Dick Karth, 66, is making his NASCAR Xfinity Series debut this weekend at Road America, which is less than an hour from his hometown of Grafton, Wis. On the side of his No. 61 MBM Motorsports entry are decals to bring awareness to the Dick Trickle Memorial Project.

Trickle, a Wisconsin native, won more than 1,200 features during his racing career. He in 2013 at the age of 71. Karth talks about his involvement with the project and what it means to have Dick Trickle’s name on the car this weekend.

Tammy Abraham was the star of the show with two brilliant goals to help give his Chelsea side a 3-2 victory, their first of the season, over a spirited Norwich City at Carrow Road.

Positives

Frank Lampard's continued faith in Chelsea's youngsters is starting to reap rewards, with Mason Mount and Tammy Abraham putting in excellent displays. There was also a welcome return to form for Cesar Azpilicueta, who looked dangerous on the overlap.

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Negatives

Despite all their verve as an attacking force, there are still question marks around a Blues defence that was breached with ease for both Norwich goals. It's early days, but Christian Pulisic needs to do more to justify his hefty pricetag despite his assist for Mount's goal.

Manager rating out of 10

7 -- It wasn't perfect, but Lampard's proactive philosophy is slowly starting to take shape. His use of attacking full-backs allowed his side to expose the space left behind by Norwich's marauding overlaps, causing significant damage.

Player ratings (1-10; 10 = best, players introduced after 70 minutes get no rating)

GK Kepa Arrizabalaga, 6. The Chelsea stopper will be disappointed he failed to prevent Teemu Pukki from finding the net from a tight angle for 2-2, but was largely untroubled during the 90 minutes.

DF Cesar Azpilicueta, 7. After a slow start to the season, this was much more like the Azpilicueta that Chelsea fans know and love. It all started with a lovely floated cross for the Chelsea opener, and the Spaniard's delivery caused problems throughout.

DF Andreas Christensen, 6. The centre-back will be amazed he didn't find the net with a bullet header that was saved brilliantly by Tim Krul in the first half, in what was a relatively quiet game for the Dane.

DF Kurt Zouma, 6. The 24-year-old may well feel aggrieved that he was denied a goal by VAR late on, while Pukki's goal was scored in space that Zouma had left unoccupied in the penalty area.

DF Emerson, 6. The left-back was playing more as a winger -- such was Chelsea's attacking dominance -- and should've done much better when presented with a shooting opportunity from 12 yards out on the hour mark.

MF Jorginho, 6. The midfielder was disappointing defensively when he failed to deal with Emiliano Buendia's weaving run for Norwich's first equaliser, and the Italian missed N'Golo Kante's workrate alongside him in the heart of the Chelsea midfield.

MF Mateo Kovacic, 6. Showed a bit more purpose in his passing play than in previous weeks, and the former Real Madrid man helped Chelsea maintain a rapid tempo. Still waiting to see some more incision from the Croatian, however.

MF Mason Mount, 7. A superb first touch gave him an easy finish to put his side 2-1 ahead for his second goal in as many games for Chelsea, and a goal at Carrow Road for the second season running. An England call-up is surely just around the corner for the 20-year-old.

FW Ross Barkley, 6. Drafted in when Pedro was injured during the warm-up, but there was a disappointing lack of impact from the former Everton man, and his failure to get goal side of his opponent allowed Todd Cantwell an easy tap-in for Norwich's first goal.

FW Christian Pulisic, 6. The American provided an assist for Mount, but wasted a glorious chance at the start of the second half when he sliced into the side netting while in acres of space.

ST Tammy Abraham, 8. A brilliant first-time finish on the half-volley put Chelsea ahead early on, and a superbly-taken individual goal proved to be the deciding moment. This performance will do the 21-year-old a world of good.

Substitutes

ST Olivier Giroud, 5. Harshly penalised for a foul on Norwich goalkeeper Krul that led to a disallowed Zouma goal in the closing stages.

FW Willian, N/R. Given 10 minutes or so, but didn't do much.

FW Marcos Alonso, N/R. Came on to finish the game off.

Virat Kohli often speaks about doing whatever it takes to win. He says that's how he is able to bat on even when he is running on empty and the same philosophy had led to him fielding 38 different Test XIs at the start of his Test captaincy. It appears the clock has been reset again with India going into their first match of the World Championship without premier offspinner R Ashwin, triggering the attention of, among others, former India captain Sourav Ganguly.

"I would say that this is one area where Virat needs to just be a bit more consistent," Ganguly said at an event in Mumbai on Friday. "Pick players and give them a bit more consistent opportunities - for them to get that confidence, rhythm, I have said that before. You saw how Shreyas Iyer played in that ODI series [136 runs at 68 against West Indies] - you pick him and you give him the freedom to play those matches and I think that needs to happen with a lot of players and I am sure Virat will do that."

