GREG COTE'S RANDOM EVIDENCE BLOG: MIAMI. SPORTS. AND BEYOND
1) It's MONDAY, JUNE 21. Hope my fellow padres had a Happy Father's Day! 2) I was back in-studio on the Le Batard Show last week for my regular Tuesday appearance. Check out that day's show podcasts for much too much of me. 3) Follow the Greg Cote Show podcast on Twitter and Instagram. 4) In The Previous Blogpost (ITPB): Top 5 Dolphins concerns exiting minicamp, On Spoelstra and Lillard and Miami Heat, Men's tennis and golf at a crossroads, Greg Cote Show podcast & more. 5) Join me on Twitter and Instagram.
GREG COTE SHOW PODCAST: NEW EPISODE WITH CHRIS BOSH OUT NOW!: Our 24th episode of 2021 and 66th overall is out now! A new pod drops every Monday at 7 a.m. ET on Apple, Spotify, Google, Amazon, Stitcher, Megaphone, iHeart -- wherever you pod, and of course at MiamiHerald.com. You can find all 66 we've done so far HERE for free. Our latest episode features special guest Chris Bosh, Basketball Hall of Famer and former Heat star, discussing his new book, the Big 3 era, how basketball ended for him, and finding peace. Also: Victoria's Secret, Vincent Van Gogh, Cole Beasley and a new Mount Gregomre. Thanks as always for the support, pod family. Please listen, rate, review and follow! (Our pod now simulcasts on Sirius XM, too, every Monday 5-6 p.m. ET on Channel 145).
Our columns from the past week: Here's What Else Must Go Right (Besides Tua) For Dolphins To Continue Momentum / Rumors, Speculation and the Truth on Spoelstra, Lillard and Heat / and Wanted: A 'Next Big Thing' In Men's Tennis, Golf. Other most recent columns: Where's Tua? Ranking Our Top 15 South Florida Pro Athletes 25 And Younger / As Teams Like Miami Pray For Right QB, Packers' Disrespect Of Rodgers Is Galling / and Messi-to-Miami Is Shot of Hope David Beckham's Troubled Soccer Club Needs.
HOT BUTTON TOP 10 (JUNE 20-21): WHAT SOUTH FLORIDA SPORTS FANS ARE TALKING ABOUT: Our blog-exclusive Sunday-into-Monday feature is part week-in-review, part look-ahead. Hot Button means what's on our minds, locally and nationally, from a Miami perspective, as the sports week just past pivots to the week ahead. This week's HB10:
1. NBA: Hawks oust Sixers in Game 7 to complete semifinals: Bucks advanced past Nets 4-3 with Saturday's Game 7 OT triumph as Giannis' 40 points bested K.D.'s 48. And Sunday the Hawks stunned the Sixers in Game 7 to advance to the Eastern finals vs. Milwaukee. Out West it's a Clippers-Suns final after Phoenix swept Denver and LAC beat Utah 4-2. Suns won Game 1 Sunday.
2. GOLF: Rahm wins U.S. Open at Torrey Pines: Two weeks after a COVID test positive forced him out of a tournament he led and give up a $1.7 million check, Jon Rahm of Spain won the U.S. Open Sunday with a 6-under at tough Torrey Pines outside San Diego. Louis Oosthuizen finished one shot back in the year's third of four majors. Meantime golf's best and silliest feud continued as Bryson DeChambeau videobombed a Brooks Koepka interview. And grumpy Phil Mickelson (who barely made the cut) complained about being distracted by cell phone cameras during an opening round 75.
3. HEAT: Big week for news ... but mostly for rumors: Jimmy Butler made the All-NBA third team, and Jimmy and Bam Adebayo both made the All-Defense second team. Oh, and the portion of NE 7th Street from Biscayne Boulevard to NE 2nd Avenue downtown is now officially Dwyane Wade Boulevard, so start stealing the street sign. In other Heat (non) news, speculation Portland might try to woo Erik Spoelstra as its new coach fizzled fast, and flimsy rumors link Miami to disgruntled stars Damian Lillard and Luka Doncic.
