Miami Hurricanes

The Most American Sport on the Brink Because of Modern Americanism

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The first college football game I ever attended was some time in the mid-80s. My dad, a university professor, taught at Texas A&M University and the local Dairy Queen would always give out cheap tickets when the Aggies played Rice. So we went.

And I was hooked. College football is something I’ve always known and loved. That only grew when I moved to Miami, and eventually went to the University of Miami. It serves as a bond in my personal life. An excuse to see friends and family, to meet in person when we otherwise wouldn’t have the time, unite for common cause, to be irrationally depressed when Dan Enos calls a tight end reverse, to over-analyze things that we have no control over.

One of the great things about it is that it is the most American sport, more so than even baseball. We view college football how the rest of the world views soccer. Regional identity with a school/club, “legends” that are beloved in certain circles, long forgotten the rest of the world over, bands, songs…identity. Even if you never went to college, you can identify with a college and feel part of something. College football transcends cities and rural communities alike. When people ask me why soccer never got into the American ethos like it did the rest of the world, the answer is simple…that space is occupied by college football. 

I never once envisioned a time when we would seriously have to consider how important it is, in the greater context of a society, because it all of a sudden feels so secondary. How important is this “game”?

More Than A Game

But that’s the thing…it’s not just a game. Sports is powerful because it is a reflection of society, the best and worst of it. It’s humanity laid bare, often subject to human error, including non-sensical pass interference flags after the national championship game is over. But the community-binding, the relationship building, the common cause…college football thrives in that.

I would never dismiss this as merely a game. It’s important..important to our communities, important to our states, important to rural areas. Athletes all over the country worked their entire lives to get to this point, and I don’t think a decision to not play should be taken lightly.

The American identity is wrapped in college football. You cannot separate the two.

And as the rest of the world heads towards normalcy under a global pandemic, we are faced with the mortality of a sport no one but Americans will miss. A mortality that we caused in a uniquely American way.

Selfishness Masquerading as Individualism 

No one could have predicted when a pandemic would arrive, but we certainly knew it would, at some point. The two previous presidents spoke at length about it.

Given the advance warning and the resources available to our country, why is it that we, a country that received a tertiary infection outbreak (China, then Europe, then here) lead the world in deaths from COVID-19? And why is college football, of all sports, the one that is up for the chopping block?

The answer lies within, the reason is in the mirror, and we as a society failed because for too long our selfishness has been draped in individualism and our wealth disparity excused as deserving haves and have nots. Those two forces combined to exacerbate the pandemic, driving it from something that could be dealt with reasonably to something raging out of control and left college athletics uniquely positioned to be unable to deal with it.

The primary failing is societal (and yes, political, very much political). The easiest way to get back to sports is to make society safe. But poor or non-existent public policy, rampant selfishness, fact denial, ignorance, and putting oneself above the collective good sent this country down a path that deviated from the rest of the first world and resulted in our society being disproportionately impacted. But that was always going to happen here. Why? The reduction of our free press into both-sidesm, conflating opinion with fact, operating under the guise of a marketplace of ideas, but whose real motivation is profit over information, resulted in an ill-formed public that struggled to discern the difference between an infectious disease doctor disseminating the best known information at the time and a carnival barker that was strategically placed opposite that doctor to offer a different perspective.

And “at the time” is an important phrase. We learn more about this virus every day, and with it, guidance can and should change.

Which is where gotchaism and confirmation bias come in, two things that lead a vocal minority to say, “this one doctor said this one thing that turned out to be inaccurate, therefore I can discount the entire pandemic because that’s what I really want to do anyway.”

The problem isn’t as harmless as some ignoramus claiming that the Spanish Flu Pandemic occurred in 1917 and ended the Second World War. The problem is that the actions of the vocal minority effects all of us, because they make us all less safe. And our society’s active willingness to give voice, agency, and platforms under the guise of fairness left us uniquely susceptible to the counter-factual bile that exacerbated and continues to exacerbate our COVID-19 impacts.

Eating vegetables is better for you and everyone, but there is a lot of money to be made in serving crap, which is the state of our public discourse. We’re suffering from lack of intelligence obesity. 

Indentured Servitude Masquerading as Economic Policy

If you’re wondering where the sports come in, and why you’re reading this here, well we’re getting there. But the preamble about why we were disproportionately impacted by COVID-19 is important to understand why college football is uniquely at risk. Because the challenges facing sports in our country are unique.

In Europe, there are still outbreaks, but they have a robust system of testing and quarantine after a positive test. Formula 1 driver Sergio Perez has missed consecutive races because he tested positive. Atletico Madrid will play a critical Champions League without a pair of key players. But these are the outliers, and it’s easy to isolate those cases because positive cases are so infrequent that it is easy to put in Draconian rules in the case of a positive result. Contact tracing, repeated testing, isolation of infected people…all possible when the infections are limited to a one off here and there.

We can’t do that in the United States because the virus is so prevalent. People are going to test positive. When MLB tried to quarantine “all over” it was only a matter of time before outbreaks resulted in massive cancellations. Any such outbreak would eliminate the football season.You can’t cancel games with opponents and opponents-opponents and then try to make them up later in football. Game-to-game recovery time is too long.

So administrators of the schools were essentially faced with 2 choices: (1) Admit they have been exploiting athletes for years, admit the athletes are not only actual employees but some of the most highly skilled people on earth, and provide them with a fair, market determined wage which would also empower players to participate in a bubble together similar to other sports that have been successful thus far, OR (2) try to figure out some way to get cute and appear they care while still managing to maintain the student-athlete fallacy that allows their enablers to give them cover while they exploit highly profitable labor. One guess at what they chose.

I’m not going to pretend to be able to predict the future. I’m also not going to pretend I’m in meeting rooms with these college administrators. But none of the plans rolled out were actually designed with the idea that players wouldn’t test positive. This isn’t subtext. This is text. ““We’re going to have positive cases on every single team in the SEC. That’s a given. And we can’t prevent it.”

So instead, administrators went pretzel twisting in an attempt to reduce the number of instances of positive tests (not the actual spread, just the number of cases they would have to acknowledge), to delay what they viewed as an eventual critical mass of poor test results arriving that would force the cancellation of the season. And before the B1G took a holier than thou disposition, they actually moved the Michigan-Ohio State game forward because they had no confidence of reaching the end of the season without having to shut down, and they wanted their marquee game to be played. Intentions are not being hidden. 

And, as momentum built toward the idea that the season might not go forward, the disingenuous hand-wringing started. Like this:

When was the plan ever to have “college towns” flooded with people like there wasn’t a pandemic? Or do you just want your football? As our Alfredo Arteaga of Three Yards Per Carry pointed out, schools are going to be out significant revenue even playing with empty stadiums, and that might have been the impetus for the recent shift in focus.

