SPORTS COLUMNIST

Israel Gutierrez
Israel Gutierrez is a columnist/enterprise writer at The Miami Herald. He previously covered the Miami Heat for seven years - five at The Herald and two at the Palm Beach Post. A South Florida native and University of Florida graduate, he also has covered the Florida Marlins.

Email Israel at igutierrez@miamiherald.com

Top Story

NBA superstars LeBron James, left, and Dwyane Wade will both be prized possessions during next summer's free agency period.

DAVID LIAM KYLE/NBAE-GETTY IMAGES

HEAT

LeBron James in Miami is not a crazy idea

First thing's first.

The round of speculation that has LeBron James possibly signing with the Heat next summer is only the current direction this discussion is going. Next week it'll be different. The week after that it'll change again, and so on until the 2010 free agency period actually arrives, by which time every possibility will have been discussed at least once, including the idea of James signing with Sacramento under the condition that the team adds an apostrophe to make them the King's.

IN MY OPINION

Sixth-man role suits Miami Heat's Udonis Haslem

We all hear the sob stories about professional athletes feeling disrespected and, frankly, they're almost all repetitive and boring and, most of the time, wildly exaggerated.
IN MY OPINION

Former Miami Heat guard Tim Hardaway's honor arrives

Tim Hardaway's career wasn't defined here, but it was completed here.
IN MY OPINION

Florida Gators' Tim Tebow not worthy of a second Heisman

It practically is a sin to write it.
Maybe even to think it, given how great he has been for his team, his sport and his faith.
IN MY OPINION

Changing Miami Dolphins' fan culture is a good starting point

This is what the last decade-plus of mediocre-to-bad football has turned the Miami Dolphins fan base into: a passive bunch.
IN MY OPINION

Miami Dolphins' future is now: Bring on stinking Jets!

Big picture talk always is fun.
How else would we have gotten through this week without complaints about the lack of Dolphins wide-receiving talent and lamenting about the daggone Jets nabbing Braylon Edwards from the Browns?
IN MY OPINION

It's time for Florida Marlins owner Jeffrey Loria to own up to reputation

If it's true that Marlins manager Fredi Gonzalez is on the verge of being replaced, and team president David Samson did nothing to dispel the rumors that have suddenly circulated, then Jeffrey Loria has officially become a meddler.
IN MY OPINION

Miami Heat's Dwyane Wade expects his best season; why can't we?

It's funny how illogical sports predictions can be sometimes.
The prevailing thought regarding the Heat this year is that it can't possibly be any better than it was last season because the roster has barely changed, and it's impossible to ask more of Dwyane Wade, given how well he played last season by finishing as the league's scoring leader.
IN MY OPINION

Time for Florida Gators to step up

Quarterback's injury ought to serve as a wake-up call
IN MY OPINION

Season young, but Miami Hurricanes creating quite the buzz

So they have taken the humble route. Even though, historically, UM football and humility are about as familiar with each other as Kanye West and tact, these Hurricanes have chosen to downplay their accomplishments in this young season and hold back some of the bravado the program is known to have displayed.
IN MY OPINION

Miami Dolphins show some encouraging signs

A17-game foundation of trust was crumbling after just one performance.
Everything Tony Sparano and his staff had proven over a sparkling first season with the Dolphins was tossed aside, dissed, dismissed as gadgetry and luck after a single poor performance against a talented Falcons team in the first game of the season.
IN MY OPINION

Florida Gators are no model of perfection

GAINESVILLE -- So much for extra motivation.
All that extra energy Lane Kiffin's words gave UF players expired the moment they realized Tennessee is still an SEC school with SEC-sized players and a proper SEC running game.
IN MY OPINION

If there was ever a moral victory for FIU, this has to be it

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. -- They arrived here, in this Bear of a stadium, as they do for every road game: with no cheerleaders, no band, little fanfare, less recognition and barely any respect.
IN MY OPINION

Refreshing stability at quarterback for Miami Dolphins

Forget, for a moment, the painful schedule that tells us this Dolphins team can be far better than last year and still have a worse record.
IN MY OPINION

Florida Gators needed a pushover to iron out kinks

GAINESVILLE -- Even here, in the college football capital of America, a tune-up game is never a bad idea.
IN MY OPINION

No easy road for defending champion Florida Gators

The Florida Gators are a preseason No. 1 team, and many experts predict an easy path to a national championship game, but taps against LSU, South Carolina and perhaps the SEC title game loom.
IN MY OPINION

John Smoltz, Florida Marlins would have been a nice fit

It's a shame the Florida Marlins never really had a chance in this brief but compelling pursuit of John Smoltz.
It's a shame Smoltz, known as one of the most bloodthirsty competitors in his sport, essentially took the easy route in signing with St. Louis on Wednesday.
IN MY OPINION

Brett Favre becoming a reality show with latest antics

It wasn't too long ago that any Brett Favre story would draw a roll of the eyes, a sigh and quick click of the remote or mouse.
IN MY OPINION

To make playoffs, Florida Marlins relying on hitting

It's a race against other playoff contenders, sure, because the standings tell you the Marlins are chasing down the wild card leaders and even catching up to the division-leading Phillies.