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Miami Herald
16 hours ago
- Sport
- Miami Herald
Greg Cote's Hot Button Top 10: Messi on mend, Fins in PS1, Canes top-10 & more
GREG COTE'S HOT BUTTON TOP 10 (AUGUST 10): WHAT IN SPORTS HAS GRABBED US THIS WEEK: Messi on the mend, Fins open preseason, Canes top-10, Marlins stumble, FedEx Cup, speedboats, Heat heist bust, MLB breaks gender barrier and more! Welcome to the 113th edition of HB10, bringing you what's on our minds from a Miami lens and accentuating stuff that's big, weird, damnable, funny or worth needling as the sports week past pivots to the week ahead: 1. INTER MIAMI: Herons, sans Messi, still sail into Leagues Cup quarters: Miami cashed a 3-1 home win over Pumas to sail into the quarterfinals of the Leagues Cup, the second-year MLS vs. Mexico tournament. Herons did it even with Lionel Messi out nursing a right thigh injury. Coach Javier Mascherano calls Messi's injury 'slight' but he should be seen as iffy to perhaps doubtful as a precaution tonight as Miami resumes MLS play at rival Orlando City. Team wants King Leo ready Aug. 19 for its Leagues Cup knockout-round game inthe quarters, opponent yet unknown. 2. DOLPHINS: Fins enrich team's 'heartbeat' as preseason opens today: First of three exhtibition games for Miami is this/Sunday afternoon in Chicago, after earlier joint pactecs with the Bears. Expect to see little of the most prominent starters, and to glean little of significance from the final outcome. What was meaningful was the Fins enriching defensive tackle Zach Sieler with a 3-year, $64 million extension. Defensive chief Anthony Weaver calls him the 'heartbeat of the defense,' and Miami will need Sieler and the front-seven to be dominant if Miami is to shed its low outside expecations in '25. 3. HURRICANES: UM cracks top-10 in Coaches Poll as opener nears: Miami is No. 10 in the initial Coaches Poll, The U's highest preseason ranking since 2018 -- while Notre Dame is No. 5 as the old rivals prepare to open the season Aug. 31 in Miami. The Canes and new QB Carson Beck play two other Top 25 teams in 16-SMU and 17-Florida. (The Associated Press preseason poll is not yet out.) UM under Mario Cristobal has won three straight season openers since last losing out the gate to No. 1 Alabama in 2021. 4. MARLINS: Can Miami's playoff hopes survive 11-game road trip?: The Marlins were swept in a doubleeader in Atanta on Saturday to fall to 57-60 after an 11-5 run. Fish are now six games back in an uphill chase for an NL wild-card spot as they try to finish above .500. But they must survive the season's longest road trip -- 11 games -- to do it. After playing Atlanta again today Miami is on to Clevland and then Boston. 5. GOLF: Fleetwood leads field in first leg of FedEx Championship: In the biggest assemblage of PGA Tour stars since Happy Gilmore 2, Tommy Fleetwood leads Justin Rose by one stroke and Scottie Scheffler by two entering today's final round of the first leg of the FedEx Championship playoffs in Memphis. The event, in its 19th year, contimues with events in Owings Mills, Md. and Atlanta. The fight for the FedEx Cup is a season-long points competition that ends with three events to crown a champ in what some see as the spirt's fifth major. Scheffler won last year. 6. SPEEDBOATS: Miami readies to host historic electric powerboat race: Miami this November will host the season finale of the E1 World Championship, an all-electric powerboat racing series -- the first event in North America for the fledgling green sport. The race will be run off Virginia Key near the historic Miami Marine Stadium, once the heart of American powerboat racing. Prominent team investors include Miami Grammy winner Marc Anthony, Will Smith and ubiquitous Tom Brady. 