ALSO READ - Ashwin left out of Antigua XI in 'astonishing' selection call

Kohli's mixing and matching of personnel coincided with several injuries to key players but there were also instances where first-choice picks like Ajinkya Rahane (Cape Town 2017) and Cheteshwar Pujara (St Lucia 2016) were placed aside for more aggressive options. And, in the ongoing Test against West Indies, the spinner that the team trusted - Ravindra Jadeja - scored a backs-to-the-wall half-century that looks set to provide India with a sizeable lead. Still he had to beat a couple of in-form players to get into the XI.

"I was also surprised to see Kuldeep Yadav left out," Ganguly said. "The last Test he played against Australia, he got five wickets, if you remember in Sydney on a good flat pitch, he picked up five wickets against Australia. But Jadeja also has been in good form, the surface yesterday at Antigua needed three fast bowlers because we saw the seam movement the fast bowlers got and it was a question of the spin.

"Ashwin's record is phenomenal to leave him out in the West Indies, so it's a decision which Kohli has made and we will find out in the next couple of days how far Jadeja goes on to pick wickets on this surface. Because this pitch will get up and down, as the game progresses, you can see that sort of indication from the first day of the Test, we will have to wait to see but that's the competition of Indian cricket."

Ganguly also believes that the team - and especially head coach Ravi Shastri, who has just been reappointed for a two-year term - have been together for long enough to start winning world titles.

"Ravi has been around for a while - five years he's completed so he's got an extension for two more years - hopefully now India can now go all the way in the two upcoming tournaments that are coming up, which is the T20 World Cup and the Champions Trophy which has now become a T20 format," Ganguly said. "So I hope they do well, they're doing well, they get to the semi-finals. In 2015 in Australia they struggled, in 2017 in Mumbai West Indies got the better of them and even in this World Cup (2019) so hopefully they will get to the next step and create a winning combination."

Jack Leaning will leave Yorkshire for Kent at the end of the season to attempt to resurrect a career that has lost impetus since he was deemed to be one of the most promising young players in the country.

With Kent's Division One future all but assured, and with a strong challenge in the Vitality Blast once again underlining their T20 credentials, Leaning has decided to leave a county that he has been with since he was 10 years old.

His departure continues a Yorkshire reshaping over the past year which has brought mixed results, with a top-three place in the Championship not masking the inadequacies of the club's limited-overs cricket.

Leaning's absence from the T20 side was therefore particularly galling as Yorkshire's middle order has persistently looked to be one of the weakest in the country. Despite a career strike rate of 131 and average of 28, he has played only two matches - managing 39 from as many balls to go with a wicket in Friday's victory over Durham.

His Championship form has long been under scrutiny. Kent will envisage improvement on an average of 30.46, considerably below what was expected when, somewhat surprisingly, he was named as the Cricket Writers' Club Young Player of the Year at 21. Capped at Scarborough in 2016, this summer he made a pair there against Surrey and the look in his eyes suggested he would be better elsewhere.

Kent's director of cricket Paul Downton said: "Jack's talents across all formats of the game show that he is a versatile and intelligent cricketer. He will add significant depth to our batting unit."

Neither would it be a surprise if Kent uncovered Leaning's potential as an offspinner. He has only 18 wickets in all competitions, but he is a big turner of the ball and has been undervalued by Yorkshire in such a role.

"I think it's at the right stage of my career to have a little bit of a change, and hopefully it all works out to be a positive one," Leaning said. "It's a big move lifestyle-wise, and that did cross my mind at first. But since then, all that's come back to my mind is excitement as opposed to any nerves."

He would not be the first player to leave Yorkshire and rebuild his career elsewhere. Alex Lees, another batsman to win the CWC Young Player award, and has had moderate success in his first season at Durham.

"I leave Yorkshire with nothing but fond memories," Leaning added. "I'll be giving it my all towards the end of the season, and there are still two bits of silverware on offer if things go well for us."

Yorkshire's director of cricket Martyn Moxon said: "He's been a great model professional during his time here and has been part of two Championship-winning teams.

"He's had a good career, but hasn't played regular first-team cricket. At this moment in time, the opportunity to play first-team cricket is exactly what he needs. We thank him for representing us with pride and wish him every success."

Arun Jaitley, the former union minister who also served as a vice-president of the BCCI, has died aged 66 following an illness.

