Heat Fall To Nuggets

     It was a rematch of the 2024 NBA Finals as the Miami Heat lost to the Denver Nuggets 103-97 at Ball Arena on Thursday night. The Heat have not played at this venue since their 2022-23 season ended when they fell in Game 5. Miami had their six-game road winning streak snapped. 

     Denver(41-19) compiled a 25-11 spurt to begin the contest and were ahead 36-20 after one quarter. Miami(33-26) battled back and trailed 56-51 at halftime. 

     The Nuggets went on an 18-7 run late in the third quarter and led 83-70 at the end of the frame. The Heat had a 13-3 run and trailed 97-93 with 1:18 left in the fourth quarter, however they never led in the game. 

     Jimmy Butler composed 21 points and seven rebounds for Miami. Bam Adebayo had 22 points and eight rebounds in the defeat. Terry Rozier contributed 19 points and Caleb Martin dropped in 13 points. 

     Denver had a game-high 30 points along with 11 rebounds from Michael Porter, Jr. Nikola Jokic and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope scored 18 points each. 

Panthers Escape Canadiens

     The Florida Panthers finished off a three-game homestand and pushed by the Montreal Canadiens 4-3 in a shootout on Thursday night at Amerant Bank Arena. The Panthers have defeated the Habs on seven straight occasions. 

     Florida(40-16-4) charged out to a 1-0 lead at 7:01 of the opening period. Sam Reinhart made a square pass in the high slot and Aleksander Barkov snapped a shot from the inner left circle by Sam Montembeault for his 14th goal this season. Carter Verhaeghe started the play for the secondary assist. 

     Montreal(23-28-9) evened it up 1-1 at the 8:24 mark of the first. Arber Xhekaj sent a long diagonal pass from deep in his own zone to Nick Suzuki at the Panthers blue line for a breakaway. Suzuki got his 24th goal of the campaign on a wrist shot from the low slot past Anthony Stolarz. 

     The Panthers reclaimed the lead 2-1 on the power play with 5:52 remaining in the second. Barkov slid the puck from above the right circle to Matthew Tkachuk on the right goal line. He centered it and Reinhart scored on a wrist shot from the slot area for his 40th goal of the season. He joined Pavel Bure, Verhaeghe and Tkachuk as the only players in Florida Panthers franchise history with at least 40 goals during one season. 

     The Canadiens made it 2-2 with just 00.7 seconds to go in the frame. Suzuki won the faceoff in the left circle and Juraj Slafkovsky rifled a snap shot from the top left circle for his 13th tally in 2023-24. 

     In the third period, the Habs got their first lead of the contest at the 3:26 mark for a 3-2 advantage. Suzuki backhanded the pass from the left wing to Cole Caufield in the left corner. He connected a pass and Alex Newhook compiled his ninth goal of the year on the power play. 

     It became 3-3 with 6:55 left in the third as Florida scored a shorthanded goal. Barkov angled a pass at the red line. Reinhart raced down the right side into the Montreal zone and lifted a shot from the low right circle for his second goal of the game. 

     It would be decided in a shootout. The Cats converted on Barkov's second shooting attempt. Caulfield tied it on the Habs third attempt when he scored on a snap shot. Anton Lundell capped the victory for the Panthers on their third attempt as he steered the puck in on a forehand shot. 

Jesus Luzardo Marlins Opening Day Pitcher

     Jesus Luzardo has been named the Miami Marlins opening day starting pitcher. It will be the first career opening day start for Luzardo. The Fish will host the Pittsburgh Pirates at loanDepot park on March 28. 

     Sandy Alcantara was the starting pitcher on opening day for the Marlins in the previous four seasons. He is coming off Tommy John surgery and is not expected to pitch during the 2024 season. 

Heat Speed By Trail Blazers

     The Miami Heat held off the Portland Trail Blazers 106-96 on Tuesday night at Moda Center. The Heat have won six straight road games and will finish their six-game road swing with a rematch of last season's NBA Finals against the Denver Nuggets on Thursday. The Trail Blazers extended their losing streak to eight games and will end up with a losing record in 2023-24. 

     Portland(15-42) scored the first eight points of the game and was ahead 28-15 at the end of the first quarter. The Trail Blazers remained in front by halftime 56-46. 

     Miami(33-25) gained momentum in the second half. They went on a 31-15 run to start the half and led 80-76 after three quarters. Both clubs were tied 92-92 with 9:38 left in the fourth and then the Heat had a 19-8 spurt.

     Jimmy Butler returned to the Heat lineup following a one-game suspension and fell short of a double-double with 22 points and nine assists. Terry Rozier contributed 19 points, Duncan Robinson added 17 points and Bam Adebayo had 13 points along with nine rebounds. Jerami Grant led Portland with 24 points, seven rebounds and six assists. 

Panthers Rally By Sabres

     The Florida Panthers faced the Buffalo Sabres at Amerant Bank Arena on Tuesday night and won 3-2.  The Cats are in the middle of a three-game homestand. 

     Buffalo(27-28-4) roared out to a 1-0 advantage with a power-play tally at the 9:25 mark. Dylan Cozens smashed a slap shot past Sergei Bobrovsky for his 12th goal in 2023-24. 

     Florida(39-16-4) answered back with 7:06 remaining in the first and tied the contest 1-1. Sam Bennett scored his 14th goal this season on a snap shot. Nick Cousins and Brandon Montour were credited with assists on the play. 

     The Cats would take the lead 2-1 on a power-play goal with 4:24 left in the period. Matthew Tkachuk compiled his 21st goal of the season on a wrist shot with assists from Carter Verhaeghe and Montour. 

     Both teams were unable to score during the second period. It became a two-goal margin for the Panthers at 9:41 of the third. Montour snapped a shot for a five-on-three power-play goal and gave him his third point of the game. Tkachuk and Sam Reinhart had the assists with the man advantage. 

     The Sabres responded quickly and closed the gap to 3-2 with 7:16 to go in the third. Rasmus Dahlin took a shot and it was deflected in by Tage Thompson for his 17th goal of the campaign. 

Heat Ease By Kings

     The Miami Heat passed by the Sacramento Kings 121-110 at Golden 1 Center on Monday night. The Heat, who have won eight of their last 10 games, continued their road trip against Western Conference foes. Miami has been victorious in five consecutive road games. 

     Sacramento(33-24) had a slight lead 33-32 at the end of one quarter. Miami(32-25) moved by their opponent in the second quarter and had a 65-62 lead at halftime. 

     The Heat outscored the Kings 36-19 in the third quarter and were ahead 101-81. The Kings went on a major run in the middle stage of the fourth quarter and trailed 110-108 with 3:42 remaining. Miami had a 11-2 spurt in the final three minutes of the contest. 

     Bam Adebayo compiled a double-double with 28 points and 10 rebounds for Miami. Jaime Jacquez Jr. dropped in 26 points while Kevin Love added 19 points. Caleb Martin was able to score 16 points in the victory.

     Domantas Sabonis led Sacramento with 14 points, 14 rebounds and 10 assists for a triple-double. It was his 41st consecutive game with at least a double-double, which is the fourth longest in the league since the NBA-ABA merger in 1976. 

Garrett Cooper Heading To Cubs

     Garrett Cooper is expected to sign a to minor league deal with Chicago Cubs. He split his time last season with the Miami Marlins and the San Diego Padres. 

     Cooper was with the Marlins from 2018 until 2023. He chalked up 52 home runs, 201 runs batted in and a .269 batting average in 427 games with Miami. 

Inter Miami CF Draws With LA Galaxy

     It was the first road game for Inter Miami CF in 2024 as they tied LA Galaxy 1-1 at Dignity Health Sports Park on Sunday night. Inter Miami CF is one of two clubs that have played two Major League Soccer regular season games so far this year. LA Galaxy is one of the original 10 MLS clubs that began in 1996. 

     Both teams have faced each other only once in a Major League Soccer contest. LA Galaxy topped Inter Miami CF 3-2 in the season opener back in Apiol 2021. Inter Miami CF was scheduled to play their first home game in franchise history against LA Galaxy in March 2020, however COVID-19 had that contest postponed.  

     Neither team was able to score in the opening 45 minutes. In the second half, LA Galaxy(0-0-1) took a 1-0 lead during the 75th minute on a goal by Dejan Joveljic. Lionel Messi evened it up 1-1 for Inter Miami CF(1-0-1) in stoppage time with his first goal of the season. 

Dolphins Releasing Ogbah & Howard

     The Miami Dolphins are releasing two defensive players from their roster. They are defensive lineman Emmanuel Ogbah and cornerback Xavien Howard. The Fins needed to make cuts due to being over the upcoming 2024 salary cap ceiling. 

     Ogbah has been with the Dolphins since the 2020 season. He participated in 57 contests during his four-season reign with the club. 

