Marc James Exits KJR-FM

     Former South Florida radio sportscaster Marc James has been let go by KJR-FM in Seattle due to budget cuts. He was the midday host at that station since February 2025. 

     James previously went by the name Marc Benarzyk and started his broadcasting career in Springfield, Massachusetts as a radio on-air talent. He joined 1400 The Fan WFLL-AM in Fort Lauderdale in April 2004 as a midday host. James was later shifted to afternoon host and then moved to morning host in early 2006. He was released by that organization in May 2006. 

     He co-hosted a nationally syndicated talk show on Sports Byline USA with Jim Grieshaber and co-hosted an afternoon sports show on Sirius Radio. James then landed at WHBQ-AM in Memphis as a midday co-host. 

     James. a University of Miami grad, moved to Tampa in April 2008 where he hosted an afternoon program on WHBO-AM until August 2010. He joined WFNZ-AM in Charlotte in early 2011 and co-hosted an afternoon show with Taylor Zanzour. James became the solo afternoon host, after Zanzour left for SiriusXM Radio, from December 2013 to May 2014. 

     He shifted to Atlanta and became the afternoon co-host on WZGC-FM in June 2014. James was eventually elevated to morning host and stayed there until September 2015. 

     James went into television and joined NESN as a sports anchor in May 2017. He began as a fill-in co-host on WEEI-FM in early 2018 and was named as a Saturday midday co-host in September 2018. James returned to Tampa in 2020 and worked as a sports host and sports reporter at WWBA-AM until early 2025. 

Panthers Win Season Finale

     The Florida Panthers played their regular season finale at Amerant Bank Arena on Wednesday night and rose above the Detroit Red Wings 8-1. The contest finished the Panthers 2025-26 season where they entered as the two-time reigning Stanley Cup champions. The Cats will not make the postseason for the first time since 2018-19. 

     Detroit Red Wings radio analyst Paul Woods announced his final NHL game of his 41-year professional broadcasting career. He joined the Red Wings as their radio analyst prior to the 1985-86 campaign. 

     Florida(40-38-4), who are the defending three-time Eastern Conference champions, took a 1-0 lead at the 4:57 mark of the first period. Vinnie Hinostroza snapped a shot from the right wing past John Gibson for his sixth goal this year. Wilmer Skoog collected his first NHL assist and first NHL point of his career on the play. 

     In the second period, the Cats increased it to 2-0 at 5:37. Luke Kunin picked up his third goal of the campaign on a snap shot from the inner right circle. 

     The Panthers converted with the man advantage at 8:56 of the second for a 3-0 lead. A.J. Greer scored his 17th goal of the season on a wraparound shot. 

     It would become 4-0 for Florida at 9:39 of the frame. Mike Benning collected his first NHL goal of his career on a forehand shot from the high slot. It went off the back wall and bounced off the back of Gibson before falling into the cage. 

     The Panthers made it a five-goal margin 5-0 with 7:19 remaining in the second. Benning chalked chalked up his second tally of the game when he snapped a shot from the low right circle. 

     Detroit(41-31-10), who missed the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the league-leading 10th consecutive season, broke the shutout with 3:48 left in the period. Justin Faulk added his 16th goal this season on a wrist shot. 

     The Cats added on to their lead during the third period with three goals and made it 8-1. Cole Schwindt scored his fifth goal on a deflected goal from the top of the crease at 8:56. Cole Reinhardt picked up his ninth goal of the year at 9:37 on a snap shot from the crease area. Kunin placed in his second goal of the contest with 1:48 to go in the third on a forehand shot. 

Braves Handle Marlins

     The Atlanta Braves scooted by the Miami Marlins 6-3 at Truist Park on Wednesday night. The Marlins completed a six-game road trip.

     It was Jackie Robinson Day throughout Major League Baseball. All players, managers and coaches wore the number 42 on their jerseys and their caps. 

     Atlanta(12-7) jumped to a 2-0 advantage in the bottom of the second. Ozzie Albies smacked a solo homer to right field on the first pitch. Three batters later, Mauricio Dubon drove in Mike Yastrzemski with a base hit into left field. 

     It became 3-0 for the Bravos in the sixth inning. Austin Riley lifted a solo home run to left-center field on a 0-0 count. 

     The Braves pushed their lead to 6-0 in the bottom of the seventh. Drake Baldwin singled through the right side and Ronald Acuna Jr. scored. Matt Olson followed with a two-run homer to right field on the first pitch scoring Baldwin. 

     Miami(9-10) got on the scoreboard to break the shutout in the top of the eighth and made it 6-3. Liam Hicks blasted a two-run homer to right field on the first pitch with Otto Lopez on base. Connor Norby would later score on a fielding error by Dubon on a double-play attempt. 

