Dolphins Season In Review/Offseason Preview

By: Mike Rifkin

For the first time in six years, the 2022 Miami Dolphins made the playoffs. The Dolphins’ season was streaky. They won their first three games, then lost three, then won five, then lost five before winning their season finale to make the playoffs. 

The biggest question going into the 2022 season was Tua Tagovailoa’s development. The Dolphins brought a pro-Left Tackle, Terron Armstead, and Connor Williams to help the offensive line. They made a massive trade with the Chiefs to acquire Receiver Tyreek Hill. Hill’s chemistry with Tua did not disappoint, as Hill broke the franchise record with the most receptions in a single season with 119 receiving yards in a single season. With 1,710 yards. Second-year receiver Jaylen Waddle followed up a great rookie year with a solid second season. Waddle had 75 catches for 1,356 yards and eight touchdowns. Raheem Mostert, who came from San Francisco and head coach Mike McDaniel, had 891 rushing yards and three touchdowns. They traded with the 49ers to get Jeff Wilson at the trade deadline, and in eight games, Wilson ran for 392 yards and three touchdowns. 

Tua’s ability shouldn’t be questioned after he posted a 64.9 completion percentage of 3,548 yards, 25 touchdowns, and eight interceptions. Tua had a QB Rating of 105.5, which was at the top of the NFL. Tua did suffer three concussions during the season. One occurred on Christmas day against the Packers, the last game Tua played during the season. There will be questions on the backup quarterback position. Will the Dolphins retain Teddy Bridgewater, or did Skylar Thompson show enough against the Bills that he can be the backup? Or does the team go after a different veteran? What if Aaron Rodgers says to the Packers that he wants to go to Miami? Do the Dolphins inquire about that? Derek Carr or Jimmy G is not an upgrade, although Garoppolo knows the system. 

The Dolphins’ defense took a bit of a backward step this season. The defense gave up 23.9 points per game, compared to 21.9 in 2021. In 2021 the defense was top five in sacks. This season they were middle of the pack. Part of that reason was Emmanuel Ogbah, whom the Dolphins gave a big contract to in the offseason, had one sack in nine games before getting a season-ending triceps injury. Former first-round pick Jaelan Phillips backed up his 8.5 sacks in his rookie season with seven. The Dolphins made a splash at the trade deadline when they traded their first-round pick to the Broncos for Bradley Chubb and signed him to a five-year contract worth 110 million dollars with 53 million guaranteed. Chubb had 2.5 sacks in eight games as a Dolphin. The Dolphin secondary had to rely on young Kader Kohou and Keion Crossen players. They had to rely on these guys because Nik Needham was limited to six games before tearing his Achilles, and Byron Jones had off-season ankle surgery and didn’t play a snap. Safety Jevon Holland had a great year with 96 tackles, 1.5 sacks, and two interceptions. The Dolphins’ defense should improve next season because the guys will be healthy, and they hired Vic Fangio to be the new defensive coordinator. 

As it stands now, the Dolphins are 12 million dollars over the cap. To free up space, they can restructure the contracts of Tyreek Hill, Bradley Chubb, and Terron Armstead. Trading Cedric Wilson and extending defensive tackle Christian Wilkins can save money. Cutting Byron Jones and designating him as a post-June 1st cut can save the team 13 million dollars. 

Free agency

  1. Sign Mike McGlinchey – The Dolphins’ offensive line still needs to be improved, and Mchlinchey did play for Mike Mcdaniel in San Francisco. If the Bills cut Mitch Morse, he’d also be a name to check on. 
  2. Sign TJ Edwards – The Dolphins have multiple free agents at linebacker. Edwards has played a solid role for the Eagles. 
  3. Extend or Franchise Tag Christian Wilkins- Wilkins was arguably the most consistent Dolphin defender this season. Extending him would be significant for the franchise, as he and Zac Sieler have created a dynamic duo in the middle.
  4. Re-sign Raheem Mostert or Jeff Wilson- Both had their moments this year for the Dolphins. If both are back, that would be good, but I would spend my money wisely. 
  5. Re-sign Nik Needham – Needham was missed after his injury. Putting him back in the slot can help the Secondary and give it depth.

Draft 

RD 2 (51) – Jack Campbell- LB – Iowa. Campbell is an excellent tackler who could flourish in Fangios’s scheme.

RD 3 (78) – Kenny Mcintosh – RB – Georgia. If the Dolphins lose both Mostert and Wilson, running back becomes more necessary. Mcintosth was excellent for the Bulldogs and can be a good scheme fit.

