FanHouse Matt Roth

On Wednesday, Miami Dolphins linebacker Matt Roth returned to practice for the first time since failing a conditioning test on the first day of training camp -- thus ending a strange roller-coaster ride of mysterious illnesses and phantom injuries that lasted almost three months. At least we thought the ride was over.

Roth apparently suffered an ankle injury in his first practice back and will miss Miami's game against New Orleans this Sunday.

Back in August, Roth failed his conditioning test. He failed even though he had signed a statement that every player signs, saying that he was not injured in any way, shape or form.

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DAVIE, Fla. -- When Jason Taylor returned to the Dolphins in May, he agreed to become a third-down, pass rush specialist. Matt Roth was entrenched as Miami's starting strongside linebacker, meaning Taylor would serve as the backup.

But after five practices at the Dolphins' training camp, Roth finds himself playing the role of a spectator while Taylor works as the starter.

Roth has been dealing with a mysterious injury that has the team baffled -- and maybe a little angry. After Miami's first practice on Sunday, Roth told coach Tony Sparano that he had an illness. Roth didn't complete his conditioning drills, and Monday, the team put him on the PUP/non-football illness list.

As the buzzer sounded in Conseco Fieldhouse early Thursday evening, the Indiana Hoosiers had lost to Penn State by a count of 66 to 51. Tom Crean's first season as head basketball coach had mercifully concluded. The Hoosiers will miss the NCAA Tournament for only the third time since A Season on the Brink was published. They will miss any sort of postseason play for the second time since 1977. In fact, this was -- statistically speaking -- the worst team in Indiana basketball history.

The funny thing? I was much more relieved when last season ended, and I guarantee I'm not alone among Indiana alumni.

Because the NFL season never ends, we present our 2009 Offseason Roadmaps for front offices to navigate through the summer

When the New York Jets tossed Chad Pennington aside in favor of Brett Favre, the Miami Dolphins were happy to pick up the 32-year-old veteran and put him under center.

They were rewarded with a quarterback that finished second in the league's MVP voting, as the team completed one of the most improbable one-year turnarounds in NFL history, claiming the AFC East title one year after a forgettable 1-15 season.

Matt Roth must've forgotten Bill Parcells' little introductory speech about "no thugs and hoodlums" on the team when the Dolphins defensive end refused to leave an Iowa bar and eventually landed him in the clink on a public intoxication charge.

The Dolphins are aware of Roth's situation and are "in the process of gathering all of the relevant information." Translation: if Roth is guilty, he could be gone. The former Iowa star and Dolphins second-round pick has pleaded not guilty to the misdemeanor charge. According to the police report:

Roth had "bloodshot, watery eyes" and "moved in a slow and deliberate manner. He had slurred speech and a strong odor of alcohol on or about his person."

Hardly seems like an offense that should get you fired. Whatever, Roth started seven of the first eight games of 2007 before being limited with a groin injury, but didn't have a start in two previous seasons. For his career, he has 7.5 sacks, three forced fumbles and one pass defended.

Assuming Parcells is serious about cleaning things up, Roth could be out. Then again, Miami isn't in the position to just cut everybody and start over. Not unless they can land this guy, who's known for his big-play potential and ability to work well with others (rolls eyes).

In addition to the indignity that goes along with starting the season 0-8, Dolphins players also hear about it from everybody once they leave their day jobs.

'I hear it all the time. Almost every day,'' said cornerback Travis Daniels, who went to high school at Hollywood South Broward and so has more friends, family and general familiarity around South Florida than most Dolphins.

''It's from everybody. They don't consider your feelings. They just get straight up on you,'' Daniels said. Although he admitted, 'Nothing is too cold. Everything's pretty much like, `When are y'all going to win a game? What's the problem?' Stuff like that. Nothing you take to heart.''

Defensive end Matt Roth admits to not leaving the house much, but when he has the occasion so see people he knows, it's invariably met with some form of: "C'mon, man, what's wrong with you guys?!' '' Nice.

Safety Jason Allen gets all philosophical: ''I can't let the next person dictate what I can or can't do...' Well, except for Nick Saban, of course.

Good news, though: today could be the day. The Dolphins host the Bills and this might be their next-to-last chance to eke out a win (Miami hosts the Jets in three weeks). Unfortunately, the Bills are on a three-game winning streak and are in second place in the division, so it might be a bit premature to bust out the bubbly just yet. But that'll make the December 2 Jets matchup all the more intriguing. And by "intriguing" I mean, "positioning yourself for a run at the first-overall pick next April."