive core is strong, but after the top-four, it’s not anything special. Having a healthy blueline at the end of the year will be important for the team. Finally, the goaltending. The Panthers could either have two really good goalies, one guy that isn’t living up to expectations, or another long off-season. Can the Panthers win the Cup? Looking at how other contenders are constructed around the league, I do believe Florida should be one of the top-five teams in contention for the Stanley Cup. Then again, the Cats haven’t won a playoff series since 1996 and they are playing in easily the most competitive division in hockey this season, the Atlantic.
https://www.fivereasonssports.com/wp-content/uploads/Barkov-Zito.jpg10241024Alex Baumgartnerhttps://www.fivereasonssports.com/wp-content/uploads/FiveReasonsWebsiteLogo.svgAlex Baumgartner2021-10-08 15:51:342021-10-08 15:58:412021-2022 Florida Panthers Season Preview
