Culture Change for the Phins

          “We have to change the culture.” “We need to breed a culture of competitiveness, finish and intensity.” “We need to become a more aggressive front, team in general.” “You want to get the most out of them, you have to challenge them…they have to be pushed and they have to be worked.” “…we are going to scratch and claw and do whatever it takes to win your one on one.” “I want us pulling the trigger, I don’t want us playing conservative.”

These are direct quotes taken from Dan Campbell’s introductory press conference about two weeks ago. Dan Campbell, tight ends coach promoted to interim head coach after Joe Philbin was fired, talked the talk & definitely walked the walk. The Dolphins were pretty much sleep-walking through the first four games of the season, on to a 1-3 record. Everybody in South Florida had questions about why we were struggling and even performing worse than last season after all the moves that were made in the offseason. Campbell took over during the bye week & was like a 4 a.m. alarm clock and an ocean of freezing cold water in the Navy Seals that woke the players up.  From the 38-10 win against the Titans yesterday, the Dolphins appeared to be a completely different team & he implemented the culture change he kept stressing two weeks ago.

            Before Dan Campbell, the Dolphins were starting out slow, couldn’t run the ball, couldn’t score, couldn’t block, couldn’t set the tempo of the game, couldn’t stop the run, couldn’t get pressure on the quarterback, just couldn’t do anything right. After Dan Campbell, they scored their first touchdowns of the first quarter all season, we ran the ball and ran it successfully, pass & run blocking was improved, the game plan & play-calling was executed to the T, and the Titans were playing to catch up with us instead of the other way around. Lamar Miller got his feet back and looked like the running back that averaged 5 yards a carry last year. 

            Best of all was the defense, the constant pressure and the many big plays they made all game. The defensive line under Philbin was nonexistent and only had one sack coming into the game. Under Campbell, they totaled 6 sacks & Cameron Wake had 4 of them by himself. The whole d-line was getting after Mariota all game and he lost two fumbles & threw two picks. Linebackers held their own & the secondary was legendary, led by the huge pick-6 from Reshad Jones & the momentum-killing interception by Brent Grimes. All in all, the Titans finished the game with four turnovers, only 63 yards on the ground and only 4.6 yards a play. Not only did the Dolphins play an all-around solid game, but individually and as a unit, it was a great performance from everybody. Even the coaching staff had great moments. After what appeared to be an incomplete pass that nobody questioned from Mariota after he was pressured and hit, Darren Rizzi told Campbell to throw a red flag on the play. As it turns out, we got the ball back after it was reviewed to be a fumble. Even small decisions like being aggressive to try & score right before the half with under 2 minutes to go or when we were up by 14 points in the 4^th quarter, pinned down against our endzone inside the 5 and coming out the shotgun, Ryan Tannehill tossed a 38 yard bomb to Kenny Stills to get us out of that heat.

The season is still young and if the Dolphins continue to play like this, we might be able to salvage that 1-3 start and get ourselves back into the playoff picture. I was hesitant to get overly excited about Dan Campbell and his words in the press conference because I didn’t want to hear any more talking, I just wanted to see how they were going to come out and play. After one game, I saw the culture change, the intensity and the aggressiveness that he was talking about. Game ball definitely goes to Dan Campbell. But still, it’s only 1 game. Now we’ll see if they can follow up that performance with another win against the Texans. 

2015 NFL Season Preview

            They should’ve handed it to Beast Mode. But nevermind that, we made it through another offseason & football is finally here. As always, there are many interesting headlines, questions & situations around the league so I’ll enlighten you all & do a division-by-division breakdown, including predictions on division winners and conclude with my playoff & Super Bowl picks.

Starting off with the AFC East:

1st) Patriots 11-5. Tom Brady da Don will be on the field in week 1 after his suspension was lifted. I had them winning 10 games with the suspension but Tom Brady is worth a few more wins by himself. They won’t repeat as Super Bowl champs but as long as they have Brady & Belichick, they’ll always be a winning team primed for the playoffs but my biggest concern is their defensive secondary. After losing Darrelle Revis & Brandon Browner, there are big holes back there.   

2^nd) Dolphins 9-7. As much as I want to say the Dolphins will top the Patriots & finish as the division winner for the first time since 2008, I don’t trust them. Miami had golden opportunities the last two years to get into the playoffs late but couldn’t finish the season off right and ended up with 8-8 records. I definitely like them to be a playoff team, they got too much talent not to be one. Ndamukong Suh, the biggest offseason prize in the league, will have a huge impact on the rest of the defense and will be vital in improving our run defense & pass rush. The offense is looking like the most dangerous Miami has had since the Ricky Williams & Chris Chambers days. The receiver unit is revamped with Kenny Stills, Greg Jennings, DeVante Parker & Cameron Jordan joining Rishard Matthews & Jarvis Landry. Ryan Tannehill will have a lot to work with. My biggest concerns are the depth & coaching, and can they stay consistent throughout the season?

3^rd) Bills 9-7. One thing I love about the Bills is their defense & new head coach, Rex Ryan. With Marcell Dareus & Mario Williams, they probably have the best defensive line in the league. Sammy Watkins, Percy Harvin, Charles Clay & LeSean McCoy are great weapons on the offensive side but just like last year, the quarterback position will make or break this team. Rex believes this team will have the most success with Tyrod Taylor under center.

4^th) Jets 5-11.  Defense will carry this team once again. They do have a few capable running backs that can carry the load on offense. Brandon Marshall fell off but can he return to being one of the best receivers in the league? Offensive line is a major issue & the quarterback situation is a clown show.

          AFC North

1^st) Steelers 11-5. Pittsburgh has 2 of the best weapons in the game. A majority of the offense will run through Antonio Brown & Le’Veon Bell. They’ll finish in first place once again in the strongest division in the league but can the defense keep up with the offense?

2^nd) Bengals 10-6. Ahh the Bengals. Great in the regular season but fold in the playoffs. Great on local tv but fold in national games. Made it into the playoffs each of the last 4 years but lost in the wildcard round each of the last 4 years. They’re a very strong team offensively & defensively and I believe they’ll make it into the playoffs for a 5^th straight year but if they don’t finish top 2 in the conference, can they finally make it of the wildcard round?

