Happy Birthday Jimmy Cefalo

Happy 51st birthday to former Miami Dolphins receiver and current radio broadcaster Jimmy Cefalo. Cefalo has been a South Florida resident since he began his rookie year with the Dolphins in 1978.

Born James Carmen Cefalo in Pittston, Pennsylvania, Cefalo was a hometown and home state hero at Pittston Area High School just outside Scranton. He starred as a running back and was considered one of the greatest high school players to come out of Pennyslvania in the 1970s. In 1973 Cefalo was named to the prestigious Parade All American High School Football Team. That Parade All American squad included future hall of famers Joe Montana and Earl Campbell. He was also named to the Pennsylvania Football News All Century Team. An excellent student, Cefalo was recruited by virtually every football power in the country. He ultimately chose to stay in his native state and play for Joe Paterno at Penn State.

At 5'11 and 190 pounds, Cefalo made the switch from running back to wide receiver and also returned punts during his Penn State career. In 1974 he became the first true freshman to start at Penn State during the Paterno era. As a senior, he led Penn State in all-purpose yardage and was the MVP of the 1975 Cotton Bowl and 1976 Gator Bowl. In the classroom, Cefalo was a dean's student and graduated with a degree in journalism. He had written articles about his college experience that appeared in the New York Times.

In 1978 the Miami Dolphins chose Cefalo in the 3rd round of the NFL draft. He would spend the next 6 years playing wide receiver for another coaching legend Don Shula. Not blessed with great size or blazing speed, Cefalo did possess very good quickness and dependable hands. He caught 93 passes for 1,739 yards and 13 touchdowns in his pro career. His best season came in 1981 when he caught 29 passes for 631 yards and 3 TDs, averaging a whopping 21.8 yards per catch.

Cefalo was one of the few players in Dolphins history with the distinction of catching passes from both of Miami's hall of fame quarterbacks Bob Griese and Dan Marino. He played in two Super Bowls and scored on a 76 yard pass from David Woodley in Super Bowl XVII against the Redskins despite playing with the flu and a 100+ degree fever. At the time, the touchdown was the 2nd longest touchdown pass in Super Bowl history. He also caught Dan Marino's record setting touchdown pass in 1984 to break George Blanda's season record for TD passes. On January 20, 1985, Cefalo played his final football game in a 38-16 loss to the 49ers in Super Bowl XIX. The Dolphins haven't reached the Super Bowl since.

Near the end of his football career, Cefalo first showed off his talents as a broadcaster working as a reporter and host of the local TV show PM Magazine. He was not your typical football player. He possessed the gift for gab and was blessed with a smooth voice and delivery. He later worked as correspondent for NBC News and the Today Show and also worked was a color commentator on NBC's NFL broadcasts with veteran play by play announcer Charlie Jones. His most memorable broadcast was the 1987 Fiesta Bowl between Penn State and Miami. It is still the most watched college football game of all time. Cefalo won an Emmy Award for his writing during NBC's coverage of the 1988 Olympic games in Seoul, South Korrea. He also spent a brief time as a TV game show host for the show Trump Card.

After his stint at NBC, Cefalo returned to South Florida and worked for over a decade as the sports anchor for WPLG Channel 10. The National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association named him Florida Sportscaster of the Year five times (1998, 2001, 2002, 2003 and 2004). For the past two years, Cefalo has been the radio play-by-play voice for the Miami Dolphins working with Joe Rose and Jim Mandich.

But Cefalo's talents and interests go beyond football and broadcasting. He is a well known wine connioseur with over 1,200 bottles in his personal wine cellar. His family has been in the wine business for several generations, and this love of wine has led to two Miami-area emporiums: Cefalo's Wine Cellar and Cefalo's Wine Corner. He also founded Cefalo's Cave Club, a $300-a-month private club with personal wine lockers, tastings, classes and meals. Cefalo currently lives in Miami Beach with his wife Janice and three daughters.

Panthers Return To the Ice

Panthers goalie Tomas Vokoun can't stop the Rangers Chris Drury from scoring one of his two goals


What is the worst pro sports team in South Florida? That's a tough one. The Dolphins are currrently winless and look hopeless. The Marlins just finished their season in last place. But I'm going to say the Florida Panthers. This is a franchise that hasn't been to the NHL playoffs in seven years. Think about it. Just about every hockey team makes it to the postseason in the NHL. You have to really suck to not make the playoffs.

Last night the Florida Panthers opened their season with a 5-2 loss to the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden. I have to admit, I'm not the biggest hockey fan in the world. But I was watching. To be fair, the Panthers were beaten by a very talented team on the road. Florida actually had a 2-1 lead at the end of the second period. But New York's Chris Drury and Scott Gomez took over in the final period with four unanswered goals.

A little over a decade ago the Panthers were living the charmed life. It was a time when hockey actually mattered in South Florida. The Panthers had won the 1996 Eastern Conference championship while playing to packed houses at the Miami Arena with rubber rats thrown to the ice. The names John Vanbiesbrouck, Scott Melanby, Bill Lindsay, Ed Jovanovsky and Stu Barnes still remain entrenched in my memory. Please keep in mind, I'm not even a hockey fan. But I'll never forget those guys.

But today there isn't a more maligned franchise in South Florida pro sports than the Panthers--and that's saying something. Since moving to their current arena, the Panthers have only qualified once for the postseason and were swept. Just last year, the Panthers made arguably the worst trade in the history of South Florida sports. They sent all star goalie Roberto Luongo to Vancouver for Todd Bertuzzi. Luongo may arguable be the best goalie in the game today and Bertuzzi no longer plays for the Panthers. Former general manager Mike Keanan was run out of town. He should have been tarred and feathered for that deal.

But there are some NHL pundits who believe the Panthers are going in the right direction. Let's face it, there's only one way to go and that's up. ESPN's Barry Melrose actually thinks the Panthers have a good shot to be a playoff team. New goalie Tomas Vokoun is considered one of the better up and coming players at his position. The Panthers have also started to mold a solid core of young talent including Olli Jokinen, Nathan Horton and Stephen Weiss.

Vokoun surrendered five goals in his debut. But not all of it was his fault. The Panthers defense was sloppy to say the least in the third period. Not only did Vokoun debut as Florida's new goalie, the Panthers also debuted their new uniforms with red sleeves. And while the uniforms have changed, the results haven't. But the best part of starting a new season is wiping the slate clean. The good news is it's only one game. The bad news is there are about 81 more.

Can A-Rod Finally Deliver In the Postseason?

Alex Rodriguez--back in the day at Westminster Christian


Let me start off by saying I hate the New York Yankees. In fact I dislike all New York teams. But when it comes to Alex Rodriguez, I'll admit I have soft spot for A-Rod and wish him the best.

Long before Alex Rodriguez was ever a national superstar, I remember seeing him for the first time in the spring of 1991. Back then, I knew a guy named Adrian Antonini who played baseball at Westminster Christian High School, which had a powerhouse baseball program in Southern Miami-Dade County then coached by the Rich Hoffman. Adrian was a catcher on Westminster's team and later went on to play college ball at LSU. Antonini told me about a 10th grade shortstop who just transferred to Westminster from Columbus High and said he was the best player he ever saw. I have to admit, I was kind of skeptical. But when Antonini describe the 15 year old baseball prodigy, he made him sound like a player the game had never seen before. So I had to check out this phenom for myself.

Sure enough, there he was. It didn't take very long to notice Alex Rodriguez in high school. He was the biggest, the fastest and the most graceful and developed player on the field. He literally looked like a man playing with and against boys. Westminster was playing Gulliver Prep that afternoon. In his first at bat of the game, Rodriguez crushed a pitch over the centerfield fence. He would hit another home run a couple of at-bats later. In the field, he was smooth as butter. I couldn't believe I was awed watching a 15 year old boy playing baseball. It was quite surreal.

All these years later, I don't know where Adrian Antonini is today. But I'd like to thank him for telling me about Alex Rodriguez. For those of us who have followed local high sports, we've literally watch Alex Rodriguez grow into what he is today--A-Rod.

Alex Rodriguez is simply the greatest athlete South Florida has ever produced. That's right. He's better than Michael Irvin, Chris Evert, Ted Hendricks or Derrick Thomas. At age 32, A-Rod has hit 518 career home runs, twice won American League MVP awards and several gold gloves as a shortstop and third baseman. At his current pace, he will eventually surpass Barry Bonds as the baseball's greatest home run hitter--provided he stays healthy continues his passion for the game.

