COVID-19 Thoughts

BY SCOTT MORGANROTH
PHOTOS BY CANDICE EBLING

There is one company that I know which is benefitting with the Corona name and that’s the beer as we see these commercials on the air. For those that like to drink, I’m sure that the beverage is relaxing. Although I doubt it will happen, for some reason I think the ads should be taken off the air temporarily because the name is an unpleasant reminder of the unprecedented world we live in.

Being the owner of an online publication, The South Florida Tribune, 90% of My Media Distribution Partners are unable to send content because their sports have been either postponed or cancelled. Thankfully, the Detroit Lions, Miami Dolphins and Jacksonville Jaguars have picked up the slack during NFL Free Agency Frenzy.

One area that will be utilized more will be additional broadcasts with the South Florida Tribune Broadcasting Network. We have a good line-up of shows. The signature shows are The Sports Exchange and South Florida Tribune Podcast which is a non-sports show.

A week ago, we returned from Arizona as we spent time with family and finished our goal to see the two remaining stadiums in the Cactus League. We saw the Chicago Cubs at Sloan Park in Mesa and the San Francisco Giants at Scottsdale Stadium. It was great to cover another LA Dodgers game at Camelback Ranch vs The Milwaukee Brewers, in Glendale, AZ., in what turned out to be the last Spring Training Game before the everything would be canceled because of COVID-19. We went to Phoenix and saw the Milwaukee Brewers remodeled facility in Maryvale. I drove Candy to Phoenix Municipal Stadium which used to be the Spring Training Home of the Oakland A’s.

Thanks to my desire to take a red-eye flight, Candy and I came back on a less crowded flight from Phoenix to Fort Lauderdale, that reduced risk of obtaining risks of getting COVID-19.

We then proceeded to stock up on supplies and toilet paper, which nowadays seems impossible to get.

As reality sets in and every sporting event gets cancelled on the planet, in addition to many businesses closing such as restaurants, will this become the next Great Depression? We hope not.

Who would have thought about dealing with Social Distancing?

Working from home is something I’ve never dealt with, but now wearing a t-shirt and sweat pants is certainly a better option than being stuck in the hospital fighting for my life.

What is my new routine these days? Watching sports shows to find content for my network, being uplifted by the generosity of many people and companies in and out of sports that are giving back to help the less fortunate, in addition to watching News Shows to find updates on the Spreading of COVID-19. I Need to know the numbers as it could be influential of future travel plans.

Being a Florida Resident, we’re used to preparing for Hurricanes and loading up on supplies. COVID-19 brings out the analogies, We’re all in the same boat and this is a world wide dilemma. Also, misery loves company. Now with the power of prayer, we can only hope that COVID-19 comes up with some medications so we can hope to see normalcy at some point.

Unlike Hurricanes, Earthquakes, Tornados, you can rebuild areas in time. But COVID-19 is an enemy we can’t see and that’s the most frustrating aspect of this unprecedented pandemic crisis.

We can only hope the death toll is limited.

Meanwhile, I pray for everyone that they’re safe and healthy and follow all the warning in Regular and Social Media and don’t self destruct. In Fort Lauderdale during Spring Break, several students came down here and now have COVID-19.

For the time being, we just have to wait and aside from going to the stores to buy food, it’s imperative that we master Social Distancing!

Scott Morganroth can be reached at southfloridatribune@gmail.com. He’s the Owner of the South Florida Tribune and it’s Broadcasting Network. He’s also a writer for the Detroit Monitor.

Playing On House Money?

BY SCOTT MORGANROTH

Prior to the start of the 2020 Vrbo Citrus Bowl, tickets for the secondary market were going for $150-$200 for the New Years Day contest.

That was no surprise when you consider the match-up was the Michigan Wolverines (9-3) against the Alabama Crimson Tide (10-2).

This number didn't surprise Florida Citrus Sports PR Guy Sam Gardner since the Bowl's objective is to get "two good helmets" which they indeed accomplish here with these storied programs. Going into the game, the series was tied 2-2.

The attendance for the game was 59,746 which was the largest since the 2016 game that saw Michigan maul the Florida Gators 41-7.

Michigan entered the game as 10 point underdogs so virtually many analysts predicted that Alabama would win.

Many of the people I spoke to were rooting for Michigan because of their dislike for Alabama Coach Nick Saban.

If you're a Miami Dolphins fan, Saban had an abrupt departure.

Since the Florida Gators own the Sunshine State, Alabama and Saban detest the Crimson Tide.

The game started with Michigan's Giles Jackson running the opening kick-off 50 yards, but the Wolverines were unable to take advantage of the excellent field position.

