GREG COTE'S RANDOM EVIDENCE BLOG: MIAMI. SPORTS. AND BEYOND
1) It's MONDAY, MAY 23. Join me on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. Follow the Greg Cote Show podcast separately on Twitter, Instagram and now TikTok, too. 2) In The Previous Blogpost (ITPB): Game 2 losses have Heat and Panthers in playoff peril, latest Messi-to-Miami speculation, Greg Cote Show podcast, updated Mount Gregmore of columns.
GREG COTE SHOW PODCAST: NEW EPISODE OUT NOW!: Our 23rd episode of 2022 and 114th overall is out now! A new episode drops every Monday at 7 a.m. ET on Apple, Spotify and wherever else you pod, and of course at MiamiHerald.com. Find all 114 we've done so far HERE, free. In the new episode: Back after nine months, the return of the popular segment, 'Greg Doesn't Know Movies,' in which Chris and younger son Michael try to stump Greg on the simplest of movie questions. Also: the show crew take the Hanger Reflex challenge; Greg reveals a dark secret about Opie from the Andy Griffith Show; Yeti performan an original song for Chris in honor of his birthday; the history of Greg's three fan-boy Twitter accounts; and a heartwarming story about the neighbor who listned to porn loudly. Hit up GCS 2223 for full story on the latest ep, and watch our weekly YouTube preview. Thanks as always for the support, pod family. Please listen, review and follow. We simulcast on Sirius XM, too, Mondays from 5-6 p.m. ET. And now, brand new: Our podcast has an all-encompassing website and merch store: Check it out at TheGregCoteShow.com! There's new new merch in the merch store (click Shop) and free shipping this week only!
Thank you!: Was honored to have again been named by Associated Press Sports Editors as national Top 10 columnist for 2021 in '22 judging. The four nominated columns that won: Inter Miami’s David Beckham and Qatar a budding, avoidable controversy / Hall of Famer Jimmy Johnson knows biggest victory happened in own family / Scorned, but does he deserve empathy? Behind who Aubrey Huff became and Dolphins sabotaging Tua with interest in Watson
MOUNT GREGMORE OF COLUMNS: OUR LATEST FIVE:
NEW! Panthers' Magical Season Looking Out of Answers, Almost Out Of Time NEW!
Bam! Heat Take Back Control OF Series. Can Panthers Do The Same?
As Heat, Panthers Title Hopes Slip, These 4 Players Must Step up Now
Panthers Suffering Crushing Loss, In 2-0 Hole Heading To Tampa
Panthers Drop Game 1 At Home To Tampa. Time For Huberdeau, Barkov To Step Up
Previous Heat/Panthers playoff columns: Heat-Celtics, Panthers-Lightning: 3 Keys, Who'll Win & Why in Both Series / Wow! Panthers Close Out Caps in 6 for 1st playoff advance since '96 / Butler And Defense Rise Again As Heat Eliminate 76ers, Reach Eastern Finals / Verhaeghe Lifts Miracle Cats to Comeback Win, 3-2 Lead / Massive Defense, Return of 3's Lift Heat to Game 5 Win, 3-2 Lead / Panthers' Miracle Finish Sends Caps Series Back Home Tied 2-2 / Heat Falls Again, Series Now 2-2 Because Heat Has Forgotten How To Shoot 3's / No. 1 seed Panthers Risk Early Playoff Exit (Again) After 6-1 Loss, 2-1 Hole / Now The Playoffs Have Begun: Embiid Back As Heat Lead Cut To 2-1 / Panthers Remind Why They're Fun & No. 1, Tie Series In 5-1 Rout Of Caps / Bench Lifts Heat to 2-0 Series Lead. Now History Says It's Over / Uh oh. Panthers Collapse Late, Lose Game 1 at Home to Capitals / Herro, Bam lift Heat over 76ers in Game 1 To Launch Huge Week in SoFla Sports
Hilltop: The most recent five non-playoff columns: Why Quiet Draft With No 1st-Round Pick Was Great News For Dolphins / ‘Centerpiece of futbol in world’: Dream is green-lit. Now can Inter Miami deliver? / 31st Annual Official Miami Herald NFL Mock Draft / Only In Miami: Ex-Marlins Prez Samson Joins Fight vs. 'Boondoggle' Soccer Stadium / Marlins Declare 'Impatience," Delight Near-Sellout In Exciting Home Opener
HOT BUTTON TOP 10 (MAY 22-23): 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, but from a Miami perspective, as the sports week just past pivots to the week ahead. The latest HB10:
1. HEAT: Bam to the rescue as Miami wins, takes 2-1 lead: Bam Adebayo poured in 31 points Saturday noght to lead Miami to a 109-103 win in Boston and a 2-1 series lead in the NBA Eastern Conference finals. That followed a split in Miami, the Heat winning Game 1 big then losing Game 2 bigger. Jimmy Butler sat out the second half with knee inflammataion, an injury now shadowing the series entering Game 4 back in Boston Monday/tonight.