7. HEAT: Ex-Miami cop arrested in massive jerseys/merchandise heist: You knew it had to be an inside job. It was. A retired City of Miami police veteran, Marcos Thomas Perez, 62, was arrested and has pleaded not guilty to a federal charge of selling hundreds of stolen Miami Heat game-worn jerseys and other memorabilia valued in the millions to online brokers the past three years. In one transaction it is alleged Perez sold a LeBron James jersey worn in the NBA Finals for about $100,000 and it later sold at auction for $3.7 million. Perez had been a longtime Heat security officer. 8. MLB: Long time coming as baseball unveils first female umpire: Jen Pawol, 48, from New Jersey, became first female ump to work an MLB game in Saturday's Marlins-Braves doubleheader in Atlanta. She'll work home plate today. Pawol had worked spring training games the past two years. My take on this history finally being made? It's about damned time! MLB's awakening comes 28 years after the gender barrier was erased in the NBA and 10 years after it ended in the NFL. Still waiting on the NHL. 9. TENNIS: U.S. Open payday hike sets new standard for sport: The U.S. Open in New York starts Aug. 25 and players have more incentive than ever. Why? $$. Men's and women's champions this year will earn a record $5 million each (a 39 percent increase) from a total purse that tops $90 million (a 20% hike). Reigning champs Jannik Sinner and Aryna Sabalenka are early betting favorites to repeat, Sinner just ahead of Carlos Alcaraz and Sabalenka chased by Iga Swiatek and Coco Gauff. 10. SPORTS BUSINESS: Front Office Sports grew from a U-Miami classroom: Front Office Sports, which has grown just this half-decade into a powerhouse media and news outlet covering the business of sports, was conceived and co-founded by Adam White while a student in the University of Miami's Sports Administration program. 'We started in 2017 as a class project and over the next four years it evolved into a daily news platform,' said White, currently on the FOS directory as Founder/CEO. The driving philosophy (further verified by the preceding item): 'Every sports story is a business story.' THE LIST: MARLINS WINNING SEASONS: The Miami Marlins enter Sunday with a xx-xx record. The only eight times in 33 seasons the Fish have finished above .500: Year Record, Pct. Manager Top player 2023 84-78, .519 Skip Schumaker Jesus Luzardo 2020 31-29, .517 Don Mattingly Brian Anderson 2009 87-75, .537 Fredi Gonzalez Hanley Ramirez 2008 84-77, .522 Fredi Gonzalez Hanley Ramirez 2005 83-79, .512 Jack McKeon Dontrelle Willis 2004 83-79, .512 Jack McKeon Carl Pavano 2003 91-71, .562 McKeon/Jeff Torborg Pudge Rodriguez 1997 92-70, .568 Jim Leyland Kevin Brown Notes: Top player refers to team leader in WAR (wins above replacement). 2020 season was shortened because of pandemic. Won World Series in 2003 and 1997. Other select most recent stuff from me: Asked & answered: Solving 8 biggest questions in Miami sports today // Cowboys owner Jerry Jones still chasing glory -- and attention // Previous HB10 // GCS 282 pod: Golic Jr., #1 Herb reveal // Poll Dance: What Miami team will win championship next? // This one goal for Dolphins and another for Hurricanes will define success or failure in 2025 // Why Miami staunchly remains a Football Town even as Dolphins and Canes disappoint // Strobe lights? Trajekt Arc? How Marlins' trust in youth, player-development is paying off // Jalen Ramsey, now Asante Samuel drama = Dolphins mess at cornerback // Heat getting 3-point ace Powell a pickpocket-win for Riley // Champion Panthers keep revving this summer while Heat stays quiet // Dolphins' gamble on Waller after Ramsey & Smith for Fitzpatrick was net loss // Inter Miami falls to PSG but won big to reach Club World Cup final 16 // Panthers celebrate as 1 of 4 South Florida sports dynasties -- with no end near // Major news on future of Dan Le Batard Show, Meadowlark Media, DraftKings // A tribute to Miami sports legend Jimmy Johnson as he retires from Fox TV // 15 years later, Dolphins Cancer Challenge is the life-saving legacy of Jim Mandich // And my latest podcast:
Miami Herald
03-08-2025
- Sport
- Miami Herald
Greg Cote's Poll Dance: What South Florida team will be next to win championship?
