New Greg Cote Show podcast out now: Fred Segal of 'Freezing Cold Takes' on Greg's infamous 'trade Marino' column; plus Latest Hot Button Top 10 (updated), The challenge of being a sports fan in 2022 (column) & more
GREG COTE'S RANDOM EVIDENCE BLOG: MIAMI. SPORTS. AND BEYOND
It's MONDAY, JULY 25. Join me on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and TikTok. 2) In The Previous Blogpost (ITPB): Why being a sports fan is harder than ever (but also more interesting), Super Mario and The Cheetah here to save football in Miami, Greg Cote Show podcast, updated Mount Gregmore of columns.
GREG COTE SHOW PODCAST: THE 'FREEZING COLD TAKES' GUY!: Our 32nd episode of 2022 and 123rd 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 123 we've done so far HERE, free. In the new episode: Special guest Fred Segal, whose'Freezing Cold Takes' Twtter site has become a phenomenon, and who has a new book (pictured) out August 9. Included in the book: Greg's infamous "trade Marino" column. We discuss. Fun chat. Also iin the new ep: Joe Biden calls in; Making fun of Greg’s “Hey, everybody” voicemail message; Greg rails against a Ted Lasso ripoff show and those Diet Dr. Pepper ads with the fake Prince; Greg tells another Dad joke (just one, though, he promises); A debut ad from a brand new sponsor, Little Danny Urinal Cakes; Plus Dick Vitale’s ESPYs speech, Greg’s infatuation with soccer’s women’s Euros, and the heyday of U.S. airline hijackings. Also, details on how listeners can take advantage of free shipping in our merch store and win a spot in an upcoming Zoom Happy Hour! Hit up GCS2232 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! Also check out our podcast's new YouTube channel.
MOUNT GREGMORE OF COLUMNS: OUR LATEST FIVE:
NEW! Barkley, Djokovic, Lia Thomas: Being Sports Fan Never Harder -- Or More Interesting NEW!
NEW! How Super Mario And The Cheetah were Sent To Save Football in Miami NEW!
How Messi-to-Miami Became the Biggest, Longest Tease In Sports
Why LeBron (of All People) Chiming In On Griner's Russia Detention Is Ironic
Heat Luring Donovan Mitchell Involves Friend D-Wade, Arch-Enemy Ainge, Too
The Hilltop: The five columns before that: Why Miami Heat Should Re-Think, Go All-In For King-Whale Kevin Durant / Cup Of AK-47 Coffee At Cowboys Games? Nuthin' Wrong With That, Huh Jerry? / Cy Young Alert: Marlins' Ace-On-Fire Sandy Alcantara Does It Again / Nobody Wins, Everybody Loses, As NFL Weighs Deshaun Watson Punishment / The End Isn't Here, But It's Coming. Miami Sports Has Had Nobody Like Heat's Pat Riley
HOT BUTTON TOP 10 (JULY 24-25): 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. The latest HB10:
1. PANTHERS: Cats get Tkachuk, lose Huberdeau in blockbuster trade!: It had been a quiet, even negative offseason -- one ESPN had graded a 'D.' But that changed fast late Friday night when Florida acquired big-time goal scorer Matthew Tkachuk and a 2025 fourth-round draft pick from Calgary Jonathan Huberdeau, MacKenzie Weegar, prospect Cole Schwindt and a '25 first- round pick. It was a rare NHL swap of 100-point scorers as Tkachuk and Huberdeau both were coming off career years. Panthers paid steeply, but I like the deal. Tkachuk scored 42 goals last season, is better all-round (such as defensively) than Huberdeau, is five years younger and signed for eight years at $76 million, through 2030. "A generational talent," Cats GM Bill Zito called him. Huberdeau had a poor postseason, especially in the second round sweep by Tampa Bay. The one question: Will Tkachuk enjoy the same chemistry Hubderdeau had with Aleksander Barkov?
2. DOLPHINS: Football is back(ish)! Fish open preseason training camp: Rookies been at it all week, now veterans report this Tuesday with first full-squad practice on Wednesday as Fins open first training camp under new coach Mike McDaniel and new star Tyreek Hill. After two straight winning seasons and with an improved roster exectations are sky high, by which of course we mean, "It's your last shot, Tua. Don't blow it!"
3. HURRICANES: Cristobal leads ACC Football Kickoff, says bye-bye turnover chain: R.I.P., Turnover Chain, 2017-2021. It won't be back, first-year Hurricanes coach Mario Cristobal revealed this week during the ACC Football Kickoff media days in Charlotte. "It is not a shot or a form of disrespect to anybody or anyone," Cristobal said, but added the gaudy prize for defensive turnover is "not a part of our culture." Good move. Swagger comes from performance and attitude, not jewelry.
4. MARLINS: Miami playoff hopes fading; Fish go arm-heavy in draft: Marlins are 45-50 -- the past four straight losses by shutout -- entering tonight's game in Cincy as a seven-game road trip continues. The fading Fish are now 8 games back in the NL wild-card race. Meanwhile in the MLB draft Miami grabbed 11 pitchers in a row after taking LSU RF Jacob Berry first (sixth overall). ESPN on Berry: "One of the least exciting [of] the top 10 picks because he's a corner-only prospect with limited defensive value and lacks a 70-grade tool. Alrighty then! But a 20-plus homer guy, at least, for a team way shy on bats.
