Success in the NFL can be a burden. That is, when it becomes necessary to unload the mansion that seemed like a good idea when the big bucks started to roll in.

As a Super Bowl special, Realtor.com last week featured 13 mega-homes that NFL figures are attempting to sell, some significantly marked down from their purchase price or original listing.

Curiously, the list of owners included a dozen players and former Dolphins coach Tony Sparano.

Continue reading "Sparano's Davie mansion marked down $100,000; other NFL personalities desperate to sell " »

The NFL will have a different tailor next season. It remains to be seen whether players will look radically different in their new Nike threads.

There has been speculation, since Nike wrestled the role of uniform provider away from Reebok more than a year ago, that NFL teams will resemble something out of a bizarre video game. Or the other-world look of the Oregon Ducks.

Nike brand president Charlie Denson fueled that expectation in an interview with CNBC soon after the five-year deal with the NFL was announced in late 2010, saying, “We plan on changing the NFL jersey dramatically just like we’ve done with the college programs.”

Continue reading "Nike pushes for dramatic change in NFL uniforms; Dolphins not altering look in 2012" »

It pays to Tebow, in the view of many Americans.

A sizable portion of those surveyed in a national poll said divine intervention is at least partly responsible for the string of improbable Denver Broncos victories directed by Tim Tebow, including the overtime thriller over the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Continue reading "God's hand in Tebow's success? 43 percent in poll say yes" »

Tim Tebow had another reason to get down on one knee and give thanks after The Broncos’ wild playoff win over the Steelers on Sunday.

His winning touchdown pass in overtime reportedly triggered a $250,000 bonus. According to ESPN, Tebow’s contract stipulates he receives that amount for each playoff victory, provided he has participated in at least 70 percent of the Broncos’ plays that season.

Continue reading "Tebow's triumphant TD triggers $250,000 bonus, shatters Twitter record" »

Ndamukong Suh’s stomp of the Packers’ Evan Dietrich-Smith will go down as the costliest Thanksgiving meltdown since Tiger Woods took a late-night detour into a tree.

It also took Suh’s reputation as the NFL’s dirtiest player global. That was cemented by a Taiwanese animation video that depicts the volatile Detroit Lion’s opponent-bashing tendencies in the absurd extreme.

Continue reading "Ndamukong Suh's antics taken to extreme in Taiwanese animated video" »

It was inevitable as soon as the Tebowing fad went viral that an opponent would get into the act inspired by Tim Tebow’s habit of dropping to one knee in prayer.

Sunday was a much better day for Tebowing than for Tebow, and at least two Lions offered their rendition during a 45-10 rout of the Broncos. After sacking Tebow, linebacker Stephen Tulloch struck the pose that inspired the website Tebowing.com. Tulloch’s celebration was included in the “Nuttiest Moments of the Week” video on NFL.com.

Continue reading "Video: Lions turn Tebowing on Tebow; it's least of QB's concerns" »

The endless silly season fostered by the Internet has provided plenty of amusing nonsense.

Recently the fad of Planking flourished with people posting photos of themselves stretched out like a board in unusual places. That inspired Owling, which involves sitting in a perched position.

In the spirit of football season, are you ready for some Tebowing?

Continue reading "Tebowing latest photo fad on the Web, so get down on one knee and strike the pose" »

The end of the NFL lockout means that fans will soon be able to get back to the basics of enjoying games on television.

One enterprising company wasted no time offering to lend a hand. About the time NFLPA Executive Director DeMaurice Smith was confirming the players’ acceptance of the deal early Monday afternoon promotional material was going out touting a dual-purpose gadget to celebrate the return of football.

Continue reading "Football fans can change channel, pop open beer with one handy device - fight off zombies too" »

Super Bowl television commercials, and the advertising agencies producing them, remain out of step with the diversity of the audience for the nation’s most popular sporting event, according to a study released Wednesday at the University of Central Florida.

White men continue to dominate advertising agencies, and the lack of women and persons of color as creative directors in Madison Avenue agencies is reflected in the commercials that aired during Super Bowl XLV, according to the study by The Institute for Diversity and Ethics in Sport.

In addition to the continuing use of gratuitous sexual content, this year’s ads managed to depict some women in an antagonistic manner featuring a number of ads portraying men attempting to appease their overbearing girlfriends, TIDES reported. There was also a lack of people of color featured as main characters in the advertisements. Of the 66 ads, only eight featured a person of color in the lead role.

According to Nielsen demographic data, there were 12.5 million African-American viewers and 10 million Latino viewers of the 2011 Super Bowl, up from 11.2 million and 8.3 million, respectively, in 2010. Also, there were 51.2 million female viewers, up from 48.5 million female viewers in 2010.

Meanwhile, TIDES found that only four Super Bowl ads had a person of color as creative director. That was an improvement from zero in 2010. The gender breakdown of creative directors remained the same from last year at 94 percent male, 6 percent female.

Continue reading "Super Bowl advertising fails to reflect diversity of audience, study shows" »

Miami Dolphins owner Steve Ross ranks No. 33 in New York Observer’s annual Power 150 ranking of New York’s most powerful people.

It’s a list that ranks Mayor Michael Bloomberg No. 1, Lady Gaga No. 150, and includes politicians, journalists, actors, athletes, fashion designers and restaurateurs in between.

Other sports figures include New York Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter (111); New York Knicks power forward Amar’e Stoudemire (85); New York Jets Coach Rex Ryan (84); NBA Commissioner David Stern (79); Yankees manager Joe Girardi (66); Cablevision and Madison Square Garden directors, The Dolans (52); New Jersey Nets owner Mikhail Prokhorov (38); and Yankees co-owner Hal Steinbrenner (29).

In May, Ross topped the publication’s "Power 100" ranking of "The Most Powerful People in New York Real Estate."

Here’s what the publication says about Ross, chairman of the Related Cos., for the Power 150:

“Perhaps the single most active developer during the market's downturn, Mr. Ross builds mega-hotels and amusement parks while others put up "For Sale" signs. He'll probably snatch up those properties, too. The Miami Dolphins, which he owns, aren't so bad either.”

The publication date is Dec. 21, obviously before the Dolphins had their colossal meltdown against the Detroit Lions on Sunday at Sun Life Stadium.

Denver Broncos and former Gators quarterback Tim Tebow didn't go with Gatorade, but is instead endorsing FRS Healthy Energy.

Tebow joins the FRS Healthy Energy Team, which also counts Lance Armstrong among its athletes.

Tebow will serve as an ambassador for the company, appearing in ads and marketing campaigns. The partnership also kicks off with FRS donating 25 percent of the purchase of Tebow’s favorite FRS products to the Tim Tebow Foundation. Read more about the partnership here.

The Miami Dolphins and Society of Young Jewish Professionals have partnered on a unique ticket deal that includes a yarmulke giveaway.

With SYJP, Jewish dating service JDate and Sleek Medspa presenting the 24th annual Matzo Ball gathering for Jewish singles on Friday night at Club LIV at the Fontainebleau Hotel, SYJP and the Dolphins are hoping to capitalize on partying Jews.

They’ve partnered on a ticket to Sunday’s Dolphins-Detroit Lions game that is 60 percent off entry into Sun Life Stadium’s Club LIV – the team’s new nightclub experience overlooking the game – and a snazzy Dolphins yarmulke.

The ticket still costs $110.25, but the team is promising yarmulkes to anyone purchasing the ticket. It’s part of the team’s effort to connect with its many Jewish fans and to take advantage of the timing of the game right after Matzo Ball.

During Hanukkah, the Florida Panthers gave out a Panthers yarmulke to fans who purchased a special Jewish Heritage Night ticket.

This summer, the Miami Dolphins and Florida Lottery launched a $5 per ticket scratch-off game offering cash and prizes, including tickets and merchandise discounts. During halftime of Sunday’s Dolphins-Buffalo Bills game at Sun Life Stadium, the team and Lottery will give away a 2011 Ford Fiesta.

The scratch-off game included the Dolphins Fan Experience Second Chance promotion that allowed fans with losing tickets a second opportunity to score prizes. The second chance promotion resulted in the distribution of 500 pairs of tickets to Sunday’s game. Of those, 10 finalists will be chosen to participate in a ceremony at halftime, in which they will scratch oversized scratch-off tickets. One will win the Ford Fiesta; the others will receive cash prizes of $100 to $500.

The scratch-off program was launched by the Lottery with the Dolphins, Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Jacksonville Jaguars. The teams each receive a licensing fee and the dollars raised from the ticket sales go to the state's Educational Enhancement Trust Fund, which provides money to public schools, scholarships, community colleges and state universities. Read the story I wrote about the program when it first launched here.

The Miami Dolphins and Fan Appz, which develops social media marketing applications, announced a new partnership today aimed at expanding the way the team communicates with its tech-savvy fans.

Fan Appz, of Santa Monica, Calif., helps sports and entertainment companies extend and engage their customers and fans through a variety of programs.

With the Dolphins, the company is rolling out opportunities to involve fans more with the team and its sponsors. For example, the company has developed an engaging Facebook page for Dolphins fans “Finatics” that encourages them to watch videos and participate in polls about the team and its rivals. Polls have included “Which Former Jets Player Did You Enjoy Booing the Most?” with choices that include Joe Namath, Wayne Chrebet and Brett Favre.

Monday’s question advances Sunday’s home game against the Buffalo Bills by asking “Which Of These Games Is Your Favorite Dolphins’ Win Over The Bills?” with choices from 1970 to 2005.

Continue reading "Miami Dolphins enhance social media programs with Fan Appz" »

Duffy’s Sports Grill and the Miami Dolphins have sweetened their ticket deal for the team’s final two homes games of the 2010 season.

The Palm Beach Gardens-based sports grill chain is offering up lower corner end zone seats for $79 each – down from $124 – that include express bus service to the game, pregame tailgate at Sun Life Stadium, a Dolphins cap and 50 Duffy’s MVP Bonus points. The buses leave from 10 locations from Fort Lauderdale to Melbourne. The deal is available for Sunday’s game against the Buffalo Bills and the Dec. 26 game against the Detroit Lions. Find the deal at duffysmvp.com.

Meanwhile, other South Florida pro teams are offering holiday ticket specials:

The Florida Panthers are selling tickets to the Dec. 27 game against the Boston Bruins, Dec. 31 game against the Montreal Canadiens and the Jan. 2 game against the New York Rangers starting at $10. The team is also selling Holiday Growl gift cards for $49 good for upper bowl seats and $99 for lower bowl seats at BankAtlantic Center – both for regular season games from January to April. Find the specials at floridapanthers.com.

