Sports Agenda For Tuesday (4/12/11)
Big Story:
With last night's victory over the Atlanta Hawks, the Miami Heat solidified themselves as the number 2 seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs set to start either Saturday or Sunday. For all intents and purposes, the Heat have guaranteed themselves a spot in round 2 against the winner of the Celtics/Knicks series because there's no way the Heat lose a series to the Philadelphia 76ers.
The Marlins are set to face former manager Fredi Gonzalez, second baseman Dan Uggla, and the Atlanta Braves tonight and the fallout from Frank Haith's interview with Jorge Sedano yesterday.
And here…..we……go.
Heat: (off Tuesday)
If you watched the Heat game last night, you saw the Heat crush the Hawks early, put it on cruise control too fast, and then find a way to win in the end. I wasn't really expecting Boston to rest their stars against the Wizards, but at their age, I can see why Doc Rivers did that.
I'm not sure if the Celtics make it out of the first round against the Knicks. The Knicks are more athletic, but the Celtics are more experienced. It should be fun to watch and I think both teams will beat on each other in probably a 6 game series.
But, there's another story that's being overlooked by the national media in their blood-feud with LeBron. LBJ is putting up ridiculous numbers this year and I will analyze the argument in a cbsmiami.com article later this morning (cheap plug) that LeBron should be the NBA MVP.
Marlins: (@ Atlanta Braves 7:05 p.m. Fox Sports)
Chris Volstad is on the mound tonight for the Fish. He's looking for his first victory of the year after a no decision in his last outing.
Against the Nationals, Volstad pitched 5 innings and gave up 1 earned run, 4 walks, 1 strikeout, and 15 ground ball outs on 95 pitches.
He's matched up against the Braves' Tommy Hanson. The Tulsa native is 0-2 on the season and has given up 6 earned runs, 2 home runs, 3 walks, and 3 strikeouts on the season.
For the Marlins, according to team president Larry Beinfest, they are hopeful that shortstop Hanley Ramirez will be in the lineup tonight. If he is, it will be the first time this season that the entire lineup has been in the game at the same time for the Fish.
UM/Frank Haith:
I touched on this a little last week, but UM really needs to face a little reality with Frank Haith.
As a Mizzou alum, I'm not sure about the hire, but I am fascinated with how UM fans cast him aside with a scorched earth policy.
Here's the reality UM fans must face right now. The once mighty football team is a shell of its former shelf. The athletic department has no leader and the basketball program is an afterthought…even for UM fans.
The only time UM fans go to a basketball game is to see a big-time opponent like Duke or North Carolina.
It's going to be tough for anyone not named Calipari, Krzyzewski, Roy Williams, or Jim Calhoun to win at UM. Basketball is not a priority.
So before you roast Haith for not winning, there's only so much any coach can do at a program that doesn't value basketball.
By the way, Leonard Hamilton left UM and now has FSU an emerging power in basketball. So if Haith is successful at the Zou, which has far superior basketball facilities and a brand new arena, UM fans need to reexamine their priorities and understand something:
Your athletic department is nowhere near what it used to be.
Can it get back there? Absolutely. But, without an AD to lead the charge, it's going to be difficult. Plus, if you're the new AD, do you really want to inherit a basketball coach and football coach?
Players know this and know that these coaches are going to be on a very short leash. Why would you commit to a school that will likely have an AD not committed to the coaches?
Dolphins:
It's eerily quiet on the Dolphins front as the NFL labor dispute heads to court-ordered mediation today. If both sides check their egos and commit to mediation, then this should be wrapped up in a hurry. But, knowing the greed of both the players and the owners, I'm not sure much could happen.
A lot of fans are clamoring for Ryan Mallett or Mark Ingram with the number 15 pick.
After watching the high profile busts of recent players with questionable pasts: Ryan Leaf, Dez Bryant, Pacman Jones, etc. I'm at least hopeful the Dolphins do serious investigations into Mallett's past if they're considering him. I'm not sure they are because they don't have anyone up front who can block and he's a nervous Nellie when people are closing in on him in the pocket.
I'm not sold on Ingram either. There's just something about his running style that makes me leery. I would accept Ingram, if there's another back here like DeAngelo Williams, to help ease the load on both of them.
What would make everything much more easier to analyze? Free agency starting. If that happens before the draft, you'll see a rush on players to get them signed before the draft to make the draft board clearer.
It would also make my analysis easier!
Just don't ask for Vernon Carey to be moved to guard….it's NOT GOING TO HAPPEN! (h/t Omar Kelly)
