West Palm Beach Ratings October 2024

     The West Palm Beach region were issued the ratings for sports talk radio stations. The time frame was from the second week of September to the second week of October. 

     Both local competitors were even for the first time since July. They tied for the seventh time since July 2023 and the fourth occasion since March 2024. 

     Fox Sports 640 South Florida WMEN-AM stayed at a 0.4 for the fifth consecutive month. The Florida Atlantic University Owls football team started with a 2-3 record. They were heading into their second contest in American Athletic Conference play. 

     Sports Radio 1290 The Gambler WBZT-AM rose to a 0.4 after two months at a 0.2. The University of Florida Gators football team began their 2024 campaign with a 3-2 record. The Miami Marlins finished 62-100 for the second-worst record in the National League during the 2024 season. 

Ken LaVicka & Rick Horrow Joins WMEN-AM

     Fox Sports 640 South Florida WMEN-AM has added a weekly show beginning today. Ken LaVicka, Rick Horrow and Ken Kennerly started hosting a Wednesday one-hour show named The Sports Business and Golf Boardroom from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. 

     LaVicka is the current radio play-by-play announcer of football and men's basketball for the Florida Atlantic University Owls. He recently finished off a 17-year tenure with crosstown Good Karma Brands West Palm Beach and ESPN West Palm 106.3 WUUB-FM in April. LaVicka has co-hosted a podcast with Zach Krantz since May and hosted his own podcast Florida Atlantic Voice since June. 

     Horrow, known as the Sports Professor, has been associated with analyzing sports business deals. He has hosted programs on WPEC-TV Channel 12, Bloomberg Television and various regional sports networks. Horrow has done segments on SportsGrid TV with former Miami sports talk host Scott Ferrall.

     Kennerly is the most unknown of the three co-hosts with no broadcasting experience. He currently is the executive director of PGA Tour Pro Football Hall of Fame Invitational. Kennerly once held the same position at the Honda Classic in Palm Beach Gardens. 

Knicks Erase Heat

     The Miami Heat lost to the New York Knicks 116-107 at Kaseya Center on Wednesday night. The Heat conclude a short two-game homestand. 

     Miami(2-2) bounced out to a 32-26 lead at the end of the first quarter. The Heat held a 58-52 advantage by halftime. 

     New York(2-2) trailed by 13 points early in the third quarter and then scored 11 consecutive points to get close. They were ahead 87-80 at the conclusion of the third. The Knicks led throughout the entire final quarter. 

     Miami got a club-high 35 points from Tyler Herro. Terry Rozier dropped in !6 points while Jimmy Butler added 14 points. Bame Adebayo was able to score 11 points.

     Karl-Anthony Towns compiled a double-double with a game-high 44 points along with 13 rebounds for New York. Mikal Bridges was able to contribute 17 points while Jalen Brunson had 22 points. 

Miami Ratings October 2024

     The Miami/Fort Lauderdale region received the ratings for sports talk radio stations. The time span went from the second week in September to the second week in October. 

     AM 560 Sports WQAM-AM increased from a 1.5 to a 1.6 in the period. The University of Miami Hurricanes football team remained undefeated six games into the season and had entered Atlantic Coast Conference contests. Inter Miami CF clinched the MLS Supporters' Shield with the best record during the regular season in Major League Soccer. The Florida Panthers opened up their regular season as the defending Stanley Cup champions by raising their first Stanley Cup championship banner in their season opener. 

     Fox Sports 940 WINZ-AM moved to a 0.6 following two months at a 0.7. The Miami Dolphins slacked off with three straight losses following a season-opening victory. The Miami Marlins finished with the second-worst record in the National League and the third-worst record in Major League Baseball at 62-100. The University of Florida Gators football team had a 3-2 record five games into the regular season. 

     Fox Sports 640 South Florida WMEN-AM dropped from a 0.5 to a 0.2 in the month losing more than half of their audience. The Florida Atlantic University Owls football team started off with a 2-3 record before beginning their American Athletic Conference schedule. 

     The WQAM streaming saw it remain at a 0.1 for the second straight time. WZTU-FM-HD2 changed from three months of a 0.1 to a 0.0. WKIS-FM-HD2 showed up for the first time with a 0.1 this month. 

Heat Drive By Pistons

     The Miami Heat downed the Detroit Pistons 106-98 on Monday night at Kaseya Center. The Heat held a halftime ceremony honoring Dwyane Wade by naming a street Dwyane Wade Boulevard. 

     Detroit(0-4) had a slight 30-28 lead at the conclusion of the first quarter. Miami(2-1) outscored their opponent 36-23 during the second quarter and led 64-53 at halftime. 

     The Pistons pulled ahead 79-78 by the end of the third quarter. The Heat went on a 12-3 run to begin the final quarter and never relinquished the lead again. 

     Jimmy Butler ended up with a team-high 23 points along with seven assists for Miami. Terry Rozier had 20 points and Tyler Herro added 19 points. Bam Adebayo collected a double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds. 

     Cade Cunningham dropped in a game-high 24 points for Detroit. Tim Hardaway Jr. was able to score 20 points for them. 

Panthers Pass By Sabres

     The Florida Panthers froze the Buffalo Sabres 5-2 at KeyBank Center on Monday night. Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov made his return to the lineup and missing the past eight games. The Panthers will play their next two games in Finland against the Dallas Stars in the 2024 NHL Global Series. 

     In the first period, Florida(7-3-1) started off ahead 1-0 with 8:59 left. Eetu Luostarinen sent a long diagonal pass from his own zone. Anton Lundell made a square pass as he entered the Sabres zone and Jesper Boqvist placed in a wrist shot from the inner left circle by Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen for his second tally of the year. 

     It became 2-0 for the Cats on the power play just 55 seconds later. Carter Verhaeghe tapped a pass from the left point ahead to Barkov. He carried it to the end wall and connected a blind backhand pass to the middle. Sam Reinhart snapped a shot from the top of the crease for his seventh goal of the season. 

     Buffalo(4-5-1) made it 2-1 with the man advantage at 10:45 of the second period. J.J. Peterka centered the puck from the right wing. Tage Thompson floated a one-time shot from the high slot. Jason Zucker batted in the puck from the right of the crease for his second goal in a Sabres jersey. 

     The Sabres tied it up 2-2 with 7:23 left in the second. Owen Power stopped the puck and passed from the left point. Rasmus Dahlin collected his first goal this year on a forehand shot from the low slot by Sergei Bobrovsky. 

     The Panthers reclaimed the lead 3-2 with 3:16 remaining in the period. Sam Bennett angled a pass to his right from the top of the zone and a Matthew Tkachuk shot from the right-circle dot was saved. Verhaeghe put in the rebound on a wrist shot from the crease area for his second goal this season. 

     Florida expanded their lead to 4-2 with 5:25 left in the third period. Bennett released a wrist shot for a power-play goal. Nate Schmidt had the only assist on the tally. 

     Barkov later chalked up his first goal in 2024-25 as he snapped a shot from the top right circle with 4:17 to go in the contest. Reinhart and Gustav Forsling were credited with assists on the play. 

Homestead-Miami Speedway NASCAR Races

     Homestead-Miami Speedway held their annual NASCAR circuit races this weekend. There were two racing events on Saturday and one race on Sunday at the venue.  

     Grant Enfinger was victorious in the Baptist Health 200 for the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. Austin Hill was the winner in the Credit One NASCAR AMEX Credit Card 300 on the NASCAR Xfinity Series yesterday. 

     Tyler Reddick was able to capture the Straight Talk Wireless 400 in the NASCAR Cup Series today. He clinched a Championship 4 spot and has a chance to become the NASCAR Cup Series champion in a couple of weeks. 

Dolphins Edged By Cardinals

     The Arizona Cardinals slipped by the Miami Dolphins 28-27 at Hard Rock Stadium on Sunday. Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa participated in the game for the first time since Week 2. 

     Miami(2-5) scooted out to a 10-0 lead in the opening quarter. Running back Raheem Mostert busted up the middle from one yard away at the 10:17 mark. Jason Sanders later kicked a 53-yard field goal with 1:16 to go in the first. 

     Arizona(4-4) cut it to 10-7 at 11:28 of the second quarter. Quarterback Kyler Murray tossed a six-yard pass to wide receiver Michael Wilson on the left side. The Fins made it 13-7 with 15 seconds left in the first half on a 25-yard field goal by Sanders. 

     In the third quarter, the Cards pulled to 13-10 with a Chad Ryland 57-yard field goal at the 11:43 mark. The Fins extended it to 20-10 at 8:31 when Tagovailoa threw a 12-yard touchdown pass to running back De'Von Achane in the back right corner of the end zone. 

     The rest of the quarter was controlled by the Cards. They picked up a safety with 6:15 to go and then Murray fired a 22-yard strike to wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. on the right sideline with 2:08 remaining in the third. Running back James Conner scored on a two-point conversion run to make it 20-18.

     The Dolphins increased it to 27-18 at 12:22 of the fourth quarter. Mostert reached the end zone again on a run to the right side from six yards out.  

     Arizona stayed in striking distance 27-25 with a two-yard touchdown run by Conner with 8:47 left in the fourth. Ryland would kick a 34-yard field goal with no time remaining in the regulation for the 28-27 victory. 

Hurricanes Rip Through Florida State

     The University of Miami Hurricanes took the Florida State University Seminoles 36-14 at Hard Rock Stadium on Saturday night. It was the renewal of their yearly rivalry between both teams. 

     Miami(8-0, 4-0) had a 7-0 advantage at the end of the first quarter. The Hurricanes got a touchdown early in the second quarter and Florida State(1-7, 1-6) matched it during the middle of the frame. The U added a field goal with no time remaining in the second for a 17-7 halftime lead. 

     The Hurricanes scored 19 unanswered points in the second half. They collected two field goals in the third quarter and led 23-7. The Canes reached the end zone twice in the final quarter for a 36-7 lead. The Seminoles picked up a meaningless touchdown with 18 seconds remaining in the contest and trailed 36-14. 

Panthers Power By Islanders

     The Florida Panthers outdueled the New York Islanders 6-3 at UBS Arena on Saturday night. The Panthers continued their long road swing. 

     New York(3-3-2) scored the first three goals of the contest during the first period for a 3-0 advantage. The Cats cut it to 3-1 later in the frame. 

     Florida(6-3-1) would continue their momentum as they stringed six unanswered goals. The Panthers had two goals in the second period and three goals in the third period. 

Heat Harass Hornets

     The Miami Heat knocked off the Charlotte Hornets 114-106 on Saturday night at Spectrum Center. It was the first road contest for the Heat this season. It turned out to be the Hornets home opener in 2024-25. 

     Both clubs were tied 23-23 at the end of the first quarter. Miami(1-1) outscored their opponent 33-25 during the second quarter for a 56-48 halftime lead. 

     The Heat increased their lead to 83-72 after three quarters. Charlotte(1-2) outpaced the Heat 34-31 in the final quarter and were down 114-106.

     Jimmy Butler led the Heat with 26 points. eight assists and eight rebounds. Tyler Herro compiled 22 points while Terry Rozier added 19 points. LaMelo Ball chalked 27 points, eight rebounds and seven assists for the Hornets.                                    

Inter Miami CF Take Atlanta United FC In Game 1

     Inter Miami CF pushed by Atlanta United FC 2-1 in Game 1 of the MLS Cup Eastern Conference Quarterfinals on Friday night at Chase Stadium in Fort Lauderdale. Game 2 will be played in Atlanta eight days from now. Lionel Messi and his former FC Barcelona teammates Luis Suarez, Jordi Alba and Sergio Busquets played in their first Major League Soccer postseason game. 

     In the first half, Inter Miami CF raced out to a 1-0 lead just two minutes into the contest when Suarez scored on a right-footed shot from nine yards away. Atlanta United FC evened it up 1-1 as Saba Lobjanidze lifted a seven-yard shot with his left foot in the 39th minute. 

     The Herons regained the lead 2-1 during the 60th minute. Alba blasted a left-footed shot from 29 yards off an assist from Messi. 

St. Thomas Aquinas Upset By American Heritage

     The St. Thomas Aquinas Raiders fell to the American Heritage Patriots 42-38 at Simmons Family Field in Fort Lauderdale on Friday night. It was a battle between two Broward County high school football powerhouses. Both teams concluded their regular seasons.

     St. Thomas Aquinas(7-3) was defeated for the second time in the last three weeks. STA is off next week and will try to capture their sixth consecutive FHSAA state championship when they begin another playoff run beginning in two weeks. American Heritage(5-4) might have vaulted themselves into the FHSAA Playoffs with a victory over the Raiders.

     The Patriots were able to get out to a 14-11 lead by the end of the first quarter and they had a 21-17 advantage at halftime. The Raiders leaped over their opponent and led 31-28 at the conclusion of the third quarter. The Pats outscored STA 14-7 during the final quarter and took a 42-38 lead. 

Chaminade-Madonna Smashes Cardinal Gibbons

     The Chaminade-Madonna Lions bashed the Cardinal Gibbons Chiefs 62-17 at Vince Zappone Field in Hollywood on Friday night. Both teams are expected to patriciate in the FHSAA Playoffs. 

     Chaminade-Madonna(8-2) will attempt to win their fourth straight FHSAA state title in the postseason starting two weeks from now. Cardinal Gibbons(5-3) will travel to the Miramar Patriots next week to conclude their regular season. 

Dillard Blanks Boynton Beach

     The Dillard Panthers shut out the Boynton Beach Tigers 23-0 in Palm Beach County on Thursday nigh in a District 14-4A clash. The Panthers bounced back from their Soul Bowl loss to the Blanche Ely Tigers five days ago. 

     Boynton Beach(3-6, 1-3) surrendered a safety during the second half and trailed 2-0 at halftime. Dillard(5-2, 3-0) scored three touchdowns in the third quarter for a 23-0 lead. 

     The Panthers return home to Fort Lauderdale and challenge the Deerfield Beach Bucks in a week. The Tigers host the Lake Worth Trojans next week. 

Craig Minervini On Panthers Broadcasts

     Craig Minervini appeared on a Florida Panthers telecast for the first time this season. He worked as a studio host alongside Ed Jovanovski at FanDuel Sports Network studios in Plantation. 

     Minervini was not named to the Panthers television crew for the upcoming season. Jessica Blaylock was the studio host for the first seven regular season games. Katie Engleson was moved from rinkside reporter to studio host during their last game at home against the Minnesota Wild on Tuesday night. 

Sergei Bobrovsky 400th Win & Panthers Stop Rangers

     Sergei Bobrovsky collected his 400th career NHL win as the Florida Panthers beat the New York Rangers 3-1 at Madison Square Garden on Thursday night. Bobrovsky became the 14th goalie in National Hockey League history to reach the 400-win plateau. He is the fastest to accomplish it in 707 regular season games. 

     It was a rematch of last year's Eastern Conference Finals between both teams. The Blueshirts entered this contest undefeated after six games. 

     The Panthers began a long road trip that will include two games to be played in Europe. Florida will have their next home contest in Sunrise on November 7.  

     Florida(5-3-1) rocketed out to a 1-0 lead just 44 seconds into the contest. Eetu Luostarinen poked the puck ahead and Sam Reinhart made a centering pass from the right wing. Anton Lundell snapped a shot from the low slot past Igor Shesterkin for his fifth goal of the season. 

     The Panthers expanded their lead to 2-0 at 2:42 mark. Gustav Forsling stopped the puck on the left point and kicked it to his right. Carter Verhaeghe then released a snap shot from the left-circle dot for his first tally of the year. 

     New York(5-1-1) got on the scoreboard at 4:44 and closed it to 2-1. Adam Fox connected a pass from the right wing and Alexis Lafreniere backhanded a shot from the top of the crease by Bobrovsky for his fourth goal of the campaign. 

     In the second period, the Cats increased it to 3-1 at 6:59. Dmitry Kulikov slid the puck from the right point. Niko Mikkola blasted a slap shot from the left point and it was deflected in by Sam Bennett from the low slot for his sixth goal of the year. 

Miami Heat 2024-25 Announcers

     Miami Heat broadcasters worked their first contest of the 2024-25 NBA season on Wednesday night in Miami. The announcing crew remained the same for this season and they were last season. 

     The Heat telecasts were on the newly branded FanDuel Sports Network Sun, which replaced Bally Sports Sun. Eric Reid returned for his 37th season in the broadcast booth. He was joined by game analyst John Crotty and sideline reporter Will Manso. Studio host Jason Jackson and studio analyst Ron Rothstein continued with their roles. Jeremy Tache was slated again as their backup sideline reporter. 

     The broadcasts of the Miami Heat Radio Network were on flagship station AM 560 Sports WQAM-AM in Miami for the third straight season. Jason Jackson worked as the radio play-by-play announcer alongside Amy Audibert as the radio game analyst. Tommy Tighe entered his 16th season as studio co-host and Alejandro Solana began his third season as a studio co-host. 

Heat Lose Season Opener To Magic

     The Miami Heat opened up their 2024-25 campaign with a 116-97 loss to the Orlando Magic at Kaseya Center on Wednesday night. It was the start of the Heat's 37Tth season in the National Basketball Association. 

     There was a halftime ceremony by the Miami Heat to name their home court as Pat Riley Court at Kaseya Center. The name of Pat Riley would remain on the playing surface even after the Heat move from that venue a very long time in the future. 

     Both clubs were tied 32-32 at the conclusion of the first quarter. Orlando(1-0) did have a slight 58-54 lead at halftime. Miami(0-1) was outscored 39-18 during the third quarter and trailed 97-72. The Magic stayed in front in the final quarter and not challenged for the lead. 

     Terry Rozier had a team-high 19 points along with six rebounds for the Heat. Nikola Jovic added 15 points while Tyler Herro pumped in 14 points. Bam Adebayo was held to nine points and five rebounds. Jimmy Butler finished with just three points, four rebounds and five assists. Paolo Banchero dropped in a game-high 33 points for Orlando. 

Shohei Ohtani 50/50 Club Ball Sold

     The Shohei Ohtani 50/50 Club home run ball has been sold by auctioneer Goldin Auctions for $2.3 million. Christian Zacek, the fan who caught the ball behind the left-field fence, is expected to make around $2 million. 

     Ohtani become the first player to reach the 50/50 Club when the Los Angeles Dodgers faced the Miami Marlins on September 19 at loanDepot park. Ohtani stole his 50th stolen base of the season earlier in the same contest. 

Falcons Pick Up Phillip Dorsett

     The Atlanta Falcons have signed wide receiver Phillip Dorsett to their practice squad. He was released by the Denver Broncos in late August. 

     Dorsett participated in high school football with the St. Thomas Aquinas Raiders and captured three FHSAA state championships with them in 2007, 2008 and 2010. He played college football with the University of Miami Hurricanes. 

     He had stops in the National Football League with the New England Patriots, Indianapolis Colts, Jacksonville Jaguars, Seattle Seahawks, Houston Texans and Denver Broncos. Dorsett won Super Bowl LIII with the Patriots. 

Panthers Sign Paul Maurice To Contract Extension

     The Florida Panthers have signed head coach Paul Maurice to a multi-year contract extension. He is currently in his third season with the club. 

     Maurice guided the Panthers to their first Stanley Cup title in franchise history last season. He led the team to two straight Eastern Conference championships in 2022-23 and 2023-24. 

     He has a 98-58-15 regular season record with Florida entering today. Maurice has the franchise record with 29 career postseason wins as the Panthers head coach. 

Sam Reinhart NHL First Star Of The Week

     Florida Panthers center Sam Reinhart was named the National Hockey League First Star of the Week. The time span went from October 14 to October 20

     Reinhart compiled four goals and five assists in a four-game stretch. He ended up with a +7 plus-minus rating. The Panthers had a 3-0-1 record over the past week. 

Wild Ice Down Panthers

     The Minnesota Wild wrecked the Florida Panthers 5-1 at Amerant Bank Arena on Tuesday night. The Panthers concluded a three-game homestand against Western Conference opponents. The Wild have not trailed once in six games so far this season. 

     The Cats contest had been moved forward to a rare 6:30 p.m. weekday start. The reason is that the National Hockey League will have one of their 16 games tonight begin every 15 minutes. Florida will have their next home contest in Sunrise on November 7. 

