GREG COTE'S RANDOM EVIDENCE BLOG: MIAMI. SPORTS. AND BEYOND
It's MONDAY, JUNE 20. Hope y'all had a lovely Father's Day and Juneteenth! 2) Happy 80th birthday today to Beach Boys founding member, creative force and enigmatic genius, the great Brian Wilson (pictured). 3) Join me on Twitter, INstgram, Facebook and Tik-Tok. 3) In The Previous Blogpost (ITPB): Steph Curry grows his legacy, Miami named '26 World Cup host city, new Greg Cote Show podcast, updated Mount Gregmore of columns.
GREG COTE SHOW PODCAST: FATHER'S DAY STORIES AND GREG'S A NEW DAD! NEW EPISODE OUT NOW!: Our 27th episode of 2022 and 118th overall is out now! A new episode drops every Monday at 7 a.m. ET on Apple, Spotify -- wherever else you pod and of course at MiamiHerald.com. Find all 118 we've done so far HERE, free. In the new episode: A Father's Day special! Listeners stop by with their Dad stories, Greg talks about his own father and Yeti shares his last phone message from his Dad. Also on the menu: Whatever happened to the Father-Son Cote Olympics?, A new Yeti song to the tune of “Dancing In The Moonlight,” about catching your parents making love, Reflections on Paul McCartney’s 80th birthday including Greg’s favorite post-Beatles Macca song, A dive into the viral video of beloved Tom Hanks going ballistic, and Greg shares a sad sight from his recent holiday in St. Augustine. Hit up GCS2227 for full story on the latest ep, and watch our weekly YouTube preview. Thanks as always for the support, pod family. Please listen, review, follow, subscribe et cetera and so forth. We simulcast on Sirius XM, too, Mondays from 5-6 p.m. ET. And now, brand new: Our podcast has a website and merch store: Check it out at TheGregCoteShow.com and visit the merch store by clicking 'Shop'. New items!
MOUNT GREGMORE OF COLUMNS: OUR LATEST FIVE:
NEW! 'Black Cloud' Over U.S. Open Amid Golf Civil War In Time Of Revolution In Sports NEW!
Curry's th NBA Title, 1st Finals MVP Opens Path To Get To Michael/LeBron Best-Ever Talk
Why'd World Cup pick Miami? Thank Dolphins Founder & Unlikely Soccer Visionary Joe Robbie
Serena Playing Wimbledon Still Matters, Maybe More Than Ever. Becuase It Feels Like Goodbye
'Free' speech? Ignorance Cost Del Rio $100,000. But He's Lucky To Still Have A Job
The Hilltop: The five columns before that: Why Browns' Watson Faces, Deserves Lengthy Suspension From NFL / Whatever Happened To Don King? Famed Boxing Promoter Back At 90 For Last Bow in Miami / Mickelson, Johnson et al Are Saudi Pawns Pocketing Blood Money / Dolphins Denied It, But Deshaun Watson Lawyer Reveals How Close Miami Was To A Deal / A Lesson In Sioux City: Sports And Real Life In Age Of Mass Shootings
HOT BUTTON TOP 10 (JUNE 19-20): WHAT SOUTH FLORIDA SPORTS FANS ARE TALKING ABOUT: Our blog-exclusive Sunday-into-Monday feature, back after a one-week holiday, 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. The latest HB10:
1. SOCCER: Miami among host cities named for 2026 World Cup: The announcement was no surprise and the reward is four years away -- but it still was big news as FIFA announced Miami among host cities for the men's 2026 World Cup to be played across North America. Matches will be played in 11 U.S. cities, three in Mexico and two in Canada. Miami was not a host for the 199 U.S. World Cup, so this will be a first for South Florida.
2. GOLF: Fitzpatrick wins U.S. Open amid sport's civil war: Little known Matt Fitzpatrick of England won the U.S. Open on Sunday in Massachusetts. The event was the first battlefield in golf's new civil war. Phil Mickelson, who missed the cut, is among 17 players who have been indefinitely suspended by PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan for playing in the inaugural LIV Golf Invitational Series rival event in London last week. The Open, indepedent of the Tour, did not ban those players.
3. NBA: Curry carries Warriors past Boston for title: Golden State won three straight games including Thursday's clinching Game 6, 103-90, to best Boston in the NBA Finals. Steph Curry scored 34 in the clincher and unanimously won Finals MVP for the first time to lead the Warriors' fourth championship in eight seasons.
