Saturday, August 31, 2019

Tale of Two Games

BY SCOTT MORGANROTH
PHOTOS BY CANDICE EBLING

If there was ever a game that would be more lopsided than the other, I would  have guessed it would have been the FAU Owls traveling to Ohio Stadium and facing the Ohio State Buckeyes, rather than the Wisconsin Badgers visiting the USF Bulls in Tampa.

Boy, was I wrong!

Wisconsin Heisman Trophy Candidate Junior Running Back Jonathan Taylor put on a clinic as he scored four touchdowns as the No.19 Badgers pounded my Alma-Mater the South Florida Bulls 49-0 in a game that was delayed by lightening.

Two of Taylor's touchdowns were on the ground for 37 and 38-yards, respectively.

Wisconsin (1-0) led USF 28-0 at the half. Taylor also had two catches for 48 yards. Both receptions resulted in two touchdowns and were the first of his career in the air.

Last season, he had eight catches for 60 yards proving that he is a dual threat.

Taylor ran for 135 yards as he picked up where he left off a year ago when he amassed 2,194 yards and 16 touchdowns, for a squad whose mascot is Bucky The Badger.

USF lost its seventh straight game and did so by committing three turnovers.

The Bulls (0-1) lost six straight to finish the 2018 season at 7-6 much to the displeasure of Coach Charlie Strong.

From a statistical standpoint, all you need to know is Wisconsin outgained USF in total yards 433-157.

The Badgers rushing attack, led by Taylor, overwhelmed USF 234-26. The Badgers dominated in first downs 22-9.

The attendance at Raymond James Stadium was 46,704.

The 49 point loss to Wisconsin was USF's largest margin of defeat in program history.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
As for FAU, the Owls (0-1) should feel very good about themselves.

They lost 45-21 to new Buckeyes Coach Ryan Day.

After trailing 28-0 seven minutes into the contest, and being mauled early by the heavy 28-point favored Buckeyes (1-0) , FAU competed and trailed 28-3 at the end of the first half.

But Owls QB Chris Robison let 103,228 Buckeye fans know that this opponent would not be just an early season pushover.

Robison had a solid performance by completing 22-34, for 178 yards and one touchdown and zero interceptions.

His three favorite targets were Harrison Bryant, who had six receptions for 79 yards, Tavaris Harrison four receptions for 57 yards and John Raine, who caught six passes for 29 yards and a touchdown.

Larry McCammon III scored the Owls lone rushing touchdown. He had 11 carries for 22 yards.

In the end, FAU held its own against an opponent that has National Championship aspirations.

Buckeyes highly touted transfer QB Justin Fields scored five touchdowns in his debut.

The Owls can build on this performance as they open their home regular season versus the Central Florida Knights on Saturday, August 28 at 7 pm at FAU Stadium.

Central Florida clobbered the Florida A&M Rattlers 62-0 on Thursday Night in Orlando.

I'm not a big believer in moral victories.

But when you go to Columbus, Ohio, and play in an intimidating venue which is considered the Horse Shoe, and compete against an elite program in OSU, let alone collect a huge payday, it was a good weekend for FAU.

Former FAU Athletic Director Patrick Chun previously worked at OSU and managed to get this contest scheduled.

At the beginning of the game, I thought that with the big lead OSU took, the Buckeyes would easily score above 70 points.

Despite the fact that OSU outgained FAU in total yards 469-228, the Owls outscored OSU 21-17 to end the game.

They showed a FOX National TV audience that the university located in Boca Raton, FL., has an upstart program coached by Lane Kiffin, who is in the photo in the Spring Game.

As for USF, Strong has a lot of work to do after an embarrassing performance on Friday Night.

It will be interesting as a tale of two programs which I'm deeply connected fare not only this season, but will face one another in 2020.

This tale of two games were against two of the best Big 10 opponents in Wisconsin and Ohio State. Both figure to be big contenders to possibly play in the Big 10 Championship Game in December.

Stay tuned!

Scott Morganroth can be reached at www.scottsports33.com and is the Founder and CEO for The South Florida Tribune.

Monday, August 26, 2019

A Heart Divided

BY SCOTT MORGANROTH

On Friday Night, The Wisconsin Badgers travel to Tampa to square off against the University of South Florida Bulls at 7 pm at Raymond James Stadium.

I have a family member that is a Wisconsin native and currently lives in the Land Of Cheese.

My sister-in-law Marie has an interesting dilemma because she graduated from USF with a Masters Degree in Communication.

It's really nice that not only are we related but we're both USF Alumni.

Add to the fact that I earned a BA Degree in Communication and the connection becomes even more enjoyable.

When we texted Marie last night, she answered that "Her Heart Is Divided" and that's where it ended. How can you not be loyal to your hometown with a team that you've followed your entire life?

When the time comes, and I have a feeling that it will whether it be a Bowl Game or a regular season matchup, USF will face the Michigan Wolverines.

Will my heart be divided as much as Marie's?

Probably not as much because when I look at My Class Ring, it resides on my right hand.

It will be with me when I'm laid to rest at Wisconsin Memorial Gardens Cemetery in Milwaukee.

One of My Media Distribution partners for the South Florida Tribune is USF.

Now I'm working diligently to add The Michigan Wolverines because I have a lot of ties to the university.

Plus, I would like to promote U-M in Southern Florida because the Wolverines have recruited heavily in this area.

Twelve years ago, I had another situation like this when I was covering the Florida Atlantic Owls Football team.

They were facing USF in Fort Lauderdale at the now demolished Lockhart Stadium.

When people at FAU asked me who I was rooting for, I was honest and said USF, however, it wouldn't disappoint me if the Owls won.

I added that I really can't lose here but it would be nice if the game was close.

USF defeated FAU 35-23 on October 6, 2007.

To date, USF does lead the series 3-1. The two universities will meet each other again in 2020 and 2022 in a home and home series.

Former FAU Baseball Coach Kevin Cooney would schedule USF and his pitching coach  was Tony Fossas in 2005, who had ties to USF.

Once again, my heart was divided and I internalized it.

But for those individuals that have this same problem, I sympathize with you.

In the end though, the words "Alma-Mater" are special to me because all of the memories that I enjoyed at a university that I SELECTED and will always be a part of what and who I stand for.

I've got the degree, hats and apparel, etc... and continue to add more when I take the four hour trek up I-75 to visit a great part of my past.

Hugs Marie!

I'm sure we'll be having more of these intriguing family discussions.

Scott Morganroth can be reached at www.scottsports33.com.
He is the Founder and CEO of The South Florida Tribune.

Sunday, August 25, 2019

Is Dwight Howard Worth The Trouble?

BY SCOTT MORGANROTH

If there is ever a player that wears out his welcome more in professional sports than find me someone else besides Dwight Howard.

Once upon a time, Howard was selected as the No.1 overall pick in the 2004 NBA Draft by the Orlando Magic.

To Dwight's credit, he lasted in Central Florida for eight seasons and led the franchise to an NBA Finals Appearance. A falling out with Coach Stan Van Gundy ultimately led him to the Los Angeles Lakers.

More falling outs would continue as Howard and Lakers icon Kobe Bryant would last a single season which led to his next move to the Houston Rockets. He lasted three seasons in The Lone Star State then moved on.

The following stops would all be one year apiece. He played in his hometown of Atlanta, then moved up I-85 North to play in Charlotte and onto the Nations Capital to play for the Washington Wizards.

There were two non-playing stints for the Brooklyn Nets and The Memphis Grizzlies.

But we're talking about a guy that has now played for four teams over the past four seasons.

If you look at the career of Dwight Howard, he's averaged 17.4 points-per-game and 12.7 rebounds-per-game.

He's an eight-time NBA All-Star and three-time NBA Defensive Player of The Year.

He's 33 years old and now you can put him in the journeyman category.

According to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, Howard will receive a non-guaranteed contract to return the LA Lakers.

The Lakers recently found themselves with an unexpected hole at center when free-agent signing DeMarcus Cousins suffered a torn ACL in mid-August. After battling back from a ruptured Achilles Tendon, and torn Quadriceps, Cousins could miss the 2019-20 Season.

With Cousins out, JaVale McGee was set to enter the campaign as the sole traditional center on the Lakers roster.

I view this move for the Lakers as low-risk.

Howard is 6-11, 265 pounds and as long as he continues to stay in shape, there is some good basketball left in him.

With LeBron James and newly acquired Anthony Davis on the squad, these guys will make sure that he can't and won't become a distraction.

To think that Howard is getting a non-guaranteed contract must be a blow to his ego.

But lets face the facts, he's been with six different franchises and he's running out of places to go with his toxic and cancerous locker-room attitude.

I reiterate that Non-Guaranteed aren't words this man is used to hearing.

He won't get closer to winning an NBA Championship as the opportunities for employment around the NBA dwindle. Howard's reputation has now caught up with him.

One of my favorite lines pertains to Morris the famous cat and his food.

Morris ran out of lives with Nine Lives!

Dwight, you're just about to run out.

In Los Angeles you better make the most of this latest life!

He has six playing stops and two non-playing which brings us up to eight places. His return to the Lakers makes it nine.

For the Lakers, this move is an everything to gain, nothing to lose.

Scott Morganroth can be reached www.scottsports33.com and is the Founder and CEO of The South Florida Tribune.

He is the Co-Host of the Sports Exchange which airs on Tuesday's and Thursday's from 5-7 pm on the weinetwork.com. It can also be seen on Facebook Live with Peter Wein.

Saturday, August 24, 2019

The Competitor In Me

BY SCOTT MORGANROTH

The closest sport I ever had a chance to pursue was baseball.

During my youth in Southfield, MI., I played six years of baseball, one in hockey and basketball apiece.

My father coached me in five of six years playing on the diamond.  I played catcher for three years and I enjoyed the position because it was for thinkers.

Through the years in the media some of my favorite interviews were with catchers because you can relate to those that played the same position.

If you put me in the outfield, I'd lose my focus and balls could get past me if I lost concentration. Those singles would turn into extra base hits. I could only hope that one of my fellow outfielders would back me up.

When I played third base, some of my throws were so wild you'd need a seven-foot player because my throws usually sailed therefore, the first baseman would be drawn off the bag. Then again, I was just a Little Leaguer and these wild throws are common at every level.

I always had the desire to play for Southfield Lathrup High School in Metro Detroit, but when my family uprooted us to Highland, MI, that became impossible because Lakeland High School wasn't within walking distance.

I had no other way to get to practice since there was no other family in the area to take me. Both of my parents worked full-time.

Nowadays, as I continue my journey to rebuild my passion in the Media Full-Time, I enjoy the challenge of building a Multi-Media venture from scratch.

At the weinetwork.com, Peter Wein has been a joy to work with as a co-host.

He gives me my space and I produce The Sports Exchange which airs on Tuesday's and Thursday's from 5-7 pm.

We have great chemistry on the air and we're accumulating a good foundation of guests.

My guests are the backbone to the radio side. I enjoy interacting with them especially those that I followed as a child. 

I have many good ones, but former MLB Pitcher Mark Littell is awesome!

Our audience on a nightly basis exceeds 3,000 per show when you factor the network and Facebook Live. Between the first showing, the replay the following day and archives, we're between 10-12,000. Our one year anniversary is coming up in October.

Early in my radio days, I worked with George Eichorn on the Sports Exchange in Metro Detroit. When I told Wein about name possibilities, there was only one and the Sports Exchange was it with my past history.

Thus, it's back in circulation, but in a big way.

But My real baby is the South Florida Tribune.

When I purchased the domain name two years ago, I was looking to build a media company where there would be a few writers and build a press release business.

South Florida is the area that I live in so this was a no brainer.

Back in the 1980's, I had a nice run with the Tampa Tribune when I went to college at the University of South Florida. I have a lot of great friends that I'm in touch with today.

Unfortunately that while the Tampa Tribune went out of business, I was lucky enough to land the domain name then turned it into an LLC through Sunbiz.

So here we are, The spirit of The Tampa Tampa Tribune is very much alive with my Online Publication.

Now my goal is to develop writers and allow business owners promote their business. This is an outlet that provides freedom of speech as long as it's not abused. I don't limit the Tribune to sports. It's wide-open for the most part, but I won't allow politics or religion. These two subjects are discretionary.

We have a good young baseball/music writer named Louis Addeo-Weiss, who is developing nicely. Hopefully he continues to progress and he's been told there will be more opportunities down the line.

My wife Candy does a super job behind the scenes helping me put all of this together.

This gives me an opportunity to find Media Distribution Partners to provide content to promote their organizations.

I have quite a few now, but most notably, The Jacksonville Jaguars, Florida Atlantic University Owls, University of South Florida, Lynn University are some of the ones. If you want to see the rest, go to www.southfloridatribune.com and then use the drop down Sporting News.

As I continue this journey, the excitement of this challenge is to find more Media Distribution Partners. Stay tuned for more updates as time progresses.

I want all of my followers to read Real News and be updated regularly.

Another resource is Reuters who supplies our National News and Sports.

There are plans down the road to add a You Tube Channel and South Florida Tribune Podcast.

But only when I feel the traffic reaches much higher levels.

I'm too old school to deal with Fake News and won't tolerate such garbage.

But the key to any business is to reach as many people as possible.

As I continue to build this, My goal is to maximize the exposure of the weinetwork.com and other partners that join our team.

One of the things I like about the Sports Exchange is I've been able to find young charismatic talent who have desires to use us as a stepping stone to further their careers.

Last August, I met a young guy named Xavier McKnight. He was the Sports Information Director for Savannah State University. The Miami Hurricanes won this game 77-0. But I got to know Xavier McKnight real well and he would be one of our first core pieces with The Sports Exchange.

These photos were taken with McKnight at his new favorite restaurant in Bradenton, FL.

He's received praise from former College Basketball Coach Mike Jarvis, established broadcaster and longtime colleague Mark Wilson. Most recently, Los Angeles iconic broadcaster Chris Roberts was impressed.

Xavier is one of those guys that can work in any sport and is so prepared that he's so credible on the air. At 23-years old, McKnight is a name that you'll hear plenty about as time progresses.

Another favorite is 23-year old Anthony Wood. I found him on LinkedIn early this year.

On the radio show, we call him UK. No, this doesn't stand for any university with these letters. But it's a short version for United Kingdom.

What impressed me about Wood is he's so knowledgeable about the NFL.

Once upon a time there was NFL Europe. The league has a tremendous following in the UK and much of this is attributed to the Jacksonville Jaguars playing there annually, in addition to the growing amount of games each season.

Guys like Wood are a product of such growth. He podcasts regularly and when things were slow during the summer, he had updates on Formula One Racing, Wimbledon, Sports Movies, etc...

But his tenacity in doing research excites me because those are the qualities that it takes to become good at any occupation, let alone being in the news business.

In my eyes, Wood will always be known for producing an outline then sending it to me so I can follow it on the show.

Now I require the outline from a lot of my young insiders. Wood is another guy where the sky is the limit.

When I look at McKnight and Wood, I see a lot of what I was like when I was young. I was hungry, determined and I would work 24 hours to get what I needed to get the job done. That's how we're wired mentally.

That's the Competitor in Me.

I may not have had the ability on the athletic field.

But off the field, I'm just excited as to where this journey ultimately leads me.

When you have these young studs around, it's impossible to not learn from these guys. They bring out The Fountain Of Youth!

Back in the day when there was terrestrial radio and network television, only the fortunate could get involved. It was a privilege to be in the industry.

Now with tons of channels to watch on television, internet-satellite radio taking over, this is a different overwhelming animal more tenacious that a grizzly bear. It will eat you up alive if you're not on top of things, therefore you have to make every second count.

I'm learning how to promote in Social Media like I've never done before and this digital experience with internet radio, podcasts is one of those situations where all of you just have to is relationships with honest intentions.

It's necessary to make Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, etc... your best friend because nowadays you can't exist without it.

Years ago, the Associated Press, United Press International (UPI) and the Sports Ticker was your best friend. Not anymore.

But the key is to make it a win-win situation.

Take care of  your Media Distribution Partners by making as many appearances as possible because they're the ones who treat you with the respect to keep things going. Whatever people decide to write for you to gain exposure is just icing on the cake.

The industrious individuals realize that the more your name is out there the more opportunities you have in expanding your business to create the endless possibilities available to you which could lead to financial gain.

Word Of Mouth is everything!

This is an era where Google Rules!

It doesn't take much to find individuals these days by browsing.

Exposure is the key!

The financial part will eventually work itself out.

As I conclude this story, I'll say that regardless of how much talent you have, there is nothing more greater in life then having a tenacious work ethic.

I learned this at a young age and will take it with me until the day I die.

You don't last in the Media 40 years by accident.

At 56-years old, I still have the fire and 26 operations in addition to a myriad of other health issues, this won't slow me down.

That's what brings out The Competitor In Me.

Scott Morganroth can be reached at www.scottsports33.com. He is the Founder and CEO of The South Florida Tribune.

Friday, August 23, 2019

What City Deserves MLB?

BY SCOTT MORGANROTH
PHOTO BY CANDICE EBLING

During the course of the baseball season, former Sports Exchange Contributor Rick Curti has been making a strong case on our show, and in Social Media, as to why his home area Charlotte, NC., deserves a Major League Baseball franchise.

My Co-Host Peter Wein and I have enjoyed giving Curti the platform to make his case.

Curti has been an excellent contributor to the show, plus has done a nice job writing stories for the South Florida Tribune.

Curti has been on this crusade for a long time.

He’s generated attention in the Carolinas by creating A Facebook Page, talking to local officials to promoting the Charlotte Bats. He's also been interviewed by the local media.

I came in contact with him last year on LinkedIn and Facebook.

We finally met in person in June in Charlotte, NC as I was on my way to the National Sports Media Association Convention in Winston Salem, NC.

I have admired Curti’s efforts to try to pull this off.

He’s made himself visible working for an Arena Football League lower level team called the Carolina Energy working in the PR Department.

His energy has been contagious as his enthusiasm is felt amongst those he’s around. You can never have enough visibility.

It’s no secret that the Tampa Bay Rays should be in the news for their impressive 75-54 record. If the playoffs started tomorrow, the franchise which is based out of St. Petersburg, FL., would reach them via the Wildcard.

This organization continues to remain competitive because of their emphasis on player development and keeping salaries down to a minimal.

They supplement the roster with affordable veteran castoffs from other teams. They have an outstanding young skipper in Kevin Cash, who has to pilot one of the lowest payrolls in baseball.

Yet, what impresses me the most, the Rays play in the toughest division in baseball with the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox thus have. Even the Toronto Blue Jays and Baltimore Orioles have the ability to spend lots of money on players.

Cash’s predecessor Joe Maddon won a World Championship with The Chicago Cubs with great young talent and had the resources to pay for star players a few years ago.

Yet, there is a chance by the end of this season, the question remains, will Maddon be retained as skipper at the end of the season if the Cubs fail to go deep into the postseason?

We’ll find out in a few short months.

But back to the Rays.

Here is a team which is trapped into a bad lease at Tropicana Field which runs through the 2027 season. No progress has been made on getting a new stadium in either Pinellas or Hillsborough Counties.

Ownership has even discussed the possibility about playing some games in the future in Montreal. Time will tell if this is even legally possible.

The Rays have reduced the capacity to 25,000 to avoid embarrassment of empty seats, thus Tropicana Field is the smallest MLB Ballpark.

The team is drawing fewer than 12,000 fans.

The team is being ridiculed in the National Media and the Tampa Bay Area has become a laughing stock that it can't support MLB.

When a club can't sell out in the post-season, there are problems.

But as we look ahead, what cities would be logical candidates to get a team either through expansion or relocation?

Sorry to burst your bubble Rick, but Charlotte wouldn't make my list!

Your best bet to watch MLB Baseball is to drive down I-85-South and travel four hours to see the Atlanta Braves.

As you know Mr. Curti, the AAA Charlotte Knights, a Chicago White Sox affiliate, have a beautiful stadium downtown and it's a hot ticket. Is the stadium expandable to house an MLB team or will another venue have to be built?

Speaking of the Rays, Durham, NC., is their AAA affiliate and there is an excellent baseball history in the area.

Montreal is at top of my list because this is one of Canada's largest cities and before the 1994 Baseball Strike doomed the area, the Expos were a sound franchise. As long as there is a new ballpark, I see the Expos rebirth.

Moreover, if the Rays move there, they'll be in the American League East which would be huge.

With the Yankees and Red Sox and rival Blue Jays, we have an NHL Division on the diamond. Need I say much about those cities rivals on frozen pond.

Las Vegas seems to be slowly shaking it's gambling reputation and is turning into a sports town.

The NHL's Vegas Golden Knights are entering their third season and have a great following.

The Oakland Raiders are arriving in 2020.

The Oakland A's have a AAA team in Las Vegas.

I see the market always being used as leverage if a team can't get a stadium build. It might be far fetched, but if the Oakland A's don't get a new stadium built, they could follow the Raiders. But don't hold your breath.

It appears that the City Of Oakland is working on a deal to get the A's a new stadium built and MLB wouldn't be excited to lose a Bay Area Market, though Las Vegas area is one of the fastest growing cites in the USA.

I could see Portland, OR., as a possibility because this would be a great rivalry for the Seattle Mariners. It's a small market, but because of the rain the area gets, a domed stadium or retractable roof would be necessary.

Finally, Nashville, TN., is a consideration.

The state has an NBA team in Memphis.

Nashville has the NHL's Predators and the NFL's Titans.

The only question is if their AAA Stadium could be expandable to accommodate an MLB team.

The area has a great history with the Nashville Sounds.

Despite a small media market, the Nashville area is growing in leaps and bounds.

The one constant throughout this story in the growth in potential markets.

Do these have sufficient stadiums to land a team? I doubt any city would spend any more money to build another stadium.

In the end Rick, lobby all you want for Charlotte and get all the publicity you can handle for your efforts. But in the end, the Carolinas aren't getting MLB!

You still have the NHL's Hurricanes in Raleigh, a sport you don't follow.

There is always NASCAR which is another sport you don't care about.

And of course, you have the NFL's Carolina Panthers and NBA's Hornets who are tight-fisted under NBA Hall Of Famer Michael Jordan.

But keep trying Rick. In life there is nothing wrong with dreaming.

I've been wrong before and if they get an MLB team, I would welcome the opportunity to do play-by-play broadcasting for your Charlotte Bats.

Scott Morganroth can be reached at www.scottsports33.com and is the CEO and Founder of The South Florida Tribune.

Thursday, August 22, 2019

Sunshine State Pre-season Week 3 Style National TV Tour

BY SCOTT MORGANROTH
PHOTOS BY CANDICE EBLING

I've seen a lot of football in the Sunshine State.

I've covered high school, college and pro football in Florida.

Pro football even includes the USFL back in the 1980's when I wrote on the Tampa Bay Bandits and covered a USFL Championship in 1984 at the old Tampa Stadium.

I've covered four Super Bowls in Florida, two in Miami and one apiece in Jacksonville and Tampa.

I've seen my fair share of Miami Dolphins, Tampa Bay Bucs and Jacksonville Jaguars contests.

Tonight's game featuring the Jacksonville Jaguars and Miami Dolphins will mark a unique situation here at Joe Robbie Stadium.

Now I've covered each Florida team during the third pre-season game on National TV on a Thursday night in a span of five seasons.

The first one occurred on a rainy night on August 28, 2015 when the Detroit Lions played in North Florida and defeated the Jaguars 22-17.

Lions QB Matthew Stafford threw for 173 yards and two touchdowns.

WR Golden Tate amassed 91 yards and a touchdown.

The next game occurred at Raymond James Stadium as the Detroit Lions defeated the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Thursday August 23, 2018.

This game was delayed by heavy rain and lightening. When it was all said and done, the Detroit Lions emerged as 33-30 winners and a University of Florida Gators product named Brandon Powell, a wide receiver, was an undrafted free agent made the team as a result of incredible play on special teams.

Tonight, at a venue for which I've seen many football games, most notably Detroit Lions/Miami Dolphins contest and Dolphins vs Jaguars clashes, in addition to two Super Bowls, Mother Nature appears to be cooperating with us.

For Candy Ebling, who has had to brave these rainstorms, I prayed that she got a dry evening to work.

Meanwhile, this game was televised on FOX as Joe Buck and Troy Aikman were on the call featuring a game with two AFC teams normally not on their network.

Howie Long and Terry Bradshaw also made the trip from Los Angeles, CA. Erin Andrews reported on the sidelines while Michael Strahan made the trek from New York to South Florida.

Former Dolphins Coach Jimmy Johnson in the photo above on the sidelines, got to sleep in his own bed as he lives south in Key Largo, FL.

Jags Owner Shad Khan, below, made the trip down I-95 to see this pivotal pre-season game which he hopes will provide enough answers that will hopefully lead to a playoff season.


One thing is clear for Jacksonville is there will be no more QB Blake Bortles speculation as to how long he'll stay with the club or is he the trigger man of the future.

The last time these two teams met was on December 23, 2018 as Jacksonville, led by Bortles defeated Miami 17-7.

The win gave Jacksonville a 5-4 lead in their overall series history.
During the off-season, Bortles signed with the Los Angeles Rams.

The QB for Jacksonville is a guy that owns a Super Bowl Ring, Nick Foles (#7 pictured below looking for a receiver to throw to).

As for Miami, which is in the midst of a rebuilding season.

What should be decided here?



Will the Dolphins signal caller be veteran Ryan Fitzpatrick or second year-man Josh Rosen, acquired in an off-season trade with the Arizona Cardinals?

It will be interesting to see how this plays out during the first year of the Brian Flores era.

But if you're going to go to or cover a pre-season game, then the best one is the third one as a good portion of these decisions are expected to be made, plus there are many scouts in the Press Box.

As for the players that stood out in this game, Foles was 6-10, 48 yards with one TD and one INT. His touchdown pass was for 10 yards to DeDe Westbrook that gave Jacksonville a 7-0 lead in the first quarter.

 As for the rest of Jacksonville's regulars, RB Leonard Fournette had seven carries for 27 yards including a 12-yard run. As a receiver, he was targeted three times and had two catches for 19 yards.

Westbrook finished with four receptions for 29 yards and a touchdown.

One guy trying to make the roster is WR Terrelle Pryor. He had three catches for 26 yards with an 8.6 average.

Fitzpatrick's night was done with 4:56 left in the third quarter and Rosen took over. 

Fitzpatrick is in the photo handing the ball off to his running back.

The Harvard graduate was 12-18 for 126 yards and a touchdown to go along with a passer rating of 105.3.

The contest ended with a Miami Dolphins 22-7 win.

This was anything but a nail biter but then again, are there many of those in August?

Candy did stay dry as Mother Nature stayed away.

The tickets distributed 49,317 for their home dress rehearsal.

The Jaguars (0-3) face the Atlanta Falcons at home on Thursday August 29, 2019.

Meanwhile the Miami Dolphins (2-1) also conclude the pre-season on the road Thursday Night against New Orleans.

Scott Morganroth can be reached at scottbm33@gmail.com and is the CEO and Founder of The South Florida Tribune.

Gloor’s Road To New Orleans

BY SCOTT MORGANROTH One of the things that I’ve enjoyed doing prior to FAU’s Men’s Basketball Games is interview the oppositions announcer. ...