The Perfect Season Dolphins will be honored by President Barack Obama on Tuesday with the White House ceremony they never got 41 years earlier.
I worry about all the acrimonious partisanship in Washington now, though. I hear Republican lawmakers, denied equal time Tuesday to counter the president, are planning a filibuster to argue the ’72 Dolphins should not be honored. (I also hear members of the Tea Party now claim that season’s “supposed” 17-0 record is “the biggest hoax since the moon landing.”)
I just saw betting lines on the visit. It’s 2-to-1 odds that Obama will quip how his winning back-to-back terms was not as impressive as Miami winning back-to-back Super Bowls. It’s more likely — even odds — that Mercury Morris will snatch the microphone from Obama and start rapping.
Have not seen a line on this yet, but I think there’s also a pretty good chance a daydreaming Don Shula will at some point channel the hard-nosed coach he was in ’72 and force the president to run wind sprints.
Sign Up and Save
Get six months of free digital access to the Miami Herald
#ReadLocal
•
said this week he has no plans to leave in free agency after this coming season, while an ESPN survey called
LeBron Jamesan overwhelming favorite to be MVP again. The Heat are so good, they even dominate the offseason!
•
Caleb Sturgiswon the Dolphins placekicking job over incumbent
Dan Carpenter, thus becoming the most prominent “Caleb” since Biblical times.
•
John Offerdahlwas revealed as the next member of the Dolphins’ Honor Roll. Offerdahl will be the first defender honored who made more bagels than tackles.
• The NFL has approved random testing for human growth hormone. “I’m glad it’s random,” said the 640-pound tackle whose neck is wider than his ears.
• Linebacker
James Harrisoncomplained about HBO’s
Hard Knockscameras being at Bengals camp, because Harrison is happiest when complaining.
• The Phillies fired
Charlie Manuel, their longtime manager. Manuel was best known for appearing to be 100 years old as he labored up the dugout steps and ambled slowly to the mound.
• The Marlins’
Justin Ruggianofinally ended his near-record hitless streak. For 42 at-bats in a row, Justin had the same number of hits as your cat, Fluffster.
• MLB agreed to expand instant replay starting next year, including manager challenges. Great. The games aren’t long enough, right? The 2014 season is now projected to end in early 2016.
•
Manny Ramirez, 41, was released from his Rangers minor-league contract. No more Manny Being Manny. Time for Manny Being Something Other Than a Ballplayer.
Yankees manager Joe Girardi addressed Nick Saban’s champion Alabama team. I assume he passed along tips on how not to live up to high expectations.
• Fort Lauderdale St. Thomas Aquinas grad
Jason Dufnerwon the PGA Championship last week. (I don’t have the heart to tell him it’s the major the other three majors make fun of.)
• The U.S. men’s soccer team won its 12th consecutive international match, 4-3 over Bosnia-Herzegovina. In its next game, the United States hopes to pick on someone its own size.
• FIU men’s basketball, after posting its first winning season in 13 years, is on a 10-day, three-game tour of Spain. They know how to reward success over there at FIU, don’t they?
•
Usain Boltwon the 100 meters at the world track championships in Moscow. Bolt continues to deny he uses any PEDs, but has admitted to using discreetly hidden jet packs.
Ricky Williams is new running backs coach at University of the Incarnate Word in San Antonio. Not sure if his unit will lead the conference in rushing, but I bet they lead the league in the munchies.
• New reports indicate friends of
Alex Rodriguezleaked info that led to
Ryan Braun’ssuspension for PEDs. So it’s a close call now who’s lower: Cheatin’ A-Rod or his rattin’ buddies.
• As the U.S. opens nears,
Maria Sharapovafired
Jimmy Connorsafter only one month and one match as her coach. In sympathy,
John McEnroeexclaimed, “You cannot be [bleepin’] serious!”
• My football fantasy draft is next week. I’m thinking either
Tim Tebowor
Aaron Hernandezin the first round.
•
Bernie Kosaris not backing down from his on-air criticism that angered Rams coach
Jeff Fisher.I thought analysts were supposed to be honest. But apparently not
thathonest.
I Googled the phrase “unfounded optimism” and saw that Dale Earnhardt Jr., who has won only two races since 2007 and none in more than a year, predicted a victory was imminent.
• Gators basketball coach Billy Donovan said he’ll give a tryout to Zach Hodskins, a one-armed player who became a YouTube sensation. Donovan says Hodskins can do it all, other than clapping.
• UM’s
Corn Elderplans to play both football and basketball. Not sure if he can do both. I just like writing the name “Corn Elder.”
• In women’s golf, the Solheim Cup is underway. I doubt if even Solheim cares.
• The rock group KISS has bought an Arena Football League team in Los Angeles. Not sure if the team will win, but I’d expect its players will lead the league in facepaint and eight-inch heels.
• Bet I can make you feel old in one sentence: This week marked 36 years since
Elvisdied, and 44 years since Woodstock.
• NASCAR teamed with actress Alyssa Milano to create a line of fashionable apparel for women race fans. What, you’ve never seen a sequined Confederate flag before?
• Retired NASCAR driver
Kyle Pettysaid
Danica Patrick“can go fast, but she can’t race.” Hmm. Kyle, you won only eight races in 829 starts over 30 years. Quiet, please.
• The Calder-Gulfstream keeps escalating. The other day I saw armies of jockeys from both tracks on horseback, jousting.
• The Harlem Globetrotters exhibition basketball franchise is for sale. Assets include a pail that you think is full of water but actually only contains confetti!
• The Association of Nigerian Prostitutes has offered free sex to the national soccer team for winning the African Cup. I dunno. I feel like that association would have interesting board meetings.
• NFL plans to place cameras inside locker rooms and start airing video to fans at stadiums. It will be a good idea until the moment a horrified crowd is accidentally shown a 365-pound guard with no pants.
•
Parting thought:I read there is a book the size of a ladybug (seriously) that can only be read with a microscope. I hear it contains all the names of people who still like A-Rod.
Visit Greg’s Random Evidence of a Cluttered Blog daily at MiamiHerald.com and follow on Twitter @gregcote, on Instagram/upsetbird and on Vine/Greg Cote.
Comments