Jaitley's involvement in Indian cricket began in earnest in the late 1990s, when he became a member of the Delhi and Districts Cricket Association, the governing body of cricket in the national capital. In 1999, soon after becoming a union minister, Jaitley took charge as the DDCA president, a post he held till 2013, the same year he became vice-president of the BCCI for a brief period before resigning in the wake of the IPL spot-fixing scandal.

"A remarkable statesman, Mr Jaitley was a passionate cricket follower and will always be remembered as one of the most able and respected cricket administrators," the BCCI said in a statement. "During his long tenure as the President of the Delhi & District Cricket Association, he brought about a tremendous change in the cricketing infrastructure.

"A close friend of the cricketers, he always stood by them, encouraged them and supported them in their quest for excellence."

Jaitley was also a member of the IPL governing council. Following news of his death on Saturday, a number of Delhi-based cricketers, as well as some others, expressed their condolences on Twitter.

Shocked & saddened to hear about the passing away of Shri Arun Jaitley ji. He was genuinely a good person, always willing to help others. He took out his precious time back in 2006 when my father passed away to come to my home & pay his condolences. May his soul rest in peace.

— Virat Kohli (@imVkohli) August 24, 2019

A father teaches u to speak but a father figure teaches u to talk. A father teaches u to walk but a father figure teaches u to march on. A father gives u a name but a father figure gives u an identity. A part of me is gone with my Father Figure Shri Arun Jaitley Ji. RIP Sir.

— Gautam Gambhir (@GautamGambhir) August 24, 2019

Saddened to hear about the demise of Shri Arun Jaitley. He donned several hats successfully, including that of a cricket administrator. India has lost a distinguished parliamentarian. My condolences to his family and friends.

— Sachin Tendulkar (@sachin_rt) August 24, 2019

Deeply saddened by the untimely demise of Shri. Arun Jaitley. Fondly remember our conversations around cricket. His contributions in every field will remain unparalleled. My heartfelt condolences to his family and friends.

— Anil Kumble (@anilkumble1074) August 24, 2019

Deeply saddened to hear that Mr. Arun Jaitley is no more. A scholar...a cricket lover. Always helpful. Would remember the names of the kids doing well at U-19 level too. World will be poorer in your absence, sir. #riparunjaitley

— Aakash Chopra (@cricketaakash) August 24, 2019

Former India captain Sourav Ganguly does not agree with the existing conflict-of-interest rule within the BCCI constitution, which supports the one-man-one-post concept. Ganguly, who was found to be breaching the rule recently, said the BCCI had to make the conflict rule more "practical" and allow people to perform multiple roles.

Ganguly has been a strong opponent of the conflict rule ever since he and his former team-mates Sachin Tendulkar and VVS Laxman were accused of being in conflict. All three were part of the inaugural Cricket Advisory Committee (CAC) set up by the BCCI to make hig-profile cricketing appointments including that of India head coach.

Ganguly, who is president of the Cricket Association of Bengal, is also on the coaching staff of the IPL team Delhi Capitals, and has also been doing media work as a commentator and columnist. Laxman writes columns in newspapers and is also a commentator in addition to being a mentor at Sunrisers Hyderabad.

The Committee of Administrators (CoA) asked the BCCI's ombudsman, Justice (retired) DK Jain to adjudicate. Tendulkar withdrew himself from all the BCCI committees even before the final judgement was released. Eventually Justice Jain found merit in the allegation and confirmed that under the BCCI constitution both Ganguly and Laxman were in breach of the conflict rule since they were performing multiple roles.

"I wouldn't say an exception be made to the rule [for celebrated former players such as himself, Tendulkar and Laxman, but] the rule has to be practical," Ganguly said on Friday, during an event in Mumbai.

If the rule remains in its current form, every former India player would find it impossible to take up a new role, Ganguly said. He took the example of Rahul Dravid, whose possible conflict of interest has been put in the spotlight by Sanjeev Gupta, a life member of the Madhya Pradesh Cricket Association, the same person who pulled up Laxman and Tendulkar.

Recently Dravid took charge as head of cricket at the National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru. Gupta has said this will put Dravid in a conflict of interest since he is also employed by India Cements, which is owned by the former BCCI president N Srinivasan. Justice Jain is yet to pronounce his findings in the Dravid case, even though the CoA has given him its view, which is that he is not in conflict since he has frozen his employment with India Cements.

"And what is conflict of interest?" Ganguly asked. "Today Rahul Dravid is appointed NCA head and there are issues about his conflict of interest of his job with India Cements. So you've got to be practical on that. You never know whether you would become NCA head or not, three years later you may not remain NCA head, but these jobs are permanent and these jobs remain with you. So it has got to be practically solved - even when you do commentary or coaching, I don't see it as a conflict of interest. "

Ganguly also took the examples of former players from other countries performing multiple roles, such as the former Australia captain Ricky Ponting, who is head coach of Delhi Capitals. "Look at Ricky Ponting. He coaches Australia (Ponting is a consultant with Cricket Australia), he commentates, he is commentating in the Ashes now, and in the month of April next year he will be with Delhi Capitals.

"I really don't consider this as a conflict of interest; because these are all skill-based. You don't decide whether you commentate or whether you coach or you are part of a franchise, because of your skill you get picked by people, and I don't think it can be a conflict. It has to be bit more precise otherwise everything is going to be conflict."

Ganguly pointed out that the conflict issue had to be taken seriously, otherwise every appointment would be questioned. He provided the example of Vikram Rathour, the former India opener who is set to become India's batting coach from September. Rathour, who was part of the previous national selection panel, has been facing conflict allegations since he is a relative of the former India offspinner Aashish Kapoor, who is the chairman of the junior men's selection committee.

Ganguly said it was "ridiculous" to call Rathour's case one of conflict. "I was reading in the newspaper that there is issue of Vikram now with conflict with Aashish Kapoor being a junior selector. I find it ridiculous. If somebody else is a junior selector and somebody else is batting coach, how does it influence and how it is conflict? So these things need to be a lot clearer. I am firm believer that skills have to be kept separate because you cannot influence skills, it's about one's judgement of who's better and who is not better."

Speaking at an event in Delhi on Wednesday, former India opener Virender Sehwag had also weighed in on the conflict-of-interest issue.

"I understand that if I am a selector, and I have a cricket academy, then I might pick boys from my academy," Sehwag said. "But as a coach, I don't understand how will I be in conflict of interest if I have a cricket academy. Or if I am part of any association, then I cannot become a selector."

Miami has been missing something in its sports scene despite being a city full of international flavor, diverse culture and party-filled fun. Much of the buzz is in the past, and South Florida fans are spending a lot of time (too much time?) reminiscing about the glory days.

Granddad leans back in his chair telling stories of how Miami Dolphins quarterback Dan Marino ran the NFL in the 1980s and 1990s with his lightning-quick release and pocket presence. Grandma jumps in by discussing how Jimmy Johnson and Michael Irvin made the Miami Hurricanes the "Bad Boys of College Football" must-watch programming every Saturday.

Groups of college friends play 21 on the blistering hot Miami hardcourt yelling out "Flash" in honor of former Miami Heat star Dwyane Wade. Some of the tables at Domino Park in Little Havana go back-and-forth about how everything went downhill with the Miami Marlins when they traded Miguel Cabrera.

Those stars, and many of the ones who followed them, are all gone from Miami. And while there are several young players on the rise among Miami's Big Four pro sports teams and Hurricanes football -- including Xavien Howard, Bam Adebayo, Aleksander Barkov, Sandy Alcantara, Brian Anderson and Shaquille Quarterman -- there is a dearth of big-name talent.

We enlisted a diverse group of ESPN personalities, writers, reporters and analysts with knowledge of the Miami sports scene to remind us of the past, catch us up on the present and project the future.

Which departure has had the biggest impact on Miami's sports scene?

Andrea Adelson: The Dolphins still haven't recovered from losing Dan Marino. A few years after he retired, when Jay Fielder was the quarterback, I had a group of friends over for dinner. They all knew how much my dad loves the Dolphins. Someone decided to bring up what was happening at quarterback. My dad, a man of very few words, looked up from his dinner and used a word that cannot be repeated in this family-friendly roundtable. He resumed eating. I can only imagine that's how all Dolphins fans feel -- even to this day.

Kelly Cohen: When Dwyane Wade left Miami, in what was clearly a breakdown of trust, the whole city felt defeated. It felt personal. My non-cliché answer? The departure of the Orange Bowl. Games at that stadium were legendary, and Miami's college football scene hasn't been the same since.

Alden Gonzalez: For the Heat, it was LeBron James, because it ended one of the greatest dynasties in the city's history. For the Dolphins, it was the retirement -- albeit brief -- of Ricky Williams, who announced weeks before the start of the 2004 season that he was stepping aside. For the Marlins, it was, sadly, the death of Jose Fernandez -- a star in the making with a magnetic personality who, as a Cuban American, perfectly identified with that fan base.

Cameron Wolfe: I see fans walking around Hard Rock Stadium with Marino jerseys, sometimes younger folks who aren't old enough to have seen him play. There's an acute nostalgia that stirs over the fan base like maybe one day they'll get to experience that Marino feeling again.

Jeff Darlington: Ryan Tannehill, because it is symbolic of the Dolphins' ongoing challenge to find "the guy" at quarterback. Wade, because it's the end of an era. Giancarlo Stanton, because it validated the Marlins as a stepping stone -- not a destination. And don't you dare make me try to name a Panthers player.

Who is the most prominent big-name South Florida star?

Gonzalez: Josh Rosen. He isn't the most accomplished and he isn't the most recognizable, but he has the attention of South Florida more so than anybody at the moment because he is the Dolphins' potential franchise quarterback. Rosen eventually will take over for Ryan Fitzpatrick, and when he does, the entire city will cross its collective fingers. Rosen could still be great. Or, at least, good. The city will take it.

Wolfe: Jimmy G. Buckets (Jimmy Butler). Miami loves its stars to have some grit. It makes perfect sense that as Wade retires, another Marquette kid with a rough, adverse upbringing is here to take over his crown. Butler is a clutch baller who is never afraid to speak his mind. That will play here.

Jorge Sedano: Butler. He is a top-15 player in his sport, and he plays in a league that pushes individuality.

Dan Le Batard: Butler? [Miami Heat team president] Pat Riley?

Darlington: Riley. The Williams sisters. Tiger Woods. And behind them, Derek Jeter and Don Mattingly. The problem with all of that? Three of them are in management -- and three don't play in front of a Miami audience very often.

Who will be the next star athlete in Miami?

Le Batard: It will be Rosen if he plays well and the Dolphins win. Two giant ifs.

Adelson: [Alabama quarterback] Tua Tagovailoa. That is, if #TankforTua can be believed.

Gonzalez: Miami Heat center Bam Adebayo. I have been so impressed with his athleticism and desire. It had been clear for a while that he was better than Hassan Whiteside, and now, with starter's minutes and as a third-year player at 22 years old, he's going to have a big season. He'll form a nice pairing with Butler. And if he can develop an outside shot, he'll be a monster.

Darlington: The quarterback who starts the 2019 Dolphins season under center. I'm not saying who it will be. For one, we have no way to know for sure how this all plays out. But I also refuse to tempt and tease the South Florida fan base with any possibilities after so much disappointment over the years.

Cohen: Adebayo has proved himself to be what Heat culture is all about. Every Miami fan is ready for someone as talented, dedicated and fun as Bam.

Adding a generational talent to which team would alter Miami's sports scene the most?

Le Batard: This town wants to be a football town. Only LeBron has ever wrestled it away. You get a generational NFL quarterback, you take the town back for a decade.

Emily Kaplan: The Panthers sure could use a star. They have had big-name players over the years: Jaromir Jagr, Roberto Luongo, Pavel Bure -- but most of them came in their twilight or for a short period of time. This offseason, the Panthers added two-time Vezina-winning goalie Sergei Bobrovsky, which is a coup, but the 30-year-old might already have played his best hockey. Plus, his 10-year term to his contract is worrisome. For the past five-plus years, the Panthers have had one of the most underrated players in the league, Aleksander Barkov, but he has not transcended into a household name.

Gonzalez: The Dolphins have the richest history, but the Heat now hold the greatest gravitas. Their arena is a 10-minute drive to South Beach, and their sport caters far more to the stars than football, baseball or hockey ever could. Acquiring LeBron and Shaquille O'Neal were two of the biggest moments in South Florida history; the career arcs of Alonzo Mourning and Wade made them area legends. Miami used to be a football city, and it is supposed to be a baseball city, but it is now, without a doubt, a basketball city.

Cohen: Miami longs to be a football city again. Whether it is bringing a generational talent to the Dolphins or Canes football, it would rejuvenate a wounded fan base.

Sedano: You clearly saw what LeBron did for Miami. The NBA is a glamour league. Miami is a glamour town. However, because the Dolphins have been so bad for so long, if they somehow got the second coming of Marino, it would be fascinating to see how the scales would tip.

The Hurricanes won five national titles in college football from 1983 to 2001. What will determine when The U is truly back?

Adelson: I thought for three hours on a November night in 2017, when Miami absolutely walloped Notre Dame, the Hurricanes were closer to being back than at any point over the past 15 years. But since then, the Hurricanes are 8-9, so ... not exactly "back." The appetite among the fans for titles is insatiable, so in their minds, The U won't truly be back until it wins a sixth national championship. Miami has to prove it can compete for titles on a yearly basis.

Le Batard: They can't win the ACC. And you want me to put them where Alabama and Clemson are? A competent offense would be a start.

Cohen: The easy answer is to say win a championship, but that is hard to do in this era of powerhouse teams such as Alabama and Clemson. The U has to continually be ranked in the top 10, win bowl games, send players to the NFL and have successful recruiting periods in which the star players from Florida pick Miami over not just other state programs, but other national programs. The U needs to be feared again.

