The Miami Hurricanes Are At DEFCON 1

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It’s been an arduous season for the Canes. It started with 2 losses, then an “easy” 5-game home stand that featured 2 losses and a close win against Central Michigan, followed by a brief resurgence mid-year, and then a complete and inexplicable collapse over a final 3-game stretch that included losses to FIU, Duke, and Louisiana Tech.

Perhaps it is a sign of the times that not only was there no reaction from the Athletic Department as The New Miami quickly devolved into a disaster, including an embarrassing loss to FIU, but that no reaction was expected. This is the new normal. No loss too shocking. We keep saying we’ve reached “Rock Bottom” but in reality, there is no bottom for this program, because it is a program devoid of standards.

Sure enough, after the failure against Louisiana Tech, Blake James released a non-statement:

Putting the substance aside, there is something shocking here that is not evident until you look back a year:

Nothing represents the apathy of this administration more than this. Copying and pasting a “well, that sucked” message from last year and “changing it up a little” is pathetic. I’m sure they want to win, but they appear to be more concerned with controlling the narrative and saying what they think they should say to show they care, then with actually making hard decisions and holding people accountable. That it mirrored last year’s statement shows a complete lack of seriousness.

Manny Diaz was hired precisely because his hiring would not result in a complete overhaul since the team was “close.” That entire rationale turned out to be dead wrong. Diaz was not ready to be the head coach at Miami, he made a million mistakes, and instead of taking the program from “almost there, but needs offensive help” to “there,” he took it to “needs a complete rebuild.” He lost to GT, FIU, Duke, and Louisiana Tech.

Now, maybe the school overestimated the health of the program. Maybe it wasn’t a few offensive tweaks away. But that’s irrelevant now. The bottom line is the job that Diaz was hired to do either (1) never existed or (2) doesn’t exist now because he destroyed it.

To pretend like this was even within the realm of their wildest nightmares when they hired Diaz is disingenuous. There is no way they hire Diaz if they could go back a year knowing what they know now. Diaz is now tasked with a job that he was not hired to do, a complete rebuild of the program.

The Culture and the Standard

One of the ironies of this season as it devolved into failure was Diaz commenting on the culture of the program. Who allowed a WR that quit on his team last year to come back, only to have to suspend him again? Who rode in a yacht? Who crashed another coach’s clinic? Who said 7-5 is unacceptable and then started making excuses for losses? Who invented the Turnover Chain and Touchdown Rings? This is Manny Diaz’s culture, and his complete lack of self-awareness about his central role in creating the culture he now decries is galling.

But the Athletic Department shares the most culpability for the current state of affairs. As much as we were all happy to hear that Dan Enos was going to be coaching his last game in the Independence Bowl, who in the hell leaked that a few hours before kickoff?

Likewise, who is feeding crap to Barry Jackson trashing players, talking about who needs to be shoved out of the program and how they need grad transfers to fix the program? Even if it is true, that stuff should actually be part of the “full assessment” and done behind closed doors. Using the media as a proxy to get messages out to pretend they care, often to the detriment of players, while the paid professionals have little to no accountability must stop. You cannot run a program where the second something goes wrong, everyone goes leaking to the press, publicly assigning blame to scapegoats.

The truth is that this is a program that has been resting on the accomplishments of those that built this program decades ago, trying to do just enough to not get screamed at by fans, with little regard for the standard which they purport to try to “get back” to.

But the only way “back” is to actually accept their culpability in how we arrived here. The standard is no longer about winning championships, because Blake James changed the standard.

  • He can tweet about “#BuildingChampions” but there are no championships.
  • He can say that 6 wins fell below expectations but Al Golden went 6-7 in Year 4 and was back for Year 5.
  • In fact, in 3 out of Al Golden’s 4 full years as head coach, he won 7 or fewer games.

The second James accepted all of that, there was a new “standard.” He lowered our standards, and lowered them to the point that he actually has a canned “we just stunk in a bowl game after winning fewer games than expected” press release. That is the definition of the standard.

So when Blake James talks about the standard, I frankly have no idea what the bleep he is talking about because he has been a senior member of the Athletic Department for almost a decade, including AD for most of that time, and it’s pretty clear that this year’s performance is perfectly acceptable to him since he has accepted it from multiple coaches. 

A Path Forward

So, do we give up? As negative as I’ve been, the answer is no.

Should Diaz have been stolen back from Temple as a first time head coach? Should he retain his job now? Irrelevant, because those decisions have already been made.

The question we’re now faced with is whether Diaz can change. And in this, we have no evidence that he cannot, which means there is reason for hope. 

Blake James was not wrong in stating that there needs to be a “full assessment” of the football program. But what does that look like? Diaz needs to account for everything that happened from the second he accepted the job to the second the Louisiana Tech game ended. Work through what worked, what didn’t, why it didn’t work, and most importantly, what he is going to do differently.

A lot of this will be hard on Diaz, in particular as he looks at his own missteps, some of which were quite public and extremely embarrassing in hindsight. He chose to coach at the University of Miami not because it is easy, but because it is hard. 

It’s time for him to do the hard work of creating the culture and standard that the hashtags pretend to care about.

Yes, assistant coaches will change, but everything Diaz does sets the tone for the program. When he came in and fired the entire offensive staff, he sent a message that the offense was the only problem. That’s fine for a defensive coordinator, it’s not fine for a head coach. His hiring of Enos was a classic first time head coaching mistake where he brought someone in that thought he was smarter than everyone else on the staff and should be the head coach himself (see Shannon-Whipple for previous examples).