The Florida Marlins are selling special Holiday 10-Packs of vouchers that can be used for any 2011 games and in any combination. They start at $85 -- $8.50 a ticket – for Fish Tank seats up to $350 -- $35 a ticket for infield box seats. The first 25 buyers each week of the holiday season receive a special gift. That’s a game-used bat this week; an autographed helmet from Dec. 20 to 26; an autographed baseball from Dec. 27 to Jan. 2; and an autographed Rookie Stars poster for Jan. 3 to 7.

We’re already well aware of Miami Heat guard Dwyane Wade’s fashion sense – he’s been applauded for it repeatedly and was included in Esquire's Style Blog last month.

Now Forbes has included Wade in its list of Best-Dressed Athletes that includes the likes of New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady, soccer star David Beckham, tennis stars Roger Federer and Maria Sharapova, and Cincinnati Bengals linebacker Dhani Jones (who makes his own bow ties).

Wade’s teammate forward LeBron James also made the list.

As did Miami Dolphins limited partners and tennis stars Venus and Serena Williams.

Among the reasons the NFL Players Association believes NFL owners are bracing to lock them out when their contract expires in March is the league’s decision to hire labor attorney Bob Batterman to represent the owners.

Batterman represented NHL owners when they locked out players in 2004 leading to cancellation of the entire 2004-05 season.

When asked if the NFL’s decision to hire Batterman was giving the NHL credit for a lockout, NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman hesitated and then chuckled.

“Oh boy. I’m not commenting on anybody else’s negotiations,” Bettman said after the conclusion of the NHL Board of Governors meeting at The Breakers in Palm Beach on Tuesday. “Bob Batterman is a terrifc labor lawyer and I hired him so I can understand why other people would too.”

Miami Dolphins owner Steve Ross bought the company now known as FanVision, when he realized the handheld devices that show different camera angles, games and stats, might help combat the stay-at-home-watch the game on TV mentality.

FanVision is now in use in a dozen NFL stadiums and at University of Michigan and University of Miami games. In January, it will be used at three BCS games – the Orange Bowl, Fiesta Bowl and BCS National Championship game. Read the SportsBusiness Journal piece on the agreements here.

At the Discover Orange Bowl on Jan. 3 at Sun Life Stadium, 500 of the devices will be provided to fans in the premium seating areas and to the media.

Continue reading "FanVision to be used at three BCS games, rollout continuing" »

Concerned NFL owners are planning to lock players out when their contract expires on March 4, the NFL Players Association sent letters Monday to politicians in every NFL market to warn what the loss of football could mean to their states and local communities.

NFLPA President Kevin Mawae’s letters state that each NFL city could lose more than $160 million in jobs and revenue if football shuts down.

In Florida, NFLPA President Kevin Mawae’s letters were addressed to Gov. Charlie Crist, Governor-Elect Rick Scott and Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos Alvarez and mentioned the loss of jobs for workers at Sun Life Stadium and in the surrounding community.

Continue reading "NFL Players union reaches out to politicians (UPDATED with response from NFL)" »

Miami Dolphins running back Ronnie Brown will help AT&T open its new store in Coral Springs on Tuesday.

The store is holding another “grand opening” and Brown will be signing autographs (one item per customer) from 6 to 7 p.m. at the store at 4240 North State Road 7 (Turtle Crossing location in the Target Shopping Center). Prize giveaways, too.

When the Miami Dolphins host the Chicago Bears at Sun Life Stadium tonight, the game will air nationally on NFL Network.

Although the network still isn’t available everywhere, the league reports its distribution grew 31 percent last year and is now in more than 57 million homes. (Comcast customers in South Florida get the channel.)

Judging from the comments Dolphins owner Steve Ross made at the SportsBusiness Journal’s Sports Media & Technology conference this week, that number could grow significantly, if a deal really can be worked out soon for Time Warner and Cablevision to include the network.

Continue reading "NFL Network showing Dolphins-Bears and Parcells documentary" »

What might have seemed like innocuous comments Miami Dolphins owner Steve Ross made about the league’s interest in expanding the regular season to 18 games, were anything but to NFL players.

Speaking at the SportsBusiness Journal’s Sports Media & Technology conference in New York this week, Ross said fans dislike paying for preseason games and that two preseason games – rather than four – should be enough combined with practices and scrimmages for coaches to analyze talent. But perhaps most irksome to players were his comments about injuries.

“They’ve done studies … the additional games, the studies show will not really increase injuries,” Ross said. “We’re still playing 20 games. We’re eliminating two preseason games and adding two regular season games, which is really what helps with the revenues, and make the fans a lot happier and those games will be a lot more meaningful. But in terms of the players, they’re still playing 20 games.”

George Atallah, assistant executive director of external affairs for the NFL Players Association, took to his Twitter account shortly after Ross’ comments to remind that two Dolphins quarterbacks – Chad Pennington and Chad Henne – were injured in Sunday’s game against the Tennessee Titans.

Continue reading "Dolphins owner irks players union with comments on 18-game season" »

Although he wouldn’t talk about his team’s front office or rath of injuries, Miami Dolphins owner Steve Ross was pretty chatty about a variety of topics Tuesday, when he was the featured interview speaker at the SportsBusiness Journal’s Sports Media & Technology conference in New York.

He was invited to speak about his ownership of the team and of FanVision, the company that makes the handheld devices fans use at NFL games to watch replays, other games and get stats. Representatives of FanVision including former Kansas City Chiefs president and general manager Carl Peterson joined Ross at the conference. Ross stressed that Peterson does not have a role with the Dolphins.

He said FanVision will be available on smartphones next season.

He said he still believe his team will make the playoffs and he dismissed concerns about injuries rising if the NFL moves to an 18-game season.

Other topics he addressed:

Labor: On whether the NFL and its players association will be able to reach a new contract, Ross was optimistic.

Continue reading "Dolphins owner talks NFL expansion, labor and the Super Bowl" »

The Miami Dolphins became the latest team – and last of Florida’s three NFL teams -- to approve decertifying the union, if a new players’ contract is not forged with NFL owners by March 3, an NFL Players Association spokesman said.

Decertification, approved unanimously by Dolphins players on Thursday, is just one method the union is considering in its battle with owners for a new contract. Decertifying the union would prevent owners from locking out players because they would no longer be represented by a union, and the players could sue the league under antitrust laws.

The Dolphins also re-elected Ricky Williams as their players union representative and voted approved Chad Pennington, Brandon Marshall and John Denney as alternates, the union spokesman said.

Rawlings Football – yes, football – has signed up two NFL running backs with ties to Miami to endorse its Skeletal Responsive Gear (SRG) protective apparel.

Miami Dolphins running back Ronnie Brown and San Francisco 49ers running back and former Hurricane Frank Gore are Rawlings' new endorsers. Brown is representing the PORON XRD line and Gore, the Zoombang line. The players will appear in print and digital advertising to promote the lines. Check out the video below, where the two players show off the gear.

More than 200 NFL players are wearing Rawlings’ protective gear, the company says.

“Enhanced by PORON® XRDTM and ZoombangTM, Rawlings SRG protective apparel is faster, lighter and stronger than the competition, and we receive weekly validation of its performance capabilities throughout the football season,” Mike Thompson, Rawlings senior vice president of marketing said in a statement. “ We’re excited to add Ronnie and Frank to our Football Advisory Staff as we continue our commitment to develop equipment and apparel that fully meets the protective needs of today’s athlete at all levels.”

Rawlings is most known for its baseball equipment, but has a long history with football, as well, launching a set of football shoulder pads in 1902. The company stopped making football helmets in 1989, but has decided to re-enter the football helmet market.

Rapper Birdman, whose non-stage name is Bryan Williams, says he’s close to getting approval from the NFL to become a limited partner in the Miami Dolphins. That’s what he told Angela Yee's Morning After show on Sirius satellite radio.

But that’s news to the NFL and Dolphins majority owner Steve Ross:

"I have NEVER spoken to him or any representative," Ross said in an email Monday evening. "Not considering or looking for any celebrity limited partners."

Birdman is co-founder of Cash Money Records and has collaborated with Lil Wayne. According to reports, in 2007 he was arrested and charged with marijuana possession.

On Yee’s radio show, Birdman says he wants to join the Dolphins’ array of musical and celebrity limited partners.

“We’re waiting. You have to get the clearance from the NFL,” Birdman is heard saying. “We’re waiting on the clearance. Once we get cleared, we’re good.”

But he also says he’s interested potentially in baseball and basketball teams.

Hmmmm.

It wasn’t just Miami Dolphins players walking the red carpet at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood on Monday night.

The players were joined by VIPs – Very Important Pooches – from the Humane Society of Broward County to launch the “That’s My Dog” calendar. The 2011 calendar includes current and former Dolphins and their dogs – or shelter dogs, if they didn’t own a dog.

Players, including Channing Crowder, whose mother Pauline Crowder came up with the idea for the calendar; Chad Henne; Brandon Marshall; Davone Bess; and Karlos Dansby, autographed the calendar, which costs $20 with proceeds benefiting the Humane Society and the Sun Sentinel Children's Fund. Check out a photo gallery here.

For more information, or to purchase a calendar, visit humanebroward.com/calendar.html.

Watch a video from the launch below:
 

They always say the grounds crew at Sun Life Stadium is the masterful – and it’s certainly the busiest as one of only two pro stadiums left in the country to host baseball and football on natural grass. The other is Oakland-Alameda County Stadium, home to the Oakland A’s and Raiders. Sun Life also hosts UM football, the Orange Bowl and the Super Bowl.

The feat the crew pulled off between yesterday afternoon’s final Florida Marlins game of the 2010 season and tonight’s Monday Night Football game between the Miami Dolphins and New England Patriots – including covering the infield dirt with sod for the second time in 10 days – was captured by WeatherBug’s InstaCam here. Hit rerun and adjust the speed to your preference.

It would have been hard to miss the NFL fields and players awash in pink yesterday for the start of the league’s celebration of Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

Players donned pink cleats, wristbands, chin straps, helmet decals and the quarterbacks had pink towels. The game balls featured pink ribbon decals. Game-worn pink merchandise will be autographed and auctioned at nfl.com/auction. All NFL Auction proceeds collected this month will go to the American Cancer Society and team charities. The league and its teams are also selling special pink merchandise.

Meanwhile, a Minneapolis company called Shock Doctor has donated pink versions of its Gel Max mouthguards to all NFL teams. No word yet whether any Miami Dolphins players will be wearing them for tonight’s game.

The Miami Dolphins won't decide until late Friday at the earliest whether they will replace the infield dirt at Sun Life Stadium with sod for Monday night's game against the New England Patriots -- as they did for Sunday's game against the New York Jets. (See photo of workers taking the sod back out Sunday night).

Team officials will monitor the weather during the next few days and determine whether there's enough time to replace the dirt infield.

Last week, the grounds crew had about four days to cover the dirt with sod. They wouldn't be so lucky this time because the Florida Marlins wrap up the 2010 season Sunday afternoon against the Pittsburgh Pirates.

The sod is grown in Alabama on pieces of plastic in sand so that it's thick and durable and doesn't turn to mud in the rain. It comes in such big heavy rolls that it can withstand the play of big NFL linemen.

Stay tuned ...

Meanwhile, the team is altering procedures for parking at Monday night's game after some fans complained lots surrounding and adjacent to the stadium were full and they were turned away even though they had parking passes, said George Torres, spokesman for Dolphins Enterprises. The team will work to give priority to fans with parking passes and limit the number of fans, who pay cash, from entering lots immediately surrounding the stadium.

Fans with parking passes, who are shut out of the stadium lots, can have their passes honored at parking lots at Wal-Mart and Norwood Elementary, Torres said.

Torres said priority will be given to season ticket holders with parking passes. He said radio broadcasters will give regular updates on which lots are closed and more staff will be on hand to help with traffic flow.

Couldn’t make it to Sun Life Stadium for Sunday night’s Miami Dolphins’ 2010 home opener?

Neither could Fred Sorentrue. But it wasn’t for lack of trying.

Sorentrue, of Plantation, said he’s been a Dolphins season ticket holder for more than a decade and he’d never had a problem parking at the stadium. Until Sunday.

He arrived at the stadium about an hour before game time with tickets for his two seats at $82 each and a $20 parking pass. But at each gate surrounding the stadium, he says, he was turned away and told to continue to the next gate.

Sorentrue said he eventually gave up and went home to watch the game. He said he was told part of the problem was the number of fans without tickets to the game, who arrived early just to tailgate. He said driving to an auxiliary lot at Calder Race Course, for example, wasn’t an option for him because he’s 67 and has a bad leg and couldn’t make the walk between Calder and the stadium.

He said he heard others went to park at Calder with their parking passes, only to be charged an additional $15.

“It’s just not right for them to sell the parking pass and double and triple dip,” Sorentrue said. “Gaining other money [from people without tickets] and not giving people with parking passes a chance to get in. I had to basically eat $184.”

Meanwhile, there’s only so much monitoring the Dolphins can do, Dolphins Enterprises spokesman George Torres said.

“The lots did get full and some people had to park elsewhere. This could happen when we’re at total capacity in terms of attendance and if fewer fans carpool,” Torres said.

Torres said when the lots around the stadium fill up, season ticket holders are referred to other lots at Wal-Mart and Norwood Elementary, where they should be able to park for free with their parking passes.

“We may have had some fans without game tickets tailgate but it’s hard to tell since we don’t require game tickets in order to park in our lots,” Torres said. “Some fans without tickets will tailgate and try to buy tickets from the stadium box office or from other fans.”

Did you - or anyone you know - have a similar problem?

The infield dirt for the baseball diamond that remains on the football field when the Miami Dolphins’ and Florida Marlins’ seasons overlap has been a complaint of the Dolphins for years. The Dolphins have decided to do something about it for Sunday’s 2010 home opener against the New York Jets.

The infield dirt will be covered with sod for the Jets game.

Sun Life is one of only two stadiums left in the country that host both baseball and football on natural grass. The other being Oakland-Alameda County Stadium, home to the Oakland A’s and Raiders.

The Marlins finish up their 2010 season at Sun Life Stadium on Oct. 3, but a Dolphins spokesman says it’s possible the infield dirt might be covered in time for the following night’s Monday night game against the New England Patriots. However, several factors need to be considered, in particular weather conditions.

It’s not just the grounds crew working overtime at the stadium this week: construction crews are working around the clock – three shifts – to finish Club LIV at the stadium. That’s the brand new, first-of-its-kind sports club debuting Sunday on the club level in the west endzone. The 10,000-square foot two level club modeled on Club LIV at the Fontainebleau Hotel will feature couches, cabanas, DJs, entertainment, nightclub lighting and drinks that can be purchased by the bottle.

Denver Broncos and former Gator quarterback Tim Tebow still holds the top spot for NFL jersey sales during the past six months, but Miami Dolphins wide receiver Brandon Marshall’s jersey is now up to 15th.

That’s according to sales figures from NFLShop.com covering the period of April 1 through Sept. 15. Marshall’s jersey sales ranked 16th in May. Meanwhile, the Dolphins merchandise is up a notch, too, to eighth for the time period – up from ninth in May.

Behind Tebow are New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees and Washington Redskins quarterback Donovan McNabb. The top-selling team gear is that of the Dallas Cowboys, who have four players among the top 25 best-selling jerseys, but are 0-2 so far this season.

Here are the full lists from NFLShop.com:

Top 25 best-selling jerseys

1. Tim Tebow, Denver Broncos
2. Drew Brees, New Orleans Saints
3. Donovan McNabb, Washington Redskins
4. Brett Favre, Minnesota Vikings
5. Peyton Manning, Indianapolis colts
6. Troy Polamalu, Pittsburgh Steelers
7. Tony Romo, Dallas Cowboys
8. Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay Packers
9. Mark Sanchez, New York Jets
10. Larry Fitzgerald, Arizona Cardinals
11. Eli Manning, New York Giants
12. Tom Brady, New England Patriots
13. Miles Austin, Dallas Cowboys
14. DeSean Jackson, Philadelphia Eagles
15. Brandon Marshall, Miami Dolpins
16. Philip Rivers, San Diego Chargers
17. Patrick Willis, San Francisco 49ers
18. Sam Bradford, St. Louis Rams
19. Jason Witten, Dallas Cowboys
20. Chad Ochocinco, Cincinnati Bengals
21. Adrian Peterson, Minnesota Vikings
22. Dez Bryant, Dallas Cowboys
23. Eric Berry, Kansas City Chiefs
24. Ray Rice, Baltimore Ravens
25. Chris Johnson, Tennessee Titans

Top 10 best-selling team merchandise

1. Dallas Cowboys
2. New Orleans Saints
3. Denver Broncos
4. Pittsburgh Steelers
5. New York Giants
6. Minnesota Vikings
7. Washington Redskins
8. Miami Dolphins
9. New York Jets
10. Chicago Bears

Tennis star and Miami Dolphins limited partner Venus Williams is now an author, too, and she’ll be signing copies of her new book at Books & Books tonight at the Bal Harbour Shops.

The event for autographs of the book, “Come to Win: Business Leaders, Artists, Doctors, and Other Visionaries on How Sports Can Help You Top Your Profession” takes place at 7 p.m. at Books & Books, 9700 Collins Ave., Bal Harbour.

Williams will only be signing copies of the book and you must buy a copy at the store ($25.99). There is no limit on the number of books she will sign, but she does not have time to personalize the signatures or pose for photos – although photos can be taken from the autograph line.

A front page story in today’s New York Times details how New Jersey taxpayers are still on the hook for $266 million in bond payments that remain on the Meadowlands Sports Complex, despite the fact that Giants Stadium has been torn down and the New York Giants and Jets have moved into their new $1.6 billion new Meadowlands Stadium. The debt includes what’s left on the Izod Center, which is no longer home to the New Jersey Devils and Nets.

The bill comes to $35.8 million this year, and the bonds won’t be retired until 2025, the article says. The piece goes on to detail a number of locales where taxpayers are still paying off bonds on buildings that no longer exist: Seattle residents in King County still owe $83 million, scheduled to be repaid in 2016, on the Seattle Mariners’ former home, the Kingdome, which came down in 2000.

South Florida taxpayers seem only to be on the hook for sports venues in use – even though at least two – the Orange Bowl and Miami Arena – have been torn down in the past couple of years. The city of Miami made sure Miami Arena was off the city’s tax rolls in 2004 when it sold the pink oval arena – where the Miami Heat, Florida Panthers and UM men’s basketball team once played -- to Glenn Straub at auction for $28 million. And a $50 million general obligation bond approved by voters in 2004 to renovate the Orange Bowl has instead been applied to the Florida Marlins’ under-construction ballpark.

The release of financial documents showing the Florida Marlins were profitable in 2008 and 2009 couldn’t have come at worse time for … the Miami Dolphins.

That’s right, the Dolphins. As the Dolphins continue their behind-the-scenes planning to ask the public to help pay for renovations to Sun Life Stadium to keep it competitive to host future Super Bowls, the baseball team’s finances can’t have helped the football team’s cause.

The Marlins’ financial records, obtained by Deadspin.com, show the team had net operating income – before factoring in taxes, interest, amortization and other items – of nearly $50 million combined during the two years covered. With much of the fallout from the documents' release focusing on the team's ballpark deal, politicians are wary.

Miami-Dade County Commissioners, who opposed putting $347 million mainly in tourist taxes into the ballpark deal, say the county should have pushed harder to see the team’s financial records during negotiations. Even one of the team’s staunchest supporters, County Commissioner Rebeca Sosa, asked County Mayor Carlos Alvarez to study whether the team could be required to pay more – and the county less – for the ballpark.

Alvarez says the county doesn’t see a need to reopen the ballpark contract – he says county negotiators were aware the team was profitable, which gave them comfort the team could meet its debt obligations to the ballpark’s construction costs. And besides, the team wouldn’t allow it. The county, team and city of Miami would have to agree to reopen talks.

But the raw feelings and distrust of the team are palpable.

The Dolphins, meanwhile, were already going to be fighting an uphill battle to convince politicians to support contributing to stadium renovations that could include a partial roof covering over the stands and seats closer to the field. Now how likely are pols going to be to chip in taxpayer dollars?

It remains to be seen what the Dolphins' pitch looks like. The public already knows Dolphins owner Steve Ross paid $1.1 billion for the franchise and stadium and it now knows he plans to privately finance a water park south of the stadium as a way to generate revenue after the Marlins leave for their new ballpark in 2012.

Dolphins officials say the water park plans are unrelated to stadium plans. Dolphins CEO Mike Dee has said Ross cannot foot the bill for stadium renovations himself. He said under NFL rules, the team can’t take on any more debt, which again raises the question of how stadium renovations will be financed.

“We have challenges with the current structure the NFL provides for franchises,” Dee said last month. “We’re maxed out at our debt capacity. We can’t take on any more debt. We have $235 million on our books from the last expansion. We’ve invested another $50 million in the facility in the last 18 months. We have the maximum amount of team debt allowed by the NFL … Our hands are somewhat tied with respect to the stadium and more investment by the team into the stadium.”

Under league rules, NFL teams can borrow up to $150 million.

“To borrow more, the club would need a special waiver approved by the other teams, which generally has only been granted to a team in connection with the construction or renovation of a stadium,” an NFL spokesman said.

Stay tuned…

Just in time for tailgating season with college football getting underway Thursday night, Truly Nolen wants college football fans to be aware that tailgating should be about food and fun, not critters.

The pest control company says tailgating fans should be particularly aware of Crazy Ants, Mosquitoes and Brown Recluse Spiders.

“Each of these insects has the ability to cause problems for food, guests and pets under the right conditions,” Bob Hartley, Truly Nolen of America vice president of technical services and tailgating guru, said in a statement.

Avoid crazy ants with “properly sealed food containers.” “Drain sources of standing water” to avoid mosquitoes. And if you take off your shoes at your pre-game picnic, shake them out before putting them back on because brown recluse spiders like to nestle in them, the company warns.

The value of the Miami Dolphins has remained a steady $1 billion, but the team jumped up to 16th from 18th last year, according to Forbes’ annual list of NFL team values.

The Dallas Cowboys and their grand new football stadium palace top the list with $1.8 billion in value and operating income of $143.3 million. They’re followed by the Washington Redskins ($1.55 billion) and New England Patriots ($1.367 billion). Even the 32nd team -- the Jacksonville Jaguars are valuable at $725 million and operating income of $25.9 million – this for a team that had most of its home games blacked out on local television last season.

What’s of interest in the rankings is the Dolphins are one of just two teams – the other being the Detroit Lions – to record an operating loss. Forbes says the Dolphins operating loss is the most -- $7.7 million; the Lions’ is $2.9 million.

It’s unclear from Forbes’ numbers what the loss is attributable to – I was hoping to ask team owner Steve Ross about the figures last week when he was scheduled to meet with the media, but the team said he had to postpone due to business commitments.

So we’re left to ponder. To be sure, it’s difficult to lose money in the NFL. Of course, owners say costs keep rising and they want to reduce the percentage of revenue shared with players as part of their labor negotiations. But national TV money typically covers team payroll (before benefits), before a ticket or sponsorship is sold.

We do know – as he keeps reminding us – Ross overpaid for the team and Sun Life Stadium when he agreed to buy both from H. Wayne Huizenga for $1.1 billion. (By the way, Forbes identifies a photo of Ross as Huizenga -- and did the reverse in the 2009 rankings). That figure included the debt on the stadium particularly for the $250 million in renovations. Ross has also updated concession areas, added new seating areas and this year’s “The Experience,” modeled on the Fontainbleau’s Club LIV. But that debt shouldn’t be figured into operating numbers.

Perhaps that $7.7 million can be attributed to the millions Ross has spent on signing bonuses and making Karlos Dansby and Brandon Marshall the highest paid players at their positions. Last year, Ross spent more upfront money on re-signing players and attracting free agents than any team in the league and had the second highest payroll. Additionally, the team fell short of its goal of selling at least 50,000 season tickets -- ending with 49,415 last season.

Here’s Forbes’ note on the Dolphins:

The Dolphins took two key steps to improve their finances during the off-season. The team sold the naming rights to their stadium to insurer Sun Life for $4 million a year (an additional $1.5 million a year from the deal is paid to charities), replacing the temporary, soft-dollar deal it had with Jimmy Buffett's Land Shark Lager. More importantly, the Dolphins refinanced $235 million of stadium debt in a deal that includes a $159 million letter of credit that backs taxable municipal bonds sold through a government conduit but for which the stadium corporation is responsible. The deal, arranged by Goldman Sachs, contains a credit reserve that is significantly bigger than it otherwise would have been to account for the possibility of a work stoppage in 2011.

The Miami Dolphins scratch-off tickets have sold the most among the state’s three NFL teams since they were unveiled late last month, Florida Lottery officials said.

Through last weekend, $5 million worth of Dolphins scratch-off tickets had been sold, compared with $4.97 million worth of Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ tickets and $2.37 million worth of Jacksonville Jaguars’ tickets.

The $5 scratch-off games are a partnership between the Florida Lottery and the NFL teams to raise money for the state's Educational Enhancement Trust Fund, which provides money to public schools, scholarships, community colleges and state universities.

The tickets include a dozen chances to win cash prizes from $5 to $100,000. Losing tickets can be entered into second-chance drawings at flalottery.com for team themed-prizes such as tickets and stadium tours.

The lottery partnerships were approved by NFL owners in spring 2009 as a way to generate more revenue for teams.

In addition to being available at regular lottery ticket retail locations, the Dolphins tickets are also for sale at Sun Life Stadium. Tickets can be purchased seven days a week – even at Florida Marlins’ home games – at a Lottery Instant Ticket Vending Machine in the Gate G Team Store, and on Dolphins’ game days at six customer relations/advance ticket sales locations on the 100, 200 and 400 levels.

And the Dolphins are offering discounts of $5 off lower level tickets and $10 off upper level tickets to four regular games this season, through its partnership with the lottery. Click on partner offers at flalottery.com for discounted tickets to games against the Tennessee Titans, Cleveland Browns, Buffalo Bills and Detroit Lions.

Add new Miami Dolphins wide receiver Brandon Marshall to the list of famous Warren Henry Automobiles spokesmen.

Marshall’s now an “Official Brand Manager” for the luxury car dealerships, meaning he’ll appear in ads and will make appearances for the company. He’s also driving a new gray 2011 Jaguar XJ from Warren Henry Jaguar in Miami. (See Marshall above with a 2011 Jaguar XJ, photo courtesy of Warren Henry).

“I am thrilled to partner with Warren and his family of dealerships,” Marshall said in a statement. “The Jaguar XJ that I am now driving is super hot, super charged and I can’t wait to ‘Unleash the Best.’”

Over the years, Warren Henry has partnered with a number of South Florida athletes, including Miami Heat guard Dwyane Wade, Dolphins running back Ricky Williams and speedskater Jennifer Rodriguez.

Say what you will about his wavering and his on-again, off-again retirement, but Brett Favre moves ticket prices.

Ticket search engine FanSnap.com put together this nifty graphic charting average ticket prices based on Favre announcements and developments last year and this year. Tickets were up to an average of $240.82 this week after Favre’s definitive return announcement and demand has pushed average prices up more than $50 a ticket, FanSnap says.

As you might imagine, the home game against the rival Green Bay Packers – Favre’s former team – is the highest at an average of $230. Tickets for the game against the Miami Dolphins in Week 2 (Sept. 19) are averaging just $98.

During the Miami Dolphins’ first pep rally in advance of the 2010 season, the team and the city of Boca Raton announced a unique program to make away games a party in the city’s downtown.

Dubbed the “Fins’ South Florida’s Biggest Away Game Party” in Downtown Boca, the partnership is aimed at providing a free party atmosphere in which fans can join together to watch away games on large screens. The Super Sundays will also include activities such as question and answer sessions with Dolphins alumni, performances by the Dolphins Cheerleaders, football-themed games and giveaways.

“We are humbled and excited that the City of Boca Raton has chosen to designate Downtown Boca as Finstown and enter into a truly innovative public/private partnership with the Miami Dolphins,” Dolphins CEO Mike Dee said in a statement. “South Florida’s Biggest Away Game Party is a special way for our fans in Boca and throughout South Florida to come together to cheer for their Fins while the team plays away from Sun Life Stadium.”

In addition to offering fans a party while the team's on the road, the partnership is aimed at continuing to bring people to the city's downtown.

“The City of Boca Raton is pleased to team up with the Miami Dolphins to present our own away game tail-great parties in our Downtown Boca so that fans of all ages can cheer on our South Florida home team,” Boca Raton Mayor Susan Whelchel said at the event. “We invite Dolphins fans to come early and stay late to discover all that is Downtown Boca as we rollout the aqua and orange carpet, complete with fresh new activities each away game event.”

The road game parties start an hour before kickoff. These are this season's Dolphins road games and the party start times:

Sept. 12: Dolphins at Buffalo Bills, Noon
Sept. 19: Dolphins at Minnesota Vikings, Noon
Oct. 17: Dolphins at Green Bay Packers, Noon
Oct. 31: Dolphins at Cincinnati Bengals, Noon
Nov. 7: Dolphins at Baltimore Ravens, Noon
Nov. 28: Dolphins at Oakland Raiders, 3 p.m.
Dec. 12: Dolphins at New York Jets, 3 p.m.
Jan. 2: Dolphins at New England Patriots, Noon

+ Perhaps it’s not enough these days to live like a “king” in a Miami hotel. Kimpton’s EPIC Hotel is getting in on the excitement of new-look Miami Heat, offering “king-sized savings” as well as “king-sized accommodations” to season ticket holders. Season ticket holders, who book through heat.com can take advantage of the savings during the 2010-11 season, and receive a free appetizer at the hotel’s Area 31 restaurant, and a complimentary upgrade when available with proof of season ticket holder status. EPIC, at 270 Biscayne Blvd., and not far from AmericanAirlines Arena, has 13 rooms featuring extra-long beds for its especially tall visitors. I’m told that even those season ticket holders who live nearby might want to take advantage of the offer. And if you’re not a season ticket holder, you can also book through the Heat’s website for 20 percent off the best available rate.

+ More on the business of the Three Kings: A little late, but here’s a link to a radio interview I did on the business of the new-look Heat with Greg Linnelli at Fox Sports Radio WBGG-970-AM in Pittsburgh. The interview starts after the commercials.

+ As Dallas gears up for the 2011 Super Bowl next year, two South Florida businesses that got contracts from the South Florida Super Bowl Host Committee are being recognized in Texas for being part of the Super Bowl’s Emerging Business program, which gives a boost to local small, minority- and women-owned businesses: Coral Springs printing company TypeStyles Inc., and McCray’s II Backyard BBQ in West Palm Beach. Read more here.

+ Love this ode to junk food from Sunday’s New York Times, with stadium staple Cracker Jack being first on the list. I’m not sure the Big Gulp qualifies, but in my book, a Slurpee definitely does.

Don’t forget to follow me on Twitter: @sarahtalalay

You could just post a birthday message on a friend’s Facebook page or send a virtual birthday cake or card. Cameo Stars is hoping you’ll want Super Bowl Champion New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees to help deliver the message. Or his teammate, running back Reggie Bush. Or perhaps Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo.

The three NFL stars join Carmen Electra and other athletes and celebrities in launching Cameo Stars, which allows you to send video messages from the stars to friends’ Facebook pages. They can also “poke” your friends.

Many of the items are free, others cost Facebook credits. According to a New York Times story on the company, a video of Brees holding a birthday cake and sharing a message can be sent to a friend for $3.

“Cameo Stars has been a great experience, as it allows us to add a little more personality and life to people’s social media pages that never existed before,” Brees said in a statement. “Fans are always looking for ways to feel closer to their favorite players and celebrities and Cameo Stars is an ideal way to do it.”

Bush, in a statement, said, “It always amazes me what new products come into the market to have fans feel one step closer to being on the field with us. Cameo Stars offers a unique way to touch fans while taking advantage of the social networking phenomenon which has helped us stay more connected all year round.”

Since ESPN's Outside the Lines’ exhaustive report on food vendor safety at North America’s 107 pro sports venues was released last weekend, the Miami Dolphins and the Miami Heat have sent letters to their season ticket holders ensuring their venues’ food is safe.

Executives from both the Miami Dolphins and AmericanAirlines Arena took pains to point out what they say are inaccuracies in the ESPN report. Despite scoring among the worst percentages of vendors with “critical violations” in the report, the executives say none of their vendors failed any of their inspection tests and none was shut down.

Our followup on the ESPN report, which you can read here, detailed the state of Florida’s strict food safety inspection standards and assured that none of the concessions stands at South Florida’s three venues – including BankAtlantic Center – had failed inspection tests.

The Dolphins called the reports “misleading and inaccurate.” Calling the report and subsequent stories “inflammatory,” Dolphins CEO Mike Dee said Sun Life Stadium has passed all of its inspections and its food is safe.

The Dolphins' note also included a link to a letter from Centerplate, the concessionaire at both Sun Life Stadium and BankAtlantic Center.

AmericanAirlines Arena pointed out – just as we did – that their violations were not related to food preparation, but had to do with equipment issues, such as wiring, and all were fixed immediately. “Fans can be assured that when they visit our venue for a sporting or entertainment event, all of the food is prepared within the cleanest, safest environment possible,” the note said.

Read the full AmericanAirlines Arena letter from arena general manager Kim Stone, here.

Jockey International announced today that former Gator and current Denver Broncos quarterback Tim Tebow has signed on as the underwear company’s newest spokesman.

Tebow, shown here in a Jockey Classic T-shirt, will promote several of Jockey’s lines, including the “Staycool” collection that is scheduled to be released in the spring. He’ll also be in the company’s catalog, TV, print and online ads.

"I'm excited to represent the Jockey brand,” Tebow said in a statement. “I've long been a fan and consumer of Jockey and I'm looking forward to a great relationship with such a respectable and innovative company."

Added Jockey Chairman and CEO Debra S. Waller: “Tim is a highly gifted athlete with a positive attitude and an admirable character. We at Jockey see a very bright future with Tim, and believe that he is an excellent representative for the brand. Tim is genuine, smart and driven and those qualities align well with Jockey. We look forward to building a long and collaborative relationship with him in the coming years.”

I'm guessing Tebow isn't likely to model -- or pitch -- his Jockeys in quite the same manner as Baltimore Orioles pitcher Jim Palmer did in the late 1970s and early 1980s.

Don't forget to follow me on twitter: @sarahtalalay

Florida's pro sports venues -- particularly those in South Florida -- scored record high numbers of food vendor safety violations, according to ESPN's Outside the Lines’ exhaustive report that examined the health inspection records of all 107 pro sports venues in North America.

Sun Life Stadium, home of the Miami Dolphins, Florida Marlins and University of Miami Hurricanes; and AmericanAirlines Arena, the Miami Heat’s home, were tied for third worst with 93 percent of vendors scoring critical violations.

Only St. Petersburg’s Tropicana Field, home of the Tampa Bay Rays, and Washington D.C.’s Verizon Center, which is home to the Washington Wizards and Capitals, scored worse. Both showed 100 percent of vendors with critical violations.

An excerpt from the inspection report for Sun Life Stadium says: In June 2009, an employee complained anonymously that small insects and other debris were blended into frozen alcoholic beverages at a stand where equipment wasn't being cleaned. When inspectors checked, they issued a critical violation for a buildup of slime inside the frozen drinks machine.

Centerplate, the stadium's food concessionaire released the following statement:

"Centerplate takes the topic of food safety and the well-being of our fans seriously, and works with the local health department to actively manage safe food service operations. Employees are trained and operations are routinely inspected to ensure that they meet standards for safe operation. Any deficiencies that are identified during the course of an inspection are immediately corrected, usually in the presence of the inspector," Bob Pascal, Centerplate senior vice president of marketing, said in a statement.

"The Florida state health department system has a rigorous and stringent approach to inspections, and evaluates stadiums based on whether they have met standards for safe operation--which Sun Life Stadium has done in 100% of its inspection reports for 2009 (ESPN's sample) and to-date in 2010."

The stadium, too, addressed concerns fans might have:

"It is important to note that the stadium has passed every health and safety inspection," Todd Boyan, the stadium's senior vice president of operations, said in a statement. "In fact, because the State of Florida is more strict than most states and demands more detailed and frequent testing, the stadium and its concessionaire are required to be more publicly diligent in meeting safety requirements. Any past inspection infraction has been corrected and we expect our concessionaire to meet every health and safety recommendation made by the appropriate local and state inspectors. Nothing is more important to us than the health, safety, and entertainment experience at Sun Life Stadium."

Meanwhile, the AmericanAirlines Arena report says: Critical violations included several safety issues related to electrical wiring and such equipment as gas boilers.

Just 67 percent of the vendors at the Florida Panthers' BankAtlantic Center recorded critical violations. The report said: Inspectors issued several violations for soiled ice bins and coolers.

Read ESPN’s full venue rundown.

According to the report, Florida’s venues “scored among the worst when it came to violations cited by inspectors. Inspections are performed by a state agency, and officials say that makes their standards more uniform and stringent.”

Individual game tickets for the Miami Dolphins 2010 season go on sale at 10 a.m. Saturday, but fans can get a jump on the on-sale time by stopping by training camp at 9 a.m. for a special one-hour pre-sale.

Individual game tickets start at $45 a game and can be purchased through MiamiDolphins.com, Ticketmaster.com or by calling 1-800-745-3000 or 1-888-FINS-TIX.

Fans who stop by training camp in Davie can buy tickets there between 9 and 10 a.m.

“We welcome our fans back to football and invite them to bring their families this Saturday for a special family day at Dolphins Camp,” Dolphins CEO Mike Dee said in a statement. “For the first time ever, we’re also offering our fans an on-site pre-sale opportunity to buy single game tickets to any home game before they go on sale to the general public.”

The Dolphins home opener is against the New York Jets on Sunday, Sept. 26. In addition to games against the other division rival New England Patriots and Buffalo Bills, the Dolphins also host the Pittsburgh Steelers, Tennessee Titans, Chicago Bears, Cleveland Browns and Detroit Lions.

Season tickets are also still for sale and start at $34 a game.

They left millions of dollars on the table to sign with the Miami Heat, but LeBron James and Dwyane Wade made the top 10 in Sports Illustrated’s Fortunate 50 ranking of the highest earning American athletes.

The list takes into account salaries, winnings, endorsements and appearance fees for the athletes’ most recent playing year.

Tiger Woods tops the list with $90.5 million. New Miami Heat star LeBron James ranked 4th with $45.8 million. Wade rounds out the Top 10 with $27.8 million.

Up the road in Orlando, Magic star Dwight Howard is 12th with $27.2 million.

Other athletes on the list with South Florida ties – having played here previously: Shaquille O’Neal – No. 6, $36 million; Jermaine O’Neal – No. 22, $23.3 million; Vince Wilfork – No. 38, $18.9 million; Josh Beckett – No. 43 $17.5 million; and A.J. Burnett – No. 50, $16.8 million.

Meanwhile, Forbes released a list of the world’s 50 top-earning athletes with slightly different figures because they take into account different time frames. Woods tops that list at $105 million.

James comes in at No. 7 with $42.8 million, and Wade at No. 28 with $26.8 million.

Forbes also ranked the world's 50 Most Valuable teams with Manchester United topping the list. The only South Florida team to make the rankings is the Miami Dolphins at No. 23 and $1.02 billion.

While the Miami Dolphins’ quest for public dollars to upgrade Sun Life Stadium is considered an uphill battle, team owner Steve Ross might be getting a tax break … in New Jersey.

As he continues taking on distressed and complicated development projects, Ross could be in a position to benefit from the equivalent of a sales tax rebate from the state of New Jersey, according to the Bergen Record.

Ross’ Related Cos., is working on how to salvage the stalled Xanadu retail and entertainment complex in the Meadowlands Sports Complex. Related began negotiating to become a partner in the project earlier this year. Related has already changed the complex’s name to Meadowlands.

According to the Record story, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie’s administration is examining the possibility of granting the project $180 million in taxpayer dollars that would come from allowing the project to keep 75 percent of the sales tax revenue from the project for up to the first 20 years it’s open. The report even speculates Ross might give up on the project without the state tax incentive.

Meanwhile, last month, a panel of the South Florida Super Bowl Host Committee recommended the Dolphins pursue public money to help upgrade Sun Life Stadium to keep it competitive to host future Super Bowls. The Dolphins are working on a plan to pay for renovations and expect to unveil it later this year.

In January, the team revealed renderings of possible upgrades, including a partial roof canopy covering the seats and a new seating bowl. The work is estimated to cost $187 million. The team said it cannot make the investment alone, but needs some help from the public.

The news from last week's release of the economic impact from this year’s Super Bowl and Pro Bowl was that the Miami Dolphins plan to continue pursuing public dollars for renovations to Sun Life Stadium to keep it competitive to host future Super Bowls.

Even though the economic impact study by West Palm Beach-based Sport Management Research Institute showed the two games this year generated less for local businesses than the 2007 Super Bowl alone, Super Bowl Host Committee and Dolphins officials still said they were pleased and will use the figures to help bolster their argument for public support.

According to the SMRI study, the two games this year pumped a total $333 million into South Florida businesses. The 2007 Super Bowl, held when the economy was healthy, brought local businesses $463 million, SMRI’s study of the 2007 game showed. Differences were blamed on the economy and that the Indianapolis Colts were the AFC team in both the 2007 and 2010 games, meaning the novelty had worn off.

That figure was also markedly less than the $396 million SMRI said the 1999 Super Bowl generated for the region.

SMRI studies show direct spending by Super Bowl visitors was $141.5 million this year; $279 million in 2007 and $239 million in 1999. Direct spending is what visitors actually spend in hotels and restaurants and on other goods and services. The larger figures include indirect spending – the dollars spent for businesses to prepare for the game – and induced spending or the re-circulation of dollars made from the Super Bowl back into the economy.

This year’s Super Bowl drew 109,059 visitors – down from the 112,403 in 2007. They spent less -- $401.44 per day down from $668.60 a day in 2007, according to the study. They also stayed a shorter time -- 3.12 nights this year, compared with 5.11 in 2007 – which also reflects that some New Orleans Saints fans drove -- rather than flew -- to the game. The visitors reported an average annual income of $220,323 down slightly from the $222,318 reported in 2007, but significantly higher than typical non-Super Bowl visitors, who average salaries of $46,000 to $80,000. Room rates fell this year, but hotel occupancy rates rose.