Further complicating things is the bad faith arguments from people who never cared about the players having agency, never cared about their well being, constantly telling them to shut up, that they’re lucky to play a “game,” all of a sudden deciding that what players care about is really important because they want football. The death rate could go to 50%, and they’d still say, “but football.” People like this windbag:

If the pandemic has taught us one thing, it’s that we can easily separate the people we disagree with in good faith from those bad faith clowns that reverse engineer logic based on the conclusion they wanted to believe in anyway. As Jadon Haselwood put it:

What the Bad Faith Brigade doesn’t realize is their overall behavior in fact denying, in pervasive anti-player stances enabling exploitation, and in continued objection to anything that contradicts their preconceived biases greatly increased the threat to society as a whole and college football specifically. College football players should have been paid long ago because in a free and fair society, markets determine your wage. Alternatively, you can collectively choose to unionize, believing collective negotiating power gives you more leverage, but with the negative effect of allowing your employer(s) to band together and enforce agreed upon rules, something expressly illegal in other circumstances. The NCAA operates in option 3. Make up some fake status of Student-Athlete, but exist in a society so resistant to change and so comfortable with exploitation as long as they aren’t the ones being exploited, that politicians will protect a system that actively prevents capitalism from happening.

Even in shamelessly using the players, this time attempting to give them the voice that they have long been denied, those nefarious people have once again reduced them to a pawn to placate their selfish motives. There are roughly THIRTEEN THOUSAND FBS players. Can we at least allow them the human dignity of having diverging opinions? Some will want to play with the plans the schools laid out, others will want to play with stricter safety protocols and an isolation bubble, others with different safety mechanisms that have yet to be openly discussed among all players mainly due to the complete lack of a recognized universal union (again, goes back to the student-athlete fraud), others will not play regardless (and many have already opted out). The players’ opinions are as diverse as America itself, and reducing them down to a soundbite and acting like they speak in unison so you can say “the players want” exactly what you happen to want (WOW! What a coincidence!) is the ultimate act of exploitation. 

The more people shout “open it up” unconditionally regardless of changes in how the virus acts, the more their selfish desire to have whatever they want whenever they want regardless of consequence is laid bare for all to see. America has become this exchange from the Sopranos:

Meadow: I’m a grown woman. I’m over 18 years old. I can I do what I want, how I want, where I want and can date who I want.

Carmela: Alright, Jesus Christ, we get it! Is that your only point here?! Because always getting what you want is for babies, not adults!

Who knew Americans would watch that and collectively think, “that Meadow has a point!”

Life inherently entails risk.  I’m not going to pretend to know what the tipping point is where we determine it’s too much risk for the players. You would think this is it:

And I certainly didn’t expect to be quoting Booger McFarland here, but:

I’m American, so I’m nothing if not inconsistent. I can’t definitively say where I land on this spectrum of should or should not play. I do know that if there are games, I will watch and write about it, and argue about it like it is the most important thing in the world, in an environment where my fellow Americans are suffering. I will not pretend otherwise.

But, anyone that argues that players should not be compensated for playing a game, that professional athletes are “lucky” to play a game, that have flippantly dismissed the hard work and skill it takes to rise to the top of a profession, reducing players to commodities, must surely be of the opinion to shut it down. How could an irrelevant game be so critical it must continue during a pandemic? And if they’re not advocating a complete shut down (spoiler alert: the Venn Diagram of those that think players should not be paid and those that think we should play football no matter what is damn near a circle), then we must logically deduce that they don’t care at all about the players, never have, and their opinion in matters of public health in relation to players must be dismissed. They only care about being selfishly entertained.

For the rest of us that have argued that sports are a public good, that they enrich our society, that they are of importance, the matter becomes significantly more complicated. It’s not just a game, but there is a point where the risks outweigh the rewards. Everyone can individually make that determination. The challenge for college football, however, is that there is no one to negotiate for the group. The QB of Clemson should have no more power in making health decisions than the backup tackle at Rutgers. And the decision is not binary. Each player has a point where they will no longer be willing to play, so it’s not simply to play or not, but under what conditions, who negotiates the conditions, and how does a school negotiate with people they insist are not employees?

And while some choose to trivialize a player’s stance for selfish reasons, the reality is that the devil will always be in the details. One of the things that is extremely powerful, but oft unused, is the ability to admit that we don’t know. COVID-19 is new, we don’t know a lot about long-term health impacts, indicators, and certainly how football players will cope. SEC commissioner Greg Sankey struck that note here:

My question is if we don’t know, should we not err on the side of caution? I’ll echo Sankey…I don’t know. More people than can fit in any college football stadium are dead. Most did not have to die. This is a global pandemic, but an American tragedy. We killed them. Now what? I don’t know.

But, I think the larger concern centers around the premise that college football is a quintessentially American endeavor. We, as Americans, collectively, have failed as a society. Failed to protect our most vulnerable, amplified stupidity, ignored facts and science, and completely fumbled our pandemic response. Several people involved in that now tell us it’s safe to play, don’t worry, the kids will be fine. Why should we believe them?

I want nothing more than to watch D’Eriq King sling passes to Brevin Jordan, to beat FSU again, to watch 15 SEC teams somehow be ranked in the Top 10, to try and figure out why Notre Dame is ranked in the Top 5 with 7 losses. That is a dream at this point. So is simply sitting in a restaurant and having a meal. The normal is now the aspirational.

We’ve put everyday Americans at greater risk because we couldn’t be inconvenienced, because we had to party, because we would rather believe in fairy tales than reality. We’ve decided that the desires of individuals were more important than societal good. We keep saying we can, no one bothered to ask if we should. We reached out to our fellow citizens and decided that they weren’t worth even the slightest of sacrifices for. And we’ve therefore created a disaster. The question I leave you with is this….does a nation of Veruca Salt’s even deserve college football in 2020?

 

Vishnu Parasuraman is a contributor for @FiveReasonsSports and generally covers the Miami Hurricanes. You can follow him on twitter @vrp2003

UEFA Champions League Quarterfinals: Upsets brewing in bubble?

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It took almost five months, but the wait was worth it. The UEFA Champions League Round of 16 is officially wrapped up and the eight best teams in Europe head to Portugal for three do-or-die single elimination matches that will surely have gamblers pulling their hair all over the world.

What does that mean for you and, most importantly, your money as anything can happen in 90 unpredictable minutes? Well, here is a match-by-match betting guide to help you discern who has the best chances to advance.

All odds are as of Saturday night based on the Las Vegas Bovada betting lines (https://www.bovada.lv/sports/soccer/uefa-champions-league). Draws will go into extra time and eventually a penalty kick shootout to declare a winner.

Atalanta vs. Paris Saint Germain (PSG +110, Atalanta +210, Draw +280): The fun starts on Wednesday with a clash between the tournament darling and the desperate spinster eager to prove it can rise above the rest.

Atalanta finished third in the Serie A standings, but it also is 9-1-3 since the restart averaging 2.3 goals per match.

In fact, it finished as Italy’s top scoring side with 98 goals in 38 matches (2.57 per match) and it won 4-3 at Valencia last time we saw it in the continental stage. However, the Italian side will be without its top scorer Josip Ilicic (personal reasons) and its starting goalkeeper Pierluigi Gollini (knee injury)

Meanwhile, PSG is also riddled with injury issues and has “a very small chance” of counting with wonder forward Kylian Mbappé and key midfielder Marco Verrati. Couple that with the pressure of playing in neutral ground and to at least make it to a semifinal for the first time, and an upset is brewing.

Pick: Atalanta 2-1 PSG. 

RB Leipzig vs. Atlético Madrid (Spread: Atlético +130, RB Leipzig +230, Draw +215): Atlético is the favorite here, and rightly so since it is undefeated since the La Liga restart with a 7-0-4 record, including a thrilling 2-2 draw at Barcelona.