You win and lose as a team and everyone has to be under no illusion of who is in charge, and that’s Manny Diaz. So, as he assembles his 2.0 staff, a lot of attention needs to be paid to chemistry across the offense and defense. How does the collective staff work together? Are they marching to the beat of the same drum? Does every coach understand his responsibilities and that Manny is calling the shots? And under no circumstances does anyone, ever, publicly criticize a player. If the staff is cohesive, if they actually like working together, the program becomes a much more enjoyable place to be, and the players have a better chance of success.

These lessons were paid for in embarrassing losses, but if they were learned, and if they are grown from, Manny Diaz can steer this ship back on track. He has the opportunity in front of him. But he must demand perfection from himself, from those around him, from those working from him, and ultimately, from his boss. Reset the standard, learn from this year’s false start, and move forward from there. Anything else will ultimately result in failure.

If you asked me a year ago if Gino DiMare would have the Canes as a Top 5, National Championship contender, I would have said no. Maybe Diaz can surprise us. I choose to believe that Diaz can accomplish this not because he has shown he can, but because, possibly in my own naivety, I still believe in the ability of anyone, in particular someone new to a role, to change and to grow from mistakes. The speed and nature of that growth will ultimately determine whether this year was a series of rookie mistakes on the way to ultimate greatness or a series of red flags that ultimately lead to failure.

New Year Resolutions Came Early for the Miami Heat

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As 2020 approaches, replete with all of the resolutions and commitments to diet and exercise that come with a fresh New Year, the Miami Heat are exempt from such firm declarations at this time.

In the life cycle of every Miami Heat player, the in-house expectation is always the same regardless of calendar position: to become your absolute best, getting and staying in world class shape is a demand, not a request.

Pat Riley acknowledged as much in his end of season press conference last April.

“I set the template for it back in 1995 when I got here,” Riley said. “It’s academic. It’s a culture that I think every professional team should start with…. They want their players to be world class athletes first and knowing that if they become that, their basketball skills can become more efficient when they’re in great condition.”

“But every now and then, I used to call it, you got to tighten the screw if there is some slippage” Riley added. “And there will be changes next year. Not a new culture but tightening the screws on a culture that sometimes erodes just a little bit.”

Last year’s Heat team appeared to have rested on their laurels. “One Last Dance” with Dwyane Wade was the focus, and for all the warm and fuzzies that dance provided, it couldn’t offset the slippage.

Fast forward to the 2019-20 Miami Heat, and the screws have been tightened.

Riley made good on his promise of changes. Roster changes, lineup changes and absolutely no tolerance for approaching the process with anything less than total commitment.

Expectations were set on the first day of training camp, a message Coach Erik Spoelstra delivered to the team promptly.

“Look, we have a level of expectation and professionalism that you’re going to have to uphold. Period.” Meyers Leonard recalled as Coach Spo’s message to the team back in October.

What does the process of getting in “world class shape” look like?

Nutrition is a natural starting point.

Heat starter Duncan Robinson has made this a primary focus and has seen the results pay off in big ways. Robinson literally looks different this season.

“For me, what I tried to emphasize was my diet. I worked with a dietician and started cooking my own meals that way I knew exactly what was going into my body. Being locked in and consistent with that helped me put on the weight.” Robinson told Five Reasons Sports.

“I think the biggest difference is the emphasis and consistency they put on it here (in Miami).”

When we think of athletes training to be in world class shape, sometimes the assumption is athletes are asked to turn down food to maintain their chiseled physique.  Robinson paints a different picture.

“It was a hard adjustment to add more calories. The big adjustment was in the morning, eating such a big breakfast. I was having like 1,300-1,400 calories for breakfast. I wasn’t used to it.”

The team tracks their macronutrients – protein, fat, and carbohydrates. Players do not need to guess when it comes to meal prep. “I was given a meal plan and a shopping list” Robinson added.

Robinson had to go as far as cutting out one food item that is near and dear to all Floridian hearts: Publix subs.

“I had to cut out Pub(lix) subs. The chicken tender sub is really good. They’re not the healthiest thing in the world, but they are good for sure. There’s a saying that “cut” is in the kitchen. You’ve got to be eating the right stuff, especially if you’re working out as much as we are. That was the biggest adjustment from college to here.”

Leonard has a similar regiment.

“I eat between 4,800-5,000 calories a day. Most of it clean. It’s honestly kind of like a second job. I eat two pounds of protein per day,” Leonard told Five Reasons Sports.

“The focus off the floor is so important when it comes to how you’re going to perform on it. I want to look good, feel good, and perform well.”

The Heat training staff makes it easy for players to become educated and connected to the proper resources.

“The Heat have done a great job putting together a staff that allows for players to ask questions and get better. When you’re putting yourself through the ringer like that, you also have to have a staff and a support system that understands what you need and will work with you,” Leonard said.

Kelly Olynyk has transformed his body since his arrival in Miami, but it hasn’t been easy.

“It’s tough. It’s dedication and a lot of it is sacrifice. You’re not going to be eating the things you want to eat. You can’t take days off. You have to make sure that you’re giving a conscious effort day in and day out. I have to do something every single day. If I take days off, it hits me harder than it hits others. My body will lose body fat if I’m disciplined,” Olynyk explained.

Discipline, to the extent that Heat Culture demands, is not for everyone. The starting front court in Miami has embraced the process.

“I love it. I think that we are, first of all, blessed to do what we do, and also we’re paid pretty damn nicely. So, to stay in shape and be ready and do the little things that matter should be an expectation anyways,” explained Leonard.

Heat star Bam Adebayo takes the responsibility of carrying Heat Culture into the next decade seriously.

