Unless you’ve just arrived back on Earth from a mission to Mars, you’ve heard the news that the King has decided to return to his homeland. The King took his talents to South Beach and quickly became the face of South Florida sports. After two championships in four seasons, the King has left behind his throne in Miami. We will discuss which remaining Miami athlete is fit to be the new King of Miami Sports.
Roberto Luongo: Florida Panthers – Lou returned to the place where it all started for him last season at the NHL trade deadline. Roberto Luongo quickly became the Florida Panthers’ franchise player. Luongo added some much more needed stability between the pipes and a veteran presence with a successful track record that can mentor the young talent the Cats possess. The issue with Luongo as the King of Miami Sports is that the Panthers are a tough draw. The BB&T Center is actually in Broward County. It sits empty on most nights and awareness about the Panthers’ existence is low.
Duke Johnson: University of Miami Hurricanes Football: The talented tailback is arguably the most talented athlete left in South Florida. Duke has the ability to turn any play into a touchdown, and he was gaining national notoriety before a season-ending injury against rival Florida State. The knock against Duke is that a king should have staying power, and Duke may declare for the NFL Draft next spring.
Ryan Tannehill: Miami Dolphins – Tannehill is going into his third season and it’s appearing to be a critical one for the young signal-caller. The Dolphins will feel the pressure to make the playoffs, and it’s ultimately in Tannehill’s hands. The kid has all of the ability and talent required to make the jump and to guide the Fins into the playoffs. However, Tannehill has also shown a lack of growth in his game that deters many people from saying that he is the future of the franchise. It’s hard to crown a kid who may not make it to 2015 as the starting quarterback of the Miami Dolphins.
Giancarlo Stanton: Miami Marlins – The slugging outfielder of the Miami Marlins has captivated the nation with his ability to hit the long ball. His home runs are chronicled to the point that he was invited to the Home Run Derby. He has quickly become one of the most popular players in the MLB despite playing in small-market Miami. The fear with any Miami Marlins player is that they aren’t in Miami for long. The Marlins’ ownership has been notoriously small-budgeted, even if it means trading away supremely talented players (see Miguel Cabrera). It’s difficult to crown a player who may be traded at any moment.
The choice for the new King of Miami Sports is painfully obvious. This ballplayer goes by the name of “Three” on Twitter. Dwyane Wade has been the embodiment of Miami sports since the day he was drafted in 2003. 11 years and three championships later, The Flash is a superstar and an obvious future NBA Hall of Famer. Many will question how much he has left due to his knee problems, but Miami has learned to not count Wade out. Wade is the obvious choice to fill The King’s departed throne, seeing that they already call it “Miami-Wade County.”
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