There are only four more days left in the month of May, and there are only two teams in Major League Baseball with a winning percentage of .600 or better. The combined payroll for both these teams is $65M, which is less than half that of the NY Mets (currently with a .469 winning percentage and 6.5 games back in their division) and less than one-third the payroll of the NY Yankees (currently with a .490 winning percentage and 6 games back in their division).

The two teams that sit atop their respective divisions and all of MLB in general are the Tampa Bay Rays and the Florida Marlins.

Go ahead. Rub your eyes and double check what you just read. Yes, on this day following Memorial Day weekend, the two best teams in baseball are those from the state that historically was known only for baseball in March not May.

Although it’s still too early to crown either of these teams – the Marlins’ lead in the NL East is only two and a half games while the Rays lead the defending World Series champion Red Sox by only one-half game in the AL East – it’s never too early to join in the excitement of summer baseball that matters in the state of Florida.

Having been born and raised in Miami and now residing in Tampa, this is doubly-exciting for me. Specifically for the Rays, a team that did not exist when I moved to the Bay area in 1996, it’s great to see them playing so well in the most expensive division in the majors ($.5 Billion in payroll this year) if not the most talented. Accounting for only $44 million of the half-billion dollar collective payroll, the Rays are getting it done with youth and great starting pitching. With every win comes additional confidence and belief the team can continue to play well and compete for the AL East title.

The Marlins, on the other hand, have been here before having won the World Series in 2003. However, the Marlins had to surge from 10 games below .500 prior to the All-Star game that year and get some luck along the way in order to qualify for the wild card and the playoffs. Their poor position in the standings in 2003 serves as a reminder that just because you’re on top in May or June does not mean that’s where you’ll finish at the end of September, and vice versa.

Nevertheless, the excitement for baseball in the state of Florida is tangible. With the recent championships won in this state slowly disappearing in the rear-view mirror (Bucs in 2002, Marlins in 2003, Lightning in 2004 and Heat in 2006), the idea of either the Rays or the Marlins playing in the Fall Classic brings a child-like smile to every baseball fan who calls Florida home. On this day following Memorial Day weekend, here’s hoping the standings look the same the day following Labor Day weekend as well.

What’s the first thing Kobe Bryant did upon formally being awarded the NBA’s Most Valuable Player award? Probably send a ‘thank you’ case of Scotch to Chris Wallace, the General Manager of the Memphis Grizzlies and the person who executed the trade that sent Pau Gasol to Los Angeles and made it possible for Kobe to win his first league MVP award. Let’s face it, if not for the Gasol acquisition, not only would Kobe not have won the award, the Lakers would have most likely finished 4th or 5th in the hyper-competitive Western Conference.

With all due and deserving respect to Kevin Garnett and the work he’s done in Boston, this year’s MVP award should clearly have gone to Chris Paul of the New Orleans Hornets. Not only has CP3 led the Hornets to heights they’ve not seen since leaving Charlotte, he’s done so without the help of an All-Star Center, as is the aforementioned Gasol. It’s true when you compare the averages of the other four starters for the Lakers and Hornets, there is not much of a statistical difference (13.3 PPG with 8.75 years of experience for the Lakers versus 14.2 PPG and 8 years of experience for the Hornets). However, the true measure of value is found when reviewing the complete body of work for each player over the course of the year.

Kobe’s individual numbers are better than those of Chris Paul (28 PPG/6 RPG/5 APG versus 21 PPG/4 RPG/12 APG, respectively), and Bryant was far better statistically than the next best Laker starter. From the aspect the MVP should go to the best player on the best team, one can argue Kobe is deserving of the award. However, when the focus is on the middle initial of the acronym, there’s no doubt Chris Paul creates more value for the Hornets than Kobe ever can for the Lakers.
 
Chris Paul came into the NBA in 2005, drafted only a couple of months before Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans and forced the Hornets to play the majority of their games in Oklahoma City. The displaced New Orleans/Oklahoma City franchise managed to win 38 games that season, a 20 game improvement from the year before, and Chris Paul went on to win Rookie of the Year in the NBA. Since the 2005-2006 season, the Hornets’ season record is 18 games better in ’07-’08. By contrast, the Lakers are only 12 games better over the same time period.

Specific to this season, Chris’ 12 assists per game versus Kobe’s 4 is a reflection of how CP3 makes the players around him better. Kobe may have scored 7 more points per game than Chris, but Chris created 16 more points per game than Kobe. His average of +7PPG versus the average of the other Hornet starters further reflects Paul’s selflessness on the court and his overall contribution to the team effort (Kobe was 15PPG better than the average of his teammates). Furthermore, Chris Paul led the Hornets to a 68.2% winning percentage this past season. The Lakers finished with a winning percentage of 69.5%, but ended up winning 76% of their games after acquiring Pau Gasol on February 1.