“There’s no limit in being in even greater shape. We just go out there and try to keep our body fat as low as possible, maintain our weight at a good playing weight, and eat right,” Adebayo told Five Reasons Sports.  “They hold us responsible for it, so whatever you put in your body is going to show on the court. We play fast, so if you can’t keep up, then it’s obviously in your diet, and that’s pretty much the Heat Culture, for real.”

Heat rookie sensation Tyler Herro now knows the reality of Heat Culture after spending a year in the college ranks at Kentucky.

“It was definitely an adjustment. Coming from Kentucky, they prepare you to be a pro. I think that’s the reason why you go to Kentucky. But it’s definitely been an adjustment in all aspects. I’m still adjusting. Taking it one day at a time,” Herro told Five Reasons back in October.

This year’s Heat team is a working embodiment of everything Heat Culture stands for, and it shows with what and who we are seeing on the court.

“It’s not really an option, so if you don’t want to do it, then you probably won’t be playing for the Heat much longer,” said Herro.

That sentiment has proven to be much more a promise than a threat – and it is paying off for the Heat this season.

Tightening the screws has led to a happy new year indeed.

Brian Goins contributed to this story.

Miami Dolphins: Mike Gesicki is finding his groove, making an impact

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Mike Gesicki emerging as a viable target for the Miami Dolphins.

Sunday’s win over the Cincinnati Bengals was a big one. It may have been to the dismay of some, but it provided certain players with the opportunity to shine. One player who competed at a high level was tight end Mike Gesicki.

After not producing at the beginning of the season, he has finally found his groove. Sunday against Cincinnati was proof of that. He caught six passes for 82 yards and two touchdowns. Averaging 13.7 yards per catch, a 31-yard grab was his longest of the afternoon.

The Penn State product recorded 22 catches for 202 yards last season. He has surpassed those numbers this season. Catching 47 passes for 536 yards and four touchdowns, he has begun to find his groove. What has been most impressive is his impact when he gets touches. He has 23 receptions that have gone for a first down this season. That certainly indicates he is reliable when called upon.

It’s interesting to look at how far he has come over the past couple of games. In back-to-back contests in September, he was barely noticeable. He caught one pass on two targets for 11 yards against New England on September 15. He caught all three passes thrown his way, but for only nine yards against Dallas on September 22. It was looking like the tight end position would be a non-factor for the Miami Dolphins.

Winds of change for Gesicki, Miami Dolphins

However, as soon as Fitzpatrick took over in October, we saw an increase in Gesicki’s numbers. The Miami Dolphins have done a nice job of getting the tight end position involved, and it’s paying off for them. Sunday was an example of that. This was the Mike Gesicki people saw at Penn State. After having such an up-and-down season last year, it would have been easy to predict that he would have a sophomore slump. Instead, he is playing at a high level.

What he is doing this season should set him up nicely for 2020. He is proving to be a consistent target for Miami. If he can carry this momentum over to next season, I could see at least 1,000 yards in his future. With how the young receivers  emerged at different points throughout the season, having a viable tight end could be crucial for the Miami Dolphins.

Launching Pad: Bam’s Buckets, Nunn’s Growth, Zone Success

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Welcome to The Launching Pad, a weekly roundup of Miami Heat basketball. Who’s playing well, and who should pick it up? What numbers should you be watching? What was that beautiful play Miami ran in the second quarter? You can find all of it here, every Monday.

The Stats (Weekly stats in parentheses)

• Record: 21-8 (2-1, 3rd in the East)

• Offensive Rating: 110.7 (116.8)

• Defensive Rating: 105.8 (113.5)

• Net Rating: plus-4.9 (plus-3.3)

• True-Shooting Percentage: 59.0 (62.1)

• Pace: 99.84 (99.00)

• Time of Possession: 14.6 seconds (14.8)

Lineup of the Week (min. 10 minutes)

Kendrick Nunn, Duncan Robinson, Jimmy Butler, Bam Adebayo, Meyers Leonard

• Minutes: 41

• Offensive Rating: 124.4

• Defensive Rating: 102.4

• Net Rating: plus-22.0

• True-Shooting Percentage: 66.6

• Pace: 97.8

The Big Number: 40.0

“We just didn’t guard nobody, man, from the beginning of the game. I think that’s the direction that we’re trending in right now. I feel like we got to take it personal. That doesn’t mean enough to us right now, to man up and take the challenge.”

That was was Jimmy Butler following the Heat’s loss to the Memphis Grizzlies. The Grizz dropped 118 on the Heat, including a 13-for-36 outing from three. The attempts matter more than the makes here; they came often and easy, much as they have all year against the Heat.

Per tracking data from Cleaning The Glass, the Heat allow the second largest share of three-point attempts in the league. 40 percent of enemy shots come from beyond the arc, slightly besting the Toronto Raptors (40.1) for the highest clip in the league.

The Heat have survived because those shots … just haven’t gone in. Opponents have shot just 31.2 percent on above-the-break threes (2nd in the NBA) and 36.2 percent on corner triples (8th) this season.

You can blame, if that’s the word, a lot of this on the scheme. You’re generally banking on teams taking tough pull-ups against a “Drop” scheme. When you combine that with shaky defense at the point of attack (miss you, Justise), and some liberal help rules from the “nail” — you can get a brief intro here — the Heat are at risk of some swing-swing-shoot sequences that bleed open looks.

 

Pay attention to Tyler Herro in that clip. That ends up being a tough shot because it’s for Solomon Hill, but it was mostly open. There was no real reason for Herro to help down in the first place.

The Heat want to be disruptive in that area, but they have to be smart about it if they want to limit attempts moving forward.

