Greg Cote's Hot Button Top 10: Marchand Miracle rescues Cats, NBA, Coco, death of amateurism & more
GREG COTE'S HOT BUTTON TOP 10 (JUNE 8): WHAT IN SPORTS HAS GRABBED US THIS WEEK: Our Sunday Hot Button Top 10 notes column brings you what's on our minds, locally and nationally but from a Miami perspective and accentuating stuff that's big, weird, damnable, funny or otherwise worth needling as the sports week just past pivots to the week ahead. Welcome to the 106th edition of your HB10:
1. PANTHERS: Marchand Miracle lifts Cats in double-OT, ties Stanley Cup: Florida trailed twice in Game 2 Friday night and was at grave risk of going down 2-0 to Edmonton in the Stanley Cup Final -- a hole that has buried 91 percent of teams in SCF history. But Brad Marchand rescued the Panthers with the Marchand Miracle, a goal in the second overtime for a 5-4 road win and 1-1 series heading back to South Florida for Game 3 Monday night. Two OT games to begin promise a crazy-good series likely to go the distance as the Cats claw for a repeat-championships and the Oilers fight for that club's first title since 1990 and the first-ever to heal what's missing on Connor McDavid's otherwise impeccable resume'.
2. NBA: Thrilling upset launches unconventional Finals: Oklahoma City and Indiana both chasing their first NBA championship made for a dubious national ratings sell, and the Knicks' sudden firing of coach Tom Thibodeau glommed attention as the Finals began. But Game 1 had to be a spike on interest as Pacers rallied for a 111-110 road upset over Thunder on Tyrese Haliburton's last-second jumper. League MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander rained 38 in the loss as Pacers overcame 24 turnovers. Game 2 is Sunday/tonight back in OKC in a Finals that suddenly seems must-watch.
3. TENNIS: Coco Gauff wins French Open! Another 1-2 final today: Heavyweight championship weekend at the French Open with Nos. 1 vs. 2 finals for both the women and men. Saturday, No. 2 Coco Gauff of Delray Beach (90 minutes north of Miami) beat top-seed Aryna Sabalenka, 6-7, 6-2, 6-4, for Gauff's second career major at just age 21. Next Serena? Promising start. (Gauff en route to the crown in Paris had beaten French Cinderella Lois Boisson in the semis after earlier defeating Marie Bouzkova, girlfriend of Panthers star Aleksander Barkov.) In Sunday's men's final top-seed Cheatin' Jannik Sinner faces number two Carlos Alcaraz.
4. MONEY: Colleges directly paying athletes an historic breakthrough: Beginning on July 1 Division I schools may start directly paying players in all sports -- a first in NCAA history. It is the result of a federal judge approving a House vs. NCAA settlement that had been debated for several months. It means all athletes, but let by football and basketball, may now partake of billions of dollars in broadcast revenue and other money streams. The decision will means scholarship/roster limits and tighter on Name, Image and Likeness deals. Bottom line: Amateurism in the NCAA has died. College players are now professional athletes.
5. HORSES: Sovereignty is king(ish), wins Triple Crown double: Thoroughbred racing's Triple Crown season ended Saturday with Sovereignty beating Journalism, just as in the Kentucky Derby. Journalism had won the Preakness Stakes, so either horse could claim the 'Double Crown' in the Belmont. Sovereignty did with an impressive late sprint. (Suggestion: Derby winners must commit to the Preakness so Triple Crown hopes are not so immediately dashed.)
6. INTER MIAMI: Beckham gets knighted; ticket sales lag for FIFA Club World Cup: Inter Miami part-owner David Beckham will earn knighthood next week in Britain and be Sir David, with wife Victoria's title Lady. (Her option was Dame. Good choice, Vic.) In less happy news, FIFA continues to lower ticket prices over fears its 2025 Club World Cup could open to half-empty Hard Rock Stadium as it starts June 14 with Miami and Lionel Messi facing Egypt's Al Ahly. HRS is one of 12 U.S. host stadiums and will see eight matches including Real Madrid June 18, Bayern Munich June 20 and two round-of-16 games. Real Madrid, Man City and Champions League winner Paris Saint-Germain are CWC betting favorites, with Inter Miami a middling 19th of 32 clubs. Meantime Messi is only MLS player on ESPN's latest FC 100 list of world's best players, selected eighth among 20 wingers despite turning 38 this month.
