Sports Never Stops

     I took a week's sabbatical to attend a wedding in Coconut Grove and visit family. From Wednesday to Wednesday, I was out of New Jersey, free of the New York/New Jersey media. I had time to recline. I had time to swim--even hanging out with members of the Boston College track team, in town for a Saturday meet at the University of Miami. Those BC student-athletes were engaging and funny, far away from the snow and cold in Chestnut Hill, free to romp in a heated rooftop pool, ogling the sights in the lounge chairs in the surrounding area as they frolicked carefree in the pool. Camaraderie and academics mixed in with a little bit of post-pubescent bantering and hubris?

     We traveled to Parkland and Marjorie Stoneman Douglas High School for a bit of perspective and a sobering reminder of the horrific events which had occurred there. All of the gates were covered with either State Trooper or Palm Beach County Sheriff's Department vehicles. Too much protection too late?

     There was a bucket list lunch at the famous Joe's Stone Crab on South Beach which did not disappoint even if I opted not to order the succulent crab legs I observed others devour. Of course we made a trip to Monty's Raw Bar, a family favorite. We stopped at Bagel Cove in Aventura--how I adore you. At no time during the trip did we want for food nor were we disappointed--except for the Publix subs we ingested in our car in the parking garage adjacent to Marlins Park. More on the Marlins in a bit.

     During my time away from the computer, the NHL and NBA ended their respective seasons and have now headed into the playoffs. To start the NHL Playoffs, the Pittsburgh Penguins drew a playoff nemesis--cross-state rival Philadelphia. And just as I thought, after blowing out the Flyers 7-0 in Game 1, the Penguins were rudely brought back to Earth on Friday after a trouncing by Philadelphia. On Sunday the Penguins rebounded to the a 2-1 lead in the best-of-7 series. Meanwhile, Vegas is 2 up on the LA Kings, as is Eastern Conference favorite Tampa Bay over the New Jersey Devils.

     As is expected, there is the ferocity of the hits; the speed and stick handling; and the extraordinary goaltending which defines the NHL's second season. Which is why the actions of Brad Marchand of the Boston Bruins defies logic.

     Maybe it was gamesmanship designed to throw an opposing player off of his game and to get inside of his head. But licking the face of an opposing player? That's what Marchand did to Leo Komarov of Toronto in Game 1 of their series.

     You would think that would have caused a ruckus. Komarov took it well, didn't react at all, and calmly skated away. File this move under what was Marchand really thinking??

     Without Steph Curry, the Golden State Warriors overwhelmed an undermanned San Antonio Spurs' team in Game 1 on Saturday. Applying a suffocating defense combined with the terrific shooting of Klay Thompson and Kevin Durant, the Warriors showed signs that they are back in form. Still, to go anywhere in the NBA Playoffs, Curry must come back and lead the team.

     Philadelphia went into its opening series with Miami on a 16 game winning streak, an NBA record entering the playoffs. Miami, led by veteran Dewayne Wade, is going to be a major obstacle for the young and hungry Sixers if they are playing without injured star center Joel Embiid. Thus far, the Sixers continue to roll, handily winning Game 1.

     Then there were the questions of how well the Cleveland Cavaliers are going to play, in a transitional year, even with the leadership of the best in the game--Lebron James. If Sunday's Game 1 results are an indicator, the Cavs are in trouble. And it was good to see the Toronto Raptors win the first game of a series--they had lost the opener of the last 7 they had played in. As veteran ABC/ESPN/MSG play-by-play man Mike Breen said--this is the fun time of the year in the NBA.

     A final postscript to the two winter sports--both the New York Rangers and the New York Knicks did not reach the playoffs. Both are looking for new head coaches. Sad times at the Garden.

     The NFL is inching towards its yearly draft party on April 26. Everywhere I turn, there is a talking head trying to prognosticate where college players will reside in pro football. I cannot wait until the selections are made. Even if those seers are wrong they do not stop their pratteling--because they will then tell the fans why the team selected the wrong player. It is an endless, vicious cycle that permeates daytime programming for the NFL Network and ESPN.