3^rd) Ravens 9-7. With Jim Harbaugh & Joe Flacco, the Ravens will always be contenders. Last year they finished with a 10-6 record but barely got in the playoffs despite a 3^rd place finish in a strong division. Facing a strong schedule, they’ll end up in 3^rd place again this year but will miss the playoffs. They’ll have to beat the Steelers & Bengals to have a chance.

4^th) Browns 6-10. My gut feeling is that the Browns will regress from last year. Can’t even lie, they have the talent. They can compete week in & week out and the defense is solid but they have major inconsistencies at quarterback. Gordon is suspended for the year so receiver depth is weak. I believe the offense should run through the running backs to have success.

          AFC South

1^st) Colts 12-4. One of the best quarterbacks in one of the best offenses in the league. T.Y. Hilton, Andre Johnson, Phillip Dorsett, Frank Gore, Dwayne Allen, Coby Fleener. Sheesh. Defense & the offensive line has to improve if they’re going to go back to the AFC championship game.

2^nd) Texans 7-9. The Texans went 9-7 last year while winning just 2 games the year before. That’s a huge improvement but they’ll regress this year due to injuries & the quarterback situation. Andre Johnson is gone but DeAndre Hopkins is good enough to hold it down. Arian Foster will miss some time & Brian Hoyer was just named the starter at QB. Defensive line will be the strong point of this team with JJ Watt, Vince Wilfork & a healthy Jadeveon Clowney.

3^rd) Jaguars 5-11. The Jaguars have been stuck in mediocrity for a long time now but I got them improving to win 2 more games than their 2014 season. The offense is taking strides in the right direction with newcomers TJ Yeldon & Julius Thomas. Add that with the Allen receivers & Blake Bortles and they should make some noise. Defense should be improved also but the biggest thing holding this team back is their offensive line, leading the league in sacks allowed last year with 71.

4^th) Titans 4-12. Marcus Mariota will make a difference in Tennessee but not enough to save one of the worst defenses in the NFL. They have an underrated WR core that can make plays, the running back position still has question marks and the offensive line must protect their rookie QB.

          AFC West

1^st) Broncos 11-5. The Broncos remind me of the L.A. Clippers. Successful in the regular season but underachievers in the playoffs. With Gary Kubiak on board as the new coach, will things change? The Broncos are one of the most talented teams in the league and it is a given that they will reach double-digits in wins, but will they achieve postseason success?

2^nd) Chiefs 9-7. The Chiefs are a good team with talent on both sides of the ball. Jamaal Charles is the focal point on offense & the defense is top-notch against the pass. But to be a playoff team, the wide receivers must get involved in the passing game and the defense has to apply more pressure against the run

3^rd) Chargers 8-8. Another good team in the West that could be a playoff team. Biggest concern about San Diego is their running backs, as they were among the worst in rushing yardage last year. Defense is solid & Phillip Rivers still has it in him for another playoff run.

4^th. Raiders 5-11. Baby steps. The Raiders are finally making good moves in the offseason and that is a good thing. 5 wins will be an improvement from last year. The offense was among the worst last year in total yards & points. They do have solid pieces in place on the defensive side but were last in points allowed in 2014.

          NFC East

1^st) Eagles 10-6. I see another 10 win season for Philly. Chip Kelly has made a ton of moves in the offseason to tailor the team to his liking. The Eagles look different, but might be even better than last year. Defense is solid…scary run game with 3 quality backs…will Sam Bradford stay healthy & be productive on his new squad?

2^nd) Cowboys 10-6. Was it DeMarco Murray or was it the offensive line? With Murray gone, the running backs unit is crowded but somebody will have to step up. Passing game is still potent, defense is average. Tony Romo is playing the best football of his career & should be able to lead his team to the playoffs again.

3^rd) Giants 9-7. Good on offense, bad on defense. That pretty much sums up this team. Defense has the talent so they must produce when it counts. Running backs as a whole are better than average in my opinion, I believe they’re good enough to get the job done. Which Eli Manning will they get this season?

4^th) Redskins 4-12. The Redskins are bad & that offensive line is looking even worse. One of the worst teams regarding turnover margin. They have talent on offense but they have to keep RGIII on his feet & RGIII (I don’t know if it’s his confidence, locker room issues, or lingering injuries) has to perform like a 1^st round pick. RGIII has been benched & Kirk Cousins was announced the starter. It was a make or break year for Robert Griffin but it looks like he won’t get the chance to prove himself. Whether it was truly the concussion or the perfect excuse to bench him, they have lost their patience & his time with the Redskins might be over.

          NFC North

1^st) Packers 13-3. They’ll finish the regular season with the best record. An all-around solid, talented team with not many weaknesses. Even though they lost Jordy Nelson for the year, I believe they’ll be able to overcome that setback & go deep into the playoffs.

2^nd) Vikings 9-7 I like Teddy Bridgewater & the Vikings this year. Teddy is a natural at QB with poise under pressure & a big arm. Team him up with AP, who he was missing last year, and they can do big things. The defense is solid and they’ll improve from last year’s 7-9 record. Borderline playoff team.

3^rd) Lions 8-8 They’re not reaching 11 W’s again this year. Still solid but missing a big piece of their defense, as Suh took off for Miami. So we’ll see how the defense responds without him. They still have Stafford & Megatron and Bell & Abdullah taking over the backfield so they can score better than the majority of teams in the NFL.

4^th) Bears 5-11 Chicago fell off bad (shouldn’t have fired Lovie Smith) after hiring Marc Trestman to take over last year. Issues with Jay Cutler & one of the worst defenses in the league got him fired and now John Fox is in charge. He has a tough job in fixing the defense & getting Cutler back to where he used to be. The talent is there on offense but moves will have to be made on the other side of the ball.

          NFC South

1^st) Falcons 10-6 With new coach, Dan Quinn, coming over from the Seahawks, the Dirty Birds will be one of the most improved teams in the NFL. His specialty is defense & I believe the defense will be a lot better than last year’s. Look for Julio Jones to put up another monster year.

2^nd) Saints 8-8 What did the Saints in last year was their defense. I believe this year will be more of the same. They also lost many key weapons on offense so Brandin Cooks & Mark Ingram will be more of a focal point on that side. Another average year.

3^rd) Panthers 7-9 Best defense in the division but, that offense will be their downfall. Holes in the offensive line, weak wide receiver depth, & major questions at running back (I don’t believe they can rely on Johnathan Stewart all season long.) Even worse is Kelvin Benjamin being out for the year.

