SPORTS COLUMNIST

David J. Neal
Since coming to The Herald in 1989, David Neal has covered shootings, domestic violence, labor strife which is to say he covered high school sports and Florida International sports for three and a half seasons, the Florida Panthers for 11 seasons, the NFL/Miami Dolphins for four seasons. Along the way, the Indianapolis born and raised Neal has written several auto racing columns, although he considers the Indianapolis 500's Race Day the one holiday on which he refuses to work.

Email David at dneal@miamiherald.com

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In My Opinion

David J. Neal: Urban Meyer not to blame for Gators’ transgressions

FILE - Former New England Patriots football tight end Aaron Hernandez stands during a bail hearing in Fall River Superior Court in this June 27, 2013 file photo taken in Fall River, Mass.

Publicly through the years, current Ohio State and — as he has been most often referred to over the past month — former University of Florida coach Urban Meyer has managed to embody: arrogant, arid and disingenuous if not downright dishonest. One former Florida beat writer summed up his perception of Meyer’s self-perception by referring to him as “The Myth.” 1373602185

In My Opinion | David J. Neal

David J. Neal: No contest: Gulfstream will win racing war against Calder in a KO

The second day in this era’s first weekend of head-to-head horse racing between Gulfstream and Calder recalled not Heat home game vs. Panthers home game or South Beach vs. Coconut Grove, but Aventura Mall vs. The Mall at 163rd Street.
IN MY OPINION

David J. Neal: Florida Panthers taking a passive approach to free agency

NHL free agency opened Friday afternoon. You could say the Panthers played possum. Or, you could say they barely played at all.
In my opinion

David J. Neal: Semifinalists put on a show worth watching at Wimbledon

Thursday’s semifinals presented both the bad and the good products of this wacky women’s Wimbledon: an argument for star-loving and a lesson in watching an event for the game, not the name.
IN MY OPINION

David J. Neal: While Miami Heat tinkers, Los Angeles Lakers panic

Well, we know one team that doesn’t need to bat its eyes at free agent center Dwight Howard as the NBA’s open market begins. Freed from that exercise and with all options picked up, the Heat can focus on wooing center Chris Andersen to stay.
In My Opinion | David J. Neal

David J. Neal: Florida Panthers make gutsy, bold move with Aleksander Barkov

The Panthers are the only professional team in town that plays with pucks, but Sunday they showed they’ve got a lot of guts.
IN MY OPINION

David J. Neal: It’s simple – Florida Panthers should draft Seth Jones

Simplicity works with amazing frequency. How often do you see people mess up meals, attire, birthday parties, stories (guilty) by trying too hard to be smart? Sometimes, you just blow up the bounce house and get out of the way.
In My Opinion | David J. Neal

David J. Neal: Floyd Mayweather, Canelo Alvarez hope fight lives up to hype

For a long, sapping 50 minutes after the barnstorming press conference was supposed to start, the scene in Bayfront Park on Friday afternoon acted as a metaphor for boxing’s big events of late:
IN MY OPINION

David J. Neal: Original Six storyline is being overplayed during Stanley Cup Finals

Wednesday brings Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Finals, which Boston leads Chicago 2-1.
IN MY OPINION

David J. Neal: On the brink, Miami Heat must now perform

For Tuesday’s NBA Finals Game 6, the bus that rolls into AmericanAirlines Arena bringing the San Antonio Spurs should be painted like the Scooby Doo Mystery Machine. Maybe the Heat, which already sells jerseys in more flavors than Baskin-Robbins, should add one sprinkled with little question marks, Riddler-style.
In My Opinion

David J. Neal: Regardless of journey, Miami Heat’s current position seems clear

Well, there the Heat is. Right where most of us expected it would be four games into this wrestling match with Indiana.
IN MY OPINION

David J. Neal: IndyCar needs new shot in South Florida

Sunday’s Indianapolis 500 fell only two final green flag laps from being the best of the 97 Indy 500s. Three South Florida residents, led by winner Tony Kanaan, occupied the podium positions.
In My Opinion | David J. Neal

David J. Neal: Miami, Indianapolis have sports similarities beyond court

The Heat gets who in the NBA Eastern Conference finals? Indiana? What, no (censored) Knicks?
IN MY OPINION

David J. Neal: Miami Heat must play matador and slay Chicago Bulls

Can the Heat please put this series out of our misery Wednesday night?
IN MY OPINION

David J. Neal: Indianapolis 500 was scene of Mom’s valuable lessons

Sunday is Mother’s Day. Back when Foyt, Andrettis and Unsers defined auto racing in this country, that often meant Saturday would have been scheduled to be the first day of Indianapolis 500 qualifying, Pole Day. To me, Pole Day was the real Mother’s Day.
IN MY OPINION

David J. Neal: Gritty Bulls challenge Miami Heat’s core identity

Now comes the game Heat fans should be nervous about: Game 2, at home, down 1-0 to Chicago.
David J. Neal | In My Opinion

David J. Neal: Let the Miami Dolphins wallow in their own pity party

The Dolphins sounded more like losers on this spring Sunday than they usually do on fall Sundays.
IN MY OPINION

David J. Neal: Chris ‘Birdman’ Andersen nesting with Miami Heat

The Heat’s new kid fits. That’s not always a lock, either in a school or in the schoolyard of a professional sports locker room.
In My Opinion

Penn State’s Joe Paterno just the latest campus king to fall

Hard to watch, now, isn’t it? Nobody ever thought just the sight of those bland Penn State uniforms and that craggy guy with the Poindexter glasses on the sideline could make skin crawl.
IN MY OPINION

Superstars deliver on rainy night at World Masters Tour

Saturday night at Sun Life Stadium, a stop of the World Soccer Masters Tour, set up like a dream of the late Joe Robbie: