Live: Jimmy Butler’s Introductory Press Conference

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The Miami Heat is finally doing a formal presentation of Jimmy Butler, after months of being part of the active roster via trade from the Philadelphia 76ers.

Right before the beginning of the Miami Heat Camp in West Palm Beach, after both Butler and Pat Riley figured out a way to be in Miami at the same time.

Are you ready for Jimmy Canastas and his Buckets to Biscayne?

Watch it live here:

Courtesy of MiamiHeat.com

Reshad Jones

Dolphins safety Reshad Jones intends to stay for the long haul

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Tanking has a negative effect on players in the locker room. Frustration quickly sets in. That eventually leads to players wanting to find new homes, which has clearly happened to the Miami Dolphins this season. Minkah Fitzpatrick made it a point to express his desire to leave, and he was traded to Pittsburgh for a first round pick. Its understandable, given his winning background. Losing on purpose goes against everything he stands for. His argument was regarding his position, but he doesn’t seem to mind being versatile for the Steelers, leaving the losing as a likely cause for wanting out. But what of safety Reshad Jones?

Jones is a common name when discussing trade bait. He infamously “quit” on the team during a matchup against the New York Jets last season, giving credence to the theory he wanted to be traded. However, Jones insists that Miami is where he wants to be.

“I love my home. I’ve been here 10 years. It’s home for me.” He said on Wednesday. “I love the guys in this locker room. I just love South Florida … If I wanted out, I had a chance to make that known. I’m here for the long haul. Like I said, I’m here to help this team win football games.”

There’s no doubt he knows that winning isn’t something Miami will be doing a lot of – if at all – in 2019. Reshad Jones is currently 31 years old, and counts for over $17 million against the salary cap this season. He counts for over $15 million in 2020, and then $14 million in 2021. The best way for the Dolphins to move on from him next season would be to designate him as a post-June 1st cut. It’s possible his desire to stay stems from the fact he won’t make as much money on the open market. Financially, his best interest is to stay with the Dolphins.

Durability is also a problem for Jones. He played a few snaps against the Baltimore Ravens in the season opener, 32 out of 72 snaps on defense, then was sidelined with an ankle injury. He now appears ready to get back on field.

Reshad Jones is still a very good player when he’s healthy. Is he a part of Miami’s future? That remains to be seen. The youth movement the Dolphins are pushing is strong. Jones is one of the oldest players on the team now. But if nothing else, it’s encouraging to hear Jones wants to stay with the Dolphins. He’s a fan favorite, and a playmaker on defense. Additionally, Miami needs some veteran voices in the locker room for the influx of young players.

If he can show he’s still got what it takes to be a top safety in the league, his desire to stay has a decent chance of being fulfilled.

Luis Sung has covered the Miami Dolphins for numerous outlets such as Dolphins Wire for six years. Follow him on Twitter: @LuisDSung

ESPN underrates Jimmy Butler… as expected

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ESPN came out with its top 100 players in the NBA list and the Miami Heat’s prized addition, Jimmy Butler, was listed at 21.

Of course.

After Sports Illustrated had him 11th.

For context, Butler is lower than Donovan Mitchell (20), Kemba Walker (17), Ben Simmons (15), Rudy Gobert (14) and CJ McCollum (13). In my humble opinion, Jimmy Butler is an all around better player than all of the players previously listed. However, it is not a surprise to me that Jimmy Butler was ranked lower than less talented players. If you’re asking why, well, the answer is simple: Jimmy Butler plays for the Miami Heat.

Yeah, this guy….

The national media hates the Heat, and has ever since LeBron James said he was taking his talents to South Beach. Sports media made Pat Riley and the Heatles the villain of the NBA because they believed they cheated the system. But why the hate now? Well, this is because the Heat just got Jimmy Butler– with absolutely no cap space. So, after the national media ranted and raved about cap space, flexibility and max slots, Pat Riley got his man without it. In the national media’s eyes, Pat Riley and the Heat cheated the system again. Therefore, the hate returns.

However, hate isn’t always a bad thing; the Heat, along with their loyal fans, are used to being the villain. In fact, Heat fans eat it up. There is something deep inside each and every Heat fan known as “The Cocky Heat Fan”, of which has been dormant for awhile. Now that Jimmy Butler is here, The Cocky Heat Fan has awoken from its long slumber. So bring on the Miami Heat hate, ESPN and national media…

We Heat fans thrive on it.