4^th) Buccaneers 6-10 On paper, the Bucs are a good team. They have talent on both sides of the ball. Doug Martin had a great preseason, Vincent Jackson & Mike Evans will be clutch for Jameis, and Lovie Smith’s defense should be much better than last year. It all depends on how well Jameis Winston can transition to the NFL game in his rookie season.

          NFC West

1^st) Seahawks 12-4 I see another 12 win season for the Seahawks. I don’t see no reason why they shouldn’t make another deep playoff run. The nucleus of the team is still there, add the best tight end in the league after Gronk with Beast Mode & Russell Wilson, and you have a more potent offense than last season. Defense from the d-line to the secondary is the best in the NFL, but how will they respond after losing Dan Quinn?

2^nd) Cardinals 10-6 Another double-digit win season for Arizona. Defense will be among the best in the league and they excel in forcing turnovers. Biggest concern is Carson Palmer & if he can stay on the field to lead his team to another playoff run. Andre Ellington will also need to stay healthy. 

3^rd) Rams 7-9 I like the Rams this year & believe they will finish 3^rd in the division. A defensive line that can control the momentum of the game. Offensive line will need some work after allowing 40 sacks last year but they do have weapons on that side of the ball. Biggest factor for success is Nick Foles & Todd Gurley. Is Foles the real deal or can we just attribute his success in Philly to Chip Kelly? How much will Gurley be able to contribute in his rookie year?

4^th) 49ers 4-12 The worst offseason I can remember will bleed into the new season. The 49ers lost so much talent, including head coach Jim Harbaugh, I don’t think they’ll recover. They will finish last in the division. Now the biggest question is whether Colin Kaepernick will perform up to his $100 million contract after having a down year.

Playoff Predictions

AFC: 1) Indianapolis Colts 2) Pittsburgh Steelers 3) New England Patriots 4) Denver Broncos 5) Cincinnati Bengals 6) Kansas City Chiefs

On The Bubble: Miami Dolphins, Buffalo Bills, Baltimore Ravens, San Diego Chargers

NFC: 1) Green Bay Packers 2) Seattle Seahawks 3) Philadelphia Eagles 4) Atlanta Falcons 5) Dallas Cowboys 6) Arizona Cardinals

On The Bubble: Minnesota Vikings, Detroit Lions, New York Giants, New Orleans Saints

Super Bowl 50

Indianapolis Colts over the Green Bay Packers

Back to Back Univeristy

           With all the championships the University of Florida has won in recent years, they might as well adopt a new moniker: Back to Back University. Along with the gymnastics squad that just won their 3^rd straight title, UF softball soon followed by beating Michigan in the Women’s College World Series to win their 2^nd consecutive title. There are 6 other Gator athletic teams that have won 2 or more consecutive championships including Men’s Outdoor & Indoor Track & Field, Men’s Basketball, Women’s Golf, Women’s Tennis & Men’s Swimming. 

            Led by USA Collegiate Player of the Year, Lauren
Haeger & a #1 preseason ranking, the Gators finished the regular season with a 49-5 record (18-5 in SEC play) & the regular season title. The Gators came up short in the SEC tournament but then ran through the NCAA tournament on its way to a World Series title, outscoring opponents 41-8. Other key players that were vital to this year’s championship run are junior second baseman Kelsey Stewart, freshman left fielder Nicole DeWitt, junior center fielder Kristi Merritt, sophomore right fielder Justine McLean, outfielder Bailey Castro & Taylore Fuller (3^rd on the team in home runs & 2^nd in runs batted in). On top of being named WCWS Most Outstanding Player, Lauren Haeger also finished the year with the 2015 Honda Award & SEC Female Athlete of the Year. She is also the only player, college & pro baseball or softball, besides legend Babe Ruth with 70 home runs & 70 wins during their career. 

            On the other side of campus, the men’s baseball team were close to winning their 1^st title before losing to eventual champion, Virginia, in the World Series. They finished the regular season with a 52-18 record (19-11 SEC) & a #1 seed in the NCAA tournament. Florida had an easy test in the Regionals, defeating FAMU, South Florida & Florida Atlantic to advance to the Super Regionals where they swept Florida State. They then moved on to the World Series where they eliminated the Miami Hurricanes but fell short against Virginia. Gators baseball were led by JJ Schwarz & Harrison Bader, who have led the team in home runs & runs batted in. Also important were Josh Tobias, Buddy Reed, Richie Martin Dalton Guthrie & Mike Rivera.

University of Oregon Double Up

Oregon Men Celebrate after Wining National Title

With the collegiate track & field season officially over, we would like to send a huge congratulations to the University of Oregon’s men’s and women’s track teams for winning the NCAA Outdoor Championship! After catching all of the talent at the preliminaries a few weeks back, it is absolutely no surprise at the records and stats broken at the historic Hayward Field this past weekend. While we had our eyes set on the Gators taking home the big win, they still had some stellar performances. That really goes for a lot of the schools that came out to compete. Just a few weeks ago, professional sprinter Justin Gatlin set the Hayward record for the 200 meter with his 19.68 finish at the Prefontaine Classic. That record has since been broken with the University of Southern California’s Andre De Grasse took the first place win with a 19.58 finish! And he wasn’t the only sprinter to hit a sub-20 run this weekend! Baylor University’s Trayvon Bromell and Florida’s very own Dedric Dukes closed the race in 19.86, with fraction of a second between their third and second place wins respectively. De Grasse also took home the title for the 100-meter sprint, finishing in just 9.75 seconds and breaking the collegiate, NCAA meet, and Hayward Field records all at once. Jumper Marquis Dendy successfully defended both of his titles in the long and triple jump! Go Gators! And of course, we can’t forget about the most exciting events, the 4x100 and 4x400 relays. Unfortunately, we didn’t get to see our Gators take the title, but Arkansas took home a win for the first time which helped them finish the meet in third place, just behind our Gators in second.

Andre De Grasse winner of the 100 & 200m

                Although they didn’t win the meet, University of Kentucky’s women’s squad pulled a close runner up to Oregon. Their most notable performances came from sprinter Dezerea Bryant and hurdler Kendra Harrison. Dez is one of my personal favorites on the track and definitely left all her troubles on the track as she went 22.18 in the last 200-meter sprint of her collegiate career. In the short-hurdles, Kendra Harrison finished both the indoor and outdoor seasons undefeated! An elite hurdler, Harrison’s winning time of 12.55 was just another contribution to her title as the third-fastest hurdler in NCAA history. Of course, we can’t forget about Jenna Prandini, one of Oregon’s top performers, taking the 100-meter title, securing her teams lead in the meet. Also contributing the Lady Duck, distance runner Raevyn Rogers took the win with a 1:59.71 finish in the 800-meter race. Although our Lady Gators did not come out on top in the individual events, they managed to pull of two championship wins in both the 4x1 and 4x4 relays.