Weekly Trends

1. Bam, thriving in the middle

When we saw Bam Adebayo face off against the Sixers on November 23rd, he was greeted with the most aggressive version of “Drop” coverage he had seen all season. Joel Embiid played no less than eight feet off of him, basically daring Bam to do … anything, really.

Narrator: he didn’t do anything, really.

Adebayo finished the game with 12 points on 5-of-9 shooting, though the impact went beyond those numbers. With Embiid conceding that much space, he effectively eliminated Miami’s cut-heavy offense. DHO action with Adebayo went nowhere; his indecision off the bounce stunted an already-limited offense. It was ugly.

Adebayo has turned into a true offensive threat since that game, particularly in the middle of the floor.

He’s sprinkling in jumpers with more regularity:

The floater is coming along, with either hand:

And, buddy, is he showing off some juice off the dribble:

Before that Sixers game, Adebayo had only eclipsed 17 points four times. He’s averaging 17.5 points in the 14 games since, with four games over 20. He’s shot 22-of-46 (47.8 percent) on shots between 5-14 feet during that time frame.

As he’s become more comfortable in the intermediate area, the offense has become more difficult to defend.

2. Kendrick Nunn is calming down

Nunn has been a revelation for the Heat this season. Not only is he the Heat’s second leading scorer (16.4), he’s currently the highest scoring rookie in Heat history.

(Yes, he is currently outpacing Dwyane Wade by 0.2 points.)

Nunn’s scoring repertoire is impressive. He can drill pull-up triples, has an assortment of moves in the middle, and can finish at the rim with either hand. Three-level scorers are incredibly hard to find; three-level scorers that can bring plus-value in other areas are nearly impossible.

Nunn is more of the former than the latter right now, which is still a win for the Heat. His limitations as a passer have been pointed out by yours truly. He has routinely called on his own number when making a pass might’ve been a better option.

To his credit, he’s seen the floor better over the past couple of weeks. It’s especially worth highlighting now because he’s been able to strike a nice shoot-pass balance while scoring effectively. He isn’t making CP3-esque reads in the half-court, but he’s hitting the easy stuff — and doing so in a timely manner.

Nunn may be an older rookie, but he is a rookie nonetheless. His decision-making has gotten better over time, and that should continue as he becomes more accustomed to the speed of the game.

3. Zoning up

The more things change, the more things say the same. Erik Spoelstra doesn’t mind getting weird to shift the odds in his favor. He’s done so with his growing usage of the 2-3 zone over the last three years, a trump card that has done more good than evil.

Only two teams — the Washington Wizards (196 possessions) and Toronto Raptors (189) — have played more possessions in zone than the Heat (145). Of the 14 teams that have logged at least 30 possessions, the Heat rank third in defensive efficiency. allowing 0.848 points per possession.

Having guys like Derrick Jones Jr. and Jimmy Butler at the head of the zone is patently unfair. Their length and instincts make it nearly impossible to thread the needle on skip passes. Their closing speed up top also makes it difficult for drivers to penetrate the lane.

As with most schematic things in the NBA, putting more reps on tape will inevitably lead to solutions. The Grizzlies and Sixers (particularly late in the 4th quarter) were able to swing the ball around and generate corner 3s. The Heat give up enough of those in their base defense; they don’t need to do the same in zone.

Still, the zone has been an effective change-up for them this season. The scary thing is that it could get better whenever Justise Winslow returns.

Set Play of the Week

Floppy, with a twist

In terms of half-court actions, it generally doesn’t get more common than “Floppy” — screening action near the baseline in an effort to spring a shooter (or two) free.

What you normally don’t see is a big man on the receiving end of the screen.

Kelly Olynyk is having a down year overall, and we’ll probably need to discuss his role at some point. When he is on the court, he’s still one of the more unique weapons in basketball. He marches to the beat of his own drum in dribble-handoffs, but at his most basic, he’s a darn good shooter.

The very nature of a stretch big stresses defenses out. It ruins “Drop” coverage because it either concedes open looks, or pulls enemy big men out of the paint. Olynyk brings an added element as an off-movement shooter. He’s an awkward watch, but still fluid enough to balance himself and fire off the catch.

The Knicks had no chance here, but have they really had one in 20 years?

Dolphins celebrate after a touchdown against the Bengals. (Tony Capobianco for Five Reasons Sports)

Pressure Point: Dolphins win … and lose in tanking masterpiece

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MIAMI GARDENS — Based on Sunday’s home finale, it might appear the Miami Dolphins have found the sort of quarterback they’ve been seeking.

That was Ryan Fitzpatrick putting up Marino-esque numbers in Sunday’s 38-35 overtime win over the defenseless Cincinnati Bengals: 419 yards passing (31-of-52) and four touchdowns.

Fitzpatrick has the arm and charisma to build a winning team around. Too bad he’s 37.

Ironically, by replacing Josh Rosen with Fitzpatrick in the second half against the Redskins on Oct. 13 and keeping the veteran as the starter since, coach Brian Flores sabotaged the Dolphins’ chance of having the pick of the quarterback litter in next April’s draft.

The question of who wanted it more Sunday seemed obvious from the start. The one-win Bengals left no doubt they were locked in on the No. 1 draft pick by giving up touchdowns on Miami’s first two drives.

But then the Dolphins squandered a 23-point lead in the final 6 ½ minutes of regulation to turn this into a tanking masterpiece.

1972 Dolphins undefeated, feistier than ever

Win hurts draft position

Oddly, this was Bottom of the Barrel Week, with the four worst teams in the NFL matched up in separate games. Both went into overtime by identical 35-35 scores. The Giants prevailed over the Redskins just as the Dolphins and Bengals were beginning their extra session.