Also welcome back Cocky Heat fans, I missed you.

Tua Tagovailoa

Simon Clancy’s exclusive with Tua Tagovailoa

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Everyone wants a piece of Alabama elite quarterback Tua Tagovailoa right now.

Simon Clancy, who is a host of our Three Yards Per Carry while also working in England for Gridiron magazine and other outlets, did something that Alabama opponents haven’t done at all this season:

He corralled the slippery, skilled signalcaller.

Clancy conducted an exclusive interview for Gridiron — and we will run excerpts here when we have them.

But what follows are some highlights he tweeted:

 

If you want more, make sure to listen to tonight’s new episode of Three Yards Per Carry.

They will be playing clips.

Simon’s co-hosts Alfredo Arteaga and Chris Kouffman will also appear on #305Live tonight (Wednesday) at 10:30pm with me (Ethan J. Skolnick) to discuss what the league could do to punish the Dolphins for so blatantly Tanking for Tua.

And here’s the shirt…

We’ve sold more than 500 of these already, and sent one to Josh Gad.

You know, Olaf! (and a huge Dolphins fan who needs a warm hug).

What are you waiting to get your Tank for Tua Tagovailoa t-shirt?

Get yours now!

Tankathon has Dolphins drafting twice in top-4

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We are now officially three weeks into the NFL season and according to Tankathon, the #Tankovailoa race is on!

After this weeks regular season games, there are now seven teams in the NFL without a win.  And although not all of those teams need a quarterback, there’s still plenty of competition for cant’-miss prospect Tua Tagovailoa.  After all, Tagovailoa is highly regarded as the best QB prospect since Andrew Luck in 2012.  He’s that good. However, he’s not the only QB in this year’s class that has the potential to change a NFL franchise.

You can keep track of all of this year’s QB prospects HERE

Currently, this is the way the 2020 NFL draft order looks.

Tankathon Version 3.0 Mock Draft

The last time we did one of these, the Dolphins only had two first-round draft picks.  Fortunately, Miami was able to move disgruntled DB Minkah Fitzpatrick to Pittsburgh, in exchange for what appears to be a top-10 draft pick.  Yes, it is still very early in the 2019 season, but Pittsburgh is without Ben Roethlisberger and looks to be one of the more disappointing teams in the league.

But how does this mock draft favor the Dolphins?

Personally, I don’t like Georgia QB Jake Fromm and if Miami were to miss out on Tua and Herbert, the next logical choice is Utah State QB, Jordan Love.

Ohio State pass-rusher Chase Young might be the best player in the entire 2020 class.  And we know just how desperate the Dolphins are to find a generational pass-rusher.  Any offensive lineman in the first-round is a step in the right direction.

Most demoralizing of all of this, is that Adam Gase and the New York Jets out ‘tank’ the Dolphins – and end up with Tua Tagovailoa.

In the end, there’s plenty to like about Tankothon’s latest mock draft.  Just as long as Adam Gase and his googly eyes, don’t end up with the Tua Tagovailoa.

 

Silva signing shows Inter Miami roster coming together

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The Independent has reported that Inter Miami CF are likely to sign David Silva. From the beginning the club was almost built off the idea that they would bring in at least one major name to be the face of the franchise.

David Silva, a World Cup winner and recent Premier League champion, and someone who at the age of 33 played in over 40+ games for the champions of English soccer, is an ideal place to start.

Since 2010, Silva has been a dominant player for Manchester City whos been very consistent at the highest level.

After his arrival from Valencia, City have won four Premier League titles with Silva making a major impact every year. He’s a creative midfielder who excels at keeping the ball at his feet and is one to make all the right passes.

If Silva joins Inter Miami, owners David Beckham and Jorge Mas will be looking to build a team around his quality midfield abilities.

That team that will allegedly be around Silva has already taken shape. Matias Pellegrini, Julián Carranza, Christian Makoun, David Norman Jr. and Miami Native George Acosta are the first five official signings, with Pellegrini being the first reported designated player for Inter. Silva would likely take up the second of the three DP spots on the roster.

A designated player on an MLS roster is one whose earnings do not count fully towards the salary budget. The MLS allows teams up to three players per roster to be these said designated players, and clubs will use these spots for known stars and incoming young talent.