Which of South Florida's Big Six sports teams will be next to win a championship? The Panthers have won two Stanley Cups in a row, but what are the odds of three straight? The Heat last reigned in 2013 and the Marlins in 2003. The Hurricanes last ruled college football in 2001. The Dolphins are way due, having last won it all in 1973. Inter Miami in only its sixth year seeks its first title and has Lionel Messi now. We ran this same poll last August so let's call it an annual gauge. The results a year ago: Panthers 33%, Inter Miami 30%, Hurricanes 19%, Dolphins 13%, Heat 5% and Marlins 1%. One year later, now, if your money were riding on it who would you wager will be next to win its sport's biggest prize? This is not a favorite-team poll. Vote with head not heart. Personally, I'd put the Panthers and Inter Miami on the top tier with Canes football close. The Heat and Marlins (though hot lately) seem further off. The Dolphins, well ... they have the law of averages on their side, at least?! Your turn. Vote as many times as you like or until your fingers ache. And remember: Head, not heart. GREG COTE'S POLL DANCE: Which of South Florida's Big Six sports teams will be next to win a championship? Previous Poll Dance verdict: Canes will out-win Dolphins in '25: We asked, 'Will the Miami Dolphins or Hurricanes win more games this coming season?' You said: Hurricanes 76%, Dolphins 17% and Same number of wins 7%.
Miami Herald
20-07-2025
- Sport
- Miami Herald
Greg Cote's Hot Button Top 10: Dolphins open camp, Marlins & Messi stay hot & more
Note: Hot Button Top 10 and the Poll Dance will be off next Sunday on vacation. Both will return on Sunday, August 3. GREG COTE'S HOT BUTTON TOP 10 (JULY 20): 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 111th edition of your HB10: 1. DOLPHINS: High-pressure season unfurls as training camp begins: The temperature around coach Mike McDaniel is rising as he begins his fourth season, after an 8-9 record last year and a betting over/under of only 7 1/2 wins in '25 as the full squad reports for camp on Tuesday. (First open-to-the-public practice is next Saturday.) Purely speculative at this point, but I predict Miami must make the playoffs -- and likely end the club's embarrassing 25 years without a playoff win -- for McDaniel and general manager Chris Grier to keep their jobs. And so much of that depends on the health and success of QB Tua Tagovailoa entering his sixth NFL season. 2. MARLINS: Fightin' Fish stay hot after All-Star Break: The Marlins are within five games of .500 (46-51) and within 6 1/2 in the NL wild-card race after starting the second half 3-0. Miami has now won four straight overall and is on a 16-6 run entering today's series-ender vs. Kansas City. Sizzlin' Fish then have three more at home vs. San Diego before hitting the road. Might Miami be a buyer before the July 31 trade deadline? The question itself was preposterous before the recent streak. 3. INTER MIAMI: Another Messi braces leads big Herons win: Miami is 12-4 (with five ties) and fifth in the MLS East after Saturday's big 5-1 road win at New York Red Bulls followed a 3-0 Wednesday loss at Cincinnati. Lionel Messi had two more goals -- extraordinarily his sixth brace in the last seven games. The Herons are at home next Saturday in a rematch vs. Cincy before league schedule pauses for Leagues Cup play starting July 30 in Fort Lauderdale vs. Mexican side Atlas. 4. HURRICANES: UM preseason launches with ACC Football Kickoff: ACC Football Kickoff (a.k.a. annual Media Days) is this Tuesday through Thursday in Charlotte, N.C., with Canes training camp to soon follow. Mario Cristobal drew an early Tuesday slot and will be the second of 17 head coaches to speak. Meantime the Walter Camp Preseason All-America first team includes two Canes: offensive lineman Francis Mauigoa and kick returner Keelan Marion. Miami, off a 10-3 season and narrowly missing the 12-team playoff, debuts at home Aug. 31 in a marquee season opener vs. Notre Dame. 5. GOLF: Scheffler in command, chasing 4th major at British Open: World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler, the pre-tournament betting favorite ahead of Rory McIlroy, owns a big 4-shot lead entering Sunday's final round of the British Open in Portrush, Northern Ireland. Scheffler is chasing his fourth major win after two Masters triumphs and the PGA Championship trophy earlier this year. He recently said, 'I'm not out here to inspire someone to be the best player in the world, because, what's the point? This is not a fulfilling life.' Please. C'mon, Scott. If you aren't fulfilled dominating your profession as crowds cheer and money rolls in, that's on you. 6. SOCCER: England, Spain lead mammoth semis in Women's Euro '25: The 14th iteration of the UEFA women's European Championships is down to the semifinals in Switzerland: Reigning champ England vs. Italy and Spain vs. Germany. The championship match is next Sunday. England won its first crown in '22 on home turf. Italy is a two-time runnerup. Betting favorite Spain is in its first Euro final. Germany is a record eight-time champion but not won since 2013. 7. COLLEGE FOOTBALL: Stirring the pot on Saban return ... to Dolphins?: Former Alabama quarterback Greg McElroy, in an interview with ESPN's Paul Finebaum during SEC media days, said 'somebody notable' whom he has 'lots of respect for' told him Nick Saban isn't done coaching. The legend stepped down after the '24 season and replacement Kalen DeBoer went a disappointing 9-4 in his first year. Asked, DeBoer said politely, 'Well, he's one of the greatest to ever do it, and so he's earned the right to do what he wants.' Finebaum suggested Nick Saban 'go down to Miami, shake that system up' by returning to the Dolphins, who he coached in 2005-06. For what it's worth, Saban's daughter said on Instagram that Dad's not coming back. 8. HEAT: Miami misses NBA Summer League playoffs: Heat's kiddie corps finished a blah 2-3 in main NBA Summer League in Las Vegas, though ending with a one-point win over Milwaukee led by Vladislav Goldin's 18 points, 10 rebounds and four blocks in 22 minutes. From a four-team playoffs it's Sacramento vs. Charlotte Sunday night in an unlikely final for the Summer crown ... but does it matter? Anyone recall the Heat won the 2024 Summer League title? Probably not. Did it foretell a big season for Miami? Um, no. 9. WNBA: Caitlin's injury deflates All-Star Weekend: The WNBA All-Star Game in Indianapolis went on Saturday night with Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark a cheerleader in street clothes because of a groin injury -- a massive letdown. Such is the impact of the league's most popular star. Clark has missed 10 of the Fever's 23 games with various injuries. Clark and Napheesa Collier were All-Star team captains; Team Collier won 151-131 in a defensive struggle (!) led by Napheesa's 36 points. In other news, WNBA star rookie Paige Bueckers confirmed she is dating former UConn teammate Azzi Fudd. So there. 10. MEDIA: ESPYs fail to honor double-champ Panthers: No shock or issue with U.S. gymnast Simone Biles and NBA star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander winning best female and male athlete at the latest annual ESPY Awards. And South Florida's Coco Gauff winning best tennis player was a nice surprise. But 'best team' to the Philadelphia Eagles? After the Florida Panthers won a second straight Stanley Cup? Plain football bias by voting fans and the erstwhile Worldwide Leader in Sports. THE LIST: DOLPHINS & CANES' SHARED 10-WIN SEASONS: As 2025 training camps are set to begin, only eight times in their shared 59-year history -- and not for more than 20 years -- have the Miami Dolphins and UM Hurricanes both won at least 10 games the same season: Year Dolphins and Canes Head coaches 2003 10-6 and 11-2 Wannstedt, Coker 2001 11-5 and 12-0 Wannstedt, Coker 2000 11-5 and 11-1 Wannstedt, Davis 1994 10-6 and 10-2 Shula, Erickson 1992 11-5 and 11-1 Shula, Erickson 1990 12-4 and 10-2 Shula, Erickson 1985 12-4 and 10-2 Shula, Johnson 1983 12-4 ans 11-1 Shula, Schnellenberger Note: Dolphins have had 24 10-win seasons in 59 years; Canes have