Maybe it’s the glitz and glamour of Los Angeles. Maybe it’s because sports writers felt New Orleans’ regular season was a fluke – a concept that has been significantly disproved so far in the playoffs. Maybe it’s the sense Kobe deserves the MVP as a pseudo lifetime achievement award (dare we mention Colorado?). Either way, there is more value in the 6’0” frame of the little kid from Carolina than in the often-hyped leader of the Lakers. There is no doubt Kobe will go down as one of the greatest players in NBA history, but he has yet to achieve anything on a Shaq-less Laker team. Chris Paul has been achieving since his arrival to the NBA. Although he won’t get to hoist the MVP trophy this year, if CP3 continues to tear it up in the playoffs, he just may be hoisting a different kind of hardware come June.

In the $6Billion business that is the NFL, there is very little room for patience.  As veteran players get older and new, young players get richer, the pressure to produce a winning product grows greater and greater with each passing season.  This is clearly evidenced by the now routine coaching carousel that consumes TV network analysts and web bloggers alike.  Win and you're in.  Lose and get lost.

So it’s with a sense of pleasant surprise the Miami Dolphins chose the path of patience – also known as rebuilding – and came to terms with Michigan offensive tackle Jake Long to make him the number one pick in this weekend’s draft.  Sure, there aren’t many sexy picks in this year’s selection as there have been in recent years, but the temptation is always there to go with the big name or rising star with the number one overall pick. 

By any account, Jake Long is not the best player in this draft.  Hands down, Darren McFadden is the best athlete of the crop, if not the best player, and Matt Ryan is clearly the top QB of the bunch.  Glen Dorsey or Chris Long would make great additions to a stellar yet aging Dolphins defense.  Instead, Team President Bill Parcells, General Manager Jeff Ireland and Head Coach Tony Sparano decided to lay the foundation for what they hope will be an offense that is able to score more than just 17 points per game (26th overall in the NFL in 2007). 

By selecting Long, the Dolphins are showing they’re committed to fixing their offensive problems long term.  More importantly, Long’s selection at left tackle grants the Fins some flexibility to shift players along the O-Line, and provides second-year quarterback John Beck with an added sense of security that he won’t get killed from his blind side. 

The early signing also has other GM’s around the league smiling, knowing the spending ceiling has now been set by the Dolphins.  Long’s 5-year, $57.75 million contract ($30 million of which is guaranteed) is extraordinary when you consider his per year average is about $200k more than last year’s number one overall pick Jamarcus Russell.  True, Russell held out with the Raiders and most likely settled for his contract in order to sign and obtain some playing time in 2007.  Nevertheless, Russell is a 6’6”, 255lb franchise-type quarterback capable of throwing the ball 60 yards from his knees.  Long is simply a good, solid player and there’s no way to compare the overall value of an offensive lineman unless his name is Jim Langer, Larry Little or Dwight Stephenson.

I hope my fellow DolFans will show the same patience this year as the organization appears to be showing now.  There is no realistic expectation of a winning season for Miami in 2008, especially when you consider that 2-14 would be a 100% improvement from last year.  That being said, the only thing to do is wait and watch as Parcells and his disciples put together building block after building block and restore a tradition of winning to South Florida.  

I used to say there are only three things in life which I take seriously; my faith in God, the love of my family and friends, and Miami Dolphins football. Following a 0 – 4 start by my Fins to the 2007 season, not to mention their recent history of mediocrity, the key to my opening sentence is ‘used to say’. I’m still a fan and I am sure I will still subject myself to the weekly torture of watching them be one of the worst teams in the NFL, but I am also sure it will be done with abject reservation of real emotion.

Following a loss, I am usually grumpy and crabby and looking to replace some piece of furniture I keep telling my girlfriend I ‘accidentally’ broke, but not today. Today’s loss to the historically hated Raiders - Stabler’s knee was down - is somewhat bittersweet. Prior to the game, I sat down in front of my computer to get caught up on the season premier of ‘My Name is Earl’ which I forgot to record. So it’s only appropriate then that Karma made an appearance in this game between Oakland and Miami.

Let me take you back to the beginning of LAST season, when the Dolphins had acquired Daunte Culpepper from the Vikings following his recovery from a devastating knee injury. There was a buzz about Daunte’s ability to throw the ball downfield, to use his size to power through linebackers, and assuming his knee was recovered, bring Miami back into the ranks of a winning franchise. He was rushed into the starting position and ended up having a miserable 4 games to start the season. The organization blamed Culpepper’s knee, labeled him a has-been, placed him on injured-reserved, and Culpepper never played another game for the Dolphins.

Then came the fiasco with Nick Saban bolting to Alabama, Cam Cameron being named the new head coach of the Fins, Trent Green being picked up in a trade with the Chiefs and Daunte Culpepper being unceremoniously and disgracefully escorted from the Dolphins training facility by security. Just like that, the player who was supposed to be the savior of the franchise, the next great Miami quarterback after Griese and Marino, was just dropped like a bad habit. For a kid who grew up in Ocala a Dol-fan, dreaming of playing in aqua and coral, it was a slap in the face.