5. INTER MIAMI: Herons shut out at NYC after Barca debacle: After a 6-0 home spanking by Barcelona in a friendly, Inter Miami returned to MLS play Saturday night with 2-0 loss at New York City FC. The Herons are now 7-4-10 and three points off pace in the playoff chase. Meantime the club reiterated that plans for Miami Freedom Park will stick with a 25,000-seat stadium, not the expanded 40,000-seat facility that might have enticed Miami Hurricanes football to move there. Inter Miami is back on the pitch next Saturday at home vs. Cincinnati.
6. TRACK & FIELD: McLaughlin leads U.S. as worlds wrap up in Oregon: The first-ever outdoor track and field world championships in the U.S. and the 18th edition overall finish Sunday and the Americans dominated the mecals count, easily leading in both total medals (33) and golds (13). The highlight among many: U.S. superwoman hurdler Sydney McLaughlin, 22, for the fourth time in 13 months, shattered her own world record in the 400-meter hurdles at 50.68 seconds.
7. SOCCER: It's England-Sweden, Germany-France in women's Euros semis: It'll be host England vs. Sweden on Tuesday and Germany vs. France on Wednesday in semifinal matches in the women's UEFA Eureopean championships. The two winners will meet next Sunday for the crown. This may be the sport's biggest trophy aside from the World Cup, and no Cinderella has survived. The four teams still standings all are in the top eight in the women's FIFA World Ranking.
8. HALLS OF FAME: Cooperstown gives Big Papi his day: Sleepy Cooperstown awakeneds for its annual Baseball Hall of Fame induction day Sunday and welcomed in Red Sox icon David (Big Papi) Ortiz, the only inductee minted by a BBWAA vote. In via committees: Bud Fowler, Gil Hodges, Kim Kaat, Minnie Minoso, Tony Oliva and Buck O'Neil.
9. GOLF: Sport's war escaltes as LIV Golf chases British Open champ: Newly minted British Open champion Cameron Smith and broadcaster Charles Barkley are two of the latest stars being chased by LIV Golf as the breakaway tour continues to cherry-pick PGA Tour stars willing to turn a blind eye to Saudi Arabia's human righst abuses and its sportswashing with blood money.
10. HEAT: No progress on Durant or Mitchell, but a big win for Spoelstra family: Miami's interest in trading for Kevin Durant (or Donovan Mitchell) has seen no progress with the reported unwillingness to part with Bam Adebayo. However coach Erik Spoelstra and his family scored a bigger-than-basketball victory with the uplifting news that 4-year-old son son Santiago had entered remission for the Burkitt lymphoma cancer he'd been battling for several months.
Missing the HB10 cut: Derek Jeter's 'The Captain', the 7-part docuseries about his life and career -- guessing his time as Marlins boss will get, what, 30 seconds? ..... It's been around four days now. Is Dick Vitale still talking? I think his ESPYs speech might finally be close to wrapping up ..... U.S. women's national team beat Canada 1-0 for soccer's regional CONCACAF title ..... MLB All-Star Game won by AL for eighth straight year. Bo-ring. So's this: Home Run Derby. Lots of excitement over big-leaguers going yard off 30 mph lobs ..... WWE boss Vince McMahon retires in shame amid investigation of alleged sexual misconduct ..... Tour de France ends today/Sunday. Is it too late for Lance Armstrong to cheat and win? ..... Are you ready for some cute lil' kids on TV? The 75th Little League World Series begins August 17 on ESPN ..... The Greg Cote Show podcast is back with a new episode out Monday at 7 a.m. ..... Update: Countdown now 1,421 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
Select other recent columns: Title IX Empowered Women. The Supreme Court Has Done The Opposite / Florida Panthers Swap Coach Of Year Finalist For Guy No. 1 In Career Losses / 20 Cases Settled, But Deshaun Watson Won't Begin To Clear Name Without Remorse / Tua Will Handle Scrutiny & Pressure. Question Is If Rest of Miami Dolphins Can / 'Black Cloud' Over U.S. Open Amid Golf Civil War In Time Of Revolution In Sports / Curry's 4th NBA Title, 1st Finals MVP Opens Path To Michael/LeBron Best-Ever Talk / Heat Season Ends One Win (One Shot?) Short Of NBA Finals In Game 7 Loss / No Consolation, No Excuse: Panthers Swept From Playoffs In 2-0 Loss A Brutal End / Why'd World Cup pick Miami? Thank Dolphins Founder & Unlikely Soccer Visionary Joe Robbie / Serena Playing Wimbledon Still Matters, Maybe More Than Ever. Because It Feels Like Goodbye / 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 / ‘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 / 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 / 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 / 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 / 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 / Nassib Coming Out As Gay NFL Player A Milestone In Sports History / Le Batard Bet On Himself And His Audience -- And Won Big / In History And In Hearts, Howard Schnellenberger Will Matter For All Time / 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 / 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).