GREG COTE'S RANDOM EVIDENCE BLOG: MIAMI. SPORTS. AND BEYOND.
1) It is WEDNESDAY, May 10. Our new Back In My Day video from the LeBatard Show is entitled 'Bumper Stickers.' Watch it HERE. 2) Chris Bosh is being sued by a porn website. Rat poop is involved. Story here. 3) Know any Dolfans? Thrill them with our new book on club's first half-century, Fins At 50. 4) In The Previous Blogpost (ITPB): Hot Button Top 10, LaVar ball/$495 sneakers with poll, my Heat/Wade column, Colonel Sanders: Super Stud, your verdict on eSports & more. 5) Join us on Twitter @gregcote. Also Facebook, Instagram, Periscope and Snapchat.
Chris Berman's wife dies: Kathy Berman, for 33 years the wife of ESPN icon Chris, died in a car accident Tuesday. Story here. Condolences to the Berman family.
DOLPHINS' POST-DRAFT, PRESEASON BETTING OVER/UNDER ON WINS IS NOT A PRETTY NUMBER: Las Vegas and offshore sports books set odds to reflect what they believe public perception to
be, and so it may now be said: Dolfans might be confident about Miami's coming season, but the rest of America pretty much think the Dolphins will not repeat as a playoff team. As we were the first at MiamiHerald.com to report, via Bovada, the Fins' 2017 victory over/under is 7 1/2 wins, or just under .500 -- not a playoff number. That's a big drop foreseen from last season's 10-6 mark that ended an eight-year playoff drought. Further bad news: The AFC East rival Patriots lead everybody with an O/U of 12 1/2, the highest opening number in almost 10 years, and two full wins better than anyone else. Need a dollop of consolation? The Bills (6 wins) and Jets (5) have even lower over/unders than Miami. Vegas and bettors aren't always right, of course. They have set a starting point of 7 1/2 wins, but what about you? Being realistic, what is a reasonable expectation for number of Dolphins regular-season victories. Take a dip in our poll, vote and check back often to monitor evolving results:
POLL RESULT: LAVAR BALL, $495 SNEAKERS GET SAVAGED: Ouch. We asked what you most hope will be the outcome in the story of LaVar Ball, Lonzo Ball, Big Baller Brand and its $495 sneakers, and 77.1 percent answered, "Failure. Crash and burn." Only 22.9% voted, "Success. I wish them well."
HOT BUTTON DAILY / WED 5-10-17: Up to five events on today's sports calendar that interest SoFla most:
1. NHL playoffs, 7:30 p.m.: Two conference-semis Game 7s with Penguins at Capitals, Oilers at Ducks.
2. St. Louis at Marlins, 7:10 p.m.: Fish end 3-game series in midst of long homestand.
3. NBA playoffs, 8 p.m.: Wizards at Celtics in Game 5 of 2nd-round series tied 2-2.
4. UEFA Champions League, 2:45 p.m.: City rivals Real Madrid vs. Atletico Madrid in 2nd leg of semis.
5. Central Florida at Hurricanes, 7 p.m.: UM baseball needs strong finish for any playoff shot.
Select recent columns: On The Team's Term's, Not His, the latest, on what it would take for a Heat/Dwyane Wade reunion. to read. Not In Our Stadium, on the N-word at Fenway and fans' responsibility. The Kid From Pampa, on why the Dolphin draft's late rounds matter. Right Pick For Right Reasons, on Fins' first-round choice Charles Harris. Home Run For Miami, on Bush/Jeter group reaching agreement to buy Marlins. The Jose Statue's Positive Purpose, on controversy over Marlins' planned Fernandez memorial. An American Tragedy , on suicide of Aaron Hernandez. History Breathes at UM Sports Hall, a tour of a little-known campus gem. Spo's Greatest Challenge -- And Triumph, on this strangest of Heat seasons. Is There A Team Brave Enough for Kaepernick?, on a curiously unemployed QB. Thank You, Mae Riback, as I meet my oldest fan. Also: A Ghost Tour of Miami's Sports Past, The Miracle of Liberty City and Thank You, Edwin Pope.
Revisit our blog often because we update and add to our latest posts throughout the day.
Twitter @gregcote
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