Tua Tagovailoa will work out for teams in April

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Alabama quarterback Tua Tagovailoa will work out for teams in April, according to his agent Leigh Steinberg.

Before the 2019 Miami Dolphins ever took the field, it was believed by many that the plan was to draft Alabama QB Tua Tagovailoa, no matter what. And with each passing win, it seemed less and less likely that the plan would come to fruition. But then, Tagovailoa suffered a season-ending hip injury, which once again made this dream a reality. Now, with less than four months until the 2020 NFL Draft, new information could change teams’ outlook in April.

According to Tagovailoa’s agent Leigh Steinberg, the promising young QB is expected to be fully healthy and able to work out for NFL teams before the draft.

In Tagovailoa We Trust

No one can honestly say whether or not Tagovailoa will be fully healthy. As it is my belief, there are several hurdles between now and April that he must overcome. But for a player that at one point–many believed may never play football again–this is big. And for teams like the Miami Dolphins or even the Los Angeles Chargers, they must now start to devise a plan to figure out how to land the Left Arm of God. 

Truth is, Chris Grier and his henchman have done what needed to be done, to acquire as war chest of draft picks. They have the ammunition to move up and down the draft board as they deem fit–and it is my understanding they will do so for the right player. Tagovailoa, when healthy, is absolutely worth trading up for. And if he is the QB the team coveted since day one, the decision is easy.

When healthy, Tagovailoa is one of the best QBs to ever play collegiate football. Now, he has the opportunity to take his talents to the NFL-to South Florida. Now it is up to the Miami Dolphins to make that a dream a reality.

In all my years covering the Dolphins, there is not a prospect I can remember wanting more than Tagovailoa. I just hope Miami’s front office feels the same way. Because missing out on a prospect like Tagovailoa, could rival passing on Drew Brees or Aaron Rodgers. It’s time to get out of the 7-9 and 8-8 hell the team has been trapped in for the last 20 years.

Save us Tua Tagovialoa, you’re our only hope.

 

This article was written by Josh Houtz (@houtz) and he really, really wants the Dolphins to draft Tua Tagovailoa.

 

He Gone? Miami Heat’s Dion Waiters posts cryptic message

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Dion Waiters hasn’t provided any excitement on the court for the Miami Heat this season.

But he can’t stop making us notice him off of it.

Waiters, who has been suspended several times, and hasn’t played in a single regular season game, does not appear to be a tradeable commodity at the moment. He hasn’t gotten time even with Justise Winslow out — Winslow won’t play again Wednesday and may be shut down soon, based on current trends. And he hasn’t found his way back into Erik Spoelstra’s good graces as fellow unfortunate big-money long-term signing James Johnson has recently.

So this probably isn’t about a trade.

Still, it was interesting on a Heat off night, with the Spurs visiting Wednesday and Miami trying to snap its first two-game losing streak of the season.

That was posted, spotted and quickly deleted.

But not before some screenshots.

So what’s that about?

It could be that Waiters is taking a social media break, which wouldn’t be such a terrible decision, after his Instagram post of himself frollicking on a boat — on a day he was supposed to be sick — contributed to his most recent suspension.

Or not.

Maybe he’s just trolling.

Is he saying peace?

Or is he…. at peace?

What’s clear is that, while Waiters is part of the team contractually, and was with them in the locker room on the New York road swing, it doesn’t seem like this situation will end with any of the Philly Cheese, Waiters Island, Miami moments that got him that contract in the first place.

One season remaining after this, at a healthy $13 million rate.

Look for him on IG soon, if not between the lines.

 

Mike Hoffman continues hot streak as Panthers roll over Leafs

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 Mike Hoffman is proving to be a spark plug for the Florida Panthers.

The Florida Panthers beat the Toronto Maple Leafs by an 8-4 score on Sunday afternoon. Mike Hoffman was a big reason why. Hoffman has been on a tear the last couple of games, and Sunday was no different.

On his first goal of the day, it started off with Dominic Toninato creating a chance on the rush. Hoffman went stride-for-stride with Toninato and fired a wrist shot for the goal. Toninato did a nice job of finding Hoffman on the assist. Hoffman’s next goal came in the third period. Jonathan Huberdeau and Evgenii Dadonov came on the power play and he scored his second goal of the game.

This offensive explosion was nothing new for Hoffman. He has scored five goals in his past four games. He has also tallied six points in his past five games as well. Prior to Sunday’s contest, he scored a goal against Vancouver on January 9. Going back even further, he scored a goal against the Arizona Coyotes on January 7. This explosion of offense for Hoffman is certainly a welcome development for the Panthers.

Hoffman proving to be clutch for Florida Panthers

Saturday, he had an even plus-minus rating and only took three shots. He recorded 19 shifts and 14:10 of ice time. In addition, he spent 1:37 on the power play. He was all over the ice on Sunday.