“It’s a sign of the times,” said Kathleen Davis, SMRI president. “We didn’t do anything different from the last time we did this. The story is the consumer sentiment is not where it was.”

Davis said she thinks the study shows South Florida was a successful host for the Pro Bowl, since that generated a total of $99.3 million, including $59.9 million in direct spending.

The SMRI study also bears out that Broward County serving for the first time as host location for the NFL headquarters and Super Bowl media center, meant a greater economic impact than for Miami-Dade and Palm Beach counties. Broward realized direct spending of $57.6 million compared with $39.6 million in Miami-Dade and $12.2 million in Palm Beach, the report shows.

Critics routinely say Super Bowls generate far less than impact studies report because they don’t take into consideration many of the dollars don’t stay in the community, but instead go the corporate headquarters of local hotels, and fail to consider that Super Bowl visitors displace tourists who would otherwise come to destinations like South Florida.

But South Florida Super Bowl Host Committee and Dolphins officials said the fact that this year’s figures for two games are considerably smaller than for one game in 2007 should prove the numbers are genuine

“This came at a really good time,” Dolphins CEO Mike Dee said of the two games. “The fact it was less, for those who think those numbers are fuzzy, these numbers are real.”

Dick Anderson, the former Dolphin who chaired a panel studying whether the region should host future Super Bowls, said the numbers should show the event is valuable to South Florida.

His panel's study shows stadium improvements are “absolutely necessary for future Super Bowls, Pro Bowls, and other large scale events that differentiate the South Florida region from other regions throughout the country." The report goes on to say: "Each year that improvements are not made makes them more urgent and more expensive in the years to come as the community competes for future Super Bowls…Engaging the public in a meaningful dialogue to demonstrate the economic and ancillary benefits to our community is important in this effort.”

In January, the Dolphins unveiled renderings of potential renovations that include a canopy-style roof covering seats, but leaving the field open to the elements, replacing the lower bowl and moving seats closer to the field. The work is expected to cost $187 million.

Team officials are working on plans to finance the improvements and expect to unveil them later this year. Among the arguments for public financing are expected to be that the Sun Life Stadium has received no public dollars for football. A recent $300 million upgrade was paid for by the team.

Anderson’s panel’s research shows that since 1995, 25 NFL stadiums have either been built or renovated – not including the New York Giants and Jets New Meadowland Stadium, which opens this year – to the tune of $8.8 billion. The public portion of those dollars varies from team to team, but averages 63 percent of the total. Sun Life Stadium is the only one that has not received public dollars for football.

Expect to see those figures repeated.

When Toronto financial services and insurance company Sun Life agreed to put its name atop the Miami Dolphins’ home stadium in January, the company also agreed to donate to the team’s foundation. Together, the company and team also vowed to work to benefit the community.

They’ve agreed to provide $50,000 grants to four local non-profit organizations that work with needy youths and another $5,000 each in scholarship dollars to a high school senior involved with those organizations.

The Sun Life Rising Star Awards program is accepting applications through July 23 from the local organizations, which are also to nominate a deserving high school senior active in their program, who plans to continue his or her studies after high school and shows leadership qualities. The non-profits must work with children under 21 and to improve education for at-risk children.

Sun Life has launched the program in six other cities – Detroit, San Diego, New York, Seattle, Boston and Philadelphia – and plans to award $1 million in grants and scholarships to a total of 22 organizations and 22 students. Those winners will then compete for an additional $50,000 grant and $50,000 scholarship that will be awarded to one of the organizations and one of the students.

The South Florida applications are to be judged by a group that includes Dolphins limited partners Venus and Serena Williams; Jeanette Sparano, wife of head coach Tony Sparano; wide receivers Davone Bess and Greg Camarillo; and Sun Sentinel’s Society Scene Publisher Stacy Ostrau. For more information and an application, visit sunlifestadium.com/risingstar.

The winners will be announced later this year.

New Miami Dolphins linebacker Karlos Dansby has purchased a house in Broward County from Indianapolis Colts wide receiver and former UM Hurricane Reggie Wayne.

According to Broward County property records, last month Dansby and his wife Tynesha paid Wayne and his wife Peta Gay $3.4 million for the house in Landmark Ranch Estates in Southwest Ranches. Dansby, who was drafted by the Arizona Cardinals in 2004, signed a five-year, $43 million contract with the Dolphins in March.

Wayne purchased the home on Stratford Court for $4.1 million in 2007.
Read more about the specifics of the home purchase in the South Florida Business Journal.

Beyond the millions of dollars organizers and tourism officials say the Super Bowl bring a community, the NFL promises a legacy, too.

The NFL’s Youth Education Town (YET) centers are one of the NFL’s major Super Bowl legacy initiatives. YET centers are designed to provide academic and recreational programs for area youth. South Florida, which has hosted a record 10 Super Bowls, has two – one at Gwen Cherry Park in Miami and one at the Lester H. White Unit of the Boys and Girls Club in southwest Fort Lauderdale.

Rather than build new YET centers each time the league’s championship game comes to town, the NFL has been adding to the existing ones.

On Wednesday, Miami Dolphins wide receiver Brian Hartline along with team and Miami-Dade County officials and kids who attend the center broke ground on a 5,000-square foot annex to the center in Gwen Cherry Park. (See photo by Kelly Gavin, Miami Dolphins)

The annex will include two classrooms, media rooms, and offices. The project’s $1 million cost is being covered by grants from the NFL and county’s Safe Neighborhood Parks interest fund.

With four players arrested this offseason, the Miami Dolphins have been facing the “character” question a lot lately. After all, it was Executive Vice President of Football Operations Bill Parcells who said during his first press conference when he was hired by the Dolphins in 2007 that “character” was one of three criteria he uses to evaluate players.

So it’s not a surprise that people are wondering about that criteria after two DUI arrests (Will Allen and Ronnie Brown) and two for domestic battery (Tony McDaniel and Phillip Merling).

In March, prior to Merling’s arrest, team owner Steve Ross said: “You certainly don’t want to see it happen. It doesn’t make us happy. It’s a concern. The coaches and Parcells are disappointed, and concerned, and they are addressing it.”

The situation with Merling, who was charged last month with aggravated battery against his pregnant girlfriend, was muddied when he was back on the practice field in mini-camp a day after posting bail.

At the time, Coach Tony Sparano acknowledged frustration over the four arrests, but didn’t address questions about Merling’s return to the field head-on. Instead, he deflected the issue to the NFL.

"We're going to let the process play itself out and see what the league decides down the road," Sparano said at the time.

None of the other members of Dolphins brass has addressed the question of player conduct since Merling’s arrest. Attempts to ask team owner Steve Ross were quashed on two occasions during the Dolphins Foundation’s FinsWeekend of charitable events – one colleague was told he was not allowed to ask about the issue; I got the question out, but before Ross could answer, a team spokesman said, “we’re not dealing with that.”

Attempts to reach Ross’ limited partners, including Gloria Estefan, Venus and Serena Williams and Fergie, either went unanswered or were referred back to the Dolphins. A further request to the Dolphins to speak with the limited partners, was answered by Dolphins CEO Mike Dee, who said he and Ross speak for the team.

Dee said he couldn’t speak to the specific arrests: “It’s a league matter or a legal matter.”

As for the team, he said, Parcells, Sparano and General Manager Jeff Ireland do keep player conduct top of mind.

“We have great guys on this team, They do a lot for the community both on their own and on behalf of the franchise,” Dee said. “Bill, Jeff and Tony put a tremendous emphasis on character and makeup when they put this roster together. We’re proud of the team that we have and I know it’s an important priority as we move forward as well to continue to put the emphasis on the character and makeup of our guys. We’re really happy with the team that we have, and think they represent this franchise well in the community.”

South Florida Super Bowl Host Committee Chairman Rodney Barreto’s glib pronouncement last month that he wasn’t surprised the New Meadowlands Stadium in New Jersey was awarded the 2014 Super Bowl didn’t go unnoticed, but committee members are trying to move on.

“I was not surprised,” Barreto told reporters at the time. “I think the fix was in for New York.”

Barreto was called out by members of his own committee and even caught the attention of some media, including ProFootballTalk.com’s Mike Florio, who wondered how NFL owners will feel the next time South Florida bids for the game.

“The NFL gets uncomfortable when terms like that are bandied about, even if it’s true. The fix can be in. They can do whatever they want to do,” Florio told Joe Rose on WQAM (560-AM) last month. “If 17 owners were bound and determined to give this thing to New York, it doesn’t matter what Miami does, and sometimes you’ve got to be discreet about that and depending upon when Miami makes another bid, they’re going to have to do some serious tapdancing to get past those comments that were made.”

Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Bureau President Nicki Grossman called Barreto’s words “inappropriate” and said she was “embarrassed” by them.

Barreto, who calls himself a "blunt guy," said it might have been “a poor choice of words,” but otherwise stood by what he’d said. He said he thought a preference for the New Jersey bid was shown when NFL owners waived the daily temperature requirements so the New York Giants and Jets could bid. Barreto said he spoke with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell after the vote and congratulated the Giants on the winning bid.

On Monday, when the South Florida Super Bowl Host Committee held its final meeting, Dolphins CEO Mike Dee tried to put the comments to rest, saying executive committee members had differing views on the 2014 bid.

“You obviously heard Rodney’s the 'fix was in' comment that was splashed all over the newspapers,” Dee told the group. “I respect that point of view.”

Grossman, however, said she wanted to make clear South Florida’s bid was genuine.

“When South Florida gets [the Super Bowl], it isn’t because the fix was in and when we don’t get it, that doesn’t mean the fix was in,” Grossman said. “It was a tough sledding … We had a decent shot at it. I hope we didn’t just go through the motions.”

Catching up after vacation:

+ Last week, Florida Panthers’ parent company Sunrise Sports & Entertainment announced Saveology had won the rights to name the team’s practice facility. SSE launched a contest last fall for businesses to get a shot at naming Incredible Ice for a season by buying four lower bowl season tickets for the 2009-10 season. Incredible Ice, which underwent a $10 million renovation that included adding a third NHL-sized sheet of ice, will now be known as the Saveology.com Iceplex. SSE values the name at more than $300,000. Saveology is a comparison shopping service and already a Panthers sponsor. The company already agreed to extend the deal through the 2011-12 season, too. Saveology will get exposure through a variety of advertising platforms and will pay for new signage at the practice venue, where employee uniforms will also bear the new name.