RB Leipzig has a “just happy to be here” vibe and it lost against Borussia Dortmund, its only high caliber opponent since the restart, but it did keep a clean sheet in both legs against Tottenham back in March for a convincing 4-0 aggregate over last year’s finalists.

However, Simeone has the coaching edge, Atlético has more talent, and I can´t envision an energy drink in the final four. Take Atlético Madrid and don´t look back.

Pick: Atlético Madrid 1-0 RB Leipzig. 

Manchester City vs. Lyon (City -375, Lyon +900,  Draw +450): Talking about just happy to be there, Lyon “VAR-ly” upset Juventus and will face a City squad that is riding high after defeating mighty Real Madrid with authority.

If you feel adventurous and feel Lyon can hang on to a draw, go for it, the line edged farther that way overnight.  However, the smart bet is to ride the hot hand and go with Pep’s boys from Manchester.

Pick: Man City 3-1 Lyon. 

Barcelona vs. Bayern Munich (Barcelona +225. Bayern M.  +110, Draw +270): A final in the quarterfinals, a clash of the titans that promises fireworks.

I dread this one because Barcelona came back fresh from the recess and made a statement with an inspired Messi against Napoli, but their defense is shaky. On the other hand, Bayern has the best odds to win it all made Chelsea its bitch with a 4-1 thrashing and a 7-1 aggregate on Saturday.

Expect lots of goals, so take the over on 3.0 there, as an inspired Messi and Lewandowski will shine for their respective sides. Bayern is more of a complete team, but I can’t go against the best player in the world on a mission, and I expect him to be clutch and come through with Barcelona in a way I wouldn’t if it was him playing for Argentina.

Pick: Barcelona 3-2 Bayern Munich 

NHL Playoffs: Breaking down the next round

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The NHL has released its official playoff schedule following the end of the Stanley Cup Qualifiers, where eight teams were eliminated to form the 16-team playoff bracket. While this year has been a year like no other, what with the COVID-19 pandemic halting play before the end of the regular season, the NHL will hold the Stanley Cup Playoffs now in its two hub cities, Toronto and Edmonton.

 

Eastern Conference

 

#1 Philadelphia Flyers (49-21-7) vs #8 Montreal Canadiens (31-31-9)

 

Both of these teams have underdog status after Philadelphia went from second place in the Metropolitan Division to the #1 seed after winning its three round robin matches and the Canadiens finished off an improbable 3-1 series versus the 5th seed Pittsburgh Penguins in the qualifying round.  While the Flyers are favored to win this series, they have been known to get lazy when they feel an easy matchup in the wind. The Canadiens are also coming off those big wins versus the Penguins, led by Jeff Petry (two game-winning goals) and goaltender Carey Price, whose experience far outpaces that of the Flyer’s 21-year-old goalie, Carter Hart. Price will have his work cut out for him defending the Flyers’ four 20+ goal scorers (Giroux, Couturier, Hayes, Konecny), however, so look for goaltending to make or break this series and don’t be surprised if Montreal pulls off the upset.

 

Game 1: Wednesday, Aug 12 8pmEST

 

 

#2 Tampa Bay Lightning (43-21-6) vs #7 Columbus Blue Jackets (33-22-15)

 

The Blue Jackets shocked the NHL when they swept the #1 ranked Lightning last season in the first round, which makes this rematch one of the most interesting series of the 2020 playoffs. The Lightning, who had tied the NHL regular season record for wins that year, as well as scoring a record-breaking 128 points, psychologically crumbled versus the Blues. This year, they’ll look to prove that last season’s early exit was just a fluke. However, Tampa Bay will be without Captain Steven Stamkos, who is dealing with a leg injury, for the foreseeable future. This should be a high-scoring series between two teams familiar with the playoffs (and with each other).

 

Game 1: Tuesday, Aug 11 3pmEST

 

 

#3 Washington Capitals (41-20-8) vs #6 New York Islanders (35-23-10)

 

The story to watch in this matchup will be that of Barry Trotz going up against his former Stanley Cup winning squad. The current Islanders head coach helped the Capitals win the franchises’ first championship just a couple of years ago, but now his road to the Cup leads through the Caps instead of with them. Despite the Islanders being the lower ranked seed, Trotz’s knowledge of the Capitals, who still have 12 players who were on that Cup-winning roster in 2018, will be imperative in this matchup, and could lead to the Isles stealing the show like they did in their qualifying round series versus the Florida Panthers.

 

Game 1: Wednesday, Aug 12 3pmEST

 

 

#4 Boston Bruins (44-14-12) vs #5 Carolina Hurricanes (38-25-5)

 

The Bruins return to play has been less than ideal, with the team losing all three of their round robin matches against the Flyers, Lightning, and Capitals. During that time, Boston only put together four goals, but their play did improve with each game and star goaltender Tuukka Rask was ruled unfit for play twice, which could have something to do with the losses. Rask is expected to play on Tuesday. Look out for individual play from the Canes’ Andrei Svechnikov and Sebastian Aho and the Bruins’ David Pastrnak. Svechnikov had his first NHL hat trick in Game 2 of the qualifying round versus the Rangers and has had a breakout season with 61 points in 68 games. Aho has momentum of his own as well, with eight points against New York (three goals, five assists) and 20 points in 18 NHL postseason games. But Pastrnak has been a machine this season, tying Alexander Ovechkin for the most goals (48) and finishing first in power-play goals (20) and third in power-play points (38).

 

Game 1: Tuesday, Aug 11 8pmEST

 

Western Conference

 

 

#1 Vegas Golden Knights (39-24-8) vs #8 Chicago Blackhawks (32-30-8)

 

The Blackhawks finished at the bottom of the Western Conference rankings in the regular season with just 72 points but managed to scrape into the Qualifiers with the 12th seed. In their return to play, Chicago has looked like a completely different team, winning the qualifying series versus the 5th-seeded Edmonton Oilers 3-1 with 16 total goals. The Hawks’ regular season woes are clearly behind them and they come into the series with a core of three-time Cup winners in Jonathan Toews, Patrick Kane, and Duncan Keith. However, the Golden Knights are having another championship-worthy season, finishing at the top of the Pacific Division in the regular season and winning all three of their round robin matchups versus the Stars, Blues, and Avalanche. Vegas also has upside at goalie with three-time champion Marc-Andre Fleury in the net, backed up by Robin Lehner, who played twice in the round robin games, winning each with a combined .903 save percentage. Meanwhile, Chicago’s goaltender Corey Crawford has been trending upward after struggling in the first two games of the qualifying round series. Though the Blackhawks have a lot going for them, it will probably not be enough to beat out the Golden Knights, who are quickly becoming familiar faces in the playoffs in only their third year of existence.

 

Game 1: Tuesday, Aug 11 10:30pmEST

 

 

#2 Colorado Avalanche (42-20-8) vs #7 Arizona Coyotes (33-29-8)

 

The Avalanche looked good in their round robin play with two victories over the Blues and Stars, including a shutout versus the latter, and a one-goal loss to the Golden Knights. General manager Joe Sakic, who had an illustrious 21-year career with the Avalanche, including two titles in ’96 and ’01, has stayed with the team long after his retirement from playing to put together one of the deepest rosters in the NHL. The Avalanche are led by young stars Nathan MacKinnon, a finalist for the Hart Trophy, and Cale Makar, a finalist for the Calder Trophy. Meanwhile the Coyotes are on somewhat new territory, this being their first time in the playoffs since 2012. However, they pulled off the upset over the sixth-seeded Nashville Predators in the Qualifiers and have lots of momentum coming into the first round. Goaltender Darcy Kuemper is hot right now, with a .933 save percentage versus the Preds.