So as the clock ticked down on a 35-17 loss, there was a wry smile to my face. It wasn’t just because my Marlins were beating the Mets and crushing their hopes for the post-season, but also because the Raiders owed their win to a kid from Ocala who was supposed to be a has-been quarterback. The fact Daunte Culpepper was even playing for the Raiders to begin with is a cosmic event in and of itself.

In a nutshell, the Raiders drafted quarterback Jamarcus Russell in April with the first overall pick. Russell held out until September for a better contract deal, and signed only after the Raiders acquired Culpepper as a free agent. Josh McCown was named the starter for the Raiders but suffered an injury in week three. So there was Culpepper ready to start at quarterback against the team that treated him with absolutely no class just two months ago.

Duante completed only five passes on Sunday, but two of those were for touchdowns. More importantly, the has-been kid ran – yes RAN – for three scores against the Dolphins. Following his second rushing touchdown, Daunte pointed to his surgically reconstructed knee and then gave the Dolphins Stadium crowd an ‘OK’ symbol. OK as in “Who’s a has-been now?” OK as in “Where’s your security escort now?” OK as in “Oh Karma!”

I guess I will still take Dolphins losses to heart, but this particular loss is OK with me.

Today is the 60th anniversary of the day Jackie Robinson laced up his cleats, put on his Dodgers jersey and took the field as the first black athlete to play major league baseball.  What Jackie Robinson did was historic. It was groundbreaking.  It opened doors and tore down barriers.  It created the opportunity for us to celebrate the other great minority players that came after him.  From Hank Aaron to Willie Mays to Roberto Clemente to Tony Gwynn, the first step was taken by Jackie Robinson.  

The anniversary of Jackie Robinson breaking the color barrier has been discussed and celebrated all week long.  It has been, and rightfully so, the subject of special segments on ESPN’s SportsCenter, Pardon the Interruption and The Sports Reporters.  It’s been featured in newspapers and magazines, discussed on sports talk radio and mentioned at bars and around water coolers all over the country.  I’ve even heard Jackie’s break into the National League be referred to as “the single most important event in the history of American sports.”

I am Hispanic and, as a result, a minority.  However, I am fortunate to say that I have never been the subject of overt or blatant discrimination.  If my racial background ever served as a reason for which I was held back from anything, I am glad to say I am not aware of it.  With that in mind, I feel I don’t have the same level of appreciation African-Americans or other minorities may have for Jackie’s achievement.  Yet I do appreciate the courage it took for Jackie to endure and persevere through the name calling, taunts and flat-out hatred that was directed at him for playing a game.  

I submit, however, that it was not the single most important event in the history of American sports.  As historically great as Jackie Robinson’s breakthrough was not only for baseball, but also for all sports in our country, the individuals who directed their hatred at number 42 where, for the most part, nobody’s.  Fans, front office personnell and other baseball players do not even begin to compare to the power possessed by the leader of a nation.

Eleven years before Jackie Robinson stood at the plate against the Boston Braves, Jesse Owens won four gold medals at the Berlin Olympics.  What Jesse did in the ’36 Games was the mother of all landmark performances in sports.  He traveled to a country led by a monster whose political platform was the supremacy of his race over the rest of the world.  Jesse competed in front of a nation of individuals who came together through hate and believed he wasn’t worthy of living, let alone competing in their Olympics.  The scope of Jackie Robinson’s accomplishment was one country that, at its worst, had enslaved other human beings based on the color of their skin and still maintained segregation because of this same criterion. The scope of Jesse Owens’ accomplishment, however, was one country that brutally and systematically killed people based on their ethnicity and religious beliefs.

I am honored to be a sports fan in an era where I can cheer for Dontrelle Willis, Jason Taylor and Dwyane Wade, all of which are black players on my favorite teams.  I understand that they, and the other black and minority players, owe a great deal to what Jackie Robinson made possible 60 years ago.  I also believe that Jackie would not have been able to take those first nerve-wracking steps out of the Dodgers dugout had Jesse Owens not proved to the world that black athletes do indeed belong in the arena competing with everyone else.  Like he did four times in Berlin in 1936, when comparing Jackie to Jesse, Jesse continues to come in first.

I was perusing ESPN the Magazine and came across an article previewing tonight’s Super Bowl match up between the Indianapolis Colts and Chicago Bears. This article presented 5 arguments as to which team had the advantage of winning. The one that jumped out at me was the concept of Pythagorean wins. It claims that rather than looking at wins and losses in the regular season, one should review the formula devised by stats guru Daryl Morey that takes into consideration Points Scored versus Points Allowed in the regular season. Since 1989, the team that has finished first or second in Pythagorean wins has won 16 of 18 titles. In this past season, the Bears had 12.4 PW’s. The Colts had only 9.6.

This got me to thinking about all the quirky, little stats and the slew of information that is unearthed every year before the Big Game. Everyone becomes an expert. Everyone becomes a statistician. Everyone has an opinion as to why THEIR team will win. Well, if you know me, you know I’m a geek. Particularly, a sports geek. And when in comes to general Super Bowl trivia and knowledge, my geekness is off the charts.

