Minkah Fitzpatrick

Are the Miami Dolphins misusing Minkah Fitzpatrick?

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Wednesday’s practice started a bit of drama surrounding defensive back Minkah Fitzpatrick. When the Sun Sentinel’s Omar Kelly pointed out that Fitzpatrick was struggling in practice, Fitzpatrick’s mother fired back with no restraint.

Dolphins fans everywhere know that Kelly is not shy about stating his opinions, controversial or otherwise. But it isn’t every day that his comments earn the ire of players, or those close to them. It brings up an interesting point though. Miami is using Minkah Fitzpatrick all over the field. Inside the box, in the back of the secondary, covering tight ends, and so on. That is exactly what Fitzpatrick did not want to have to do. He hoped to be used in a single position and focus on that. That still isn’t Fitzpatrick’s reality, much to his dismay.

“I wish she would have addressed me first,” Fitzpatrick admitted on Wednesday. “My mother feels very strongly. She’s not wrong. But coach is asking me to do something right now, I gotta do what they ask me to do … you just gotta do it. If you resist it, you’re not gonna play well. If you think about playing somewhere else, you’re not gonna be able to focus on your position. I’m not a 215 pound to 220 guy, so being in the box isn’t best suited for me, but that’s what coach asked me to do. So that’s what I’m gonna go out there, I’m gonna practice my hardest, try my hardest. I might lose some of those matchups in the box, but I’m gonna fight my hardest.”

So Fitzpatrick agrees with his mother’s statement. His abilities are being misused. However, the whole appeal of drafting Fitzpatrick out of Alabama in 2018 was his ability to be a jack-of-all-trades. He does it all. He does some things better than others, but his versatility is still impressive.

“He’s done a really good job.” said head coach Brian Flores. “He’s a hard-working kid, does a good job with his communication, practices well every day. Obviously, it’s never perfect for anybody, but he’s a guy who we’ve used in multiple roles. He’s taken to that and really learned them all at a pretty good level. Obviously, there’s always room for improvement from a technique, from a fundamental standpoint – just an understanding of the game. He’s still a young player. It’s a new system, but he’s really a joy to work with from an abilities standpoint, as a kid – he’s a really good kid, too. I’m looking forward to working with him some more.”

The term “misused” isn’t something to be used lightly. True, Fitzpatrick feels comfortable elsewhere in the secondary, but necessity takes precedence. As of now, both of Miami’s starting safeties, Reshad Jones and T.J. McDonald, are nursing injuries. With them out, Fitzpatrick is being asked to step in. True, he’s willing, but he’s made it clear he doesn’t think he belongs there.

Now, fans are coming out to agree with Minkah Fitzpatrick. They believe his skills are suited for the free safety position. When he was drafted, that’s what everyone envisioned him as. But now that’s Bobby McCain’s role, and Fitzpatrick is taking over his slot position. Keep in mind, back in Alabama, the slot is where he spent most of his time.

Whatever one may think of his integrity, coach Nick Saban knows how to handle and develop players. If Fitzpatrick’s best place is in the slot, he should be there. If he gets moved around, it’s not because the coaches don’t care.

“It depends on if it’s a matchup-based game and his guy’s to the field, then we’ve got to put him to the field.” Flores said. “If we’re playing a zone game and we’re playing him middle of the field, then we’ll play him in the middle of the field. If his guy’s into the boundary, we’ll do that. He can do a lot of things. Part of what we do is try to put him in positions – because he can do so many things – not to overload the kid. I think that’s a big part of our responsibility as a coaching staff is not to overload him.

“I don’t feel like he’s overloaded. He’s played multiple positions. He’s really done a good job at all of them. Every time he gets out there, it’s a new experience. Whether he’s getting stack receivers or Y-Y wing or empty – I mean there’s a myriad of things that could happen and every one is a good experience for him, and he’s done a good job.”