had 16 in 88 seasons. The longest streaks of double-digits wins have been six by the Fins (1970-75) and eight by UM (1985-92). Other select most recent stuff from me: Why Miami staunchly remains a Football Town even as Dolphins and Canes disappoint // Strobe lights? Trajekt Arc? How Marlins' trust in youth, player-development is paying off // Previous HB10 // Jalen Ramsey, now Asante Samuel drama = Dolphins mess at cornerback // Heat getting 3-point ace Powell a pickpocket-win for Riley // Champion Panthers keep revving this summer while Heat stays quiet // Dolphins' gamble on Waller after Ramsey & Smith for Fitzpatrick was net loss // Inter Miami falls to PSG but won big to reach Club World Cup final 16 // Poll Dance: Pat Riley // Panthers celebrate as 1 of 4 South Florida sports dynasties -- with no end near // Champions! Panthers crush Edmonton, McDavid, make history with 2nd straight Stanley Cup // Stanley Cup preview: On Connor 'McOverrated,' dream Cup rematch, Panthers as face of changed NHL // Major news on future of Dan Le Batard Show, Meadowlark Media, DraftKings // Giannis? Durant? Embarrassed Heat need major help after 55-point loss and playoff sweep // Miami Dolphins should be fed up with Tyreek Hill, but team is too desperate to trade him // 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 // 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 // And my latest podcast:
Miami Herald
22-06-2025
- Sport
- Miami Herald
Greg Cote's Hot Button Top 10: Panthers celebrate, Messi rises, NBA Game 7 & more
GREG COTE'S HOT BUTTON TOP 10 (JUNE 22): 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 108th edition of your HB10: 1. PANTHERS: Lord Stanley sunning on the beach; Bennett says he's staying: Rain is expected but the Florida Panthers again are celebrating a championship with particular South Florida style -- with a day the beach. So they'll be back on stage on the sands off the Atlantic Ocean for a second straight year today, after a parade down A1A in Fort Lauderdale. Thutsday night at Miami nightclub E11even, pending free agent and Conn Smythe winner Sam Bennett told a cheering crowd, 'I ain't [bleepin'] leaving!' Fourth straight great season, third straight Stanley Cup Final, second straight championship. That's a dynasty, or close enough for a toast. 2. INTER MIAMI: Messi leads rise in FIFA Club World Cup with win over Porto: Lionel Messi cashed a trademark left-footed free kick into the upper right corner Thursday to lead a 2-1 victory over Portugal's Porto FC in Atlanta -- a needed three points after an opening 0-0 draw with Egypt's Al Ahly. Messi's 50 goal for Inter Miami in 63 matches across all competitions made Herons the first MLS club to beat a top-tier European opponent in an official competition. Miami faces Brazil's Palmeiras in a final group-stage match Monday and will advance to the round of 16 with a win or a draw, or even with a loss if Porto and Al Ahly tie. 3. NBA: Indiana roars back big, forces Sunday Finals Game 7 in OKC: Pacers led by as many as 31 Thursday night in a 108-91 rout of Thunder that forces a Finals Game 7 -- the NBA's first since 2016 and only the fifth this century -- Sunday night in Oklahoma City. Indy had nobody top 20 points but was ferocious on D, holding Thunder to 8-for-30 on 3's. But the Thunder is 18-2 this season and playoffs following a loss. The nontraditional small-market Finals has been a low ratings draw so far but expectation is Game 7 will lift the average to respectability. [Quick aside: Indiana's playoffs T-shirt slogan -- Yes 'cers -- is pretty awful.] 4. HURRICANES: Miami being sued for tampering to get football transfer: University of Wisconsin has filed a lawsuit alleging Miami Hurricanes football broke the law by tampering with a Badgers player -- a groundbreaking legal shot at enforcing the financial contract between player and school. The suit refers to 'Student Athlete A' but reports are it involves the offseason transfer of freshman defensive back Xavier Lucas, who renolled at UM in January after saying Wisconsin refused to add his name in the transfer portal. Suit claims a Miami staff member and a prominent alumnus met with Lucas and his family and offered him money to transfer. 