Alabama wasted no time on their opening possession as Tide QB Mac Jones connected to Jerry Jeudy for an 85-yard TD. The drive took all of 11 seconds giving Alabama a 7-0 lead with 13:47 left in the first quarter. Jeudy is from Deerfield Beach, FL.

But Michigan wouldn't get rattled as QB Shea Patterson showed great mobility in the pocket to extend plays in the passing game and got some timely runs.

The Wolverines scored 13 unanswered points to take a 13-7 lead deep into the second quarter.

Alabama would mount a scoring drive that was aided by a Michigan pass interference and a roughing the passer call that was capped by an eight plays 75 yard drive that took 3:44 capped by a nine-yard run by Najee Harris. It occurred at 3:32 left in the quarter.

The Wolverines took the lead at halftime thanks to Quinn Nordin's who kicked the longest field goal in Citrus Bowl history at 57 yards. It tied the longest FG in Michigan history. Michigan took a 16-14 lead.

Alabama won the toss to start the contest and this decision led to scoring on the opening drive in the third quarter. Davis hit DeVonta Smith for a 42-yard score. The extra point was good and Alabama regained the lead to 21-16.

The Crimson Tide scored again with 10:01 left in the fourth quarter. A Jones 58-yard pass from Davis to Jeudy led to a score. Davis threw a 20-yard touchdown that extended the lead to 28-16 to Miller Forristall.

At that point, Jeudy had six catches for 204 yards and one touchdown. Those would be his final totals and he was voted the game's MVP.

The Wolverines would not keep the game below double figures. Patterson would toss an interception late in the fourth quarter.

This led to yet another Alabama touchdown as the Crimson Tide relied on the legs of Harris who carried the ball 11 times. He scored a two-yard touchdown that extended the lead with the extra point giving Alabama a 35-16 triumph.

Alabama outscored Michigan 21-0 in the second half.

Alabama leads the all-time series 3-2.

If you're looking for a pair of good NFL prospects then Jeudy and Harris could be playing on Sunday.

Jeudy declared for the NFL Draft and just signed super agent Leigh Steinberg Tuesday, to represent him.

Harris finished the game with 24 carries for 140 yards and a pair of touchdowns.

There were lots of questions after the game as to whether or not Alabama ran up the score as Saban looked to get revenge on Harbaugh for luring his assistant Josh Gattis to Ann Arbor.

But in the end, there were only three statistics that mattered in this game.

Alabama out gained Michigan in total yards 480-395.

Michigan found the yellow flag as an enemy by committing seven penalties for 61 yards while Alabama had five for 25 yards.

The time of possession battle favored Michigan as the Wolverines led 34:47-25:13 which truly indicated that the final score was closer than the actual end result.

Harbaugh mentioned this at his post-game press conference.

"It was a very competitive game through the half, into the fourth quarter, until, really, until about six minutes left in the game. Their ability to create the big play was critical in the game, and their ability to keep us out of the end zone and through drives. We had long drives and settled for field goals."

Harbaugh was asked about the future of the program heading into next year.

"I feel good about that. I feel good about some of the young players that got experiences this season and, you know, them getting their opportunity, going to work on that. I mean, as Jordan (Glasgow) said this season just ended 10 minutes ago, so-- but I know I'm going to be excited about it."

Harbaugh can feel good about the fact that one of Michigan's key victories occurred against Notre Dame, the Wolverines were able to defeat Michigan State.

But for the Coach that earns more money at his Alma-Mater than most NFL coaches, his next challenges ahead are on the recruiting trail. He has to find the successor for Shea Patterson at quarterback.

Harbaugh and that QB will be tasked with beating Ohio State in Columbus at the end of the 2020 Season.

In the end, the team wasn't expected to defeat Alabama and he should view this game as though his squad was indeed, "Playing On House Money."

Scott Morganroth can be reached at scottbm33@gmail.com.
He's the Owner of The South Florida Tribune and it's Broadcasting Network.

The Infrequent I-10 Rivalry

BY SCOTT MORGANROTH
PHOTOS BY CANDICE EBLING

There are some match-ups you would like to see more of, but due to the way inter-conference are set-up, these teams play each other at home once every eight years.

This was one of those.

Before a thumb injury sidelined New Orleans QB Drew Brees, I can only imagine how many local fans were looking forward to seeing the the all-time leading passer, who has 74,845 yards.

Sunday's match-up was suppose to feature Brees vs Nick Foles.

The Jaguars prize free agent hurt his shoulder in the first game of the year against the Kansas City Chiefs.

Instead, what we saw was a 4-1 Saints team facing a 2-3 Jaguars squad as Jacksonville started rookie Gardner Minshew II who faced Teddy Bridgewater.

If Jacksonville fans want to see Brees, they'll have to travel 547 miles and 7.50 hours on I-10 East to see these squads in New Orleans if the signal caller is still playing.

Going into this game there were some interesting connections between these two teams.

Jacksonville running back Leonard Fournette is from New Orleans and played his college ball at LSU. This is his first meeting against his hometown team.

His first act against the Saints was a solid one as he led the team in rushing and receiving. Fournette rushed for 72 yards and added 46 in the air.

Even though they've only met six times with New Orleans leading the series 4-2 and having a three game winning streak, from 2006-2008, Jaguars Head Coach Doug Marrone was the Saints Offensive Coordinator.

Marrone coached in the 2007 game on November 4, and the New Orleans Saints defeated Jacksonville 24-21 in Louisiana in front of 70,009 at The Superdome.

During Marrone's tenure with New Orleans, the Saints offense was potent.

New Orleans ranked first in total yards per-game (387.8), first in passing yards per-game (294.1) and third in points per-game with (26.1).

What would give in this Infrequent I-10 Rivalry?

If you were looking for a high scoring affair, you weren't getting it in the first half as the teams went into the locker room tied 3-3.

New Orleans had 125 net yards while Jacksonville amassed 110.

Jacksonville managed to hold up on defense despite the fact that Jalen Ramsey was ruled inactive.

The Jaguars defense limited Saints running back Alvin Kamara to eight yards. Kamara would finish with 66 total yards.

Minshew II went 8-15 for 80 yards.

In the second half, Jacksonville still didn't find it's offense and New Orleans mustered up enough to win the contest 13-6.

It was another win for Bridgewater, who is keeping the Saints in the playoff hunt while still auditioning for a starting job in free agency in 2020.

New Orleans improved it's record to 5-1 and lead the NFC South Division.

The Saints out gained Jacksonville in total yards 326-226.

Jacksonville had 11 first downs the entire contest.

This was Jacksonville's worst offensive game of the season.

The Saints defense limited Jacksonville wide receiver D.J. Chark Jr. to three receptions for 43 yards as he was double-teamed throughout the game.

Minshew II finished the game throwing for 163 yards and one interception.

The Saints have now defeated Jacksonville four consecutive times.

They lead the all-time series 5-2.

After the game, Marrone gave credit to the Saints but admitted there is a lot of work to do as his team get's ready to hit the road and face the 0-6 Cincinnati Bengals.

"Today was a hard fought defensive battle," Marrone said. "We did well in the running game but overall, our offense wasn't in sync. We were not able to make plays. I have to do a good job and get them to play in all three phases, offense, defense and special teams. That starts with me.

"I liked the effort today, they played hard but have to play better. At the end of the day they (Saints) are a good football team. They're one of the best teams we'll play all year. They play well at all three levels. Their secondary did a real good job and covered us real well. At the end of the day, those guys are a pretty good team.

"Leonard did a good job with his play getting all purpose yards, but we have to get first downs so we can get everybody involved."

Minshew II said, "today was a tough day and they're a good team. I missed some balls that I can't afford to miss. They did a good job taking away our quick stuff. We have enough guys who can make plays and we will do better."

The announced crowd was 64,341. There appeared to be a lot of Saints fans to make the trip.

The Jaguars return home on October 27, 2019 at 1 pm to face the New York Jets at TIAA Bank Field and see another up and coming QB in Sam Darnold.

The Jets (1-4) play the New England Patriots on Monday Night Football.

These next two games are very winnable for the 2-4 Jaguars, who hope to reach the .500 mark by the end of the month. The combined record of the Bengals and the Jets is 1-10.

The Jaguars proceeded to trade Ramsey to the LA Rams on Wednesday for two first round picks and a number four in the next two drafts.

The Bengals lost to the Baltimore Ravens 23-17 while the Jets defeated the Dallas Cowboys 24-22.

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

Breaking In My Prize Pupil

BY SCOTT MORGANROTH
PHOTOS BY CANDICE EBLING

There was a different feel to this football game than I normally experience.

Tonight, I won't have to write a normal game story filled with statistics and quotes.

This time, I'm writing a sidebar.

As I continue to build the South Florida Tribune both on the business, editorial and broadcasting sides, I've turned over the reigns to my young Sports Writer Louis Addeo-Weiss.

When I hired Addeo-Weiss a few months ago, he's written primarily baseball and music stories.

As the company has grown, so has he.

My prize pupil knows that he must get familiar with all sports to be well rounded.

As the Sports Exchange transitions to a new home on the South Florida Tribune Broadcasting Network, through his consistent production, Addeo-Weiss has now joined Myself as a Co-Host.