Sedano: What the Canes need is to have three seasons in a row of about 10 wins. That will get recruiting to a point where they can build real depth. Then they can put themselves in position to truly compete with Clemson. College football is just better when the Hurricanes matter.

When was Miami's sports peak over the past 30 years?

Gonzalez: The Heat's Big Three era, from 2010 to 2014. I was there the day the Heat staged that pompous pep rally in July 2010. My friend and I printed tickets at the last minute, drove 20 miles east to Biscayne Boulevard through rush-hour traffic and arrived just before LeBron, Wade and Chris Bosh were vaulted onto the stage. I never felt an energy like that. It was mocked throughout the nation, but in that moment and in that place, it was celebrated with unbridled enthusiasm. It spanned four seasons and included two championships, and somehow that feels like a disappointment. The expectations were boundless when it first became a reality.

Darlington: We're all going to be inclined to suggest that Miami's sports peak must include a time dominated by Marino or Wade or Don Shula or LeBron. But somewhat ironically, the time when team success reached its peak really didn't include any of them. I'm talking about the late 1990s. The Dolphins were consistently making the playoffs. The Heat were a championship contender anchored by Mourning and Tim Hardaway. The Marlins won a World Series. And the Panthers made it to the Stanley Cup Final. Yes, Miami has had better eras for individual sports, of course. But the late 1990s -- across the board -- created the closest thing to potential title runs over the entire landscape.

Cohen: When the Heat won back-to-back titles -- 2012 and 2013 were truly something special. The beauty of Miami is that it's a cultural melting pot -- but there are always differences. Sports bridge those differences. The whole city united behind something that was new -- basketball as the top sport.

Adelson: It has to be in the 1980s, when both the Dolphins and Hurricanes were the toast of the town and of the collective football universe. I will never forget sitting on the couch with my dad on Saturdays to watch the Canes destroy their opponents with a swagger and confidence that made them easy to cheer for, and then Sundays to watch Marino, Mark Duper and Mark Clayton transform what it meant to play offense. I remember asking my dad when I was around 8 or 9 whether it was possible to combine my two loves -- writing and football -- and do that for a job. He said yes. Those two teams, in that era, and the imprint they left on me, are the reason I am a sportswriter today.

Sedano: I worked in media in Miami from 1999 to 2013. There's nothing that compares to the Heat's Big Three of LeBron, Wade and Bosh. The first two seasons (before winning their first title) was like covering Game 7 of the NBA Finals every night.

Has the allure of South Beach dissipated?

Le Batard: The allure of living in Miami has not been diluted. You can spend your offseason here, or as Le'Veon Bell did (your holdout season) and enjoy it without having to practice in our August heat, which I wouldn't wish on anyone.

Sedano: The legend of South Beach gets more play than the practicality of actually going there regularly. It's mostly a tourist destination. Road teams love South Beach because there's nothing like it. However, when you live in Miami, you realize it's always there whenever you want it. There are plenty of other places that are just as interesting to see and be seen.

Wolfe: It's still another day in paradise for everyone who lives in Miami. But the culture around NFL and MLB free agency is chasing the most dollars, and NBA free-agency culture has centered on teaming up with other superstars. City appeal -- even when it's Miami -- often plays second fiddle to other factors.

Darlington: Three of South Florida's best assets -- the weather, social scene and lack of a state income tax -- will never go out of style. It will forever attract big stars. Hard Rock Stadium has never been better. AmericanAirlines Arena has proved to be a social mecca when the Heat are thriving. The Marlins have a beautiful new stadium. Super Bowls. The Miami Open. So on and so on. This area has it all ... except for the one thing top-tier free agents desire other than money: wins.

How has the ghost of Marino affected the Dolphins' failed pursuit to find their next QB star?

Darlington: Don't you dare blame Marino -- or his shadow -- for anything bad about South Florida. He is a Golden God who continues to be a gem for the region where he still lives. Kidding aside, I refuse to blame the "ghost of Marino" when the Dolphins have had their chances to snag a quarterback -- whether in free agency with Drew Brees or in the draft with Matt Ryan -- but failed to do so for a number of excuses that are simply nothing more than excuses. Yeah, I get it, the Dolphins' medical team believed Daunte Culpepper (knee) was a safer choice than Brees (shoulder). Yeah, I get it, Bill Parcells believed a left tackle (Jake Long) was a safer pick at No. 1 than a QB (Ryan). They might have been right about it being "safe." But that doesn't mean it was "right."