 

Game 1: Wednesday, Aug 12 5:30pmEST

 

 

#3 Dallas Stars (37-24-8) vs #6 Calgary Flames (36-27-7)

 

The Stars have had a newsworthy season, if only because of the firing of head coach Jim Montgomery in December. Dallas replaced him on an interim basis with Rick Bowness, who was previously an assistant coach in the organization. It should be interesting to see how Bowness shakes things up, but both teams should have a fairly straightforward approach to the playoffs. The Stars will be looking for a shift in momentum, as they’ve been trending down for some time now, losing eight of their last nine, with the one win coming on Sunday’s round robin matchup versus the Blues, where Denis Gurianov managed to pull out the W in shootouts. The Flames, meanwhile, have been scoring big with 16 total goals in their 4-game series versus the Jets, including one six-goal outing and a 4-0 shutout to decisively take the qualifying round. Expect this series to be close and physical.

 

Game 1: Tuesday, Aug 11 5:30pmEST

 

 

#4 St Louis Blues (42-19-10) vs #5 Vancouver Canucks (36-27-6)

 

While the Blues took first place in the Central Division at the end of the regular season, not to mention winning the Cup last year, their return to play in 2020 has been shaky at best. St Louis lost all three of their round-robin contests versus the Avalanche, the Golden Knights, and the Stars, the last in a heartbreaking shootout. And history is not on their side in this matchup versus Vancouver. The Canucks have played the Blues three times in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, the latest in 2009, and won all three times. Furthermore, Vancouver is hot from a 3-1 qualifying series versus Minnesota where they managed to shut out the Wild once and win the series in an OT thriller off a Christopher Tanev wrister 11 seconds into overtime. The Blues will need to take over the third period if they hope to win this series, as they entered the third with the lead in all three of their round robin games, only to be outscored by a total of 6-0.

 

Game 1: Wednesday, Aug 12 10:30pmEST

What Florida Panthers need in a new General Manager

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5 Things The Florida Panthers Should Look For in Their New GM

 

On Friday afternoon, the Florida Panthers suffered another loss filled with easily avoided mistakes to the New York Islanders in the qualifying round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. The 5-1 defeat sent the Islanders to the next round and the Panthers home with a bitter, yet familiar, feeling. The last time the Panthers made the playoffs was in 2016, when they won the Atlantic Division but lost to the same team, the Isles, in the first round, which makes this last loss particularly hard to swallow. What have the Panthers learned from 2016? Not much, it seems, and not much in the last 24 years, dating back to the last time they won a playoff series. Something needs to change, and that started with the reported firing of longtime General Manager Dale Tallon immediately following the game.

Here’s what the Panthers need to look for in a new GM:

 

#1: High quality drafting

 

Tallon spent the first four years of his 10-year stint with the Panthers doing some impressive work in the draft. In his first year as the Panthers GM, he drafted defenseman Erik Gudbranson and forward Nick Bjugstad, both of which have since moved to different clubs but served the Cats well. Tallon continued to draft well over the next few years, taking a generational talent in center Aleksander Barkov (2013) and big Panthers names like Jonathan Huberdeau (2011), Vincent Trocheck (now on the Hurricanes), and Aaron Ekblad (2014). Some of his later picks, like seventh rounder MacKenzie Weegar (2013), have also proved prosperous. But drafting fell off after 2014 with few of the Cats’ picks getting ice time. 

 

If the Panthers want to be serious playoff contenders, they need a GM who can do what Tallon did in his heyday and draft young, talented players to learn under experienced veteran leaders. With the loss to the Isles, the Panthers can at least look forward to a chance at drafting Alexis Lafreniere if they get a good position in the lottery draft. 

 

#2: Reduction of contractual mistakes

 

As things go in any pro league, there are inevitable mistakes made when it comes to contracts, but the last few years have been a bit harder on the Panthers than many would expect.

 

Tallon’s previously salvageable legacy was effectively and brutally tarnished by the moves he made in the Vegas expansion draft. The loss of Jonathan Marchessault and Reilly Smith for what amounts to nothing, as well as trading Nick Bjugstad and Jared McCann to Pittsburgh (also for basically nothing but more contractual obligations), is too much to even get into. 

 

Then there’s the recent controversy over Mike Matheson. You could ask most Panthers fans over the last few years what they thought of Mike Matheson and they probably would’ve given you a glowing review of the 26-year-old defenseman. But Matheson is on the hot seat now after committing two excessively violent penalties against the Isles in the first two games of the series, including a hit against Johnny Boychuk which took him out of play for the rest of the series. Matheson was benched, and if the problems persist into next season, the Panthers may have a big problem offloading his contract, which has five more years and over $24 million left on it. 

 

But Matheson is chump change compared to the catastrophe that was the signing of Dave Bolland. In 2014, the Panthers signed Bolland to a five-year, $27.5 million contract. In two seasons, he played in only 78 out of 164 possible games due to injuries. Eventually, the Cats sent him to the Arizona Coyotes for a couple of picks, but Bolland never played another game. Just a few millions down the drain…

 

The Panthers new GM can’t make these mistakes. Players must be evaluated, not only for talent, but also for physical health and decision-making, especially when it comes to how they will represent the team. Not every player, no matter how talented they may be on the ice, is worth a long-term contract.

 

#3: Understanding of a winning formula (with an emphasis on consistency)

 

When the Cats won the Atlantic Division in 2016, it was because of a very specific player formula. The Panthers took their young core (Barkov, Huberdeau, Bjugstad, Trocheck, Ekblad) and let them grow under the leadership of hockey legends Jaromir Jagr and Roberto Luongo, as well as veterans like Jussi Jokinen, Derek MacKenzie, Brian Campbell, and Willie Mitchell, amongst others. 

 

Having a team of young stars is great, but you can’t blame them (at least, not entirely) when you run into consistency issues. Most young players won’t know how to win in a professional setting unless and until you teach them, and the easiest way to do that is to let winners teach them. The Cats’ consistency issues recently may be a result of having only four players over 30 on the roster. While deserved, it does say something that the team captain is only 24 years old.

 

#4: Development of a young goaltender

 

What can we say about Sergei Bobrovsky? The 31-year-old goalie has definitely had his moments this season, but his contract, signed by Dale Tallon, has definitely put the Panthers in the hole for the next six seasons. Bobrovsky lucked into a 7-year, $70 million contract with the Panthers only because of Tallon’s incompetence. 

 

The Panthers have cycled through a few young goaltenders since Roberto Luongo’s retirement, including AHL call-up Sam Montembeault, who had a few of his own moments as a backup to Bobrovsky, and Chris Driedger, who signed a two-year contract extension with the Panthers last year. Either or both of these two could turn out to be valuable aspects of the future of the organization, but they are also competing against the Panthers first round draft pick of last year, Spencer Knight. Knight is the first goaltender ever taken in the first round by the franchise, and was ranked as the top eligible goaltender in the 2019 Draft.

