Back from the Holiday Fun

Well, Christmas has officially come and gone and I have lot to be thankful for.  Keeping with a sports theme, South Florida sports fans should also feel pretty good.  The Dolphins are in the playoff race and a team that seems to be on the rise for the future.  The Heat are in the middle of the pack in the Eastern Conference and have one of the most exciting players in the NBA in Dwyane Wade.  Let’s hope we can say the same thing next holiday season!  The Miami Hurricanes football team is looking at a potential 10-win season and could be competing for a national title next year.  As for the Panthers and Marlins?  Well, it can’t all be perfect.

Here’s hoping you’re having a great holiday season and have a great start to the new year.  I’ll be checking in before then, but I wish everyone health and happiness.

Panthers Drought Continues!

It’s April, so that means we have to deal with two certainties:  the tax man is coming on the 15th and the Panthers will be eliminated from the playoffs.  At least it’s been that way since 2000!  Yes, here we are in 2009, and the Cats haven’t played a postseason game in 9 years.  I remember that game because it was the first time I ever covered an NHL playoff game.  At this rate, it could also be the last.

The Panthers did the usual start slow in the season, get hot and then fold down the stretch.  No matter the coach, players or schedule, the Cats always find a way to choke.  It says a lot about the state of the Panthers franchise when making the playoffs in hockey is about the easiest thing to do in pro sports.  Mediocre teams routinely sneak in, yet Florida can’t even sniff the postseason.

Maybe we can blame the ownership.  Go ahead and blame Mike Keenan still, or put it on Jacques Martin.  It doesn’t matter.  What does matter is the reality:  the Panthers are the biggest joke in the NHL, and don’t expect that to change anytime soon.

Miami’s March Madness

It’s a great time to be a sports fan in South Florida as we head into the 2nd week of March.  Tiger Woods will be in town this week heading the field at the CA Championship at Doral, but that’s just the beginning of a great few weeks of action.  The World Baseball Classic comes to Dolphin Stadium as well this week, while the NCAA Basketball tournament will be here right after that.  As if we needed even more action, one of the top tennis tournaments in the world closes out the month.  The Sony Ericsson Open will feature all the top players in the sport over on Key Biscayne.

These are just the major events in town.  That doesn’t even include the Heat and Panthers making playoff pushes, and the Canes football team having it’s annual spring game.  With the economy being so tough right now, I’m sure many of you won’t be able to attend all of these events, but hopefully you can enjoy some of the action.  If you had to pick one event I mentioned, which one would you attend?

Dear Santa…

With the holiday season in full swing, I thought I’d go ahead and make a wish list for Santa from South Florida sports fans.  You are more than welcome to add to it, but here are my Top 5 wishes:

1) A Dolphins playoff berth-  It’s been so long since Miami made the postseason that this seems like the obvious choice.  Whatever you do Santa, please bring this gift in your bag!

2) A full season of Dwyane Wade- While he’s been slowing down of late, Wade is the lone reason to watch the Heat this season.  He’s having an MVP type year, but please don’t let him break down again.

3) Randy Shannon picks one QB next season- This wish may be granted if Robert Marve ends up transferring, but please Santa, get Coach Shannon to go with one guy.  I can only take so much of the “partnership!”

4) Let the Marlins keep Dan Uggla and Jorge Cantu- While I know the Marlins have to keep a tight payroll, these 2 guys are fun to watch.  If Florida trades one or both of them, I don’t know where the offense will come from.  Don’t make us suffer through a long season of watching the Fish.

5) Let the Panthers sneak into the playoffs- The long playoff drought may seem like it will never end.   Some kids are ready to go to high school, but they haven’t been able to see a Panthers playoff game since kindergarten!   Make it stop!  Even if they get swept again.