5. SOCCER: U.S. men calm doubts, sail into Gold Cup knockout quarters: The USMNT and coach Mauricio Pochettino were under fire with five straight losses in the runup to the CONCACAF Gold Cup tournament, but advanced to the quarterfinals Thursday with a 1-0 win over Saudi Arabia that followed a 5-0 spank of Trinidad & Tobago. [The Saudis were neither from North or Central America or the Caribbean when last I checked a map but are guests of CONCACAF.] The Americans face Haiti in a meaningless group-stage match Sunday before awaiting their yet-unknown quarters foe. 6. POLITICS: U.S. immigration crackdown seeping into sports: We have seen it during games in the FIFA Club World Cup including at Miami's Hard Rock Stadium, with a presence by U.S. Immigration & Customs Enforcement (ICE) there lloking for undocumented immigrants. Now, federal agents with the Department of Homeland Security set up outside Dodger Stadium this week, sparking outrage on social media and more protests against immigration enforcement in L.A. The Dodgers say they denied the feds access to the stadium's parking lot. 7. DOLPHINS: Ready or not, football's near as Fins set camp dates: Players will report July 22 for start of full preseason training camp, with the first of 10 open-to-the-public practices on July 26. Miami will have joint practices with their three preseason foes prior to those games Aug. 10 at Chicago, Aug. 16 at Detroit and home Aug. 23 vs. Jacksonville, with Fins' NFL regular season opening Sept. 7 in Indianapolis. Off an 8-9 season, '25 ushers in a year of possible win-or-out pressure on coach Mike McDaniel and GM Chris Grier, and the latest chance for QB Tua Tagovailoa to try to stay healthy. 8. COLLEGE BASEBALL: It's LSU-Coastal Carolina in CWS in Omaha: LSU won 1-0 Saturday behind Kade Anderson's gem to open the best-of-3 men's College World Series championship series in Omaha. Coastal Carolina had prior won 26 straight games. Game 2 is today/Sunday and Game 3, if needed, is Monday. LSU is playing for its second national championship in three years. Careful casting Coastal Carolina as a Cinderella. The Chanticleers were national champs in 2016. (Google the word 'chanticleer.' I did, and was more confused than ever.) 9. MARLINS: Shutout loss dampens Miami's warm(ish) streak: Marlins are a dispiriting 30-45 on the season but had won six of previous 10 games before Saturday's 7-0 home loss to Atlanta, whom they face again today. Can Fish leap Washington and escape the NL East cellar? You take the bright spots where you find them ... like manager Clayton McCullough being named by the Dodgers' Dave Roberts to his coaching staff for the upcoming All-Star Game. 10. NFL: Time to wonder ... does football even need cheerleaders?: In the second season of the Netflix series, 'America's Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders,' it is revealed the women will be getting a 400 percent rise, after a previous hike to $400 per game. For me, cheerleading, like beauty pageants, is a rather antiquated throwback. Almost quaint. It leads one to wonder if NFL teams benefit from cheerleader squads. I have never met a sports fans who was not adept at cheering and needed leading in that category. Almost a quarter of teams, seven of 32, presently do not have cheerleaders. Trend? THE LIST: South Florida's major sports champions: A timeline of the 14 times South Florida has celebrated a championship in the traditional Big 4 American pro leagues and major college football: Year Team How title was won 1972 Miami Dolphins d. Washington, 14-7, in Super Bowl 1973 Miami Dolphins d. Minnesota, 24-7, in Super Bowl 1983 Miami Hurricanes d. Nebraska, 31-30, in Orange Bowl 1987 Miami Hurricanes d. Oklahoma, 20-14, in Orange Bowl 1989 Miami Hurricanes d. Alabama, 33-25, in Sugar Bowl 1991 Miami Hurricanes d. Nebraska, 22-0, in Orange Bowl 1997 Florida Marlins d. Cleveland, 4-3, in World Series 2001 Miami Hurricanes d. Nebraska, 