+ Plantation-based Dreams Inc.’s Mounted Memories division has created special limited edition Chicago Blackhawks collectibles to commemorate the team’s first Stanley Cup win in nearly 50 years: a shawdowbox with photos and some of the ice from the Stanley Cup finals. “This is a new product from our innovative line of memorabilia,” Mounted Memories President Mitch Adelstein said in a statement. “As an NHL licensee, we worked closely with the National Hockey League who was supportive and cooperative with our needs, and we captured portions of the ice from the arena. Our designers created an exciting way for hockey fans to recall this victory for which Chicago fans waited almost half a century.”

+ The New York Times’ piece on Dolphins limited partner Marc Anthony, although it mentions nothing about his sports investment.

+ People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) called on the Marlins to reconsider their plans to install two-custom designed saltwater aquariums on either side of home plate in the team’s new ballpark.

Miami Dolphins owner Steve Ross’ habit of investing in distressed and complicated properties continues.

Ross’ Related Cos., is working on how to salvage the massive stalled Xanadu retail and entertainment complex in the Meadowlands Sports Complex in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

Last month during the annual International Council of Shopping Centers in Las Vegas, Related invited potential tenants to view renderings and videos of and talk about taking up residence in the $2 billion, 2.3 million-square-foot complex.

The Mills Corp. planned the complex to contain 200 retail tenants and attractions, including movie theaters and an indoor snow park, but the project ground to a halt after payments were missed and funding ran out.

Related began negotiating earlier this year to become a partner in the project. Already Related has planned a big move – changing the complex’s name from Xanadu to Meadowlands.

Related developed the Time Warner Center residential and retail complex in Columbus Circle in Manhattan and has the development rights to Hudson Yards on that city's west side.

Ross, CEO of Related, hasn’t said much publicly about his involvement in the Meadowlands project, but confirmed his company is seriously investigating how to make it successful.

“We’re right now working on the feasibility and trying to put it all together to make sure it works,” Ross told me. “But we have a deal to really be the developer of Xanadu and now it’s a question of how we put it together and get it financed.”

If his company can pull it off, the complex could open well before the neighboring New Meadowlands Stadium hosts the Super Bowl in 2014. Ross' Sun Life Stadium was an unsuccessful bidder for that game, but Ross could still benefit from the NFL's first outdoor, cold-weather Super Bowl. A completed formerly-named Xanadu could see a windfall with so many visitors in the area for the NFL’s championship game.

Two giant puddles covered much of the practice field at Miami Beach Senior High School Saturday morning, underscoring the need for refurbishments that are coming thanks to $164,000 in donations from the Dolphins and team owner Steve Ross.

Ross took the official ground-breaking for the field, which was officially named Ross Field, as an opportunity to put his team on notice that he’s expecting a big year in 2010.

“I think in February we’ll be playing in the Super Bowl,” Ross said.

When it was suggested he might be putting pressure on head coach Tony Sparano, Ross said, “Put it this way, he thinks that, too. So does every player on that team. I don’t think there’s any pressure on it, we’ve just got to go out and do it.”

He also told the crowd at the field ground-breaking that he hopes Chad Henne “goes down as the greatest quarterback in Miami Dolphins history.”

With training camp still ahead before the 2010 season’s start, the Dolphins tried to focus on FinsWeekend – three days of golf, fishing, and awards dinners that benefit the Dolphins Foundation.

Ross, a 1958 graduate of Miami Beach High who played tackle for the school at Flamingo Park, said after he purchased the Dolphins, he received a letter from Miami Beach High Principal Rosann Sidener asking if he’d help with the field. The request perfectly matched Ross’ desire for the Dolphins to be more involved in the community. He donated $82,000, which was matched by the Dolphins.

“It was really a no brainer, I had just bought the team, got this letter, knowing we want to participate in the community and be very active,” Ross said. “Coming from your high school, is something I couldn’t say no to as being the first one. I’m sure I’ll get a lot of letters from almost every high school and I’m sure we’ll do our share. We want to keep active in South Florida.”

The field refurbishment is to be completed in September.

“I look at the field now and say 'hey it really does need a little bit of rehabilitation.' But I also remember when I was playing football, down in Flamingo Park, and I couldn’t wait for those days to have the field flooded so we didn’t have to practice,” Ross said with a chuckle.

Ross was joined by Miami Beach Mayor Matti Bower, team executives and players, including Dolphins head coach Tony Sparano and his wife Jeanette; quarterback Chad Henne, running back Tristan Davis, safety Nate Ness, fullback Rolly Lumbala, defensive back Ross Weaver and cornerback Nolan Carroll; and Dolphins alumni, Nat Moore and Dick Anderson.

“It’s pretty exciting," said Ross, who was given a red and white Beach High jersey. "It’s something I never would have anticipated in my life."

Ross wore No. 71 at Beach High, when the uniforms were black and gold, not red and white. No matter, his heart is still with his high school, but he cautioned that the field naming had nothing to do with his success at the school.

“They didn’t name the field after me for my athletic feats or my scholastic feats,” he said.

Ross was inducted into the school's Hall of Fame last year. The University of Michigan's Business School was renamed for Ross in 2004, after he made a $100 million donation to the school.

Brandon Marshall’s Miami Dolphins jersey with a No. 19 on it was the 16th best-selling jersey in the NFL for the past two months, based on sales at NFLShop.com.

As recently as two weeks ago, Marshall said the No. 19 he was wearing at OTAs was only temporary and he hadn’t yet settled on an official number.

“This’ll be my number for now,” Marshall said on May 19. “We'll have one in stone before camp.”

At the time, fans could order Marshall’s jersey online, but it wouldn’t be shipped until the number was official. A disclaimer on NFLShop.com read: “The player's number is subject to change and the jersey will not ship until the official number is issued.”

According to both the NFL and the Dolphins, Marshall is wearing No. 19 – yep, Ted Ginn’s old Dolphins number. That’s the number Reebok is printing and NFLShop.com is shipping. The online listing now reads that the jersey is in stock and ships in one to two business days.

“As of this point, he’s wearing No. 19,” Dolphins spokesman Harvey Greene said.

Players can, of course, change their numbers.

Marshall had hoped to secure No. 15 – the number he wore with his previous team, the Denver Broncos, but his new teammate wide receiver Davone Bess, who wears No. 15, has told Marshall the number isn’t for sale. Bess reiterated his plans to hang onto No. 15 as recently as Friday.

The NFL sales rankings are based on sales at NFLShop.com from April 1 to May 31. Denver Broncos quarterback (and former Gator) Tim Tebow still has the top-selling jersey, followed by Washington Redskins quarterback Donovan McNabb and New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees.

The Dolphins ranked ninth in team merchandise sales. The Broncos were the top-selling team, followed by the Super Bowl Champion Saints and the Dallas Cowboys.

It took four ballots, but New York/New Jersey prevailed. The New Meadowlands Stadium is to host the first ever northern cold weather Super Bowl in February 2014.

NFL owners eliminated South Florida on the second ballot leaving New York/New Jersey and Tampa to fight out on the last two ballots. With no region receiving 75 percent on each of the first three votes, New York/New Jersey won with a simple majority on the fourth ballot.

South Florida is out of the bidding for the 2014 Super Bowl in the second round of voting among NFL owners.

None of the three bidders - New York/New Jersey, Tampa or South Florida -- got a 75 percent majority in each of the first two rounds of voting. But with South Florida getting the lowest number of votes in the second round, the region was dropped from the voting.

NFL voters are considering New York/New Jersey - considered the favorite - and Tampa in the third round of voting at their meeting in Dallas this afternoon.

The NFL disagrees, but experts say the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling today in the American Needle case could bolster the NFL Players Association in its ongoing labor negotiations with the league.

The Supreme Court ruled unanimously the league could not be considered a single entity, but rather must be treated as 32 separate competing businesses when it comes to the licensing of branded products, such as caps and jerseys. The court agreed with American Needle, an Illinois hat maker and former NFL licensee, which sued the NFL claiming the league violated antitrust laws when it gave Reebok an exclusive 10-year license for hats in 2000.

“Although NFL teams have common interests such as promoting the NFL brand, they are still separate, profit-maximizing entities, and their interests in licensing team trademarks are not necessarily aligned,” Justice John Paul Stevens wrote in the decision.

The Supreme Court’s decision sends the case back to the district court.

The NFL downplayed the decision.

“The decision will simply result in American Needle’s claim being sent back to the federal district court in Chicago, where the case will resume in its early stages,” the league said in a statement. “We remain confident we will ultimately prevail because the league decision about how best to promote the NFL was reasonable, pro-competitive, and entirely lawful. The Supreme Court’s decision has no bearing on collective bargaining, which is governed by labor law.”

The Players Association, however, lauded the ruling. In a statement, NFLPA Executive Director DeMaurice Smith called it, “not only a win for the players past, present and future, but a win for the fans.”

While the league says the decision has no bearing on labor negotiations, experts disagree.

Barry University law professor Marc Edelman said while bargaining is governed by labor laws not antitrust laws – if workers are represented by a union – the ruling strengthens the players' argument, if the union were to decertify and challenge the league under antitrust laws.

“If they decertify, they can’t be a union. If they decertified, the NFL would be allowed to put in place any terms they wanted,” Edelman said.

If the union decertified, and the league set wage and draft rules players didn’t like, players could challenge the league under antitrust laws. “The Players Association now has this sitting in their back pocket, the threat of decertification,” Edelman said.

Some observers suggest the decision may increase the pace of labor negotiations, which the players association says have been going slowly.

Gary I. Blackman, a partner in the sports law practice at Levenfeld Pearlstein LLC in Chicago, said in a statement that the ruling affects “all dealing by the NFL and leaves open the possibility of an antitrust claims and the scrutiny that follows in whatever it does, including in its dealings with its players. Antitrust laws have been a tool for the unions. The players union has always had the threat, for example, that it would disband and sue the league if ever it was locked out. Now, that tool is still in the toolbox."

Plantation-based Dreams Inc. announced today that its memorabilia manufacturing division, Mounted Memories, has extended its exclusive autographed memorabilia contract with Indianapolis Colts quarterback Peyton Manning. The deal has been extended for another three years and Steiner Sports, of New York, will help manage the marketing of Manning-signed items.

“Peyton Manning is the most recognizable face in the NFL today,” Dreams President and CEO Ross Tannenbaum said in a statement. “He is a gem, both on and off the field. We are thrilled to be continuing this important business relationship with him.”

The news is an opportunity to share my favorite Manning skit from Saturday Night Live:

While the big news out of OTAs today was new Miami Dolphins wide receiver Brandon Marshall’s surgery for an undisclosed injury, Marshall’s jersey number also remained undisclosed.

There was some hubbub that Marshall had settled on Ted Ginn’s old No. 19, which he was sporting in Davie today, but he says that’s not a certainty.