In Pellegrini’s case, he will be considered a young designated player, and the salary charged to the budget will be $150,000. For someone like Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who will make over $7 million this year from LA Galaxy, the club’s salary budget is only charged $480,625. The MLS salary budget for the clubs senior roster, up to 20 players, is $4,240,000.

At 19 years of age, Matias Pellegrini will be joining Inter Miami from Estudiantes, an Argentine first division side. In his first season with Estudiantes he was responsible for 4 goals and 1 assist in 19 games. He’s a young talent who is bound to be developed by Inter, and he’ll have to look forward to playing on the left wing next to Julián Carranza, who happens to be Argentine as well.

Also 19, Julián Carranza is heading to Miami from Club Atlético Banfield, another Argentine first division side. Carranza is a young talent who worked his way up from Banfield’s U20 side all the way to the first team in a matter of a couple years.

The last two seaons, Carranza has played in a total of 32 games for Banfield, and has managed to slot in 19 goals and give off 9 assists on top of that. An extremely impressive record at any level of football. He’ll look to be that goal scoring threat for Inter come 2020.

Christian Makoun, another 19 year old (are we seeing a pattern here?), is a center back who will be coming over to South Florida after playing with Juventus in Italy, and Zamora, a club from his home country of Venezuela.

This was Inter Miami’s first defensive signing, and like their first pair of players, will look to be developed as a young star in the club’s early years.

The first North American acquisition for Inter happens to be a Canadian International whos currently on loan at Pacific FC.

David Norman Jr. plays in the Canadian Premier League, but has been on the mainstage of the MLS whilst playing for Vancouver Whitecaps FC. The 21 year old is a known attacking midfield player, whos had 3 appearances for the Canadian U23 side.

And with the clubs most recent signing, they’ve decided to sign yet another 19 year old player, George Acosta. A United States international whos hometown happens to be Miami, Acosta will be headed over from Austin Bold FC, a USL Championship club. Acosta has spent time in Argentina playing with Boca Juniors, and scored a goal in the U17 World Cup with the US.

It seems as though youth is the priority here, and the five officially announced young players will be joining Inter Miami CF in January 2020.

If David Silva were to sign, he’d likely miss a couple of months of the season as the Premier League would be in full swing come January. A mid season transfer for Silva in the Summer Window of 2020 is something for Inter fans to really get excited for. If not, youth talent and the conception of an MLS club in South Florida has already seemed to do the trick.

 

Jets coach Adam Gase might out-tank the Dolphins

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The Dolphins got only one thing wrong in their diabolical plan for the NFL’s greatest tank: They fired Adam Gase.

While I was the first local media member to suggest they dump the so-called quarterback whisperer — about halfway through the Dolphins’ 2018 season — I clearly didn’t account for what’s happened now. Gase, hired quickly by the rival New York Jets, is now commanding the only offense in the NFL that’s as anemic as the Dolphins’. He’s blaming everyone and everything but himself, as usual.

The media are all over him, and they’re not the softies he encountered down in South Florida, even if they also aren’t especially consistent.

Oh, and the Jets are also 0-3, using former Dolphins’ practice squaders Luke Falk and David Fales at the most critical position in sports.

Which means they could be in the running for the No. 1 overall, which could make Dolphins fans — who don’t particularly like the swarmy swami — feel very conflicted when the teams play twice this season.

The Jets do have a quarterback, Sam Darnold, though he does currently have a communicable disease. And Peyton Manning and Jay Cutler remain retired, for now.

Adam Gase and his brilliance has known no bounds…

There was also this: typical Adam Gase move… 2

 

Old friend Ray Lucas isn’t sold either.

 

Still, though you have faith in the Dolphins.

We polled this, and roughly 90 percent of you think Miami will still be worse than Gase’s guys.

Wait until the bubble screen on 4th and 23.

 

 

 

 

 

Miami Hurricanes beat (?) Central Michigan, 17-12

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What is it about this field and the Hurricanes?

After the Miami Dolphins lost their first two games at Hard Rock Stadium by a combined 102-10, the Miami Hurricanes — the team that isn’t tanking — couldn’t possibly do anything that would be more disappointing, right?

Well….

The Hurricanes needed an interception by Al Blades Jr. to beat Central Michigan, 17-12.