RD 3 (84) – Dalton Kincade – TE – Utah. Mike Gesicki is a free agent, and it has been widely speculated that he will leave. Kincade is an excellent receiver and has good speed. He could be a better blocker, but he can give the Dolphins’ offense a high-upside tight end. 

Nothing But Nets

By: Mike Rifkin

On Friday, the NBA world was stunned when Brooklyn Nets star Kyrie Irving requested a trade. According to reports, Irving and the Nets were talking about a contract extension, but the Nets wanted stipulations that have yet to be public. 

The Nets front office wants stipulations in Kyrie’s contract because Kyrie, as talented as he is, comes with much baggage. Whether it’s not wanting to play in the bubble, he is not vaccinated, flipping off opposing teams’ fans, or earlier this season when he didn’t disavow an anti-semitic movie and got suspended by the team for eight games. Kyrie, for the season, is averaging 27.1 points per game, 5.1 rebounds per game, and 5.3 assists per game. 

Kyrie has left the Nets’ front office with two choices. One is to give in to his request and not get total value for him, or they let this season play out, try to win a championship and then let him walk as a free agent. The choice is simple unless, given what is deemed total value, I keep Kyrie, and I can pull a sign and trade with him over the summer. Ever since Kyrie and Kevin Durant signed in Brooklyn, the goal was to win a championship, and when healthy, the Nets have as good of a chance as anyone else in the Eastern Conference to get to the Finals. 

My biggest problem with the request is the timing. The NBA trade deadline is Thursday, so give the Nets a week to make the deal. The other reason I find the timing peculiar is the Nets’ last game, and they got obliterated by the Boston Celtics, one of the teams they’d have to go through in the playoffs and Kyrie’s former team. Boston has defeated Brooklyn ten consecutive times, including a four-game sweep in the playoffs last season. 

If Kyrie is traded, does Kevin Durant, who requested a trade over the summer, but the Nets were unwilling to deal him, bring his request back? If Kyrie stays, it feels like a last chance at a title for Durant and Irving in Brooklyn; otherwise, the two of them going there will be viewed as a failure. 

What If (Pro-Wrestling Edition)- What if Disney buys WWE?

By Allison Weiner

Welcome to my 2nd series of blogs called What If? (Pro Wrestling Edition). In this series, I give a predicament that could or could have potentially happened in the pro wrestling universe. The 1st what if is….. What if Disney buys WWE? 

For those who don’t know, the devil known as Vince McMahon returned to WWE at the beginning of this year with one purpose only. Selling the company that his family has owned for decades. You can listen to the Face Turn podcast to hear everything going on with the company being sold. I want to get to a point where it’s the middle of 2023 and WWE has officially been sold. The board of directors has formally posted something close to these words…. “As of this day, this month in 2023, the World Wrestling Entertainment has new ownership. Disney has officially bought WWE.” Out of all the companies interested in buying WWE, Disney was a shocker to me when I heard that they were interested in buying WWE. But after seeing them acclaim WWE, now comes to question, what does mean for WWE. Will their PPVs go onto Disney+ or another streaming service? Where will they stream Raw, Smackdown, and NXT? Will they be going back to a PG era? Will Disney build a new wrestling center at Disney Springs in their parks?

First off, if this happens, we know Disney will be as strong as the Monopoly game, and people will post all over social media that WWE will be run by a mouse. Now to answer the questions previously mentioned. I don’t see Disney+ running WWE PPVs as it wouldn’t be as strong for their brand. However, if it does happen, I’m sure more people will cancel other subscriptions such as Peacock. But most likely Disney will run WWE PPVs on either Hulu or ESPN+. With Hulu also being owned by Comcast, I can see Disney negotiating a deal with them to air Raw, Smackdown, and NXT on their NBC Universal stations. I don’t see any of these shows on Disney-affiliated stations such as ABC and ESPN due to certain popular shows and sports events that will air during the days of these live shows. I do have a weird feeling that Disney will make WWE go back to PG for their younger viewers, but you know some swear words will come out here and there. Finally, I don’t see WWE taping NXT in a built arena in Disney Springs, but you would expect an official WWE merchandise store at Disney Springs in Florida and California.

    Midseason NHL Awards

By: Mike Rifkin

With the NHL All-Star Game this weekend, here is how I would vote for the major awards.

HART: Connor McDavid – Oilers. Every night McDavid does something special. In 50 games played, the best player in the world has 41 goals and 92 points. He is 16 points ahead of teammate Leon Draisaitl and 20 points ahead of Nikita Kucherov. 