“This'll be my number for now,” Marshall said. “We'll have one in stone before camp.”

Davone Bess, who wears Marshall’s favored No. 15, didn’t stop to talk to reporters, so no word yet on whether negotiations for No. 15 are continuing.

Fans can order Marshall’s jersey now – it’s for sale at NFLShop.com for $79.99 for replica versions – but it won’t be shipped until he has his official number. The items listed online come with a disclaimer that reads “The player's number is subject to change and the jersey will not ship until the official number is issued.”

Neil Schwartz, director of business development for the SGMA or Sporting Goods Manufacturers Association in Jupiter, said Marshall waiting to pick a number isn’t likely to cause a dip in jersey sales.

“I don’t think these OTA situations necessarily represent a huge selling opportunity," Schwartz said. "I think once camp starts, I think then if he hasn’t settled on a number, he might be missing a little bit of sales momentum.”

In another plug for my stories on going behind the scenes in a variety of sports jobs, here are some details that didn't make the package:

Pit crew: Hours spent at the track go by in a flash – there’s so much work to be done. Constant work on the cars, meeting race fans, signing autographs, cleaning the trailers, and, of course, keeping the frigs stocked with water and Gatorade and snack trays filled with chips, granola bars, fruit. Seconds really do make a difference - as I learned the hard way. Everyone has a job. The time between pit stops gets filled with snacking and watching the race on pit box monitors. As the “deadman” you really are thatclose to the gas – you’re standing under a 55-gallon drum suspended on a metal scissor stand. I just didn’t think about my proximity to the gas.

Grounds crew: What this very busy crew at Sun Life Stadium does can’t be overstated. These people work hard to create a pitch perfect field for both baseball and football. As one of only two professional stadiums left in the country that host both football and baseball on natural grass, these people are busy. The grass gets mowed every day. There are the summer rains. The endzone and center logo replacements between Dolphins and University of Miami games. Lowering and raising the pitcher’s mound when football and baseball overlap. And the difference between football and baseball is stark, head groundskeeper Alan Sigwardt explains: football is all about the grass and how it holds up against the different players – the 350-pound lineman versus the speedy receivers. Meanwhile, baseball is about the dirt – with only three players doing their job on the grass, the vast majority of the work is done on the infield dirt. “It’s two totally different sciences,” Sigwardt says. Watch video of my turn at the job below.

Zamboni driving: Top speed is 9 mph, but you’re typically driving slower than that. In a giant contraption with a sensitive turning radius. The red line at BankAtlantic Center is dotted with prints of Panthers paws – which you can see when you’re on the ice, but they’re difficult to make out otherwise. Driving the Zamboni satisfies both sides of head ice technician Graham Caplinger’s brain. He’s a perfectionist, fascinated by the science and math of the job. But he’s also a musician – a drummer – so he has learned to let go. He knows he creates a perfect sheet of ice only to see the players mess it up with their skates. “Everything’s as best as I know how to do it, I’ve checked and checked and rechecked and checked and checked, then it’s up to the players, the artists, if you will, to go out carve up their masterpiece,” Caplinger says. He also says the iPod is the greatest invention – it helps him pass the time spent on the slow-moving Zamboni.

Mascots: It takes a special person to be a mascot. There’s a mascot creed and rules. Never reveal your identity. No talking. Don’t seek permission – ask forgiveness later. Have fun. Grown-ups become big kids as soon as they see a mascot – they cheer, they yell, they pose for photos, they high five, they act silly. And the mascot loves it – he, too, acts silly with no – or few - consequences. “It’s like Batman Superman status. Nobody knows who you are. They think they’re laughing at me, but I’m actually laughing at them. I’m getting them out of their character,” Burnie the Heat mascot says.
 

The New York-area has been the favorite to land the 2014 Super Bowl for weeks now - and that effort gotten even stronger today when New York Giants and Jets representatives signed off on their bid and held a press conference embracing the prospect of cold wintry weather, rather than worrying about it.

It was cold enough today too – overcast and in the mid-40s – when the press conference that featured Giants quarterback Eli Manning and Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez kicked off.

The teams made their bid public – and details included the possibility of the commissioner’s party being held at the American Museum of Natural History and a Super Bowl float in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.

South Florida and Tampa are also bidding for the game, but their bids have clearly taken a backseat to New York/New Jersey. South Florida isn’t conceding defeat, but without the promise of renovations at Sun Life Stadium, locals knew their bid could be in jeopardy. The Dolphins put the potential renovations on hold, rather than rush to try to gain public funding for the improvements in the still slow economy.

It’s unclear when a push for renovations will resurface. In the meantime, South Florida Super Bowl Host Committee officials are scheduled to make the trip to Dallas for the May 25 vote of NFL owners on the 2014 game site.

“I take the position, you’ve still got to be in it to win it,” South Florida Super Bowl Host Committee Chairman Rodney Barreto said. “We could still win by default. Remember, you’re invited to bid.”

Barreto reminded that South Florida was awarded the 2010 Super Bowl – even before it had hosted the 2007 game -- after the game was initially promised to New York contingent on the New York Jets receiving government approvals to build a stadium on Manhattan’s West Side. When state funding didn’t come through, the NFL put that game back up for bid.

Almost all of the Jacksonville Jaguars’ home games were blacked out on television last season because they didn’t sell out. At 7-9, the team didn’t make the playoffs.

Perhaps that’s why the team did something unusual: it invited season ticket holders to two fan forums – one with GM Gene Smith before the draft and a second post-draft with Coach Jack Del Rio.

Season ticket holders were told they’d receive a call at a certain time and they could choose to listen in on the conference calls – and ask questions – and they were also given a phone number to call in.

“These were part of our efforts this offseason to strengthen the connection with our fans and reach out to season ticket holders,” team spokesman Dan Edwards said in an email.

Edwards said about 9,700 fans total participated in the two calls and another roughly 3,200 followed the second forum on a webcast on the team’s website. Read about this week's call here.

That’s a pretty bold move, especially given how secretive some teams can be and how much criticism there was of some of the team’s draft picks.

After 21 years – and the longest reign as title sponsor of a BCS game -- FedEx is dropping its moniker from the Orange Bowl college football game.

Kevin Demsky, FedEx Director of Sponsorship Marketing, said the express delivery and logistics company decided it was time to focus on its other sports marketing partnerships, including the PGA Tour’s FedEx Cup, and relationships with the NFL, NBA and NASCAR's Joe Gibbs Racing.

“Obviously it was a very difficult decision, one we labored over long and hard,” Demsky said. “We made the decision it was probably best for us to begin focusing on some of our other investments.”

ESPN, which will begin broadcasting BCS games in January under a four-year contract that runs through 2014, is working on finding a new corporate naming partner for the game played at Sun Life Stadium.

"We are in active discussions around the Orange Bowl, which is a premier property and presents a tremendous marketing opportunity,” ESPN's president of customer marketing and sales Ed Erhardt said in a statement. “FedEx remains an important client and we continue to be engaged with them in other areas."

ESPN declined further comment.

The Orange Bowl Committee, which promotes the game and its surrounding events, is not involved in title sponsorship negotiations, committee spokesman Larry Wahl said. The network and the BCS are responsible for bowl payouts, not the committee, he said.

“We’re going to fulfill our BCS agreement commitment and continue to work with BCS leadership and ESPN,” Wahl said. “We’re confident the network will secure a name sponsor that’s beneficial to all of us. What we do know is ESPN had an exclusive period to negotiate with FedEx. That exclusive period recently expired and ESPN has now actively expanded its conversations with other interested parties.”

Demsky said the decision to drop out as title sponsor was made earlier this year and the company is not sure if it will continue as a more limited sponsor of the Orange Bowl.

“Obviously, the Orange Bowl has been a long time partner and friend and we have some very deep seated relationships. From that perspective I think the Orange Bowl and the entire Orange Bowl festival and all the events that surround that BCS game are a very important part of the community for South Florida," Demsky said. "We’ll look at opportunities that might be available, but for right now, it’s probably much too early to speculate.”

Demsky said the decision had nothing to do with the matchups in recent Orange Bowl games, which have been criticized for their lack of luster, when the Orange Bowl isn’t hosting the national championship game.

“We don’t really get too involved in game matchups, that’s something that has to be worked out by the BCS and the bowl committees," he said. "Our focus has always been creating marketing programs around us that promote the Orange Bowl.”

The Orange Bowl committee announced FedEx as its game title sponsor in 1989 for the 1990 game -- before the Bowl Championship Series was formed in 1998. The Orange, Sugar, Rose and Fiesta bowls each host a BCS bowl game and the fifth BCS game is the national championship game, which rotates among the four bowls. The Orange Bowl next hosts the national championship game in 2013.

+ The Miami Heat's first twHEATup sold out -- 50 tickets for $50 each to sit in section 307 at AmericanAirlines Arena during the team's Game 3 first round home playoff game against the Boston Celtics a week ago. TwHEATup attendees got a halftime meet-and-greet with the Heat dancers and postgame meeting with Tim Hardaway. Read more here. Yes, the team plans future twHEATups. Stay tuned.

+ Fans have unusual ways to show love for their favorite players. The "Paul & Young Ron Show," heard on BIG 105.9 and The Gater 98.7 FM hosted a funeral of sorts at Clear Channel South Florida in Miramar on Monday for Miami Dolphins Jason Taylor memorabilia. Now that Taylor has signed with the arch-rival New York Jets, the station sealed up and buried a “time capsule/casket” stuffed with JT-signed jerseys, photos, footballs and other items. “The items will stay forever buried, or at least until Taylor is no longer with the Jets and is inducted into the Dolphins "Ring of Honor." (When/if that happens, the casket turned time capsule will be unearthed and people can get their stuff back),” a release announcing the event said.

+ Meanwhile, fans have pledged more than 25,000 volunteer hours to the Dolphins’ new Special Teams volunteer corps.

+ Topps announced a multi-year licensing agreement with the NFL and NFL Players Association this week. The first Topps 2010 NFL product is to launch just before the season starts and is to include opportunities to win prizes.

+ Even if it’s not clear where it came from – is it a ripoff of Maryland’s "Fear the Turtle"? – gotta love the first-round playoff leading Milwaukee Bucks’ “Fear the Deer” slogan.

+ Gregory A. Jones Architecture in Boynton Beach has been advertising that the firm along with B&M Building have been hired by Heat forward Udonis Haslem and former Heat guard Keyon Dooling, now with the New Jersey Nets, to provide architectural services for their homes in Southwest Ranches. This follows, naturally, since my colleague Ira Winderman wrote a story last weekend about several Heat players moving to Southwest Broward to shake the South Beach nightlife.