He is certainly a positive veteran presence on a team that is relatively young.  Hoffman scored 70 points last season after being traded to Florida in June. He has 16 goals and 17 assists for 33 points this year.  He is showing exactly what he brings to the table.

Hoffman has been heating up at exactly the right time for the Panthers. He is being that sturdy veteran presence that the Panthers hoped he would be. It will be interesting to see how he performs over these next couple of weeks as the playoff race continues to heat up in the Eastern Conference.

 

Miami Dolphins: Several coaching staff changes made Sunday

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The Miami Dolphins made changes to the coaching staff on Sunday

The Miami Dolphins are going to have some new coaches next year. Robby Brown will be named to the quarterbacks coach position per Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald. For those unfamiliar, he worked with Chan Gailey in New York while both were with the Jets.

Brown has an extensive football background. He was most recently a member of the West Virginia coaching staff. While there, he was the special assistant to the head coach. He was also the senior analyst for the offense. He was hired in March 2019. According to his West Virginia biography, one of his jobs was to help out with the game planning for the coaching staff.

Miami Dolphins make other changes to coaching staff

Another major move occurring on Sunday was the loss of Patrick Graham to the New York Giants. He was in his first year as the defensive coordinator for the Dolphins. Miami gave up 494 points on the year, most in the National Football League.

The defense gave up 397.8 yards per game which was third -most in the league. Giving up six yards per pass, that was also third -most in the league. However, Miami spent most of the year reshuffling and retooling the defense. Statistics certainly do not tell the whole story.

Josh Boyer was promoted to the position of defensive coordinator as a result. Last year was his first season with the Miami Dolphins. He served the roles of defensive pass game coordinator and cornerbacks coach. Miami ranked 12th in the National Football League with 13 interceptions on the year. They were tied with four other teams in that category.

it will be interesting to see how Boyer and Brown ease into their new roles. There has been a lot of turnover on the part of the coaching staff so far this offseason. Brian Flores wants to make sure he has everything right heading into 2020.

Miami Heat Need the Three Against Knicks on Sunday

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The Miami Heat need to shoot better from deep on Sunday.

The Miami Heat are set to take on the New York Knicks in what is going to be a bounce back game for Miami. One thing is for certain: If the Miami Heat want to beat the Knicks on Sunday, they need to be more efficient from three-point range.

In Friday’s loss against the Brooklyn Nets, Miami struggled from deep. They went seven-of-29 from beyond the arc. By comparison, the Nets went 15-of-44 from deep. That equaled out to a 34.1 three-point percentage.

The starting lineup was not efficient shooting the three ball. Duncan Robinson was the most productive for Miami. He went two-of-six from beyond the arc, finishing with eight points on the evening.

Interestingly enough, the bench did a bit better with their opportunities. James Johnson went two-of-two from beyond the arc and finished with six points in 12 minutes of play. Goran Dragic had a rough evening, going two-of-seven from deep.

The numbers bode well for Miami Heat

The three-point shot is undoubtedly the bread and butter of Miami’s offense. They are second in the league in three-point conversion percentage. Shooting at a 37.6 % rate, that puts them only second to Utah.  Over their last three games, they have been pretty consistent with the shot, shooting at a 36.9% clip.

New York is last in the entire NBA in opponent three-point field goal percentage. Their opponents have been converting at a 38.8% rate.  Things haven’t been much better for them over the past three games. They have been susceptible from long range, allowing opponents to convert on 43.6% of their tries. This is great news for Miami, and should allow for plenty of good looks for the shooters.

If Miami wants to beat New York on Sunday, getting more production from the starting lineup is crucial for a victory. This team plays much better when everyone contributes.  Miami needs to make sure they convert from beyond the arc, and put behind the poor performance in Brooklyn. If they can do that, a win is certainly in their future.

Ryan Tannehill One Game from Super Bowl (in Miami!)

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How to feel about this?

There’s never been a seven-year itch quite like what was caused by Ryan Tannehill’s tenure as Miami Dolphins quarterback, the itch to see something new. He was good here, but never great, and just as he started to get closer — playing at a higher level during a 8-5 start to the 2016 season under Adam Gase — he got hurt, missed a season, returned and got hurt again. So even the durability argument, the one that was always in his favor, was lost.

Remember?

That was the shoulder, after the knee.

Most agreed that it was time to move on.

Even those who didn’t think Tannehill was terrible.

 

But now, what to make of Tannehill moving on to the AFC Championship in his first season as a Tennessee Titan, with the Dolphins paying most of his salary?