Norris: Adam Fox – Rangers. Let me preface this by saying there are a lot of good candidates for this award. The Rangers defenseman is top 5 in points, power-play assists, and game-winning assists. He plays 25 minutes a night against the opposition’s top line. Other candidates: Rasmus Dahlin, Josh Morrissey, Erik Karlsson.

Vezina  : Linus Ullmark – Bruins. Ullmark is having a breakout season for the best team in the NHL. Ullmark is currently 25-4-1 with a 1.90 GAA and .936 save percentage, leading the league. Other candidates: Jake Oettinger, Connor Hellebuyck

Jack Adams : Dave Hakstol – Kraken. Again there are a lot of good candidates here. The Kraken is the best story of the young season. Seattle has already surpassed their win and point total from their inaugural season. Other candidates: Jim Montgomery, Lindy Ruff, Don Granato

Biggest Surprise: Eastern Conference: New Jersey Devils – The Devils are currently in second place in the highly competitive Metro division. The Devils averaged 3.47 goals per game this year; last year, they averaged 2.99. The Devils have gotten unbelievable goaltending out of Vitek Vanecek, who has a 2.29 GAA and a .917 save percentage. Jack Hughes is having a great year with 33 goals and 64 points in 49 games played. 

Biggest Disappointment: Eastern Conference: Florida Panthers – I could have put either Detroit or Ottawa here, but neither of those teams won the Presidents Trophy last year. Last year Florida had a +94 goal differential. At the break this year, it’s -5. Matthew Tkachuk and Carter Verhaeghe have a combined 51 goals. If this team wants to make a run in the second half, they need their ten million-dollar-a-year goalie Sergei Bobrovsky to be better. So far this year, Bob has a 3.24 GAA and a .897 save percentage.

Biggest Surprise: Western Conference –  Seattle Kraken – The upstart second-year franchise has already surpassed their win and point total from their inaugural season and currently sits atop the Pacific Division. The Kraken average more than one goal a game more than they did last season. Matty Beniers is having an excellent rookie season with 17 goals and 36 points in 47 games played. Jared McCann, who had 27 goals last year, has 23 at the break. Daniel Sprong already has a career-high for goals and points in a season. Martin Jones has had a resurgence with a record of 23-7-3, a 2.82 GAA, and three shutouts. 

Biggest Disappointment: Western Conference – St. Louis Blues – Hand up. I was wrong about this team before the season. Jordan Binnington was handed the net after they traded Ville Husso. Binnington has struggled with consistency and has a 3.27 GAA, and .892 save percentage. Things have gotten rough in St. Louis. They are talking about selling at the deadline, which before the season, most people thought they were a Cup contender.

What’s The Goal?

By: Mike Rifkin

If you owned a sports franchise, your goal would be to do whatever it took to win. 

Over the weekend, Rockies Owner Dick Monfort spoke at a community event. He was talking about the San Diego Padres spending money. “That puts a lot of pressure on us. But it’s not just the Padres; it’s the Mets, it’s the Phillies. This has been an interesting year.” Monfort has an issue with teams that spend money. Meanwhile, he is the guy who traded his franchise player Nolan Arenado and 50 million dollars to the Cardinals two off-seasons ago and didn’t get the best return.

 As an owner, your goal should be two things. One is to make your team as competitive as possible so people will go to games, and the other is to win a championship. If you don’t want to do either, why do you own a sports franchise? Monfort continued, saying, “What the Padres are doing, I don’t 100% agree with, though I know our fans probably agree with it. We’ll see how it plays out.” Fans wanting an owner to spend money, wow, what a concept. Fans only want the owners to show they care as much as they do, but why try to annoy the fans with this talk? Here’s the downside: some owners will increase payroll, by which tickets, concessions, and parking will increase prices. 

Montfort said, “I look at the Padres, and they have a really talented team, but they have some holes, too. They’ve got three, maybe four starting pitchers, and then they’re like us. So I don’t know. They have spent a lot of money, and they will have to spend a lot more if they want to keep (outfielder) Juan Soto. But it does put a lot of pressure on you. Yes, it does.” Why is Monfort talking about a player currently on a division rivals roster? Are the Rockies going to make a run at Soto when he hits free agency, or is he just saying that Soto will be too expensive for the Rockies? 

Montfort went on to say he thinks the Rockies can play.500 baseball this season. Last season the Rockies finished with a record of 68-94, 43 games behind the first-place Dodgers. But playing .500 baseball shouldn’t be the goal, especially before Spring Training starts. You don’t have to think you will win the World Series, but you can say your team is good enough to make the playoffs. Once again, why do you own a franchise if you don’t do whatever it takes to win a World Championship? 