So here are some nuggets of knowledge you may appreciate regarding tonight’s game.

• This is the ninth Super Bowl to be played in Miami. In the previous eight games played, the advantage goes to the AFC (4-3). We cannot count Super Bowl III in which the Jets defeated the Colts. Both teams are currently in the AFC.
• Of the Super Bowls in Miami, they have been played in 2 different stadiums, however, this will be the 4th different stadium name for a Miami Super Bowl (Orange Bowl, Joe Robbie Stadium, Pro Player Stadium, Dolphin Stadium).
• Speaking of the Colts, this is the third appearance for them in a Super Bowl. All three games have been in Miami. The Colts are 1-1 in their previous two games.
• Speaking about .500 performances, the Southeastern Conference has produced 8 Super Bowl starters. They are 4-4 and this stat is guaranteed to remain unchanged following tonight’s Super Bowl. Both Manning and Grossman played their college ball in the SEC.
• In a related aside, the PAC 10 has produced the most winning Super Bowl starting quarterbacks (8). For that matter, the PAC 10 has also produced the most losing Super Bowl starting quarterbacks (9).
• The starting quarterbacks of the first 10 Super Bowls are in the pro football Hall of Fame. Ken Stabler (Super Bowl XI) remains up for HOF consideration every year.
• Speaking of future hall-of-famer’s, Peyton Manning is from Louisiana. LSU, Louisiana Tech, U of L Monroe and U of L Lafayette have all produced Super Bowl starting quarterbacks, and they are a combined 4-3 in those games.
• Finally, of all the franchises making their second ever appearance in a Super Bowl (alla the Bears), they are 11 - 7 in their second game. The Colts lost their first Super Bowl but won their second.

What does this mean regarding Super Bowl XLI? Actually, nothing. To quote O.J. Simpson, the team that will win the game is the one that outscores its opponent. No wonder he hasn’t found the real killer yet. And if you are a Bears fan and hanging your hat on the aforementioned Pythagorean Wins, it’s important to know the Bears were 2nd in PW’s this season. In order to reach the Super Bowl, the Colts defeated the Ravens and Patriots, numbers 1 and 3 on that list, respectively.

There are so many variables that come into play during a game if this magnitude. Preparation, nervousness, officiating, weather, sheer dumb luck. Nothing can be predicted and nothing is ever certain. Well, perhaps one thing is. Tomorrow the pundits and stat jockeys will be at it again digesting the data and analyzing every angle of what happened in the game. As for me, I will still be digesting the hoards of food I am certain to eat. Calories, carbs and cold beer. Those numbers will be irrefutable.

As a UM fan, I offer apologies to my peeps in South Florida for having adopted the Gators and pulling for them in the National Championship game.  I say that knowing that every UM fan is still bitter about the Canes’ loss to OSU in 2003 Fiesta Bowl, and were smiling to see the Buckeyes get annihilated by the Gators.
 
So it is with apologies to all my Gator friends that I declare my desire for the Colts to win the Super Bowl.  As the Midwest descends on my hometown over the next two weeks, I sit here anticipating what should be a spectacular game and hoping Indianapolis ends up the victor in the contest.  What does this have to do with the Gators and why am I apologizing to their fans?
 
To fully understand, you need to go back to Peyton Manning’s career as a college quarterback.  Although he left the University of Tennessee as the Vols’ all-time leading passer with 11,201 yards and 89 touchdowns, Manning was always dogged with the fact he never won a national title and never beat the University of Florida.  Until last night, the same label plagued him as a professional, having squandered playoff opportunities and having seemingly been owned by the New England Patriots.
 
So the showdown on February 4 pits Peyton Manning, a Tennessee Volunteer, versus Rex Grossman, a Florida Gator and one of the school’s most prolific passers.  Having shed the burden the weighed him down as a pro – beating the Tom Brady and Patriots in the playoffs – Manning now has the opportunity to metaphorically bury the pains of his collegiate career.  Not only will a win in Super Bowl XLI secure his place in the Hall of Fame, it will also mean he emerged victorious over a Gator in the big game.
 
And if you think college allegiances don’t run that deep, think again.  I hate the NY Jets, but I like see Jonathan Vilma play well and receive national recognition.  The same is true with the Bills and Willis McGahee.  I am sure that outside of Indianapolis, the largest concentration of Colts fans can be found in Knoxville, Tennessee.  Even Smokey, the Vols’ mascot, will be sporting a blue jacket with horse shoe logos. 
 
Throw in my allegiance to the AFC, my affinity towards Tony Dungy as a person and a coach, the fact I have more friends and acquaintances from Indiana than I do from Chicago, the choice for me is obvious.  Come February 4, I will be pulling for the kid from New Orleans by way of Knoxville, Tennessee to hoist the Vince Lombardi trophy and secure his spot in the pantheon of NFL greats.   Right now, however, I’m still relishing the fact the Patriots lost! 

Go Colts!

