The Best and Worst of South Florida Sports in 2022

2022 was such a tumultuous year for South Florida’s sports world that every one of the seven biggest stories mattered enough to rank #1 in a quiet year. Best and worst summary:

biggest story

1. Tua Tagovailoa, who went from being an average quarterback to leading the league in passer ratings at the end of 2022 for multiple reasons, has to overcome multiple head injury concerns this season. it won’t work.

2. Pro Bowl receiver Tyreek Hill traded for Dolphins.

3. The Dolphins fire Brian Flores and hire Mike McDaniel to replace him.

4. Flores sued for pressure on the Dolphins to lose a game, and the NFL later fined the Dolphins and stripped them of a first-round pick in 2023 after proving unauthorized contact with Tom Brady. It was (twice) and Sean Payton.

5. The Heat advanced to the Eastern Conference Finals, but fell one game short of the NBA Finals.

6. UM’s football team did not perform well in Mario Cristóbal’s first season as coach (5-7), after which he signed into the top 5 recruiting class.

7. A UM basketball team that makes the Elite Eight.

8. The Panthers trade leading scorer (Jonathan Huberdeau) and Mackenzie Wieger in a Matthew Tkachuk mega deal.

9. Marlins pitcher Sandy Alcantara became the 15th unanimous winner of the National League Cy Young Award.

10. The Panthers finished the playoffs meekly against Tampa, then hired Paul Morris as coach but struggled for three months of the season.

11. Marlins (69-93) lose 90 games in four straight 162-game seasons.

12. Inter Miami got off to a poor start to reach the playoffs.

greatest anger

1. The Marlins haven’t spent a penny in the first seven weeks of free agency after the 69-93 season.

2. Dolphins owner Stephen Ross tampered with Brady and Payton to give the team first-round picks.

3. UM is moving away from a scheme that generated the highest number of attacks in the last decade.

best personnel movement

1. The Dolphins trade five draft picks for Hill, the all-time greatest receiver.

2. The Dolphins signed Terrone Armstead, the best left tackle of the century.

3. Dolphins hiring McDaniels who maximized Tagovailoa, at least until recently.

4. UM won 2 of the top 3 offensive tackles in the nation in the best recruiting class for at least 14 years.

5. The Dolphins signed guard Connor Williams and converted him to center.

6. UM Basketball’s deal transferred Charlie Moore and Jordan Miller, boosted their advance into the Elite Eight, and added Norchad Ommie and Nigel Puck earlier this season.

Best Personnel Movement Under the Radar

1. Dolphins sign undrafted cornerback Kader Kohou

2. The Dolphins added ‘street free agent’ Brandon Shell in September.

3. UM partners with billionaire benefactor John Ruiz, who has been competitive in the NIL market.

4. The Marlins traded two minor leaguers to Baltimore for Tanner Scott, who recorded 20 saves and stole 90 in 63 innings.

5. Panthers add helpful defenseman Josh Mahura off waivers.

worst decision

1. The Marlins failed to improve their offense prior to last season; Staff treatment was positive.

2. Instead of aggressively bidding for Donovan Mitchell or finding other ways to improve, the same team that is struggling with injuries is hot on the heels.

3. Move out of the spread offense without UM becoming the running team that dominates scrimmage.

4. Panthers general manager Bill Zito hired Paul Morris as coach. The team has not produced since Maurice took over.

biggest disappointment

1. Cristóbal’s first season — from offensive underperformance to home losses to Duke and Middle Tennessee to prime-time drubbing by FSU.

2. The Panthers looked punchless in the playoffs against Tampa Bay, but finished the year around .500.

3. The Dolphins were 0-4 and Tagovailoa struggled, going into concussion protocol again after a promising 8-3 start.

4. Trevor Rogers. The Marlins lefty has stepped back from being one of the best young pitchers in the league to a very capable hitter (5.47 ERA in 23 games).