4. NHL PLAYOFFS: Colorado blasts Tamoa Bay. up 2-0 in Final: Colorado is up 2-0 after a 4-3 OT win and then Saturday night's 7-0 blowout back in Denver. Games 3 and 4 of Stanley Cup finals are Monday/tonight and Wednesday in Tampa Bay. The now desperate Lightning are after a third straight NHL championship while Avalanche seek their first since 2001.
5. HEAT: MIami preps for NBA Draft, free agency: Fresh off a successful season that ended in the Eastern finals, the Heat dives into the offseason with the NBA Draft this Thursday and free agency estimated to start June 30. Miami holds a late first round pick (27th overall) and ESPN's mock guess for the Heat is Arizona guard Dalen Terry. Team forfeited its second round pick when when the NBA ruled Miami began its pursuit of Kyle Lowry ahead of the allowed date.
6. MARLINS: Slump-buster Alcantara does it again!: The Marlins were 28-35 off three straight losses -- and 16-27 since a 12-8 start -- before Saturday's 6-2 win at the Mets led by ace Sandy Alcantara, who improved to 7-2 with a 1.72 ERA. Fish are at NYM again today to conclude a 10-game road trip. Miami is back Tuesday to open a six-game homestand vs. the Rockies and Mets.
7. PANTHERS: Cats reportedly after Brunette's replacement as free agency looms: Why hasn't Florida lifted the "interim" tag off coach Andrew Brunette afgter its deepest postseason run since 1996? Becuse it's searching for his replacemment, apparently. Hockey insider Frank Seravalli of @DailyFaceoff reports the Panthers are interviewing a number of possible hires, notably including two-time coch of the year Barry Trotz, Rick Tocchet and ex-Cats coach (2008-11) Pete DeBoer. Meanwhile the NHL has not yet decided whether to reinstate Joel Quenneville, whom Brunette replaced. Florida will want it coach flux settled before free agency starts July13.
8. INTER MIAMI: Herons' hot(ish) runs ends in shutout loss: In its first MLS match since May 28, Inter Miami risked a four-game unbeaten streak (two wins, two draws) on Sunday at Atanta United but came away with a 2-nil loss. The Herons are now 5-3-7 overall and two points off playoff pace in the Eastern Conference as the regular season nears its midpoint.
9. TENNIS: Wimbledon on deck with Serena a wild-card entrant: Wimbledon starts a week from Monday June 27 in London with Serena Williams a surprise entrant on a wild-card invitation. It's a comeback as Serena, 40, has not played sinve leaving last year's Wimbledon injured. The All England Club is banning players from Russia and Belarus over the Ukraine invasion, meaning world No. 1 Daniil Medvedev will not compete.'
10. HURRICANES: NCAA at UM to interview Ruiz over NIL's: The NCAA visited the Miami campus for information on the Canes' use of the new Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) that allows athletes to be compensated. Miami attorney and mega-UM booster John Ruiz was interviewed for more than an hour but was cordial, not accusatory. No investigation of UM or accusation of wrongdoing has been announced.
Missing the HB10 cut: Oklahoma is first team to advance to final four in the College World Series ..... Oklahoma women won their College World Series. Or did that go without saying? ..... Russia extended the hostage-holding of WNBA star Brittney Griner masquerading as a legal detention as negotiations for her release continue ..... Five ex-Canes made the 2023 College Footbal Hall of Fame ballot -- strong candidates all. Ray Lewis should be an automatic. Others are Ken Dorsey, Bryant McKinnie and coaches Larry Coker and Mark Rcht ..... WWE wrestling CEO Vince McMahon stepped aside amid allegations he gareed to pay hush money to a former employee over an affair ..... The Greg Cote Show podcast is back with a new episode out Monday at 7 a.m. ..... Update: Countdown now 1,471 days (give or take) until Miami hosts its first match in soccer's 2026 World Cup.
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ARCHIVES
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
Heat/Panthers playoff run columns: Heat Season Ends One Win (One Shot?) Short Of NBA Finals In Game 7 Loss / Legacy Building: Butler Rising Fast Among Heat All-Time Greats / Jimmy Butler Just Saved Heat Season, Gave Us Greatest Gift In Sports: A Game 7 / No Consolation, No Excuse: Panthers Swept From Playoffs In 2-0 Loss A Brutal End / Panthers' Magical Season Looking Out of Answers, Almost Out Of Time / 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 / 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
Select other recent columns: ‘Centerpiece of futbol in world’: Dream is green-lit. Now can Inter Miami deliver? / Only In Miami: Ex-Marlins Prez Samson Joins Fight vs. 'Boondoggle' Soccer Stadium / 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 / 'There Was A Pall On Us': The Panthers Season That Would Not Be Derailed / 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 / 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 / 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 / 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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