Now they’re 2-2. But the record isn’t the point. It’s the way they’re playing. Thirteen penalties. No push in the running game. Few sustained drives. Relying on the defense to save them, even with Jarren Williams continuing to play well.

And after the game, the players seemed oddly happy about it.

Is this where we are as a football town?

Central Michigan?

Here are the tweets of note from the game….

The Miami Hurricanes were probably the only team in Miami with a realistic shot to a National Championship before the season started. But now… Who knows. 

However. Do not sleep on them. They can still make it to a great bowl – or not -, in the first year of the Manny Diaz era. We have the most complete coverage of the team. That is for sure, guys. 

If you want it in Spanish, we can also do that. Follow our Cinco Razones guys. And enjoy… 

There are still eight more games to be played… Go Canes!

Mike Tannenbaum

Former Dolphins executive Mike Tannenbaum offers baffling insight

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Hindsight is always 20/20. It’s easy to look back and see what you should or should not have done in any given situation. That is a concept that every single person on this planet can relate to. This, of course, includes NFL executives. So when former Dolphins executive Mike Tannenbaum went on Twitter to offer insight on the NFL’s quarterback situation, some eyebrows were raised.

Obviously, stating that teams should draft a quarterback every year is ironic coming from Mike Tannenbaum. He acted as a consultant for the team during the 2014 season, and then was hired to be the team’s Executive VP of Football Operations in 2015. He was essential to the Dolphins landing Ndamukong Suh that same year. However, aside from that, Tannenbaum’s Miami tenure was filled with skepticism from fans and analysts.

This is where he dropped the above gem, regarding drafting a QB every year. However, if this is what Tannenbaum truly believes, then why did he not push harder for Miami to do the same? Even if the Dolphins truly believed Ryan Tannehill had what it takes to be a franchise quarterback, that should not have stopped them from drafting QBs if this is Tannenbaum’s philosophy.

Miami drafted only one QB during Tannenbaum’s tenure. In 2016, they selected Brandon Doughty out of Western Kentucky. He was selected in the seventh round, 223rd overall. That is not exactly a high ceiling pick.

Perhaps this adds credence to the reports that Chris Grier was ultimately in charge of drafting, and not Mike Tannenbaum. If so, hopefully Grier has learned a valuable lesson, as he’s in charge of rebuilding the Dolphins from the ground up.

Luis Sung has covered the Miami Dolphins for numerous outlets such as Dolphins Wire for six years. Follow him on Twitter: @LuisDSung

Marlins extend Don Mattingly and Miguel Rojas

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The Marlins announced the contract extensions of manager Don Mattingly and shortstop Miguel Rojas.

The Miami Marlins opened their final home series of the season with some encouraging news.

Mattingly’s extension runs through 2021 and includes a mutual option for 2022. He becomes the first MLB manager since Terry Collins to have losing records in his first four seasons with a team and return for a fifth season. The Mets went to the World Series in Collins’ fifth season at the helm.

“I think about his leadership, demeanor and overall character,” Marlins CEO Derek Jeter on Mattingly. “He’s all in. He keeps our guys competing on a daily basis.”

Mattingly said he’s thrilled to have the opoprtunity to see this though. He’s seen the prospects first hand and has read the reports. His extension is a good sign that the minor league talent that has been brought in over the last two years is on the way soon.

“Hopefully by the time I’m done, this team is in a great place,” Mattingly said.

Rojas’ deal with Marlins is for $10.5M over 2 years and an option. Jeter called Rojas “the true example of a professional.”

“This front office has been transparent since last Spring Training. Derek and Bruce,” Rojas said. “They are always going to tell you the truth trom day one.”

Rojas has been with the Marlins since 2015 as a part of the Dee Gordon trade with the Los Angeles Dodgers. He has grown from utility infielder to starting shortstop and team leader. When Mattingly was asked in July about who should be the Marlins All-Star, he chose Rojas for his leadership.

The Marlins should have about $25 million is coming off the books with Martin Prado’s contract expiring and Starlin Castro’s $1M buyout. That money should be spent on improving the team, especially the bullpen. While Jeter was non-committal on the issue, he did emphasize that he wants his top prospects to have a clear pathway to the big leagues.

“They’re coming and we don’t want to block their way,” Jeter said.