Florida Sports On the Map and ...

It’s been fun following all the South Florida sporting events this past year, it’s hard to keep up! Right now, there are major competitions going on both on the west and east coast and for those fans in South Florida. It seems Florida teams have been and are in the thick of a championship run this past year, The NCAA BASKETBALL final hosted 2 of the 4 teams hailing from Florida and now once again with the NBA, NHL, playoffs well underway with some serious representation from Florida Teams that are jockeying for a crown. Yes, I’ll gloat a little more as I live in Florida, just one more jab, the NFL has released a much-anticipated game schedule for the 2023 season that has everyone buzzing. Rookies and much heralded draft picks are reporting to mini camp as the teams begin their off season drills and inter conference trash talking has begun. Yes folks, there’s a lot going on to make us either happy or sad depending on which team you follow. Enough bragging on my part, moving on to other deserving accomplishments.

The Los Angeles Lakers have gone from being the doormat to the darlings of The NBA’s western conference. King James and team started the season 2 and 10 and ended it by upending the reigning basketball Gods, The Golden State Warriors. Frankly I didn’t think the Lakers had it in them. LeBrone is old, Anthony Davis is injury prone and day to day and no one knows if anybody else on the team is able to step up but a standout performance by several Lakers off the bench brought home a victory in a series that went the full seven games. We may be seeing the end of Steph Curry’s dynasty in San Francisco, we’ll have to wait and see. Either way The Lakers are hot and are sure to make it an interesting Conference Final against Denver.

The big news in my neck of the woods is of course the Miami Heat. They’re En Fuego, they’re white hot and getting hotter. So far the Heat have chewed up and spit out The Milwaukee Bucks and The New York Knicks like they were a 3 cent piece of penny candy. Their series against The surging Boston Celtics will be a barn burner for sure. An able and rested Jimmy Butler will hopefully make short work of Boston’s weak defense and propel them into the Finals. Either way it’s must see TV so rest up folks, it’s not over yet. It’s not even close!

I’m not much of a hockey enthusiast. It’s hard to get excited about a sport played on ice when it’s 92 degrees outside, literally, but how about The Florida Panthers!?! The Panthers got their own version of the Penny candy chewables first with The Boston Bruins (huge) then with The Toronto Maple Leafs! Florida is now the official center of The National Hockey League! The outcome of the NHL playoffs remains to be seen but I think Lord Stanley’s Cup may be making ANOTHER visit to The Sunshine State. Eat your heart Canada!

Ok, on to The NFL. The league released the 2023 schedule this past week and to be honest I may have to take a 6 month break from life other then football. The match ups have me hyperventilating already! The NFL sure knows how to market itself. Some of the key match ups are going to be exciting to say the least. There are rematches of last years Super Bowl and Conference Finals as well as several games in both Germany and London. As is usual, the Super Stars of the league are front and center pitting matches consisting of Joe Burrow, Jason Allen, Lamar Jackson, Arron Rogers and all the rest of the fan favorifavorites sure to be a great season with a lot of high pressure drama! As for me, I’m beginning to make my predictions now as to who will have a break out season and who will be a bust!

Anyone who watches and/or listens to the major national sports news outlets knows that this past week was the week where draft picks reported to camps. it’s too early to pass judgment but I will say the Bryce Young looks rather small behind the offensive line. Can he even see over those guys? Maybe the Tim Tebow jump pass will play a factor? Will Levis looks like he has an arm for sure and CJ Stroud looks like any other quarterback from Ohio State, more runner then passer. I suppose only time will tell. I’m still holding my breath to see who will make a splash and who will lay an egg.

Anyone who knows me knows that I live and die by the college game, especially in football. Most colleges and universities have now had their graduations, so the next time we see the players will be when they hit the field in the fall. The anticipation is killing me. Once again The SEC seems to be the pre season favorite to dominate college football. With Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee, Florida and now Texas as well joining in who can beat them? It’s almost scary to think about the outcome but with transfers coming and going on an almost daily basis due to the transfer portal the talent we’ll see on display this year will be epic. Although there’s always upsets, I’m looking for the SEC schools to dominate once again!

All in all the present and future of Florida sports looks strong. As we have seen thu the NCAA Basketball Tournament, The NBA Playoffs, The NHL Playoffs, NCAA Football as well as MLB with The Tampa Bay Devil Rays all we need is The Dolphins, The Jaguars and The Buccaneers to step up and join the fray!! Play on I say!

Kev