Christmas in Miami is usually very different from traditional Christmas days in other cities.  First of all, is there a holiday meal in South Florida that does NOT include black beans and rice?  And whereas kids in other cities unwrap presents and take their new galoshes and toboggans out into the winter wonderlands of their backyard, Miami kids throw on their new flip flops and ask their parents to lower the AC in the house.  

Sadly for Dol-fans, Christmas brings the unfortunately new tradition of yet another meaningless game in December.  A decade ago, Miami’s holiday game always came with playoff implications.  Whether they controlled their own destiny or needed a little help, more often than not the playoffs were within reach for the Dolphins come Christmas.  This year, Zach Thomas, Jason Taylor, Ronnie Brown and Nick Saban are opening presents and scheduling tee times for early January.  

All is not lost, however, as the Dolphins prepare for their Monday night game on Christmas night.  As they game plan to take on the NY Jets – correction ….. the HATED NY Jets – the Dolphin players have the opportunity to add a couple of other NFL players to their golfing reservations.

The old adage is true.  Misery does love company, and all I want for Christmas this year is to share my home-for-the-playoff misery with those fans in New York.  I realize my statement is not exactly keeping with the holiday spirit, but all is fair in love, war and NFL fanaticism.  Bitterness and envy are words that can be used to describe what transpires in any given rivalry, and I am bitter and envious the Jets have a shot at making the postseason while the Dolphins do not.  

For me, Monday night’s game is anything but meaningless.  Coming off a colossally embarrassing loss to that other hated team from New York, the Dolphins can salvage some sense of dignity and pride this season by beating the Jets.  Even though they are mathematically eliminated from playoff contention, the Dolphins are perfectly positioned to play spoiler to the Jets hopes for games in January.

It's not all bad, though.  This Christmas, as Miami fans get ready to settle in and have Hank Williams Jr. ask them if they are ready for some football, they will do so knowing their counterparts in NYC are doing the same thing with a world more anxiety and nervous anticipation.  The greenies will have their furnaces running and their Maalox and Tums easily within reach.  The butterflies will have to compete with the heartburn as the Christmas dinner will sit ever so uncomfortably because of what is riding on this game.  Miami fans, however, will sit back in their recliners, pleasantly rubbing their bellies following their Christmas dinner and enjoy the fact the AC is set at 74 degrees.  Merry Christmas indeed!

If you are a frequent viewer of ESPN, as am I, you know that soon we will begin seeing the commercial for Capitol One Bowl week in which the college football bowl season is advertised to the accompaniment of the classic Christmas song, “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year.”  Yet for many college football fans, particularly those in Ann Arbor, it’s anything but.

For years we have been told by the powers-that-be the Bowl Championship Series (BCS) was the solution for the problems that ailed college football in the eighties and early nineties.  The BCS was supposed to devise a solution in which a national champion was determined not solely by polls and human opinion.  Rather, the BCS would take into consideration computed elements such as strength of schedule and factor that into an overall ranking.  A novel concept that was supposed to create a more level and objective playing field across NCAA football has resulted in the same arguments we were hearing in the days of Jimmy Johnson, Barry Switzer and Tom Osborne.

The BCS, quite simply, is flawed.  It does not mathematically take into consideration whether or not a team is a conference champion.  If it did, UM would have played Oregon in the 2002 Rose Bowl.  It is further flawed by the fact that some teams have to play a final conference championship game and others do not.  Is it fair that Florida had to play Arkansas on December 2 while Ohio State safely stayed at home?

Yet even with computer formulas and mathematical equations, 2/3 of the BCS ranking is, in the end, determined by the human polls.  It still is too subjective.  Can anyone logically explain how Florida leap-frogged Michigan into the number 2 spot in the final poll?  Does not the fact that Jim Tressell, coach of topped ranked Ohio State, abstained from voting in the coaches’ poll so as to not create the perception of a particular preference raise a red flag?  And let’s not even get into the discussion of where teams from mid-major conferences belong in this conversation. 

The truth of the matter is that as long as the landscape among college conferences remains uneven, we will continue to have this debate.  Even with all the proposed 8 team playoff scenarios, there will always be a team that ranks ninth that will argue it got shunned out of the playoff picture.  

I believe the solution starts with every conference having at least 12 teams.  This may require the addition of teams from other mid-major conferences and, as a result, the elimination of those lesser conferences.  Every conference would have a championship game, and the conference champion would have an automatic berth into the BCS or playoff system.  The college football schedule would be reduced to 9 games to allow for a conference championship and playoffs, and rankings would not be determined until after week 4 of the season.

It's true, I have not thought out the details, and sure, it sounds like a lot of other proposals circulating the water cooler.  As is evident by this past football season, nothing – with the exception to Ohio State’s record – is perfect.  If it were, my Hurricanes would be planning a trip to Glendale, Arizona.

There’s a saying, “When life throws you lemons, make lemonade”, and right now there is nothing sweeter than the relationship I share with my awesome girlfriend Lee.  She is intelligent, beautiful and passionate.  She is also my biggest fan and tells me everyday how much she believes in me and in us.

