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Better luck next year, Florida Panthers

Sat, 26 Mar 2011 15:38:07 EDT

What's to blame: There simply isn't enough skill in Florida. The Panthers can't score, they don't do an incredibly good job of stopping others from scoring, either. It's a young team full of players that were in the minors at some point this season. Plus, there was no busier team at the deadline than Florida, which vetted itself of most all of its valued talent. Oh, and they're the Florida Panthers.

What's not to blame: It's hard to find much on this side, but the goaltending hasn't been abysmal. Tomas Vokoun, streaky as he is, isn't the reason the 'Cats are done, nor is his backup Scott Clemmensen. Head coach Pete DeBoer belongs on this list, as well. He might take the fall for three straight posteseason-less seasons, but it's hard to blame a guy directing a team that has no talent.

The greatest game on Earth

Tue, 01 Mar 2011 13:45:49 EST

Oh college football how I love thee, let me count the ways.

There are great games all over the globe, but if there are any better than the college pigskin, I haven't seen it. And I've seen a lot of them.

No, I'm not talking football here, I'm talking college football. As everybody knows, they are different animals. In this guy's book, it's no comparison.

There are the obvious differences. The two levels have different rules. Let's start there, shall we?

The U is back ... to being attractive, at least

Thu, 02 Dec 2010 4:19:47 EST

Four years ago, Miami couldn't buy a coach. Figuratively and literally.

Miami was turned down at every turn, from former 'Canes coaches like Greg Schiano to alums like Mark Richt. Eventually they had to go to the man they knew wouldn't say no: life-long Hurricane Randy Shannon.

Four years later, things have a much different feel. The U might not be back, but the appeal seems like it is.

Miami so far was, from all indications, throwing bookoo bucks at the hottest coaching candidate in the game ... NFL or college. Although the 'Canes were pretty much rebuked by Jon Gruden, it signaled an important and meaningful change. First of all, it shows Miami is serious about getting a top-notch coach. Secondly, it helps to ease an old concern for coaches about the job: they have money to pay and are willing to spend it.

C-USA: Q&A with East Carolina's Ruffin McNeill

Wed, 11 Aug 2010 8:46:47 EDT

It's been a successful run for East Carolina, including back-to-back Conference USA titles. But gone is coach Skip Holtz, moving up to the Big East and USF.

Taking his place is former Texas Tech defensive coordinator Ruffin McNeill, who led the Red Raiders to a bowl win after Mike Leach's dismissal. McNeill returns to ECU where he was a defensive back to continue sailing the Pirates' ship in the right direction.

I got ahold of Coach Ruffin for a quick Q&A about how things are going and here's what he had to say.

CBSSports.com: What does it mean for you to take over at your alma mater as your first head coaching job?

Getting onboard the Tebow brandwagon

Tue, 03 Aug 2010 20:21:22 EDT

If you’re like a lot of football fans, you’re likely rooting against Tim Tebow. It’s ok, I used to be one of you. But not anymore.

Everybody has their own reason(s). Undoubtedly you might have become nauseated by the constant coverage over the past four years, telling you how great a person Tebow is. Just ask Tom Brennaman. Or perhaps your favorite school had to compete with Tebow’s Gators over the last four years. That’s where I fit. As a University of Miami alumnus, I don’t root for anything Gators out of principle.

That’s about to change. And it should for the rest of you Tebow haters, too.

With news recently of Tim Tebow’s endorsement deal with Jockey, you should be encouraged. Because this could be a step in the transformation of the future athlete.

Baseball can make this right, sort of

Thu, 03 Jun 2010 7:59:24 EDT

Armando Galarraga deserves more. He deserves more than a sorry, no matter how sincere it might be.

That's not enough. Not for what he achieved last night.

First of all, I'm calling on all fans to remember this just as you would Roy Halladay's and Dallas Braden's perfect games this season. Legacies last as long as the record books.

But more than that, this game should forever be unofficially known as the one and only 28-out perfect game in baseball history. Maybe, if anybody could suck it up the way Galarraga did with so much class and find their sense of humor, he could even be given some sort of mock plaque to honor the achievement. Whatever fits.

Curling: Sweeping across the nation

Mon, 01 Mar 2010 7:22:13 EST

CORAL SPRINGS, Fla. -- A Saturday night in South Florida and the line is long, with hopefuls arriving seeking entrance. Sounds pretty typical for these club-going parts.

But it's not. Not at all.

You see, these people are waiting for an instructional class on curling, a sport that has seen tremendous growth with the coverage in the Olympic Games.

The Florida Panthers and their practice facility, Incredible Ice, decided to begin teaching curling and have been met with a response even they couldn't have anticipated, with booked class after booked class lined up for the next few weeks.

Are foes running down Jackets' option?

Sun, 20 Sep 2009 13:29:26 EDT

MIAMI -- It's time to ask the question. Again.

It was asked last season. Then Paul Johnson made everybody look silly for even asking.

"LSU beats us so therefore the offense is null and void ...," Johnson said sarcastically before the season. "You guys keep telling me it won't work.”

But now it is starting to look silly.

What's going on in Miami?

Wed, 26 Aug 2009 20:25:42 EDT

With the news of not one, but two University of Miami quarterbacks transferring, that makes three quarterbacks to depart under Randy Shannon in the last eight months, four if you go back more than a season when fifth-year senior Kirby Freeman left for Baylor.

It's not unheard of for backup quarterbacks to transfer, but two on one day? What the heck is going on in the Gables?

First off, everybody knows the job is now Jacory Harris', he earned it last year by outplaying the since-departed Robert Marve (in addition to keeping a cleaner slate off the field). So in that regard, these quarterbacks leaving doesn't mean much. But these two, Taylor Cook and Cannon Smith, figured to be the primary backups this season. But all three guys came in under the same recruiting class, so all along it seemed inevitible one of them would transfer at some point. All that's odd is the timing, two weeks before the start of the season.

Camp battles to watch

Sun, 17 Aug 2008 15:58:26 EDT

As we inch closer and closer to opening day (The season starts Thursday, Aug. 28), the battles on the practice field heat up for starting spots. Here's the battle to watch for each team.

ATLANTIC DIVISION

Clemson -- The Tigers appear to be the class of the conference this season, led by Thunder and Lightning in the backfield -- James Davis and C.J. Spiller. Add incoming freshman Jamie Harper to the mix and Clemson has no shortage of weapons in the backfield behind senior QB Cullen Harper. But if the Tigers want to continue to pound it on the ground, they will have to shore up their offensive line. It's a unit that has four new spots to fill, including replacing two Sporting News All-Americans. The Tigers also have to find some playmakers on defense, particularly at the linebacker positions. The biggest battle at LB will wage in the middle, where the only senior linebacker Josh Miller competes with RS-freshman Brandon Maye, who has been the more impressive of the two and seems to have the upper hand on the starting position, currently sitting atop the depth chart. Regardless, the LB corps will be assisted with the talented and experienced secondary behind them.