More than likely, Minkah Fitzpatrick will go back to his slot position upon the return of Jones and McDonald. Until then, he will have to endure being an all-purpose player. Is he being misused? The answer is no, not really. He is as advertised, someone who can do it all, but at different levels of effectiveness. This is the next man up mentality in a nutshell. The coaches know what he is and isn’t good at, but when injuries come into play, sacrifices must be made.

Training Camp

Top 3 performers from Dolphins-Buccaneers training camp – Day 2

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Wednesday concludes the joint training camp sessions between the Miami Dolphins and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Next, they will face off against each other in real game action, culminating the experience. As usual, there were ups and downs all across the board, but there were some higher highs and lower lows that stood out above the rest. Now the time has come to, for the final time this season, break down the top three performers in training camp.

Kalen Ballage, RB

Yes, he was on Tuesday’s top three list as well, but it cannot be denied just how strong Kalen Ballage has come on as of late. Tuesday’s practice saw Kenyan Drake walk off the field with a trainer and never return. Wednesday, he arrived wearing a walking boot, leaving the starting spot wide open for Ballage.

And you better believe Ballage is taking full advantage of it, despite Drake’s injury not being viewed as serious. Tuesday, Ballage scored two touchdowns, and on Wednesday he scored three. The speed he displays when running down the sideline is staggering, and is frankly uncharacteristic of a player his size. This is exactly what Miami saw when they drafted him last season in the fourth round.

Everyone knows about his speed, but it’s his hidden power potential that, up to this point, was hidden away. Since getting this opportunity, Ballage has become aggressive with his running, and is even willing to make some hits. At last, he’s using the power his frame naturally give him. If he keeps that up, he could snatch the majority of snaps away from Drake when he eventually returns to the field.

Jaryd Jones-Smith, OT

Interesting choice for a second top three performer? Perhaps. But after leapfrogging veteran Jordan Mills as the second-team left tackle on Wednesday, his contribution cannot be overlooked. As soon as Jones-Smith entered the lineup, the left side of the offensive line found some stability that wasn’t there before. That’s telling, especially given how the OL has been in shambles for weeks now.

Granted, Jones-Smith was not perfect, giving up a whistled sack. But overall, his play was solid enough to warrant giving him this distinction. It’s been a rough road for the former Pitt standout, losing his dad to brain tumors and nearly losing his leg back in his college days. He and his record-breaking wingspan overcame those challenges however, and now he’s here to prove he has something to offer.

Cornell Armstrong, CB

Armstrong is the top gunner on special teams with Walt Aikens out with a knee injury. But that isn’t why he’s making the list for Wednesday’s training camp. The second-year player out of Southern Miss didn’t get much coverage coming out of college, but Chris Grier and the scouting department saw something there no one else did. Armstrong is steadily improving as a cornerback, reading routes and making plays as a part of Miami’s backup unit.

Even Wednesday, Armstrong made an impressive play. He read the eyes of the QB and managed to deflect a pass in the endzone with a dive, laying out to prevent the catch. Dedication like that is always worth noting. Armstrong may not be getting a lot of looks, but he’s doing the best he can with what he is getting. With the Dolphins looking for someone to start next to Xavien Howard, he should get a chance to try.

Youth sports becoming too professionalized

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Youth sports today is not the youth sports of yesteryear.

Sadly, it might be due to the fact that professional sports and their prevailing attitudes about mentality, training, and expectations have taken root across all youth sports domains.

Just last week in the Wall Street Journal, Ben Cohen’s column described how this weekend in Orlando the Jr. NBA Global Championship will transpire – an event featuring the best 13- and 14-year old’s from around the world. Besides spending hours on the hardwood, these kids spent as much if not more hours replaying James Harden and Stephen Curry’s Instagram feeds so they can work on perfecting their 3 pointers, imitating Harden’s nearly impossible step-back 3 pointer along with Curry’s signature shot with his arm beautifully arched above his head.  Understandably, most coaches discourage the shot while others feed these youngsters’ heads with the promise of one day attaining superstar status too.