37-24, in Rose Bowl 2003 Florida Marlins d. N.Y. Yankees, 4-2, in World Series 2006 Miami Heat d. Dallas, 4-2, in NBA Finals 2012 Miami Heat d. Oklahoma City, 4-1, in NBA Finals 2013 Miami Heat d. San Antonio, 4-3, in NBA Finals 2024 Florida Panthers d. Edmonton, 4-3, in Stanley Cup Final 2025 Florida Panthers d. Edmonton, 4-2, in Stanley Cup Final Other select most recent stuff from me: Champions! Panthers crush Edmonton, McDavid, make history with 2nd straight Stanley Cup // Poll Dance: Panthers playoff MVP // Panthers one win from repeat Stanley Cup as Marchand shines again for 3-2 series lead // Panthers blow lead, command of Final as Edmonton's 5-4 OT win ties series // Panthers crush Edmonton 6-1 for 2-1 Final lead. Is McDavid's dream slipping? // Previous HB 10 // 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 // 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 // Miami Dolphins should be fed up with Tyreek Hill, but team is too desperate to trade him // 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 // 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 // And my latest podcast:
Miami Herald
15-06-2025
- Sport
- Miami Herald
Greg Cote's Hot Button Top 10: Panthers 1 win away, Messi tie, U.S. Open, Durant, Fins culture-reboot
GREG COTE'S HOT BUTTON TOP 10 (JUNE 15): WHAT IN SPORTS HAS GRABBED US THIS WEEK: Happy Father's Day my fellow padres! 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 107th edition of your HB10: 1. PANTHERS: Marchand lifts Cats one win from second straight Stanley Cup: Brad Marchand's two goals sparked Saturday night's 5-2 Game 5 win in Edmonton for a 3-2 series lead in the Stanley Cup Final -- and a chance to win the Cup on home ice Tuesday night ... or face a Game 7 in Edmonton. Marchand became the first Marchand player in NHL history to score at least five goals in two separate Stanley Cup Finals with two different teams. He also scred five goals in seven games for Boston in 2011 to beat Vancouver. Asked what the 2011 Marchand would think of this Marchand still doing it at 37, he said, 'Man, that guy's good-looking. That'd probably be it. Sometimes you get bounces, sometimes you don't.' 2. INTER MIAMI: Team Messi settles for tie as FIFA Club World Cup begins: Inter Miami and Lionel Messi settled for a 0-0 draw with Egyptian power Al Ahly on Saturday night, with goalkeeper Oscar Ustari saving Miami from an embarrassing defeat. A near-sellout crowd of just over 60,000 filled Hard Rock Stadium as thousands of tickets were sold cheap to pad attendance amid fears of U.S. Immigration and Customs (ICE) presence at games and threat of arrests of immigrant fans Up next in Cup group play, Inter Miami will m set to take on Portugal's Porto FC in Atlanta this coming Thursday afternoon. 3. GOLF: OAKMONT WINNING U.S. OPEN AS PLAYERS STRUGGLE: Sam Burns at 4 under par leads J.J. Spaun and Adam Scott by one shot each entering Sunday's final round of a U.S. open in which only four golfers have beaten par on the difficult Oakmont course in western Pennsylvania. Burns and Spaun are after their first career major win. Scott won the 2013 Masters but has not won a major since. Pre-tournament betting favorite Scottie Scheffler is tied for 11th at plus 4, eight shots back. Sunday miracle, anyone? 4. NBA: Indy Thunder-struck by SGA; OKC back in Finals command: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander bucketed 35 points to lift the Oklahoma City Thunder into a 2-2 NBA Finals tie with the Indiana Pacers. OKC, favored going in, now seems back in control, with Game 5 Monday night and a Game 7, if needed, both in the Sooner State. Thunder is now a clear Finals fave at -590 via FanDuel and -450 at DraftKings. Both have SGA out front as Finals MVP. 5. SOCCER: 1 year 'til World Cup, woes mount for U.S., Pochettino: One-year countdown is on for '26 FIFA World Cup being hosted by U.S., Canada and Mexico. Team USA is in automatically as host, but USMNT is mired in four-game losing streak under new coach Mauricio Pochettino and was booed off the field in Nashville after a 4-0 friendly loss to Switzerland in a last tuneup for the CONCACAF Gold Cup, which is underway at 12 U.S. stadiums and in Vancouver. Desperate for a good show, U.S. opens today (Sunday evening) vs. Trinidad & Tobago -- but sans several stars including Christian Pulisic who are regrettably not competing in the Gold Cup. Pulisic was blistered for a recent social media post that said, 'Just what the doctor ordered' as he enjoyed a family vacation. 