GREG COTE'S RANDOM EVIDENCE BLOG: MIAMI. SPORTS. AND BEYOND.
1) It's SATURDAY, JULY 1. Happy new month, all! 2) Allstate's annual survey of America's Best Drivers hails Kansas City, Kansas as No. 1, with Miami coming in 123rd. Woooo! Chant: "We're No. 123!" Click here for full list. 3) Know any Dolfans? Surprise them with our book on club's first half-century. Learn more or order at Fins At 50. 4) In The Previous Blogpost (ITPB): Serena vs. McEnroe with poll, latest disrespect of Dolphins, ultimate Dolfan wears helmet in wedding & more. 5) Join us on Twitter @gregcote. Also Facebook, Instagram, Periscope and Snapchat.
My new Heat free agency column: Click on Riley Must Beat Ainge to Get to LeBron for my latest Heat column. Click on Riley Must Land Hayward Or Griffin to Keep Pace for an earlier column previewing free agency.
FREE AGENCY PREVIEW: HEAT NEED HAYWARD TO KEEP PACE IN NEW-ERA NBA: Gordon Hayward. That's it now. With Blake Griffin agreeing on Friday to re-sign and stay with the L.A. Clippers, Hayward clearly is the all-or-nothing target for Miami as free agency begins today. Those were the two most prominent FA's on Miami's radar, now it's down to one. Now Pat Riley and the Heat, who coveted both, must land Hayward to call this summer a success and have Miami keep pace in the new-era NBA, where stars align. Worthy of note: Miami's biggest rival for Hayward is Boston, making this the latest personal duel in the long and bitter rivalry between Riley and his Celtics counterpart, Danny Ainge. These men plainly don't like each other. They were warring rivals as players, as coaches and now as executives. And only one can gloatingly triumph for Hayward's services. How easily we recall the most recent public exchange, in 2013, when Ainge blasted LeBron James complaining about officiating and Riley famously shot back: "Danny Ainge needs to shut the f--- up and manage his own team. He was the biggest whiner going when he was playing, and I know that because I coached against him." Ainge stood his ground, firing back, "I don't care about Pat Riley. He can say whatever he wants. I don't want to mess up his Armani suits and all that hair goop." I think Hayward is the bigger prize than Griffin was, although I'd call them closer to even if I were assured Griffin's health issues (including a lingering toe problem) were in the past. But my point is that Riley had better get one of them -- now Hayward. Miami cannot stand pat, even with a team that went 30-11 in the season's second half. You agreed Hayward is the better catch, by the poll results below.
POLL RESULT: IT WAS HAYWARD OVER GRIFFIN IN A LANDSLIDE: We asked, "Which of the two main free agents of most interest to the Heat would you rather see Miami sign?" When we closed the voting after Griff re-signed with the Clippers, it was 83.1 percent for Gordon Hayward and only 16.9% for Blake Griffin.
POLL RESULT: MORE SUPPORT FOR SERENA THAN FOR MCENROE: We asked, "Is it fair to diminish Serena Williams' accomplishments (or any woman's in sports) by placing it in the context of how she might not beat a man?" And your vote was 52.9 percent "no" (not fair), 38.6% "yes" (fair), and 8.5% "not sure."
HOT BUTTON DAILY: SAT 7-1-17: Today's sports events of most interest in SoFla:
1. NBA free agency, ongoing: Began this past midnight for Heat, others.
2. Marlins at Milwaukee, 4:10 p.m.: Second game of 10-game road trip.
3. Heat summer league, 11 a.m.: Miami vs Hornets in Orlando summer debut.
4. U.S. Swimming, 1 p.m.: National championships wrap up in Indy.
5. Pacquiao fight, 10 p.m.: Manny vs. Jeff Horn in Brisbane, Australia.
Select other recent columns: Bam Is Due Benefit Of Doubt: Heat surprisingly drafting Bam Adebayo No. 1. Random Evidence: The Shame of Margaret Court: Return of The Notes Column! Make Fun of the Farce, But You'll Watch: Mayweather vs. McGregor. No Parade In Sight: None of our Big 5 teams seems close to championship. A Fall From Greatness And From Grace: Latest in Tiger Woods saga. Harris Vs. Fins' Draft Drought: High hopes for top pick Charles Harris. What's Next, Marlins?: Easy to say blow up the Fish, but harder (and not smart) to do. NFL's Moral Obligation: League must do more for brain-injury sufferers like Buoniconti and Kiick. The Dolphins' Eight Ifs: Explaining dichotomy of opinion on Fins. On The Team's Terms, Not His: What it would take for Heat/Dwyane Wade reunion. The Kid From Pampa: Why Dolphin draft's late rounds matter. Home Run For Miami: Bush/Jeter group as frontrunner to buy Marlins. The Jose Statue's Positive Purpose: Controversy over Marlins' planned Fernandez memorial. An American Tragedy: Suicide of Aaron Hernandez. Also: History Breathes at UM Sports Hall, Is There A Team Brave Enough for Kaepernick?, Thank You, Mae Riback, A Ghost Tour of Miami's Sports Past, The Miracle of Liberty City, 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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