Women National Champ: Oregon Ducks

                With the season now over, the NCAA’s elite athletes will prepare for their final bid at the USA Outdoor Championships back in Eugene, Oregon at end of the month. Big congratulations to all of the athletes finishing their collegiate careers and graduating from college! To the seniors, best of luck in your endeavors as we look forward to the 2016 Summer Olympic Games!

           --solementality

University of Florida Track & Field: Still Great

This week, the world of collegiate track & field heads to the historic Hayward Field out in Eugene, Oregon for their last event of the season. Our No. 1 ranked Florida Gators are looking to reestablish their title as the 2015 NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Champions after losing to Oregon last year. Just before heading to Eugene, the Gators made a quick stop in Jacksonville, Florida for the NCAA East Preliminary rounds. To call the weekend a success is an understatement, with a total of 23 athletes, both men and women, qualifying for the outdoor championships. 

There is a tremendous amount of talent within the Southeastern Conference, but Florida has consistently proven to be a track and field powerhouse thanks to Coach Mike Holloway and his staff. Most notable of his team are senior sprinter Dedric Dukes and senior jumper Marquis Dendy. Both athletes have built an impressive resume on the track over the past four years. You can expect that they end their final season with the Gators with some of their best performances yet! Before the meet ended, I got a chance to talk with both athletes about their performances and what we should expect to see out at Hayward Field. “It’s exciting to have the team heading back to Oregon. We are really looking to bring home the championship, it would be a great way to end my last season,” said Dendy. Keep in mind, Dendy had a record-breaking 8.05 meter leap in the long jump. Sprinter Dedric Dukes is looking forward to the same season ending, with hopes of taking his career to the next level. His feelings on the moment were summed up in four simple words, “Last one, best one.” With a winning time of 20.14, Dukes is looking to hold on to his title in the 200 meter dash. Do not be surprised if we see a sub-20 performance this weekend, as he told us he has been working really hard for this moment, especially after overcoming an ankle injury just before the start of the indoor season.

While these two Gators shine in the spotlight, there’s still much more to expect from the team. Including runners Najee Glass and Antwan Wright who are a part of the 4x100 relay. You should also look out for senior Mark Parrish, who is looking to take his final wins in the steeplechase and the distance duo consisting of Andres Arroyo and Ryan Schnulle dominating the 800 meter race. Of course, we can’t forget about our Lady Gators! They are heading into the competition ranked No. 6. If regionals were any indication of what to expect of the Florida women this weekend, we are in for a treat! Sprinter Kyra Jefferson broke a University of Florida record with her 22.49 finish in the 200 meter dash. Senior hurdler Bridgette Owens also had a great performance in the 100 meter hurdle alongside fellow senior Cierra Brewer, who is best known for her success as Florida’s leading triple jumper. The women’s 4x100 team also took a huge lead in the last leg of the relay, confirming their spots in Eugene with a 42.93 finish.

You can catch the NCAA Championships starting June 10^th, hosted by the University of Oregon. We wish our men’s and women’s teams the best of luck as they make their way to Oregon this week. As always, it’s great to be a Florida Gator!

--solementality

Tannehill’s Place Amongst the Best NFL Quarterback’s

            Ryan Tannehill recently signed a 6-year contract extension worth $96 million with $45 guaranteed. This confirms that the Dolphins are 100% behind their franchise quarterback. Some would say that is a lot of money for an inconsistent QB with a losing record that has never taken his team to the playoffs. I’ll even admit that. But I don’t think that was the point of the contract, to reward his performance over the past 3 years. I see it as a proactive & good business move from the Dolphins to lock up their quarterback sooner rather than later at a bargain price. And it was important to do so before other quarterback’s from the 2012 draft class such as Andrew Luck, Russell Wilson & RGIII got their contracts. There is a Super Bowl victory, multiple playoff wins & an Offensive Rookie of the Year between those QB’s and Tannehill hasn’t been nowhere close to reaching those achievements. Their extensions will be well over $100 million, especially Luck, who just might be the highest paid quarterback in the league when his time comes. So of course, in terms of on-field performance & contract value, Tannehill isn’t on their level (except RGIII). But if the Dolphins waited until after another good season from Tannehill & contract extensions from the other QB’s, that new contract would’ve been worth way more than they are giving him now. 

            There’s been a lot of talk about Tannehill’s performance, his worth, & his rank among the starting quarterbacks in the league after the contract numbers went public. I’m a big Tannehill supporter & I believe we found our quarterback for the next decade. Yes, he has to work on his pocket presence & deep ball. Despite another 8-8 record, he is trending upwards & has improved in every relevant statistical category in each of his 3 seasons. This past season, he threw for 4,045 yards & 27 touchdowns with a 66.4 completion percentage & a 92.8 passer rating. If you ask me, those are generally good numbers for a quarterback in his 3^rd year and the Dolphins could have easily went 10-6 if it wasn’t for a few late drives from Green Bay, Detroit & Denver. So I know we’re good enough to achieve it & the talent is definitely there, the Dolphins just have to get tougher physically & mentally and finish games better.

            If we get a better record (playoffs) from the Dolphins & better play from Tannehill, Miami will be in a better situation than other teams with $100 million quarterbacks that haven’t played up to their big contracts. Colin Kaepernick & Jay Cutler signed $100 million contracts within the past couple years but have regressed since then. Tannehill might not have the athleticism of Kaep or the big arm of Cutler, but Tannehill had a better year than both of them in 2014. If you ask me, we have a top 15 quarterback in Tanny. He’s not in that elite bracket with Brady, Manning, Rodgers, Luck & Brees but he’s better than the average quarterback. Cam Newton, Philip Rivers, Big Ben, Matt Ryan & Russell Wilson would round out my top 10. The rest of the top 15 with Tanny included would be Matthew Stafford, Tony Romo, Eli Manning & Joe Flacco. Ryan Tannehill could creep into the top 10 real soon & could be worth more than his new contract with a couple more good, consistent seasons & some playoff wins under his belt.  

