Located near the Capital Grill on Brickell Avenue in downtown Miami, the rooftop soccer complex has two fields that are divided by an air conditioned waiting room equipped with plasma tv, cold beverages, and a place to relax and watch the games from the air conditioned r0om.

Rooftop Soccer

It’s great for corporate events, and is priced fair at around $100 per hour.  Break that down per player on a 5 v 5 or more game, and your in business for a rather affordable price per person.

With all of the foriegn soccer stars retiring in Miami, you are sure to see greatness on Brickell Avenue.  Here are some of the details of the facility.

• Two indoor sized fields with nets.
• Both fields have nets around the perimeter as well as on top.  The top net is about 75 feet in the air.
• Fields are on the 3rd floor, parking is underground

An instant success, our own Terry Bender has played with numerous friends so far.  It’s a great time to play soccer in Miami, rooftop style.

But you’d think everyone inside of James’ inner circle would be thrilled to leave the Ohio winters behind in favor of the year-round sunny weather, picturesque beaches and nightlife of South Beach.

But according to a recent interview with Harper’s Bazaar, Savannah Brinson, James’ longtime girlfriend and mother of his two sons (Lebron, Jr., 5, and Bryce, 3), isn’t exactly looking forward to uprooting the family and starting a new life.

“Personally, Miami was not my favorite place,” she tells the magazine. “Vacationing there is great: You go for three days and get some sun, and it’s time to go home.”

That’s not to say that she isn’t willing to make it work.  “It will definitely be an adjustment, but we’ll make it,” Brinson continues.  “We’re not complaining. Whatever LeBron felt was comfortable, I’m with him. I just love him so much. We’re soul mates.”

At a time when it seems like the criticism and venom is coming from all angles, James is thankful he still has the support from his gal.  ”A person like myself always needs a great sidekick and a person you can rely on no matter the circumstances. And she’s that,” he says. “She’s got my back, and I love her for that.”

Brinson reportedly plans to split her time between the family’s Akron, OH home and Miami.  Most importantly, with kindergarten on the horizon for Lebron, Jr. this fall, Brinson did not want to pull the family from their neighborhood.  “Cleveland is home,” says Brinson, “Nothing is going to change about that.”

Personally, we think the James clan will be just fine in South Beach.  The endless attractions such as the beaches, nightlife, shopping and fashion put the social life of Akron to shame — and are enjoyed even moreso with the bank account of an NBA superstar.  With Lebron’s deep pockets, surely there will be no shortage of help around the house and finding a first-rate school for the children should prove to be no problem.  Lastly, with private jets and multiple homes already, for a global icon like James, home truly is where you make it.  Let’s hope he makes South Beach his home for years to come.

Sure, they did not win an NBA title. But guess what, only the Spurs, Pistons, Heat, Lakers, and Celtics won titles in the last decade.  That’s five teams in 10 years, and two virtual dynasties when you look at the span of winning teams the Lakers and Spurs put together in that time frame.  It’s not like LeBron wasn’t trying, the guy carried that team on his back for many years, and hit countless clutch shots as the team attempted to beat powerhouses like Orlando, Boston, and Detroit over the last several years.  Just in the last two years did ownership in Cleveland really pay attention and try to make a splash in free agency, mind you.

Dan Gilbert, you are a whiny, toothless, spineless, selfish prick. You are obviously very disheartened by LeBron moving on, which he has earned the right to do.  He served his time in your boring State, Dan.  He served time as a youth, and as an adult.  Let the guy explore and live life the way his money allows him to live it.  He entertained the fans, who of course, served him well and supported him throughout.  But, at no point in life is a player at the mercy of his team, no matter where his roots come from, and at no point did LeBron “sell out” Cleveland.  Instead, you sold out LeBron, and attempted to diss a player who had every right to enjoy the recruitment he never got to experience earlier in his career, a player who was free to choose any city he wished.  It’s not like he pulled a Nick Saban, and said he was coming back, he never did that to you, Dan.  He stayed out of your coaching search, minded his own business, and never made any promises, ala Nick Saban in Miami.

LeBron James simply wanted to experience something new, and take a new career path.  While it’s obvious your fans will be upset, the true fans will understand LeBron is doing what he wants to do, WIN. Your team will never win in Cleveland, at least under your direction.  I can guarantee your proclamation made in your open letter….

“I PERSONALLY GUARANTEE THAT THE CLEVELAND CAVALIERS WILL WIN AN NBA CHAMPIONSHIP BEFORE THE SELF-TITLED FORMER ‘KING’ WINS ONE”

….will come back to bite you in the ass and make you the biggest laughing stock in league ownership history.  Seriously, I can’t wait to laugh in your face when Cleveland misses the playoffs next year.  I feel bad for the Cleveland fans that they have such a terrible, gutless owner.  They deserve better, the city deserves class individuals if they want to turn around their bad run in sports.  They deserve Mike Brown, who was a classy guy, but wait, you fired him and then blamed LeBron for the playoff failure.  Way to think it through, Danny boy.