2. PANTHERS: Big trouble! Cats down 3-0 face elimination in Tampa: Florida's first time advancing in the playffs since 1996 has hit a serious roadblock. Andrew Brunette was named an NHL coach of the year finalist. He'd trade it for a win. The home losses were 4-1 and, far worse, 2-1 when Cats gave up a goal with 3.8 seconds to go in regulation. Then came Sunday's 5-1 loss in Tampa for a 3-0 hole. Now it's on to Tampa for Games 4 tonight. A sweep is in the offing. Let's see if a massive, redeeming comeback might be, too.
3. NBA PLAYOFFS (Non-Heat): Golden State in command in West: Steph Curry dropped 32 Friday night and 31 Sunday as Golden State rolled to a 3-0 series lead over Dallas in the Western Conference finals. Mavs getting 40s from Luka Doncic but it isn't enough. Series back in desperate Dallas for Game 4 Tuesday night with Warriors thinking sweep.
4. GOLF: Thomas wins PGA Championship in playoffs after rookie blows it: PGA Tour rookie Mito Pereira held a 3-shot lead entering the final round of the 104th PGA Championship on Sunday and needing only to par the 18th for a major win. He didn't, freeing Justin Thomas to beat Will Zalatoris in a three-hole playoff -- the first in a major since 2017. Tiger Woods withdrew after a 79 Saturday, feeling pain in his surgically repaired leg, the first time Woods has withdrawn from a major championship as a professional. Reigning champion Phil Mickelson did not compete.
5. NHL PLAYOFFS (Non-Panthers): Carolina, Colorado, Edmonton hold 2-1 leads: Carlina leads the Rangers 2-1 as series satsy in New York for Games 4 Tuesday, the winner to face the Panthers-Lightning survivor in the Eastern finals. Out West, Colorado is up 2-1 on St. Louis with Game 4 Monday. And Edmonton leads Calgary 2-1 with Game 4 Tuesday. The winner will give Canada, inventor of hockey, a chance for its first Stanley Cup since Montreal won in 1993.
6. INTER MIAMI: Herons get needed win, prep for U.S. Open Cup round-of-16 as Messi rumors resurface: Inter Miami plays at MLS rival Orlando FC Wednesday night in a round-of-16 match in the U.S. Open Cup. Unsurprisingly 13 of 16 remaining clubs in the all-comers tournament are from MLS, country's top-tier league. In MLS play the Herons are 3-3-7 after Sunday's needed 2-0 win over New York Red Bulls. Herons host Portland this coming Saturday. Meanwhile, on the Lionel Messi watch, a report said he'll join Inter Miami in 2023 in a deal that gives him 35 percent of club's shares in MLS -- a deal both Inter Miami and Messi's reps call "premature speculation." (Which isn't exactly a flat denial).