Tannehill Rob the Dolphins for $100 Million

The NFL is not the same as it was 10-15 years ago. The Quarterback and passing game is what makes the game interesting. Quarterbacks such as Tom Brady and Peyton Manning are consistently elite no matter what type of team is put around him. The next tier of QB’s can be put in any order whether its Eli Manning, Drew Brees or Tony Romo, etc. In recent years, teams are awarding this prominent position with $100 million contracts for mediocrity. Andy Dalton just received one before he won a playoff game, even though he put his team in the playoffs since entering the league it hasn’t translated into any success. 

Ryan Tannehill received a multi-year $96 million contract from the Miami Dolphins, with $45 million guaranteed. He doesn’t deserve this large amount of money this early in his career. I have heard every argument as to why he deserve this contract. My co-worker says he has gotten better every year and this is the first stable QB since they had Marino. I counter that by saying YES, he has improved statistically but does that equate to w’s in the win column. No, the dolphins have been on the verge of the playoffs the last two seasons. Coming up short both years. 

 Now I agree he does deserve to be given an extension and this helps them dictate the market since the contracts of Andrew Luck and Russell Wilson to be done soon. I thought the NFL was a league of results once you make it in the NFL. Players are drafted because off of potential and growth but this type of investment should be based on the end result of the overall team. Dolphin fans will be paying close attention to the play of Tannehill this year. Any regression from last year will have the dolphins choice to pay him this money to be questioned throughout the league. 

The Billy Donovan Era

            Scott Brooks was fired by the Oklahoma City Thunder after 7 years and Billy Donovan’s name soon came up as the potential coach to replace him. After a couple days of rumors & speculation, Donovan signed on to be the new head coach for the Thunder for about $30 million over 5 years.

            It’s tough that Billy Donovan is leaving UF but it was expected as he had multiple opportunities over the years to jump to the NBA and he & the Gators just came off a down year in which they missed the NCAA tournament for the first time since 1997. Donovan will go down as a legend in Gators sports history for what he has been able to achieve with the basketball program. In a landscape where there are fewer & fewer Coach K’s or Bobby Bowden’s and more college coaches are constantly changing jobs & leaving programs behind for greener grass, Billy Donovan was the man in charge of Gators basketball for almost 20 years. He elevated the program to long-term success in the same way Steve Spurrier did when he took over the football program. 467 wins, 16 20-win seasons, 6 SEC championships, 4 SEC tournament championships, 4 Final Four appearances & 2 national titles. Gators basketball started with Billy.

            The opportunity to coach OKC along with 2 of the best players in the NBA is once in a lifetime and anybody would jump on that. Although the Gators will have to rebuild & find new talent along with a new coach after losing McDonald’s All-American Chris Walker & 3-point specialist Michael Frazier, it will be exciting to see Billy Donovan face off against his old players in the NBA. Older guys from the early 2000’s such as Udonis Haslem, Mike Miller, Matt Bonner & David Lee. Also, the younger guys from the back-to-back national championship teams & on such as 2014 Defensive Player of the Year Joakim Noah (one of my favorite players in the league), Corey Brewer (1^st triple-double in Gators history), 2 3^rd overall picks in Al Horford & Bradley Beal, Chandler Parsons, Nick Calathes & Marreese Speights.

            Billy Donovan will be considered as the best coach in Gators sports history and leaves behind almost 20 years of his legacy & fingerprints not only on the basketball program but on the University of Florida. I think we can find a spot in front of the O’Dome in the future for a statue in his honor.  

University of Florida Women Gymnastics: Dynasty, Dynasty!

By Jimbo Brown

Coach Faehn Giving Some Pointers To A Young Athlete

Athlete Talk normally supply its readers with articles about the more traditional sports; football, basketball, track & field, etc. So today we wanted to show some love to the University of Florida Women’s gymnastics team. The team is being coached by a great women that believes in talent, persistence and talent. Coach Rhonda Faehn has been the coach for the past 13 years and has brought nothing but success to the university. During her time UF has won 4 sec titles, 10 NCAA regional titles, 10 super six appearances and 3 back to back to back national titles. The only other sports program to win three consecutive national titles is UF men’s track & field team. The women’s team has tons of talent on it.

2015 NCAA Gymnastics Champions

On every team championship team there are individuals that the underclassmen look up to and those two are Kytra Hunter and Bridget Sloans. These two set the tone for the other athletes on the team, especially Hunter. Hunter is a 15-time All American and is a 3x NCAA champion. Like most teams, the Gators had an up and down regular season. Through the good and bad times the whole roster delivered at clutch moments. For example, Bridgette Gaquatto’s career-best-tying floor routine gave UF a share of the 2014 title. This year freshman Alex McMurty came through and delivered the 3^rd consecutive national title by putting up a career best 9.95 to close UF’s bar rotation. Three freshman competed with the team for the national title, this establishes a good foundation for the slight rebuild Coach Faehn has to do.

Losing Hunter and fellow seniors Rachel Spicer, Jamie Shisler and Kierten Wang would be devastating for most teams. These seniors have contributed to the team in so many ways. The squad is already returning 9 people from their national championship team. 7 of the 9 actually competed this past weekend. The incoming freshmen will have plenty of leadership to follow because the retuning athletes have never experience a season that didn’t end with a national title. Freshman Kennedy Baker is the only African American on the team right now and she had a very good beginning to her career. The Gators have a bright future ahead of them. To be successful you have to emulate the greats.

Miami Carol City High School signs with NIKE and BSN Sports

By: Jimbo Brown

Ironic how 9 years later, the first Dade county high school to appear in a NIKE commercial has officially signed a contract with the worlds leading brand. I don’t know the details of the agreement but they also partnered up with BSN Sports. For those who are not familiar with BSN, it is a factory-direct equipment company. BSN represents hundreds of teams/organizations across america. Being a Chief alumnus I feel this was long over due. I remember when the commercial first aired. Me and the boys believed we was about to receive some fly Nike uniforms and gear. Sad to say Coach Walt Frazier, declined the offer. The only thing we were given was the generic “Miami Carol City Football is Everything,” which I still have. All Nike schools had these shirts, lol. I am proud to say that this shows my school is moving back in the right direction.

Since Aubrey Hill has token over as the head coach, the team has done nothing but progressed. The talent is starting to come back to its home. With Rashad Fenton signing to the University of South Carolina, shows the program is gaining national exposure. Its going to take more than a apparel deal to prove we have returned. That comes with wins and competing for state championships. 