     Howard had the longest tenure with Miami, among current players on the roster, going back to the 2016 campaign. He played in 100 games with the Dolphins and had 29 interceptions. Howard was tied for the league lead with seven interceptions in 2018 and led the NFL with 10 interceptions during 2020. 

Panthers Edge Capitals

     The Florida Panthers got by the Washington Capitals 3-2 in overtime at Amerant Bank Arena on Saturday night. Both teams met each other in the same venue just 16 days ago. Alexander Ovechkin, who had his 10-game point streak snapped, played in his 1,400 NHL game. 

     After a scoreless first frame, Florida(38-16-4) was able to get in front 1-0 at the 4:03 mark of the second period. Nick Cousins marked his third goal of the year when he tipped in the puck following a slap shot by Dmitry Kulikov from the right point.

     Washington(26-21-9) matched it on the power play with 1:29 remaining in the second. Sonny Milano compiled his sixth goal of the campaign on a wrist shot from the right of the crease.

     The Capitals moved in front 2-1 with the man advantage at 10:11 of the third period. Tom Wilson carried the puck in through the right circle and backhanded a shot from the top of the crease by Anthony Stolarz for his 13th tally of the season. 

     The Cats evened it up 2-2 on power-play goal with 3:30 left in the third. Carter Verhaeghe snapped a shot from the high slot and Aleksander Barkov collected his 13th goal this season as he redirected it from the crease area. 

     The Panthers completed the comeback victory 3:41 into overtime. Sam Bennett fed a diagonal pass from above the left circle and Gustav Forsling blasted a one-time slap shot from the low right circle for his ninth goal in 2023-24.

Peyton Burdick Lands With White Sox

     Peyton Burdick has been claimed off waivers by the Chicago White Sox from the Baltimore Orioles. He was traded by the Miami Marlins to the Orioles for cash on February 14. 

     Burdick spent two seasons in the majors with the Marlins. He compiled five home runs, 13 runs batted in and .200 batting average in 46 contests over a two-year period. 

West Palm Beach Ratings January 2024

     The radio ratings were released for West Palm Beach area sports talk radio stations. The time period was from the first week in January to the last week in January. 

     Fox Sports 640 South Florida WMEN-AM rose from a 0.5 to a 0.7 in the month. Florida Atlantic University continued to remain in the top 25 among men's basketball teams. 

     Sports Radio 1230 The Gambler WBZT-AM stayed at a 0.4 tor the second straight period. The Florida Panthers got rolling with an eight-game road winning streak and were victorious in four straight contests prior to the NHL All-Star Game break. 

Brian Anderson Inks With Mariners

     Brian Anderson has signed a minor league contract with the Seattle Mariners. He is in their spring training camp in Arizona trying to make the Diamondbacks roster. 

     Anderson played his first six seasons with the Miami Marlins from 2017 until 2022. He chalked up 57 home runs, 233 runs batted in and a .256 batting average over 531 games with the club. He spent last season with the Milwaukee Brewers. 

Joy Taylor Launches New Podcast

     Former Miami sports radio host Joy Taylor will be soon launching a new podcast. She will co-host the Two Personal podcast with Taylor Rooks. Taylor is no stranger to podcast work will her hosting Maybe I'm Crazy podcast for several years. 

     Taylor began her professional broadcasting career with 560 WQAM-AM. She jumped over to the morning show at Sports Talk 790 The Ticket WAXY-AM as an on-air talent. 

     She went to the national stage as the moderator of Undisputed at Fox Sports 1. She was elevated to sports anchor and on-air sidekick for The Herd With Colin Cowherd simulcast on Fox Sports Radio and Fox Sports 1. Taylor was promoted on television to the studio co-host position of Speak For Yourself, which was later renamed Speak. 

Heat Hold Off Pelicans

     The Miami Heat knocked off the New Orleans Pelicans 106-95 on Friday night at Smoothie King Center. The Heat are in the middle of six-game road trip and will stay on the road for the remainder of February. It was the first contest for Miami since the NBA All-Star Game break. 

     Miami(31-25) came out of the gates with a 12-4 spurt and had a 31-24 lead at the end of the first quarter. Both teams were tied 58-58 at the midway point. 

     New Orleans(34-23) was still behind 84-80 after three quarters. The Heat stayed in front of the Pelicans during the final quarter. 

     Bam Adebayo led Miami with a club-high 24 points and seven rebounds. Jimmy Butler fell short of a double-double with 23 points, nine rebounds and six assists. Duncan Robinson added 17 points while Tyler Herro scored 15 points. Zion Williamson ended up with 23 points, nine rebounds and seven assists for New Orleans. 

Hurricanes Break Panthers

     The Florida Panthers failed to tie an NHL record with their 12th consecutive road win as they were defeated by the Carolina Hurricanes 1-0 at PNC Arena on Thursday night. The Panthers were unable to share the record for consecutive road victories with the 2005-06 Detroit Red Wings and the 2014-15 Minnesota Wild. The Cats last road loss was in Calgary on December 18. 

     The previous time Florida(37-16-4) and Carolina(34-17-5) met at this venue was in the 2023 Eastern Conference Finals. The Panthers won Game 1 in four overtimes and Game 2 in overtime. 

     The Canes stopped a five-game losing streak to the Cats which included playoff games. The last time the Hurricanes beat the Panthers was during the 2022-23 regular season finale in Sunrise where they clinched the Metropolitan Division title. 

     The first period and second period were scoreless between both teams. The Hurricanes scored with 18.9 seconds left in the third for a 1-0 lead. Sebastian Aho snapped a shot from the inner right circle past Sergei Bobrovsky for his 21st goal of the season. Andrei Svechnikov and Jesper Fast were both credited with assists on the play. 

Canadiens Claim Colin White

     Former Florida Panthers center Colin White has been claimed off waivers by the Montreal Canadiens. He participated in 11 contests for the Pittsburgh Penguins this season and had no points. 

      Following his six seasons with the Ottawa Senators, White played last season with the Panthers and helped them win the Eastern Conference title. He compiled eight goals and seven points for 15 points in 69 games with Florida in 2022-23. 

Marlins Signing Tim Anderson

     The Miami Marlins will be signing shortstop Tim Anderson. It is expected to be a one-year contract worth $5 million. 

     Anderson has played his entire eight-season MLB career with the Chicago White Sox. He had a .735 OPS, .282 batting average, 98 home runs and 338 runs batted in during 895 games with that franchise. He led Major League Baseball with a .335 batting average back in 2019. 

Miami Ratings January 2024

     The ratings were issued for Miami/Fort Lauderdale sports talk radio stations. The time span went from the first week of January to the final week of January. 

     AM 560 Sports WQAM-AM remained the same with a 1.2. The Miami Heat snapped a seven-game losing streak at the end of the period. It was their longest losing streak since 2007. The Florida Panthers had won four straight games and eight consecutive road games by the end of the month. They held second place in the Atlantic Division and the Eastern Conference heading into the NHL All-Star Game break. 

     Fox Sports 940 WINZ-AM has been consistent and stayed at a 0.5 for the fourth straight month. The Miami Dolphins lost the AFC East Division title to the Buffalo Bills in their final regular season game. The Fins were eliminated by the Super Bowl champions the Kansas City Chiefs during the postseason in the following week. 

     Fox Sports 640 South Florida WMEN-AM saw an increase from a 0.1 to a 0.2 in the month. The Florida Atlantic University men's basketball team were still in the top 25. 

     The WQAM stream was in the ratings for the third straight period with the same results. It ended up being a 0.1 with the audience on electronic devices. 

Kelley Bydlon At VSIN

     Former West Palm Beach radio producer Kelley Bydlon continues as a VSIN Sunday afternoon co-host for that organization. The Hardware Handicappers podcast he co-hosted has been eliminated. VSIN can be heard locally in South Florida on Sports Radio 1230 The Gambler WBZT-AM. 

     Bydon joined ESPN Radio 760 WEFL-AM as an intern in 2009. He was elevated to a producer position and later moved over to sister-station ESPN West Palm 106.3 WUUB-FM in February 2013. He left for VSIN and became a producer in September 2018. 

Inter Miami CF New Stadium Name

     There is a new naming rights partnership for the soccer venue that Inter Miami CF plays their home games in Fort Lauderdale. The new name of the facility is Chase Stadium. 

     It has been known as DRV PNK Stadium since April 2021. Inter Miami CF has held their home contests at that stadium since their inaugural season in 2020. 

     Inter Miami CF has seen their brand become international compared to all the other Major League Soccer teams. They have signed some of the most recognized international players which included Lionel Messi, Jordi Alba, Sergio Busquets and Luis Suarez in the past nine months. 

Inter Miami CF Wins Season Opener

     Inter Miami CF was victorious in their season opener 2-0 over Real Salt Lake at Chase Stadium in Fort Lauderdale on Wednesday night. Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez, Jordi Alba and Sergio Busquets played in their first season-opening contest for the team. 