As far as draft positioning, the win was costly to the Dolphins. Improving to 4-11 dropped them to the fifth spot at least temporarily, pending the outcome of the Detroit-Denver game, with next week’s trip to New England remaining for Miami.

Actually, I’m fine with that, being of the opinion it is never a good idea to accept losing. It can be a tough habit to break.

Still, it is difficult to know what to take from this most perplexing Dolphins season.

The promising development is that the Dolphins may have finally found the right coach. Evidence is building in that direction, and being recognized outside of Miami.

Flores gaining support

On Sunday, the CBS analysts gave an endorsement of Flores, with Bill Cowher saying, “He has got these guys playing really, really hard. That speaks volumes about him as a coach.”

Regardless of upper management’s motives in stripping down the roster in rebuilding mode, Flores always insisted that his sole focus was on winning. His players love him for it.

“From Day 1, no matter what changes, no matter what happens to our team, he always said we’re going to go out there and try to win every game. … He’s a class act. All of us believe it. He’ll look you straight in the eye and tell us we’re going to get the job done. We’re going to give every chance we can to win. He really showed us.”

Flores certainly has gotten a lot out of a thread-bare roster that has been like a turnstile throughout the season. Some 80 players have been active at one time or another.

What remains to be seen is what he can do with a more talented team — when letting a 23-point lead evaporate is viewed as inexcusable.

Too soon to draw conclusions on coach

Can Flores achieve a winning blend and elevate the collective to championship contention?

Remember, there were indications Adam Gase was the answer after going 10-6 and taking the Dolphins to the playoffs in his first season.

There is a lot to admire about Flores, particularly his conviction about shaping a team and leading it in his own way. His best achievement this season was keeping the team from becoming dispirited among all the losing. He vowed they’d remain competitive, and they have been.

These Dolphins have gone from unwatchable at the beginning of the season to fairly entertaining. That is a credit to Flores and his staff.

But there are things to question in his methods and handling of players. Last week Flores spoke about adjusting schemes to get the most out of talented players.

“If we’ve got a good player, we’ll make it work for said player,” Flores said. “Yeah, if Lawrence Taylor was available and we had to fit the scheme for him, we would do it. So yeah, no problem.”

Nonetheless, he didn’t do that for talented young safety Minkah Fitzpatrick or running back Kenyan Drake, both of whom are having eye-openings seasons since being traded away.

So, it is premature to conclude that Flores is the answer for the Dolphins.

Extra picks provide options

Of greater concern is whether GM Chris Grier is able to make the draft picks and signings needed to get the rebuild headed in the right direction. He does have 17 draft picks over the next two years (three first-rounders in 2020) and will have more than $100 million in cap space going into the next signing period.

But look at the past couple of drafts and realize there will be plenty of misses and that it will be a huge task to restock this roster. And no guarantee the drastic measure of the teardown will break the Dolphins out of decades of mediocrity.

Tight end Mike Gesicki, their second-round pick in 2018, did have his first multi-touchdown day Sunday, and their top pick this year, defensive tackle Christian Wilkins, had a sack and caught a 1-yard touchdown pass after lining up as a blocking back. So that’s encouraging.

Note that even with the tanking strategy going a bit off the rails, they still may have a chance to draft the quarterback they were believed to covet: Tua Tagovailoa. That is, if the Alabama quarterback is deemed on track in recover from his hip injury and decides to enter the draft.

FitzMagic fine for short term

Whether taking a chance on Tua or some other quarterback prospect, they will have some time to get him ready to start.

Look for the Dolphins to go into next season with ol’ FitzMagic, who has been nothing short of a marvel as a starter for his eighth NFL team this season.

“It’s exciting every week because he plays with such joy,” center Daniel Kilgore said of Ryan Fitzpatrick. “You can just see, he loves the game. For him to be as old as he is, still going out and running around and making throws and doing things that normal people can’t do, it’s pretty exciting.

“I love to play for him. He loves his teammates, he loves the staff. He’s an awesome leader. He’s probably the top five for me as far as teammates of all time.”

Fitzpatrick certainly isn’t the elusive quarterback of the future they’ve been seeking. But the Dolphins are quite fortunate to have him right now, even if he has them winning too much for their own (draft) good.

Craig Davis has covered South Florida sports and teams, including the Dolphins, for four decades. Follow him on Twitter @CraigDavisRuns

Larry Csonka, left, and Larry Little join in celebration of the 1972 Dolphins being chosen as the NFL's greatest team. (Craig Davis/Five Reasons Sports)

Pressure Point: ’72 Dolphins undefeated, feistier than ever

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MIAMI GARDENS

An hour before the How Low Can You Go Bowl, and just how far the Miami Dolphins have fallen was exemplified by a gathering outside Hard Rock Stadium.

Cue, Springsteen’s “Glory Days” in your head.

The song is ancient, and so are these gray-haired men in aqua blazers gathered yet again Sunday to take a bow for what they achieved nearly half a century ago.

But the years haven’t diminished the accomplishment of the 1972 Dolphins, who went 17-0 on the way to winning the first of back-to-back Super Bowl titles. As part of ‘NFL 100 Greatest’ celebration of the league’s first century, those undefeated Dolphins were chosen as the greatest team.

They celebrated with a champagne toast at halftime of Sunday’s game between the lowly 2019 Dolphins facing the even lowlier Bengals.

Likewise, the passage of time hasn’t diminished the passion of the players who achieved it.

On being greatest team: ‘We took it’

That was evident when never-give-an-inch fullback Larry Csonka was asked about the honor.