7. SOCCER: Barcelona set 2 U.S. friendlies including Inter Miami in Ju1y: Barcelona will face Inter Miami in a July 19 friendly in Fort Lauderdale, then visit the MLS New York Red Bulls for another on July 30. The five-time UEFA Champions League winner and 26-time LaLiga champ last played in South Florida in 2019. Negotiations are ongoing for Barca, Real Madrid and Juventus to play U.S. dates in a breakaway European Super League later this summer.
8. MARLINS: Alcantara lifts Fish to needed win: The up and down Marlins lost a third straight game Saturday but bounced back Sunday to beat Atlanta behind Sandy Alcantara and are now 18-22 and just one game out of second in the NL East. Miami now heads out on an eight-game road trip starting Tuesday in Tampa.
9. TENNIS: Lopsided men's draw as French Open begins: The sport's clay-court Grand Slam, second major of the year, is underway through June 5 at Roland Garros in Paris. Men's co-betting favorites Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz along with Rafael Nadal all were placed in the same half of the men's bracket. Djokovic, defending champion, could meet 13-time French champion Nadal in the quarterfinals. Iga Swiatek is a huge favorite on the women's side, with early casualties there including Naomi Osaka and reigning champ Barbora Krejcikova.
10. CANES BASEBALL: UM ends season, heads to ACCs: No. 9 Miami won two of three at home over No. 14 Notre Dame this weekend to end the regular season 39-16 overall and 20-10 in the conference. The ACC Tournament is this week in Charlotte, with the third-seeded Canes' first game Wednesday night vs. 10th-seeded North Carolina State. The NCAA Tournament's 64-team field and regional pairings will be announced May 30.
Missing the HB10 cut: Nick Saban, Jimbo Fisher at war! Alabama coach Saban accused Texas A&M coach Fisher of "buying" its top-ranked signing class via NIL (name, image, ikeness) deals. Fisher shot back in a fiery rebuttal and denial, calling Saban's comments "despicable." The overarching story: NIL money has become an under-regulated mess in a tumultous time for college football ..... Early Voting held off betting favorite Epicenter to win The Preakness on Saturday at Pimlico, second leg of the Triple Crown. Kentucky Derby upset winner Rich Strike didn't run, a major bummer and so bad for thoroughbred racing ..... FIFA on June 16 will announce 2026 World Cup host stadiums for the event being held in the U.S., Canada and Mexico. Book it: Hard Rock Stadium in Miami will be one. I guarantee it! ..... European soccer shocker: Kylian Mbappe snubs Real Madrid, says he will remain at Paris Saint-Germain ..... Dolphins offseason work continues with OTA practice days woriking toward a mandatory full-squad minicamp set for June 1-2 ..... Orlando Magic won the NBA Lottery for the June 23 draft, the club's first overall No. 1 since taking Dwight Howard in 2004 ..... ESPN researched the investments of 40 principal NBA team owners and found that together they have more than $10 billion tied up in China. On the eve of the current NBA playoffs, quietly, league games returned to state-run TV in China after a near-three-year ban ..... Betting favorite Liverpool faces Real Madrid in the UEFA Champions League finale next Saturday May 28 in Paris ..... Michael Vick, fleeting NFL QB phenom turned notorious dogfighter, is coming out of retirement to join startup league Fan Controlled Football. Gawd! ..... NFL spring meetings in Atlanata Monday and Tuesday will feature the league's ongoing effort to promote increased coach and executive diversity with its inaugural 'Coach and Front Office Accelerator' initiative ..... Alex Rodriguez is a new investor and board member in mixed martial arts' Professional Fighters League ..... The Greg Cote Show podcast is back with a new episode out Monday at 7 a.m. ..... Update: Countdown now 1,499 days (give or take) until Miami hosts its first match in soccer's 2026 World Cup.