 

One of these three goalies needs to prove himself a standout to take over as Bobrovsky’s backup (and maybe even to supersede him). But it will take some development to make it happen, and that will have to fall on the new GM’s shoulders.

 

#5: Locking up stars Mike Hoffman and/or Evgeni Dadanov (or replacing them)

 

The Panthers new GM will also need to look at keeping two of their most valuable players, Mike Hoffman and Evgenii Dadanov, locked up for the next few years, after they become free agents this season. 

 

Hoffman was the Panthers third-leading goal scorer this season with 29 goals and 30 assists in the regular season and three in the qualifying round to lead the team. His talents lie especially in the power play, where he dominates, but he is productive in most, if not all, aspects of the offense. His price will likely come in at around $7 million a year, but if the Panthers can keep him on, it seems worth the cap hit. 

 

Dadanov, meanwhile, has proved himself a worthy addition after some swapping around early in his NHL career. The right wing has scored at least 25 goals in his last three seasons, topping off at 70 points in the 2018-19 season, and frequently joins Huberdeau and Barkov on the Panthers’ first line. 

 

The Cats will need to balance the two players’ worth on the ice with their worth in their wallets because it will almost certainly take some big bucks to keep either of them in South Florida. It seems likely that at least one of them will have to be let go.

NBA Bubble Trends: 3 Breakouts who will get Payouts

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You could say that, as strange as these circumstances are, they have actually created the purest form of basketball.

In the controlled environment of the NBA Bubble, players have minimal distractions other than the lure of cheap beer-shotgunning contests, Call of Duty confrontations and hopelessly broken golf swings. There are no families around to ask them to mow the lawn, or call the landscaper to “do it already.” No portly, potty-mouthed fans in the stands to question their athletic ability and mental acuity. No long flights to sap their stamina. Everyone is equal, in the sense of encountering the same odd, but stable, conditions.

So when players break out in Orlando, it matters. It shows they can handle change better than most, and rise above others. It’s particularly significant when those players are up for new contracts.

Here are three who won’t be anything close to free:

 

Fred Van Vleet, Toronto Raptors

No secret after the Raptors’ run to the title, the repeatedly overlooked guard from Wichita State has been Toronto’s best offensive player in the bubble. averaging 20.8 through four games on 46/43/87 splits while averaging 7.3 assists. For some reason, defenders keep going under screens against him, but the secret’s out about how important he is. So important that the Raptors can’t afford not to pay him, even with Kyle Lowry still impactful. He’s quite a good defender too, even when undersized in the post, as he showed against Miami’s Jimmy Butler.

What’s next: Without question, rudderless teams without point guards and with cap space (Knicks and Pistons come to mind) will come after him, forcing Raptors GM Masai Ujiri to make a choice, a choice that might include trading Lowry’s $34 million to keep Van Vleet — especially with Pascal Siakam due an extension and Marc Gasol and Serge Ibake free agents.

Betting Edge: Bet on Van Vleet playing big in the postseason too, with the Raptors a real shot to return to the Finals. Don’t read too much into Friday’s rout by Boston. The teams should match up evenly in the second round.

 

Gary Trent Jr., Portland Trail Blazers

A totally different player than his bruising father, the deep shooter from Duke has been fearless in the Bubble, averaging 8.8 attempts in his first four games and making a ludicrous 63 percent of them. For a team that seemed wingless beyond CJ McCollum, he’s become the X-Factor the Blazers needed to complement the return of their bigs. Is there enough of a sample size? Well, he’s at 40.9 percent from three for his career, and he’s beginning to show other offensive elements.

What’s next: Trent Jr. is in the middle of a three-year contract that pays him a relative pittance this season ($1.4 million prior to the Covid-19 prorate). Assume that the Blazers sign him to an extension before he becomes a restricted free agent, especially with McCollum so expensive, putting the eternally underrated McCollum in play for a trade.

Betting Edge: If the Blazers can get in the play-in game(s), Trent’s emergence and Jusuf Nurkic’s strength inside make them the favorite against any opponent, even if Portland needs to win two. And they are the only one of the possible play-in teams that can push the Lakers in the first round, because of all their shooting.

 

Joe Harris, Brooklyn Nets

He did win the Three-Point Contest in 2019, so it’s not a surprise he can stroke it. But the former Cleveland Cavaliers second-round selection has been forced to diversify his game in light of all the Nets’ injuries and opt-outs, and he was exceptional as they exceeded expectations with a 2-2 record to start. Harris averaged 19.0 points and 5.3 rebounds, taking as many twos as threes, and making 61.2 percent overall.

What’s next: An unrestricted free agent, he would seem to be an ideal fit as a third option with the returning Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving, but Brooklyn is about to have an expensive roster, and Spencer Dinwiddie and Caris LeVert are still in the offensive mix. Will the Nets see him as an accessory while another team (Knicks? Hawks?) sees him as a necessity.

Betting Edge: Whether Harris and the Nets get the 7th or 8th seed, it’s hard to see them winning more than a game against the Bucks or Raptors in a playoff series, in their current state. Still, Harris is dangerous enough to take the points a couple times.

Jesus Aguilar has emerged as a team leader with the Marlins and prime power source. (Craig Davis for FiveReasonsSports)

Pressure Point: Marlins answer haters with unlikely run of wins

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(Photo above: Marlins newcomer Jesus Aguilar, seen in spring training, has emerged as a team leader and power force with three  home runs.)

 

They have always been the Bizarro Marlins. A franchise that began with a knuckleball has taken more screwball turns than a runaway rollercoaster.

From two unlikely World Series championships without ever finishing first in their division, wholesale selloffs of their best players and a manager praising a dictator despised by the community to an ownership swap, contentious ballpark deal and the rise and heartbreaking fall of Jose Fernandez, the Miami (nee Florida) Marlins have always operated in an orbit off-kilter from the rest of MLB.

But we’ve never seen anything like Team Corona.

Stuck in a Philadelphia hotel under COVID house arrest for more than a week because more than half the team caught the virus. Throwing balled-up socks against mattresses to keep their arms from atrophying.

Somehow those who remained unscathed joined up with a ragtag collection of castoffs and prospects to sweep a four-game series from the Orioles in Baltimore this week to stake an unlikely claim atop the National League East.

Details on the Marlins’ sweep of the Orioles at Fivereasonssports.com

They did it with cardboard cutouts of the teammates who are in COVID-19 quarantine occupying seats near the visitors’ dugout at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Well spaced, of course, for social distancing.

Only the Marlins.

They are 6-1 going into Friday’s series opener against the Mets in New York, with a winning percentage of .857 that leads MLB as what was supposed to be a six-day trip will stretch into more than three weeks. It won’t end until they play Tuesday and Wednesday in Buffalo, of all places, against the orphaned Toronto Blue Jays.

The Marlins were mercilessly pilloried by social media and national media for the outbreak, especially after an unsubstantiated report that players had been out nightclubbing in Atlanta. That proved false, though mistakes in judgment were made that led to infections.

Some people were a whole lot more upset with the action of a baseball team than the inaction of many government officials throughout this pandemic. The reaction has been more understanding about the St. Louis Cardinals, one of baseball’s sacred cows, being similarly stymied by the virus.

In truth, this Marlins misadventure is at essence a human experience, just as the pandemic has been for all of us.

“We’re human beings, not just baseball players,” shortstop and team leader Miguel Rojas said in a virtual group chat. “We’re suffering from this virus. … This has to bring awareness. Not just to our team but to everybody throughout the league.”