     Mineesota(4-0-2) made it 1-0 at the 8:40 mark of the first period. Jake Middleton cycled the puck from the left corner to Kirill Kaprizov on the right wing. He angled a pass and Marco Rossi tapped it in from the left of the crease by Sergei Bobrovsky for his third goal this year.

     The Wild increased it to 2-0 just 22 seconds later. Jonas Bodin sent a lead pass from his won blue line. Matt Boldy carried the puck down the left side to the left corner. He centered it and Marcus Johansson one-timed a slap shot from the left circle for his first tally of the campaign. 

     In the second period, Minnesota expanded it to a three-goal lead at 2:20 with the man advantage. Joel Eriksson-Ek side a pass from the right wing. Mats Zuccarello shot the puck from the right points and Boldy deflected it in from the low slot for his third goal of the season. 

     Florida(4-3-1) cut it to 3-1 with 8:41 remaining in the second. Matthew Tkachuk tapped the puck at the Wild blue line. Carter Verhaeghe made a cross-ice pass from the low left circle and it went off the right skate of Sam Bennett by Filip Gustavsson into the cage for his fifth goal this season. Tkachuk got his 200th point in a Panthers uniform on that play. He accomplished it in his 161st game, which is one game short of the franchise record set by Pavel Bure. 

     The Wild scored and made it 4-1 with 6:02 to go. Zuccarello connected a pass from the right corner. Kiprizov faked a shot from the crease and skated with the puck around the net. He passed from the end wall and Zuccarello placed in a forehand shot from the right circle into an unoccupied cage. 

     It became a four-goal lead for Minnesota with 3:55 left in the period. Middleton relayed a pass from the neutral zone and Eriksson-Ek snapped a shot from the left-circle dot for his second goal in 2024-25.

C.J. Henderson Upped By Steelers

     The Pittsburgh Steelers have promoted former Dade County defensive back C.J. Henderson to their 53-man roster. He signed a deal in late September and joined the Steelers practice squad. 

     Henderson played high school football with the Columbus Explorers and then three seasons of college football with the University of Florida Gators. He had stints in the National Football League with the Jacksonville Jaguars and the Carolina Panthers. 

Jon Jay Returns To Cardinals

     The St. Louis Cardinals are hiring Jon Jay to be part of their coaching staff as their outfield coach. He once played in the majors with that organization. 

     Jay, a former University of Miami Hurricanes player, joined the Miami Marlins in 2023 as their first base coach. He was dropped by the Marlins at the conclusion of the 2024 season along with Miami manager and former Cardinals teammate Skip Schumaker. 

Alondes Williams Joining Pistons

     One-time Miami Heat guard Alondes Williams has joined the Detroit Pistons. He agreed to a contract on Monday. The Pistons had claimed him off waivers 

     Williams spent the 2023-24 campaign with the Miami Heat and participated in seven contests. He spent most of last season with their G League affiliate the Sioux Falls Skyforce. 

Cole Swider Signing With Pistons

     Former Miami Heat forward Cole Swider has sign a two-way contract with the Detroit Pistons. He inked a one-year contract with the Indiana Pacers in August and was waived by the team on Friday. 

     Swider entered the NBA with the Los Angeles Lakers in 2022-23. He played 18 games with the Miami Heat last season and averaged 2.3 points per game.

Dolphins Downed By Colts

     The Indianapolis Colts shuffled by the Miami Dolphins 16-10 at Lucas Oil Stadium on Sunday. The Dolphins were coming off a bye week. 

     Miami(2-4) took a 7-0 lead with 5:56 to go in the first quarter. Quarterback Tyler Huntley tossed a 10-yard touchdown pass to tight end Jonnu Smith on the left side. 

     It became 10-0 for the Dolphins when Jason Sanders booted a 33-yard field goal with 22 seconds left. The Colts got on the scoreboard with no time remaining in the first half as Matt Gay kicked a 52-yard field goal and cut it to 10-3. 

     Indianapolis(4-3) tied it up 10-10 at the 9:08 mark of the third quarter. Running back Tyler Goodson rushed through the left side on a seven-yard touchdown run. 

     The fourth quarter came down to the kicking game. Gay made a 22-yard field goal with 8:51 remaining and connected on a 38-yard field goal with 1:51 left. 

Blanche Ely Tops Dillard In Soul Bowl

     The Blanche Ely Tigers defeated the Dillard Panthers 31-7 in the 2024 Soul Bowl at Otis Gray Jr. Memorial Stadium on Saturday night. The Tigers have won the last three Soul Bowls and now lead the Soul Bowl all-time series 29-26-1. 

     The annual Soul Bowl is usually the final regular season high school football contest played in Broward County. It will not be that case this year. 

     Blanche Ely(6-2) was able to lead 12-7 at the end of the first quarter. It would be the only time that Dillard(4-2) put up points. The Tigers increased it to 18-7 by the end of the first half. They added six points during the third quarter and seven points in the final quarter. 

     The Tigers travel to the Coconut Creek Cougars next week for a District 14-5A battle. The Panthers visit the Boynton Beach Tigers in a District 14-4A clash in five days. 

Panthers Avenge Golden Knights

     The Florida Panthers paid back the Vegas Golden Knights 4-3 in overtime at Amerant Bank Arena on Saturday night. It was a battle between the last two Stanley Cup championship clubs. 

     Both teams faced each other in the 2023 Stanley Cup Final. The Golden Knights won the best-of-seven series 4-1. 

     Florida(4-2-1) won the game on a three-man weave play with 16.2 seconds left in overtime over Vegas(3-2-1). Sam Reinhart angled a pass to his left from the top right circle. Sam Bennett sent a cross-ice pass from the left circle and Gustav Forsling placed in a wrist shot from the right of the crease for his second goal this year. 

Inter Miami CF Sets Points Record

     Inter Miami CF set the single-season Major League Soccer points record with a 6-2 victory over the New England Revolution at Chase Stadium on Saturday night. Lionel Messi finished with a hat trick in the game. The Herons had already wrapped up the MLS Supporters' Shield for the best record this season several weeks ago. 

     New England(9-21-4) broke out to a 2-0 lead in the first half. Luca Langoni scored in the second minute and Dylan Borrero added a tally in the 34th minute. 

     Inter Miami CF(22-4-8) would compile six unanswered goals for the remainder of the contest. Luis Suarez picked up goals in the 40th minute and 43rd minute to tie it up 2-2 by halftime. 

     The Herons pulled away during the second half. Benjamin Cremaschi extended it to 3-2 in the 58th minute. Messi dominated the last 15 minutes of the contest when he placed in goals during the 78th minute, 81st minute and 89th minute. 

Hurricanes Outscore Louisville

     The University of Miami Hurricanes outlasted the University of Louisville Cardinals 52-45 on Saturday night. The Canes were coming off a bye week. 

     The game between both teams was for Howard Schnellenberger Trophy. He once was the head coach for both schools. 

Miami Marlins Reups Television Deal

     The Miami Marlins television rights will continue to be controlled by Diamond Sports Group. The agreement is for just the 2025 season.  

     Diamond Sports Group will rebrand their regional sports networks from Bally Sports to FanDuel Sports Network as of Monday. The Marlins television broadcast lineage consists of SportsChannel Florida, Fox Sports Net Florida, FSN Florida, Fox Sports Florida and Bally Sports Florida since 1997. 

Miami Central Moves By Miami Norland

     The Miami Central Rockets held off the Miami Norland Vikings 22-14 on Friday night at Traz Powell Stadium. Both Dade County high schools are likely to play in the postseason this year. 

     Miami Central(6-1) sprinted out to a 7--0 lead a little over one minute into the contest on a touchdown pass. Miami Norland(6-2) tied it up 7-7 on touchdown pass with two minutes to go in the first. The Rockets regained the lead 13-7 on a passing touchdown in the final minute of the second quarter. 

     It became 20-7 for Miami Central with four minutes remaining in the fourth quarter. They added a safety less than one minute later for a 15-point margin 22-7. The Vikings cut the deficit to 22-14 with less than one minute left in the fourth. 

     The Rockets will host the Stranahan Dragons next week in a District 15-3A clash. The Vikings can win the District 15-4A title at home next week versus the Planation Colonels. 

St. Thomas Aquinas Stomps Monarch

     The St. Thomas Aquinas Raiders mashed the Monarch Knights 44-6 in Fort Lauderdale at Simmons Family Field on Friday night. Both teams were in the FHSAA postseason last year. 

     St. Thomas Aquinas(7-2) got 15 points in the first quarter and 15 points during the second quarter for a 30-0 halftime lead. A running clock was implemented for the final two quarters of play. The Raiders added seven more points for a 37-point margin. Monarch(4-3) did put up six points in the second half. A running clock was implemented in the fourth quarter. 

     STA will host the American Heritage Patriots for their regular season finale in a week. The Knights look to win the District 13-6A title next week at home against the Piper Bengals. 

Soul Bowl 2024 Preview

     The Blanche Ely Tigers take on the Dillard Panthers in the annual Soul Bowl at Otis Gray Jr. Memorial Stadium on Saturday night. The Soul Bowl between both high schools is usually the last regular season high school football game played in Broward County every year. That will not be the case in 2024 with several weeks remaining in the season. 

     Blanche Ely(5-2) has won the past two Soul Bowls while Dillard(4-1) was victorious in the prior five Soul Bowls before that. The Tigers lead the Soul Bowl all-time series 28-26-1. Blanche Ely defeated the Panthers twice in 2023 which was once in the regular season and once in the FHSAA Class 3M regional quarterfinal. 

Miami Northwestern Takes Columbus

     The Columbus Explorers outbattled the Columbus Explorers 23-12 at Traz Powell Stadium in Miami on Thursday night. Both Dade County high schools look to contend for a FhSAA state championship title. 

     Both teams were competitive against each other with Miami Northwestern(5-3) ahead of Columbus(5-3) with a 16-12 halftime lead. The Bulls extended their lead to 23-12 l in the final quarter on a running touchdown.  

     The Bulls have a chance to capture the District 16-3a title next week against the St. Brendan Sabres. The Explorers host the Archbishop Carroll Bulldogs in a week.  

Atlantic Routs Deerfield Beach

     The Atlantic Eagles dismantled the Deerfield Beach Bucks 41-8 at Butler Stadium on Thursday night. It was a battle between two District 14-5A teams. 