5. Garcia and Soler. 224 and . 207, scoring 69 runs combined and missing a good deal of time through injury.

6. Dolphin backfield defense. Cornerback Byron Jones, who underwent leg surgery in March and was expected by doctors to return in July, did not play. And Brandon Jones and Nick Needham suffered season-ending injuries.

7. Marlins young position prospects. Aside from Jazz Chisholm Jr. and (occasionally) Brian De La Cruz, no one is consistently in the big leagues except JJ Bledei, Peyton Burdick, Jesus Sanchez and the dumped Lewyn Diaz. could not hit any pitches.

8. UM Coordinator Jobs. Neither Josh Gattis nor Kevin Steele seemed to be able to bring out the full potential of their players.

9. Emmanuel Ogba. He signed a $65 million contract, made one sack in half a season, and suffered a season-ending triceps injury.

10. Any UM quarterback other than Jakuri Brown. Neither Tyler Van Dyke nor Jake Garcia came close to meeting expectations.Van Dyke, who tried to play after overcoming a shoulder injury, received no favors from the coaching staff.

11. The Heat’s health problems left Kyle Lowry in his own shell in the playoffs, sidelining Tyler Herro for part of the Eastern Conference Finals. , lost several weeks to the start of the season.

12. Xavien Howard and Bradley Chubb haven’t played anywhere near Pro Bowl level for the Dolphins this season.

13. Chasing Edmonds. The Dolphins’ first free agency contract saw him average just 2.8 per carry before being dealt to Denver.

14. The Panthers’ goaltending has been disappointing during this poor start to 2022-23.

15. Dolphin road defense. Statistically the worst in the league.

most perplexing

1. The Heat went from being the league’s best 3-point shooting team last season to being one of the worst 7 teams this season.

2. Lost home games to Detroit and San Antonio, the worst teams in the league.

3. The Dolphins abandoned runs late in Bills’ games after averaging 7.5 yards per carry.

most improved

1. Tagovailoa improved his passer rating by 15 points from last season despite a poor December.

2. Marlins lefty Jesús Luzaldo has gone from a 6.44 ERA in 12 games for the Marlins in 2021 to a 3.32 ERA in 18 games for 2022.

3. Dolphins receiver Jalen Waddle increased his average per reception from 9.8 last season to a league-best 18.8 this season.

4. Marlins right-hander Edward Cabrera has gone from a 5.81 ERA in 7 games in 2021 to a 3.01 ERA in 14 games last season.

5. Panthers teammates Gustav Forsling (22 points in first 34 games) and Etur Ruostalinen (18 points in first 34 games), who have become reliable defensemen in offensive games.

6. Heat Wings Max Struss (improved dramatically last season, but this season he fell behind in shooting) and Heywood Highsmith.

7. Marlins lefty Braxton Garrett went from 5.03 in 7 games in 2021 to a 3.58 ERA in 17 games in 2022.

best player

1. Alcantara (thanks to Cy Young), Hill (statistically one of the top two receivers in the NFL this season), and Butler (thanks to his great playoff run)

4. Matthew Takachuk. It’s not his fault that the Panthers fell behind.

5. Tagovailoa. It’s a reflection of his play for Sterling as he won the first eight games he started and finished this season.

6th (tie) Alexander Barkov and Bam Adebayo.

8. Gonzalo Higuán: 16 goals in 28 games, helping Inter Miami to the playoffs.

9. Armstead. He was only allowed one sack all season and offensively when he played his line was infinitely better.

10. Waddle of the Dolphins (leading the league in yards per catch) and UM’s safety Kam Kinchens (tied). Topped the nation with 6 interceptions.

the biggest surprise

1. Significant improvements in Tagovailoa, and the December issue.

2. UM lost at home to Middle Tennessee and then to Duke.

3. A leopard trading hubeldoo.

4. UM’s Elite Eight Basketball Run.

5. UM’s Van Dyke struggled in a year that was expected to contend for the Heisman Trophy.

6. Kouhou appeared as the starting cornerback for the Dolphins.