He's done just about everything you can possibly accomplish as an athlete, except one thing--win a championship. Growing up in Miami, Alex's favorite athlete was Dan Marino. He even wears number #13 as a tribute to his idol. But just like Marino, Rodriguez has yet to wear a championship ring and everybody never lets him forget it. Rodriguez's struggles in the playoffs have been well-documented. Just last year, A-Rod's batting average was a pathetic .098 (4 for 41) in New York's playoff series loss to Detroit. He has zero RBI in his last 12 postseason games. His lack of success in October has made him the target of the New York media.

If I have one major criticism of A-Rod, it's that he tries too hard to please everyone. He actually cares what people think of him. But those faults are also a postive. He's given generously to local charities and organizations. He's been a longtime supporter of the Boys & Girls Clubs. He once donated $4 million to the University of Miami to help rennovate its baseball stadium even though he never attended UM. But he's always had a love for the school and grew up a Canes fan. He had accepted a scholarship to play baseball at UM. But when the Seattle Mariners made him the first pick of the 1993 amateur draft, it was too much money to ignore.

I really don't want to see the Yankees win the World Series. They have the most spoiled and obnoxious fans. But a part of me really wants Alex Rodriguez to finally get that monkey off his back and exorcise those demons. But I have a feeling once A-Rod starts succeeding in the postseason, the same New York trolls who hate him will start kissing his butt. The Big Apple really doesn't deserve him.

Will Antoine Walker Ever Grow Up?

Well it didn't take long for Antoine Walker to screw up again. Walker along with Smush Parker and Earl Barron arrived on the first day of Miami Heat training camp out of shape. All three players failed to meet Pat Riley's conditioning standards and were not allowed to practice.

Okay, maybe I'm being a little unfair to Walker by singling him out. Yes, he had a rough offseason when he was robbed at gunpoint in his hometown Chicago. But this guy has been a screwup ever since he arrived here. Last year he shot 20 percent from 3-point range and under 50 percent from the foul line while playing mediocre defense. Yes, he was part of the Heat's championship team two years ago. But for the love of God, you're making $8 million to play basketball for a living. The least you can do is keep yourself is decent condition instead of snacking on butterfingers and M&M's.

Pat Riley is known for his maniacle training camps. No player, including Shaq and Dwyane Wade, is allowed to practice unless they meet Riley's fitness standards by maintaining a certain level of body fat. Walker, Parker and Barron all knew this. Walker especially should know better, since he's been with the Heat the longest of the three. Walker should just dress up as the Hamburglar for Halloween because all he's been is a payroll bandit.

The Rock Gives Back To The U

Dwayne Johnson During his UM Days

Before he became a pro wrestler and a movie star, Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson was a backup defensive tackle for the University of Miami Hurricanes during the early 1990s. He spent most of his college football career playing behind Warren Sapp in anonymity. But today The Rock takes a back seat to nobody. His latest movie "The Game Plan" was the top grossing film at the box office, raking in $23 million.

The Rock may be a superstar. But Dwayne Johnson hasn't forgotten his roots. Yesterday, Johnson returned to UM to donate $1 million to the football program. The Rock and his wife Dany Garcia Johnson met while they were students at UM and still maintain a home in Davie. According to UM head coach Randy Shannon, the money will be used to help renovate the weight room facilities for all UM athletes.

It's refreshing to hear fame hasn't gone to Johnson's head. Just imagine if every superstar Cane athlete gave back to the program that helped them become famous. In a world where people gain fame for having no talent (Paris Hilton). It's great to see a person like Johnson who came from humble beginnings make it big and never forget where he came from.

Can The Heat Regain Its Championship Flame?

Pat Riley

Hey, I know the football season just started, but it's never too early to start looking forward to the NBA season and another year of Miami Heat basketball. Let's face it. With the way the Dolphins are playing, you can pretty much throw this football season down the toilet. In fact, let's just say the Dolphins are now on the clock with the first pick of the 2008 NFL Draft and are waiting for Commissioner Goodell to approach the podium.

Today the Heat started its training camp and with it always comes optimism and hope. Afterall it was just less than two years ago that Dwyane Wade and Shaquille O'Neal were hoisting the Larry O'Brien Trophy back to a raucus victory parade down Biscayne Boulevard. But after the way last season ended, that celebration seems like a million years ago.