Montfort is an easy target, but others have been critical of Mets owner Steve Cohen and how he has spent money since he took over. But why are others so concerned with what Steve Cohen and other owners do? They are doing whatever it takes to win a championship, which should be every owner’s goal. 

Reid, It And, Weep

By: Mike Rifkin

We got our answer to who will play in the Super Bowl on Sunday. The Philadelphia Eagles and Kansas City Chiefs will play each other in Glendale, Arizona, on February 12th. 

One of the most incredible things about this matchup is that Andy Reid will be coaching against his former team. Reid spent 14 seasons as the Eagles’ coach going 130-93-1. The 130 wins are the most in Eagles franchise history. From 2001-2004 Reid led the Eagles to the NFC Championship game, winning the conference in 04 before losing the Super Bowl to the Patriots. Reid was fired after the 2012 season and was hired by the Chiefs a month later. 

Over the last five seasons, the Chiefs have been to the AFC Championship game, advancing to their third Super Bowl in this stretch. When Andy first took over the Chiefs, they were coming off a 2-14 record. Reid has never had a losing season as the coach of the Chiefs and only had three losing seasons in his 14 seasons with the Eagles. Reid is the first coach to lead two different franchises to the Conference Championship game and to host that game. 

We know Andy Reid will be enshrined in the Hall of Fame in Canton when his career is over. There should be much talk about Andy Reid’s legacy in Philadelphia and Kansas City. 

What could be next for the Mets?

By Mark Halpern

Since Steve Cohen purchased the Mets, his quest for a championship back in New York is beyond Aggressive. The first move he did as an owner was traded for Francisco Lindor, last year we saw him go get the likes of Starling Marte, Eduardo Escobar, and Chris Bassitt and just this year has kept Brandon Nimmo from getting away and Edwin Diaz but also brought in Justin Verlander with DeGrom leaving. Over the last month, Mets fans had hopes of Carlos Correra joining this already talented infield but his physical didn’t pan out and the Mets became frustrated and let him go. So what is in store for this team next?

     The Mets have a few areas that need addressing (what team doesn’t.) The Mets have a great outfield but need another on the bench who can fill in just as well as the starters. The first name that comes to mind is Brian Reynolds from the Pittsburgh Pirates. Reynolds, considered one of their top prospects, had a solid year batting .262/.345/.807. He has good speed and proved he can cover a lot of ground. However he is going to come at a very high cost as Mark Vientos and Rooney Mauricio would be like part of the trade but, Pittsburgh wants top pitching and that is not something the Mets are going to move. Another outfield option could be Baltimore’s Anthony Santander who is coming off a monster year by belting 33 home runs, 89 rbi, and a .240 average. That was his downside and that can be improved on and will also cost the Mets less. The last name for the outfield is Jurikson Profar. Profar is a young ballplayer who has a skill that few ball players have. He can play anywhere on the field if needed. He reminds me of Joe McEwing when he was with the Mets. Last year for the Padres he batted .243 with 15 home runs, 58 rbi’s but 80 runs scored. He has good speed, and great vision on the field and yes his hitting needs help but, having such a versatile player like him on the team makes the most sense.

    On the infield, the Mets are locked in at first, second, shortstop, catcher, and starting pitcher positions. Third base is a question for the Mets as they thought they had their hooks in Carlos Correra but, we know what happened there. Right now we have Brett Baty who is their top prospect at third base. Baty who only played one-month last year before tearing a ligament in his wrist will make the roster but, still as a rookie, having a mentor around for a couple of years would make great sense. Matt Chapman is a name that just leaps off the list of players in their final year. Chapman was traded from the A’s to the Blue Jays and is in the final year of his contract. Chapman is a great solid defender and has a powerful bat. His average will not impress you as he batted .229 last year but was coming off an injury. Chapman won’t come cheap by any means but, won’t cost as much as someone like Correa and could sign for the next 3 years to help Baty.   

    The free agents who signed their massive contracts are done, and a lot of the big names are off the board but there are still possibilities. I think the Mets need some Bullpen help as well and there are some names left the question becomes do they fit the Met’s roster? Spring Training is a month away and the World Baseball Classic is 2 months away and the Met’s star first baseman and star shortstop are playing so the Mets may be inclined to add a backup SS or 1B as well. We shall see as there is plenty of time before Opening Day.  

Snubbed 

By : Mike Rifkin

Wednesday, the NFL announced the finalists for awards. The finalists for Coach of the Year are Brian Daboll (Giants), Doug Pederson (Jaguars), Nick Sirianni (Eagles), Kyle Shannahan (49ers), and Sean McDermott (Bills). For me, there is one glaring omission from this group of coaches. 