Adelson: You could blame his ghost in the early years, especially since it has been reported he was hesitant to allow the Dolphins to draft a quarterback so he could groom a replacement. But now? It's not so much the ghost of Marino as the ineptitude exhibited by many of the general managers and coaches whose No. 1 job was to find the next quarterback. Quarterback has been a consistent need for this team since 1999, yet only once since Marino retired have they drafted one in the first round.

Le Batard: This franchise has been a sinkhole at every position for two decades. The coaching job has swallowed Nick Saban, Bill Parcells and Jimmy Johnson.

How do you see the ____ getting their next star?

Panthers

Kaplan: Free agency. Winning the draft lottery in the year of a generational talent is always possible, but the odds are slim, and Florida is poised to be competitive for the next few years. Florida -- especially now with Joel Quenneville as coach -- is a desirable team. Also, players truly value Florida's tax advantage. As long as the Panthers have the cap space, they should be big-game hunters. The Panthers could be a potential landing spot for Alex Ovechkin as he winds down his career -- in the chance he doesn't retire with Washington. The Panthers should go after stars closer to their prime windows. Maybe that means going after 2018 MVP Taylor Hall next offseason or targeting Auston Matthews when his Maple Leafs contract expires in 2024.

Le Batard: They already have him in Barkov.

Hurricanes

Le Batard: They need to become a destination again because they haven't been for two decades. You have to be a football factory that gets people to the pros.

Adelson: It's going to come one of two ways -- recruiting or the transfer portal. Coach Manny Diaz did a great job using the portal to bring in former ESPN 300 recruits to help shore up his first recruiting class. Linebacker Shaquille Quarterman should have a big season. There is no doubt Diaz and his staff are going to want to sign a top-tier class and develop that talent -- specifically at quarterback -- to get this program competing for championships again.

Dolphins

Darlington: Free agency. 2020. That's all I'm saying -- for now.

Wolfe: Let's project a Dolphins general manager Chris Grier double-dip in 2020. He finds his star quarterback in the NFL draft's first round -- Tagovailoa, Justin Herbert or Jake Fromm -- and uses his projected $100 million-plus in cap space to add another star in free agency. Perhaps Jadeveon Clowney?

Le Batard: The league legislates equality, so the Dolphins are bound to land a star. But it is a true testament to the franchise's incompetence that it uses all of its draft picks on offensive linemen and still can't block anyone.

Cohen: This team needs to tank and get Tagovailoa. It's time.

Heat

Le Batard: Riley tends to figure it out. I don't know how the hell he got Butler when he had three better offers with better teams. I don't know how he got a star while entering free agency with no tradable assets or salary-cap room, while the Knicks got nobody with all the money in the world. It'll be easier to get a star bigger than Butler than it was to get Butler. He will have cap room soon, and he'll convince someone to play here before he retires.

Gonzalez: Riley needs to work his magic one last time. Butler is a good start, and if Adebayo develops the way I think he might, that's two legit stars -- or something close to that, at least. They need to clear cap space, and they need to put themselves in position to attract another star to join them during the summer of 2021, which is setting up for a star-studded free-agent class headlined by Giannis Antetokounmpo.

Marlins

Gonzalez: The Marlins have done a nice job of developing star players through their minor league system (Cabrera, Stanton and Christian Yelich among them). Their problem has been keeping them. They don't have the sustainable revenue streams. The don't draw well, and their TV contract is relatively unfavorable. Until that changes, their core issues will persist.

Le Batard: The league rewards tanking. Look at the Astros. The Marlins already have a top-five minor league system just from trading two MVPs and their entire outfield. They'll hit on some draft luck, get better and then be able to trade for a young star once they've rebuilt it.

Miami linebacker Shaquille Quarterman walked into his local supermarket on a Tuesday over the summer to pick up some taco seasoning. As he glanced through the shelves, a lifelong Hurricanes fan walked up to him.

He told Quarterman he was a season-ticket holder, with instant recall about every game he had attended, listing off Santana Moss, Devin Hester and other players he had watched make memorable plays. Then the conversation turned to the season opener against the No. 8 Gators (7 p.m. ET Saturday, ESPN), and the renewal of the first in-state rivalry in Florida.

Though the teams play only rarely now, Hurricanes fans are clear in their dislike for the Gators, who ended the annual series in 1987 for scheduling reasons. The fan looked at Quarterman and told him point-blank: You have to win this game.

"He didn't give me an option," Quarterman said with a big smile.

You can bet the feeling is mutual on the other side in the teams' first meeting since 2013. But more than picking up in-state bragging rights -- until they both play Florida State later in the season -- there are much bigger stakes on the line when they kick off in Orlando on Saturday night to open the 150th season of college football.