If you know anything about Pat Riley, you know there are few people on the planet who are as competitive and take losing more personally than Miami's Armani-clad leader. And make no mistake about it, Riley's pride was wounded after last season's 4 game sweep by the Chicago Bulls in the first round of the playoffs.

But bruised ego aside, can Riley once again resurrect this roster of aging fatcats into a championship unit? A year ago, the Heat were basking in glory and getting ready to defend its title. The team held a lavish ceremony prior to its home opener against the Bulls and received their championship rings. When it was all over, the Bulls proceeded to kick their ass.

The entire season was a rollercoaster of ups and downs. But Shaq assured us the team would return to championship form come playoff time. That's right. Don't worry. We'll just turn on the switch when it matters. But it never happened. A shoulder injury to Wade didn't help and Chicago's young legs ran circles around Miami's tired veteran outfit.

So what can we look forward to this season? Usually there are a couple of new faces--either free agents or draft picks who fans eagerly want to see. But this year, the Heat virtually struck out on every free agent they wanted. It wasn't from a lack of trying. They wanted Rashard Lewis. He signed with Orlando. They wanted Moe Williams. He resigned with the Bucks. There were even rumors of interest concerning Mike Bibby and Ron Artest. But nothing has materialized. Even guys who the Heat didn't really want like Charlie Bell, turned down Miami to stay in Milwaukee.

Instead of fresh new faces, the Heat will begin this season with an uninspiring pair of veteran free agents Penny Hardaway and Smush Parker. As Jim Mandich would say, neither makes my toes tingle. And I'll be honest, I didn't even know Penny Hardaway was still an active NBA player. I thought he retired with Bob Cousy and Jerry West. Parker spent most of his career with the Lakers watching Kobe Bryant hog the basketball. So it's understandable when you notice how few assists Parker accumlated in LA. It's hard to distribute the basketball when one player holds on to it all the time. As far as the draft was concerned, the Heat selected Ohio State's Daquan Cook, who was only considered the third best freshman on his team. But if you know anything about Riley's history with rookies, Cook will spend the year giving Shaq and the boys cups of Gatorade during timeouts.

Maybe I'm sounding too much like a gloom and doomer. But how is this team going to be better than last year? Not only did the Heat fail to pick up any big-named free agents. They also lost some valuable talent from their team a year ago. Who's going to shoot the 3's? Last year's sharpshooter Jason Kapono is gone. Who's going to play defense? James Posey is gone. And to make matters worse, Posey signed with the Celtics, an Eastern Conference team with a drastically improved roster. And for crying out loud, when is Dorell Wright finally going to develop into a legit NBA player. We've seen flashes and glimpses. But inevitably, Wright finishes the season with more fizzle than sizzle. This year, Wright had better become a big part of the Heat's rotation or this will be a long year.

No doubt my expectations have been simmered down this year. But if you know about Riley's history, he often does his best coaching when he's counted out. The "experts" are claiming the Celtics are better. And with the acquisitions of Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen along with Posey, it's hard to argue with them. The Orlando Magic are a team on the rise, led by former Heat coach Stan Van Gundy and one of the best young post players in the game Dwight Howard. The Pistons are always tough and don't forget the defending Eastern Conference champs the Cleveland LeBron James's.

But screw the critics. You'll know basketball is back when the sneakers start squeeking and TV play-by-play announcer Eric Reed belts out "Tippy-toe three....Kaboom!". Just close your eyes when Antoine Walker shoots those tippy-toe threes. I never thought I'd look forward to American Airlines Arena announcer Mike Biamonte scream "Dos Minutos!" near the end of every quarter. Yes, it's stupid, childish and everybody rolls their eyes when he does it. But after watching the Dolphins stink up the field, maybe a little hoops is needed to heal this wounded sports soul.

100 Greatest Miami Hurricanes of All Time

Pictures from top to bottom: Ted Hendricks, Michael Irvin, Ken Dorsey & Jerome Brown

Picking the 100 best University of Miami football players of all time is no easy task. Most Canes fans know about the five national championships, two Heisman winners and countless NFL alumni. But a lot of people may not be aware of some of the great players from the past, who played at UM before it became a powerhouse. If you know UM's history, the program has produced great players well before the Canes ever started winning national championships in 1983.