     It was the first Major League Soccer game to be played during the 2024 regular season. It was earliest date that Inter Miami CF has begun a regular season. Inter Miami CF opened up their fifth MLS season in franchise history. 

     In the first half, Inter Miami CF scored their first goal of the season during the 39th minute. Robert Taylor was able to give them a 1-0 lead on a right-footed shot from 15 yards away. Messi got his first assist of the 2024 season. 

     Diego Gomez made it 2-0 in the 83rd minute. Suarez was able to collect his first Major League Soccer assist with his new club. 

Eric Hosmer Retires

     Former American Heritage High School baseball player Eric Hosmer has retired. He has launched MoonBall Media and will become the Diggin' Deep podcast host. 

     Hosmer broke into the majors with the Kansas City Royals. He led them to World Series championship in 2015 and two American League titles in 2014 and 2015. 

     After being with the Royals from 2011 until 2017, he played for the San Diego Padres from 2018 to 2022. He finished his MLB career last season with the Chicago Cubs. 

Joe Philbin Joining Raiders

     Former Miami Dolphins head coach Joe Philbin will be joining the coaching staff of the Las Vegas Raiders. He will become the senior offensive assistant with them. Philbin spent the 2023 season as an offensive analyst with Ohio State University. 

     Philbin was the head coach of the Miami Dolphins from 2012 until 2015. He finished with a 26-30 record with the Fins. 

Lucas Wallmark Staying In Switzerland

     Former Florida Panthers center Lucas Wallmark will end up remaining in Switzerland. He signed a contract extension several days ago with Fribourg-Gotteron through the 2026-27 season. 

     Wallmark had two different stints with Florida being acquired during the 2019-20 season and the 2020-21 season. He only had one goal and one assist in 11 games with the Panthers. 

Panthers Topple Senators

     The Florida Panthers dropped the Ottawa Senators 3-2 in overitme on Tuesday night at Amerant Bank Arena. It was the Panthers only home contest in a five-game stretch. The Cats regained first place in the Atlantic Division and the Eastern Conference. 

     Florida(37-15-4) rocketed out to a 1-0 advantage just 17 seconds into the game. Aaron Ekblad made a give-and-go pass with Carter Verhaeghe on the right wing. Ekblad lifted a snap shot from the inner right circle for his fourth goal of the year. Sam Reinhart collected a secondary assist on the play. 

     The Panthers increased it to 2-0 with 2:59 remaining in the second period. Brandon Montour got his fourth goal of the campaign when he released a wrist shot from the slot area. 

     In the third period, Ottawa(23-27-3) closed it to 2-1 at the 5:36 mark. Thomas Chabot snapped a shot from the inner left circle by Sergei Bobrovsky for his third tally in 2023-24.   

     The Senators were able to tie it 2-2 at 8:46 of the third. Tim Stutzle scored his 14th goal this season on a backhand shot. Former Panther Claude Giroux and Chabot picked up assists on the tally. 

     The Cats won the contest 1:35 into overtime. Tkachuk made a drop pass in the top left circle. Anton Lundell skated with the puck through the left circle and then roofed a wrist shot from below the left circle for his eighth goal of the season. 

Matthew Tkachuk NHL Third Star Of The Week

     Florida Panthers right wing Matthew Tkachuk was named the National Hockey League Third Star of the Week. The time period was from February 12 to February 18. He also was the Third Star of the Week earlier this season back in late January. 

     Tkachuk had three goals and five assists during three games. The Panthers took first place in the Atlantic Division and the Eastern Conference for the first time this season as they leaped over the Boston Bruins. 

Marlins Position Players At Spring Training

     The Miami Marlins 2024 spring training camp at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium in Jupiter geared up more on Tuesday. All position players on their roster reported and participated. 

     The Marlins will begin their spring training schedule on Saturday at home. They will be challenged by their co-stadium associates the St. Louis Cardinals. 

Kaleb Ort Traded To Orioles

     Kaleb Ort has been dealt by the Philadelphia Phillies to the Baltimore Orioles for cash considerations. The Orioles then designated for assignment Peyton Burdick, who was recently acquired in a trade from the Miami Marlins. 

     Ort never played a contest with the Marlins. He moved on to his fifth team since the end of the 2023 season. Ort has spent time with the Boston Red Sox, Seattle Mariners, Miami Marlins, Philadelphia Phillies and Baltimore Orioles in the last four months. 

Alexander Petrovic Returns To NHL

     Former Florida Panthers defenseman Alexander Petrovic returned to the National Hockey League on Monday when the Dallas Stars took on the Boston Bruins. Petrovic has not played in an NHL contest since February 16, 2019 with the Edmonton Oilers. 

     Petrovic was with the Panthers during his first seven seasons in the NHL from 2012-13 until 2018-19. He had five goals and 44 assists for 49 points in 254 games with Florida. 

NHL All-Star Game & Olympics Same Year

     The National Hockey League announced that the 2026 NHL All-Star Game would be held in Long Island at UBS Arena. The last time the New York Islanders hosted the event was in 1983 at Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum.

     The unusual circumstance will be the top NHL players participating in the 2026 Winter Olympics and the 2026 NHL All-Star Game in the same year. It has happened only twice before in 1998 and 2002. 

Delon Wright Heading to Heat

     The Miami Heat have signed guard Delon Wright to a contract. His contract was bought out by the Washington Wizards and waived by the club on Friday. 

     He has played for seven different teams during his nine-season NBA career. He spent the last two seasons with the Wizards. He compiled 4.3 points per game and 2.5 assists per game this season. 

Kyle Lowry WIth Sixers

     Former Miami Heat guard Kyle Lowry is now with the Philadelphia 76ers. He was waived by the Charlotte Hornets on February 11 and signed with the Sixers on Tuesday. The Heat traded him to the Hornets for Terry Rozier back on January 23. 

     Lowry was with the Heat from 2021-22 until last month. He helped Miami win the Eastern Conference title last season. Lowry did capture an NBA championship with the Toronto Raptors in 2018-19. 

Austin Brice Moves To Phillies

     Former Miami Marlins pitcher Austin Brice has signed a minor league contract with the Philadelphia Phillies. He will be invited to the Phillies spring training camp in Clearwater. 

     Brice broke into the majors with the Miami Marlins during the 2016 season. He made 15 relief appearances that year and had a 0-1 record with a 7.07 earned run average. 

2024 NBA All-Star Game

     The 2024 NBA All-Star Game was held at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis on Sunday night. The Eastern Conference defeated the Western Conference 211-186.

     It was the first time since that the format of the contest was conference versus conference since 2017. The NBA had used a player draft and named the two squads after two of the top players in the league.

     Miami Heat center Bam Adebayo was a starting player for the Eastern Conference team. He finished with three points, two rebounds and two assists in 17 minutes. 

Jaime Jacquez Jr. In Slam Dunk Contest

     The National Basketball Association held their annual slam dunk contest on Saturday night at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. It was part of NBA All-Star Game weekend. 

     Jaime Jacquez Jr. of the Miami Heat was one of the four participants in the slam dunk contest. He was eliminated after the first round of the event. Jacquez received a 47.4 on his first dunk and a 46.8 on his second dunk. Mac McClung of the Osceola Magic topped Jaylen Brown of the Boston Celtics in the final round to capture the slam dunk contest title for the second straight year. 

Panthers Pour On Lightning

     The Florida Panthers finished up a three-game road trip versus the Tampa Bay Lightning at Amalie Arena on Saturday night with a 9-2 blowout win. The Panthers have won 11 consecutive road games and return home against the Ottawa Senators on Tuesday. The Cats are alone on top of the Atlantic Division and Eastern Conference standings for the first time this season.

     The Lightning struck quickly just 24 seconds into the game and led 1-0. Anthony Cirelli sent a diagonal backhand pass from his own blue line. Brandon Hagel carried through the left circle and scored his 20th goal this season on a wrist shot from the crease area past Sergei Bobrovsky. 

     Florida(36-15-4) evened it up 1-1 at the 7:01 mark. Sam Bennett won the faceoff in the right circle and Brandon Montour fired a high slap shot from the right point by Andrei Vasilevskiy for his third goal of the year. 

     The Panthers got to the lead 2-1 with 7:32 left in the first. Dmitry Kulikov saved the puck from leaving the offensive zone. Matthew Tkachuk angled a pass from the high slot and Bennett snapped a shot from the right-circle dot for his 12th goal of the campaign.

     It became 3-1 for the Cats with 2:16 to go in the opening frame. Josh Mahura ripped the puck around the boards from the red line. Ryan Lomberg pushed it from the left corner and Kevin Stenlund put in his ninth tally this season on a snap shot from the inner left circle. 

     Tampa Bay(30-21-5) surrendered another goal with 1:25 remaining and trailed 4-1. Gustav Forsling released a forehand shot from the left wing and collected his eighth goal in 2023-24. 

     Florida scored 23 seconds into the second period with the man advantage and had a four-goal margin. Aleksander Barkov passed it from the top right circle ahead to Tkachuk at the right goal line. He attempted cross-ice pass went off a defender and into the Bolts cage. The Panthers have scored a power-play goal in 10 straight contests which tied a franchise record set in 2018. 

     The Cats expanded it to 6-1 on another power-play tally at the 1:37 mark of the second. Montour made a square pass at the top of the zone. Carter Verhaeghe took a snap shot from the left point that was deflected in by Tkachuk from the top of the crease for his second goal of the game and 20th goal of the season. 

     Verhaeghe added two more goals and Bennett picked up his second tally of game for the Panthers during the third period for a 9-1 advantage. Brayden Point helped the Bolts as he chalked up his 27th goal this season on a backhand shot with 9:09 left in the third and made it 9-2. 

Jaime Jacquez Jr. In Rising Stars Game

     The 2024 Panini Rising Stars tournament was held in Indianapolis on Friday night. Team Detlef defeated Team Pau 41-25 in the second semifinal contest. 

     Miami Heat player Jaime Jacquez Jr. represented the organization and played for Team Pau. He ended up with six points and three assists in almost 10 minutes of play. 

Jason Jackson & Jorge Sedano At NBA All-Star Game

     Two longtime Miami media personalities will be broadcasting this weekend in Indianapolis during the NBA All-Star Game weekend festivities. They are Jason Jackson and Jorge Sedano. 

     Jackson is the current Miami Heat radio play-by-play announcer and television studio host. He will be the SiriusXM Radio play-by-play announcer for the NBA HBCU Classic between Virginia Union and Winston-Salem State. 

     Sedano is an NBA television play-by-play announcer for ESPN. In addition, he co-hosts an afternoon show with Scott Kaplan at KSPN-AM in Los Angeles. Sedano will work as an ESPN Radio sideline reporter for the NBA All-Star Game. 

Marlins Spring Training Begins

     The Miami Marlins spring training camp began on Thursday at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium. Only pitchers and catchers reported in. 

     The rest of the players on their roster will report in a couple of days. The Marlins spring training schedule will begin on February 24 with their first game against their co-tenants the St. Louis Cardinals. 

Inter Miami CF Ties Newell's Old Boys

     Inter Miami CF played their final preseason game and got a 1-1 draw with Club Athletico Newell's Old Boys at DRV PNK Stadium on Thursday night. It completed the worldwide seven-game preseason slate for the team. Newell's Old Boys is the club that Lionel Messi played for as a youth. 

     The Major League Soccer season for Inter Miami CF will start on February 21. They will host Real Salt Lake. It will be the first regular season game to be played in the entire league this year. Inter Miami CF will begin their fifth season in MLS and Messi will participate in his first full season with the team. 

Panthers Ice Down Sabres

     The Florida Panthers extended their road winning streak to 10 games as they beat the Buffalo Sabres 4-0 at KeyBank Center on Thursday night. The Cats will complete their three-game road trip on Saturday at the Tampa Bay Lightning. Anthony Stolarz got his first shutout in a Panthers uniform. 

     The Cats are tied with the Bruins for first place in the Atlantic Division and the Eastern Conference. The Panthers are ahead of them based on the ROW tiebreaker. 

     Florida(35-15-4) scored first at the 9:26 mark of the opening period. Aleksander Barkov stole the puck in the right corner and fed a backhand pass from the right goal line. Carter Verhaeghe placed in his 27th goal of the season on a snap shot from the top of the crease. 

     The Panthers added to their lead 2-0 with 2:44 to go in the second period. Gustav Forsling zipped a pass from the left wing. Matthew Tkachuk snapped a shot from the left point and it went off the body of Anton Lundell at the top of the crease for his seventh tally of the year. 

     Buffalo(23-26-4) pulled their goalie for an extra skater with 2:11 remaining in the third period. Verhaeghe scored his second goal of the game of the contest and 28th goal this season into an empty net with 1:33 left for a 3-0 lead. Sam Reinhart picked up an assist against his former team on the play. 

     It became 4-0 for the Panthers on a power-play goal with 10.2 seconds to go. Lundell won a faceoff in the left circle. Forsling blasted a slap shot from the left point and Ryan Lomberg put in the rebound from the crease area for his fourth tally of the season. 

Sam Madison Gone From Dolphins

     Former Miami Dolphins defensive back Sam Madison will not return to the Dolphins coaching staff for the 2024 NFL season. Renaldo Hill also will not be retained as a coach with the team. 

     Madison played 138 games for the Miami Dolphins from 1997 to 2005 and compiled 31 interceptions. He landed with the New York Giants, played there for three seasons and won Super Bowl XLII.  

     He was the cornerbacks coach with the Kansas City Chiefs from 2019 to 2021. That team did win Super Bowl LIV. Madison joined the Dolphins coaching staff in 2022 as a cornerbacks coach and pass game specialist. 

     Hill had a 10-year career in the National Football League. He spent three seasons with the Miami Dolphins as a defensive back from 2006 to 2008. 

Panthers Roll By Penguins

     The Florida Panthers drove by the Pittsburgh Penguins 5-2 at PPG Paints Arena on Wednesday night. The Panthers won their ninth consecutive game on the road. 

     The Panthers started a three-game road swing and will play four of their next five contests away. The Cats and the Pens met each in the same venue less than three weeks ago. 

     Neither team scored during the opening frame. Pittsburgh(23-19-7) had a Rickard Rakell goal disallowed at 2:32 of the second due to a high-stick pass by Lars Eller. 

     Florida(33-15-4) took a 1-0 lead at the 4:28 mark of the second period. Gustav Forsling made an outlet pass from deep in his own defensive zone. Matthew Tkachuk made a give-and-go pass with Evan Rodrigues in the slot area. Tkachuk put in a one-time forehand shot from the left side of the crease. 

     The Panthers had a 2-0 lead just 36 seconds later. Kevin Stenlund connected a pass from the left corner to Brandon Montour at the right point. His slap shot was redirected in by Johan Gadjovich from the top of the crease for his second tally of the year. 

     It became 3-0 for the Cats with the man advantage at the 8:27 mark. Rodrigues steered the puck from the end wall and Tkachuk angled a pass from the low left circle. Aaron Ekblad snapped a shot from the right circle for his third goal in 2023-24. 

     Florida increased it to a four-goal margin with 6:58 left in the frame. Nick Cousins sent a long lead pass from inside his own blue line. Tkachuk made a diagonal pass from the top right circle and Anton Lundell put in a wrist shot from the left of the crease for his fifth goal this season. Tkachuk compiled his third assist of the contest on that play.

     The Penguins broke the shutout with 4:36 remaining in the second. Sidney Crosby connected pass from the end wall. Chad Ruhwedel fired a shot from the top of the zone which was blocked. Jake Guentzel made a turnaround wrist shot from the high slot which got by Sergei Bobrovsky for his 23rd goal of the season. 

     In the third period, Florida made it 5-1 at 5:35. Lundell scored his second tally of the game and sixth goal this season when his shot from the left circle went off the skate of Marcus Pettersson high in the air and into the Penguins cage. 

     The Penguins cut it to 5-2 at the 6:07 mark of the third. John Ludvig burned his former team with his first NHL goal on a wrist shot from the right circle. 

Motor Racing Network Adds WAFC-AM

     Motor Racing Network has added 10 new terrestrial radio affiliates beginning with the 2024 Daytona 500 on Sunday. One of their new radio affiliates is 590 WAFC-AM in Clewiston. Fox Sports 940 WINZ-AM is their Miami affiliate. 

     WAFC-AM has sports programming with their broadcasts of Clewiston Tigers high school football over many decades. Clewiston is no stranger to auto racing with their longtime dirt track at Hendry County Motorsports Park. 

Peyton Burdick Dealt To Orioles

     The Miami Marlins have traded outfielder Peyton Burdick to the Baltimore Orioles for cash. The Fish designated Burdick for assignment several days ago. 

     Burdick spent two seasons in the majors with Miami and participated in 46 games. He had five home runs, 13 runs batted in and a .200 batting average during his two-year tenure. 

Heat Hold Off Sixers

     The Miami Heat got by the Philadelphia 76ers 109-104 on Wednesday night at Wells Fargo Center. The Heat and the Sixers played their final game before the NBA All-Star Game break. Miami has won six of their last eight games. 

     Both clubs were tied 33-33 after one quarter. They stayed close to each other during the second quarter and Philadelphia(32-22) led 62-60 at halftime. 