Haters will hate. So hell with ‘em, right?

If you can’t appreciate what this team has been though — is still going through with 18 players quarantined in South Florida — and what it’s doing now, by all means go back to posting conspiracy theories on Facebook to drive friends and family batty.

If sports have any value amid a world-wide crisis, the Marlins are providing a pleasant diversion.

“Through all this, we’d like our story to be that we persevered through this, learned from it and moved forward,” manager Don Mattingly said.

How can you not admire this patchwork quilt of a ballclub?

They lost eight of 12 relief pitchers to COVID-19 and had to sign a bunch of retreads Mattingly hadn’t even met before he had to start calling them into games. Yet the bullpen was impeccable in the sweep in Baltimore, including preserving three one-run wins.

They had a 30-year-old Olympic speedskating medalist make his major-league debut by starting in the doubleheader win at two different infield positions. Miami native Eddy Alvarez was already an inspiring story when he went to the 2014 Winter Games following surgery on both knees to repair 12 tears in his patella tendons.

Eddy The Jet is a perfect fit with these resilient Marlins.

As The Associated Press reported, they are the first team to win at least six of its first seven games after losing 105 or more the previous year since the St. Louis Perfectos began 7-0 in 1899.

Can they keep it up? The deck is stacked against them with a grueling schedule to make up for lost time, including finishing with 27 games in 23 days. They also have a stretch with four doubleheaders in 10 days.

For what it’s worth, esteemed NBC6 meteorologist and Marlins fan John Morales @JohnMoralesNBC6 likes the Marlins’ chances better than South Florida’s in this hurricane season.

“I think this Marlins thing has legs. The lull in the Atlantic does not,” Morales tweeted.

Whether the team continues to soar in rarefied air or reality yanks them back to earth isn’t even the point.

What is already apparent is that the long downtrodden Marlins are finally on the way up. A depth of talent that has been long missing is evident in responding to losing half the roster with four consecutive wins.

Circumstances afforded the opportunity for several players to make big-league debuts, notably outfielder Monte Harrison and pitcher Jorge Guzman.

Harrison, acquired in the Christian Yelich trade, is finding his way at the plate but has already impressed with his speed and defense. Guzman, a flamethrower who came in the Giancarlo Stanton deal, was impressive in a 1-2-3 debut inning, then gave up back-to-back homers in the next.

Meanwhile, most of the top prospects are still playing Intrasquad games in Jupiter — hitters like JJ Bleday, Jesus Sanchez, Lewin Diaz and Jazz Chisholm as well as a potential future starting rotation.

Right now the Marlins’ rotation is Pablo Lopez, Elieser Hernandez (both splendid in their Baltimore starts) and Who Are Those Guys as top three starters Sandy Alcantara, Caleb Smith and Jose Urena continue to recover from the virus.

They summoned 23-year-old right-hander Humberto Mejia, who hasn’t pitched above the High-A level, to start Friday in New York (Guzman was sent down). A cast of barely recognizable relievers is sure to follow.

“I’m going to have to write a book after this,” Mattingly said after the Marlins completed their first four-game sweep since 2016 and in the process made Mattingly the franchise leader in wins with 282 in his fifth season.

Mattingly noted that the team recognized the achievement with “a nice little bottle of bubbly for a train ride [to New York] you’re not allowed to eat or drink on. You don’t want to drink because you can spread the particles in the air. It was a nice gesture on behalf of the organization.”

Could only happen with the Marlins in the time of coronavirus.

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

Thursday Trends: 3 Plays in the NBA Bubble

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So some things never change.

Like Dion Waiters’ belief being stronger than your doubt.

But in these Bubble-licious times, much is different than we anticipated. We should be used to odd circumstances by now — after all, who knew we would have a reality TV star overriding the science-based recommendations of one of the most decorated infectious disease specialists on the planet? Or that pizza delivery drivers would become essential workers? Or that the Miami Marlins would be in first place in baseball’s National League East on August 6 after playing just six games?

Here are three NBA trends not everyone saw coming, and how seriously you should take them:

 

“Cash Considerations” Cashing In

Yes, cash considerations. That’s what the Phoenix Suns got for forward TJ Warren and a second-round pick on NBA Draft night. Warren, best known previously for getting the finger and getting called “trash” and “soft” and “not on my f—- level” by the Heat’s Jimmy Butler. Warren has been above everyone level’s in Orlando, averaging 39.7 points in three games, all Indiana Pacers wins.

Will it continue?: Well, not to this degree, since a run like this would rank with anything Michael Jordan ever did -to anyone other than LaBradford Smith. But, while few noticed, Warren was shooting 61 percent in February and 51 percent in March, while averaging 19.9 points per game. So he’s good.

The Betting Edge: Do you trust Indiana in the playoffs? That depends on Domantas Sabonis and Vic Oladipo more than Warren. If the Pacers keep winning, they’ll likely finish 4th or 5th in the East, especially since they have two regular Bubble games left with the Heat. Then they’ll likely face the Heat. And, the Butler-Warren intrigue aside, the Pacers aren’t beating the Heat unless they can throw more at Bam Adebayo than just Myles Turner up front, and can exploit the Heat’s point of attack defensive issues with Oladipo. Will Sabonis (foot) come back? Will Oladipo (knee) round into form? If not, the Pacers are still a first round exit.

 

Raptors Rise 

They’re taking this Lockdown in the Bubble seriously, eh? First in defense through three games with a ridiculous 96.1 rating. Small sample size? Sure. But there’s no reason it can’t continue. The Raptors are quick, long, switchy and deep, and they did a number on the Heat’s offense Monday, frustrating sniper Duncan Robinson off the floor. This has been the NBA’s best team since February 15.

Will it continue?: Why wouldn’t it? Toronto is fully healthy for the first time all season, and has developed a game independent of Kawhi Leonard. Nick Nurse has already proven to be an elite coach. Plus, Kyle Lowry is good for a final minute flop that seals the deal.

The Betting Edge: Keep picking the Raptors until other bettors catch on. News seems to travel slow to the States for some reason (we are dismantling the federal post office here, after all), and even with a few NBA analysts catching on, it’s not like anyone really listens to Kendrick Perkins.

 

Lakers Clankers 

They’re first in the West for sure, having clinched that already, even with LeBron James somehow characterizing that as some sort of unexpected achievement. Anthony Davis is taking the leap after the leap after the leap, establishing himself as a top-5 player until his bad luck forces him to fracture an orbital bone, and LeBron — while disconnected at times so far — should pick up his play when it matters. But here’s the thing: beyond them, this team just isn’t that good offensively, and it’s mostly reflected in their shooting. Even with Rajon Rondo absent for now (which is for the best), the Lakers are making just 25 percent of their three point shots in the Bubble regular season games, and it’s hard to see how that gets much better. That’s the reason they were dead last in offensive rating in the Bubble through four games, at 96.6, which is what TJ Warren now scores for Indiana in a quarter.

Will it last?: Well, this is almost impossible to predict, since you’re counting on the likes of the aforementioned erratic Waiters, TMZ Kyle Kuzma and the always amusing JR Smith. (And what happened to Danny Green?). The question is how much it matters if the Lakers defend as they can, even without Avery Bradley, and Davis and James play to their potential together.