     Atlantic(6-1, 2-0) rocketed out to a 20-0 lead in the opening quarter and had a 34-0 halftime lead. Deerfield Beach(1-5, 0-3) broke the shutout during the fourth quarter and outscored their opponent 8-7. 

     The Eagles return home to Delray Beach next week and challenge the Benjamin Buccaneers. The Bucks host the Western Wildcats in a week. 

Bucks Get Justise Winslow

     The Milwaukee Bucks signed former Miami Heat forward Justise Winslow to an Exhibit 10 contract on Wednesday. They placed him on waivers later on in the day. 

     Winslow was selected 10th overall by the Heat during the 2015 NBA Draft. He played his first five seasons with Miami and averaged 9.0 points per game in 241 contests. 

Canucks Can Panthers

     The Vancouver Canucks squeezed by the Florida Panthers 3-2 in overtime at Amerant Bank Arena on Thursday night. The Panthers came off a four-game road trip and began a three-game homestand versus Western Conference teams. It was the Canucks first victory this season. 

     Vancouver(1-1-2) ran out to a 1-0 lead with 8:18 left in the first period. Kiefer Sherwood shot the puck from the right point which was saved. Teddy Blueger carried the puck behind the cage and beat Sergei Bobrovsky with a wraparound backhand shot for his second goal this year. Jake DeBrusk had the secondary assist on the sequence. 

     Florida(3-2-1) evened it up 1-1 quickly 11 seconds later. Mackie Samoskevich made a wraparound pass from the left of the crease and Jesper Boqvist put in a wrist shot from the right goal line for his first goal in a Panthers uniform. Samoskevich collected his first NHL point on the play. 

     In the second period, the Canucks regained the lead 2-1 at the 6:30 mark. Nils Aman won the faceoff in the left circle and Danton Heinen steered it from the left wing. Quinn Hughes powered in his second attempted slap shot from the left point for his first goal of the campaign. 

     The Panthers tied it 2-2 on the power play with one minute to go in the second. Adam Boqvist forwarded a pass from the right-circle dot and Carter Verhaeghe pushed it from the right corner. Anton Lundell snapped a shot from the right circle past Kevin Lankinen for his fourth goal of the year. 

     Vancouver won the contest 3-2 at 2:09 in overtime. Hughes dropped a pass in the neutral zone. J.T. Miller sprinted into the Panthers zone and released a wrist shot from the right-circle dot for his second tally of the 2024-25 season.  Brock Boeser was credited with an assist on the play. 

Bally Sports Changing To FanDuel Sports Network

     Diamond Sports Group is expected to change the name of their regional sports networks from Bally Sports to FanDuel Sports Network. The brand name change will happen on October 21. Bally Sports has been their brand since March 2021. 

     There would be a change for the local regional sports networks in South Florida. Bally Sports Florida with Miami Marlins games would become FanDuel Sports Network Florida while Bally Sports Sun with Miami Heat telecasts would change to FanDuel Sports Network Sun. 

Anton Stralman Retiring

     One-time Florida Panthers defenseman Anton Stralman is retiring from the National Hockey League. He was not involved with the NHL in 2023-24 and participated with HV71 in the Swedish Hockey League. 

     Stralman played two seasons with the Panthers in 2019-20 and 2020-21. The team made the postseason on both occasions. He complied 28 points in 107 contests while with Florida. 

Jeff Lindgren Free Agent

     Miami Marlins pitcher Jeff Lindgren has declared free agency. It can be decided by minor league players that are not on the 40-man roster. 

     Lindgren reached the majors for the first time in 2024. He made three pitching appearances with the Marlins and had a 5.14 earned run average. 

Amari Cooper Traded To Bills

     The Cleveland Browns dealt wide receiver Amari Cooper to the Buffalo Bills. He was with the Browns for the past three seasons. It was the third time that Cooper was traded in the National Football League. 

     Cooper played high school football with the Miami Northwestern Bulls. He moved on to the University of Alabama Crimson Tide for three years and helped them capture the BCS National Championship in 2012. 

     He was selected fourth overall by the Oakland Raiders in the 2015 NFL Draft. Cooper had stints with the Oakland Raiders, Dallas Cowboys, and Cleveland Browns. He has 691 catches for 9, 736 receiving yards and 62 touchdowns in 146 NFL games. 

Panthers Ease By Blue Jackets

     The Florida Panthers knocked off the Columbus Blue Jackets 4-3 at Nationwide Arena on Tuesday night. The Panthers concluded their four-game road trip with a 2-2-0 record. 

     It was the Blue Jackets home opener and they had a special pregame ceremony. There was a remembrance of Columbus center Johnny Gaudreau, who lost his life during the summer along with his brother Matthew while bicycling in southern New Jersey and getting hit by a car.  Florida Panthers forwards Matthew Tkachuk and Sam Bennett were teammates of Gaudreau when they played together with the Calgary Flames. 

     Columbus(1-2-0) waited until 41 seconds into the second period to lead 1-0 on a shorthanded goal. Kent Johnson backhanded a long lead pass from his own defensive zone. Cole Sillinger collected it at the Panthers blue line, skated down the middle of the ice and snapped a shot from the high slot by Spencer Knight for his first goal this season. 

     Florida(3-2-0) evened it up 1-1 with 9:35 remaining in the second. Nate Schmidt flipped a pass from the left wing. Sam Reinhart trapped it in the inner left circle and tapped it ahead. Anton Lundell placed in a forehand shot from the low left circle for his third goal in the last two games. 

     The Blue Jackets answered back quickly with 8:38 to go and regained the lead 2-1. Sean Monahan scored on a wrist shot from the right of the crease following up his original shot for his second tally of the campaign. 

     The Panthers tied it 2-2 just 37 seconds later. Lundell passed from the left corner and Niko Mikkola had his shot from the left point blocked. Dmitry Kulikov one-timed a slap shot from the right point past Elvis Merzlikins for his first goal of the year. 

     The Cats moved ahead 3-2 with 1.6 seconds left in the second. Sam Bennett passed it from behind the net and Carter Verhaeghe tapped it from the right goal line. Reinhart put in a wrist shot from the top of the crease for his third goal in the past two games and fourth goal of the season.

     In the third period, Florida increased their lead to 4-2 with 4:48 remaining. Eetu Luostarinen scored on a rising snap shot from the low slot for his second goal of the 2024-25 campaign. Reinhart and Mikkola were credited with assists on the play. 

     CBJ pulled their goalie for an extra skater and closed it to 4-3 with 2:39 to go in the period. Damon Severson sent a centering pass from the left circle and James van Riemsdyk tapped it in from the crease area for his first goal with his new team. 

Miami Norland Edges American Heritage

     The Miami Norland Vikings slipped by the American Heritage Patriots 32-27 on Monday night in a District 15-4A clash. This was a rescheduled game that was postponed on Saturday. 

     American Heritage(3-4, 1-1) rushed out to a 7-0 advantage in the first quarter. The Vikings controlled the second quarter and had a 20-10 halftime lead. The Patriots got 10 points during the third quarter and tied it up 20-20. Miami Norland(6-1, 2-0) outscored the Pats 12-7 in the final quarter for the 32-27 victory. 

     The Vikings face the Miami Central Rockets at Traz Powell Stadium in Miami later this week. The Patriots host the Archbishop McCarthy Mavericks in Plantation on Friday.  

James Reimer Claimed By Ducks

     The Anaheim Ducks claimed goalie James Reimer from the Buffalo Sabres last week. It happened one day before the start of the 2024-25 NHL season. 

     Reimer was once was the Florida Panthers for three seasons from 2016-17 until 2018-19. He had a 53-42-16 record with a 2.85 goals-against-average and a .912 save percentage with the Panthers in 123 contests.

Panthers Hold Off Bruins

     The Florida Panthers handled the Boston Bruins 4-3 at TD Garden on Monday. It was the second time both teams faced each other in the last seven days. Both clubs met for the season opener last Tuesday in Sunrise when Florida raised their 2023-24 Stanely Cup championship banner. 

     The Panthers conclude their four-game road swing tomorrow at the Columbus Blue Jackets. The Bruins finished off a three-game homestand and now go on a three-game road trip. 

     Boston(2-2-0) broke out to a 1-0 lead at the 4:54 mark of the first period. Mason Lohrei slid a pass from the top left circle and Mark Kastelic shot the puck from the top of the zone. John Beecher deflected it in from the top of the crease by Sergei Bobrovsky for his first tally this year. 

     Florida(2-2-0) tied the contest up 1-1 at 6:37. Anton Lundell picked up an unassisted goal when he stuffed a shot from the right of the crease past Jeremy Swayman. 

     The Cats got in front 2-1 on a power-play goal with 8:09 remaining in the first. Adam Boqvist backhanded the puck from the left point. Sam Reinhart snapped a shot from the inner left circle for his second of the season. 

     There were four goals during the second period. The B's evened it up 2-2 at the 5:08 mark when Brandon Carlo released a snap shot from the top right circle. 

     The Panthers reclaimed the lead 3-2 on a shorthanded goal at 9:39. Reinhart collected his second goal of the game and his third goal of the year. He skated down the left side of the ice and placed a forehand shot from the left of the crease. 

     It became 4-2 for Florida with 7:01 to go in the period. Gustav Forsling backhanded a clearing pass from his own zone. Lundell raced down the right side and scored on a wrist shot from the inner right circle for his second tally of the contest. 

     The Bruins cut the deficit to 4-3 with 5:53 left in the second. Lohrei chalked up his first goal this season when he faked a shot from the left point and then put in a wrist shot from the left-circle dot. Kastelic and Beecher were credited with assists on the play. 

Riley Sheahan Retires

     Former Florida Panthers center Riley Sheahan announced his retirement. He played most of his NHL career with the Detroit Red Wings. 

     He was traded along with Derick Brassard to Florida during the 2018-19 season from the Pittsburgh Penguins for Nick Bjugstad and Jared McCann. Sheahan ended up with two goals and eight assists for 10 points in 33 games with the Panthers. 

Orioles Fire Fredi Gonzalez

     The Baltimore Orioles have let go bench coach Fredi Gonzalez. He just finished off his fifth season on their coaching staff. 

