GREG COTE'S RANDOM EVIDENCE BLOG: MIAMI. SPORTS. AND BEYOND.

1) It is MONDAY, AUGUST 21. R.I.P., Jerry Lewis, 91, and Dick Gregory, 84, two men with very different approaches to comedy, each a genius in his own way. 2) Dolphins time! Know any die-hard Dolfans? Surprise and delight them with our new book on club's first half-century. Learn more or order here: Fins At 50. 3) In The Previous Blogpost (ITPB): Miami impact in Top 200 fantasy rankings, Dolphins lose Fake Game 2, my call for open Fins QB competition & more. 3) Join us on Twitter @gregcote. Also Facebook, Instagram, Periscope and Snapchat.

Latest Sunday column: Priority for new Marlins owners should center on keeping Stanton: As Giancarlo Stanton powers through his best season with a majors-leading 45 home runs, the incoming new owners fronted by Derek Jeter should make a priority of committing to making Stanton a career-long Marlin. Click on Stanton the Litmus Test For New Owners to read.

HAPPY SOLAR ECLIPSE MONDAY!: I'm no astronomy nut (although I do proudly own and wear a T-shirt commemorating the great Pluto after its unfortunate 2006 demotion from full planet), but am looking forward to experiencing the partial solar eclipse Monday afternoon. It is projected to begin in South Florida at approximately 1:25 p.m. and end around 4:20, with the maximum eclipse seen by us at 2:58. Pictured is an illustration projecting the maximum eclipse we'll see in Greater Miami -- assuming fair weather and no cloud cover, of course. Weather will be a crapshoot. The forecast for this afternoon is partly cloudy, with widely scattered thunderstorms and a 20 percent chance of rain, so let's hope we get a good look at the eclipse. It'll be a bummer if the day is dark and overcast because of the weather. You need a sunny day for a partial solar eclipse to really stand out. Based on the illustration it seems as if the sun (weather willing) will be visible to us only as a sort of lopsided crescent grin when the eclipse is fullest. It looks to me as if we'll have around an 80 percent eclipse. Anyway, enjoy the wonder of science or the majesty of God, depending on your point of view. Either way, enjoy the marvel of a rare treat!

HOT BUTTON TOP 10 (UPDATED): WHAT SOUTH FLORIDA SPORTS FANS ARE TALKING ABOUT: Our blog-exclusive every-Sunday 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. This week's HB10:

1. DOLPHINS: Fins any good? Week in Philly, 'dress rehearsal' may tell: Opening win, then lopsided loss. Who are these guys? Will they be any good with Jay Cutler? Does adding veteran LB Rey Maualuga help? Best answer yet may come this Thursday night in Philly as Fins culminate a week of shared practices with Eagles because Fake Game No. 3 is traditional “dress rehearsal” where starters play a lot. So. Will the real Dolphins please stand up? 

2. MARLINS: Stanton out of the park, Samson just out: It was reported Marlins president David Samson will be out once Jeffrey Loria's sale of club to Derek Jeter group is final. Meanwhile Giancarlo Stanton -- with MLB-leading 45 homers after one Sunday -- continues to make a so-so season matter. Stanton has a chance to hit 60 unless cowardly teams start walking him.

3. HURRICANES: UM look solid as opener nears, except...: Looking like Malik Rosier or Evan Shirreffs for the starting quarterback job after Saturday's scrimmage. Season opener vs. Bethune-Cookman looms in 12 days and Canes look like ACC contenders. Well, unless you're concerned about the minor matter of an unproven QB operating behind a suspect offensive line.

4. FIGHTING: Mayweather-McGregor: Ready, set, hype!: Only five more days until unbeaten boxer Floyd Mayweather and UFC star Conor McGregor will be in a Vegas ring this coming Saturday. Mayweather is heavily favored, but, with both men so unlikeable and such idiots in the buildup, can we please fix this thing so they simultaneously knock each other out?

5. HEAT: Hey, more Dwyane Wade speculation!: It was reported a Wade-Heat reunion may yet happen, based on a Chicago writer writing that Wade "is expected to reach a buyout agreement at some point in the next few months." Would you please wake me when what might or might not happen in a few months actually happens.