“No, no, the NFL did not name us the greatest team, we took the god-damned thing. I’m tired of people telling me how they named us. They named us shit! We took it,” Csonka barked.

Then he smiled and added, “I don’t have any emotional response to that.”

Considering that other rankings of greatest teams have snubbed the Perfect Season Dolphins in favor of Bears and Steelers and Patriots champions that followed in other eras, was Csonka surprised the NFL chose to put them at the top this time?

“No. I’m not surprised,” he said, then became animated again. “Fellas, you’re missing the whole point. It’s a team sport. When you achieve perfection there is no single entity that leads in that perspective. You don’t have the leading rusher, you might not have the leading wide receiver, you might not have the leading tackler in the game.

“The fact of the matter is that you concentrate more on winning than individual performance. So when you talk about great entities in the league, those are detrimental to the winning aspect because you become one dimensional.

“So if you all work together and don’t let your egos get in the way, which is easy when [coach Don] Shula has his foot up your butt, then, and only then, you may attain a perfect season.”

Tanking is an illusion

For awhile early this season it appeared the current Dolphins might pursue absolute imperfection in aiming for a winless season for the chance to pick at the top of the draft. Instead, they came into Sunday’s game at 3-11 against the 1-13 Bengals, who had a virtual lock on the top pick in the 2020 draft.

As to be expected, the notion of a team built to lose is anathema to the Perfect Dolphins.

“That’s not an idea, that’s an illusion,” former running back Mercury Morris said. “… They’re dreaming now to think that you can take and lose a game and then therefore next year that’s going to help you win and make you more competitive. That can’t happen that way.

“You should be able to take who you have and cultivate what you’ve got and make that into your team.”

Admiration for Patriots

Morris pointed to the model of that in the present NFL.

“I like the New England Patriots because they’re the most competitive team that’s out there. … I have the utmost respect for the Patriots team because they’re closer to us … in terms of their respect for the game and how they can take whatever they have and win. Everybody else is chasing that.”

As for the Dolphins’ ambitions of reprising “Glory Days,” Morris suggested the current strategy is pure gamble.

“I hope all these draft picks they have that they’re going to get from trading away all their good players. I hope those dice work,” he said. “Because that’s what it is. It’s a flip of a coin.”

Craig Davis has covered South Florida sports and teams, including the Dolphins, for four decades. Follow him on Twitter @CraigDavisRuns

Houtz Special: Are the Dolphins preparing Josh Rosen to start in 2020?

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Could Josh Rosen be the Dolphins starting QB in 2020?

The 2019 season is quickly coming to an end. And with two games left to be played, most focus is now directed towards the 2020 offseason. An offseason, that many believe to be the most critical in franchise history. After all, Miami has upwards of $120-million and 15 draft picks at their disposal. What they do with them, remains the million-dollar question. More so, how will Chris Grier and his motley crew of NFL personal approach the most important position in football?

The quarterback.

Earlier this week, Jake Mendel took a look at some of the top available veteran QBs that could be available on the market. And for those paying attention at home, we’ve updated our 2020 QB tracker throughout the season. That can be found HERE. You can also expect to see several breakdowns throughout the offseason from me, as I introduce a new draft series on FiveReasonsSports.com

However, aside from countless prospects and veteran options, there’s one thing that many people refuse to buy into. And that is this- Josh Rosen, 2020 starting QB.

In Josh Rosen We Trust?

By now, we all know why Rosen isn’t starting for the Dolphins. Truth is, everyone in Miami is willing to put their body on the line for Fitzpatrick. And while this can be viewed as a knock towards the 22-year old QB, I fail to see it. Rosen is sitting behind a guy that’s played in the NFL for 15 years. A 37-year old journeyman that leads by example and does all the right things in the huddle. It took Rodgers many years before he got his opportunity. The same with Brady in New England. 

Maybe Rosen will never be the QB many scouts and experts believed he would be. Then again, maybe he just needs time. Perhaps, Rosen just needed a year to learn how to identify the mic LB, offensive line protections, and watch one of the NFL’s true leaders–command a locker room of young players, in a tumultuous season.

Before the trade to Miami, writers tried to push an agenda that Rosen had character issues and his personality wouldn’t fit in Miami.

Say what?

When asked if he was disappointed he is not starting for the Dolphins, Rosen gave this mature response.

“No. I mean ‘Fitz’ hasn’t done anything to lose the starting position thus far, so I don’t see why anything would change. I obviously would love to play if (Head) Coach (Brian Flores) called me up, but that’s not my decision and I think ‘Fitz’ has been doing a hell of a job considering all of the circumstances that have been going on this year.”

2020 is a unique year for the Dolphins and what many-including myself-deem as the most important in franchise history. No, Miami won’t be playoff contenders in 2020. They might not be much better than the record they currently have. But Rome wasn’t built in a day. Chris Grier and his staff have the resources. Now, they just need to find Miami’s QB of the future.

So again, what if that QB is already on the roster?

Maybe, they’ll draft Tua Tagovailoa or Jordan Love. Maybe, they’ll wait until next season with their eyes set on the 2021 class. But one thing we do know is that they WILL be drafting a QB. Grier and his staff will be turning over every stone, in hopes of finding the next Dan Marino. I’m confident Rosen is not the next Marino. But with a second-round pick already invested, why give up now? Why give up on a QB that is younger than LSU’s Joe Burrow? A QB that for the first time in many years, could be heading into next season with a familiar face at OC.

Rosen has plenty of flaws, as do we all. But many QBs throughout the history of the NFL needed time to develop. They needed time ‘for the NFL game to slow down’.