     Miami(30-25) kept up and had an 83-82 advantage at the end of the third quarter. The Heat pulled a 20-8 spurt midway in the fourth quarter to outlast the Sixers.

     Tyler Herro scored 23 for Miami. Bam Adebayo added a double-double of 23 points and 14 rebounds while Duncan Robinson placed in 20 points. Haywood Highsmith came off the bench with 16 points.     

     New 76ers player Buddy Hield got 22 points and 10 assists for a double-double. Tyrese Maxey drained in 30 points and Paul Reed composed a double-double of 18 points and 12 rebounds. 

Marlins Sign Curt Casali

     Curt Casali has signed a minor league contract with the Miami Marlins. He will be at the Marlins spring training camp in Jupiter later this week. 

     Casali has played in the majors for the past 10 seasons. He spent last season with the Cincinnati Reds. Casali had 11 home runs, 23 runs batted in and a .175 batting average in 40 contests last year. 

Yonny Chirinos Goes To Marlins

     The Miami Marlins have inked pitcher Yonny Chirinos to a minor league contract. He will be invited to the Marlins spring training camp which begins on Thursday. 

     Chirinos split his time last season with the Tampa Bay Rays and the Atlanta Braves. He had a 5-5 record in 20 appearances during 2023. 

Kaleb Ort Off To Phillies

     Miami Marlins pitcher Kaleb Ort was claimed off waivers by the Philadelphia Phillies. He was designated for assignment by the Fish recently. 

     Ort never put on a Marlins uniform. He played all of his three MLB seasons with the Boston Red Sox from 2021 to 2023. Ort was claimed by the Seattle Mariners on October 13 and then by the Miami Marlins on December 1. 

Heat Race By Bucks

     The Miami Heat went from wire-to-wire over the Milwaukee Bucks 123-97 at Fiserv Forum on Tuesday night. The Heat began a long six-game road trip with the NBA All-Star Game break infringing on it. 

     Miami(29-25) ran out to a 15-5 lead to begin the contest and led 40-28 at the end of the first quarter. Milwaukee(35-20) found themselves in a hole and trailed 69-52 at halftime. 

     The Heat continued to roll and were ahead 98-76 after three quarters. Miami maintained at least a 20-point margin throughout the final quarter. 

     Bam Adebayo led the Heat with a triple-double of 16 points, 12 rebounds and 11 assists. Nikola Jovic scored 24 points while Duncan Robinson poured in 23 points. Tyler Herro and Kevin Love both added 19 points each in the victory. 

     Giannis Antetokounmpo compiled a team-high 23 points along with 11 rebounds for the Bucks. Damian Lillard, Bobby Portis and Michael Beasley each had 16 points each. 

Marlins Lose Jordan Groshans

     The New York Yankees have claimed third baseman Jordan Groshans off waivers from the Miami Marlins. He was designated for assignment by the Marlins on February 6.

     Groshans made the Marlins major league roster during the 2022 season. He participated in 17 games and chalked up a .262 batting average with one home run and two runs batted in for Miami. 

Jorge Soler Signing With Giants

     Former Miami Marlins outfielder/designated hitter Jorge Soler has agreed to a deal with the San Francisco Giants. It is a three-year contract worth $42 million. 

     Soler played the last two seasons with Marlins. He ended up with 36 home runs, 75 runs batted in, .250 batting average and an .853 OPS last season with Miami. Soler won the World Series with the Chicago Cubs in 2016 and the Atlanta Braves in 2021. 

Venezuela Wins Caribbean Series

     Venezuela shut out Dominican Republic 3-0 in the Caribbean Series title game at loanDepot park on Friday night. Venezuela captured their eighth Caribbean Series championship. It was the first time that the Caribbean Series was held at a Major League Baseball stadium in the United States. 

     Former Miami Marlins manager Ozzie Guillen was able to manage Venezuela to the 2024 title. He became the second manager to guide teams to a World Series title and a Caribbean Series title. Guillen won the 2005 World Series with the Chicago White Sox. Tommy Lasorda won the Caribbean Series with Dominican Republic in 1973 and the World Series with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1981 and 1988. 

Miami Marlins Acquire Nick Gordon

     The Miami Marlins swung another deal with the Minnesota Twins on Sunday. The Marlins acquired utility player Nick Gordon for left-handed pitcher Steven Okert. 

     Gordon has played his entire three-year MLB career with the Twins. He lost his arbitration hearing to that club on Saturday. Gordon chalked up 15 home runs, 83 runs batted in and a .250 batting average in 243 games played with Minnesota. 

Paul Mason On National Program Director List

     Former South Florida radio program director Paul Mason was listed among the top 25 sports radio program directors in smaller sized media markets during 2023. Barrett Sports Media made the announcement last week. 

     Mason finished in sixth place over the past year. He ended up 13th in 2020, 16th in 2021 and fourth place in 2022. 

     He was the program director for WMEN-AM and WFTL-AM from March 2017 to April 2020. He is currently the program director for 104.3 The Zone WGFX-FM in Nashville. 

New West Palm Beach Stadium Name

     The spring training facility shared by the Houston Astros and the Washington Nationals in West Palm Beach has a new name. It will now be known as the CATCI Park of the Palm Beaches. Singer and CATCI Hard Seltzer owner Travis Scott recently purchased the naming rights to the venue. 

     The Astros and the Nationals have held spring training in Palm Beach County since 2017. The facility was previously known as FITTEAM Park of the Palm Beaches. Both teams will begin their 2024 spring training camps on Wednesday. 

No Local Stations On National Sports Stations List

     The top 25 sports talk radio stations in United States was issued by Barrett Sports Media. It turned out that none of the local radio stations appeared in 2023. 

     South Florida sports radio stations have rarely ended up among the top 25 in America since this was introduced in 2016. 560 WQAM-AM ended up in 19th place in 2017 and in 25th place during 2022. 

Local Wins Super Bowl

     One former local player captured a Super Bowl championship on Sunday. The Kansas City Chiefs defeated the San Francisco 49ers 25-22 in overtime in Super Bowl LVIII at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas on Sunday. 

     The Kansas City Chiefs had safety Deon Bush. He once played for the Columbus Explorers in high school football and the University of Miami Hurricanes in college football. 

Tua Tagovailoa In Super Bowl Commercial

     Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa was part of a commercial during the Super Bowl LVIII broadcast on CBS Sunday. He appeared in a Paramount+ commercial. 

     Star Trek actor Patrick Stewart was the primary person in the commercial. It was aired following the Usher halftime performance at 8:40 p.m.

Messi And Marino In Super Bowl Commercial

     Several Miami athletes appeared in a commercial together during the first quarter of the Super Bowl broadcast on CBS. They were Lionel Messi of Inter Miami CF and Dan Marino of the Miami Dolphins. 

     Both Miami players showed up during a Michelob Ultra beer one-minute commercial. Ted Lasso actor Jason Sudeikis also made an appearance in the commercial. It was aired on CBS at 7:06 p.m. 

Celtics Supreme Over Heat

     The Boston Celtics downed the Miami Heat 110-106 at Kaseya Center on Super Bowl Sunday. The Heat completed a four-game homestand and played their final home contest before the NBA All-Star Game break. The Celtics have the best record in the National Basketball Association. 

     Boston(41-12) held a 26-22 advantage at the end of one quarter. The C's kept the momentum and were up 59-50 at halftime. 

     Miami(28-25) attempted to make a comeback and were down 86-79 at the end of the third quarter. The Celtics were able to hold off the Heat down the final stretch of the fourth quarter. 

     Tyler Herro composed a team-high 24 points for Miami. Bam Adebayo got a double-double of 22 points and 13 rebounds. Caleb Martin and Duncan Robinson both added 15 points each. Terry Rozier dropped in 13 points. 

     Jayson Tatum led Boston as he fell short of a double-double with 26 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists. Jaylen Brown contributed 20 points and nine rebounds. Kristaps Porzingis put together 25 points and nine rebounds. 

Sedano & Kaplan On Afternoon Show List

     Former Miami radio talent Jorge Sedano and Scott Kaplan showed up again last week in the Barrett Sports Media annual list of the top 25 local afternoon sports talk programs. They have co-hosted a show together at KSPN-AM in Los Angeles since February 2021. 

     Both rose up in the local afternoon show category to 12th place in 2023. They finished 19th in 2021 and 20th in 2022. 

     Sedano had Miami radio stints at 1700 The Fan WAFN-AM, Fox Sports Radio 940 WINZ-AM, News Radio 610 WIOD-AM, Sports Talk 790 The Ticket WAXY-AM and Sports Radio 560 WQAM-AM from 1999 until 2013. Kaplan was on 560 WQAM-AM and CBS Sportsline in the late 1990s. 

