CSI - Charlie the Sports Insider

Last night I swung by the Mondrian Hotel on South Beach. Outside by the pool, preparations were under way for the Saturday night Legends Pro Bowl Party. The production team was focusing lights and adjusting the scenery walls as the usual Friday night cocktail party was underway. If you get a chance try one of their caipirinhas - very tasty.

From there we passed the Living Room bar at the W Hotel for a drink and then onto Louis. Louis, which is inside the Gansevoort Hotel South, was filled with sexy twenty-somethings grooving and bouncing to rock remixes and urban pop. Justin Levine, one of the partners, was nice enough to set us up with a table and we drank and took in all the local sights - one by one.

After a few hours and many cocktails we decided to pack it in. Most of the players had gone to Cameo but I just didn’t have the energy to carry on - - especially when I knew I had to be up again at 7:30 a.m. to cover the Pro Bowl Practice. “Practice?” “We’re talking about practice?” Yeah, I guess we are.

Today I overheard a few interviews with the entertaining Chad Ochocinco. He promised that we would once again show off his kicking skills, punting skills and possibly defensive back skills in the Pro Bowl. Make sure you tune in on Sunday. That should be a highlight for sure.

Got a call from Kassim Osgood of the San Diego Chargers last night. He told me that he and his family and the SD crew were heading down to South Beach for some Miami style fun. So I told them to come to the Shore Club for the Groove Cruise Launch Party. We set up shop outside by the pool on a big white bed and had some cocktails. The pool was well lit with ambient lighting and a soft blue glow across the water. The DJ was good, and we mingled with an eclectic crowd of electronic music fans all poised and ready for their four-day, non-stop adventure. From there we passed by Mynt at around midnight but it wasn’t open yet. Weird – what were they waiting for to open? Perhaps the next full moon?

Next, we landed at the new W Hotel South Beach and glided into the Wall -- that’s the mirror-wrapped nightclub inside the hotel for those of you who don’t know. Hip-Hop music and beautiful ladies filled the room - just another Thursday night in South Beach. We settled into a boomerang-shaped VIP sofa near the DJ and ordered a few more drinks. Fellow Pro Bowler Ray Rice stopped by briefly to say hello to Kassim on his way out of the club. As he exited, groups of well-dressed club-goers entered the room. Girls in short dresses and guys with designer button down shirts quickly packed the place.

The music inspired chants and dancing from Kassim’s group and the Wall seemed to come alive. Noise and smiles. Cocktails and photos. It was a real blast! Before I knew it, 3 a.m. had arrived and it was time to call it a night (or at least leave South Beach and head back up North). After all this is only night No. 1 and the Pro Bowl is still three nights away ...

Greetings from Miami - my hometown and home of the 2010 NFL Pro Bowl and Super Bowl 44. This weekend and all next week I will be attending the best NFL parties around town and bringing you a behind-the-scenes look inside the festivities.

Look for my blogs on NFL.com's Blog Blitz and right here at SportsFanLive.com.

In addition to that I will be competing LIVE in Man vs. Food’s Fan Challenge as my sexy teammate and I tackle a TEN POUND CHEESEBURGER. Be sure to turn in Wednesday Feb. 3 at 9 p.m. on the Travel Channel.



Wish me luck,

Charlie