The Betting Edge: It’s difficult to trade 2’s for 3’s all game. If the Lakers draw Portland in the first round, they’re unlikely to lose, but the Blazers might be worth a play on the points a couple of times, with Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum likely to do damage.

 

Tyler Herro is here to silence his doubters

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Tyler Christopher Herro is not someone who wants to just fade into the background. He is a brash rookie that doesn´t back down from anyone,  but his confidence doesn´t bleed into arrogance and he is also respectful of the coaching staff and the veterans that are eager to mold him into the next Miami Heat superstar.

Herro is the kind of shooter that the Miami Heat hasn´t seen since…well, ever. His seven three-pointers during a 134-129 win against the Washington Wizards set a Heat rookie record for threes made in a single game. The 20-year-old even already had his first signature moment in the NBA when he made American Airlines Arena go bonkers after a dramatic game-winning shot against the hated Philadelphia 76ers.

He could have done so many things on that play. Drive to the rim at full speed, to begin with, since he would most likely have gotten fouled. He could have passed the ball to the trailing Jimmy Butler, who had gotten the steal and is the team´s veteran star closer after all. But no, he pulled back and shot from long distance with no worries in the world. Like 20,000 people at the AAA and millions more in their homes weren´t holding their collective breath.

His restart debut in Orlando only emphasized that growth, which went beyond his seven points in 20 minutes of action off the bench during Miami’s 125-105 rout of the depleted Denver Nuggets. Herro seemed at ease and already showcases new facets of his offensive repertoire as well.

People seem to think that his upside is a Devin Booker-type player, but his mentality is different. Booker is about his numbers, while Herro is about rising to the moment.

In other words, the kid has cojones. Then again, we are talking about a guy that was born in Wisconsin but made for South Beach with a penchant for luxury cars and Gucci purses.

FROM SNOW PLOWER TO SHOT CALLER

Herro grew up in Milwaukee, and naturally his first job was as a snow plower for his dad Chris.

Life in the suburbs of dairy land wasn´t exactly like the basketball showcase of nearby Chicago. Far from it, the most famous alumni at his local Whitnail High School were former Wisconsin Badgers quarterback Joel Stave (who was the school’s all-time winningest QB but also was waived by six different NFL teams without ever taking a single snap) and 1980 Playboy Playmate of the Month Jeana Keough.

In other words, the fast lane to basketball glory wasn´t at 5000 South 116th Street, Greenfield, Wisconsin. However, if you are talented, the recruiters will find you.

Herro averaged 32.9 points per game and took his school to the sectional semifinals as a senior phenom, hitting game winning shots against archrivals, having ridiculous nights with 45-point triple-doubles and having his classmates call Milwaukee “Tyler City” while making First Team All-State. It didn’t matter if he was snubbed for the McDonald’s All-American game, schools like Kansas and Villanova were already knocking at him, but his original intention was to stay at home with the Badgers, committing verbally as a junior in 2017.

That senior year changed everything, and a visit from Kentucky Wildcats head coach John Calipari made him question what he thought was so clear as well. That was how Calipari convinced Herro that the Wildcats were “a better fit” for him.

That didn’t sit well in Wisconsin.

“A lot of people were calling me ‘snake’ and stuff like that,” Herro told the Kentucky Kernel in 2018.  “Different Wisconsin fans coming to my games, booing me and stuff like that.”

Herro arrived at Rupp Arena ready to fill the void left by current Oklahoma City Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, one of five one-and-dones and six NBA-bound Wildcats and in 2018. Alexander averaged 14.4 points and took Kentucky to the Sweet 16, but Herro went a step further into the Elite Eight while also being second on the team averaging 14.0 points per contest and shooting 46.2% from the field, 35.5% from deep.

Calipari has seen many super talented prospects come and go during the past decade since he arrived at Kentucky in 2009, but he considers Herro one of his 10 all-time best clutch players and “bucket getters” (makes sense), and also one of his two best lockdown defenders. That’s curious, because Herro’s defense is actually one of the main things coaches, writers and fans emphasize as an area of improvement for the rookie in the NBA.

Herro started all four games for Kentucky during the NCAA Tournament, averaging 12.3 points and 3.5 assists…but his three-point percentage was a horrendous 18.8% (3-for-16), something to keep in mind for when the lights shine brightest in the NBA playoffs later this month.

His last game as a Wildcat was one to forget, as he scored just seven points going 3-for-11 from the field and 1-for-5 from deep in a 77-71 loss to fifth-seeded Auburn.

After the game, a dejected Herro sat in his locker fielding questions and said that “of course” that there was a chance he would be back in blue-and-white for a sophomore year.

However, the lure of being a potential lottery pick *https://nbadraftroom.com/p/2019-nba-mock-draft/) made him decide to turn pro instead.

DRAFT NIGHT DOUBTERS

And a lottery pick he was indeed, the last one actually, as Pat Riley picked him with the 14th  selection, just one spot after Kentucky top scorer P.J. Washington went to Charlotte,

In spite of that feel-good moment and Riley’s praise, the pick was met with a lot of skepticism in Miami, where the team was coming off a 39-43 season and resided in salary cap hell. Some fans booed the pick and Twitter didn’t hold back, as always.

Herro put in the work during the summer of 2019, and the second game of his NBA career was in Milwaukee. You would think his hometown would have been proud of him, but he got greeted by boos instead. Dwyane Wade, who also played college basketball in Milwaukee at Marquette and is the Heat’s all-time best player, came to his defense.

Herro didn’t care much, or at least he didn’t show it. His 14 points and five rebounds contributed to a thrilling 131-126 overtime win against the Eastern Conference’s best team, and that would be just the beginning of a fairytale season for both him and the team.

Let’s just say the bandwagon filled up quickly after that. “Old Ass Taintstick” is probably bragging about how he always loved Herro.

Herro injured his ankle in mid-February and the Heat went 7-9 in his absence during the following six weeks. His return would be short-lived, since it was during the final game before the pandemic against P.J. Washington’s Hornets.

Four months later, he is fully healed and better than ever, hoping to write a new chapter of his story as many experts are not so sure about the Heat’s chances to make it far in the playoffs. Then again, he already knows what to do with the doubters.

5 conclusions we can draw from Miami’s recent recruiting momentum

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If you are a Miami Hurricanes fan, it’s no secret that the Canes have been killing it on the recruiting trail lately, getting commitments left and right. That flame will still carry a lot of fire into August with the impending decisions of the Palmetto trio of five-star DT Leonard Taylor, five-star CB Jason Marshall, and four-star S Corey Collier. But what have we learned from all of the excitement up to this point?

 

Ephraim Banda is an elite recruiter

 

Yes, I wholeheartedly believe this even though he doesn’t work for Nick Saban, Dabo Swinney, or Kirby Smart. But the recruits he’s been able to reel in the past five years has been incredible, considering the circumstances. A lot of critics (fans really) have zeroed in on the recruits he missed out on but let’s take a look at the guys he’s been able to close the deal with. 

 

We all remember that abysmal 2019 class when Banda could not catch enough flack for missing out on Tyrique Stevenson when he opted for Georgia instead of Miami. Shoot, on the morning of National Signing Day earlier this year, that whole mess with Jaiden Francois also ended with Miami on the losing side to Nebraska of all schools. 