Panthers Rock Avalanche

     Sergei Bobrovsky collected his 41st career shutout as the Florida Panthers blanked the Colorado Avalanche 4-0 at Amerant Bank Arena on Saturday night. The Panthers, who concluded a three-game homestand following the NHL All-Star Game break, closed to three points behind the Boston Bruins for first place in the Atlantic Division. The Avalanche are near the top of the Central Division.

     It was just the second time in franchise history that the Panthers swept the Avalanche in a season series. The only other time was back in 2016-17. 

     Panthers head coach Paul Maurice passed Ken Hitchcock for fifth all-time in NHL history with his 850th career win. Bobrovsky improved his record to 11-1-1 since December 23. 

     Florida(33-15-4) got a pair of power-play goals during the first period for a 2-0 lead. They made it 1-0 with 9:41 left in the first. Matthew Tkachuk passed the puck from the right goal line to Aleksander Barkov on the right wing. He sent a diagonal pass to the top of the crease and Carter Verhaeghe backhanded it in from the blue paint on second shot attempt for his 26th goal of the season. 

     It became a two-goal margin for the Cats with 3:04 remaining in the frame. Barkov connected a pass from behind the Avs cage to Tkachuk in the right circle. He centered it and Sam Reinhart smashed a one-time slap shot from the slot area by Alexandar Georgiev for his 39th goal this season. 

     In the second period, the Panthers struck again with 2:08 to go for a 3-0 lead. Dmitry Kulikov released a shot from the right point that was deflected and saved. Eetu Luostarinen nailed a slap shot from the low slot for his second straight game with a tally and 10th goal of the campaign. 

     Colorado(32-17-4) trailed 4-0 at the 9:20 mark of the third period. They turned over the puck deep in their own end as it was poked away by Verhaeghe. Barkov skated across the crease area and placed in a wrist shot from the left of the crease for his 12th goal in 2023-24. 

Marlins Trade For Darren McCaughan

     The Seattle Mariners have traded pitcher Darren McCaughan to the Miami Marlins for cash considerations. McCaughan was designated for assignment by the Mariners off their 40-man roster on Wednesday. 

     McCaughan participated with the Mariners during the 2021 and 2023 regular seasons. He made two appearances in 2021 and three relief appearances last year. 

National Signing Day Dade County 2024

     It was national signing day in Dade County on Wednesday. Many of the top high school football recruits from that area had made their decisions on early national signing day back in December. 

     One of the highly recognized football players was Miami Central quarterback J.C. Evans. He ended up selecting James Madison University to play college football. 

Andre Johnson & Devin Hester In Pro Football Hall Of Fame

     Two former University of Miami Hurricanes players have been elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. They are wide receiver Andre Johnson and return specialist Devin Hester. Both players will be inducted on August 3 in Canton, Ohio. 

     Johnson was first known in South Florida playing for the Miami Senior Stingarees while in high school. He moved on to the University of Miami and contributed to the Hurricanes winning their fifth and last national title in 2001. He played his first 12 NFL seasons with the Houston Texans. Johnson had 1,062 catches for 14,185 and 70 touchdowns during his NFL career. 

     Hester played high school football with the Suncoast Chargers. He was with the Canes from 2003 to 2005. Hester was most known for playing with the Chicago Bears from 2006 until 2013. He has the NFL record with 20 return touchdowns along with 14 punt return touchdowns. His six return touchdowns in 2007 is tied for the single-season record. 

Jason McCourty Working Super Bowl

     Former Miami Dolphins defensive back Jason McCourty will be part of the Westwood One radio broadcast of Super Bowl LVIII between the San Francisco 49ers and the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday. He will co-host the Super Bowl Insider one-hour show with his twin brother Devin McCourty and Scott Graham at 3 p.m.

     McCourty played his final season in the National Football League with the Dolphins in 2021. He participated in seven games and had 21 total tackles for Miami. McCourty did win a Super Bowl with the New England Patriots in 2018.

Len Weiner On National Program Director List

     Barrett Sports Media released the top 25 local program directors of sports stations in the United States. One local South Florida representative did appear. 

     AM 560 Sports WQAM-AM program director Len Weiner ended up in 21st place for 2023. He finished 25th in 2018, 21st in 2019, 21st in 2020, 20th in 2021 and 22nd in 2022. 

Panthers Shake Capitals

     The Florida Panthers eased by the Washington Capitals 4-2 on Thursday night at Amerant Bank Arena. The Panthers got their first playoff series win in 26 years during the 2022 Eastern Conference Quarterfinals against the Capitals. Paul Maurice tied Ken Hitchcock for fifth all-time with his 849th NHL head coaching victory. 

     In the first period, Washington(22-20-7) converted on the power play with 3:22 remaining. Connor McMichael fed the puck out from the slot area. Rasmus Sandin angled a pass from the top of the zone and Alex Ovechkin blasted a one-time slap shot from the left circle by Sergei Bobrovsky for just his 11th goal this season. It was Ovechkin's 833rd career goal in the National Hockey League. It is 61 goals behind Wayne Gretzky for the NHL all-time record. 

     Florida(32-15-4) tied it 1-1 at the 4:29 mark of the second period. Gustav Forsling released a shot from the left point and it went off the right skate of Matthew Tkachuk at the top of the crease past Darcy Kuemper for his 17th goal of the season. 

     The Capitals reclaimed the lead 2-1 with 5:57 to go in the second. Aliaksei Protas made a square pass from the left point. Former Panther Michael Sgarbossa sent the puck ahead from the top left circle and Anthony Mantha tipped in a backhand shot from the crease area for his 16th goal of the campaign. 

     It became 2-2 with 2:28 left in the frame as the Panthers scored a power-play goal. Carter Verhaeghe whipped a pass from the left corner to Tkachuk on the left point. His shot was deflected in by Sam Reinhart from the top of crease for his 38th goal of the season. It was the 21st power-play goal of the campaign for Reinhart. 

     The Cats took a 3-2 lead with 5:32 left in the third period. Dmitry Kulikov passed from the left goal line and Ryan Lomberg got his third goal of the season on a snap shot from the high slot. 

     The Panthers capped the victory 4-2 with an empty-net goal by Eetu Luostarinen from the high slot with 53.1 seconds remaining in the contest. Tkachuk was credited with the only assist on the play for his third point of the game. 

National Signing Day Broward County 2024

     Broward County had their national signing day. Most of the high profiled high school football players inked their national letters of intent back in December during early national signing day. 

National Signing Day Palm Beach County 2024

     It was national signing day for athletes in Palm Beach County. This area has been more well known for high school football players to sign their national letters of intent in February than on early national signing day in December. 

     Jupiter quarterback Luke Douglas decided on Florida State University. He will be joining edge defender Amaree Williams of Benjamin, who made his choice back on Saturday. 

     Palm Beach Central had Mikey Gayle sign with Cornell University and Isaias Sauceda moves to Saint Vincent College. Atlantic's Oneil Shearer and Norris Brinkley went with St. Thomas University while Jadarius Patterson selected Edward Waters University and Cedric Rolle choose Lincoln University. 

     Cardinal Newman had four football players sign their national letters of intent. Braden Chisholm goes to the University of South Florida, Luke Warnock moves to Bentley University, Taylor Montgomery is off to Warner University and Ta'Narie Locust remains local at Keiser University. Bobby T. Smith of Boynton Beach will head for Johnson C. Smith University. Derrick Williams Jr. of Santaluces decided on Concord University. 

Kelly Olynyk Traded To Raptors

     Former Miami Heat center Kelly Olynyk has been traded by the Utah Jazz to the Toronto Raptors in a four-player deal. He was with the Jazz for the past two seasons. 

     Olynyk once played on the Heat for four seasons from 2017-18 until 2020-21. He helped Miami win the 2020 Eastern Conference title. Olynyk participated in 265 contests with the Heat and compiled 10 points per game and 5.2 rebounds per game. 

Hochman & Crowder On Afternoon Sports Show List

     Barrett Sports Media issued the top 25 local afternoon sports shows in America. Marc Hochman and Channing Crowder from AM 560 Sports WQAM-AM appeared on that list again at 17th place in 2023. 

     Hochman & Crowder have shown up on the list several times in recent years. They ended up in 19th place in 2017, 25th in 2020, 22nd in 2021 and 25th in 2022.

Nick Saban Joins ESPN

     ESPN has hired former college football coach Nick Saban. He will mainly work as a studio game analyst on ESPN College GameDay on Saturday late mornings. 

     Saban was the Miami Dolphins head coach for two seasons in 2005 and 2006. He ended up with a 15-17 record with the team. 

     He guided his teams to a record seven national college football championships. Saban won the national title with LSU in 2003. He captured six national championships with Alabama in 2009, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2017 and 2020. 

Heat Wipe Down Spurs

     The Miami Heat played at home for the second straight day and picked up a 116-104 win over the San Antoinio Spurs on Wednesday night at Kaseya Center. The Heat will conclude their four-game homestand versus the Boston Celtics. 

