Miami, FL
The Dolphins are taking significant and unnecessary measures to get right after two losses
Bear in mind when Donald Faison instructed Denzel Washington in “Bear in mind the Titans” that soccer is enjoyable? Washington’s response to Faison is the one the Miami Dolphins selected to take in the direction of enjoyable of their locker room.
From what has been alleged of the Dolphins for many of this yr — bear in mind the entire Brian Flores lawsuit — their present scenario with Mike McDaniel as head coach was not the group’s first choice. Nevertheless, regardless of having just one yr of expertise as an offensive coordinator, Miami’s new head coach was on a roll for the primary month of this season.
The Yale graduate, who by no means performed soccer professionally, has an easy-going demeanor, and has generally even displayed a dry humorousness. That is new faculty NFL management, the place an individual shares data with gamers versus screaming it into their eardrums. McDaniel is fast to level out that he doesn’t play, so he believes his impact on in-game efficiency is proscribed. Fairly the self-aware and humble perspective from an NFL head coach, however he lately confirmed there’s nonetheless some conventional soccer coach trapped inside him.
The Dolphins’ captains, together with Tyreek Hill, who was acquired this previous offseason, determined after two consecutive losses that the crew had a distraction within the locker room — the ping-pong desk. So the captains determined that it wanted to be eliminated. In line with ESPN’s Marcel Louis-Jaques, a ping pong tournament had been happening for a number of weeks. McDaniel instructed the media that he believes the choice by crew captains exhibits “management.”
Mike, when you’re going to be this new-age coach that can sometimes give actual quotes to the media, present a persona, and strategy main a crew in a different way. You don’t should be all in with a standard soccer transfer like this. You could possibly’ve merely stated, “Our crew leaders decided and I stand behind no matter choices they make as a collective. They’ve earned that.”
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There’s no motive for effusive reward as a result of they determined to take a ping-pong desk out of the locker room. Whereas I’m no Nostradamus, I’m comfortably positive that the rationale that the Dolphins have misplaced their final two video games has nothing to do with a ping-pong match within the locker room, and certain has an awesome deal to do with them dropping their No. 1 and No. 2 quarterbacks to damage.
Going into this season, Tua Tagovailoa, was being questioned as as to if he was a adequate quarterback to steer Miami into competition. By means of three video games, the Dolphins had been undefeated and knocked off two potential Tremendous Bowl champions in consecutive weeks. Nevertheless, Tagovailoa went down arduous in opposition to the Buffalo Payments in Week 3 and stumbled again to the bottom after standing up. He sat out the remainder of the primary half and led the Dolphins to victory. Then 4 days later, a head damage triggered a fencing response, and Teddy Bridgewater needed to end off that loss. Tagovailoa didn’t play in opposition to the Jets in Week 5, and Bridgewater was faraway from the sport, leaving 2022 seventh-round draft decide Skylar Thompson underneath heart in a second consecutive loss.
Don’t overreact now, Dolphins. You’re beginning a third-string quarterback when earlier than Tagovailoa’s damage you all didn’t have three energetic QBs on the roster. It’s an unlucky flip of occasions, however don’t now resolve to take meathead soccer measures.
The purpose of enjoyable objects within the facility is to maintain the staff there longer. It’s why Silicon Valley firms have greater than only a espresso machine, water cooler, and microwave of their workplaces. If a company needs to get the very best out of its workers whereas they’re on the facility, make the place snug. Have ping-pong tables, arcade video games, flavored seltzer water, nap stations — something that makes somebody not really feel the necessity to go dwelling proper at 5:00 p.m.
Eradicating the ping-pong desk is now a motive for gamers, consciously or subconsciously, to resolve to not spend as a lot time as they used to on the apply facility.
The normal soccer sensibility is to remove something perceived to be a distraction, nevertheless it’s 2022. The gamers at the moment are all the time distracted. They’ve excess of 10 channels to look at on tv, a handful of native radio stations, literature, and a Nintendo to maintain them firm. A weeks-long ping-pong match is definitely a sensible solution to maintain the participant on the facility. A non-traditional method of approaching soccer. One thing the Dolphins had been supposedly keen to embrace by hiring McDaniel.
As an alternative, the Dolphins went backward, by eradicating a little bit of enjoyable from this roster. A roster that will be absolutely in its rights to say that the crew’s most vital drawback will not be a ping-pong match, it’s a correct medical examination of their quarterbacks.
Age catches up with all of us at one point or another, and Kevin Love is no different.
Through 14 games, Love averages 6.4 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 1.3 assists on 36.9 percent shooting and 36.7 percent from three-point range.
The 36-year-old has had a rocky and inconsistent start to his 17th NBA season. His athleticism is all but gone, but the championship veteran is a clever and crafty veteran who uses his size well. Unfortunately, this has led to a few games where he has shown his value offensively. In the games he’s played thus far, he averages 2.5 attempts on two-point shots and 3.5 from three-point range. In games when his perimeter shot is not falling, Love’s offense is replaceable and potentially worth using other options on the team.
His defense on most nights is even worse. During the season, he is averaging 0.9 steals and 0.1 blocks. These numbers were not much better in his previous seasons with the Miami Heat, but he was much more mobile and able to switch onto most big men for several possessions and hold up reasonably well. Now, he nearly gets scored on every possession and cannot defend post-up attempts from anybody.
Love is playing 11.8 minutes a game and only has one game within the last eight, where he’s played at least 15 minutes. It looks more likely the Heat’s first-round pick, Kel’el Ware, will deserve those minutes as the season progresses. Ware has dominated in the G-League, averaging 18.5 points, 10 rebounds, and 2.5 assists on 55.2 percent shooting and 33.3 percent from three-point range. Best of all, Ware is averaging 3.5 blocks per game.
Bryan Townes is a contributor to Miami Heat On SI. He can be reached at btownesjr@gmail.com or on X @bryantownesjr11. Follow our coverage on Facebook.
MAUI, Hawaii – Haley Cavinder recorded her second consecutive double-double with a 25-point, 12-rebound performance, and the University of Miami women’s basketball team shot an exceptional 60.0 percent from the field and 47.1 percent from behind the arc en route to a dominant 84-53 victory over Nevada (5-7) to open the Maui Classic. With the victory, the Hurricanes (10-1, 1-0) improved to 10-1.
Haley Cavinder was sensational yet again for Miami, as she dropped a game-high 25 points on 11-16 shooting from the field, including 2-4 from behind the arc, and grabbed a game-high 12 rebounds and dished out a game-high seven assists.
Cameron Williams poured in 14 points and grabbed seven rebounds, Natalija Marshall chipped in 12 points, and Darrione Rogers scored 11 points as four Miami players reached double figures in the contest.
Miami was tremendous on both ends of the court, as they recorded season-high clips of 60.0 percent shooting from the field (33-55) and 47.1 percent from behind the arc (8-17) while limiting Nevada to just 39.3 percent shooting from the field and 28.0 percent from behind the arc. The Canes dominated the glass, outrebounding Nevada 33-21, and Miami outscored Nevada in the paint, 44-24.
The Canes also had a season-low seven turnovers, as they cared for the basketball exceptionally. After falling behind 13-11 late in the first quarter, Miami reeled off a 4-0 run to end the stanza, as they held a 15-13 lead entering the second period. The Canes opened the second quarter of an 8-0 run, extending the lead up to 10 points at the 6:54 mark in the period. Miami continued their dominant play, leading 39-26 at halftime.
The Canes were sensational in the third quarter, as they shot 66.7 percent from the field and 50.0 percent from behind the arc, outscoring Nevada 24-12 to take a 63-38 lead into the final period.
Miami cruised over the last 10 minutes, earning the 31-point victory over Nevada to open the Maui Classic. The Canes will return to the court Friday evening, as they are set to face Oregon State at 11 p.m.
Courtesy of Miami Athletics
Any basketball fan can make the case Miami Heat guard Tyler Herro deserves All-Star honors.
We wish them luck in creating a better endorsement than Terry Rozier.
The Miami Heat social media team released a snippet of a video Thursday evening asking players to make a case for one teammate to make the All-Star Game. The brief clip featured Rozier pounding his fist and replying, “That’s easy.”
“Cold-ass white boy,” Rozier said, briefly going off camera before returning. “Tyler Herro.”
We asked a lot of guys but Terry pretty much sums it up 🤣 pic.twitter.com/yKzsKqdeYJ
— Miami HEAT (@MiamiHEAT) December 20, 2024
You can feel however you want about Rozier, especially after his struggles earlier this season. We feel two things are nonetheless true.
First off, the endorsement itself is awesome. The NBA All-Star Game (and all-star games in general) may not have the same relevancy, excitement, or format of decades ago, but it’s always nice to see players creatively stump for their teammates.
Rozier certainly went the extra length to ensure voters know to support Herro.
More importantly, Herro is well on pace to earn his first All-Star selection. He averages 24.1 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 4.8 assists.
Herro’s 47.6 shooting percentage is easily a career-high, and he’s played in all 24 games. It’s not hard to imagine where the Heat would be without Herro’s stellar performances at point guard.
NBA All-Star Game voting runs through Jan. 20. If you’re on the fence about voting for Herro, just keep Rozier in mind.
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Jake Elman works as a contributing writer to Miami Heat on SI. He can be reached at jakeelman97@gmail.com or follow him on X @JakeElman97.
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