 

How to handle the possibility of Tannehill going on the road for a third time, now against either Kansas City or the Laremy Tunsil/Kenny Stills Houston Texans, and playing in Steve Ross’s stadium for Super Bowl LIV? And how much does it matter that Tannehill has thrown for about half as many yards in the Titans’ two playoff wins as teammate Derrick Henry has rushed for? (Check Luis Sung’s excellent column on Henry’s free agency and the Dolphins here).

Here are some of the top Tanny takes from Twitter:

 

A meme got put to good use:

There was Tua talk, of course, especially with the Alabama QB in Miami for the weekend:

 

And this from Jeff Darlington, who knows Tannehill as well as any national reporter, probably sums it up best:

Tua Tagovailoa

Tua Tagovailoa takes a weekend getaway to Miami

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Tua Tagovailoa made the the trip down on Friday.

Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa was spotted in Miami on social media. Could he have been visiting the Miami Dolphins on Friday?

Tagovailoa is expected to be a top quarterback in the 2020 NFL Draft. As the Dolphins hold the fifth overall pick, he could be in a spot to become a Dolphin. This is something that many Miami fans believe is the first step towards rebuilding the future. It is certainly hard to disagree with them.

Friday night, he posted on his Instagram story that he was in Miami. He also was able to visit with Larry “The Amigo” Milan. The latter posted it on his Instagram profile. At the very least, we have tangible proof that the star quarterback is checking out potential future surroundings. That is certainly intriguing to say the least.

What does this all mean? We can’t say for certain, but my guess is that Miami really likes what Tua brings to the table. He is the playmaker Miami has been lacking for years. They have longed for a quarterback with his arm strength and accuracy, and now it looks like he has fallen right into their laps. I would be a little worried in regards to his injury from last year. However  with the fifth pick, Miami should take the best player available. He certainly fits into that category.

To me this is a sign that Tua is doing his homework. He’s doing a little pre-draft scouting if you will. Miami Dolphins general manager Chris Grier has done plenty of scouting on his own, having watched the quarterback in several games. He was on hand to watch Tagovailoa take down Ole Miss in a seven-touchdown day. It’s no secret that the Dolphins as an organization love what the quarterback brings the table.

The fact that the former Alabama Crimson Tide star was in town Friday is certainly significant. It could be the start of a fruitful relationship between organization and player.

Not an Easy Road: Tough Times for Heat Away from Home

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The Miami Heat are 27-11 overall, but just 10-10 away from home after Friday night’s loss at Brooklyn.

In the Magic City, the Miami Heat have been just that with a 17-1 record.

Their only loss at the American Airlines Arena this season came December 13th to the Lakers.

However, away from Biscayne the Heat are treading water with a .500 record.

For the Heat, like any team, a breakeven line away from home should be a respectable standard.

Yet when looking at the road losses through the lens of individual performance, some trends emerge.

 

Brooklyn had lost seven games in a row before Miami came to town.

The Heat had the lowest point total in an NBA quarter in over two years (6) at Orlando just over a week ago.

Miami was beaten by 18 against a Washington team without Bradley Beal to close out 2019.

Their average margin of defeat in their 10 road losses is over 15 points per game.

Brooklyn only defeated Miami by four points, the Heat’s closest road loss of the season.

Yet something was missing in a game where the Heat scored 69 points in the first half.

 

The Heat have lost three road games by at least 20 points, including the 113-86 dismantling at Philadelphia in late November.

Cold shooting away from home has not helped, the Heat shoot about 3-percent better from all areas at home.

This is itself is not a cause for concern, teams often struggle on offense away from home.

Thankfully defense typically travels for the Heat, which has kept them in games.

The offensive rebounding must improve to give the offense second-chance opportunities.

Miami ranks 28th in the NBA on the offensive glass and have been even worse in January.

Not coincidentally the Heat rank 27th in second chance points league-wide.

Brooklyn crushed Miami on the boards overall (56-43) and in offensive rebounds 14-4.

 

Between offensive rebounding and turnovers, the Heat are losing too many possessions.

Miami is allowing 18.9 points per game off of turnovers, also 27th in the NBA.

Their next opponent is the New York Knicks, who are just 10-29 overall and 5-13 at Madison Square Garden.

Like Brooklyn, New York is mired in a losing streak of their own with five straight.

New York has some ways to counter the Heat and should not be overlooked.

The Knicks lead the NBA in offensive rebounding at over 12 per game and are a top-10 rebounding unit overall.

Those offensive rebounds have led to the Knicks actually being third in the NBA in second chance points.

Miami has to be better on the glass and take care of the ball, or they can fall into another trap game.

Getting back to the fundamentals on the road could be an easy recipe for improvement.

New York provides the perfect opportunity in what is now a more intriguing matchup than anticipated.