     Gonzalez had several stints with the Marlins organization. He was the third base coach of the Florida Marlins from 1999 to 2001. Gonzalez became the Marlins manager from 2007 to 2010. He came back to the Miami Marlins as their third base coach from 2017 to 2019.

More Marlins Free Agents

     More Miami Marlins players declared for free agency from the minor leagues or under five years of service in the majors over the past couple of days. They include outfielder Nick Gordon and Jonathan Bermudez. 

     Gordon played 95 games with the Marlins this season and compiled eight home runs, 32 runs batted in along with a .227 batting average. Bermudez had a 0-1 record with an 8.10 earned run average in three contests during his rookie year. 

Miami Northwestern Slams Key West

     The Miami Northwestern Bulls made the long trip into the Florida Keys and bashed the Key West Conchs 50-14 at Tommy Roberts Memorial Stadium on Friday night. It was a battle between two District 16-3A foes. 

     Miami Northwesteern(4-3, 2-0) rocketed out to a 28-7 lead in the first quarter. Key West(5-3, 1-1) closed the lead to 28-14 during the second quarter with a touchdown. The Bulls found the end zone once in the third quarter and led 34-14. They added 16 more points in the fourth quarter for a 50-14 advantage.

     The Bulls host the defending two-time FHSAA Class 4M champions the Columbus Explorers next week. The Conchs visit the Jackson Generals in two weeks. 

American Heritage At Miami Norland Postponed

     The American Heritage Patriots game against the Miami Norland Vikings in Miami on Saturday night was postponed. It will be rescheduled for Monday night. Both high schools from District 15-4A have a good chance to reach the FHSAA postseason. 

     American Heritage(3-3, 1-0) returns to Plantation and host the Archbishop McCarthy Mavericks next week. Miami Norland(5-1, 1-0) face the Miami Central Rockets at Traz Powell Stadium in Miami one week from now. 

The King's Academy Crown Somerset Academy Canyons

     The King's Academy Lions clinched the District 11-2A title over the Somerset Academy Canyons Cougars 28-14 at Kahlert Stadium in West Palm Beach on Friday night. It was the only high school football game played in Palm Beach County this week due to the impact of Hurricane Milton. 

     In the first half, The King's Academy(7-0, 2-0) outscored Somerset Academy Canyons(2-4. 0-2) 7-6 in the first quarter and had a halftime lead. TKA added another touchdown during the third quarter and led 14-6. The Lions reached the end zone twice in the final quarter while the Cougars got in once. 

     The Lions will host the Tru North Academy Titans one week from now. The Cougars make a long trip to Moore Haven next week. 

Sabres Settle Panthers

     The Florida Panthers fell to the Buffalo Sabres 5-2 at KeyBank Center on Saturday night. The Panthers continued their four-game road trip. Panthers forward Patrick Giles made his National Hockey League debut. 

     Florida(1-2-0) got out to a 1-0 advantage at the 9:01 mark of the first period. Jesper Boqvist made a square backhand pass from the high slot. A.J. Greer passed from the top left circle and Nate Schmidt released a wrist shot from the high slot for his first goal in a Panthers uniform. 

     Buffalo(1-3-0) tied it up 1-1 with 3:14 to go in the period. Peyton Krebs backhanded the puck from the left corner. Jordan Greenway carried it from the left circle and lifted a backhand shot past Spencer Knight from the right of the crease for his first goal of the 2024-25 campaign. 

     The Sabres took a 2-1 lead with 2:33 remaining in the first. Connor Clifton cleared the puck out of his zone and Alex Tuch angled a pass from the red line to his right. Tage Thompson snapped a shot from the right circle for his second goal of the season. 

     In the second period, Buffalo increased their lead to 3-1 at 1:34. Rasmus Dahlin brought the puck from the left point to the top of the zone. He slid it across to Henri Jokiharju and he blasted a one-time slap shot from the left point for his first tally of the year. 

     The Sabres made it a three-goal margin 4-1 with 3:38 to go in the period. Ryan McLeod pushed it from behind the net and Jason Zucker flipped a backhand pass from the right goal line. Mattias Samuelsson put in a wrist shot from the top left circle. McLeod and Zucker collected their first points in a Sabres jersey. 

     The Panthers closed it to 4-2 on the power play with 1:18 left in the second. Evan Rodrigues sent a diagonal pass from the left wing to the right point. Sam Reinhart shot the puck and Sam Bennett redirected it in from top of the crease by Devon Levi for his third goal of the season. 

     The Cats pulled their goalie for an extra attacker with 2:57 remaining in the third period. It did not work when Tuch intercepted a pass and scored an empty-net goal from the neutral zone with 1:12 left in the third to make it 5-2. 

Craig Minervini Not On Panthers Broadcasts

     The Florida Panthers began their new Scripps Sports broadcast deal on Thursday night. One longtime broadcaster is no longer part of Panthers telecasts. 

     Craig Minervini, a Syracuse University grad, was left out of Florida Panthers broadcasts as a studio host. Jeff Chychrun is not back after five seasons as a studio analyst. 

     Minervini worked as the Florida Panthers television studio host from September 2003 until April 2012. Allison Williams and Frank Forte replaced him in that position for one season in 2012-13. Drew Goldfarb took over the position from 2013-14 to 2014-15.  

     Changes happened again and Minervini returned to the Panthers studio host spot in August 2015. He would remain there for nine seasons from 2015-16 until 2023-24. 

     He did have different television jobs before his first tenure on Florida Panthers telecasts. Minervini was a sideline reporter at World Wrestling Federation in the mid-1980s as Craig DeGeorge. He later became a sportscaster at WPBF-TV Channel 25 in West Palm Beach, WPTV-TV Channel 5 in West Palm Beach and at WTVJ-TV Channel 6 in Miami. 

Chaminade-Madonna Tops St. Thomas Aquinas

     The Chaminade-Madonna Lions defeated the St. Thomas Aquinas Raiders 29-22 at Vince Zappone Field on Friday night in Hollywood. These two Broward County powerhouse teams have won the most FHSAA state football titles among South Florida high schools in the past five seasons. 

     The Raiders have won 47 of their last 50 games. The Lions entered the 2024 season on a 38-game winning streak and currently have been victorious in 44 out of their past 46 contests. 

     Chaminade-Madonna(6-2) scored two touchdowns and had a 15-8 lead at the end of the first quarter.  St. Thomas Aquinas(6-2) reached the end zone once with seven minutes left in the second quarter on a two-yard touchdown run by running back Chance Washington and both teams were tied 15-15 at halftime.

     STA took a 22-15 lead two minutes into the third quarter. Quarterback Andew Indorf fired a 21-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Ah'mari Stevens. The Lions evened it up 22-22 with under one minute to go in the third when running back Derrek Cooper rushed in from eight yards away. 

     In the fourth quarter, Chaminade-Madonna pulled ahead 29-22 with six minutes remaining. Running back Camari Hall was able to race in from five yards out. 

     The Raiders will return to Fort Lauderdale next week and challenge the Monarch Knights, who were considered the best Broward County public high school football program last year. The Lions host the Avant Garde Academy Sharks next week and could capture the District 14-1A title. 

Warren Washington Inks With Heat

     The Miami Heat have added center Warren Washington to their organization. It is believed to be an Exhibit 10 contract. 

     Washington played six games with Miami in the NBA Summer League. He participated in college basketball with Oregon State, Nevada, Arizona State and Texas Tech. 

Senators Vote Down Panthers

     The Florida Panthers were shocked by the Ottawa Senators 3-1 at Canadian Tire Centre on Thursday night. It was the first road game for the Panthers in 2024-25 and the season opener for the Senators. 

     Panthers defenseman Nate Schmidt made his debut with his new team. Linus Ullmark played in his first game with the Senators tonight. He was acquired by them from the Boston Bruins during the offseason. 

     Ottawa(1-0-0) scooted out to a 1-0 lead with the man advantage at the 5:52 mark of the first period. Josh Norris dropped a pass from the right wing and Tim Stutzle chalked up his first goal of the season with a wrist shot from above the right circle. 

     The Sens increased it to 2-0 with 9:18 remaining in the first. Shane Pinto carried the puck up the middle of the ice and released a wrist shot from the top right circle by Sergei Bobrovsky for an unassisted goal.

     Floirda(1-1-0) made it 2-1 with 4:12 to go in the second period. Matthew Tkachuk passed the puck from the end wall and Sam Bennett backhanded it from the left corner. Gustav Forsling blasted a slap shot from the left point past Ullmark for his first tally of the year. 

     In the third period, the Senators expanded it to 3-1 with 1:10 left. Brady Tkachuk lifted a clearing pass out of his own zone. Stutzle tapped in a shot from the left of the crease into an empty net for his second goal of the contest. 

Pat Riley Court At Kaseya Center

     The Miami Heat mentioned that their home court at Kaseya Center in Miami will be named after longtime team executive and former head coach Pat Riley. It will be called Pat Riley Court at Kaseya Center. All future home playing surfaces of the Heat will have the name Pat Riley on it. 

     Riley will be the second former NBA coach to have a court named after them. The Boston Celtics were the first club to do it with Red Auerbach Court at TD Garden in Boston. 

     It has been a spectacular reign for Riley with the Miami Heat. He has part of the organization that has captured three NBA titles and seven Eastern Conference championships. The Heat have the second-most NBA championships and the most conference titles since 2006. 

Ryan Fitzpatrick Remains At Prime Video

     Former Miami Dolphins quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick has re-signed with Amazon Prime Video as a studio analyst on Thursday Night Football through the 2026 season. He started his position back in 2022. 

     Fitzpatrick was with the Miami Dolphins in 2019 and 2020. He played with nine different National Football League clubs. 

Florida Panthers Extend Carter Verhaeghe

     Florida Panthers forward Carter Verhaeghe has signed an eight-year contract extension with the team that is worth $56 million. The contract will begin in the 2025-26 and go until the 2032-33 campaign. 

     Verhaeghe joined Florida in the 2020-21 season. He had contributed to the club winning a Stanley Cup, two Eastern Conference titles, a Presidents' Trophy, two Atlantic Division titles and four straight playoff appearances during his four seasons with the Panthers. 