So here's my list of the 100 greatest football players to ever suit up for the orange and green. They represent almost all 80-plus years of Canes football history. Players are listed in order with the years they played at UM. The list is based strictly on college career. Pro careers did not factor in the decision making process.

100 Great Miami Hurricanes

1. Ted Hendricks (1966-68)
2. Michael Irvin (1985-87)
3. Jerome Brown (1983-86)
4. Ken Dorsey (1999-02)
5. Warren Sapp (1992-94)
6. Bernie Kosar (1983-84)
7. Ed Reed (1998-01)
8. Steve Walsh (1986-88)
9. Vinny Testaverde (1982-86)
10. Gino Torretta (1989-92)
11. Edgerrin James (1996-98)
12. Dan Morgan (1997-2000)
13. Ray Lewis (1993-95)
14. Sean Taylor (2001-03)
15. Bennie Blades (1984-87)
16. Russell Maryland (1987-90)
17. Willis McGahee (2001-02)
18. Bryant McKinnie (2000-01)
19. Santana Moss (1997-2000)
20. Micheal Barrow (1989-92)
21. Jim Kelly (1979-82)
22. Andre Johnson (2000-02)
23. Ottis Anderson (1975-78)
24. Eddie Brown (1983-84)
25. Clinton Portis (1999-01)
26. Craig Erickson (1987-90)
27. George Mira (1961-63)
28. Jim Dooley (1949-51)
29. Don Bosseler (1954-56)
30. Leon Searcy (1988-91)
31. Reggie Wayne (1997-2000)
32. Daniel Stubbs (1984-87)
33. Jonathan Vilma (2000-03)
34. Jeremy Shockey (2000-01)
35. Kellen Winslow (2001-03)
36. Bill Miller (1959-61)
37. Fred Marion (1978-81)
38. Cortez Kennedy (1989-90)
39. Chuck Foreman (1970-72)
40. Burgess Owens (1970-72)
41. Rubin Carter (1972-75)
42. Greg Mark (1986-89)
43. Darrin Smith (1989-92)
44. Alonzo Highsmith (1983-86)
45. Melvin Bratton (1984-87)
46. Lamar Thomas (1989-92)
47. Antrel Rolle (2001-04)
48. Dennis Harrah (1972-74)
49. Eddie Edwards (1975-76)
50. Don Latimer (1974-77)
51. Jim Burt (1978-80)
52. Bill Hawkins (1985-88)
53. Ryan McNeil (1989-92)
54. Jack Losch (1954-55)
55. Maurice Crum (1987-90)
56. Dan Conners (1961-63)
57. Darryl Williams (1989-91)
58. William Joseph (1999-02)
59. Vince Wilfork (2001-03)
60. Joaquin Gonzalez (1998-01)
61. Kevin Williams (1990-92)
62. Tony Cristiani (1971-73)
63. Lester Williams (1978-81)
64. Don Smith (1975-78)
65. Al Carapella (1948-50)
66. Ed Weisacosky (1963-65)
67. Randal Hill (1987-90)
68. Brian Blades (1984-87)
69. Carlos Huerta (1988-91)
70. Rusty Medearis (1990-92)
71. Kenny Holmes (1993-96)
72. Kenard Lang (1994-96)
73. Phillip Buchanon (1999-01)
74. Fran Curci (1957-59)
75. Bubba Franks (1997-99)
76. Danny Miller (1978-81)
77. Glenn Dennison (1981-83)
78. K.C. Jones (1993-96)
79. Jim Otto (1957-59)
80. Eddie Dunn (1936-38)
81. Bernard Clark (1986-89)
82. George Mira Jr. (1984-87)
83. Kevin Fagan (1982-85)
84. Jerome McDougle (2001-02)
85. Cleveland Gary (1986-88)
86. Brett Romberg (1999-02)
87. Kevin Patrick (1990-93)
88. Tremaine Mack (1994-96)
89. Kelly Jennings (2002-05)
90. Willie Smith (1983-85)
91. Wesley Carroll (1989-90)
92. Bubba McDowell (1985-88)
93. Jessie Armstead (1989-92)
94. Bob Masterson (1935-37)
95. Larry Brodsky (1978-81)
96. Mike Sullivan (1987-90)
97. Jay Brophy (1979-83)
98. Vernon Carey (2000-03)
99. Devin Hester (2003-05)
100. Albert Bentley (1979-83)