Miami Heat’s Justise Winslow missing both games in New York

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Justise Winslow will not play for the Miami Heat in New York, either against the Nets on Friday night or the Knicks on Sunday afternoon, after a setback with his back injury.

Health has been a problem for Winslow this season. He has only played in 11 games to this point. His last contest came on Wednesday against Indiana. In that game, he saw the four for 15:33. He missed both shots he attempted but did manage to record two rebounds, an assist, and a block.

For his Miami Heat career, Justice Winslow has played for five seasons in 241 games. He has recorded nine points per game in addition to 5.4 rebounds per game. His best season came last year. He played in 66 games, starting 52 of them. He recorded 12.6 points per contest as well as 5.4 rebounds per game. He saw an increase in minutes in comparison to the 2017-18 season. Playing 29.7 minutes per contest, that was an increase from 2017-18. He played in 24.7 minutes per game that year.

So far this season, Winslow is playing 23 minutes per contest. His best game to this point in the season came against the Memphis Grizzlies on October 23. He scored 27 points, going 10-of-21 from the field. In addition, he recorded seven rebounds and seven assists. It was certainly a nice way to start the season for Winslow.

When healthy, he is undoubtedly an asset for Miami. However, it seems like he has been injured more often than on the floor. One has to wonder if the Heat will deal him prior to the trade deadline in an effort to get more production from another asset. As for right now, their main goal should be to see that he gets healthy.

Inter Miami Take Robbie Robinson, Dylan Nealis in MLS SuperDraft

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Paul McDonough takes talent. Inter Miami’s Sporting Director has proven yet again that talent is most important when solidifying a roster. By taking Robbie Robinson first overall, McDonough made sure he got the top talent in the draft, and still walked out with a top defender in Dylan Nealis with the third overall pick.

Robbie Robinson is a 6’2 forward from Clemson University who dominated all year long. His 27 goal contributions (18 goals, 9 assists) in just 19 games led the country. Those numbers solidified Robinson as the top player in all of college soccer.

He was named the 2019 Hermann Trophy winner, the top prize in NCAA. Robinson led Clemson to an ACC Final appearance this year along with a Quarterfinal run in the NCAA Tournament. His quickness and will to get in behind defenders was a vital component to one of the best offenses in the country. But how will that style of play translate to MLS?

New head coach Diego Alonso is known for an attacking style of soccer. Alonso will likely use a 4-2-3-1 in which the front four are interchangable. Robinson at Clemson showed that he can be useful as a centre forward or on the wings. With Jerome Kiesewetter, Juan Agudelo, and Julian Carranza on the roster right now, it seems Carranza will carry the lone striker role. Both Agudelo and Kiesewetter have had roles in their past as wingers, but also as centre forwards, and Alonso could use this versatility in his tactics. With a versatile attacking mindset, Robbie Robinson will get his chance and Alonso’s style of play could suit him.

Nashville went on to take Jack Maher with the second pick and left Inter Miami with an easy decision. If it wasn’t going to be Maher, the next best defender in the draft was Dylan Nealis, a full back from Georgetown. Georgetown won the 2019 NCAA Championship under Nealis’ leadership and Nealis was named the top defensive player of the tournament. He had also won back to back Big East Defensive Player of the Year awards prior to being selected by Inter Miami. He will give the already signed right back, Alvas Powell, competition for starting minutes.

Inter Miami’s defensive names give the roster depth at the back line and this pick solidifies that. When an MLS defense runs thin due to injury or lack of talent, it is hard to compete in the league. With a lot of games to play this season, throughout the summer and US Open Cup matches, depth along the backline is important and McDonough turned that $150,000 in General Allocation Money into a great pick.

It is worth noting that both Nealis and Robinson are members of the 2020 Generational Adidas Class, and their salaries will not be put against the budget. This will help McDonough make a couple more non-Designated Player signings in order to use up the budget and add talent.

As the draft finished, McDonough was asked questions about the clubs last two DP slots. He was quoted saying, “The goal is to fill now… and be successful from Day 1. If you want to sign a DP in the summer, the impact he can have would be very minimal.”

“We’ve got an international winger that we’ve agreed, we’re doing personal terms with. We have a DP striker that we’ve agreed (a fee) with the club, trying to see if we can get personal terms done.”

That tells fans two things. David Silva in the summer is unlikely unless they miss on filling both DP slots, and that there’s more exciting news to come. Has this roster building process and the come up of the club felt a bit slow? Yes. Has it been underwhelming? Most certainly not.

The roster after the SuperDraft has been filled with more youth talent, and the amount of MLS veterans on the roster combined with the youth has great potential.

Inter Miami’s first ever game will be out in Los Angeles on March 1st against LAFC at the Banc of California Stadium. They will then head to D.C. before coming home for their first ever game against LA Galaxy on March 14th.