     He has compiled 118 goals and 118 assists for 236 points in 278 contests with the Cats. Verhaeghe output doing the postseason with Florida has been most impressive with 26 goals and 27 assists for 53 points in 61 Stanley Cup Playoffs games. 

ESPN Use Backup Announcers

     ESPN had the broadcast of the Florida Panthers season opener on Tuesday night at Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise. There was a championship banner ceremony prior to the contest. 

     The big surprise of the telecast was that the assigned play-by-play announcer Sean McDonough was not there due to travel constraints because of Hurricane Milton on the Florida region. John Buccigross and Ryan Callahan announced the game remotely from ESPN headquarters in Connecticut. 

Panthers Win Season Opener Over Bruins

     The Florida Panthers opened up their 2024-25 season with a 6-4 victory against the Boston Bruins at Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise on Tuesday. The Panthers are the reigning and defending Stanley Cup champions. The ceremony with the raising of the 2024 Stanley Cup championship banner along with the appearance of the Stanley Cup was held prior to the contest and lasted just four minutes. 

     Florida(1-0-0) got out a 1-0 lead at the 6:27 mark of the first period. Evan Rodrigues took a shot from the right point which was saved by Joonas Korpisalo. Sam Bennett tapped in the rebound from the right of the crease for his first goal of the season.   

     The Panthers extended their lead to 2-0 about one minute later at 7:31. Sam Reinhart centered the puck from the right wing. Anton Lundell steered it at the top of the crease and Eetu Luostarinen poked in the puck from blue paint for his first tally. 

     Boston(0-0-1) picked up a shorthanded goal with 4:27 left in the first. Elias Lindholm made a square pass from the high slot and Pavel Zacha snapped a shot from the top left circle past Sergei Bobrovsky. It was the first point for Lindholm in a Bruins uniform. 

     It became 3-1 for the Cats with 1:26 to go in the period. Aleksander Barkov cleared the puck out of his defensive zone. Reinhart skated down the left side of the ice and lifted a forehand shot from the left-circle dot for a shorthanded goal. 

     Florida increased it to a three-goal margin 4-1 with 25.8 seconds remaining in the first. A.J. Greer released a shot which was stopped. Bennett scored on a wrist shot from the low slot for his second goal of the game. It ended up being Greer's first point in a Panthers jersey. 

     In the second period, the Panthers expanded it to 5-1 at the 9:12 mark. Uvis Balinskis sent a lead pass from his own blue line. Jesper Boqvist brought the puck into the Bruins zone to the left circle. He passed it across and Jonah Gadjovich one-timed a shot from the right of the crease for his first goal of the year. It was the first point for Boqvist with his new team. 

     The B's closed it to 5-2 with 7:28 left in the second. Charlie McAvoy made a cross-ice pass in the neutral zone. John Beecher flicked a shot on net from the left circle which was saved by Bobrovsky. McAooy scored on a fotehand shot from the top of the crease. 

     The Cats made it 6-2 at 6:26 of the third. Rodrigues fired a snap shot from the high slot on assists from Matthew Tkachuk and Aaron Ekblad. 

     The Bruins cut it to 6-3 with 3:07 remaining in the third. Justin Brazeau backhanded a pass from behind the cage and Trent Frederic powered in a one-time slap shot from the inner left circle.  

     It became 6-4 with 1:45 to go when Boston scored again. McAvoy angled a pass from the top of the zone. David Pastrnak made a pass from the low left circle which went off the left skate of Dmitry Kulikov and into the net for a power-play goal. 

Heat Stung By Hornets

     The Miami Heat fell to the Charlotte Hornets 111-108 at Spectrum Center on Tuesday night. It was the first preseason game for the Heat in 2024-25.

     Charlotte held a 29-28 advantage at the end of the first quarter. Miami pulled ahead near the end of the second quarter and had a 62-58 halftime lead. 

     The Hornets got the momentum and led 89-81 after three quarters. Charlotte outscored the Heat 6-1 in the final minute of the fourth quarter to win the game. 

     Bam Adebayo led Miami with a team-high 13 points and six rebounds. Jimmy Butler was able to add 11 points for the Heat. Charlotte got a game-high 24 points from LaMelo Ball. 

Florida Panthers 2024-25 Announcers

     The Florida Panthers enter the 2024-25 NHL season with the same announcing crew on television and radio as they did last season. The biggest change was that the Panthers switched their television broadcast rights from Bally Sports Florida to Scripps Sports. The club will have televised games on WSFL-TV in Miami, WHDT-TV in West Palm Beach and WGPS-LPS in Fort Myers. 

     Television broadcasts has Steve Goldstein as television play--by-play announcer and Randy Moller as game analyst. Katie Engleson will work her third season as rinkside reporter. Jessica Blaylock works as the studio host and Ed Jovanovski is the studio analyst. 

     Radio broadcasts will once again be on AM 560 Sports WQAM-AM. Doug Plagens begins his 10th season as the radio voice of the team. Bill Lindsay is back as the radio game analyst on home games. 

Florida Panthers 2024-25 Roster

     The Florida Panthers announced their roster for the 2024-25 season. They are the defending Stanley Cup Champion. The team have 24 players on the roster to begin the regular season. 

     Forwards will include Aleksander Barkov, Matthew Tkachuk, Sam Bennett, Sam Reinhart, Carter Verhaeghe, Anton Lundell, Eetu Luostarinen, Evan Rodrigues, Tomas Nosek, Jonah Gadjovich, Jesper Boqvist, MacKenzie Entwistle, A.J. Greer and Mackie Samoskevich. 

     The defensemen consist of Aaron Ekblad, Gustav Forsling, Dmitry Kulikov, Niko Mikkola, Nate Schmidt, Uvin Balinskis, Adam Boqvist and Justin Soudif. 

     The club will carry two goalies for the upcoming 20245-25 seasons. They will be Sergei Bobrovsky and Chris Driedger. 

Aleksander Barkov On The Hockey News Magazine Cover

     Florida Panthers captain and center Aleksander Barkov appears on The Hockey News annual magazine cover. He is sharing the front cover with a player from the other 31 National Hockey League clubs. 

     Barkov will be playing in his 12th season with the Florida Panthers. He contributed to the team winning their first Stanley Cup title in franchise history during the 2023-24 campaign. The Panthers have captured the past two Eastern Conference championships. 

Jimmy Butler On Lindy's Sports Magazine Cover

     Miami Heat forward Jimmy Butler appears on Lindy's Sports annual NBA magazine cover. It is the fourth straight year that he was selected for the Florida regional edition. 

     Butler will be playing in his sixth season with Miami. He led the Heat to two Eastern Conference titles in 2020 and 2023. 

NIjel Pack On Magazine Cover

     University of Miami Hurricanes guard Nijel Pack shows up on the front cover of Lindy's Sports annual college basketball magazine. He shares the regional Florida cover with a player from the University of Florida and Florida State University. 

     Pack will entering his fourth-year junior season with the Canes. He helped Miami reach the Final Four in 2023. 

Florida Panthers Change Channels

     Broadcasts of Florida Panthers games will have a minor change that will last for quite some time. Television broadcasts on the NHL Center Ice package on all cable systems and SiriusXM Radio radio/audio broadcasts will see Panthers contests drop one numeric channel down from previous National Hockey League seasons. 

     The reason is the recent relocation of the Arizona Coyotes to the Utah Hockey Club. All NHL clubs are placed in alphabetical order by either their city or state name. The first team, which is the Anaheim Ducks, will remain on the same channel. 26 teams alphabetically from the Boston Bruins to the Toronto Maple Leafs move down one channel. The Utah Hockey Club channel follows the Toronto Maple Leafs channel. Teams such as the Vancouver Canucks, Vegas Golden Knights, Washington Capitals and Winnipeg Jets stay on the same channels. 

Dolphins Topple Patriots

     The Miami Dolphins survived the New England Patriots 15-10 at Gillette Stadium on Sunday. The Dolphins snapped a three-game losing streak. It was a battle between two AFC East Division foes.

     Two former South Florida high school quarterbacks started in the game. Tyler Huntley from the Hallandale Chargers called the signals for the Dolphins while Jacoby Brissett of the Dwyer Panthers guided the Patriots. 

     Miami(2-3) drew first blood and had a 3-0 lead at the 10:39 mark of the first quarter. Jason Sanders was able to kick a 54-yard field goal. 

     New England(1-4) leaped to a 7-3 advantage with 3:55 left in the first. Running back Rhamondre Stevenson rushed down the right sideline from 33 yards out. 

     In the third quarter, the Patriots expanded their lead to 10-3 at 11:01. Joey Slye booted a 38-yard field goal. 

     The Fins collected two field goals by the end of the third and trailed 10-9. Sanders had a 32-yard field goal with 7:47 to go and a 47-yard field goal with 30 seconds remaining in the quarter. 

     The Dolphins took the lead with 4:24 left in the fourth quarter. Running back Alec Ingold raced up the middle from three yards away. They could not make a two-point conversion pass play and led 15-10

Skyler Brind'Amour Signs With Carolina

     Former Florid Panthers prospect Skyler Brind'Amour has signed a one-year, two-way contract with the Carolina Hurricanes. He agreed to a professional tryout offer last month with the team. His father Rod Brind'Amour is the head coach of the Hurricanes. 

     It has been a pursuit for Skyler Brind'Amour. He captured the 2023 NCAA National Championship with Quinnipiac University. Brind'Amour played with the Charlotte Checkers, which is the Florida Panthers American Hockey League affiliate. 

John Ludvig Claimed

     The Colorado Avalanche has claimed defenseman John Ludvig off waivers. He participated in 33 games last season with the Pittsburgh Penguins. 

     Ludwig was once in the Florida Panthers organization, but he never played a National Hockey League game with that club. Ludvig was claimed by the Penguins from the Cats in October 2023. 

Hurricanes Shake Cal

     The University of Miami Hurricanes overcame a 25-point deficit with 23 minutes remaining and defeated the University of California-Berkeley Golden Bears 39-38 on Saturday night at Cailfornia Memorial Stadium. It was the first time both schools faced each other as Atlantic Coast Conference opponents. 

     Both teams scored touchdowns in the opening quarter and they were tied 7-7. Cal(3-2, 0-2) had a 14-3 advantage in the second quarter and led 21-10 at halftime. 

     The Golden Bears scored on their first two possessions of the second half and were up 35-10 with 8:06 to go in the third quarter. The Canes closed it to 35-17 on running back Damien Martinez's one-yard touchdown run up the middle with 3:02 left in the third. 

     In the fourth quarter, Cal got a Ryan Coe 37-field goal just 47 seconds into the frame for a 38-17 advantage. 

     Miami(6-0, 2-0) scored touchdowns on three times and jumped ahead 39-38. Quarterback Cam Ward fired an 18-yard touchdown strike to wide receiver Isaiah Horton at 10:28 mark. Ward later rambled in on a run from 24 yards out with 4:04 remaining. Tight end Elijah Arroyo would catch a five-yard touchdown pass on the left side from Ward with 26 seconds left in the fourth. 

Panthers Crown Kings

     The Florida Panthers beat the Los Angeles Kings 4-2 in Quebec City on Saturday night. It was the final preseason contest for both clubs. 

     Florida did play a preseason game in Canada last year. They lost to the Ottawa Senators in the annual Kraft Hockeyville game in Sydney, Nova Scotia. 

     The Cats will have their 2024-25 season opener on Tuesday night against the Boston Bruins at Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise. The Panthers will have their 2023-24 Stanley Cup championship banner ceremony before the game. 

     Los Angeles sprinted out to a 1-0 lead at the 6:03 mark. Phillip Danault put in the tally on assists from Tanner Jeannot and Trevor Moore. 

     The Panthers evened it up 1-1 at 9:07 when Aleksander Barkov placed in a power-play goal. Carter Verhaeghe and Sam Reinhart were credited with assists on the play. 

     Florida took the lead 2-1 with 3:57 remaining in the first. Anton Lundell found the net on the man advantage with assists from Aaron Ekblad and Eetu Luostarinen. 

     In the second period, the Cats got the only goal of the frame for a two-goal margin. Johan Gadjovich scored with 45 seconds to go on assists from Ekblad and Matthew Tkachuk. 

     The Kings cut the lead to 3-2 at the 7:44 mark of the third period. Moore got the tally and Quinton Byfield made the assist on the play. 

     Florida added an empty-net goal by Gadjovich for his second goal of the contest with 24 seconds left in the third to make it 4-2. Ekblad collected his third assist of the game. 

Inter Miami CF Slips By Toronto FC

     Inter Miami CF edged Toronto FC 1-0 on Saturday at BMO Field. The Herons clinched the MLS Supporters' Shield back on Wednesday. They have one contest left in their 2024 regular season campaign and can set the Major League Soccer single-season record for most team points in a year. 

     There would be no scoring in the game until stoppage time in the second half. Inter Miami CF(21-4-8) moved ahead 1-0 over Toronto FC(11-19-4) when Leonardo Campana made a thigh trap and then volleyed the ball in from 11 yards away with his left foot. Luis Suarez initiated the play with a cross from the left side. 

Miami Central Gets By Miami Northwestern

     The Miami Central Rockets stepped by the Miami Northwestern Bulls 24-21 at Traz Powell Stadium on Friday night in Miami. It was another great competitive game between the two Dade County high school football powerhouses.

     Miami Northwestern(3-3) scooted out to a 7-0 lead in the first quarter. Miami Central(5-1) outscored the Bulls 10-7 in the second quarter, however they were down 14-10 at halftime. Both teams scored seven points in the third quarter and the Bulls led 21-17. The Rockets got the go-ahead touchdown during the fourth quarter for a 24-21 lead. 

     The Rockets host the Stranahan Dragons one week from now in a District 15-3A battle. The Bulls make the long trip next week and challenge the Key West Conchs in a District 16-3A matchup. 

St. Thomas Aquinas Slams Hollywood Hills

     The St. Thomas Aquinas Raiders bashed the Hollywood Hills Spartans 64-0 on Friday night at Simmons Family Field in Fort Lauderdale. The Raiders captured the District 15-5A title with the victory.   

     St. Thomas Aquinas(6-1, 3-0) dominated the first quarter as they piled on 49 points. STA added another touchdown and led 56-0 at halftime. Hollywood Hills(3-3, 1-1) surrendered seven points in the third quarter and a safety in the fourth quarter. 

     The Raiders have a major challenge next week as they travel to Hollywood and face the Chaminade-Madonna Lions. Both teams are defending FHSAA state champions. The Spartans play at the Hallandale Chargers in a week. 

Atlantic Attacks Treasure Coast

     The Atlantic Eagles had no problems as they defeated the Treasure Coast Titans 47-9 at Atlantic Stadium in Delray Beach on Friday night. The Eagles have won all four meetings versus the Titans. They have not faced each other since November 2010. 

     Atlantic(5-1) was ahead 14-0 at the end of the first quarter and held a 21-3 advantage at halftime. Both teams scored six points each during the third quarter. Treasure Coast(0-6) was outscored 20-0 in the final quarter. 

     The Eagles play a district game at home against the Coconut Creek Cougars next week. The Titans visit the Fort Pierce Central Cobras for a district matchup in a week. 

WEFL-AM Acquires Inter Miami CF Broadcasts

     Deportes Radio 760 WEFL-AM in West Palm Beach is now the Spanish-language radio home of Inter Miami CF. They will air Inter Miami CF regular season games and postseason contests for the remainder of the 2024 season. The partnership between the two organizations will extend beyond this year. Deportes Radio 760 is part of Good Karma Brands West Palm Beach. 

     Inter Miami CF clinched the MLS Supporters' Shield on Wednesday for the best overall record in Major League Soccer. The Herons have two games remaining in the regular season. Inter Miami will have home-field advantage throughout the MLS Playoffs. 

     The announcing crew in the Spanish-language broadcast booth will be Lionel Vega as the play-by-play announcer and Fernando Fiore as the game analyst. Fiore is most known as the longtime studio host of Republica Deportiva on Univision. He was a game analyst of Inter Miami CF games on English-language audio broadcasts with play-by-play announcer Chris Wittyngham and game analyst Thomas Rongen in 2020 and 2021. 

Israel Gutierrez Joins Meadowlark Media

     Former Miami Herald sportswriter Israel Gutierrez has joined Meadowlark Media. It is a reunion with his longtime associate Dan Le Batard. Gutierrez left his numerous positions at ESPN in July. 

     Gutierrez was first noticed as a sports reporter for the Miami Herald. He became the Miami Heat beat writer at that newspaper and covered the franchise during the 2000s. 

     He left Miami and became an NBA columnist for the ESPN.com website. Gutierrez was also a panelist on Around The Horn and The Sports Reporters on ESPN television. It led him to a position as a sideline reporter for NBA broadcasts. 

     Gutierrez would get involved more into radio in January 2015 as a Sunday late morning co-host of an NBA program on ESPN Radio. Sports Talk 790 The Ticket WAXY-AM added him as a guest morning co-host with Jonathan Zaslow and Joy Taylor for several months in early 2015. He was elevated to the afternoon co-host spot with Ethan Skolnick and that lasted from September 2015 until late November 2015. 

     He joined ESPN Radio on a full-time basis in February 2016 as a late-evening co-host with Jorge Sedano. They had done the NBA Lowdown podcast together on ESPN Audio for several months prior to their show. Their program lasted until September 2016 when Sedano moved in Los Angeles to become a morning co-host at KSPN-AM. Sarah Spain was named Gutierrez's new co-host and they were together from September 2016 until December 2017. 

West Palm Beach Ratings September 2024

     The West Palm Beach region was issued their ratings for sports talk format radio stations. The time span was from the third week of August to the second week of September. 

     Fox Sports 640 South Florida WMEN-AM remained at a 0.4 for the fourth straight month. The Florida Atlantic University Owls started their 2024 campaign in their second season in the American Athletic Conference. 

     Sports Radio 1230 The Gambler WBZT-AM stayed at a 0.2 in the period. The University of Florida Gators opened up their 2024 season against the University of Miami Hurricanes. The Miami Marlins were eliminated from postseason contention and at the bottom of the National League standings. 

     ESPN West Palm 106.3 WUUB-FM rolled out their new weekday lineup on September 3. Theo Dorsey and Christian Katt hosted mid-afternoons while newcomers Colin Russo and Michael Rizzo co-hosted afternoon drive. 

Columbus Dominates Miami

     The Columbus Explorers hammered the Miami Stingarees 52-6 on Thursday night in a District 16-7A tilt. It was the only high school football game to be played in the South Florida region today. 

     Columbus(4-2. 3-0) rocketed out with 17 points in the first quarter. The Explorers added five touchdowns during the second quarter and led Miami(3-3, 1-1) by the score of 52-0 at halftime. A running clock was used in the second half. 

Inter Miami CF Clinches MLS Supporters' Shield

     Inter Miami CF captured the MLS Supporters' Shield for the first time in franchise history as they roared by the Columbus Crew 3-2 at Lower.com Field on Wednesday night. Inter Miami CF clinched the MLS Supporters' Shield with the best overall record in Major League Soccer this year. 

     It will give Inter Miami CF the home-field advantage throughout the 2024 Major League Soccer Playoffs. The Herons could host the title game for the MLS Cup at Chase Stadium in Fort Lauderdale on December 7. 

     In the first half, Inter Miami(20-4-8) got out in front. They made it 1-0 in the 45th minute when Lionel Messi flicked a half-volley shot with his left foot from nine yards away. 

     It became 2-0 for the Herons at the end of the first half in stoppage time. Messi curled in a left-footed direct kick from 25 yards out for his 17th Major League Soccer goal this season. 

     Columbus(16-6-9) raced out to begin the second half in the 46th minute and closed it to 2-1 just 22 seconds in. Diego Rossi got to a loose ball and lifted a left-footed shot from 16 yards. 

     Inter Miami CF quickly responded and increased their lead to 3-1 during the 48th minute. Luis Suarez placed in a header from 17 yards away. 

     The Crew cut it to 3-2 in the 61st minute. Reigning Major League Soccer Most Valuable Player Cucho Hernandez put in a penalty kick with his right foot into the low left corner of the cage. Hernandez has scored 11 out of 12 occasions on penalty kicks while in MLS. 