I wasn’t at training camp. But everything I saw throughout preseason told me Rosen looked to be not far behind Fitzpatrick, at least from a skill’s standpoint. But not even I can argue how much better Miami’s offense looked when Fitzpatrick took over vs Washington. Maybe, Rosen wasn’t ready. After all, he was thrown into the fire as a rookie in Arizona. And then again this season in Miami, behind the worst offensive line in football. Anyone would be nearing their breaking point. Coach Flores says that he continues to get better every day in practice and honestly, how bad could it be if they start Rosen and history repeats itself?

Maybe Rosen will be on the roster in 2020 and maybe he won’t. But Brian Flores had this very telling quote from earlier in the week.

From meetings to walkthroughs to all of the preparation, as a coaching staff, we’re with them on a daily basis and I think we have a good feel for what that is. To answer your question, for Josh and the steps he’s got to take, I think he’s taken those steps. I think in due time, he’ll get his opportunity.”

Could 2020 be the year of The Chosen One? Time will tell.

 

This article was written by Josh Houtz (@houtz) who refuses to give up hope on Josh Rosen.

 

 

Panthers Score 7, Top Stars 7-4

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The Panthers enter tonight 6th in the Atlantic at 16-12-5. Though a dip in the standings, they aren’t far behind. They sit two points back of 3rd place in the Atlantic with three games in hand of Buffalo.
This game wrapped up a franchise record 9 game home stand, one that has been disappointing for the Panthers. They finish the home stand 5-4 and taking 10 of the Possible 18 points.

The Panthers came out of the gate hot, getting the first goal of the game on the power play. With a nice screen assist from Aleksander Barkov, Jonathan Huberdeau buried his 12th goal of the season at 4:34 in the first. After a goal by Denis Gurianov to tie the game in the first, Anton Stralman ripped a shot of the face off that got past Ben Bishop to put the Panthers up 2-1. The Panthers outshot the Stars 15-7 in the first.

The second period was a much different story for the Panthers. They arguably played their best period of the season, scoring 5 goals. Noel Acciari, who scored a hat trick on Monday night, got a hat trick in 8 minutes of game play in the second period. The third in final goal came on a penalty shot, which he was rewarded for after getting fouled on a breakaway while the Panthers were short handed. Dallas got one goal back late in the second to make it 7-2.

In the third period, the Panthers came out a bit flat, committing a penalty and letting up two goals, making the 7 goal blow out, look a little bit better for them on the scoreboard.

Overall, it was a game the Panthers desperately needed. A well rounded game where they exploded offensively and had a solid night on the defensive and goaltending end. Panthers will improve to 17-12-5 on the season, good for 39 points on the season. They play again tomorrow in Carolina to start a 2 game road trip before Christmas break.

 

Complexity of a Jrue Holiday fit for the Miami Heat

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What the hell are the Miami Heat this season? Are they a contender? A feel good story? A team waiting for 2021? All of that? It’s weird, they are weird and with greater expectations comes urgency.

And that changes everything.

The Heat are loaded with contracts that make it easy to match any star player they would want, they have young attractive rotation players and now they are heavily linked to Pelicans guard, Jrue Holiday. For the Heat is the star guard worth cashing their chips?

The answer is kinda complicated and it doesn’t come without risks. Holiday has a 2021 player option for $26 million and should he opt in it will leave Miami without a max slot for the summer of Giannis. On the flip side, Miami could be a move or two away from the Finals and that’s all this organization wants. A chance. A shot at the title. 

The framework around the deal is the elephant in the room. If it does happen it’s conceivable that the package would include Goran Dragic, Justise Winslow and other salary to match. Considering the Heat are up against hard cap, it will take careful maneuvering and perhaps even a third team involved in any trade. It’s been said that the deal would have to include Tyler Herro which might be the deal breaker for the Heat. However if Pat Riley, cap wizard Andy Elisburg and company can negotiate around that, would the move make basketball sense? The question then becomes: does the move put them over the top into the conversation for the Finals?

Start here: Holiday isn’t a plus shooter by any means. His last three seasons, his three point percentages have been 34, 33 and 34. Playing him alongside Bam Adebayo, who doesn’t space the floor, could really limit the Heat’s offense down the stretch. Holiday would likely be a catch and shoot option in late game offense with Jimmy Butler triggering sets and Holiday is at just 34 percent on catch and shoot threes this season, consistent with his overall shooting. Thus, playing Adebayo, Holiday and Jimmy Butler (28 percent from three this season) in crunch time, as would be the case every night, would create spacing trouble. 

Naturally, it’s important to note that Justise Winslow is struggling this season even more than Holiday this season from deep, at 23 percent. Without question, Holiday is an offensive upgrade to Winslow.

I don’t think it can be argued that adding a recent All-Star and All-Defensive Team player would hurt the Miami Heat. Holiday makes them better no question, but losing two ball handlers for one brings Miami’s margin for error down significantly and Winslow’s size allows the Heat to be a more versatile defensive team. It’s a give and take that ultimately probably nets positive.

There are some concerns offensively but you trust that stars will figure those out, while you lose an elite wing defender you gain one at guard. Holiday would most likely move Kendrick Nunn to a bench role similar to what was being asked of Goran Dragic, to score in bunches and protect leads. The Heat would ask Derrick Jones Jr. to defend bigger wings more often, so long as he’s not part of a trade package. They still might be a wing defender short come playoff time, with names like Simmons, Harris, Brogdon, Giannis, Middleton, Siakam, Brown, Tatum, Hayward on the list of players Winslow would be asked to defend. Is Jones Jr. the playoff answer for that? 