People see us and take the time to point out how happy we are together.  A huge part of that happiness is the many passions we both share.  Be it music (we’re both HUGE Sister Hazel fans) or traveling or college football (yes, I said college football and yes, I’m one lucky dude), we share these passions together and that only makes our relationship stronger.

As luck and fate would have it, we both now get to share the uncertainty that is the football coaching situation for our favorite college teams.  Lee is a Crimson Tide fan having been born and raised in Southern Alabama.  As you already know, I am a fan of ‘The U’, which for Larry Coker now means Unemployed.

I think it’s kind of cool that I can grow closer to my girl with conversations about the coaching carousel, rumored short lists and Steve Spurrier.  I think it’s awesome that we both get to fill our Winter with who interviewed where and the recruiting hit our favorite program is taking.  It’s so much fun for us to take jabs at each other as I remind her the Canes won a title as recently as 2001 and she reminds me of George Teague and the 1993 Sugar Bowl. Yes, sharing a passion is definitely part of the recipe for a happy relationship. 

That is, however, until the realization this shared passion can become a competitive situation.  What if both programs target the same coach?  What if Greg Shiano is the top choice for UM and Bama?  What if the Tide and the Canes both show interest in Rich Rodriguez?  What if one university has to ‘settle’ for a coach because the other team got the better candidate?  What if Lamar Thomas had outrun Teague on that now infamous play?!?!?

Now I realize that what I thought would bring us closer together may end up tearing us apart!

No worries.  The great thing about Lee is that when she is blinded by a passion, which is an infrequent occurrence, I can easily distract her with a picture of Dwyane Wade (a personal passion of hers) and, of course, some sweet lemonade!

Is sit here one day removed from watching my bandwagon team, the Indianapolis Colts, lose their first game of the NFL season.  The reason I am a Colts fan is because my beloved Dolphins are still “rebuilding”, I have nothing but admiration and respect for Tony Dungy, I believe Marvin Harrison is the best receiver in the entire league, and my girlfriend has the hots for Peyton Manning.  

So it was with mixed emotions that I saw the clock wind down on the Colts, thus making official their first defeat.  It was bittersweet to see an end to the talk and hype of an undefeated season.  I love how sexy the idea is for a team in this faster, stronger NFL to go undefeated.  I love the media build up it creates, the sports-radio fodder that permeates with the notion, and the constant references to the team of my youth – the 1972 Dolphins.

Yes, I have heard how the NFL of the 70’s doesn’t compare to today’s NFL.  In his entire AFL/NFL career, Bob Griese threw for a total of 25,092 yards. By comparison, Dan Marino surpassed 25,000 yards in his seventh season and Peyton Manning already has over 33,000 yards in his first eight years as a professional quarterback. * I have heard how the ’72 Dolphins were not as good as the Steelers that followed them in that decade, and wouldn’t stand a chance against the 49’ers and Cowboys of the 90’s.

 To many extents, those arguments are true.  For me, it’s not about which team was better.  It’s not about the fantasy game in which Larry Csonka plows through Mike Singletary or Jake Scott picks off a Joe Montana pass.  For me, the celebration of the undefeated season is about recognizing the only true, objective use of the word perfection in professional football.  Major League Baseball has seen 17 perfect games.  Nadia Comaneci will always be remembered for her perfect score in the 1976 Olympics, and although she was the first to complete a perfect routine, she was definitely not the last gymnast to do so.  Only the Dolphins that my mother watched while carrying me in her belly can claim the distinction of uniquely perfect in their sport.

There is something to be said about being the only team to accomplish the impossible.  There is something majestic and regal about the idea of a 76 year-old Don Shula raising a glass of Champagne in celebration of what he and his players accomplished 33 years ago.  Like the stories my father used to tell me about walking to school uphill both ways in the snow, it is both dated yet alluring.  It gets old but is still a pleasure to talk about.  It takes me back to being a boy watching games in the Orange Bowl but reminds me of how old I really am.

The mark of the ’72 Dolphins will not last forever, and I am a firm believer that you cannot live in the past.  Nevertheless, I will always hold on to this accomplishment as something special and endearing for me.  The Perfect Season will always take me back to a time when life growing up was simple, fun and quite simply, perfect.

*DatabaseFootball.com

It’s the day before The Game, Michigan at Ohio State, and all the rage is debating the existing system for determining a national champion in college football.  As it exists, the Bowl Championship Series (BCS) in inherently unfair because it excludes teams from “lesser” conferences.  In addition to the BCS BS, there is the discussion of which one-loss team most deserves to play the Ohio State/Michigan winner for the National Championship in January.  Finally, throw into the mix the question of where Rutgers should play if they finish their season undefeated.  As someone who has followed the Big East for some time now, I can’t believe I actually typed that sentence. 

Say what you will about strength of schedule, computer rankings and program tradition.  Throw out the talk about poll bias, East coast bias or what did the boosters buy us.  Barring the implementation of a true playoff system, the arguments surrounding college football’s top prize will live on and on and on.  That is, of course, until the implementation of the GCS – the Gonzo Championship System.