Panthers Battle Lightning

     The Florida Panthers edged the Tampa Bay Lightning 2-1 in overtime at Amalie Arena on Wednesday night. The Panthers will complete their preseason slate on Saturday against the Los Angeles Kings in Quebec City. 

     There was no scoring during the first period. Florida broke out to a 1-0 lead at the 3:30 mark of the second. Zac Dalpe scored a power-play goal on a wrist shot. Sandis Vilmanis and Uvis Balinskis were credited with assists on the play.   

     In the third period, Tampa Bay tied it up 1-1 with 4:33 remaining. Nikita Kucherov powered in a slap shot off a feed from Brayden Point. 

     The Panthers won the game just 15 seconds into overtime. Vilmanis was able to give the Cats a 2-1 victory on a wrist shot. 

Dino Costa In Salt Lake City

     Former South Florida sports talk radio host Dino Costa has joined KMRI-AM in Salt Lake City. He will host a weekday show from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. Salt Lake City has a new National Hockey League franchise named the Utah Hockey Club, who will play their first game on October 8. 

     Costa has been a podcast host since December 2019. He hosted an afternoon drive program on 1400 The Fan WFLL-AM from their launch of a sports talk format in April 2004 until July 2004. 

     He had stints with numerous companies. They included KLZ-AM in Salt Lake City, WNNR-AM in Jacksonville, WFLL-AM in Fort Lauderdale, KRCN-AM in Denver, DenverSportsRadio.com in Denver, DinoCosta365.com, SiriusXM Radio in New York City, WAOC-AM in St. Augustine, KFNS-AM in St. Louis, KXTG-AM in Portland, KXTG-FM in Portland and WNYM-AM in New York City. 

Miami Marlins Coaching Staff Ousted

    The entire Miami Marlins coaching staff is not expected to be retained by the club for the 2025 season. Their manager Skip Schumaker announced several days ago that he was leaving the organization. 

     The longest tenured member of the coaching staff is pitching coach Mel Stottlemyre Jr. Other people to be let go include hitting coach Jon Mabry and first base/outfield coach Jon Jay among the 11 uniformed coaches. 

Bally Sports Florida Dropping Marlins Games

     Bally Sports is planning to no longer broadcast Miami Marlins games on Bally Sports Florida. Their parent company Diamond Sports Group announced in Chapter 11 bankruptcy court on Wednesday that they will end their contract agreement to carry Marlins television broadcasts. The team will need to find another way to have their telecasts over the airwaves in 2025. 

     The Marlins will have an effect on their overall budget. Money received from a television rights contract has an impact on revenues to offset expenses like team salaries. 

     Fox Sports Florida was rebranded to Bally Sports Florida in March 2021. Bally Sports Florida broadcasted Miami Marlins and Florida Panthers games while their sister-station Bally Sports Sun aired Miami Heat contests. The Panthers replaced Bally Sports Florida as their television partner with Scripps Sports back in July. 

Marlins Minor Leaguers Free Agents

     Several Miami Marlins players in their minor league system have declared free agency this week. These players were allowed to become free agents if they are not on the 40-man roster and already have enough service time in the majors. 

     The most notable was outfielder Cristian Pache. Others to become free agents include infielder Jose Devers, catcher Ali Sanchez and pitcher Kent Emmanuel. 

Mike Hoffman Released

     Former Florida Panthers left wing Mike Hoffman was released by the Edmonton Oilers. He agreed to a professional tryout offer from the Oilers before training camp began. 

     Hoffman was with the Panthers in 2018-19 and 2019-20. He ended up with 65 goals and 64 assists for 129 points in 151 games with Florida. 

Michael Hutchinson Let Go

     The New Jersey Devils released goalie Michael Hutchinson from his professional tryout offer. He signed his PTO with the team prior to training camp. 

     Hutchinson spent part of the 2018-19 campaign with the Florida Panthers. He participated in four contests and had a 1-1-2 record. 

Miami Ratings September 2024

     The ratings were rolled out for Miami/Fort Lauderdale sports talk radio stations. The time span went from the third week in August to the second week in September. 

     AM 560 Sports WQAM-AM rose from a 0.9 to a 1.5 in the period. The University of Miami Hurricanes football team created a buzz as the Hurricanes opened up their 2024 season will a win over the University of Florida Gators. Inter Miami CF had the best overall record in Major League Soccer and led the Eastern Conference. 

     Fox Sports 940 WINZ-AM remained at a 0.7 for the month. The Miami Dolphins began their 2024 regular season with a victory. The University of Florida Gators football team began the 2024 campaign versus the University of Miami. The Miami Marlins, who were eliminated from postseason contention, remained in the bottom of the National League standings alongside the Colorado Rockies. The Fish avoided the worst record in Major League Baseball due to the Chicago White Sox. 

     Fox Sports 640 South Florida WMEN-AM increased from a 0.3 to a 0.5. The Florida Atlantic University Owls football team started their regular season in late August. It is the school's second season in the American Athletic Conference. 

     The streaming of WQAM fell from a 0.3 to a 0.1. The audience has dropped over 90% since they had a 1.3 in July. WZTU-FM-HD2 with its WINZ signal stayed at a 0.1 for the third consecutive month. 

West Palm Beach 49th Largest Radio Market

     Nielsen listed the new radio market rankings in the United States The adjustments were made based on the beginning of the 2024 fall ratings.

     West Palm Beach dropped to the 49th largest radio market with 1,328,100 people that are 12+. The region fell behind Oklahoma City which leaped to 48th. West Palm Beach was at 49th and moved up past Oklahoma City to the 48th largest radio market at the start of the 2024 spring ratings. 

Miami Falls To 12th Largest Radio Market

     Nielsen released their new rankings for the top 246 radio markets based on population in the United States. The information was issued based on the start of 2024 fall ratings. 

     Miami fell from 11th place to 12th place with 4,024,000 people that are 12+ in age. They exchanged spots with Seattle again. It happened at the beginning of the 2024 spring ratings. 

     Looking at prior history movements, Miami leaped over Detroit for the 11th largest radio market back in the fall of 2012. Miami dropped behind Seattle to become the 12th largest radio market in the spring of 2022. 

Ruthie Polinsky Joins Chicago Sports Network

     Former Miami television sportscaster Ruthie Polinsky has added duties as the studio co-host of The Big Pro Football Show on Chicago Sports Network. She will continue her position as a sports anchor at WMAQ-TV in Chicago. The Chicago Sports Network regional sports channel launched on Tuesday. 

     Polinsky, a University of Michigan grad, arrived at WTVJ-TV Channel 6 in Miami back in March 2020 as a sports anchor and sports reporter. Her tenure went until February 2023 when the television station decided to eliminate their sports department. 

     She had other sportscasting stints prior to her arrival in South Florida. Polinsky worked at KFDX-TV in Wichita Falls, Texas and WPRI-TV in Providence. 

Pete Rose Dead

     Baseball legend Pete Rose passed away on Monday at the age of 83. Rose holds the Major League Baseball records for the most hits and most games played in a career. He is also known for receiving a lifetime ban from baseball in 1989 due to gambling on MLB games. 

     Rose once lived in the Boca Raton area and had business interests in South Florida. He owned two Pete Rose Ballpark Cafe sports themed restaurants in Boca Raton and Boynton Beach in the 1990s and 2000s. The Boca Raton site opened up in 1992 on Glades Road and closed in 2010. He added a Boynton Beach location on Congress Avenue and it shut down in 2005. 

     He was part of the broadcasting field during the 1990s and 2000s. He hosted his own weekday show on Sportsfan Radio Network from the dining area of his Boca Raton restaurant. 

Skip Schumaker Gone From Marlins

     Skip Schumaker is no longer the manager of the Miami Marlins. He managed his final game with the club on Friday. Schumaker finished with a 146-178 record during his two seasons in Miami. 

     He and Marlins management agreed to eliminate the team option with him for the 2025 season. The team will begin their search for a new manager. 

     Schumaker was hired by Marlins general manager Kim Ng back in October 2022. Miami finished with the second wild-card spot in the National League last year in Schumaker's first season with the club at the helm. The Fish were swept in the best-of-three series by the Philadelphia Phillies in the National League Wild-Card Series. 

     Ng mutually departed from the team in October 2023 when the club said it would name a supervisor over her in team operations. Schumaker was disappointed when Ng left the organization. There was a strained relationship between him and the club throughout the entire 2024 season.  

Lake Worth Upends Park Vista

     The Park Vista Cobras were upset by the Lake Worth Trojans 26-20 in overtime at Boynton Beach on Monday night. It was a clash between two teams in District 12-7A. 

     Park Vista(3-3, 0-1) had a 7-0 advantage at the end of the opening quarter. Both schools were tied 14-14 by halftime. They were still even 20-20 at the conclusion of the third quarter. There was no scoring during the fourth quarter. Lake Worth(1-4, 1-0) would get a touchdown during overtime to win the contest. 

     The Cobras will stay at home and host the Olympic Heights Lions on Friday. The Trojans are at home later this week and challenge the Pahokee Devils. 

The King's Academy Blanks Inlet Grove

     The King's Academy Lions shut out the Inlet Grove Hurricanes 17-0 on Monday night at Riviera Beach. It was a battle between two District 11-2A teams. 

     The King's Academy(5-0, 1-0) got a 3-0 lead on the final play of the first half when Kingston DeLoach booted a 47-yard field goal. 

     The Lions made it 10-0 at the 11:10 mark of the fourth quarter. Quarterback Joe Dailey raced around the left end from two yards out. 

     Inlet Grove(2-3, 0-2) gave up one more touchdown with 3:27 remaining in the fourth and were down 17-0. TKA running back Michael Mesa busted up the middle from one yard away. 

     The Lions will be at home on Friday night and take on the Joshua Christian Academy Eagles. The Hurricanes will host the ABF Academy Cowboys later this week. 

Forest Hill Topples Palm Beach Lakes

     The Forest Hill Falcons got by the Palm Beach Lakes Rams 31-23 at Bobby Riggs Stadium on Monday night. It was a meeting between Forest Hill(4-1) and Palm Beach Lakes(1-4), two Palm Beach County high schools. 

     The Rams return home and host the Dwyer Panthers in four days. The Falcons make a trip to Fort Pierce on Friday night and face the John Carroll Catholic Rams.