4. DOLPHINS: 'X' marks the mess as Fins end offseason work: Pro Bowl cornerback Xavien Howard was a no-show at the team's three-day minicamp that ended offseason work this past week. It's a holdout for a renegotiated contract (a.k.a. more money), if that didn't go without saying. It's a mess that must be solved (or traded away) before full preseason training camp gets underway in late July.
5. MARLINS: Duvall en fuego but Fish fall short of sweep at Wrigley: After losing four straight with bats quiet the Marlins exploded for back-to-back 10-2 and 11-1 wins over the Cubs at Wrigley Field thanks to four home runs in two days for Adam Duvall. Alas, bays turned quiet again as Miami fell to 31-40 with Sunday's 2-0 loss. Fish open a six-game homestand starting Tuesday vs, Toronto.
6. INTER MIAMI: Beckham's lads return from break with a loss: The time off for MLS' international break did Inter Miami no good. David Beckham's outfit fell to 2-2-5 (five losses) with Saturday's 1-0 defeat at D.C. United. Meantime coach Phil Neville refuted rumors that midfielder Rodolfo PIzzaro is unhappy in Miami. And striker Gonzalo Higuain admitted MLS is tougher than expected after saying, "I thought I could play with a cigarette in my mouth." Next up: Miami hosts Orlando Friday night.
7. TENNIS: Major stars Osaka, Nadal both withdraw as Wimbledon nears: The fortnight in London, the year's third of four majors, begins next Monday on July 28, but stars Naomi Osaka and Rafael Nadal won't be there. Osaka, after last month dropping out of the French Open, continues her mental health-related break. Nadal said he withdrew "after listening to my body." Nadal also will skip next month's Tokyo Olympics but Osaka, a Japanese citizen, will play.
8. SOCCER: Euro '20 wraps up group play Wednesday: Italy was first to finish a perfect 3-0 as Euro '20, the UEFA European Championship delayed from last year, wraps up group play on Wednesday. The knockout round of 16 will be played June 26-29, the survivors advancing to the quarterfinals.
9. HURRICANES: Tickets to football opener on sale; Auburn added: Tickets to Canes' September 4 opener vs. national champion Alabama in Atlanta go on sale Tuesday to general public. Meantime UM announced a two-game home-and-home series with Auburn in 2029 here and 2030 there. This is very exciting news for aspiring Canes players presently in 5th grade.
10. NHL/PANTHERS: Stanley Cup semifinals continue; Barkov honored: Vegas tied Montreal 2-2 with Sunday's 2-1 win and Tampa Bay and the N.Y. Islanders are knotted 2-2 entering Game 5 Monday in NHL semifinals. Meantime down in Catsville, Aleksander Barkov won league award as NHL's top defensive forward. Bill Zito was a finalist for general manager of the year and Joel Quenneville for coach of the year but neither won.
Missing the HB10 cut: Possibility of expanded College Football Playoff from four to 12 teams lives on. A CFP committee agreed to present the proposal to the 11 university presidents who have the authority over the format for a vote Tuesday in Dallas ..... Celtics traded Kemba Walker, their 2021 first-round pick and a 2025 second-rounder to Thunder. OKC gets Al Horford, Moses Brown and a 2023 second-round pick ..... Prepare to begin the one-month countdown to the Summer Olympics in Tokyo, delayed a year due to the pandemic. The Games are set for July 23 to August 8 despite a resurgence of COVID-19 in Japan ..... Copa America group play continuing through June 28 will eliminate only two teams, with the other eight in quarterfinal play beginning July 2 ..... Vanderbilt is betting pick in the eight-team men's College World Series that began Saturday and ends June 30 ..... The Greg Cote Show podcast is out with a new episode dropping Monday at 7 a.m. ET ..... Update: Countdown now 1,835 days (give or take) until Miami hosts its first match in soccer's 2026 World Cup.
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ARCHIVES:
Heat/Panthers playoff columns: Miami Heat, With No Answers, Put Out of Misery In Game 4 Loss To Milwaukee / Heat Fans Showed Up For Game 3. Their Team Did Not / Another Early Panthers Playoff Exit Ends An Encouraging Season Too Soon / Time For Heat Fans To Help Lift Their Team Back Into This Series / Heat Fall, Panthers Need Miracle On Ice As Both Lose On Big Day for Miami Sports / Panthers, Hopes Of Fans In Peril After Game 2 Loss, 2-0 Series Hole / Chasing Respect, Florida Panthers' 5-4 Home Loss A Crushing Start to Playoffs / This Looks Like Best Florida Panthers Team Ever. But The Proving Starts Now.