Sadly, unencumbered free play seems passé. Unstructured play has given way to intensely controlled organized sports leagues, travel team, to home schooling so children can spend hours honing their physical talents.  Yet, the worst part is how the adults are shaping youth sports in ways that go against the best interests of children.

In our book Raising Your Game, Hall of Fame pitcher John Smoltz concluded that youth sports “has changed for the worse. It’s too specialized, overuse, over abuse, you name, it. And, the one thing that’s saddening is that we’re creating little factories, little prodigies, and we’re not allowing kids to be kids.”

Childhood was supposed to be the time when you had the freedom, fun and opportunity to enjoy sports for the pleasure and competition provided without pressure of focusing on a future career. As we all know the path to superstar status is littered with many bodies broken by overuse and debilitating injuries, burnout, change of heart and focus, as well as personality problems or poor personal choices.

Again, our book Raising Your Game (buy it here) drove home the point that having fun, developing intrinsic motivation, and trying one’s best are the most promising precursors for later success. If only these attributes were the highlight reels for promoting youth sports.

Training Camp

Top 3 performers from Dolphins-Buccaneers training camp – Day 1

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The last time the Miami Dolphins held a joint training camp practice, it was 2017 and Adam Gase was entering his second year as head coach. Miami had built a fairly strong relationship with the Philadelphia Eagles, and they decided they would hold a practice together. The time before that, Joe Philbin was in charge. The Dolphins traveled to North Carolina to practice with Ron Rivera and the Panthers. That joint practice time was far less productive, and ended in season-ending injuries.

Fortunately, no such downsides occurred as Brian Flores and Bruce Arians came together for a joint practice on Tuesday morning. Both teams clearly benefited from going against other opponents, leading to greater evaluation opportunities. While plenty happened, and all amidst Jadeveon Clowney trade rumors, there are still some players who stood out more than others based on my observations. Here are my top three from the first joint practice.

Kalen Ballage, RB

While running back Kenyan Drake limped off the field on Tuesday, Kalen Ballage flourished taking his snaps. The offensive line didn’t make many holes for him to run through, but when they did, he ran through them like a bat out of hell. Ballage rushed down the sideline for a 70-yard touchdown scamper (yes, they were tackling), then caught a quick pass from Rosen and sped past defenders for a touchdown reception.

Granted, Ballage dropped a few passes. For someone whose claim to fame is catching passes out of the backfield, Ballage is having trouble with that so far in 2019’s training camp. Nevertheless, two big plays like the ones he had Tuesday are impossible to ignore. If the offensive line can’t make holes for him to run through, then it’s good he at least hits home runs when they do.

Preston Williams, WR

This shouldn’t come as a surprise anymore. Preston Williams is clearly turning out to be one of Miami’s best wide receivers. Tuesday, Williams caught several tough passes and roasted a few defensive backs during one-on-one drills. Poor De’Vante Harris had no idea what hit him.

All of these amazing plays, and really the question to ask is this: why did Preston Williams go undrafted? That’s a question better answered by Five Reasons’ own Chris Kouffman, but the fact remains that Williams continues to be an incredible diamond in the rough for the Dolphins. Of course, now everyone knows about him. It will be interesting to see what he does as his level of competition continues to rise.

Xavien Howard, CB

While Howard had his moments of struggle against WRs Chris Godwin and Mike Evans, he quickly came back to form, intercepting two passes from Jameis Winston on Tuesday. The second one, he even threw in a little insult to the injury, running it in for a touchdown and pointing to the offense on his way. Disrespectful? Perhaps. But that doesn’t make it any less enjoyable for the winning side. It’s training camp, let them play.

Many Buccaneers fans were quick to dismiss Howard after he lost matchups against Evans and Godwin. But the moment Jameis Winston started testing him, that’s when things went sour for Tampa Bay. There is no cornerback in the history of the NFL that is flawless, even Deion Sanders made mistakes in his career. But going after a corner of Howard’s caliber will never fail to leave QBs with regret. His development has been remarkable, and the Dolphins were wise to extend him when they did.

