30-20 and What it Means

There's a symmetry to the current Marlins' 30-20 record, a numerical perfection symbolic of a fantastic season. Let's take a closer look:

1. In the modern era, nearly every team employs a 5-man rotation. While there's some degree of variation, a 30-20 record essentially implies that through each turn of the rotation, the Fish take 3. That's an excellent achievement.

2. 10 above .500 through 50 games. Absolutely solid.

3. The Marlins were once 16-14, leading many to assume their hot start had ended. Not so! Since that day, the Fish are a whopping 14-6.

4. All this was accomplished with three starters on the DL, replaced by what many saw as inadequate substitutes, and Willingham has been out the whole month.

Doubters have tried to attribute the Marlins' success to good health, weak opponents, luck in 1-run games, etc. All those arguments look fit for the meat grinder today.

Yes, the Marlins are 30-20...and Monk couldn't be any happier.

An Ode to The SFDB

I mentioned The South Florida Daily Blog (or SFDB) earlier today, with a promise to discuss them further. I probably shouldn't even refer to it as "them," since "him" would be the more operative pronoun. It's a one-man show, spearheaded by "multi-faceted genius" Rick.

Why am I sharing this again? Because The SFDB has been inordinately kind to us. He links to us nearly every day, without expecting any sort of reciprocation. His Morning and Evening Sifts are exhilarating enough to eliminate the need for any real caffeine, and his Coolers have the first legitimate claim on community discussion since Seinfeld.

So please frequent The South Florida Daily Blog when you can, and make sure to thank Rick for all he's done for us. We are just so appreciative. Thanks!

8 Runs and 16 K's Later...

Those fond of HBO's Sex and the City are familiar with Carrie's narrative style. She'll often say, "2 hours and 3 martinis later.." or something like that.

Well that's how I feel about the Marlins. I went into the game all excited, ready for the second sweep of the season. Now? All I can think about is how THEY STRUCK OUT 16 FREAKING TIMES!

This coming, of course, on the heels of my pronouncement that the Marlins are officially good. Well I still think it, but tonight sure didn't help the cause. If you examine the 8-0 box score, you'll find 3 hits and 16 strikeouts. Here's the K tally:

Hanley Ramirez, 3
Robert Andino, 3
Luis Gonzalez, 3
Matt Treanor, 2
Josh Willingham, 1
Mike Jacobs, 1
Cody Ross, 1
Jorge Cantu, 1
Wes Helms, 1

So as I was saying...8 runs and 16 K's later...#@#$@*&#!#

Now let's take that out on the Nats tomorrow!

A Right Decision?

I’ve been long quoted as comparing the Florida Panthers to the loveable George Constanza when it came to decision making. For those of you who don’t have the pleasure of understanding what I’m talking about, George came to the conclusion about mid-way through the brilliant sitcom Seinfeld, that every decision he had ever made had been wrong.

The same could really be said about the Panthers. Let’s take a little look back, as painful as it is.

A couple of years ago, the Panthers had arguably the best goalie in the league. Now, they have a solid defenseman and a guy in the minor leagues instead. Advantage Vancouver.

The Panthers gave up now near 30-goal scorer Niklas Hagman for a bag of pucks. Advantage Dallas.

The Panthers gave up now 70-point scorer Kristian Huselius for a defenseman who ended up playing as a fourth line winger this season. Advantage Calgary.

Sure the Panthers may have done themselves well in acquiring All-Star goalie Tomas Vokoun, but they won’t be drafting until the third round of this season’s draft because of it.

However, this isn’t a blog about Panthers blunders; rather one of them finally doing something right.

It was finally reported that Jacques Martin is out as Panthers coach. The man who was compared to a moisture vaporator as an emotionless, uninventive coach is finally going to be held to one duty at the most.

What a concept. The Panthers will finally have two different people to do two very different jobs. Asking one person to be both the General Manager and coach of a hockey team is like asking someone to stand on one leg, and then the other, without setting the first down. No matter how talented you are, it just isn’t going to work.

This season ended in promise for the Florida Panthers, and for the first time in recent memory, it appears the front office is ready to do what it takes to get the Panthers to playoffs for the first time since the turn of the century. If the Panthers can hire the right coach to motivate the troops, this dream could finally become a reality.

Can someone dial Bob Knight for me?

Marlins Manatees Endeared, Not Endangered

This isn't the first time we've written about the Marlins Manatees, but it merits repeating. Yesterday, the Manatees (the over-sized all male cheerleading squad) was an unmitigated success. Considering how the game went, they may have been the crowning moment of the day.

And the story keeps getting larger and larger. As the Palm Beach Post reports, these lovable moonlighters will be making an appearance on Jay Leno Thursday night. Make sure to set your DVR.

Among my favorite quotes from the Palm Beach Post story:

"It said, 'Fat guys with no experience.' That's me," said Bauer, 33, a peanut vendor at Marlins games who is 5-foot-11 and 275 pounds. "And I thought there was going to be a buffet."

The team wanted big bellies with "the biggest jiggle." "I showed it to my wife, and she said, 'Yep, you have those qualifications,' " said electronics salesman Tim Koteff, 47, the trimmest member of the group at 5-foot-8 and 225 pounds.

Nelson "Tiny" Clark, a 24-year-old security guard who stands 5-foot-5 and weighs 435 pounds, was the main event. He wore one sequined glove, executed a 360-degree spin and broke out in a little moonwalk. "I thought it'd be a good thing just to let other big men know you don't have to sit back and be shy," Clark said. "You love to dance? Hey, break it down, don't be shy."

Maybe I'm a bit too enamored by this story, but I can't help myself. Creativity of this kind ought to be applauded, and heavy people deserve a chance. Here's one for the big boys.

It's Over - An NIT Bid for the Gators

Am I dissapointed? You betcha...but to quote asponge, my brother, friend, and colleague of many years, "The Gators will be just fine if they enter the NIT, maybe even better off (they could win it)." A shocking statement from such a devoted Gator fan. I'm incredibly impressed that he was able to gather the words to say so about such a heart-breaking 80-69 loss to the Alabama Crimson Tide in the first round of the SEC Tournament. Unfortunately, I can't say the same for myself. So thank you for stating what all Gator fans should be thinking to themselves. It's been a good run of 9 consecutive NCAA Tournament bids, but I'm not gonna lie. I'm devastated that it's all over. Gotta go - Lipstick Jungle is coming back on.