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ARCHIVES
Select other recent columns: Blowing Up Dolphins' Brady-Payton Plan Parting Shot Of Flores Lawsuit. For Now / Heat 'Wildly Disrespected' No. 1 Seed, But that's Fine By Miami As Playoffs Begin / Inter Miami Has Been Major Failure For David Beckham. Here's The BIg Fix / Rotation Set, Lineup Improved, Excuses Gone. Time For Marlins To Win / Could Have Died. Nearly Lost a Leg. Tiger Playing Masters Means He's Already Won / Marlins Owner Sherman Said He'd Spend. Payroll Says It Hasn't Been Enough / Crushing End Short Of Final Four, But Miami Hurricanes' NCAA Run Was Exhilarating Milestone / Tyreek Hill Trade, Terron Armstead Signing A Win-Now Power Play By Dolphins / When Spoelstra Joined Heat's 'Inner Circle' And Became Riley's Next Coach / Why Brittney Griner Is Lost In Russia / Brady A Dolphins Part Owner? Why It Could Happen / Why Derek Jeter-Marlins Marriage Fell Apart / Mickelson's Support Of Saudi Tour Mirrors Sports' Blind Eye to Human Rights / Top 15 Figures (Non-Athletes) In Miami Sports History / Hall of Fame Keeps Saying No, But Zach Thomas Keeps Feeling Gratitude / McDaniel Overcame Much In Own Life, Now Must Overcome Dolphins' Turmoil And Win / An Inside Preview Of Le Batard Show's Upcoming Musical. Yes, Musical / Ranking Flores/Ross Bombshell Among Biggest Dolphins Scandals / Ross Should Be Done As Fins Owner if Flores Allegations Are True / Ortiz Makes Hall, But Final Denial Of Bonds, Clemens A Shame on Voters, Baseball / Time Is Right (But Running Out) For MLB to Reinstate Pete Rose /'There Was A Pall On Us': The Panthers Season That Would Not Be Derailed / No-Vaccine Is Your Right. But There Are Consequences as Djokovic Was Reminded / State Of Miami Sports: Every Major Team, Graded Top To Bottom / Dolphins Firing of Flores The Unjustified Travesty Of A Clown-Show Owner / Canes Land Grand Prize In Cristobal, So No Excuses Left. New Glory Days A Must / 50 Years At the Herald For Me -- And a Lifetime Of Gratitude / UM And Blake James Parted Ways With Class -- Which Butch Davis Didn't Get From FIU / Quenneville Rightly Sacked as Panthers Coach Over 2010 Chicago Scandal / 'Time to Hunt': Cats' Hyped Season Off to Wild, Winning Start / Dolphins Fans, Ex-Players Gather For Emotional Farewell to Don Shula, Father of the Glory Days / If Sports Had A Spine, Kyrie Irving & Other Anti-Vaxxers Wouldn't Be Playing / Kyle Lowry Must Channel 'Doctor Of Greatness' If Heat Is To Chase NBA Title / Fairy Tale With Wrong Ending: Remembering Jose Fernandez 5 Years Later / An Appreciation of Udonis Haslem As He Re-Ups For 19th Heat Season / College Football and FSU Lose a Treasure In Passing Of Bobby Bowden / Biles' Withdrawal For Mental-Health Reasons Merits Empathy, Not Scorn / Where Dolphins Rank Among Teams With Longest Championship Droughts / Hot Seat Scale: Ranking Miami's Biggest Coaches By Most to Least Job Security / Nassib Coming Out As Gay NFL Player A Milestone In Sports History / Fate Snatched Basketball From Chris Bosh. His new Book Is Part of His Journey Of Healing / Where's Tua? Ranking Our Top 15 South Florida Pro Athletes 25 And Younger / 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 / In History And In Hearts, Howard Schnellenberger Will Matter For All Time / Women Keep Accusing Deshaun Watson of Sexual Misconduct. But Will It Matter to NFL? / Reality, Loss, Comeback: How Sports Has Been Guiding Light In America's Awful Past Year / Time-Travelling To 1960s And Childhood, When The Baseball Card Was King / Doesn't Matter If Tiger Woods Never Wins Again. We Are Lucky He's Alive / 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 2021 writing awards again ranked the blog's author a Top 10 national sports columnist in '22 voting 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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