     The Spurs have the worst record in the Western Conference this season. San Antonio will not finish with a winning record in 2023-24 following their defeat tonight. 

     Miami(28-24) moved out to a 32-31 lead after one quarter. It was a low-scoring second quarter as the Heat were ahead 53-51 at halftime. San Antonio(10-41) got to the lead early in the third quarter, but they still trailed 78-77 at the end of the frame. The Heat scooted out on a 14-4 spurt to start the final quarter. 

     Jimmy Butler accomplished a triple-double with 17 points, 11 assists and 11 rebounds for Miami. Tyler Herro had 24 points and seven assists while Bam Adebayo placed in 20 points. Victor Wembenyama finished with 18 points and 13 rebounds for the San Antonio. 

National Signing Day 2024

     It was national signing day in South Florida on Wednesday. High school athletes in Dade County, Broward County and Palm Beach County made their announcements where they will attend college. 

     National signing day is held on the first Wednesday in February. It does not have the buzz as it had prior to February 2017 when early national signing day did not exist. Early national signing day was introduced and implemented in December 2017. 

Declan Cronin Claimed By Marlins

     The Miami Marlins have claimed pitcher Declan Cronin off waivers from the Houston Astros. He was designated for assignment by the Astros last week. 

     Cronin broke into the majors last season with the Chicago White Sox and had nine relief appearances. He was taken off waivers by the Astros back on January 4. 

Vissel Kobe Kick By Inter Miami CF

     Vissel Kobe edged Inter Miami CF 0-0 on penalty kicks at Japan National Stadium in Tokyo on Wednesday. It was a 0-0 tie after 90 minutes of regulation time and Vissel Kobe was victorious 4-3 in penalty kicks.

     Lionel Messi came in for Inter Miami CF and played the entire second half. He did not participate in the shootout. Messi was held out in their previous preseason game on Sunday in China against the Hong Kong All-Stars. 

     Inter Miami CF have one more game left on their preseason schedule. They will host Club Athletico Newell's Old Boys at DRV PNK Stadium in Fort Lauderdale on February 15. 

Jonah Bride Traded To Marlins

     The Oakland A's have traded infielder Jonah Bride to the Miami Marlins for cash. He was placed on the Marlins 40-man roster. 

     Bride played with the A's in 2022 and 2023. He had one home run, 13 runs batted in and a .192 batting average in 98 games while in Oakland. 

Heat Speed By Magic

     The Miami Heat rolled by the Orlando Magic 121-95 at Kaseya Center on Tuesday night. The Heat, who continued their four-game homestand, are now tied with the Magic for seventh place in the Eastern Conference standings. 

     Miami(27-24) broke out to a 26-19 lead at the end of the first quarter. The Heat went on a 22-9 run to start the second quarter and led 56-49 at halftime. Orlando(27-24) fell off the pace during the second half and trailed 96-75 after three quarters. 

     Jimmy Butler piled on 23 points, eight assists and eight rebounds for Miami. Terry Rozier contributed 18 points and seven assists. Bam Adebayo and Tyler Herro both added 14 points each. Paulo Banchero led the Magic with 23 points, nine rebounds and seven assists. 

Flyers Slug Panthers

     The Florida Panthers fell to the Philadelphia Flyers 2-1 at Amerant Bank Arena on Tuesday night. It was the Panthers and the Flyers first contests since the NHL All-Star Game break. 

     The Cats lost their first game in regulation time after scoring first. Their mark in those occasions is 20-1-4. 

     Florida(31-15-4) roared out to a 1-0 lead with the man advantage at the 9:22 mark of the opening period. Carter Verhaeghe carried the puck from above the left circle and placed in a wrist shot from the left-circle dot past Samuel Ersson for his 25th goal of the campaign. 

     Philadelphia(26-19-6) was able to tie it 1-1 with 6:27 remaining in the second period. Sean Walker sent a long pass from his own end and it was touched by Joel Farabee at the Panthers blue line. Travis Konecny got his 23rd goal this season when he raced through the slot area alone and flicked a forehand shot from the top of the crease by Anthony Stolarz. 

     In the third period, the Flyers moved ahead 2-1 at 2:35. Gustav Forsling turned the puck over on a cross-ice diagonal pass in his own zone. Noah Cates skated with the puck from the high slot to the crease area and scored his second tally of the year on a wrist shot. 

Joe Barry New Dolphins Linebackers Coach

     The Miami Dolphins are expected to name Joe Barry as their new linebackers coach. He will join the staff under defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver. 

     Barry spent the past three seasons as the defensive coordinator of the Green Bay Packers. He held the defensive coordinator position with the Detroit Lions from 2007 to 2008 and the Washington Commanders from 2015 to 2016. 

Jhonny Pereda Heads To Marlins

     The Miami Marlins looked to expand their catcher position. They have inked Jhonny Pereda to a minor league contract and he will attend the Marlins spring training camp in Jupiter. 

     Pereda has not played one game in the majors. He spent his time last season in the minors in Louisville and compiled a .325 batting average along with six home runs and 36 runs batted in during 67 contests. 

Joe Rose On Local Morning Sports Show List

     Joe Rose of AM 560 Sports WQAM-AM showed up in the top 25 of local sports radio morning shows in the United States by Barrett Sports Media. He appeared on the list for the eighth consecutive year. 

     Rose landed in 20th place for 2023. It was the first complete year that the program did not have Zach Krantz aboard and just had Danny "Hollywood" Rabinowitz as his on-air sidekick. Rose had previously finished in 18th in 2016, 16th in 2017, 24th in 2018, 22nd in 2019, 23rd in 2020, 22nd in 2021 and 21st in 2022. 

Ex Local Talent On National Talk Show List

     Barrett Sports Media began to roll out their top 25 lists for 2023. Several former South Florida sports talk hosts appeared on the national sports talk show list. 

     The ESPN morning program Unsportsmanlike with Evan Cohen, Michelle Smallmon and Chris Canty finished in ninth place. Cohen worked at ESPN Radio 760 WEFL-AM from 2003 to February 2013 and then was at ESPN West Palm 106.3 WUUB-FM from February 2013 until December 2022. He hosted the morning show on Mad Dog Radio at SiriusXM Radio from 2016 to 2023. Cohen has co-hosted Unsportsmanlike since September 2023. 

     Amber and Ian, the ESPN evening show, with Amber Wilson and Ian Fitzsimmons ended up in 13th place. Wilson was associated with Sports Talk 790 The Ticket WAXY-AM as a morning co-host with Jonathan Zaslow and Brendan Tobin from early 2016 to August 2019 and then as a midday co-host with Zaslow from August 2019 to June 2021. She worked as a fill-in host and weekend host at ESPN Radio for several years until being promoted to evening co-host in January 2023. 

     Damon Amendolara showed up with his new morning show The DA Show with Babchik on Mad Dog Radio at SiriusXM Radio. He was ranked in 19th place with his new program that started in October 2023. Amendolara was the late night host and weekend host on 560 WQAM-AM from early 2008 to August 2009. He was employed at CBS Sports Radio Network from January 2013 until September 2023. 

Clippers Cruise By Heat

     The Los Angeles Clippers passed by the Miami Heat 103-95 at Kaseya Center on Sunday night. The Heat, who had their two-game winning streak stopped, began a four-game homestand. Miami has lost five of the last six home games.

     The Clippers have won 25 of their last 30 games. They remain one of the top three teams in the Western Conference standings. 

     Miami(26-24) scored the first four points of the contest and had a 13-3 spurt to begin the game. The Heat had a 22-19 advantage after one quarter. Los Angeles(33-15) finally got the lead early in the second quarter and were tied with Miami 43-43 at halftime. 

     The Clippers had a slight lead 69-67 at the end of the third quarter. Los Angeles made a 22-11 run at the start of the final quarter. 

     Bam Adebayo easily had a double-double for the Heat with 14 points along with 13 rebounds. Jimmy Butler added a team-high 21 points in the defeat. Terry Rozier delivered 17 points and seven rebounds. Josh Richardson was able to pump in 14 points and Caleb Martin came off the bench with 11 points. 

     Kawhi Leonard carried the Clippers with his third double-double of the season as he compiled 25 points and 11 rebounds. James Harden contributed 21 points, 11 assists and eight rebounds for his 15th double-double of the 2023-24 campaign. Paul George dropped in 15 points while Norman Powell placed in 16 points. Russell Westbook was held to just five points. 

Inter Miami CF Can Hong Kong All-Stars

     Inter Miami CF continued their preseason schedule with a 4-1 victory over the Hong Kong All-Stars on Sunday in China. They will next play in Japan on Wednesday. 

     It was the first preseason win for Inter Miami CF in their seven-game preseason slate. Lionel Messi did not participate in the contest. 

