IN MY OPINION

Florida Marlins' saving grace will be to acquire a closer

A mere two Marlins postseason appearances in 16 franchise years (albeit both turned into World Series trophies) provides the math on how precious playoff contention is. There is no tougher ticket in all of sports than the Hunt for Rare October in baseball, so the Marlins plow into summer with an opportunity that must be handled with care.

IN MY OPINION

Iverson might be the answer to Miami Heat keeping Wade

His nickname was ''The Answer'' back before that became a question. At age 34, he is no long-term solution for the Heat or any other NBA team. But here, at least, he might just be something worthy of a new nickname.

Scandals can't tarnish sports' golden era

So much is in the way, trying to obscure the view of what's all around us. There are steroids, of course, performance-enhancing drugs inviting us to attach a sad asterisk to an entire generation of sports.

What South Florida sports fans are talking about:

1 Hot Hanley, Marlins fight for first: Hanley Ramirez had an RBI in 10 consecutive games and the Marlins were tied for first place in the NL East entering the weekend home series against Pittsburgh. That was after MLB turned down Fredi Gonzalez's request to continue playing the Washington Nationals indefinitely.

RANDOM EVIDENCE OF A CLUTTERED MIND

July 4 was day for the dogs

What a battle Saturday! Did you see it? A highly anticipated duel, full of high drama, with athleticism at its finest and major championship at stake.

IN MY OPINION

Greg Cote | Michael Vick a Dolphin? It doesn't hurt to dream

Longtime former NFL head coach Dennis Green went on Sirius national radio this week and said the following: ``I have a hard time believing that Michael Vick is not going to wind up with Bill Parcells, simply because [Parcells] has that creativeness that says no matter what it takes, he's going to find a way to get Michael Vick. Now, whether it means convincing the commissioner or whatever it takes, Michael Vick is probably going to wind up at Miami because of the fact Bill Parcells is Bill Parcells...

IN MY OPINION

Greg Cote | Americans' interest in soccer will always remain on the fringe

Soccer fans in this country, like Jehovah's Witnesses, have an evangelical bent to them, always trying to get the message out, to convince, to convert. It is they who obviously have seen the light and would enlighten the rest of us if given half a chance.

RANDOM EVIDENCE OF A CLUTTERED MIND

Up next for Fins: Vanilla Ice

The Dolphins under star-struck new owner Stephen Ross are systematically enlisting South Florida-affiliated singers to grow their fan base one demographic group at a time.

Greg Cote | Miami Heat losing ground to East rivals

Patience is a virtue? Yeah, OK. Fine. Nice bon mot. Fortune Cookie Hall of Fame, first ballot. But it must have been hard to feel a lot of love for patience Thursday if you were a Heat fan. The day of the NBA Draft sure felt like a day when Miami was losing big chunks of ground to its more aggressive Eastern Conference rivals.

IN MY OPINION

Greg Cote | Miami Heat's Dwyane Wade, Pat Riley need a little face to face

An amusing subplot of our sports summer is the public interplay between Heat president Pat Riley and superstar Dwyane Wade, the team's two powerbrokers who in effect have been tip-toeing at each other in the media over the how and when of growing a decent NBA team into a contender.

IN MY OPINION

Greg Cote | U.S. Open robbed of feel-good ending

Sometimes the best sports stories aren't about sports at all, are they? They are about people, emotion laid raw, hearts soaring or broken. The competition might be the reason we watch, but it isn't the reason we care. These are stories without scripts, endings being written live -- the original and real reality TV.

RANDOM EVIDENCE OF A CLUTTERED MIND

A-Rod turns into A-Wimp

Alex Rodriguez sat out the first two games of the Yankees-Marlins series (although he did pinch-hit late in Saturday's 2-1 loss to the Marlins) here because of what the club called ''fatigue'' but is expected to play in Sunday's series closer. Hey, that would be great, A-Rod. I mean, you know, if you're not too tired and all.

IN MY OPINION

Greg Cote: NCAA going too far in taking wins from Bobby Bowden

The legacy that Bobby Bowden has worked 50 good years to build and grow and earn is being hijacked by a misguided committee of pinheaded bureaucrats.

IN MY OPINION'

Never a dull moment when the Yankees are in town

With the New York Yankees, it's always about the rings. The 26 rings, of course -- the World Series championships that make the franchise's arrogance earned. And the three rings, as in traveling circus.

IN MY OPINION

Greg Cote: Best athletes of all time? Here's my list

Quick. Tell me the best song ever written. Where do you even start, right? How do weigh Beethoven and the Beatles? Sinatra and Jay-Z? How do you compare eras and genres and make any sense?

IN MY OPINION

This is a pajama party now, not a Super Bowl party

The best quote of this Dolphins offseason comes courtesy of sage linebacker Jason Taylor. It is the most telling analysis of the state of the team as minicamp ended Sunday, wrapping up Miami's preparation before the start of training camp in late July.

RANDOM EVIDENCE OF A CLUTTERED MIND

Can the Magic rally? Nah

The Orlando Magic, trailing 3-1 in the NBA Finals, holds out hope it still can somehow beat the Los Angeles Lakers three games in a row -- Sunday night at home, then two games in Los Angeles.

IN MY OPINION

Greg Cote: It is hard not to root for Orlando's Van Gundy

Stan Van Gundy can tell you what it feels like to have a championship ring and feel nothing but empty. Joyless.

RANDOM EVIDENCE OF A CLUTTERED MIND

Much atwitter about nothing

Dolphins Chad Pennington and Joey Porter were in the news this week, not only because they were announced as co-MVPs of last season, but for ridiculous reasons, as well.