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Sports Agenda For Thursday (5/19/11) Sweeeheat Edition

Big Story:
Welcome back Udonis Haslem.
Some have been looking for the missing piece to push this Heat team over the top. I wouldn't say that UD is the final building block, but he can bring the intensity and help control the boards like almost no one else. Having him and Joel Anthony really gives the Heat a good 1-2 punch of energy in the lineup and off the bench. But more on that below the fold.
Also, the Marlins choke one away to Chicago and the players could be in over their heads in the NFL.
Let's drop this agenda like Governor Rick Scott's poll ratings.

Heat: (next vs. Chicago, Sunday, TNT, 8:30 p.m.)
Before we get to the obvious big game from Udonis Haslem, how about some credit for both LeBron and coach Erik Spoelstra for their execution down the stretch.
LeBron has heard it all season long about not being the closer, not being able to win in close games. Any questions after this game and the closeout game against the Celtics?
I really liked how Spoelstra put together his plan to guard Derrick Rose down the stretch. He would have Wade and LeBron switch-off on Rose and the young point guard was throwing up airballs in the fourth quarter.
If you recall from yesterday, I told you about how if the Heat outrebound the opponent, they're tough to beat. Well, they outrebounded Chicago and are now 9-0 when they outrebound their opponents during this offseason.
Miami should have won by a bigger margin, but LeBron struggled from the line, going 3-7 and the team shot 75 percent overall.
But the big story of the game was the return of Udonis Haslem.
Big UD gave the Heat 23 minutes, 13 points, and 5 rebounds. For a guy who hasn't played more than 4 minutes in a game since last November, he beat on the Bulls like Republicans are going after Newt Gingrich.
While that stat line doesn't show it, Udonis and Joel Anthony are hustlers, as is Mike Miller. They'll dive for the ball, fight for the tough rebound, and just outwork their opponents to help the team, even if the stat line doesn't show it.
If the Heat are able to make it past the Bulls and get to the Finals, I'll have to do some research because I don't know of a team that has shot worse from 3-point land than the Heat. For the playoffs, they are shooting 29 percent from downtown!
Now, the series comes back to the friendly confines of the AmericanAirlines Arena. The Heat have been unbeatable at home during the playoffs and if they can keep that streak up, the Bulls are in deep trouble.
Big Mo has swung back to the Heat in the series and now the Big Three and the Heat need to keep it behind them for the rest of the series.
And now, a note about the announcing and Charles Barkley.
Yes, the announcers are pro-Bulls for the most part. They will always look at the Bulls first because there's a desire to get Rose to superstardom on the level of Michael Jordan by some (read Michael Wilbon). Look, Rose is a good player, albeit a moron for his performance in the classroom. But he's no Michael Jordan. No one will ever be Michael Jordan, so get over it.
As for Barkley, I love it. Look, no announcer/commentator brings more attention to his sport than the Round Mound of Rebound, the Chuck Wagon. He will take shots at anyone and love it or hate it, he's great for the game of basketball. He says stupid stuff, but hey, who among us hasn't said something stupid? But as I said, no one means more to a sport than Barkley does to the NBA. If you don't believe it, let him become a free agent broadcaster and watch ESPN open up the money spigot to get him.

Marlins: (vs. Chicago Cubs, 7:10 p.m. Fox Sports Florida0
The Marlins came into last night's game looking to take 2 straight against the Cubs and keep pace with the Phillies.
Yeah, about that.
The Marlins bullpen collapsed and the Cubbies were able to get a late homer in the 8th inning and knock off the Fish 7-5.
The loss dropped the Marlins 1.5 games back of the NL East leading Phillies.
Plus, the Cubs pitcher who got the win? Yeah, Jeff Samardzija. The same Samardzija who used to catch passes from Brady Quinn at Notre Dame.
Good to see Hanley Ramirez got a couple of hits and scored twice. Maybe moving up in the order will help kickstart him out of his slump.
Tonight, the Fish send up Chris Volstad looking for his 3rd victory of the season. He got a no decision in his last outing against the Washington Nationals while giving up 4 runs.
First pitch is 7:10 p.m.

NFLPA update:
I'm seriously starting to believe that the players have no idea the legal strategy their NFLPA is putting together. The NFLPA is more than willing to sacrifice a season to try and win leverage they can't win in the courts.
Players are already starting to hurt for money and trust me, if they start missing game checks of 100's of thousands of dollars, the lockout will end in a hurry.
But it's getting to the point of ridiculousness now.
NFLPA executive director DeMaurice Smith sounds like Newt Gingrich trying to walk back his comments. Smith either doesn't understand what is going on, or is incapable of speaking coherently about what's going on.
Either way, I'd hate to have him as my representative.
Don't' worry though, the NFL is on ice until the 4th of July at the earliest. But I'll continue to watch, shake my head, laugh, and remember that it'd be so much more fun to write about teachers and schools expanding and hiring with the billions of dollars the NFL makes rather than watching idiot athletes and spoiled owners fight over it.

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