     Which leads me back to baseball. It was business as usual when the Ynakees and Red Sox have a brawl. Although baseball brawls are not funny, it was comical that Brock Holt of Boston commented that he wanted no part of the fisticuffs when he saw the gigantic Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton emerge from the visitors' dugout at Fenway Park to help restore order. Holt astutely noted that the Yankees have some real size on their roster. Too bad it hasn't translated into more wins for New York, nudging along at just over .500 while the Red Sox are blasting their way through the early schedule. Of concern for the Yankees are the continuing struggles of Dellin Betances, who on Friday night in Detroit, once more flamed out in a relief appearance.

     Meanwhile, New York's National League team started out red hot. Winners of 11 of their first 12 contests, the Mets have used great pitching and timely offense to win games. Whether this is sustainable is impossible to say--especially after the Mets lost both of their catchers to injuries during those first 12 games. Through the weekend, the Mets are now 12-2, winning on Sunday with a walk off homer versus Milwaukee.

     We saw the Mets this last Monday at Marlins Park, home of the Miami Marlins. This was stadium number 22 on my collection of MLB ballparks. Consistent with the Art Deco world of South Florida and the cities of Miami and Miami Beach, it is a beautiful structure with a breathtaking view of the downtown skyline. It has a roof to cool the patrons from the summer heat and thunderstorms. There are plenty of food venues. The concourses are wide and the bathrooms are clean and large. It is a far cry from the Orange Bowl Stadium, which occupied the same land.

     Yet we hated our trip to this gem of a ballpark. On Monday, the temperature reached 90 degrees in Miami with the concurrent humidity. And the roof stayed open, creating a sweatbox for the fans and players. It was downright uncomfortable.

     Yankees' icon Derek Jeter, who has a 4% ownership stake, is the front man for the Miami franchise. Former owner Jeffrey Loria pocketed a lot of money and left the organization in tatters. Jeter came in and cleaned house--from veteran players to team broadcasters to stadium personnel.

     While the team played hard, the Marlins were overmatched against the Mets' pitchers. Which, coupled with the heat and humidity, made the game very undistinguished.

     There was very little fan interaction. Seemingly between every inning, pictures of people in the crowd were shown. With a crowd of a paltry 7,003, of which 90% were Mets fans, the place was pretty dead.

     Foul balls were easy to snag, except for the poor, elderly gentleman who was conked by a popup behind home plate. He bled profusely and was aided by a woman in a Mets jersey who tried to stop the bleeding. Since there were no visible ushers, it took time for supervisory personnel to reach the man, and over 10 minutes for him to receive necessary medical assistance. Totally unacceptable, but nonetheless in line with a team ownership who cuts costs by keeping the roof open and understaffing the facility.

     Not surprisingly, the team is being sued for the profit-sharing that Loria did not give to Miami-Dade County. In the latest, sordid twist, the Marlins claim they are immune from a Florida lawsuit, as they were corporately established in the British Virgin Islands. It is a bloody mess on and off of the field for the Marlins. Which is consistent with what we experienced at the ballpark and after.

     When we exited the First Base Garage to head back to the Dolphin Expressway and then onto I-95 for the return trip to Boca Raton, the police misdirected us twice, placing us in the blighted "Little Havana" section, a tough neighborhood which isn't nice in daytime let alone at night. Somehow we made it to downtown and entered the traffic jam on I-95 which was created by lane closures. A perfect ending to a crappy day at a beautiful ballpark that no one goes to. Which had the roof closed for the next two nights with the imminent threat of rain.

     Oakland's decrepit ballpark was far more fun than this venue.  Same with the late. lamented Kingdome in Seattle and the Metrodome in Minneapolis. Chase Field in Phoenix, with a retractable roof which stayed open when we were there, at least had the A/C on during the game plus lively between innings entertainment. It was an enjoyable experience. The polar opposite to what we experienced in Miami

     Note to MLB: Miami's franchise is in trouble. Their stadium is in the wrong place and the people are unwilling to come. Management is pinching pennies at the expense of those fans. The product isn't there--with the baseball portion and with the horrible sound system and the lack of fun inside the building. An intervention is very much needed. Very quickly, too. I bet they don't have this problem over at the American Airlines Arena with the Heat or in Sunrise with the Panthers, and certainly not with the Dolphins. Learn from them--or else there will be a nice ballpark with no tenant at all.

     See what happens when I go away for a week? Sports never stops in my world.