I can guarantee that if and when you run into LeBron James, he will be nothing but classy, as he normally is.  Sans his non-existent post-handshake one year in the playoffs, I don’t think LeBron has every publicly humiliated the team like you just did in your open letter.

Your insult-laden rant to the city of Cleveland, which just got dumber by reading your tirade, is an embarassment to professional sports owners.

Did the Green Bay Packers do this when Brett Favre signed with their arch rival? Nope.

Did the Timberwolves pressure KG to stay? No, they knew he had greener grass to explore, just like King James did…..

Never in sports history have I seen such a cowardly display of selfishness in my life.  If the walls could talk in your home, I’m sure they would be listening to you cry ……”Oh my God how am I going to make money now, let’s blame LeBron, it’s all his fault.”

Dan, LeBron is the only reason you have a soapbox to stand on, the only reason anyone even knows the Cavaliers still exist, and the only reason anyone paid attention to the NBA yesterday.

I suggest you live with LeBron’s decision, quit being such a cryass, and get ready for Hurricane LeBron to come knock your ass down.

-Terry Bender

Miami Blog Sports….

"I look like a fake Kevin McHale"

When Chris Bosh signed, I called the Heat season ticket office and it was very crazy.  Seems everyone was excited he joined D-Wade and that alone was enough to drive the Official Heat Website offline.  When I called, I was told the call volume was off the charts, and not to my surprise.

At 9 EST LeBron James will make his final decision. Will it be the Miami Heat?  or will it be one of the host of other teams in the mix?  Jay-Z has recruited James to come to New Jersey, which will start playing in Brooklyn in just two short seasons. Also on the radar are the Chicago Bulls, Los Angeles Clippers, and the home town Cleveland Cavaliers.

Wherever James goes, the buzz has already started in Miami, and I highly doubt it will stop when the team takes the court this fall.

Rumor on ESPN Radio was that James is leaning towards joining the Heat, and an unconfirmed rumor has said that a group from Cleveland has rented 6 cabanas at the W Hotel on South Beach this weekend.  Unless some of the Cleveland Browns are getting one last party in before training camp ends, my guess is that King James and his entourage are going to be getting off the plane to the tune of Will Smith’s song “Welcome to Miami.”

Could LeBron and D-Wade be together again?

The guys were just in town a week ago, talking about this moment.  It makes a lot of sense for the trio to get together.  Then again, Lebron can do whatever he wants and make any team build around him.

James, do the right thing.  Come to the 305!

-Terry Bender

Resident Sports blogger

marlins aquarium

Will this innovation alone be enough to attract fans?  Sure, it will certainly bring people there once to see it in person, that’s for sure.  As far as the Miami location, that definitely helps as well.  The retractable roof should also bring in more fans, and of course, with new talent such as Mike Stanton, the rookie sensation called up last week, the Marlins are PRIMED to get more fan support as well as national exposure.  One of the most frugal teams as far as spending money on free agents, the Marlins have won two World Series titles in their rather short existence.  That, coupled with management who grooms talent well and seems to have a knack for making good trades, should help the Marlins boost revenues and enjoy much more success in their new facility.

With other small market teams such as the Twins getting a new Stadium, a new facility for the Marlins made sense.  Miami is a huge tourist destination, and a primetime facility like the new Marlins ballpark should only boost revenues and keep people interested in visiting.  When you have visiting teams in town such as the Mets, Phillies, and Braves, their fans are more prone to visit Miami and see the new facility as well as spend a few days around town enjoying all the Miami area has to offer.

by Terry Bender

Resident Miami sports blogger

Even though I’m a transplant and was not born down here, I have adopted the Florida Marlins as my baseball team.  The team that already has two world championships in it’s short existence is too impressive to ignore, especially for a die hard fan like me.  The simple fact that it’s meager payroll puts them in games they should not be in is very exciting to me, and a reason I don’t hesitate to be among the usually under 10,000 fans each time they take the field.  (Unless of course one of the New York teams is here, when the stadium fills up to the gills.)

Without further ado, here’s my look at the 2010 Florida Marlins baseball season…..

The Marlins start off with one of the best young talents in baseball:  Hanley Ramirez.  The defending NL batting champion can hit for average AND power, something teams covet, especially at his position of Shortstop.  After him, Josh Johnson leads the pitching staff and is among the top NL pitchers.  These two superstars are the quote en quote face of the organization right now, and they will have to put up their regular elite seasons for the Marlins to have a shot at winning the division and compete with the mighty Philadelphia Phillies.

First base is wide open and will come down to Manager Freddy Gonzalez’s gut feeling when the team takes the field in it’s opening game versus the Mets.  Logan Morrison or Gaby Sanchez will start at first after battling it out all Spring.

Cameron Maybin is back from the minors and will get another nod in Centerfield.  Whether he pans out as an every day Major League player is a huge question and may have an effect on if the Marlins have post-season plans in the cards this year.  He had issues striking out early in 2009, and was sent down to triple A to develop further.

After Josh Johnson, the Marlins pitching staff includes the following names:

My prediction this season is going against the grain from what many other reporters are predicting for the Fish:  I think they will contend for the division title until September.   Final prediction on their record, if I had to make an educated guess is 85-77.