Next test for Josh Rosen? Start him against Bucs

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The first taste of quarterback Josh Rosen was more palatable than expected, save for the interception that briefly lodged in the throat.

That new dish called Preston Williams was a delight – gives us more, more, more of that, please. The undrafted wide receiver showed the possibility of something special.

The offensive line and overall defense are recipes that obviously need a lot of work. Watching left me with indigestion – and the former nearly got Rosen crushed a few times.

Overall, the Dolphins’ 34-27 had more merit than usual for an exhibition opener, which tend to be an inedible stew.

Most important, I saw more to like in Rosen than not.

If the newcomer from UCLA, by way of Arizona, progresses from here there’s no reason that he shouldn’t get the reins for the season opener against the Ravens on Sept. 8.

Prep for that should begin with a test in that role in next week’s exhibition at Tampa Bay. Preseason is all about discovery.

As coach Brian Flores said earlier in the week, it would be premature to anoint Rosen as the future right now.

His first performance in a Dolphins uniform was certainly flawed. He displayed inexperience, inconsistency. He made mistakes while going 13 of 20 for 191 yards and a passer rating of 75.2.

QB hints of risk but also reward

So, clearly, a product that needs much more than spit and polished. It needs refinement.

But Rosen also showed he’s got the arm, resourcefulness, instincts and guts.

His gunslinger mentality, which both Flores and Rosen alluded to afterward, carries risk, and it was evident.

But after seven years of a quarterback who was more likely to unravel than rally, an alternative with the fortitude to makes plays with the game on the line is a welcome change.

Rosen doesn’t like to give up on a play, and he showed the ability to convert under pressure with a key completion to Williams while being dragged down.

Despite the completion, Flores said it may be wiser to take the sack in that situation.

To his credit, Rosen acknowledges he needs to learn when to hold it and when to fling it.

“I’ve got to find that balance of knowing when to kind of push the edge and when to just take the sack and live to play another day,” he said.

Toward that end, Rosen needs to play as much as possible in the next two exhibitions to aid in that development and for the Dolphins to see if the 22-year-old can be trusted.

Notably, he should be given the opportunity to further that process while playing with the first team. He led the second-team offense Thursday as he mainly has during training camp.

Offensive line a concern

Rosen must have had flashbacks to his regrettable rookie season behind the porous Cardinals offense line while being harried and hurried by Falcons defenders Thursday night.

Though he led a touchdown drive on his first possession, Rosen was ragged in the second quarter. Protection by the reserve linemen was a bit better in the third quarter, and so was Rosen as he went 6 for 6 for 93 yards and led a drive for a go-ahead touchdown.

It is always difficult to draw conclusions from exhibition games, which tend to be misleading due to who is playing and who is not. But they provide the best preliminary test available for who can play at the highest level and who can’t.

We already know that 15-year veteran Ryan Fitzpatrick is perfectly suited to be the Dolphins’ backup quarterback.

We need more evidence about whether Rosen is ready to be the starter.

Good, bad and the urgency

Overall, the deficiencies of the roster were evident.

The first-team defense couldn’t stop the Falcons regulars led by veteran Matt Schaub, who repeatedly picked on free-agent rookie cornerback Nik Needham. But Needham, playing because Eric Rowe was out with an injury, won’t be in that spot when games count.

Nonetheless, it was apparent that competent defense is going to be difficult to produce, even with Flores’ Patriots pedigree.

The lack of a pass rush was glaringly evident, as feared.

Ditto, effective offensive line play, which has been a Dolphins trouble spot for years. Tackle Laremy Tunsil, their best lineman, didn’t play, so again the results are a bit of a mirage.

But rookie left guard Michael Deiter, the third-round pick out of Wisconsin, was disappointing in his debut.

Shaq Calhoun, who garnered attention as an undrafted rookie elevated to start at the other guard, also failed to impress. Why can’t the Dolphins ever get the guard play right?

Praise for Preston Williams

Meanwhile, another undrafted rookie was the star of the night. Williams, the rangy receiver from Colorado State, caught four of the five balls thrown to him for 97 yards.