In a situation like this year where you have one undefeated team from a major conference and possibly 6 or 7 deserving, one-loss teams vying to play for the national championship, the GCS would completely resolve the debate and setup the correct title game match up.  Try to stay with me on this because the GCS is a complex, mathematically sound and culturally significant formula.  If you’re prone to migraines, you may want to stop reading now.

With the GCS, you start with the capacity of a team’s stadium.  Multiply that by the number of professional football players that school has produced in the last ten years.  Subtract from that the number of professional players from that school that have been arrested, and then add to that the sum of National Championships plus Hiesman Trophies won by that school since 1973.  This number is known as the school’s Football Usage.

Now take the number of alums from that school on People’s 100 Most Beautiful list and add to that the number of alums who have appeared on the cover of Time.  Divide that by the number of alums who were ever in a boy band, them multiply the result by the number of Oscar winning directors, actors or writers not named Coppola produced by that university.  This number becomes the school’s Celebrity Kismet.

Finally, take the number of political science graduates at each university and subtract from that the number of alums who are members of Congress.  Multiply the school’s law program ranking by the number of alum who are attorneys, then divide this number by the previously determined difference.  I know this may seem like we’re double-counting, but it’s designed that way.  The final result is known as the school’s Integrity Trenchancy.

Now multiply the Football Usage by the Celebrity Kismet and add this to the Integrity Trenchancy. 

(FU)(CK) + IT

As you can see, the resulting formula clearly shows which one-loss team deserves to play for the national championship and how it really doesn’t matter if they do.  At the end if it all, Michigan (the other UM) will be crowned king of college football, and everyone will be left saying “Hail! to the victors valiant, Hail! to the conqu'ring heroes, Hail! Hail! to Michigan the leaders and best …….”

As a Miami native now living in Tampa, there are few positive aspects about being a fan of all teams Miami. Now that the outrageous housing market has found its way to Hillsborough County, the positive aspects about living here a fewer. Perhaps the most significant points about being in Tampa and not “home” are the powder white sand on the beaches and walking into McDonald’s and still being able to place my order in English. But I digress.

When it comes to professional sports, there has been a steady balance between Tampa and Miami. The Bay Area is able to claim two recent championships between the Buccaneers and the Lightning. I have been able to counter with the 2003 Marlins and last season’s Miami Heat. For good measure, I throw in the ‘97 World Series and the storied history of the Miami Dolphins. With Shula, Griese, Csonka, Warfield, Marino and the undefeated ’72 team, it’s a no-brainer who wins this contest. Still, Tampa locals cry that I am living in the past and declare it a draw.

So I pull out my ‘U’ card. The ‘U’ card is green and orange and represents a generation of college football dominance. It features the likeness of coaching legend Howard Schnellenberger and those who followed him. It is a laundry list of UM alum who have gone on to play and excel in the NFL. (Ask yourself when was the last time you watched a Sunday night SportsCenter that did not feature highlights of at least 3 former UM players?) It is 5 National Championships and two Heisman Trophy winners. It’s drawing the Ace you need when the other cards in your hand are suited. Or is it?

With apologies to FAMU and FAU, and a proverbial elbow to the head to FIU, there are five major college football programs in Florida. For years the discussion focused around the big three: Florida, Florida State and, of course, The U. Now UCF and USF are in the mix, having displayed relative success in recent years, and producing a handful of NFL caliber players. As of this moment, only two of these five teams may play in a bowl game. The first makes its home in Gainesville and plays in the toughest conference in the NCAA. The second calls Tampa it’s home.

It’s bad enough my football season gets trumped locally by the face of Jon Gruden and the voice of Gene Deckerhoff. Now I have to put up with upstart USF Bulls fans who proclaim the superiority of the Big East over the ACC. Sadly for me, it’s true. The ACC standings leader would be third overall if they played in the Big East. Who is this football juggernaut that may represent the Atlantic Coast Conference in a BCS bowl? Wake Forest. Yes, you read that correctly. Wake Forest.

So what was once my stone cold, lead pipe, “can’t be beat” trump card has now been reduced to a tarnished, “hide it in my wallet” chump card. I am Samson with a crew cut. Not only is my Achilles heal exposed, it’s lying on the table at Benihana in front of an eager chef with a very large knife. Kyle Wright will be golfing in December while Matt Grothe is studying game film.

How did this happen to the Hurricanes? Although the blame rests with Coker – and that’s a blog for another night – the solution, ironically enough, may lie in the Big East. Let’s hope the rumors of Greg Schiano leaving Rutgers for the warm beaches of Miami are true. We all know what a great job he’s done with the Scarlet Knights, and we all know Larry Coker will be sitting his unemployed fanny on the aforementioned beaches this spring. And we all know in our hearts the 'U' will find it’s way back. For my transplanted sake, it has to.