7. DOLPHINS: Questions linger as Miami wraps offseason with minicamp Dolphins end two months of offseason work with a mandatory minicamp this Tuesday through Thursday, club's last on-field activity until late-July start of full training camp. OT Terron Armstead's expected retirement became official but questions linger over when and to whom CB Jalen Ramsey likely will be traded, and whether team will give TE Jonnu Smith more money or trade him, too. Miami's '25 NFL season -- playoffs-or-out for coach Mike McDaniel and GM Chris Grier, it says here -- begins Sept. 7 at the Colts.
8. CANES BASEBALL: UM one win from return to College World Series: The Miami Hurricanes making the annual College World Series in Omaha was a near-annual occurrence for decades, until a recent program downturn. Now the Canes are one win from returning to the CWS for the first time since 2016 as four-time national champion UM has had a faith-restoring season under coach J.D. Arteaga. Sunday's rubber game of a three-game Super Regional vs. host Louisville will determine who goes to Omaha.
9. MARLINS: Getting swept by sub-sad Colorado defines Fish season: Swept at home by a Rockies team hurtling toward historic awfulness will define this season for the low-spending, no-shot Miami Marlins. Fish are now 24-38 in the midst of a season-long nine-game road trip. With all-star voting underway, Marlins outfielder Kyle Stowers has the best shot to rep Miami if voters are feeling charitable or looking for a token Fish.
10. NFL: Rodgers decides his fizzling career will end in Pittsburgh: The ghost of Aaron Rodgers, 41, will sign with the Pittsburgh Steelers (assuming he passes a physical) and says he'll be at team's mini-camp this week. The not-unexpected news sets up a season opener vs. his most recent former team, the New York Jets. Rodgers was as desperate to not retire as the Steelers were for a proven QB. Pittsburgh let Russell Wilson and Justin Fields leave as free agents and had only Mason Rudolph left. Rodgers' is a one-year deal, so expect more will-he-retire drama next spring.
THE LIST: FIFA CLUB WORLD CUP FAVORITES: Betting odds as of Saturday via FanDuel for favorites in the 32-team tournament opening next Saturday at Miami's Hard Rock Stadium:
Club (Country) Odds
Real Madrid (Spain) +410
Manchester City (England) +500
Paris Saint-Germain (France) +500
Bayern Munich (Germany) +700
Chelsea (England) +1000
Atletico Madrid (Spain) +1500
Inter Milan (Italy) +1500
Note: MLS side Inter Miami is tied for 19th favorite to win at +6000.
Other select most recent stuff from me: Hated to hero: Marchand's Panthers goal in second OT beats Edmonton 5-4, ties Stanley Cup Final // Road magic fails Panthers in 4-3 OT loss to open Stanley Cup Final rematch // Stanley Cup preview: On Connor 'McOverrated,' dream Cup rematch, Panthers as face of changed NHL // Previous HB10 // Poll Dance: Who wins Panthers-Oilers Final // Florida Panthers oust Carolina in five, reach 3rd straight Stanley Cup Final // Major news on future of Dan Le Batard Show, Meadowlark Media, DraftKings // Game 7 magic as Panthers rout Toronto 6-2, reach 3rd straight East finals // Panthers' 4-1 ouster of Tampa declares intent, and ability, to repeat as champs // Giannis? Durant? Embarrassed Heat need major help after 55-point loss and playoff sweep // NFL Draft Live! Pick-by-pick analysis, Cote vs. Kiper mock results // Our 34th annual Official Herald NFL Mock Draft // Miami Dolphins should be fed up with Tyreek Hill, but team is too desperate to trade him // LeBron vs. Michael, now Ovechkin-Gretzky. Our obsession with ranking greatness // NCAAs crescendo with exciting Final Fours, but college basketball is broken. Let's fix it // To owner Bruce Sherman of low-hope Marlins: Spend more on payroll, or sell team // Dolphins' 18-month decline, quiet offseason heap pressure on Tua, coach, GM in '25 // A tribute to Miami sports legend Jimmy Johnson as he retires from Fox TV // Must-win MLS season for Messi, Inter Miami a tough climb, as opening 2-2 home draw shows // 15 years later, Dolphins Cancer Challenge is the life-saving legacy of Jim Mandich // Unprofessional Jimmy Butler quit on Heat, ruined his legacy in Miami // Our Top 10 biggest Miami/South Florida sports stories of 2024 // And my latest podcast:
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