2024 NHL All-Star Game Final

     Team McDavid lost to Team Matthews 7-4 in the final contest of the 2024 NHL All-Star Game in Toronto at Scotiabank Arena on Saturday. The Florida Panthers were represented by center Sam Reinhart and goalie Sergei Bobrovsky on Team McDavid. The winning 11 players from Team Matthews split the $1 million prize. 

     Bobrovsky started and played the first period for Team McDavid. Clayton Keller gave Team Matthews a 1-0 lead at the 7:41 mark of the first period on a forehand shot. Boone Jenner tied it up 1-1 for Team McDavid on snap shot with 4:52 to go in the first. 

     It became 2-1 for Team Matthews with 2:49 remaining in the period. Mitch Marner poked the puck in from the blue paint. David Pastrnak evened it 2-2 when he snapped a shot from the slot area with 1:52 left in the first. 

     Matthews helped his club when he scored five seconds later on a breakaway and made it 3-2. Leon Draisaitl of Team McDavid would make it 3-3 on a backhand shot from the top of the crease with 1:34 left in the frame. Bobrovsky was replaced in net by Connor Hellebuyck at the conclusion of the first period. 

     In the second period, Team Mathews regained the lead 4-3 at 1:06. Filip Forsberg snapped a shot from the inner right circle. It became a two-goal margin 5-3 for Team Matthews at the 4:59 mark of the second when Auston Matthews blasted a one-time slap shot from the right circle on a cross-ice feed from Keller. 

     Team McDavid tried to pull their goalie for an extra skater like they did in their comeback semifinal victory. It did not work as Andrew DeBrincat placed the puck into an empty net from the blue line with 1:51 remaining for a 6-3 lead. 

     It was cut to 6-4 by Team McDavid with 1:26 to go when Tomas Hertl scored on a backhand shot from the left of the crease. Mathew Barzal would give Team Matthews a 7-4 advantage with 1:05 left in the second on a one-time forehand shot from the low left circle. 

2024 NHL All-Star Game Semifinals

     The 2024 NHL All-Star Game was held on Saturday at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto. Four different drafted teams were involved with three-on-three play in two semifinals games and one final contest. 

     Team McDavid came from behind to top Team MacKinnon 4-3 with a shootout in the first semifinal contest. The first period ended up tied at 1-1 between both squads.

     Florida Panthers goalie Sergei Bobrovsky entered the game for Team McDavid for the start of the second period. He surrendered a goal to Oliver Bjorkstrand with 4:09 left in the second and they trailed 2-1. Nathan MacKinnon raced through the defense and chipped a backhand shot by Bobrovsky from the top of the crease with 3:15 remaining and Team MacKinnon led 3-1. 

     Team McDavid pulled their goalie for an extra attacker. David Pastrnak snapped a shot from the slot area with 31.5 seconds to go. They did it again as Connor McDavid put it in from the right of the crease with 5.4 seconds left to even it up 3-3. 

     In the shootout, McDavid scored on the team's first attempt and Pastrnak converted on their third attempt past Jeremy Swayman for the victory. Bobrovsky was able to stop Sidney Crosby and MacKinnon. 

     Panthers center Sam Reinhart had no points, one shot and a +2 rating in the first contest. He shared a line with Robert Thomas of the St. Louis Blues and Rasmus Dahlin of the Buffalo Sabres. 

     The second semifinal involved the Toronto Maple Leafs stacked Team Matthews against Team Hughes. It turned out that Team Matthews won 6-5 in a shootout. Former Panther Frank Vatrano compiled two goals for Team Hughes. 

Miami Dolphins Hiring Anthony Weaver

     The Miami Dolphins will be hiring Anthony Weaver as their new defensive coordinator. He ends up replacing Vic Fangio, who had the position for one season. 

     Weaver was the defensive line coach of the Baltimore Ravens this past season. The Ravens finished with the best record and top playoff seed in the American Football Conference. They were eliminated by the Kansas City Chiefs earlier this week in the AFC Championship Game. 

Joe Girardi Rejoins YES Network

     Former Florida Marlins manager Joe Girardi has rejoined YES Network. He will work as a television game analyst on New York Yankees telecasts for the 2024 season. He previously was at YES Network in 2004 and 2007. Girardi was a studio game analyst and game analyst of Chicago Cubs contests on Marquee Sports Network during 2023.

     Girardi managed the Marlins in 2006 with a 78-84 record. He was named the National League Manager of the Year that season after he was fired by the team. Girardi was later the New York Yankees manager from 2008 until 2017 and the Philadelphia Phillies manager from 2020 to 2022. 

Teddy Bridgewater New Miami Northwestern Head Coach

     Former National Football League quarterback Teddy Bridgewater has been named the new head coach of the Miami Northwestern Bulls. Bridgewater played high school football with the Bulls and led them to the 2008 Class 6A state championship game.  

     He attended the University of Louisville. Bridgewater was drafted by the Minnesota Vikings in 2014. He did play in five games for the Miami Dolphins in 2022. 

No 2025 NHL All-Star Game

     The National Hockey League will not hold the annual All-Star Game in 2025. The last time this happened was back in 2021 because of the shortened 2020-21 season due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

     The NHL will instead hold a 4 Nations Face-off tournament involving their players next February. The countries will be the United States, Canada, Finland and Sweden. It will be a round-robin schedule with a 3-2-1-0 international point system with the top two teams facing each other in a championship game. 

NHL Players Return To Winter Olympics

     The players in the National Hockey League will return to play in the Winter Olympics. It has been agreed between the NHL and the NHLPA that the players will participate in the next two Olympics in 2026 in Italy and 2030 in an undetermined site. 

     The NHL players last played in the Olympics back in 2014. National Hockey League players were used in the 1998, 2002, 2006, 2010 and 2014 Winter Olympics. 

Heat Wash Out Wizards

     The Miami Heat knocked off the Washington Wizards 110-102 on Friday night at Captial One Arena. It was the Heat's only road contest in a seven-game stretch. The Wizards have the second worst record in the NBA. 

     Washington(9-39) scooted out to a 7-2 lead and had a 33-31 lead at the end of one quarter. The Wizards were ahead 59-56 at halftime. 

     Miami(26-23) got on a 23-6 run at the end of the third quarter and moved ahead 87-74. The Heat remained in front and were challenged in the final two minutes of the final quarter. 

     Jimmy Butler fell short of a double-double with 24 points and nine rebounds. Bam Adebayo did have a double-double with 20 points and 14 rebounds. Tyler Herro and Terry Rozier added 15 points each. Kevin Love finished with a double-double of 13 points and 10 rebounds. 

     The Wizards were led by Corey Kispert with a club-high 26 points and Jordan Poole had 16 points and 10 assists for a double-double. 

Bam Adebayo In NBA All-Star Game

     Miami Heat center Bam Adebayo has been named an Eastern Conference reserve player for the upcoming 2024 NBA All-Star Game. The contest will be held in Indianapolis on February 18. 

     Adebayo has been with the Heat since the 2017-18 season. He has compiled 20.6 points per game and 10.6 rebounds per game in 38 games during the 2023-24 campaign with Miami. 

Nationals Ink Richard Bleier

     The Washington Nationals have signed former Miami Marlins relief pitcher Richard Bleier to a minor league contract. He was with the Boston Red Sox last season.  

     Bleier played for the Marlins from 2020 until 2022. He ended up with a 6-5 record with a 3.16 earned run average in 142 appearances with the Fish. 

Al-Nassr Wallops Inter Miami CF

     The rivalry between two of the best players in world soccer history did not happen as Inter Miami CF was shut out by Al-Nassr 6-0 at Kingdom Arena Stadium in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on Thursday. 

     Cristiano Ronaldo of Al-Nassr did not participate due to an injury. Lionel Messi of Inter Miami CF played in the last six minutes of the game. 

     It was the fourth game of the seven-game preseason schedule for Inter Miami CF. They will play their next contest in China. 

NHL All-Star Game Draft

     The 2024 NHL All-Star Game Draft was held at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto on Thursday. There will not be teams by their four different teams for this year's event. 

     Connor McDavid chose two Florida Panthers players for his Team McDavid roster. He selected center Sam Reinhart in the fifth round and goalie Sergei Bobrovsky in the sixth round.  

     Two other former Panthers will also play in the contest. Vincent Trocheck of the New York Rangers is with Team Mathews while Frank Vatrano of the Anaheim Ducks joins Team Hughes. 

Jazz Chisholm Jr. Loses Arbitration

     The Miami Marlins won the arbitration hearing against outfielder Jazz Chisholm Jr. He will make $2.625 million in 2024. Chisholm was asking for $2.9 million at the arbitration hearing. 

     Chisholm played in 97 games during the 2023 season and helped them reach the postseason. He compiled 19 home runs, 51 runs batted in and a .250 batting average.