Williams looked like what DeVante Parker, the 14th overall pick in 2015, was supposed to be as a featured receiver but has never become.

As for this year’s top Dolphins draft pick, defensive tackle Christian Wilkins didn’t stand out but was solid in the middle as a run stopper and disruptor.

As an appetizer, the exhibition opener left you hungry for more – especially for another plate of Rosen and Williams in the coming weeks.

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

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Preseason Week 1CHARLES TRAINOR JR CTRAINOR@MIAMIHERALD.COM

Bottom 3 performers from preseason Week 1 – Dolphins vs. Falcons

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The Miami Dolphins have come out on top against the Atlanta Falcons in their first preseason game of 2019, but it would be foolish to assume everything was wonderful. Even though plenty of players managed to shine, there were a lot of players who struggled mightily. Here are just the bottom three players who need to start showing major improvement in a hurry.

Nik Needham, CB

No one struggled on the field more than undrafted free agent Nik Needham did on Thursday. Needham is in the running to win the starting cornerback job opposite Pro Bowler Xavien Howard. He did not make a good case for himself, especially since he was sent to the field from the first quarter, all the way until nearly the end of the game. It didn’t matter if it was Matt Schaub or Matt Simms, Needham failed to make any sort of positive impact.

He was routinely picked on, lost track of coverage, missed tackles, committed costly penalties; name it, he did it.

It’s yet to be revealed how heavily coach Flores weighs preseason performances in his decision making. In the eyes of many, Needham has already played himself out of contention for a roster spot. It’s hard to blame them, given just how bad he was. There are other players who want his spot on the roster, not the least of which is Jomal Wiltz (who also struggled a bit).

Truly, it’s a shame that Cordrea Tankersley seems stuck on the PUP list. The Dolphins could use him right now. And with Eric Rowe out of the picture for an undetermined length of time with an undisclosed injury, Miami’s second boundary corner spot is looking extremely weak.

Jordan Mills, OT

Laremy Tunsil did not play on Thursday for precautionary reasons, which meant that someone needed to take his place at left tackle. That someone turned out to be veteran tackle Jordan Mills. Needless to say, it wasn’t pretty to watch. Mills routinely allowed defenders to get past him, forcing both Ryan Fitzpatrick and Josh Rosen to make miraculous plays just to keep drives alive. He’s slow out of his stance, he’s unable to keep up with rushers, he’s showing why the Buffalo Bills let him walk.

Granted, Mills hasn’t played left tackle since 2009, back when he was in college. However, the fact Jesse Davis already ranks above him at right tackle as well speaks volumes. Miami needs to find someone else to compete in preseason if Mills can’t measure up to expectations. Ironically enough, Sam Young, Miami’s former utility tackle, is still on the market. Recently, Young worked out for the Buffalo Bills, but left without a contract.

If Mills continues to play like this, the Dolphins should give Young a call. He’s by no means a superstar, but he will provide better backup potential than Mills seems capable of.

Michael Deiter, G

It hurts to see this, but rookie guard Michael Deiter makes the worst player list. True, the Wisconsin guard is still young and inexperienced, but he’s supposed to be a solid player. Third round pick, comes from a school famous for producing offensive linemen, what could go wrong? Evidently, enough that Deiter couldn’t hold his own against the Falcons pass rush. Even undrafted free agent Shaq Calhoun, who also struggled, performed better than Deiter.

After the rest of the starters on the OL came out of the game, Deiter and Calhoun remained. Head coach Brian Flores apparently wanted them to get in more snaps, and he was justified in making that decision. Offensive line coach Dave DeGuglielmo said that Deiter needed work, and he was right. Deiter even admitted as such himself, and he was also right. Fortunately, there’s still plenty of time for Deiter to develop, so things aren’t hopeless yet.

However, if Deiter wants to legitimately be named the starter, he’ll have to get his act together before the preseason ends. Brian Flores will continue to stress basics and fundamentals, and Deiter needs to continue mastering them.

Luis Sung has covered the Miami Dolphins for numerous outlets such as Dolphins Wire for six years. Follow him on Twitter: @LuisDSung

Preseason Week 1Ethan Skolnick

Top 3 performers from preseason Week 1 – Dolphins vs. Falcons

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The Miami Dolphins have come out on top against the Atlanta Falcons in their first preseason game of 2019 with a score of 34-27. Things were shaky at first, the starting offense and defense clearly have some bugs to work out. However, there’s no denying that at least a few players shined bright against Atlanta. Some players also did badly. But here, it’s time to breakdown the top three players from Thursday’s game.

Preston Williams, WR

Williams was one of the players to watch for the first preseason game, and Williams really delivered. The former Colorado State standout put on a show, making four receptions for 97 yards, averaging 24.3 yards per catch. However, those catches were anything but routine. One catch was made as Rosen was being dragged to the ground, and he dove to make it. Then another was made over the hands of a defender deep.

But the most impressive one of all, was made as Williams tiptoed the very edge of the sideline and forced the officials to review their call. It was reversed, and Williams was credited with an 18-yard gain.

This past week was filled with speculation regarding Williams and his rapport with Josh Rosen. There’s no more room for doubt, Williams is turning into a special wide receiver. Credit the coaching staff for taking a raw talent and refining him into a dangerous weapon. If this keeps up, Williams could go from merely making the roster, to becoming the team’s number one target.

Josh Rosen, QB

His box score doesn’t show it, but Josh Rosen was solid against the Atlanta Falcons. The Dolphins offensive line could barely find time to protect him, forcing the second-year quarterback to improvise more than he should’ve had to. However, that performance he put on doing just that shows Rosen just might be worth investing in. Rosen’s favorite target, as previously mentioned, was obviously Preston Williams. Their rapport could go a long way this season, if Rosen gets to start.

Having trust in a wide receiver makes QBs willing to take chances, which leads to big plays. Rosen completed 13 out of 20 passes, for 191 yards. His only real mistake was when he made an egregious interception to a linebacker just standing there waiting for him to throw the ball. No one’s perfect though. The big plays far outweighed the one mistake.

If nothing else, this week’s performance shows that Rosen deserves a chance to play with all the starters. Fitzpatrick was okay, but he did not do nearly as well as Rosen did. He was elusive, showed tremendous pocket presence and awareness, and he was accurate on his throws. That’s everything a quarterback needs to be. There was skepticism still surrounding Rosen, but if the offensive line can just find a way to protect him, he might just break out in 2019.

Dewayne Hendrix, DE

There are a lot of young players trying to stand out and make a case for why they deserve to be on the final 53-man roster, and the choice for week one of the preseason is Pitt defensive end Dewayne Hendrix. The undrafted free agent has had his moments in training camp, and he had a few against the Falcons on Thursday. Hendrix made two sacks on QB Chris Simms in timely moments, resulting in the defense stopping Atlanta before they could make a game-winning play.

Hendrix battled a lot of adversity making it to the NFL, his college career was rife with struggle for one reason or another. Clearly, he’s making the most of his opportunity. With Miami’s pass rush being as weak as it is, recording two sacks is nothing to sneeze at. He’s flashed in camp, now he’s flashing in preseason. All he has to do is keep this up, and his spot on the roster should be secured.

Luis Sung has covered the Miami Dolphins for numerous outlets such as Dolphins Wire for six years. Follow him on Twitter: @LuisDSung

Josh Rosen has produced mixed results in his quest to be the Dolphins' starting quarterback.

Preseason: Dolphins vs. Falcons – Top 3 players to watch

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The Dolphins first preseason game is fast approaching, and there are a lot of players that need evaluating. So, the time has come to give a quick rundown of which three players fans should be keeping a close eye on as the Dolphins face the Falcons at Hard Rock Stadium.

Josh Rosen, QB

Did anyone not see this coming? Yes, Josh Rosen is at the top of the list of players to watch for the first preseason game. All throughout training camp, Rosen has steadily improved, but still fallen short of veteran Ryan Fitzpatrick. Fitzpatrick will start the game for however long coach Brian Flores deems fit, but there is an advantage to Rosen not starting. Because he’s listed as the backup, Rosen will have a chance to get more snaps than usual.