Select other recent columns: Pythons, Peppers, Pirate Flag Raised. Inside Le Batard's 24-Hour Triumph / The Pirate Ship Sails! Details, Guests For Le Batard Show's 24-Hour Relaunch / The Curious, Complicated Drama Of Naomi Osaka's French Open Withdrawal / Hall of Fame Snubbed Chris Bosh Last year. Time To Make it Right / Aging Ex-Dolphins Reflect On Own Mortality One Year After Shula's Death / Aaron Rodgers' Packers Drama Involves Miami (Of Course). But Here's Why It Won't Happen / Grade-A Draft Feeds Momentum For Team-On-the-Rise Dolphins / Iffy Trades That Cost Them Pitts Mean Dolphins Better Hit Big With Waddle / Le Batard Bet On Himself And His Audience -- And Won Big / Justice For George Floyd Helps Heal Our Shaken Faith, But Fight For Equality Goes On / What Would Jackie Robinson Think About Race In America Today? / The Case For Dolphins Trading Up, Going All-In For Kyle Pitts / It Won't Fix the World, But Matsuyama's Masters Win Lifts Japan In Time Of Anti-Asian Hate / Talk Of U.S. Olympic Boycott A Reminder Sports, Politics Are Entwined -- And That's Good / How And Why the Miami Heat Landing Kawhi Leonard This Summer Could Happen / The Miami Dolphins' Six Can't-Lose Options For a Great No. 6 Pick in NFL Draft / Even After Playoffs In '20, Marlins Still 'Bottom Feeders' Fighting For Respect / Special Opening Day as Marlins Welcome Back Fans, Feeling Of Hope / In History And In Hearts, Howard Schnellenberger Will Matter For All Time / Beckham Keeps Name-Dropping Messi, Ronaldo For Inter Miami. Can He Deliver? / Women Keep Accusing Deshaun Watson of Sexual Misconduct. But Will It Matter to NFL Teams? / No-Splash Free Agency Indicates Dolphins Going All In On Upcoming Draft -- And Tua / Phil Reflects on 25-Year Rivalry/Friendship With Tiger As Honda Classic Tees Off / Reality, Loss, Comeback: How Sports Has Been Guiding Light In America's Awful Past Year / Heat Should Parts Ways With Meyers Leonard Over Anti-Semitic Slur / Beckham's Resolve Tested By Tumult As Inter Miami Nears 2nd MLS Season / Time-Travelling To 1960s And Childhood, When The Baseball Card Was King / Quit Lecturing LeBron On Activism And His Own Conscience / Michael Jordan, Pitbull Signal Needed New Era as NASCAR Returns to Homestead / Doesn't Matter If Tiger Woods Never Wins Again. We Are Lucky He's Alive / Loss at Aussie Open Leaves Serena's Legacy Firm Yet Still Unfinished / Marlins Stick With Youth As Rest Of NL East Spends Big / Inter Miami's Beckham Risks Stepping Into Massive, Avoidable Mess / Put Brady In Sports' All-Time Pantheon. But He Has Company / Final Herald NFL 2020 QB Rankings / Marlins Hit History-Making Home Run With Kim NG Hire As GM / In a Pandemic-Battered Season For FIU, Butch Davis' Love Of Coaching Survives / Don Shula, 1930-2020, R.I.P. / What Shula Meant to a Father & Son. The Boy Was Me.
Revisit this blog often because it updates regularly. The Associated Press Sports Editors writing awards ranked the blog's author a Top 10 national sports columnist in the major-outlet category. Greg is also a regular on the Dan Le Batard Show With Stugotz. Finding Greg: Twitter. Instagram. Facebook. Columns. Podcast. Podcast on Twitter. Podcast on Instagram. LeBatard Show. Book: Fins At 50. Songs: Letting Go (audio only) and The Ballad Of 1440 (with video).
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