Chief Pride!

Omar Kelly: "Ted Ginn Jr. is not a Bust"

            Remember Ted Ginn? The explosive receiver & return specialist from Ohio State that the Dolphins drafted with the 9^th overall pick back in 2007. Over his 3 year career in Miami, he caught 128 balls for 1664 yards & only 5 touchdowns, to go along with 2 rushing td’s & 3 td’s on special teams. I don’t know about you but I would say that is terrible production for a top 10 receiver. In my opinion, Ted Ginn was one of the worst draft picks for Miami over the last decade.  

            Omar Kelly, one of the best known beat writers for the Dolphins & a man that I follow on Twitter, thinks he wasn’t too bad. Last week, a discussion was brought up on Twitter about his top 3 Dolphins busts in the last 10 years. He said John Beck, Pat White, & Patrick Turner. All those players came in with high expectations but they didn’t last long in Miami so I agree. Another follower stated Ted Ginn, which Kelly replied: “Ted Ginn has had a productive NFL career & he’s still playing.” He offers his definition on a bust in the NFL: “a player your team selected high who not only didn’t live up to expectation, but was pushed out the league quickly.” So because Ginn is about to play his 9^th season in the league while scoring over 20 touchdowns in his career, Omar Kelly believes he is far from a bust.

            My definition of a bust is simple. It all depends on your investment on a player & the value you’re getting back. So a top 5 quarterback with expectations of becoming the long-term starter but ends up being a career backup is a bust. On the other hand, Tom Brady, a 6^th round pick by the Patriots but ended up becoming one of the best QB’s in the NFL with 4 Super Bowl rings, is a steal. Ted Ginn is a bust because he didn’t come close to reaching top 10 expectations. I hated that pick & I could’ve told the Dolphins Ted Ginn was a terrible pick, and Pat White. They basically reached for a 4.2 return specialist in the top 10. White, a West Virginia prospect who had the record for most career rushing yards for a QB at the time, was drafted in the 2nd round in 2009 to pretty much be a sub-in for the Dolphins Wildcat formation. Omar Kelly then explains his reasoning why Ted Ginn didn’t succeed with the Dolphins & this is where he lost me. He said the Dolphins forced him out onto the field when he wasn’t ready & all he did was make mistakes. So I’m thinking about last year’s receiver class, which was probably the best in NFL history. You had Odell Beckham Jr., who went to the Giants with the 12^th pick & missed the first 4 games, but still ended up with 1,305 yards & 12 td’s on 91 catches. Then you had Allen Hurns, who went UNDRAFTED, put up 677 yards & 6 td’s for the Jaguars. You also had Sammy Watkins, Kelvin Benjamin, Mike Evans, Jordan Matthews, Brandin Cooks, Josh Brown, Martavis Bryant, & Jarvis Landry (2^nd round pick for the Dolphins, would you look at that.) So you telling me that Ted Ginn, the 9^th overall pick, wasn’t even ready to play. That’s crazy.     

              

University of Florida: A Track & Field Powerhouse

By: Jimbo Brown

Dedric Dukes bringing home a 1st place finish

University of Florida is considered one of the best schools to attend in the world. Being one of the top-ranked public schools, UF has one of the biggest fan bases. This wonderful institution has excelled both academically and athletically. The Warrington Business School just won 1st place at the national case competition and the girl’s gymnastics team took home a National Championship in 2014. The track program has had the most consistency since Coach Mike Holloway took over about a decade ago.  The Gators are coming off of a successful weekend at Florida Relays track meet. The men and women teams finished with 20 individual personal records and 17 top-five finishes.

Coach Holloway aka “Mouse” a UF graduate is the nucleus that makes the machine produce greatness and consistency. He was an assistant coach on the 2012 USA Olympic team. Through his 8-year career with the Gators he has develop 12 individual national champions. The men’s and women’s programs has won multiple of indoor and outdoor SEC conference championships. If the teams didn't win out right, they either tied with another powerhouse or finished in the top-three. The men’s program has had more success overall bringing 5 team national championships; 3 indoor and 2 outdoor. The program wouldn't be as successful if it wasn't for the talent coach Holloway is able to recruit throughout the year.

Holloway is a mastermind when it comes to recruiting. He has always been able to get the most talented runners in the nation. Both teams are stacked with runners, jumpers and throwers from across the nation. Even though the Gators can have any student-athlete in the country, Holloway focuses on the talent in the state of Florida. Ebony Eutsey and Robin Reynolds two of the most decorated Florida High School athletes. They have contributed to the success of the women program, along with many others. On behalf of the men programs, the athletes that have come through have went on to represent the university and the country all over the world. Will Claye, Tony McQuay, Christian Taylor and Jeff Demps have contributed to our countries Olympic success. Coach Holloway has modeled many athletes to NCAA legends. The track & field program has produced 47 All-Americans and 141 All-American Honors. To have a great program at any level of competition you have to have a great leader.

This past indoor season yielded great results for the University of Florida Men’s program, with them winning the SEC championship this year. Najee Glass posted the second fastest 400m time in the nation this year and the 8^th fastest time in school history. With this early success, he will do nothing but progress. Coach Holloway is one of the best coaches in the nation and has built a program that will continuously  grow.

Al Golden: GTFOH

By: Jimbo Brown 

Since the UM/FIU brawl in the Orange Bowl, The U has unintentionally turned back into just The University of Miami. You may be thinking to yourself, "These are the same school". To me these are two different types of programs. Growing up in the era of The U, I got to see legends such as Sean Taylor, Andre Johnson and Carol City bred Santana Moss. They just didn't bring talent to the program but the same swag that greats before them possessed. Now,the kids only get to see a few of these players come through the program now, like Allen Hurns, Duke Johnson and Sean Spence. There has been other players that represents The U but they are just a small percentage of the players. The culture of the program has vastly changed once the coaching changes became more frequent.

Al Golden has been the coach for a couple years now and the program haven't lived up to expectations of the core fans. I have lost hope for this coaching staff because they have had enough talent on to compete with the new king of the Florida, Florida State Seminoles. Golden has yet to deliver an 8-win season at the University of Miami. He has yet to produce a bowl win to the campus and only season he has had is destroying a already dying legacy. 