Hopefully, I am wrong and the Marlins make it to the post-season, but with strong teams in other divisions, the wild card may be slightly out of their grasp.  Please Florida Marlins, prove me wrong!

If you were lucky enough to catch the documentary that ESPN did such a good job on, called “THE U,” you can appreciate the coverage that the best football program in the nation received.  The in-depth, behind-the-scenes look at the program was a hit documentary that had people on the edge of their seats, and gave many fans a look at what happened “off record.”

The University of Miami has a winning football program – and with that comes many jealous schools who are quick to point out some of the misbehavior that happens with college students.   The documentary ESPN has planned will focus on the 2001 Hurricane team, arguably the best U team of all time.  Butch Davis built that team, and eventually he was succeeded by Larry Coker, who coached the squad until he was fired for current coach Randy Shannon.

According to a report on the Miami Herald’s website….

The U was ESPN’s highest-rated documentary ever, with a 1.8 rating and 2.3 million viewers on its first airing. By comparison, other documentaries in ESPN’s “30 for 30” series averaged below a 1.0 rating. ESPN said it will release a DVD of The U — with about 30 minutes of deleted scenes — on Amazon.com, but it isn’t available yet.

Talk about a dream gift for your favorite University of Miami football fan…I can’t wait for this to be released.

In other Miami area news, ESPN has a documentary planned for Ricky Williams.  A chronicle of the controversial, free-spirited tailback is something the Miami fans will certainly look forward to.  Ricky’s career as a Dolphin has been covered extensively, including his suspension for Marijuana and his subsequent exhile from the league.  This should also be a great documentary.

I wish I could report some better news about the Heat, but every time I turn around it’s just drama.  Last week I reported that Rafer Alston had left the team in a very bizarre, disgruntled fashion.  Well, today I have more to report.  Forward Dorrell Wright was arrested on South Beach and charged with a DUI and driving with a suspended license.

Several news sources reported that Wright’s 2005 Bentley was stopped on 8th Street and Alton Road (hey that’s in front of Dr. Kalil’s Vitality Institute, one of Geneva’s favorite places).  He was apparently driving 52 in a 25 mph zone.

I drink at Dewey’s on occasion, and I know that area well.  52 is going too fast.  It will get you in trouble every time you are seen doing that.  Especially if the hours are lets say “after  hours.”  I mean, that is a place where people constantly cross the street to visit the plaza that houses Yoko’s Sushi and other stores.  You have to be careful anywhere on South Beach, but especially in that area, which is only one block from the highly populated residential area of West Avenue, backing up to the Biscayne Bay.  Thousands of people that reside in the many high rises constantly travel on foot to nearby Alton Road.

He must have been out celebrating, because the Heat beat the Clippers quite easily on Wednesday night.  The wee hours of Thursday morning found Wright with red, wattery eyes, as well as slurred speech.  (According to reports I read online.)

I’m not sure what parties or clubs go off on Wednesday nights on the Beach these days, but there is no lack of entertainment one can stumble into on South Beach.  It’s unknown if Wright was with others at the time of the stop, but I’ll try to find out and report back.  In the meantime, if anyone saw the 24 year old Wright out partying, drop us a comment and let us know where, what he was drinking, and if he was with anyone noteworthy.  We aren’t trying to out the guy, just cover the story to it’s full extent.

We hope the Heat continue their winning ways and make it deep into the playoffs.  For that to happen, they need a full team, including Wright.  It’s tough enough to win with a full, healthy, trouble-free squad, and if the Heat want to make it deep into the playoffs this year and try to make a run at a title, they will most certainly need everyone on their best behavior.

In other news….. Camilo Villegas shot even par on the first day of the tournament at Doral.

The Miami Hurricanes will play favored Virginia Tech in the ACC tournament.

The Miami Heat face the Chicago Bulls in a battle for playoff position. Miami is a game over .500 at 33-32 while the Bulls sit at 31-33. Both are on the fringe of making it to the post season and they both could use this win desperately.  Go Heat!

While it has been a few days since Rafer Alston was first suspended for now showing up to Saturday’s game versus Atlanta, it’s a mystery to me what in the heck could he be doing?  Alston, the point guard recently acquired from the New Jersey Nets, a popular player known for his boisterous personality and on-court razzle-dazzle display of skills, has not been in contact with the team since Friday, numerous news reports state.  Only a text message sent, prior to him missing Friday’s practice, in fact.  So what the heck is he doing with himself?  Certainly this one time member of the time he was so looking forward to re-unite with isn’t having second thoughts about playing in Miami, is he?

Sure, he was benched against the Lakers.  We all saw that.  But, by leaving the team amidst a playoff race, he has shown Miami that there is either something going on behind the scenes or he was frustrated to the point of walking away from a team that needs him.  Whatever it is, it’s an opening for another player.  While it remains to be seen if the Heat will seek another player to help fill in at point guard, the Heat do have superstar Dwayne Wade, along with Dorrell Wright, Carlos Arroyo, and second year player Mario Chalmers.

In the meantime, we’ll play “Where’s Rafer?” around town and let you know if he surfaces.