South Florida Winter Pro Teams End Early

     The Florida Panthers and the Miami Heat will not participate beyond the month of April this year. Neither one of the two teams will be playing in the postseason in the month of May for the first time since 2019. It could be technically six years for both clubs because the COVID-19 pandemic postponed the postseason in the NHL and the NBA until August 2020.

     The Panthers had their two-time Stanley Cup championship reign end earlier this month and they did not reach the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs. The Heat were eliminated in the first contest of the NBA Play-In Tournament versus the Charlotte Hornets and did not advance to the NBA Playoffs. 

Hornets Eliminate Heat

     The 10th-seeded Miami Heat had their 2025-26 season ended on Tuesday night as they lost to the ninth-seeded Charlotte Hornets 127-126 in overtime in the NBA Play-In Tournament at Spectrum Center. The Hornets advanced to the next play-in game to be played on Friday in either Orlando or Philadelphia. 

     The Heat were involved in the NBA Play-In Tournament for the fourth consecutive season. They are the only franchise to participate every year in the NBA Play-In Tournament during its four-season concept. Both South Florida winter professional sports teams the Miami Heat and the Florida Panthers will not be playing postseason games in the month of May for the first time since 2019.  

     Charlotte was able to get out in front 26-24 at the end of the first quarter. Miami was in striking distance throughout the second quarter and were ahead 54-52 at halftime. 

     The Hornets scored 10 straight points on their way to a 14-4 spurt at the the third quarter and had a 89-83 advantage at the conclusion of the frame. The Heat went on a 14-4 run to begin the final quarter and both teams were tied 114-114 at the end of regulation. 

     Charlotte had a 9-4 spurt to start overtime and led 123-118 with 1:33 left. The Heat overcame a five-point deficit down the stretch with a Tyler Herro three-point shot from the right corner, a LaMelo Ball turnover at midcourt and three free throws made by Herro to make it 126-125 with 8.7 seconds to go. Ball drove in with a layup down the right side of the lane with 4.7 seconds remaining in overtime to give the Hornets a 127-126 lead. 

     Andrew Wiggins placed in 27 points for Miami and Davion Mitchell added a team-high 28 points. Herro poured in 23 points while Kel'el Ware had 12 points and 19 rebounds for a double-double. Jaime Jaquez Jr. finished up with 13 points and Norman Powell drained in 11 points. 

     Ball led the Hornets with a double-double of 30 points and 10 assists. Miles Bridges fell short of a double-double with 28 points and nine rebounds. Coby White answered with 19 points and Brandon Miller contributed 23 points in the win. 

Braves Squeak By Marlins

     The Atlanta Braves overcame the Miami Marlins 6-5 on Tuesday night at Truist Park. The Marlins will conclude their six-game road trip tomorrow. The Fish do not have a winning record for the first time in the 2026 season. 

     Miami(9-9) picked up one run in the first inning and three runs in the top of the second for a 4-0 lead. Agustin Ramirez opened the scoring with a sacrifice fly to right field and Jakob Marsee crossed the plate. 

     Atlanta(11-7) came back with three runs in the bottom of the eighth to take the lead 6-5. Dominic Smith doubled into left-center field for Drake Baldwin, Mike Yastrzemski and Ozzie Albies to score. 

Panthers Squeeze By Rangers

      The Florida Panthers edged the New York Rangers 3-2 at Amerant Bank Arena on Monday night. Both teams have two of the three worst records in the Eastern Conference. The Panthers will conclude the 2025-26 campaign with their regular season finale on Wednesday against the Detroit Red Wings. 

     Rangers goalie Jonathan Quick played in his final NHL game of his 19-season career. He captured two Stanley Cup titles with the Los Angeles Kings in 2012 and 2014. Quick had 410 career wins, 65 shutouts and a 2.51 goals-against-average in 829 games. He is the NHL all-time leader among United States-born goalies in wins and shutouts. 

     Florida(38-38-4) broke out to a 1-0 lead at the 9:35 mark of the first period. Cole Reinhardt put in a rebound shot from the top of the crease past Quick for his seventh goal of the year. Tobias Bjornfot and Vinnie Hinostroza both had assists on the play. 

     The Panthers extended their lead to 2-0 with 9:29 remaining in the first. Mackie Samoskevich went on a breakaway and snapped a shot from the low slot for his 12th goal of the campaign.

     New York(33-39-9) closed it to 2-1 with 4:41 to go in the opening period. Matthew Robertson got his sixth goal this year on a wrist shot from the left point by Daniil Tarasov.

     The Rangers tied it up 2-2 with 2:40 left in the second. Adam Fox took a shot from the high slot and Gabe Perreault deflected it in from the left side of the crease for his 11th goal in 2025-26.

     In the third period, the Cats moved ahead 3-2 with 1:50 remaining. Reinhardt picked up his second tally of the contest and eighth goal of the season on a forehand shot from the left circle.