Risking 2021 cap space for what would be Miami’s third best player also raises questions and this is why the move isn’t so cut and dry. This season the Heat have one shot at a needle-moving player because Dragic’s 19 million expiring contract is the big thing that would help them match salary and Winslow is the one attractive young piece the Heat might move. Saving these for a better player than Holiday might be the way to go, but it’s also possible a better player doesn’t become available. 

This team hasn’t been healthy lately as well, and to make knee jerk moves when their third and fourth best players have been out is premature. Without the extra ballhandlers Miami has been easier to defend, depending significantly on dribble-hand off sets and shooters hitting off the curls. It’s a far cry from the Heat’s Horns-heavy motion offense which feature multiple dribble and shooting threats that had Miami’s offense humming. 

It’s unlikely this trade alone puts them over the Sixers or the Bucks and it might come at the expense of 2021 if Holiday opts in. There is an argument to be made that with so many teams having cap space he would try for one last payday. Yet it’s still a risk that he punts on that or an injury would compel him to opt in. Theoretically the Heat can ask him to opt out and bring him back over the cap with his Bird Rights. So there are angles the Heat can play if things break their way. 

With the Heat ahead of schedule and Butler having a timer on his prime there is now a sense of urgency that wasn’t with the Heat in October. Even if they don’t make a move they still sit half a game out the two seed in the East (and half a game out of sixth), with a star, talented young players and a max salary slot in 2021. There are worse positions to be in and the Heat have to look in the mirror and decide what gambles are worth taking for the short term at the expense of 2021 flexibility.  The clock is ticking. To Jrue or not Jrue, that is the question. There’s no easy answer. 

 

Giancarlo Navas (@GNavas103) is the host of Miami Heat Beat.

Chris Grier isn't a perfect general manager, but he does not deserve to be fired.

Jake’s Take: Which veteran quarterback makes the most sense for the Miami Dolphins?

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Could a veteran quarterback be the right route for the Dolphins?

After a season of “tank for Tua” chants we are starting to get clarity on the 2020 draft class. There are concerns swarming around Alabama’s Tua Tagovailoa. Not only does teams have to worry about his hip, but now he may not even declare for the 2020 draft. 

The Dolphins have shown what Brian Flores, Chad O’Shea and the coaching staff is capable of with a few wins. It meant Miami lost a chance at Heisman winner Joe Burrow, who will likely go to the Bengals first overall.

Our thoughts on the draft class have changed since week one. That is why it is important to let a season play out. Mock drafts have the Dolphins taking Tagovailoa, but he may need more than a year to recover. Brian Flores, as recently as Monday, said that his team is determined to win football games.

Miami could invest a valuable first round pick on a huge risk like Tagovailoa or reach at someone like Justin Herbert. Another thought that has flown through the thought tank of the fanbase (aka Twitter) is pursuing a veteran quarterback.

The Dolphins have moved the ball well with Ryan Fitzpatrick at quarterback. For the sake of this argument, let’s say Fitzpatrick is an average quarterback. We’ve seen a handful of 20-point games. We’ve seen what an elite receiver DeVante Parker is capable of, in an offensive that isn’t run by Adam Gase.

What if, instead of forcing a quarterback in the 2019 draft, the Dolphins move around to not only replenish picks for 2020 and solidify the roster with roughly five of the first 64 picks of the 2020 draft? Could the Dolphins roster a competitive team that is capable of returning to the hunt?

Fans threw around Cam Newton’s name. Newton made his money with his legs and his struggled with an ankle injury over the last two seasons. He is on the books for $18 million next year, which would be pocket change for a Dolphins team that will have over $100 million in cap space? However, Chad O’Shea needs an accurate quarterback that can make throws over the top and outside of the markers, making a 31-year-old Cam Newton a tough fit.

What about Tom Brady? He has history with just about everyone in Miami. A six-time super bowl champion and arguably the best quarterback of all time. Brady will be 43 years old next season and is currently trucking through one of his worst seasons as a pro.

There was a rumor that the Miami Dolphins tried to trade for Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford before the 2018 season under Gase.   

Fast forward to today and the Detroit Lions have lost seven-straight games. Yes, Stafford was lost for the season in November, but he was balling out before the injury. Fitzpatrick has thrown for more than 280 yards four times this year. Stafford, on the other hand, has thrown for more than 340 yards four times this year. He finished with 19 touchdowns to just five interceptions through eight games.

Not only does Stafford share some of the traits of Fitzpatrick in terms of playing style, but the Lions may look to hit the reset button with a record of 3-10-1 and “sell the team” signs floating around the stadium on Sunday afternoon.

The best way to rebuild is to ship off a veteran quarterback and embrace a movement. They could speed up the process by engaging in trade talks with the Dolphins, who have a war chest of picks and can likely supply the best value. It is important to keep in mind that this doesn’t necessarily mean multiple first round picks or even a single first-round pick. Miami’s draft capital is more than most other teams.

Miami will draft a quarterback at some point in time. However, Brian Flores has proven himself in 2019 without much help on either side of the ball.

A veteran quarterback like Stafford may be a good option to help stabilize the franchise being under contract through 2022. The move gives Miami’s front office enough time to find the right quarterback, and more importantly, remain competitive.

Miami may decide it doesn’t want to make a big more for a quarterback and remain with Ryan Fitzpatrick. He has done more than enough in 2019 without a lot of help. Not only does the locker room love him, but he has made the Dolphins a fun team. 

Running it back with Fitzpatrick and some shinny new toys from the draft. Miami will add some depth in free agency, which could be just what this team means. However, it is interesting to take off the realistic glasses. Especially when jumping into the Madden trade machine and looking at ways the Dolphins could build a team that could bring Miami a playoff contender.