Rosen needs all the practice he can get as he tries to get his career back in order. He was derailed in his rookie season by the dysfunctional Cardinals, and this will be his first game action since being traded. All Rosen has to do is show that he’s still worth investing in. Make smart plays, take calculated risks, and prove he’s worth the pick Miami traded to get him. The Falcons already had their first preseason game, so the defense will have a head start. Seeing how he does against them will offer some insight.

Michael Deiter, G

Strangely enough, undrafted free agent Shaq Calhoun is doing just as well, if not more so, than the Dolphins 2019 third round pick. This puts a certain amount of pressure on Deiter. By his own admission, offensive line coach Dave DeGuglielmo says he still has a lot to work on.

“That I need to get better and that I’m nowhere near where I need to be, which is good. I’m not. He’s right.” Deiter said on Tuesday. “But I’m getting better, for sure, and making strides. The biggest thing is mastering the offense and getting as comfortable as I can mentally, that way I can come out here and just cut it loose without thinking.”

DeGuglielmo is not shy about letting young players play; the antithesis of fired OL coach Pat Flaherty. As a result, Deiter is going through his growing pains now. It will be interesting to see how he holds up against a defensive front going all out.

Preston Williams, WR

Oh look, Williams makes another list. Surprise, surprise. Yes, the time has come to see what Williams can do in a real game. He impresses in practice, even in full pads. But this is an actual opponent, which means no punches will be pulled. It may only be preseason, but there are a lot of players gunning for a spot on each team’s final roster. Even if it’s sloppy, players will be giving it everything they’ve got.

With all the rotation the Dolphins are doing in practice, there’s no way to guess who will start and who will play later. Maybe there is no set number of snaps for players. Maybe Williams will play with Fitzpatrick and Rosen in the same game. All anyone can do is wait and see how Flores coaches his first ever NFL game. Williams still has something to prove, and a competition to win. A strong performance against Atlanta will go a long way for him.

Luis Sung has covered the Miami Dolphins for numerous outlets such as Dolphins Wire for six years. Follow him on Twitter: @LuisDSung

Stephen Ross

Stephen Ross and conflicting messages create PR mess for Dolphins

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For those that don’t know, Dolphins’ owner Stephen Ross has been an avid supporter of Donald Trump for many years. However, despite the President’s stance on race and equality in America, Ross has continued to fund R.I.S.E, one of the biggest non-profit organizations supporting racial equality in the world.

According to the official website, R.I.S.E stands for:

“We are a national nonprofit that educates and empowers the sports community to eliminate racial discrimination, champion social justice and improve race relations.”

So why is this a thing now?

Stephen Ross supports Donald Trump

Wait, WTF?!?!

That’s right, folks. Ross, the man that supported players protesting the national anthem, is now holding a very expensive luncheon for the president. A president who’s entire campaign was built upon racism and other unethical fallacies. So which is it Ross? Do you support the players and those affected by racial inequality. Or do you back the mouth-breathing, racist in the oval office, doing whatever it takes to counter those very ideas that R.I.S.E stands for.

I call BS, and so does one of the one of the biggest advocates for racial equality – Dolphins’ wide receiver Kenny Stills.

Stills took to Twitter early yesterday morning, and dropped an atom bomb that would send shock waves throughout the sports world.

 

Now regardless of which side of the political landscape you are on, Stills has a point. After all, Trump symbolizes all that is wrong in today’s society. Race, hatred, and of course, his hair. So how can someone so adamantly for racial equality, support someone so against it.  Worst of all, how can he not see the divide this could create among his other entities, specifically his football team.  And for what?  A tax cut?

It just makes you wonder how such a successful business man, could be so foolish.