6. HEAT: Will fourth time be a charm for Miami and Durant?: Pat Riley has tried (and tried, and tried) to acquire Kevin Durant over the years, and try No. 4 may be in works as rebuilding Phoenix shops its aging superstar. Durant turns 37 in September but averaged 26.6 points this season in a LeBron-esque defiance of time. And ESPN reported Saturday night that K.D.'s preferred trade destinations are Miami, San Antonio and Houston, the order not given. The Spurs are the betting favorite to land him. 7. DOLPHINS: Fins tout new and improved 'culture' as offseason wraps: Miami's three-day minicamp this past week put a bow on offseason work, now the countdown begins to the start of full preseason training camp expected the week of July 21. Coach Mike McDaniel's minicamp messaging hit hard on the notion of a new and improved Dolphins 'culture' ... a de facto admission that said culture had eroded across his first three seasons in charge. 8. NFL: Latest trouble in the troubled life of Antonio Brown: A too-long list of legal, domestic and financial issues dogged Miami-born former star receiver Antonio Brown in an NFL career that ended in 2021. Now, nearing his 37th birthday, Brown faces his biggest trouble yet. Miami police have issued a warrant for his arrest on a charge of second-degree attempted murder with a firearm after a May shooting at a celebrity boxing event. Brown reportedly is out of the country in the Asia or the Middle East. Videos posted on social media appear to show Brown being jumped by trying to steal his jewelry. Stay tuned. 9. WNBA: Caitlin does Caitlin things in return from injury: Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark returned from a five-game injury absence Saturday with 32 points, 9 assists and 8 rebounds in a 102-88 win over the previously-unbeaten New York Liberty. She hit seven 3's. Clark had not played since May 24 as her team (and TV ratings) sagged without her. 'Don't we always expect that kind of game from Caitlin?' said Indiana coach Stephanie White. 'I knew her adrenaline was going to be high to start. She's been itching to get back out there.' 10. MARLINS: Fish en fuego, seek season-long win streak!: Low-spending Miami is on a two-game win streak to hoist the season record to 27-41 entering today's game at Washington before returning home for seven vs. the NL East rival Phillies and Braves The Marlins' only better streak all season was a three-game run April 20-22. Let's make a deal: If Fish win a third straight today, they return home to a less-than-pitiful crowd. Let's go! THE LIST: GOLFERS WITH MOST U.S. OPEN WINS: Twenty-three men have won multiple U.S. Open titles. The only six with three or more crowns: No. Player Years won 4 Willie Anderson 1901, 1903, 1904, 1905 4 Bobby Jones 1923, 1926, 1929, 1930 4 Ben Hogan 1948, 1950, 1951, 1953 4 Jack Nicklaus 1962, 1967, 1972, 1980 3 Hale Irwin 1974, 1979, 1990 3 Tiger Woods 2000, 2002, 2008 Note: Two-time winners in this week's U.S. Open field were Brooks Koepka (2017, 2018) and Bryson DeChambeau (2020, 2024). Koepka is nine shots back entering Sunday. DeChambeau missed the cut. Other select most recent stuff from me: Panthers one win from repeat Stanley Cup as Marchand shines again or 3-2 series lead // Panthers blow lead, command of Final as Edmonton's 5-4 OT win ties series // Panthers crush Edmonton 6-1 for 2-1 Final lead. Is McDavid's dream slipping? // Previous HB 10 // Poll Dance: Favorite South Florida team // 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 // 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 // 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 // And my latest podcast:
