How Inter Miami can grasp South Florida soccer fans
Whether Inter Miami becomes the legacy South Florida has been waiting for or another cautionary tale remains to be seen. If history has taught us anything, it's this: give South Florida a superstar to believe in, and the fans will follow.
Cementing a sports legacy, stadium deals included, is no easy task in South Florida. Despite more success than many cities can claim, the region is notorious for long stretches of mediocre teams and broken promises.
The Florida Marlins (cough cough, Miami Marlins) have made their two World Series wins since 1993 feel like ancient history, thanks to Jeffrey Loria's controversial ownership and the Marlins Park stadium deal that still haunts taxpayers. The Florida Panthers, meanwhile, spent most of their existence since '93 in rebuilding mode: a hockey team in a subtropical climate fighting for relevance. If it weren't for Micky Arison bringing in Pat Riley, which eventually delivered three NBA titles to the Miami Heat, and the Dolphins' 1972 perfect season, giving fans something to cling to across generations, South Florida sports would be purely depressing.
But a new club has arrived with a genuine chance to give South Floridians something to cheer about, even if it's from temporary stadium seats. Inter Miami isn't the first attempt at professional soccer here. The Miami Fusion played on the very same land before dissolving in January 2002 after just four years.
This time, though, feels different.
Soccer has exploded in popularity across the United States since 2002, especially in markets with large Hispanic and Latino populations like South Florida. The region itself continues expanding, one concrete block at a time. Add English icon David Beckham to the ownership group alongside brothers Jorge and José Mas, and suddenly you have star power, local business credibility, and deep pockets.
And star power is exactly what South Florida demands. This is a market that rallies behind legends. Dwyane Wade became more than a basketball player. He became Miami's identity, his jersey retirement a cultural moment. Dan Marino's cannon arm kept Dolphins fans invested through decades of playoff disappointments. Even LeBron James, a transplant, commanded the city's attention during his four-year Heat tenure simply by being LeBron.
South Florida doesn't just want good teams. It wants icons.
That's where Inter Miami's future is at stake. Beckham's name opens doors, but his playing days are over. If the club can land a global superstar (imagine someone like Lionel Messi donning the pink and black), the floodgates would open. The casual fan, the transplant who never cared about MLS, the kid choosing between soccer and basketball: they'd all pay attention.
The stereotypes are well-worn. Miami-Dade residents are flashy and image-obsessed, Palm Beach is full of wealthy retirees, and Broward is somewhere in between. Generalizations are rarely fair, but media perception shapes reality, and Inter Miami seems designed to capitalize on exactly that. Beckham's global brand, combined with South Florida's growing soccer culture and hunger for a winner, could finally be the formula that works.
Whether Inter Miami becomes the legacy South Florida has been waiting for or another cautionary tale remains to be seen. If history has taught us anything, it's this: give South Florida a superstar to believe in, and the fans will follow.
Miami Marlins: New Season, Similar Feeling in 2019
The Miami Marlins begin the 2019 season with a brand new look to the branding and team — again. On rebuild mode, Miami hosts the Colorado Rockies on the earliest Opening Day ever. Dominican José Ureña is expected to start on the mound and lead the hungry, young core into a “new” era with a winning mentality.
Grounds crews help prepare the field at Marlins Park on Wednesday, March 27, 2019, in Miami, the day before the team's season opener against the Colorado Rockies. (David Santiago/Miami Herald via AP)
The Miami Marlins begin the 2019 season with a brand new look to the branding and team — again. On rebuild mode, Miami hosts the Colorado Rockies on the earliest Opening Day ever. Dominican José Ureña is expected to start on the mound and lead the hungry, young core into a “new” era with a winning mentality.
Developing a Winning Culture
The Little Havana based ballclub traded away catcher J.T. Realmuto to the Philadelphia Phillies in the offseason, putting themselves in a deep hole in an already stacked NL East.
Luckily for Miami, history is on its side — at least for tomorrow, it is. The last time the Marlins played the Rockies on Opening Day, Miami won 10-1 in 2014. Miami does not have a player like Jose Fernandez pitching Opening Day anymore, but new owner Derek Jeter has hope that he can create a winning culture with his young core.
“The way I see it, doing things the right way, over and over, leads to sustained success,” Jeter said in his letter to Marlins fans. “I’m not just talking about wins and losses — winning games is very important to everyone — but also about developing a winning culture throughout the organization. That’s what is most important, and that journey starts today. It will not happen overnight. But our ownership group is focused on building a team that this community can be proud of.”
That young core includes 25-year-old Brian Anderson (.273/.357/.400), who finished in fourth place for National League Rookie of the Year last season. Additionally, Miami hopes former top-prospect Lewis Brinson can come back strong from a sub par rookie season. Brinson (.199/.240/.338) had 120 strikeouts in just 406 plate appearances. Names like Miguel Rojas, Starlin Castro, JT Riddle and Martin Prado are some returning veterans playing with the young guys.
Additions
Team additions are a whole other ballgame. The front office brought in former All-Stars in outfielder Curtis Granderson and pitcher Sergio Romo. Versatile infielder Neil Walker also joined the team and will likely play first base. If the Marlins cannot find a rhythm, it will not be surprising if they go to their farm system and give players a shot.
Pitcher Sandy Alcantara is in the starting rotation now after earning five starts for the Marlins last year. Alcantara and Ureña may not be the only Dominicans starting next season, as Dominican pitcher Sixto Sanchez came over in the Realmuto deal. The 20-year-old pitcher will develop in the minors with his powerful fastball. Colombian catcher Jorge Alfaro also came in the deal and will likely start right away. Miami also signed Victor Mesa from Cuba last fall and have Isan Diaz and Monte Harrison from the Yelich deal.
Although most will likely remain in the minors, injuries and inconsistent performances can allow players to move up as Alcantara did.
Fan Experience
Jeter and his staff have made it clear they want to get fans back in Marlins Park. Renovations, new concession and parking deals, and a new fan section in “Comunidad 305” have all been introduced. “Hot dogs, popcorn, pretzel, nachos, water and soda will be $3,” according to the Sun Sentinel. Also, “draft beer and mojo pork tacos will be $5.”
Opening Day Details
Marlins fans can skip rush hour traffic on the Dolphin Expressway and Interstate 95 by heading to pregame festivities at noon. Want to see the changes to Marlins Park? Gates open just two hours after. Although there is a possibility of showers in Little Havana tomorrow, a closed roof will preserve the first pitch at 4:10 p.m.
Where do the Miami HEAT go from here? A look into next season
Dwyane Wade had his #OneLastDance, so it is finally time for the Miami Heat to find a new dance partner.
Although Wade’s farewell tour has been the focal point of Miami’s season for many, the Heat missed the NBA playoffs. In a limbo, Miami has not been to the playoffs two years in a row since the “Big 3” era.
Meanwhile, Miami’s only had one top-10 draft pick since then—Justise Winslow—and has not landed another star free agent. Will Miami Heat president Pat Riley turn up the Heat and push for the playoffs or tank and hope to find a new superstar through the draft?
Miami Heat guard Dwyane Wade (3) acknowledges the crowd's cheers after playing in the final NBA basketball game of his career, against the Brooklyn Nets on Wednesday, April 10, 2019, in New York. (AP Photo/Kathy Willens)
Dwyane Wade had his #OneLastDance, so it is finally time for the Miami Heat to find a new dance partner.
Although Wade’s farewell tour has been the focal point of Miami’s season for many, the Heat missed the NBA playoffs. In a limbo, Miami has not been to the playoffs two years in a row since the “Big 3” era.
Meanwhile, Miami’s only had one top-10 draft pick since then—Justise Winslow—and has not landed another star free agent. Will Miami Heat president Pat Riley turn up the Heat and push for the playoffs or tank and hope to find a new superstar through the draft?
The Financial Situation
Miami’s front office has made big decisions—some sporadic—since the “Big 3” era that are still in effect. With the permanent loss of Chris Bosh and the 30-11 run in the second half of the 2017-18 season, Miami signed many aging veterans to big, multiyear contracts.
The result?
The league’s highest payroll in 2018-19 ($154,621,708), according to HoopsHype. That is more than $8 million ahead of the NBA-champion Golden State Warriors, arguably the greatest team of all-time.
Next season, James Johnson, Kelly Olynyk, Dion Waiters and Hassan Whiteside are making a combined $68,578,303 million. Add in point guard Goran Dragic’s player option ($19,217,900) and that puts the Heat at over $88 million.
Keep in mind, this is without adding the recent pickup of Ryan Anderson ($21,264,637) or including the young core of Bam Adebayo, Josh Richardson and Winslow. The Heat will only drop behind the Oklahoma City Thunder entering 2019-20. ($137,276,853).
Despite this, there are positives that can be explored. Ryan Anderson, who has barely featured, could be waived. Moving on, Chris Bosh’s contract was spread out to relieve cap space in 2017.
Guard Rodney McGruder ($1,544,951) was waived to dodge the luxury tax this season. Wade and Udonis Haslem’s minimum contracts are up—and the Heat wants Haslem back. Additionally, forward Derrick Jones Jr. is progressing and is making less than two million next year.
Recently, Miami signed Yante Maten to a two-year, $3.1 million NBA contract. Meanwhile, Duncan Robinson also received a standard NBA contract, keeping him around until the 2020-21 season.
If Riley wants to trade for a star player like Bradley Beal, he has many big-money contracts to exchange—if any team finally wants them.
The Draft Situation
The NBA Draft has been forgettable for Miami in recent years. Erik Spoelstra’s young core of players—Adebayo, Richardson and Winslow—are the first young players to have a significant role in the team since Michael Beasley and Mario Chalmers.
The Heat are in a similar spot as last season when they picked Adebayo, likely picking between 10-15. Many mock drafts have Miami going with a forward.
For instance, Sports Illustrated has Miami taking French talent Sekou Doumbouya of Limoges and Gary Parrish of CBS has Jontay Porter coming to South Beach. With Richardson and Winslow being versatile, Miami’s aging squad and a need for scorers, a dominant offensive forward could be an ideal fit.
As of right now, Miami has no second round pick in 2019 or 2020 and will have no picks in 2021. If the team wants to build from the draft, Riley will have to start making some calls or the team losing more games. It is not the #HeatCulture narrative that the Heat has pushed in recent memory, but everything must change to some extent eventually.
Miami may not dance anymore with someone who has the flashy moves of Wade, but the Heat cannot pump-fake its way around a rebuild.
No. 2 Florida remains undefeated in SEC with win versus No. 12 Auburn
GAINESVILLE, Fla. — The No. 2 Florida Gators gymnastics team became the only unbeaten SEC team Friday night. The Gators hosted No. 12 Auburn, beating the Tigers 197.85-196.70 at Exactech Arena at the Stephen C. O'Connell Center.
GAINESVILLE, Fla. — The No. 2 Florida Gators gymnastics team became the only unbeaten SEC team Friday night. The Gators hosted No. 12 Auburn, beating the Tigers 197.85-196.70 at Exactech Arena at the Stephen C. O'Connell Center.
Records, Records, Records
Returning to the win column came easy for Florida, with the loss to No. 1 Oklahoma last Friday not stopping UF from breaking a few records along the way.
The sixth-highest total score in the country now belongs to UF. The fans also packed the arena, with 9,055 being a season-high and the ninth largest in program history.
It did not end there, with the Gators coming into the 13th Annual “Link to Pink” meet and putting up their season-best vault total of 49.35. Senior Alicia Boren also recorded her season-best performance on the vault (9.925).
However, Auburn stayed competitive, leading by 0.025 heading into the second rotation. The Tigers were not short of confidence, with their resume including impressive wins so far this season.
Despite this, the Gators would rally with an outstanding performance on the bars. SEC Freshman of the Week Trinity Thomas won her third bars title of the season, scoring a 9.95 to continue a streak of 9.925 or better in 2019. Rachel Gowey (9.825), Amelia Hundley (9.9), Savannah Schoenherr (9.85), Megan Skaggs (9.875) and Boren (9.85) also contributed to the 0.475 lead before the midway point.
The Gators were able to build momentum heading into the beam as Tigers gymnast Gracie Day scored a mere 9.225 on the vault. Alyssa Baumann, Boren and Gowey spearheaded the Gators beam rotation by each earning a 9.9. Abby Milliet and Day each scored a 9.925 on the floor to help Auburn exceed Florida’s score for the rotation, but UF still led 148.200-147.775.
The crowd full of pink elevated their game the same way the Florida gymnasts started in the last two rotations. The fans were off their feet, Gator chomping or finding the nearest fan to high-five as they chanted for the home team. It looked like a paint bucket full of pink paint fell all over the blue seats of the O’Dome.
Head Coach Jenny Rowland emphasized before the meet how special the “Link to Pink” meet is. She kept that same energy, approaching her team and saying a few words before the final rotation.
The last records of the night came during the floor exercise. The Gators season-best 49.65 included Thomas’ collegiate-best score of 9.975. Boren’s bootleg-song routine earned her a 9.95, while Baumann and Nya Reed finished with a pair of 9.925s.
All in all, Auburn had no chance of a comeback, with a 9.1 from Taylor Krippner on the beam.
Thomas reached an all-around score of 39.70 for the second time this season, while Boren finished with a season-best 39.625. Schoenherr, who made the floor lineup for the first time this season, said she would love to do it again.
"I was super excited. I've been working really hard in the gym trying to make floor lineup. It's the event I really wanted to compete. It's the most fun and the one everyone loves to watch the most. So I've just been working hard and trying to make my passes the best that I can in practice to be able to make the lineup so I can prove myself. Competing tonight was a lot of fun and I can't wait to hopefully be in the lineup again."
Rowland said her team was focused on staying calm after recording their best score on the vault. She was happy to be able to give breast cancer survivors and fans a win for Florida.
What’s Next?
Florida will continue its tough schedule with a road meet versus No. 8 Alabama on Friday, Feb. 15. The Alabama Crimson Tide (8-2, 3-2 SEC) beat Arkansas 196.70-195.80 Friday night.
The meet airs on SEC Network at 8:30 p.m. and is also available on WatchESPN.
Chelsea inch closer to top four with convincing win versus Brighton
Chelsea Football Club is fifth in the English Premier League, level with Arsenal at 63 points after beating Brighton & Hove Albion 3-0 at home Wednesday. The midweek-matchup was the Blues first clean sheet in league play since beating third-place Tottenham 2-0 at Stamford Bridge on Feb. 27.
Players of Chelsea celebrate after Chelsea's Ruben Loftus-Cheek scored his sides third goal during the English Premier League soccer match between Chelsea and Brighton & Hove Albion at Stamford Bridge stadium in London, Wednesday, April 3, 2019. (AP Photo/Frank Augstein)
Chelsea Football Club is fifth in the English Premier League, level with Arsenal at 63 points after beating Brighton & Hove Albion 3-0 at home Wednesday. The midweek-matchup was the Blues first clean sheet in league play since beating third-place Tottenham 2-0 at Stamford Bridge on Feb. 27.
Squad Rotation
After beating relegation-scared Cardiff City 2-1 on March 31, Chelsea manager Maurizio Sarri decided to give some players a rest. Therefore, three of the Blues academy graduates started against the Seagulls including Danish center-back Andreas Christensen and English players Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Callum Hudson-Odoi. The integration of youth pleased the fans in attendance, who recently bickered about the lack of youth in the squad.
Additionally, Sarri played the pacier Emerson at left-back instead of Spaniard Marcos Alonso and gave Olivier Giroud the nine-spot instead of Gonzalo Higuain. Sarri’s squad selection proved to be a good choice, despite the lack of chances created before Hudson-Odoi’s driven-cross was finished by Giroud right in front of goal.
That assist brings Hudson-Odoi to nine and nine in all competitions this season. Despite the initial goal, the West London side looked the same it has most of 2019—sluggish when attacking and unable to turn possession into meaningful chances. Hence, Chelsea had most of the ball, but Brighton just sat back and waited for a chance to counterattack.
Chelsea's Olivier Giroud, left, falls after scoring his sides first goal past Brighton's Shane Duffy, right, during the English Premier League soccer match between Chelsea and Brighton & Hove Albion at Stamford Bridge stadium in London, Wednesday, April 3, 2019. (AP Photo/Frank Augstein)
The lack of meaningful chances can be linked to various factors. For instance, Chelsea captain Cesar Azpilicueta provides little going forward because of his lack of pace and attacking prowess, while midfielders N’Golo Kante and Jorginho are known for maintaining and winning the ball back. Yet, the Blues managed 17 shots overall.
Chelsea's Eden Hazard celebrates after scoring his sides second goal during the English Premier League soccer match between Chelsea and Brighton & Hove Albion at Stamford Bridge stadium in London, Wednesday, April 3, 2019. (AP Photo/Frank Augstein)
Déjà Vu
In the second half, Chelsea produced two spectacular efforts that resulted in goals just three minutes apart. Belgian winger Eden Hazard dribbled past defenders right outside of the penalty area and finessed a shot past Brighton goalkeeper Mat Ryan in the 60th minute.
Loftus-Cheek fancied a similar effort soon after, scoring almost an identical goal that sealed the win. Hazard jokingly told Chelsea TV that his goal was better.
The club had not scored three-plus goals in a league match since trouncing relegated-Huddersfield 5-0 on Feb. 2.
Azpilicueta had praised Loftus-Cheek in an interview before the match.
“He’s understanding the game better, when he has to drive with the ball, and he has unbelievable strength,” Azpilicueta said. “He can push past defenders, get in the box, score goals, and he defends. He is a complete player.”
After the match, Sarri also commented on the Englishman’s progress.
“Loftus-Cheek for the first time in the season is without his problem in his back,” Sarri said. “In the last 20 days he was able to have training every day. Today he played very well, he scored a wonderful goal. After 75 minutes he had a little problem with his hamstring, nothing serious, only cramp I think, but tomorrow I want to be sure about the situation with his back because that is the big problem.”
When interviewed after the match, Loftus-Cheek said that the win is needed with such a tight race at the top of the table with the end of the season approaching. Only three points separates Tottenham in third and Manchester United in sixth.
What’s Next?
Chelsea has a break until Monday, April 8, when it takes on West Ham in another London Derby. The only other meeting this season resulted in a scoreless draw in September. Kickoff is set for 3:00 p.m. EST.
Gators Lose in Drawn-out Game Versus UCF
The No. 3 Florida Gators baseball team lost 12-9 to UCF in a four-plus-hour tug-of-war Wednesday night. The reigning Southeastern Conference champion allowed its American Conference rival to score in every inning but the first and eighth.
The No. 3 Florida Gators baseball team lost 12-9 to UCF in a four-plus-hour tug-of-war Wednesday night. The reigning Southeastern Conference champion allowed its American Conference rival to score in every inning but the first and eighth.
https://twitter.com/GatorsBB/status/1100969847394045953
The midweek matchup was in danger of being delayed or postponed because of heavy rain, but Mother Nature played on the side of the 6:00 p.m. first pitch. Despite wet seats, some fans still made the trip to McKethan Stadium.
https://twitter.com/OfficialHomar/status/1100894256431054857
The Florida bats got hot in the first inning, as the Gators earned three runs thanks to RBIs by Kendrick Calilao and Nelson Maldonado.
https://twitter.com/OfficialHomar/status/1100897280142594049
The Knights turned it around through the top of the fifth inning, scoring seven runs and getting eight hits. A throwing error in the fourth inning and a fielding error in the fifth paved the way for two of the seven UCF runs.
When the Gators finally got out of the half-inning, a popular song started their comeback.
https://twitter.com/OfficialHomar/status/1100922496847695872
After three scoreless innings, freshman outfielder Jud Fabian’s sacrifice fly scored Austin Langworthy. Furthermore, Kirby McMullen pinch hit for Santino Miozzi, hitting a grand slam. It was his first collegiate career home run — and it happened to be with a full count and two outs. Five runs gave the Gators an 8-7 lead.
https://twitter.com/OfficialHomar/status/1100928887507337218
The inning lasted so long that even the official Gators baseball Twitter account admin got the inning wrong.
https://twitter.com/GatorsBB/status/1100931048651788289
Despite the turnaround, the Gators did not keep the lead long. UCF kept Florida scoreless for another three innings and continued scoring on offense. Tyler Osik’s RBI single and Brandon Hernandez’s solo home run gave the Knights a 9-8 lead.
It did not end there, as UCF scored three more in the top of the ninth inning.
Now, Florida had one more attempt to rally. Maldonado hit a double and scored to bring the game within three runs, but Florida left three runners on base to end the game.
The team is now 6-4, losing three of four of its midweek games.
Florida Head Coach Kevin O’Sullivan said his team’s lack of experience set the team apart from the Knights.
"We played three really good consecutive games in a row on Saturday and Sunday, and then obviously last night up in JU,” O’Sullivan said. “The bottom line is we got exposed on the mound with a lot of our young pitchers. A lot had to do with [UCF's] older, experienced, physical lineup and we've got to do a better job holding the runners and that type of thing. It's just one of those nights, but we'll learn from it and get better from it. We've had a lot of bright spots with a lot these freshmen—it just kind of—everything bottled up in one game."
O’Sullivan added some positives to take out of the performance.
"I think one of the bright spots, to be honest with you is Jacob Young (2-for-6) … he had a really good at-bat at the end of the game there against their closer,” O’Sullivan said. “And then, obviously Kirby McMullen with the grand slam was a bright spot, and I thought Kris Armstrong came in and did a nice job at the end there.”
What’s Next?
Florida remains at McKethan Stadium to face Winthrop Eagles in a three-game series over the weekend. The Gators are 8-3 all-time versus the Eagles, with the last meeting coming in 2011. The first pitch is set for 6:30 p.m. on Friday, 4 p.m. on Saturday and 1 p.m. on Sunday.
The games air on SEC Network+ at 8:30 p.m. and is also available on WatchESPN.
Introverted Man, Extroverted Basketball Player: Written by Bailiegh Carlton & Homar Hernandez
Kevarrius Hayes is the player who speaks up in the locker room and everyone listens, the player whose energy rubs off on everyone on the court and the person who can light up any room with his infectious personality.
Florida Gators men’s basketball center Kevarrius Hayes takes a photo with his family — his biological family and the Ulmers — outside of Madison Square Garden in New York, New York.
Kevarrius Hayes, or Spidey, is the player who speaks up in the locker room and everyone listens, the player whose energy rubs off on everyone on the court and the person who can light up any room with his infectious personality.
Flash back 10 years, and he’s the new kid in school, for what seems like the hundredth time, feeling like he doesn’t fit in anywhere.
As the child of an Army captain, moving around became a part of life. By the time Hayes turned 5, his mom, Verrice Hayes, left for her first of three deployments to the Middle East.
They talked as often as possible from thousands of miles away, but nothing could replace having her there to pick him up from school, take him to practice or give him a hug after a hard day.
“I remember in elementary school, you see all these little kids and their moms coming to pick them up after school,” Hayes said. “I believe I was in the after-school program, because my aunt actually worked at the school, so I would be there until she got off work and I’d go home with her. I would be one of the last kids there because their parents would come and pick them up. It was a little tough. I had to adjust, because it would make me really miss my mom.”
In seventh grade, Hayes moved to the small town of Live Oak, Florida. He was the new kid in an everybody knows everybody kind of place.
For the first six months, he laid low—or as low as a 6-foot-tall 13-year-old could. He couldn’t even bring himself to try out for the basketball team. His nerves got the best of him.
While he didn’t play on the middle school team, he couldn’t stay away from the sport he loved for too long, so he joined a local intramural league.
That’s where he met a tall blonde boy who finally made him feel like he belonged. He quickly attached himself to Blake Ulmer, a seventh grader on his team.
Little did Hayes know when he met Blake that as time went on, they’d not only become best friends, but brothers.
Soon after they became friends, Hayes, known in town as “Too Tall”, asked Blake if he could spend the night at his house. Of course, Blake had to ask his mom first.
“It begins with our oldest son Blake coming home from middle school and saying, ‘Hey Mom, can Too Tall stay the night?’” said Julie Ulmer. “My exact response is, ‘Who is Too Tall?’”
Spending the night turned into spending a few nights and then into Hayes staying with the Ulmers almost every weekend. After a while, Hayes felt like family, so he thought he might as well make it official.
He called his mom and asked if he could move in with them rather than living with his aunt while she was deployed. She explained to him that it didn’t work that way and that he had to ask them first, but she agreed to it if they were comfortable with welcoming another kid in their house.
As a typical kid, Hayes didn’t ask Blake’s parents, but Blake himself. Again, that was a question a 12-year-old couldn’t answer, so he brought it up to Julie.
She was open to the idea of Hayes moving in, as her parents had taken in students before.
“My parents helped students out in the past,” she said. “At 75, they took in a young man who played football at Suwannee High School.”
Julie talked to her husband, Jeremy Ulmer, about the situation and they decided it could work. With Verrice being deployed or in some kind of training at almost all times, it made sense for Hayes to have a steady home with people who could keep up with his school and basketball schedule.
After all, they already had two boys (Blake and his younger brother Brant) around the same age as Hayes who played basketball. And as the high school coach, Jeremy would soon be watching over Hayes regularly anyway.
Kevarrius Hayes takes a picture with his mother, Army Captain Verrice Hayes, in high school.
“I just believe in helping out where you can,” Julie said. “We had already just adored him as Blake’s best friend, and he truly was already part of the family at that point.”
Julie became Hayes’ legal guardian for the next four years and watched him grow up alongside her biological sons.
“We always refer to him as our third son, because he was the third chronologically to become a part of our family,” Julie said. “But he became the first son to learn how to drive and the first girlfriend and the first breakup, that he had Blake do via text … He was the third son, but the first to go to college. A lot of our first experiences with a teenage child was actually him reaching those milestones.”
Living with the Ulmers not only gave Hayes a place to stay, but a place to grow.
The Ulmers and Hayes take their annual Christmas picture in pajamas. A family of athletes, the men rocked “World’s Tallest Elf” shirts.
As a school board member, Julie was very serious about all of her sons getting involved, and going above and beyond in the classroom. She introduced Hayes to dual-enrollment programs, AP classes and volunteering around the community.
She even urged him to run for class president, which he admitted was not his first choice.
“I had kind of started coming out of my shell around 10th grade anyway, and basketball season was just starting and it was time for class presidency,” Hayes said. “I was just thinking, ‘OK, cool.’ But Mrs. Julie was like, ‘You should run. You should try.’ And I was like, ‘OK, whatever.’”
He had to write “Vote for Too Tall” on all of his campaign posters throughout the school so people would know who it was, because few people actually knew his real name.
“It turned out a lot of people actually liked me, so I became class president,” he said. “I think 10th grade was my only competition. Other than that, it was a cake walk.”
Class president Kevarrius Hayes speaks at his graduation from Suwannee High School in 2015.
Around that same time, Hayes started to realize playing college basketball could be an option for him. He drew interest from several schools as he traveled around and played in AAU tournaments with Nike Team Florida.
He didn’t know exactly where he wanted to go at the time. He had lived all over the place as a kid, so the idea of moving out of state didn’t bother him.
But both Julie and Jeremy were UF alumni. Jeremy played basketball for the Gators back in the 1990s and still had connections to the program. He called up his former academic adviser Tom Williams asking if there was any way he could talk to the coaching staff, because he had a kid they really needed to look at.
Williams, also an assistant athletics director at Florida, got Hayes an audience with Billy Donovan. As soon as Donovan extended an offer, Hayes shut down his recruiting process. He knew he wanted to be a Gator.
Then, just before time for Hayes to sign his papers, Donovan took a job with the Oklahoma City Thunder. Enter Mike White.
White called Hayes and the rest of the recruits in his class within hours of accepting the job. Hayes reassured him that he fully intended to stick with his commitment.
A few days later, Jeremy drove him down to Gainesville to meet his future coach.
“He walked into my office, I don’t know, three, four or five days of having the job, and he had a suit on,” White said of the first time he met Hayes. “He looked at me and shook my hand with his big smile and said, ‘Hey, nice to meet you, coach. I’m looking forward to playing for you.’ That was it. A proud Gator, Kevarrius Hayes. He always wanted to be here and he’s been really fun to coach.”
Auburn forward Horace Spencer, right, shoots against Florida center Kevarrius Hayes (13) in the second half of an NCAA college basketball game at the Southeastern Conference tournament Saturday, March 16, 2019, in Nashville, Tenn. Auburn won 65-62. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)
Fast forward to March 2019, and Hayes has played on a 20-plus win team all four years at the Swamp. The known shot blocker went to the NCAA tournament in his last three years, and was seen as one of the leaders of the 2018-19 team. He finished his career averaging 5.6 points off 63 percent shooting, 4.6 rebounds and 0.4 assists. His 93.0 defensive rating was the highest in the SEC in his final season, despite being snubbed from the conference’s all-defensive team.
Although Spidey’s collegiate career is over, the Florida faithful will miss his dueling personalities. No matter where life takes him next, he will forever have a tight web of supporters looking after him.
An Executive Decision for Long-Term Change
The consistent squad selection of Chelsea Football Club Manager Maurizio Sarri results in the same inconsistent results of the club on the pitch since 2014. The West London club sits fourth in the English Premier League, watching Arsenal, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United and Tottenham trend upward using a blend of modern soccer tactics and academy players. This is far from what the club is used to, as the Blues have won five league titles since 2003 and are usually in the title race. Chelsea is falling behind, with the club’s financial power dwindling and the sell-to-buy transfer policy-lacking success.
Chelsea Football Club faces FC Barcelona in a Guinness International Champions Cup match in Landover, Maryland. | Photo: Homar Hernandez
The consistent squad selection of Chelsea Football Club Manager Maurizio Sarri results in the same inconsistent results of the club on the pitch since 2014. The West London club sits fourth in the English Premier League, watching Arsenal, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United and Tottenham trend upward using a blend of modern soccer tactics and academy players. This is far from what the club is used to, as the Blues have won five league titles since 2003 and are usually in the title race. Chelsea is falling behind, with the club’s financial power dwindling and the sell-to-buy transfer policy-lacking success.
The Blues consistent short-term approach to winning trophies should focus on using players from its successful academy, as Chelsea can no longer spend loads of cash to compete with other big European clubs. The result? A long-term plan to fix short-term setbacks.
Chelsea has won more trophies than the rest of the big six English clubs since Roman Abramovich took over in 2003. Yet, the days of consistently spending a lot of money on transfers to stay at the top while forcing out managers and academy players are over. Abramovich has run into visa issues and is rumored to be looking to sell the club. A new owner may not be willing to invest as much as Abramovich once did. However, Abramovich’s investment into the youth academy has recently paid off.
The Academy team has won the UEFA Youth League and Under-18 Premier League twice, along with seven FA Youth Cup wins in the past 11 seasons.
Despite this, former captain and Chelsea legend John Terry is the last academy player to be an integral part of the first team. Meanwhile, many players who have performed inconsistently since 2014, including David Luiz, Marcos Alonso and Willian, remain in the squad despite lacking the physical or technical attributes to compete at the Premier League level.
Managers came and went in the past two decades, but none have ever fully integrated academy players besides Terry into the system, even with the success of Gaël Kakuta, Josh McEachran, Ruben Loftus-Cheek and others at youth level. The long-term development of these players has never outweighed the need for imminent success and job security.
Now, Director Marina Granovskaia’s transfer record is subpar and the club needs answers. The questions even come from the manager, as Sarri criticized the team following a 2-0 loss to Arsenal on Jan. 19.
“I’m extremely angry, very angry indeed,” the Italian said. “This defeat was due to our mentality. I can’t accept it. We had a similar issue against Tottenham in the league. It appears this group of players are extremely difficult to motivate.”
Plenty of the players in the squad versus Arsenal will still be selected next match, just as they were after a 0-0 draw against Tottenham. Will players such as Alonso or Willian ever find the same motivation they had when playing under former manager Antonio Conte? Alonso has completed only seven of 79 crosses attempted in the league. On the other hand, Willian has only 53 goals and assists combined in 193 league appearances at the club. If the club is unwilling to leave Alonso and Willian on the bench, then these players will not force themselves to perform better.
Meanwhile, academy player Callum Hudson Odoi, who has rarely played, is now linked with a move to German giant Bayern Munich. The Englishman, whose contract lapses in 18 months, is rumored to believe he would receive more playing time in the Bavarians’ first team.
The 18-year-old’s impatience is understandable, as other young English players like Reiss Nelson and Jadon Sancho are succeeding in the Bundesliga. Closer to home, 21-year-old Manchester United academy graduate Marcus Rashford has eight goals and six assists for the Red Devils.
Odoi has three goals and an assist for the first team in 305 minutes, versus Willian’s five goals and six assists in 2,136 minutes. Wonderkids like Odoi do not spawn on the training ground every day, and Chelsea is wasting a potential star in the making.
On the other hand, along with losing out on talent, the Blues are losing out on squad competition. If an academy graduate like Danish international Andreas Christensen plays more often and earns his place in the starting 11, then veterans like David Luiz will put more effort into earning his minutes back.
Although this could cause instability in the squad, Chelsea could sell players not willing to play for the badge and bring in new players to fill the bench. If an academy player is sold from the first team, the club profits from the sale and can either promote a bench player, an academy player or both to new roles in the first team.
Academy players can benefit the club’s playing style as younger players commonly change positions and can be molded to have certain physical attributes. For instance, Liverpool sits first in the Premier League playing Andy Robertson and Trent Alexander-Arnold in the fullback positions. Contemporary soccer requires fullbacks who can both defend and attack with strong physical and technical attributes. Alonso and Cesar Azpilicueta of Chelsea are each fairly limited in one of these areas, while Robertson and Alexander-Arnold are quality on both ends of the pitch.
Sarri’s unwillingness to rotate the squad or call back one of the club’s 41 players on loan — known as the Loan Army — is questionable. Right-back Reece James at Championship club Wigan Athletic has won the club’s Player of the Month award three months in a row!
A long-term change to the transfer policy and short-term approach may be risky business to the Chelsea executive board. However, the desire of academy players to break into the first team and their ability to adjust to modern soccer tactics can lead Chelsea to success and keep the blue flag flying high.
Eden Hazard's stoppage-time goal saves a point versus Wolves
Wolverhampton Wanderers came to Stamford Bridge with a familiar tactical philosophy of a few former Chelsea Football Club managers on Sunday afternoon.
Chelsea winger Eden Hazard is surrounded by Wolverhampton Wanderers players in a English Premier League fixture on March 10.
Wolverhampton Wanderers came to Stamford Bridge with a familiar tactical philosophy of a few former Chelsea Football Club managers on Sunday afternoon. The recently promoted club channeled its inner Jose Mourinho and Antonio Conte and sat in its own final third, absorbing the pressure of the West London side. Eventually, Wolves ran on the counterattack and scored thanks to Mexican international Raul Jimenez. However, Wolves unwillingness to maintain possession gave Eden Hazard the chance to score the equalizer in stoppage time and split the points.
Too Many Touches
Chelsea suffered a case of déjà vu, maintaining possession — 61 percent today — throughout the match, but was unable to score enough goals to get the three points. Like in the 2-2 draw versus Manchester United in October 2018, the Blues were caught on the counterattack — despite having more total shots.
Manager Maurizio Sarri emphasized in the postgame press conference how his team’s useless possession proved ineffective versus the defensive discipline of Wolves.
The Italian changed the formation in hope of breaking through the defensive wall, leading to more pressure around Wolves goalkeeper Rui Patricio’s box. Sarri brought in Willian and Chelsea academy products Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Callum Hudson-Odoi to spark some energy in the offensive push. Nonetheless, Wolves contained the home side until the breakthrough in the dying minutes of the match.
“Then at the end we changed the system for the first time to a 4-2-3-1,” Sarri said. “It’s not easy of course, the problem wasn’t the system but our way of playing. We need to move the ball faster. We cannot play with five or six touches, it’s very difficult to score. For the first time we were playing against a team who didn’t want to play. They didn’t counter-attack in the last 30 minutes so we had to try.”
Looking Ahead
The Blues return to Round of 16 Europa League action on Thursday where they face Ukrainian side Dynamo Kyiv. Chelsea won the first leg 3-0 at home on March 7 behind goals from Pedro, Willian and Callum Hudson-Odoi. A whopping 90 percent of sides to score three or more goals in the first leg of a Europa League knockout tie have progressed to the next round. However, Kyiv has progressed in the last two ties the club lost the first leg away in.
Kickoff is set for 1:55 p.m. at NSC Olimpiyskiy.
Chelsea, Manchester United Play FA Cup Final Rematch on Monday
Chelsea Football Club plays Manchester United in the fifth round of the FA Cup – with the Red Devils hoping to avenge a 1-0 loss to the Blues in last season’s FA Cup final. The 12-time champions visit Stamford Bridge Monday, where Chelsea has not lost a FA Cup match since losing 4-2 versus League One side Bradford City in 2015.
Olivier Giroud and Ross Barkley celebrate as their goals put Chelsea Football Club up 2-1 in the Europa League versus Malmö. | Photo: AP Images
Chelsea Football Club plays Manchester United in the fifth round of the FA Cup – with the Red Devils hoping to avenge a 1-0 loss to the Blues in last season’s FA Cup final. The 12-time champions visit Stamford Bridge Monday, where Chelsea has not lost a FA Cup match since losing 4-2 versus League One side Bradford City in 2015.
A Rivalry Reborn
Chelsea has beaten Manchester United in five of the 14 FA Cup meetings – including the last four meetings in the competition (2007, 2013, 2017 and 2018). The Blues have won 1-0 in the last three meetings, with the Red Devils only two defeats since 2017 coming against Chelsea.
Manchester United is the last team to disallow Chelsea from scoring at home, beating the Blues 2-0 in a 1999 quarterfinals replay thanks to a brace from Dwight Yorke.
Last Time Out
Both clubs were busy midweek, as Chelsea faced Malmö in the Europa League Thursday. The Blues continued their winning streak in Europe, winning 2-1 inside Swedbank Stadion. English attacking midfielder Ross Barkley opened the scoring in the 30th minute, using a great first touch to put put away a cross from Pedro. In the 58th minute, Olivier Giroud backheeled a cross into the net from Willian. Malmö got one back in the 80th minute, as Anders Christiansen’s scored off a counterattack.
Giroud emphasized postgame how the club must remain focused in the return leg.
On the other hand, Manchester United suffered its first defeat under Interim Manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer Tuesday. The club lost 2-0 versus PSG in the first leg of the Champions League Round of 16. Presnel Kimpembe and Kylian Mbappe’s second-half goals were the difference at Old Trafford.
Looking Ahead
Chelsea Assistant First Team Coach Gianfranco Zola answered questions about United and the Chelsea squad leading up to Monday.
The Blues have yet to concede in the cup and have only allowed 29 goals in the English Premier League this season. However, Chelsea lost 4-0 to Bournemouth and 6-0 to Manchester City in two of the last three league games.
Zola said the team has no injuries heading into Monday. When asked about English midfielder Ruben Loftus-Cheek’s back injury, Zola said the club is hopeful he is fit to play.
“We have Ruben Loftus-Cheek who is maybe going to be available,” Zola said. “We haven’t spoken about the team but because it’s the fifth round, and who we are playing against, we want to win and go through so I believe it’s going to be a strong team. But we haven’t made full consideration yet.”
Zola expressed his happiness for Solskjaer, as they both completed a coaching course together in the past.
“What he has done in a small amount of time is quite remarkable,” Zola said.
Kickoff is set for 2:30 p.m. EST.
Grant Williams’ heroics leads top-ranked Tennessee to OT win
Vanderbilt fans watched in agony as Grant Williams finished a three-point play with 31.6 seconds left to close out an 88-83 overtime win for top-ranked Tennessee Wednesday night.
Williams’ career-high 43 points left the Commodores at 9-9 and still winless in the SEC, while Tennessee improved to 17-1 and is still undefeated in conference play.
Florida Eliminated by Oklahoma in Women’s College World Series
The second-seeded Florida Gators fell 2-0 to the fourth-seeded Oklahoma Sooners in the Women’s College World Series (WCWS) on Saturday night. The Gators could not find a rhythm on offense against Sooners pitcher Paige Parker (31-3), allowing two hits in seven innings. Parker had already pitched a shutout win against Arizona State earlier in the day.
USMNT continues Kickoff Series with match against Colombia
The United States soccer men’s national team (USMNT) takes on two top-25 teams in Colombia and Peru in October. To begin with, the USMNT will face Colombia on Oct. 11 in Tampa, Florida. The game is a part of the six-match Kickoff Series in preparation for 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifying.
What’s Wrong With the Jacksonville Jaguars? A Seasonal Turnaround
The Jacksonville Jaguars are an almost-touchdown underdog at home heading into their Week 13 matchup versus the Indianapolis Colts. Last season, the Duval County team were 7-4 heading into the Colts matchup. Now, Blake Bortles hits the bench as quarterback Cody Kessler will lead the lackluster Jags offense with quarterbacks coach Scott Milanovich now calling the plays.
Gators Gymnastics Team Opens Season versus Missouri Tigers
History — and loads of hype — is on the Gators side entering the season opener. Florida is 23-1 all-time versus Missouri, beating the Tigers in the 2018 SEC Championships and finishing third (Missouri finished seventh). However, the one loss to Missouri occurred last season, when the then No. 5 Gators fell on the road in their last SEC regular season meet.
Miami Heat Television Broadcast Internship Recap
This summer I joined the television broadcast team of the Miami Heat at the American Airlines Arena. Under a team of highly accomplished producers and editors, I logged air checks and melts. Additionally, I assisted in the production of content about Heatcheck Gaming (the NBA2K team of the Miami Heat) for HEATV.
This summer I joined the television broadcast team of the Miami Heat at the American Airlines Arena. Under a team of highly accomplished producers and editors, I logged air checks and melts. Additionally, I assisted in the production of content about Heatcheck Gaming (the NBA2K team of the Miami Heat) for HEATV.
The Heat Group, the company that owns and manages the Miami Heat, implemented its first internship competition to enhance the experience. I was split into a group of six called the Hotshots to battle against two other groups. Our group was tasked under Innovation and Strategy Manager Derek Rhodes with creating a digital experience to help the Miami Heat reach 12,000 season ticket members. We decided to revamp the season ticket member experience including the tier system and adding new benefits. We worked for eight weeks to create a new season ticket member website and a prototype section of the Heat App before presenting our ideas to 62 members of the organization including Heat Group President of Basketball Operations Eric Woolworth and other executives.
We were complemented and thanked for our efforts by Woolworth and other members of the Heat Group. Furthermore, we were awarded diamond-shaped trophies by the human resources department in front of members of the Heat Group the following day. We won the competition by points that were accumulated from three factors: Workshop Wednesdays, Feedback Fridays and the final project.
Workshop Wednesdays is an optional event where a department at the Heat Group explains their role in the organization and then conducted a competition for the groups to compete in. Feedback Fridays is a sit down with an interns faculty adviser to assess their work over the week.
Untenable Reality
With sea levels predicted to rise in South Florida, Miami officials are working with developers to address the demands for urban development while protecting the city’s future from rising sea levels.
Earlier this year, city of Miami Commissioner Francis Suarez and other city officials created the Sea Level Rise Committee, a program to address the danger of saltwater intrusion.
(JULY 2015) With sea levels predicted to rise in South Florida, Miami officials are working with developers to address the demands for urban development while protecting the city’s future from rising sea levels.
Earlier this year, city of Miami Commissioner Francis Suarez and other city officials created the Sea Level Rise Committee, a program to address the danger of saltwater intrusion.
As part of the program, a $10 million stormwater pump station project will expand existing infrastructure to address excessive flooding caused by changes to precipitation patterns and saltwater intrusion.
Saltwater intrusion occurs as sea levels rise. By 2060, South Florida’s sea levels could potentially rise 2 to 4 feet.
“Ultimately, it is something that we have to spend a good amount of money on an annual basis just to keep up with the demands that our environment is placing on our city,” Suarez said.
The challenge city officials face is finding ways to fund infrastructure improvements like the pump station project. Because Florida does not collect income taxes, Miami relies on property taxes for almost half of its revenue.
Fortunately, the demand for property in Miami is high. The Miami Downtown Development Authority predicts that by 2019 downtown Miami’s population will rise to 92,519, up from 80,750 today. Miami’s total city population is about 418,000 and nearly 3 million people live in Miami-Dade County.
Much of the demand for residential properties comes from people buying second or third homes in Miami.
RE/MAX real estate agent Wanda Bee said buyers from Central and South America are also investing in real estate because of the currency instability in their home countries.
To meet the demand, developers are making colossal investments.
In the heart of downtown Miami, the largest project currently under development is Brickell City Center. The $1.05 billion mixed-use development features innovative climate control technology and below sea level parking garages.
City officials support this type of development because it reduces the effect of issues commonly associated with growth like water consumption and traffic. Moreover, the development projects are generating revenue for the city.
Last year, the city of Miami collected $239 million in property tax dollars, an increase from $226 million in 2013 and $216 million in 2012.
With the city of Miami budget at $583 million this year, officials will continue to pursue development opportunities to generate more property taxes.
But with all the development in Miami, space is becoming scarce.
As a result, various developers have attempted to extend the Urban Development Boundary west toward Everglades National Park. The Urban Development Boundary is a comprehensive map that illustrates where developers are able to develop property.
“We are fairly close to that space limit,” said Mahadev Bhat, a professor of natural resource economics at Florida International University. “The fact that the developers are asking for pushing the Urban Development Boundary westward is an indication that we are running out of space.”
Although most of the city of Miami is developed, Bhat said the infrastructure could be expanded to fit the demands of pro-growth policies. Property and transportation infrastructure can be redesigned to sustain a higher density of growth in areas already developed.
While Miami’s growth may seem contradictory to environmental efforts, the city’s Sea Level Rise Committee represents a different approach.
“One must keep in mind that development these days is very different,” said David Kelly, an economics professor at the University of Miami. “I don’t see a huge conflict between growth/development and conservation in the current development cycle.”
Here is the 2015 Miami-Dade County Urban Development Boundary.