Sure, Ross has done a lot for the community.  And as an owner, he’s used his hard earned money to fund stadium renovations, making Hard Rock one of the premier stadiums in all of sports.  But as an owner, Ross has fell short.  Yes, every March he opens his checkbook and adds lots of zeros to highly-coveted free agents that never seem to pan out.  And yes, every three or four years he embarks on a coaching search, trying to turn this team into a contender-which he’s failed to do since taking over the team in 2008.

Truth is, Ross is a bad owner and his recent comments have been less than ideal.  His name is now in the media for all the wrong reason.  But as you can expect Twitter took the news exactly how you’d expect.  All. Hell. Broke. Loose.

Here are some of the best reactions from Twitter over the last 24 hours.

TWITTER

 

 

Conclusion

In the end, Stephen Ross is an absentee owner that has done very little right during his hobby of owning an NFL team.  And for a guy so hypocritical, perhaps the time is now for him to sell this once historic franchise.  After all, Ross is 79 years old and doesn’t have many more years to watch this team struggle among the NFL’s elite.  Today, we saw what Ross is truly invested in. What he truly cares about.  And for a successful businessman that’s done so much right as an entrepreneur , he could not be more wrong.

Fasten your seat belts,  it’s going to be a bumpy ride.

 

Josh Houtz (@houtz) contributes to several platforms on Five Reasons Sports, including Smark Your Territory — after all, wrestling is a little like politics.

Dembelé pide espacio en el once del Barcelona

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Dembelé entra a esta temporada 2019-2020 como un suplente de lujo en la plantilla del FC Barcelona, sobretodo tras el fichaje del también francés Antoine Griezmann.

El equipo catalán tiene una sobrepoblación en el mediocampo y en la delantera, con Coutinho todavía a la expectativa a ver si va a ser cedido o vendido, ante la posible de llegada de Neymar.

A este Barcelona no le hace falta el brasileño. Le hace falta que despegue Dembelé.

El ciclo de Neymar con el Barcelona parece haber terminado, y de hecho, hace dos años cuando Neymar decidió irse al Paris Saint Germain, fue Dembelé quien llegó para suplirlo en esa posición.

El Barcelona venció 2 a 1 al Napoli la noche de este miércoles en el Hard Rock Stadium de Miami Gardens, en un partido en el que el equipo italiano fue superior y debió haber sacado un mejor resultado.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cHCQRMhpjR8

Antoine Griezmann, Luis Suárez y Carles Pérez fueron los tres titulares. Dembelé vino como recambio en la segunda mitad.

El Barcelona fue superado ampliamente en la primera mitad, y logró adelantarse tras un disparo de Busquets desde fuera del área, en una primera mitad en la que el Napoli se cansó de fallar ocasiones claras de gol.

Riqui Puig jugó un muy buen partido, y aunque se sabe que no estará con el equipo de primera, se ve que hay generación de relevo en el Barcelona B en algunas posiciones.

El empate llegó a los pocos minutos producto de un autogol de Umtiti, en otra llegada peligrosa del equipo italiano, y nos fuimos al descanso con un empate que debió ser victoria del Napoli.

Ousmane Dembelé entró como variante en la segunda mitad y cambió la dinámica del juego.

El francés jugó por la izquierda, por donde comenzó Griezmann, y se nota que está mucho más cómodo por esa banda que su compañero recién adquirido.

Dembelé ha jugado mucho por derecha en esta pretemporada, pero Valverde debe haberse dado cuenta que es en esa banda, como comenzaba Neymar, que el joven francés destaca más.

Tanto enganchando hacia el medio, como desbordando, pues Dembelé maneja ambos perfiles, el delantero francés es una amenaza de gol constante.

¿Se animará Valverde a colocarlo de titular para el debut del FC Barcelona en La Liga el próximo viernes 18 de Agosto ante el Athletic de Bilbao?

Messi y Suárez no están en forma aún, así que tiene el pretexto perfecto para hacerlo.

Disfruta de toda nuestra cobertura del fútbol europeo en Cinco Razones Podcast y 90 + Cinco, con Bruno Gomez, Maria Hernandez y Octavio Sequera.