He knows that to continue to be on the air, he must continue to write regularly and at a high level.

I told Addeo-Weiss that when I made the decision to mentor and develop  him, that I expected him to eventually hire and build his own staff.

This is the only way we can grow the company and secure his role and future.

If there is ever a time to break in a new writer at a live event, this was it.

The first FAU Game I ever covered was on September 1, 2007 when the Owls faced Middle Tennessee State at Lockhart Stadium.

FAU won the contest 27-14 as QB Rusty Smith guided a Howard Schnellenberger coached squad.

Schnellenberger was in attendance for this game.

Smith was 12-26-195 yards with two touchdowns and zero interceptions in the triumph.

Blue Raiders Head Coach Rick Stockstill also coached in 2007 and he remains at the helm for the university located in Murfreesboro, TN.

Going into this game, Stockstill has an 89-81 record.

FAU won lost last years game 25-24 in OT.

Middle Tennessee  led the all-time series 12-4.

At home, the Blue Raiders lead the series 7-2 and on the road, lead 5-2 in South Florida.

Twelve years later, Addeo-Weiss was making his debut and once again, the Owls are facing FAU but in an on campus stadium which is facing the Atlantic Ocean.

This is the only venue in the country that faces this body of water just 1.8 miles east.

There was no view at the now demolished Lockhart Stadium, but there is a gorgeous one on the sixth floor of the Press Box.

Lane Kiffin is running the show for FAU and sophomore QB Chris Robison is under center.

How would things turn out in Addeo-Weiss debut covering his alma-mater?

FAU defeated Middle Tennessee 28-13 to improve to 4-2 while Middle Tennessee fell to 2-4.

Like Myself, Addeo-Weiss' first game was a victory as mine against the Blue Raiders.

Ironically, the same amount of total points were scored in both contests with 41.

Both FAU wins were in double figures.

Robison was 15-30 for 145 yards, one touchdown pass and zero interceptions. His passing yards were close to Smiths' in 2007. Robison added 11 yards rushing.

Next up for Addeo-Weiss, he's going to cover two more football games for us in November. He'll get a taste of basketball during the winter and spring.

Then I'll turn him loose and he can cover his specialty baseball on a regular basis while we continue to develop the business and broadcasting parts of the South Florida Tribune.

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

Quit Your Complaining

BY SCOTT MORGANROTH

A week ago, all of Florida had to deal with the stress that Hurricane Dorian was about to hammer the state being classified as a Category Five.

The Florida State Seminoles contest vs the Boise State Broncos game slated for 7 pm in Jacksonville was switched to noon and moved to Doak Campbell Stadium in Tallahassee.

There was talk that those that booked hotel rooms in Jacksonville didn't get refunds.

For those that didn't, there were two ways to work through the dilemma.

Either complain to their credit card companies to get the charge reversed, or bite the bullet and stay in Jacksonville to take the 2:26/165 mile drive to the game via I-10 West.

Those that had to drive won't get any sympathy from me.

I drive from South Florida to Jacksonville and cover the Jaguars.

The drive is close to five hours and I use the time on the road to meditate.

As I watched the updates about Hurricane Dorian both on TV and in Social Media, there was one thing that was extremely disturbing.

People were classifying the updates as Fake News.

How do you define Fake News?

I'll tell you how NOT to define Fake News.

By criticizing news outlets constantly, who are predicting where storms are going, is a joke!

I'll never criticize an organization when it comes to their coverage of weather.

Regardless of where you live, weather anchors make mistakes because they don't control what transpires outside.

They risk their lives to inform you.

They interpret what information they have, and communicate it to us.

If you've ever heard the cliché's "Better Safe Than Sorry" or "Too Much Information Is Better Than Not Enough," then you get it!

That will explain what our industry is about in today's faster pace, where information is conveyed to us in a mere second, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

During these broadcasts, the newscasters and weather anchors are doing their best to motivate us to protect ourselves.

Leave them alone!

And focus on doing your job!

At two different stages of the football game, FSU vs Boise State, the Seminoles held 24-6 and 31-13 leads. 

But in the end, The Boise State Broncos did their job because despite playing the Seminoles in Tallahassee, Boise State prevailed 36-31.

They had plenty of things they could have complained about but kept their focus. What was  originally set as a neutral site game turned out to be a road contest in front of 50,917 fans.

But instead, they give the words "Quit Your Complaining" the true definition of what happens in life too much which many of us use as cop outs when things are going wrong.

The only people that should rightfully be complaining are those in the Bahamas which got pummeled while all of us dodged a bullet.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.