The main reason I would like to see Al Golden leave because he let great high school players fall to the waist side. Injured 5-star athletes were forgotten about because they wasn't the players he recruited. Players like Eduardo Clements, who once had offers on top of offers, was forgotten about after a neck injury. Even though he was cleared to play, Golden relied on a talented but inexperienced Dallas Crawford. If Eduardo was used in more often, when Duke went out with the ankle injury in 2013, the season would have went down the drain. This past season wasn't successful either which leads me to believe he is on a short leash.

The leash the Alumni is holding on Al Golden before they start to snap is shorter than Kevin Hart and Wee Man fighting. He has to produce a 10-win season, a respectable bowl appearance and develop his players. He has no excuses this season; its his system, coaches and players HE recruited. You can say he is on the HOT SEAT.

Madness in March

            In this year’s tournament, it’s Kentucky & everybody else. With the Wildcats having a perfect season & sliding past their first 2 tourney games with ease, they are this much closer to becoming the first NCAA Men’s basketball team to go undefeated since Bob Knight’s 1976 Indiana squad. #1 seeds Wisconsin & Duke are the most competitive teams in the field with the best chance to knock off Kentucky. #1 seed Villanova was up there too but got exposed by North Carolina State in the round of 32. Duke, with Jahlil Okafor & one of the best backcourts in the nation, cruised past Robert Morris & San Diego State. They have a Sweet 16 matchup with #5 Utah this Friday. Wisconsin beat Coastal Carolina & Oregon to earn their way into the Sweet 16, where they will face #4 North Carolina. 

            The 2^nd round of the tournament played out last Thursday & Friday with plenty of upsets & tight games. Rule #1 about upsets: they’re unpredictable. Many people liked lower-seeded Eastern Washington, Ole Miss, Buffalo & Valparaiso to advance to the next round. But it was the teams no one expected that completed the upset bid. #14 seeds Georgia State & UAB defeated Baylor & Iowa State, who were expected to make deep runs in the tourney, by 1 point to advance. UCLA, a team that many thought didn’t deserve a spot among the 64 teams, surprised SMU on a controversial goaltending call and ended up beating UAB in the next round. In the 3^nd round over the weekend, the biggest games were #7 against #2 matchups, Wichita State vs. Kansas & Michigan State vs. Virginia. The lower seeds beat the higher seeds for a spot in the Sweet 16. Louisville & Northern Iowa was another exciting game that saw Louisville hold off a UNI comeback to beat them by double digits. Notre Dame beat Butler by 3 and Dayton blew a lead against Oklahoma to lose by 6.

            The 8 Sweet 16 matchups are Wisconsin & North Carolina, Arizona & Xavier, Gonzaga & UCLA, Duke & Utah, Kentucky & West Virginia, Notre Dame & Wichita State, Louisville & North Carolina State, and Oklahoma & Michigan State. I predict Louisville & Michigan State to advance with the Spartans winning that matchup to play in the Final Four. I picked Notre Dame to beat Wichita State in my bracket but I want to see a Wildcats & Shockers rematch of last year’s tourney game when Kentucky beat an undefeated Wichita State team. The Shockers can’t look ahead but I bet they would want to avenge that loss by ruining Kentucky’s perfect season. Wisconsin & Arizona will meet in the Elite 8 along with Duke & Gonzaga. Arizona will advance but lose to Kentucky in the Final Four. Duke will advance & beat Michigan State to face Kentucky in the championship game. For all the marbles, Kentucky will beat Duke for their 9^th championship.

Free Tim Tebow: Why isn't he in the NFL?

by: Sole Mentality 

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2 BCS National Championships, 2 SEC Championships, 2x First-team All-American, 3x First-team All-SEC, 2x Maxwell Award, 2007 AP Player of the Year, 2007 Quarterback of the Year, 2008 SEC Offensive Player of the Year, 2008 Manning Award, and the first sophomore ever to win the Heisman Trophy. With a resume like this, one would think that any college football player would find instant success in the NFL. But this wasn’t the case for University of Florida quarterback Tim Tebow. 

 

Despite starting his college career as a second string to Chris Leaks, Tebow took every opportunity given to make significant contributions to his Florida Gator team. Game after game, Tebow rushed for more yards and even managed to finish against the LSU Tigers accounting for every Florida touchdown. Tebow’s outstanding performance helped secure the 2007 BCS National Title for the Florida Gators. Hard work definitely paid off for Tebow as he was named Florida’s starting quarterback for the 2007 season. In their season opener against Western Kentucky, he led his Gator team to a 49-3 victory over the Hilltoppers. Completing 13 of 17 passes, Tebow threw 300 yards and 3 touchdowns before the game was called to an end due to inclement weather. In their yearly matchup with long-standing rival Florida State, Tebow and the Gators defeated the Seminoles 45-12. That night he scored a total of five touchdowns, two of which were in the first quarter. Although the Gators finished the season with a 9-4 record, Tebow had the second highest passing efficiency in the country at 177.8 and of course, the Heisman. Tebow’s college career came to a close at the end of the 2009 season, where the Gators finished 13-1. He held 5 NCAA, 14 SEC, and 28 UF stat records. In 2010, Tim Tebow entered the 2010 NFL Draft.

 

Many critics remained skeptical of Tebow’s ability to perform in the league, but in April, the Denver Broncos drafted him in the first-round. There was undoubtedly something about Tebow that somehow crowned him “comeback king,” rescuing his team from deficits week after week. You might even think it earned him a bit of security with the Denver Broncos considering he helped them win their first AFC West title since 2005, but it didn’t. After all, can you really blame the Broncos for wanting Peyton Manning? They took a huge risk in signing him while recovering from a serious spinal surgery, and in retrospect, it was a risk worth taking for Denver. There isn’t much else to say about Tim Tebow’s NFL career after being cutfrom the Broncos. I think Tebow fans and his critics would agree that his career was short-lived and disappointing. But this shouldn’t really be a surprise to anyone that knows football. Let’s face it, Tim Tebowisn’t an NFL quarterback, he’s an NCAA quarterback at best. 