 

Missing out on Francois hurt for about two hours. However, it was practically forgotten about when Avantae Williams shocked the world and chose the Canes over highly-favored Florida. You know why? Because Banda had been laying the groundwork in Williams’ recruitment since Williams was in the 8th grade. Avantae initially committed in February 2017 and was in the fold for 15 months. He de-committed, but Banda kept working his magic enough to regain his signature on Signing Day. On top of that, he landed a couple of other high-level South Florida safeties in four-star Jalen Harrell and three-star Brian Balom. 

 

Banda was also the primary recruiter for five-star James Williams, whom everyone thought was a LOCK for Georgia. 

 

It also helps that he currently has 7 (!!!) safeties that he’s coached at Miami currently in the NFL.

 

As of right now, Banda is the 11th best recruiter in the country according to 247Sports but he absolutely deserves top 5 status should he snag the Palmetto duo of five-star CB Jason Marshall and four-star safety Corey Collier. 

 

Miami’s 2021 recruiting class will be South Florida-heavy

 

Out of Miami’s 21 commitments, 19 currently hail from the state of Florida. Out of those 19 in-state commitments, 17 hail from the South Florida tri-county area. In addition, 2 of the 4 not from South Florida (Deshawn Troutman and Elijah Arroyo) actually have Miami roots. 

 

Enough numbers, but you get the gist. I’ve always felt as if there were a time where we could comfortably say “The U is back”, it has to start from recruiting heavy down here. You have to lock down South Florida. There’s so much talent in Miami alone, from Overtown all the way down to Florida City and Homestead, and the reality is that they’re not going to get everyone

 

Miami’s initial rise to glory was back in the 80’s when Howard Scnhellenberger did what every former Miami coach was afraid to do and that was to recruit in the inner city. From there, he basically unlocked Pandora’s box containing the talent-rich schools in the area that would later elevate the program to national prominence. 

 

It was important for Diaz to emphasize South Florida in the 2021 class not only for future success but also because of how talent-heavy South Florida is in this current class. 

 

16 of the top 36 prospects in Florida are from the tri-county area. And out of those 16, 7 are currently committed to Miami and that number could reach as much as 10 by the end of the cycle should they land Leonard Taylor, Jason Marshall, and Corey Collier. In reality, the Canes are not going to get every prospect they want down here, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing if you consider how talent there is. But they’re already operating at a good percentage.

 

Miami is not that far from achieving championship-level depth at safety

 

There’s a reason why you always see teams like Alabama, Georgia, Clemson, and Ohio State in the College Football playoff. Okay maybe there’s a like a few but a big one is the story told by the depth chart. You have your 1st-team and 2nd-team All-American starters on both sides but when they get hurt, there isn’t much of a drop off when the next guy is called. 

 

Miami had a great haul in 2020 with Williams as well as Harrell and Balom. And as it stands, they’re slated to bring in five-star James Williams and four-star Kamren Kinchens. That’s a good two-deep at both safety spots in 2021 and it could be even better if Gurvan Hall and Bubba Bolden decide to stay for their senior years. So yes, that’s the depth we can possibly see when Miami plays Alabama in the 2021 season opener. 

 

Commitment to winning  = Recruits are buying it

 

After one season, Manny Diaz has already separated himself from the two men he succeeded. No, it’s not about going 6-7 in his first season at the helm. It’s about always having his finger on the trigger if changes are needed. One of the biggest downfalls of Mark Richt and even Al Golden was that either they were too loyal to some of their assistant coaches or they were resistant to making changes even though there was a glaring need. For both coaches, they both got the axe before they could invoke change. 

 

When Al Golden was hired, he brought along a close friend of his in Mark D’Onofrio, who was the defensive coordinator for Golden’s Temple teams. Not even going to sugarcoat it, Miami’s defenses were terrible. In three of three of the five years, the Canes ranked 90th or worse in the nation in total defense. Don’t even get me started when they played Georgia Tech or whatever team that was and they put only 3 in the box when Tech was inside the 5.

 

The offense was very lackluster in 2019 under new OC Dan Enos, who received much hype and praise when he was brought in by coach Diaz. After the season, Diaz wasted no time in deciding to fire Enos in favor of Rhett Lashlee, a man who ran the 7th best offense in the country for SMU. Even though Diaz had a lot of respect for Enos initially, he showed his commitment to not only winning but also turning the program around.

 

Quarantine has not slowed down recruiting for Miami

 

The recruiting dead period commenced in the middle of March but that has not stopped Miami’s coaches from utilizing creative methods to build and further their relationships with prospects and their families. Miami has added 12 commitments since the beginning of quarantine, which accounts for more than half of their total. The Canes already have the advantage of being in close proximity to a majority of the recruits they are in contact with. There’s probably a handful of schools that can say they have this luxury and schools that don’t have a hotbed of talent surrounding them are suffering the most. 

 

Mix in the fact that even if recruits were to take the risk and visit other campuses (most aren’t), they cannot do so with the assistance of coaches. I’m not saying this to discredit the coaches and their work, but that advantage could not come at a better time.

 

The Time Is Now For The Panthers

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The time is now.

For the Panthers, that has two different meanings. But both of the meanings are just as important as each other.

After months of delays because of the coronavirus pandemic, the NHL season had been sidelined. When play stopped back in March, the Panthers were 10th place in the East and 3 points back of a playoff spot with a game in hand. It had been an overall disappointing season for the Panthers, since it was met with high expectations with the big off-season signing of Sergei Bobrovsky. However, the Panthers were coming off a big win and looked ready to make a final push.

Now after the delay, the NHL scrapped the regular season and decided to do a two city, NBA-like bubble. One in Toronto and one in Edmonton.

The top 12 teams in each conference made it to the bubble. The top 4 teams made it as a for sure playoff team while the other 8, including the Panthers, will play in a best of 5 Stanley Cup Qualifier round. 

For the Panthers, they drew the New York Islanders. If you remember, just a few years back, the Islanders beat the Panthers in a gut-wrenching 6 games series. That series, which was mostly dominated by the Panthers, was suppose to be their warning message to the rest of the NHL. Dale Talon’s blueprint had arrived.

Except, it hadn’t.

Since then, the Panthers have just mounted consecutive losing seasons and are on their 3rd coach since. Which is why now is so important. Now is so important for Dale Talon. For Sasha Barkov. For Jonathan Huberdeau. All these guys that have been here and have promised dominant South Florida hockey. This is a telling opportunity for this core to make some noise. If they don’t, you can start seeing some painful moves within the next couple seasons.

Now is also the time for the organization. It’s no secret the Panthers don’t have the best attendance numbers. It’s become a very annoying joke around hockey circles. However, the market has been craving sports. Inter Miami was bounced from the MLS Is Back Tournament and is an embarrassing 0-5, the Marlins season might be canceled since they’re in the middle of a team wide coronavirus outbreak and the Heat have a couple weeks of just meaningless regular season games before the post-season starts.

Meaning, the Panthers can be center of attention for the first since 1996 in South Florida. If they make a run here, people will notice because people WILL be watching. They get three afternoon playoff games, which should do well for their local ratings. They need to win these games and bring excitement to the average fan. They know what the stakes are here.

When the puck drops at 4pm on Saturday, the stakes will be high for the Panthers. A big series win or two can change the course of the organization for years to come, or, they lose and continue to be stuck in the middling mud, losing their little bit of shine they have left in South Florida.