The Miami Herald from Miami, Florida • D1

Page: EarlySundaySection, change SPORTS H5 2D TIGERS RETURN TO DETROIT, FACE GIANT TASK 6D WOODS FIVE STROKES OFF LEAD IN MALAYSIA INDEX IN SPORTS, 2D 2-3D 3D FOOTBALL, 4-5D SCHOOLS, 5D 6D RACING, 6D 7D 8D Friday night was the dress rehearsal. On Tuesday, the banners go up, the rings come out and the defending NBA champions begin the season against the Boston Celtics. The Heat played its final game of the preseason Friday night at AmericanAir- lines Arena, losing to the New Orleans Hornets 96-89. Training camp lasted a month but, with a trip to China right smack in the middle of it, it actually felt much longer. Miami went 4-4 in exhibition games.

Highlights from the preseason included but were not limited to: Ray Allen checking into his first game in a Heat uniform. Dwyane successful return from offsea- son knee surgery. LeBron chopsticks competition against children in Shanghai. Yes, LeBron won, because he NBA PRESEASON HORNETS 96, HEAT 89 FORWARD LOOKING WATCH AND LEARN: LeBron James soars past the Ryan Anderson for a dunk and two of his 19 points Friday night at AmericanAirlines Arena. PEDRO NUEVO HERALD TURN TO The Heat muddled through its final preseason game, as the focus turned to the Celtics and the regular-season opener.

BY JOSEPH GOODMAN There is nothing particularly unusual about being a New York Jets fan in South Florida. Just listen to sports- talk radio the week of a Dolphins-Jets game, or sit in the stands for a game between the division rivals, and it becomes instantly clear that is a welcome cheer in these parts. But there is something unique about a particular diehard Jets fan named Connie Nicholas Carberg. The 61-year-old Coconut Creek resident is surely the only Jets fan around who has had Joe Namath and Weeb Ewbank as house guests, worked in the scouting department for six years, made the 17th pick in the 1975 draft, and helped discover Mark Gastineau. Carberg, who worked for the Jets from 1974 to was the first female scout in the NFL and is believed to be one of only two in league history, along with Linda Bogdan, the latedaughter of Bills owner Ralph Wilson.

Two weeks ago, Carberg was at MetLife Stadium at insistence as the former sack specialist was inducted into the Ring of Honor. It was Carberg who suggested Gastineau, of tiny East Central Oklahoma State, when then-Jets coach Walt Michaels was coaching in the 1979 Senior Bowl and needed a replacement for injured defensive lineman Mike Stensrud of Iowa State. Gastineau wowed the coaches and fans with his line playand his sack dances. of a sudden, we ran short on defensive linemen, so I called Connie back at the office in New York and asked her who recalled Michaels, now 83 and retired in Pennsylvania. told me Gastineau would be the best choice, and next thing you know, we had a tremendous FOOTBALL A FEMININE TOUCH Coconut Connie Carberg, 61, was the first female scout in the NFL and is believed to have been one of only two in league history.

BY MICHELLE KAUFMAN CARBERG TURN TO JACKSONVILLE Disappointment and heartbreak. how fifth-year defensive tackle Omar Hunter described the feeling after the Florida Gators squandered a 14-point lead in last loss to Georgia. The Gators had a two-touchdown lead in the second quarter but the Bulldogs converted two fourth-down passes for touchdowns and used their rushing attack to run out the clock. like somebody kicked me in my UF junior defensive end Dominique Easley said. lost.

We got our butts kicked, and it still But a win Saturday when No.3 Florida (7-0, 6-0 Southeastern Conference) and No.12 Georgia (6-1, 4-1) UF FOOTBALL VS. GEORGIA, 3:30 P.M., CBS Gators seeking to avenge last loss vs. Bulldogs Still upset from the 2011loss to Georgia, Florida hopes to get some payback this time and wrap up the SEC East title in Jacksonville. BY MATT WATTS Miami Herald Writer TURN TO EASLEY General manager Jeff Ireland made the point very clear this offseason: The Dolphins want a coaching staff that develops young players; someone who would take his draft picks and mold them into solid pros. Nine months into Joe tenure, this staff has displayed an ability to help young players improve starting with Ryan Tannehill, but extending well beyond that.

Players deserve lots of the credit, but cornerback Nolan Carroll said this coaching staff is the primary reason for their accelerated growth. day, teaching us something Carroll said. had the coaches in our ears so many times telling us what to look for, helping us with our technique. Now just areaction. no longer thinking on the field.

And anytime you have a new set of eyes coaching us, you learn something Offensively, Philbin said he has had limited involvement in day-today development. Tannehill has been mentored primarily by offensive coordinator Mike Sherman and son-in-law, assistant quarterbacks coach Zac Taylor. With the quarterbacks, Mike on the field and Zac in the film third-string quarterback Pat Devlin said. Sherman is proud of the results: done a good job developing our he said. evident by the fact that throughout minicamp, pre- DOLPHINS TEACHERS: Coach Joe Philbin, left, and offensive coordinator Mike Sherman assess personnel.

JOE RIMKUS HERALD STAFF On-field teaching paying dividends The Dolphins coaching staff is credited with the accelerated development of young players, including Ryan Tannehill and Mike Pouncey. BY BARRY JACKSON TURN TO MiamiHerald.com/ Sports For all the latest Gators news, read Gator Clause with Matt Watts. MiamiHerald.com/ Sports For all the latest Miami Dolphins news, read Dolphins in Depth with Armando Salguero. Next: Dolphins (3-3) at N.Y. Jets (3-4), 1p.m.

Sunday, CBS TANNEHILL MiamiHerald.com/ Sports For all the latest Miami Heat news, read Heat Check with Joseph Goodman. LOOK FOR IT IN MIAMI HERALD: THE 2012 MIAMI HEAT AND NBA PREVIEW SECTION SUNDAY, OCTOBER 28, EDITOR: JORGE.