Pete Carroll coached the Seahawks to a 9-8 record and a trip to the playoffs. 

After trading quarterback Russell Wilson everybody expected Seattle to struggle and pick at the top of the draft. They are picking at the draft, not because they struggled but because the Broncos were terrible. Pete Carroll got the most out of a team nobody had in the playoffs. 

We can say someone will get snubbed from an award every year, but I don’t understand. Pete Carroll got the most out of a team that nobody gave a chance to. I’m not saying Pete Carroll should have won the award, but not having him as a finalist is a joke. All of the finalists are deserving, but Pete Carroll deserves to be on this list as well. The Seahawks had an unbelievable season, and that disrespect becomes bulletin board material for next season. 

Leading By Example

By: Mike Rifkin

The NHL All-Star Game takes place next weekend, thus putting us at the halfway point of the season. At the halfway point, people debate who the current frontrunners for awards are. Two other captains deserve to be talked about regarding the Hart Trophy. Oilers Center Connor McDavid won the Hart Trophy (MVP) two seasons ago and finished second last season. McDavid is currently running away with the Art Ross Trophy ( most points) 15 ahead of teammate Leon Draisaitl; he is also leading the Rocket Richard race (most goals). 

The Boston Bruins are currently the best team in the NHL, with a record of 38-5-4. Patrice Bergeron is a big reason for their success. Bergeron has 18 goals and 38 points in 47 games played. Five of the eighteen goals he has scored are game-winning goals. Bergeron isn’t the flashy player McDavid is, but he has been solid his entire career, and I still feel he is underappreciated. Bergeron does everything for the Bruins, kills penalties, plays the power play, and takes all the crucial faceoffs. Bergeron has won 62 percent of faceoffs this season. The Bruins have a lot of good players, but they would not have the record they have if Patrice Bergeron decided not to return to them this season. 

Before McDavid was the NHL’S human highlight reel, Sidney Crosby was that guy. The Penguins captain has 23 goals and 57 points in 47 games played. Crosby has been the definition of consistency and doesn’t show any signs of slowing down. Crosby has won 52 percent of his faceoffs. Where would the Penguins be without Crosby?

  McDavid is the best player in the NHL. What Crosby and Bergeron mean to their respective teams is why they should be up there when we talk MVP. 

The Best Vacancy

By Mike Rifkin

There are currently five head coaching vacancies in the NFL. Vacancies in Arizona, Carolina, Denver, Houston, and Indianapolis. Now for me, there is one job that stands out. 

The Houston Texans’ job is the one that stands out. First, I cannot entirely agree with how the front office handled the last two seasons with David Culley and Lovie Smith. Both guys took the job, and everyone on the outside knew they weren’t the long-term solution. Now I am going to give Lovie Smith much credit. The Texans played hard down the stretch, including competitive games against the Chiefs and Cowboys and an upset win at rival Titans. 

This job is appealing for a few reasons, one of which is the package they got in the Deshaun Watson trade. The Texans acquired the Browns’ first-round picks in In 2022,23, and 24 in exchange for Watson. The Texans will have 11 picks in the 2023 NFL draft, including number two and twelve in the first round. They might get more picks out of trades. One player who has been subject to trade rumors is Brandin Cooks. Cooks led the team with 57 catches and 699 yards in 13 games this season. 

Most insiders believe that the second overall pick will be a quarterback. Whether it’s CJ Stroud or Bryce Young, the new coach can get his choice of which one he’d prefer to have. 

The Texans do have some young talent. Running Back Dameon Pierce would’ve had 1,000 yards rushing if not for an injury at the end of the season. Rookie defensive backs Derek Stingley Jr. and Jalen Pitre had excellent rookie seasons. As bad as people make the Texans out to be, they only had a -1 turnover differential. The Texans will have 11 picks in the draft and 41 million dollars in cap space, the fifth most in the NFL and the highest of any team looking for a new coach. So a new coach can use the draft and free agency to help a roster that will need it. 

The biggest reason the Texans’ job is the best is not just the cap space or the number of picks. It’s the fact that you’re not tied to anyone. Look at Arizona. Whoever goes there is tied to Kyler Murray because of his extension last year; if you take the Denver job, you’re tied to Russell Wilson based on his contract. Now both are good quarterbacks, but Russ is coming off his worst season as a pro, and Kyler tore his ACL, and we need to see how the recovery is going. My question is, how patient are the owners going to be? At least in Houston, they can preach patience if there’s a plan.