By Nunnie Robinson, Westside Gazette Newspaper Sports Editor
One of the most overlooked professional sports franchises in South Florida is that soaring hockey team AKA the Florida Panthers who made a miraculous run toward the Stanley Cup last year and are at it again.
After eliminating the state rival Tampa Bay Lightning, the Panthers rested and waited patiently on the winner between the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Boston Bruins, a series that at one point had the Bruins leading 3-1. However, the Maple Leafs fought back, winning the next 2 games before finally succumbing to the Bruins in Boston in a highly competitive series. Ironically, the Bruins were attempting to avoid repeating last year’s devastating result where, after leading the Panthers 3 – 1, the Bruins allowed the Panthers to win 3 in a row, thus eliminating them from the playoffs. After defeating Toronto, the Bruins traveled to sunny South Florida to play a well rested Panther team in the second round. The Panthers, perhaps too rested and rusty, were lambasted by the Bruins 5-1 on Monday night at Amerant Bank Arena. Let’s hope that game one was an anomaly, not a harbinger of things to come. Go Panthers!
The Miami Heat, after being soundly defeated by the Boston Celtics, have several issues to resolve including PR concerns based on Pat Riley’s renunciation of Jimmy Butler, who made the asinine, outrageous and poorly timed statement about the Heat defeating the Celtics had he played. Per Riley, if you’re not on the court, shut up. Jimmy’s age, injury history and salary demands make signing him problematic at best and extremely unlikely at worst.
The Miami Marlins have a 10-27 record this year and have traded star player Louis Arraez to the San Diego Padres, opening the trading season in Major League Baseball months before the MLB trade deadline and another All-Star player is reportedly expected to be moved this summer. That’s all you really need to know about this franchise. One that knows how to discover and develop talent, having won 2 World Series in its brief history. On the contrary, it also knows how to destroy and self-destruct. It can’t all be because of poor attendance and community support. I really understand why Derek Jeter and Kim Ng bailed. Somebody prove me wrong.
And finally our Miami Dolphins who recently signed Odell Beckham to a one year contract with loaded incentives. I know that under the circumstances they did a decent job with in the draft, but question begs: are they a better team than last year’s rendition considering key losses like Christian Wilkins and Xavien Howard, the draft, free agent signees and health of key players lost last to injury. I just want to see the Dolphins beat teams supposedly equal to or better than them. Just look at last year’s final record.
Miami showed its desire to make deals this summer by including significant cash considerations in the deal with San Diego. As part of the trade for prospects Dillon Head, Jakob Marsee and Nathan Martorella, the Marlins agreed to send $7.898 million to cover a majority of Arraez’s salary for the 2024 season.
Miami Marlins stats (2024): 125 runs scored (23rd in MBL, .223 batting average (25th), .281 OBP (29th), .334 SLG (27th), 5.19 ERA )29th), 1.49 WHIP (29th), .263 batting average allowed (28th)
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