Sports Agenda For Thursday (4/28/11)
Big Story:
Geez, where do I start. Well, the Heat won the series. The Marlins lost out on the sweep. The NFL and the Dolphins are in complete chaos. And the NFL Draft starts tonight.
But first, please keep the folks in Alabama in your thoughts and prayers after tornadoes just devastated the area yesterday. It was brutal destruction in many areas and we may not know the full death total for some time. Hundreds of thousands remain without power or any way of communicating with the outside world leaving family members across the country worried for their loved one's safety.
Heat: (next game Sunday vs. Boston Celtics 3:30 p.m. ABC-TV)
Well, like I said yesterday, the Heat disposed of the Philadelphia 76ers last night 96-91. The Heat got at least 16 points and 10 boards from all of the big three, but perhaps even better was Mario Chalmers dropping 20 off the bench.
The Big Three were impressive, but Chalmers, Joel Anthony, and James Jones are all playing extremely well off the bench. With the Celtics coming to town for Round 2, the Heat desperately need the bench to step up. Anthony and Chalmers have played extremely well, especially defensively in the first 5 games of the playoffs.
But, the Celtics present an entirely different challenge. The Heat have the horses to guard Ray Allen and Paul Pierce, but Rajon Rondo will eat Mike Bibby alive if he starts. Chalmers has to show he can take care of the ball and stay out of foul trouble against Rondo. Plus, Joel Anthony will have to seal off Jermaine O'Neal and possibly Shaquille O'Neal to get past round 2.
The Celtics want the Heat. They want to prove that the Heat aren't all they're cracked up to be. They have former Heat players who want to stick it to their old team. The Heat want the Celtics. The Heat has to prove that it is the superior Big Three to Boston's Big Three plus Rondo.
We'll learn just how far along the Heat are when Sunday finally arrives.
Marlins: (off Thursday)
Well, that was fun while it lasted. The Marlins went from first to second Wednesday night by losing to the Dodgers 5-4.
It was only the second loss in the last 9 games for the Fish. Anibal Sanchez gave up 3 runs and pushed his ERA to 3.86 for the season.
The Fish are off until Friday when they travel to Cincinnati for a three game series to end the month.
NFL & NFL Draft:
All eyes in the NFL are on the 8th Circuit Court of Appeal to see if an emergency stay will be granted.
Still, the NFL MUST open for business today. If it doesn't, the entire league is in contempt of court.
So, free agency must begin immediately and teams are free to trade/cut/sign players as of today. Unless the 8th circuit grants an emergency stay, which is not likely as of now.
So, the Fins approach to the Draft may be drastically changing as the hours tick down to the NFL Draft tonight.
Speaking of the draft, my best guesses for the players the Fins are targeting: Mike Pouncey, Ryan Mallett, Mark Ingram.