If you’re a fan of NFL football, you’re well aware of the many little things that just ‘fit’.  A typical game lasts three hours and starts at 1:00 on Sundays.  This means they start at 1:00 on the East and the West coast.   How convenient!  A game is four quarters long, as is a complete regular season.  And at the end of the first quarter of this season, it’s time to sit back and see how things are going.

The last four Super Bowl winners have started their seasons a combined 12-4.  That’s a 75% winning percentage.  So as I look at my beloved Dolphins sitting alone in the cellar of the AFC East at 1-3, it doesn’t look good.  Neither does the offensive line.  Neither does the secondary.  Neither does the running game.  When the top team-MVP candidates after the first four games are the #3 Wide Receiver and the Punter, things have to get better.

Miami is known for its tropical atmosphere and hot scenery.  The art deco is nice to look at, too.  Miami’s weather this time of year varies from mild to hot, but for the most part it’s fair.  So it’s only appropriate that Miami is home to the a-typical fair-weather fan.  In Miami, sell-out is a concept and not a recurring reality.  The expectation to win is as unreasonably high as the mercury in September, and the attention span of the average sports fan is as frivolous as the spending on South Beach.

So it doesn’t surprise me to hear the nay-sayers bash Duante Culpepper.  It doesn’t astonish me to hear negative comments about Nick Saban.  I find it common place to hear about ALL the things that are wrong with this team, and how they should fold up their tents and mail it in for the rest of the season.  There’s no hope whatsoever.  The only reason to watch is to see who will have a worse season. The Dolphins or the Hurricanes?

The last four Super Bowl champions found success in their first four games.  The champion previous to that, however, did not.  The champion previous to that lost its starting quarterback in week 2, lost its fourth game of the season 30-10 to my beloved Dolphins, and saw itself staring at a 1-3 record at the end of the first quarter of their season.  That team was the 2001 New England Patriots, and we all know how that turned out for them.

No, neither Daunte Culpepper nor Joey Harrington is Tom Brady.  But then again, neither was Tom Brady until he was given the chance.  No, Nick Saban is not Bill Belichick, but he is a disciple of Belichick.  For what it’s worth, Saban is in his 2nd year as a head coach.  Belichick was in his second year in 2001.  It’s just another of those NFL tidbits that just ‘fit’. So it shouldn’t surprise you the Dolphins play the Patriots this Sunday.  The football gods know what they are doing.

Only time will tell if the Fins can salvage this season, and this Sunday needs to be a statement game for the Dolphins.  I still believe Daunte will come around and the offense will gel as the season progresses.  The O-Line needs a lot of work, but they will come together as a unit.  Despite what the locals of my hometown say, all is not lost.  However, if come halftime of Sunday’s game a win is already out of reach, at least I can smile knowing the Miami Heat open up the pre-season in a week.

There are three things in life which I take seriously.  My faith in God, the love of my family and friends, and Miami Dolphins football.   Tonight, I thank God for those special people I love, and blaspheme for the professional athletes I sometimes love to hate.

Tonight was the opening game of the 2006 NFL season.  My beloved Fins were taking on the Pittsburgh Steelers in Pittsburgh.  With the additions of Daunte Culpepper and Joey Harrington, two significant upgrades at the quarterback position, expectations coming into this season are high.  There was a lot of talk about how Culpepper was the best arm to slide through a Dolphins jersey since Dan Marino.  Sports Illustrated even has the Dolphins playing a home game in SuperBowl XLI. 

So you can understand the smiles on my face as the Dolphins were nursing a three point lead with 7 minutes left in the fourth quarter.  Could this be happening?  Could the Dolphins really be managing and manufacturing a win against the defending SuperBowl champions?  And just as I settled into a cautiously optimistic comfort zone, Daunte unleashed what can only be described as an inferno of a performance. 

I preface my next statement by pointing out there is no bigger Marino fan than me.  That being said, Culpepper did show shades of Dapper Dan but for all the wrong reasons.  Two consecutive interceptions, one of them returned for a touchdown.  A primetime game against a tough conference opponent and Culpepper throws a touchdown pass to the opposing player.  I remember many Monday Night games where Dan Marino left me screaming obscenities to my TV, and I love my TV.

Yes I know it’s only one game.  Yes I know it’s early in the season.  Yes I know Miami was not expected to win this game, even with Big Ben Rothlisberger sidelined for the Steelers.  Nevertheless, it’s still agonizing.  The loss still leaves me reeling and too pissed off to try and get some sleep.  The performance has me anticipating all the deservedly negative comments in the Miami Herald tomorrow morning.  The game has me anxiously waiting for the Dolphins’ home opener versus the hated Bills to see if the Fins will bounce back from this crappy 4th quarter showing. 

Yet whatever this season has in store for us fans, be it a pathetic 6-10 showing or a home win on February 4th, I will live and die with every week.  From now until the last game the Dolphins play, I will wake up every morning thanking God. I will love my kids, my friends and my Leelee – although she may not love me so much on Sundays – and I will love my Dolphins.  It’s a trifecta of passions and I wouldn’t have it any other way.