For Florida, the game is about proving preseason expectations are very much for real. For Miami, the game is about proving Manny Diaz has his program headed in the right direction. For both, championship implications cannot be ignored, even if we are talking about Week 0.

"This makes guys want to prepare a little bit harder," Florida receiver Josh Hammond said. "We've been through Coach [Dan] Mullen's system. We know what to expect. We're coming off a top-10 season, a New Year's Six bowl win. All offseason, all camp, we've grinded and had that mentality that we can be one of the better teams in the country to go compete for a playoff spot if we want it."

Teams have proved they can survive a loss and still play for and win championships. But what happens in the opener against a major nonconference opponent can also have a large impact on a team from a momentum, confidence and emotional standpoint.

Let's rewind a year. Miami was in the same spot as Florida is now: coming off a surprising 10-3 season, ranked in the preseason top 10, opening against LSU in Arlington, Texas. Miami was the favorite, but the Hurricanes were never in the game and lost 33-17. The flaws we all saw on offense continued to show themselves throughout the season, and the Hurricanes simply could not recover, going 7-6. Head coach Mark Richt resigned after the season.

Let's rewind two years. Florida went into its opener against Michigan in Arlington with a preseason top-25 ranking, coming off an appearance in the SEC championship game and what appeared to be a momentum-turning bowl victory over Iowa. But the Gators were also noncompetitive and lost 33-17.

They finished 4-7 and Jim McElwain was fired midseason.

Let's also use their mutual rival, Florida State, as an example. Two years ago, the Seminoles went into their opener against Alabama in Atlanta as the favorite to win the ACC and a popular choice to make the College Football Playoff. They lost the game and quarterback Deondre Francois, and needed a rescheduled game against Louisiana-Monroe to keep their bowl streak alive. Jimbo Fisher left for Texas A&M before the season ended.

The trend as it relates to schools in Florida is not a great one. But the experience last season might be instructive for Diaz, who was Miami's defensive coordinator at the time. Diaz knows all the issues that plagued the Hurricanes both on the field and in the locker room, and has used this offseason to try to get his players to be more focused and accountable.

"It's going to be a highly emotional night," Diaz said. "Both teams will be supremely motivated to play against each other. Who can keep their competitive will through adversity? Because it's going to be a night with all kinds of adversity, for both sides. And that's why it's about finding the right mix of guys that don't blink in that setting. We have to find out who are the guys that will fight their way off the ropes. Both teams are going to land some blows. When you get put on the ropes, you have to fight your way out of it."

Miami did not do a good job of that last season, and Florida did not do a good job of that early in 2018, either. Many even wrote off the Gators after a rare loss to Kentucky in September. But Florida slowly learned how to win, even though there were bumps along the way, including a poor performance in a loss to Missouri.

By the time the Gators engineered a comeback to beat South Carolina, the confidence seemed to bloom. Florida scored 40 or more points in its final three games, including big victories over Florida State and Michigan, two teams that had their number in recent seasons.

"We know where we were last season. We know we have guys to possibly win it all," Florida linebacker David Reese II said. "We're as talented as anybody in the country. It's the challenge of, can we work hard day in and day out every day?"

Anyone who tunes in Saturday night will get to see for themselves. They will also get to see a high-stakes game, and a rivalry renewed and reintroduced to a new generation.

Players included.

"I just don't too much like them," Quarterman said. "That's how a rivalry works for me. The alumni come and whenever I get a chance to speak to them, they say, 'What's your record since you've been here?' They're talking about Florida State, and in the off chance you play Florida. Did you win or did you lose? That's where it's at with me."

Kyle Kuzma of the Los Angeles Lakers will not play for Team USA in the upcoming FIBA World Cup after it was determined that his left ankle injury would prevent him from participating, USA Basketball announced Saturday.

With the loss of Kuzma, the USA Basketball roster is now finalized with 12 players.

The official team roster, coached by Gregg Popovich, is Harrison Barnes (Sacramento Kings), Jaylen Brown (Boston Celtics), Joe Harris (Brooklyn Nets), Brook Lopez (Milwaukee Bucks), Khris Middleton (Bucks), Donovan Mitchell (Utah Jazz), Mason Plumlee (Denver Nuggets), Marcus Smart (Celtics), Jayson Tatum (Celtics), Myles Turner (Indiana Pacers), Kemba Walker (Celtics) and and Derrick White (San Antonio Spurs).

Kuzma did not play in Saturday's exhibition loss to Australia because of the sore ankle. He had scored 12 points in Team USA's win against Australia on Thursday.

The FIBA World Cup begins Aug. 31 in China.