In case you missed it, here were the top sports stories from FOX Sports Florida from Wednesday, Oct. 16:
* Interested in knowing what made Dwyane Wade a three-time NBA champion? You'll soon be able to see first-hand in a video entitled "D. Wade's Journey to 3," which gives an inside look at Wade's journey to the Miami Heat's championship last season. The film will be released on Oct. 21 but a trailer can be viewed at dwyanewade.com. Read More
* Goaltender Tim Thomas is expected to return to the Florida Panthers lineup in time to face his former team, the Boston Bruins, the team announced. Read More
* A problematic penalty kill? Oh sure, the Tampa Bay Lightning had talked about it, dissected it, and they were ready to put this quibble to bed. The Lightning knew it was a weakness but now captain Marty St. Louis says it has improved. Read More
* Guard Carl Nicks, dealing with a MRSA-infected left foot, underwent surgery Tuesday to try to improve the condition, Tampa Bay Buccaneers coach Greg Schiano said Wednesday. A timetable for the two-time Pro Bowl player's return is unknown. Read More
* The Miami Dolphins returned to work this week to get ready for the season's first AFC East game. The Dolphins will be the last team in the conference to play a division opponent when they face the Buffalo Bills at Sun Life Stadium on Sunday. Read More
* Reserve Manny Harris led the Magic with 17 points on 8 of 16 shooting in 23 minutes but Orlando fell 108-104 in a preseason game at Houston. Read More
* Is FSU’s showdown with Clemson the best game in ACC history. Take a look back at the games that involved two ACC teams ranked in the top 10. Read More
* Miami and Florida State will have a long way to go if they want to return to the top of the ACC basketball standings this season. The Hurricanes, the defending ACC champions but a team that will feature a completely new starting five, were picked to finish 12th. Florida State, which returns four starters but loses sharpshooter Michael Snaer, was picked to place ninth. The Seminoles won the first ACC title in program history in 2011-12. Read More
* Kentucky was picked to win the SEC in the league’s preseason predicted order of finish, but Florida, the only league team to survive the first weekend of the NCAA tournament, was chosen second. Read More
* The 10th-ranked Hurricanes (5-0, 1-0 ACC) debut their highest ranking since 2009 on Thursday night in Chapel Hill, N.C., when they visit a North Carolina team that has floundered in Larry Fedora's second season. The Hurricanes are one of three unbeatens in the ACC. No other conference has more than two -- and are trying for their first 6-0 start since the 2004 team also won its first six games in its first year in the conference. Read More
* Justin Blackmon has been arrested, criticized, suspended and vilified during his two seasons in the NFL. Maybe he was long overdue for something positive. Coming off a four-game suspension for violating the league's substance-abuse policy, Blackmon has been the best receiver in the league over the last two weeks. Read More
* The Jacksonville Jaguars are down four receivers, including starters Justin Blackmon and Cecil Shorts III, at practice on Wednesday. Read More
* The Chicago White Sox have acquired two minor league players and cash from Tampa Bay to complete the deal that sent reliever Jesse Crain to the Rays in July. The White Sox said Wednesday they acquired left-handed pitching prospect Sean Bierman and infielder Ben Kline, who both played at Class A this season. Read More
* South Florida was picked to finish eighth and Central Florida ninth in the AAC preseason predicted order of finish on Wednesday. Read More