 

By definition, a quarterback serves as the leader of the offensive line and more importantly, distributor of the ball. He studies film, knows the game, controls the pocket, can read defensive plays, stays calm under pressure, and motivates his team. But the skillset required to succeed in the NCAA differs greatly from that of the NFL and is probably one of the biggest reasons Tebow never found the success most people expected him to. While Tebow has demonstrated that he can lead and motivate his team, he lacks the essential mechanics that truly make up an NFL quarterback: pocket presence and passing accuracy. These are arguably two of the most needed qualities to even consider a career as an NFL quarterback. From the moment the ball is snapped, the quarterback usually has less than 3 seconds til his pressure starts breaks down; he has to make a move. He needs impeccable timing paired with a keen sense of awareness to ensure passing accuracy and avoid being sacked. If you’ve ever seen Tebow in the pocket, you can see the confusion and frustration in his face. He has a hard time reading defenses and it explains why he is so easily sacked. What’s probably most frustrating for any coach is accepting his lack of quarterback skills despite his athletic ability. Compare Tebow against a QB like Peyton Manning and he is definitely more athletic. But what makes Peyton the quarterback we love and respect is his ability to get the ball to his receivers consistently and efficiently. By no means am I saying that Tebow shouldn’t be in the league. He has a build and athleticism that would make him highly competitive on the field, but not as a quarterback. When scouts show up at combines and pro-days, they look for collegiate players that show promise when analyzing their technique. The professional league is about refining your skill, not finding it. Coaches want players with skills and techniques that can be built upon through great coaching and training. Of course some people will argue, probably Gator fans, “but Tebow scores points!” and he has an extensive record of doing so. There are plenty of QB’s in the league that have abandoned the historically pocket dominating style of most QB’s in favor of rushing the ball. Mike Vick is a perfect example. When he started with the Atlanta Falcons, he was one of, if not the, most mobile QBbut he struggled to pass in the pocket. In time he developed the ability to watch the field while maintaining accurate releases. All these skills fit together like pieces of a puzzle and that’s what makes a great pro quarterback. If Tebow really wanted to play professional football, he would be open to playing in other positions. He could build a great career at HB or tight end. But Tebow’s dream is to bean NFL quarterback, and that’s really why he isn’t in the league.

While the future of Tim Tebow’s career as an NFL quarterback remains unclear, one thing is for certain, the media frenzy surrounding him does not help his case. Since college, his faith has been a hot topic for every media outlet. In fact, much of his professional shortcomings were overshadowed by the godly pedestal society placed him on. In 2009, reporter Clay Travis asked Tebow on national television about his virginity, a question that stirred up quite a controversy. Tebow’s faith ultimately became more important than the aspects of his life that actually mattered, like why his passing accuracy was so poor and what he was doing to strengthen his weaknesses. This week alone, Tebow’s attendance at a Philadelphia Eagles workout generated as much noise as Jameis Winston’s decision to skip out on the NFL Draft And for that reason, signing Tebow could create a major headache for any PR team. That may not be a risk an NFL team is willing to take considering what he brings to the table.

 

With all of the speculations surrounding Tebow’sslim chance of getting picked up by a team, there’s still no guarantee that he’ll be signed. Although yesterday’s workout session didn’t end in his favor, at least he’s getting something he hasn’t had – a chance. We’ll see exactly what he does with it in the weeks to come.

2015 Free Agency: Can it get any crazier?

By: Candy Man

​Free agency started off with a bang on Tuesday. As soon as 4 o’clock hit, news came out that 4 major players got traded. Philly sent quarterback Nick Foles to the Rams for Sam Bradford. The Ravens sent one of the best defensive tackles in the league, Haloti Ngata, to Detroit. And in a surprising move, the Saints sent Jimmy Graham packing to the Seattle Seahawks. I know Philly fans were hot a few days ago & were starting to doubt Chip Kelly. With DeSean Jackson, LeSean McCoy, Jeremy Maclin & Nick Foles all gone, people were questioninghis direction & philosophy. But he rebounded by signing running backs DeMarco Murray & Ryan Matthews along with corner Byron Maxwell. Wide receiver is still a need and they’ll probably attack that in the draft. Jimmy Graham single-handedly makes the Seattle offense better and is the all-around receiver threat that Russell Wilson was missing. 

​The biggest star in free agency, Ndamukong Suh, signed a monster contract with the Dolphins. $114 million with $60 million guaranteed over 6 years. The Fins have been among the busiest teams in free agency, signing 2013 Pro Bowler Jordan Cameron and trading for Kenny Stills. With much of the receiving production gone from last year including Mike Wallace & Brian Hartline, they should come in and have an immediate impact. They also lost Randy Starks & Jared Odrickon the D-line but Suh is the type of player that can offset that loss and will make everybody else better on defense. Besides the Dolphins, the AFC East got a lot more interesting and should be wide open for the first time in years. Bills got a lot more explosive on offense by getting McCoy & Percy Harvin. They also traded for Matt Cassel to come in & compete with EJ Manuel. The Jets got Darrelle Revis & Antonio Cromartie back along with Buster Skrine, while also acquiring Ryan Fitzpatrick from Houston. The Patriots lost a lot of talent from their Super Bowl team but countered that by signing TE Scott Chandler, DE Jabaal Sheard & WR Brandon Gibson.  

​The Indianapolis Colts got busy by signing Frank Gore,Andre Johnson & Trent Cole and those moves should make them one of the favorites to win the Super Bowl next season.Jacksonville got better by signing Jared Odrick & Julius Thomas. The Oakland Raiders also improved their team by signing Nate Allen, Roy Helu, Curtis Lofton & Super Bowl MVP Malcolm Smith.

Other Notable Free Agency Signings & Trades

• WR Jeremy Maclin to Kansas City Chiefs

• WR Torrey Smith, RB Reggie Bush, DT Darnell Dockett to San Francisco 49ers

• RB CJ Spiller, CB Brandon Browner, C Max Unger, LB Dannell Ellerbe to New Orleans Saints

• DE Brian Orakpo, WR Harry Douglas, TE Anthony Fasano to Tennessee Titans

• RB Shane Vereen to New York Giants  

• DT Nick Fairley to St. Louis Rams

• LB AJ Hawk to Cincinnati Bengals

• WR Jacoby Jones, G Orlando Franklin to San Diego Chargers

• WR Brian Hartline, QB Josh McCown, Thad Lewis to Cleveland Browns

• RB Darren McFadden to Dallas Cowboys

• DE Ricky Jean Francois, CB Chris Culliver to Washington Redskins

• OG Mike Iupati, LB Lamarr Woodley to Arizona Cardinals

• DB Antrell Rolle, WR Eddie Royal to Chicago Bears

• QB Brian Hoyer, FS Rahim Moore to Houston Texans