6. WRESTLING: Lesnar big winner at WWE SummerSlam: Brock Lesnar won the sport's "Universal Championship" in a "Fatal 4-Way Match," defeating Roman Reigns, Samoa Joe and Braun Strowman in Brooklyn. Samoa Joe sounds a Polynesian coffee brand.

7. GOLF: U.S. women trounce Europe to win Solheim Cup: There was a South Florida flavor as Miami native Christie Kerr and especially Lexi Thompson from Coral Springs were instrumental in the U.S. routing Europe 16 1/2 to 11 1/2 to win the Solheim Cup match-play event in Des Moines, Iowa.

8. BASEBALL: Yankees, Red Sox play rubber game: Sports' greatest rivalry renewed Sunday at Fenway Park and Boston took deciding game to grow its AL East lead to five games. MLB lacks tight division races this year, so appreciate this one.

9. GYMNASTICS: National championships wrap up in Anaheim: The 54th edition of the USA Gymnastics national championships ended Sunday in Anaheim, trying to make us forget about recent scandals over the abuse of young female gymnasts.

10. KEVIN DURANT: Star says Warriors would decline White House visit: The NBA champion Warriors will decline if invited to the White House over objections to President Trump, said Durant. In an unrelated story, Trump signed an executive order abolishing the Golden State Warriors.

Missing the HB10 cut: Nick Saban ranted against media predictions, saying, "Why do we play?" Here's another question, Nick. Should a man being paid $11.1 million to coach Alabama be complaining about anything!? ..... How much longer will it continue to be news that an NFL player sits for the national anthem? That reminds me. The Smithsonian will have a new exhibit featuring Colin Kaepernick items. Will one of the items be an unemployment check? ..... They're talking about taking down the Marlins Home Run Sculpture. What, is it linked to the Confederacy? ..... LeBron James called for healing and love in the wake of the violence "in Charlottesville, North Carolina." Hey, he's a baller, not a professor of geography!

HOT BUTTON DAILY: MON 8-21-17: Today's sports events of most interest in SoFla:

1. Solar eclipse, 1:25 p.m.: We'll experience it at its fullest around 3 p.m.

2. N.Y. Giants at Cleveland, 8 p.m.: Day's only NFL exhibition game.

3. Everton at Manchester City, 3 p.m.: Interesting EPL soccer match.

4. Little League World Series, 1 p.m.: Elimination games begin.

Note: Marlins have today off.

Select other recent columns -- Double QB Quandary A Rarity (On Dolphins, Canes' shared upheaval). New Owner, New Hope (Let's party at news Loria agrees to sell to Jeter group). A Diamond, Shining (Giancarlo Stanton's great season). Immortality Calling (Jason Taylor in Hall, now who's next?). Also: Right Time, Right Quarterback. The Uncommon Pressure On the Miami Dolphins. Blockbuster Would Be Slumpbuster for Riley. Paroled But Not Free. Don't Hold Your Breath. An Ageless Wonder, Even In Defeat. All-Star Week Proves Miami's Baseball Potential as Loria Era Ebbs. The Gentleman-Athlete Earned Our Thanks. Heat Lose Twice On Hayward. Bam Is Due Benefit Of Doubt. Make Fun of the Farce, But You'll Watch. No Parade In Sight. A Fall From Greatness And From Grace. NFL's Moral Obligation. The Dolphins' Eight Ifs. Home Run For Miami. The Jose Statue's Positive Purpose. An American Tragedy. 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.

GREG COTE'S RANDOM EVIDENCE BLOG: MIAMI. SPORTS. AND BEYOND.

1) It is WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 16. Dolphins time! Know any die-hard Dolfans? Surprise and delight them with our new book on club's first half-century. Learn more or order here: Fins At 50. 2) In The Previous Blogpost (ITPB): Hot Button Top 10, Marlins/Derek Jeter poll, your verdict on Jay Cutler signing & more. 3) Join us on Twitter @gregcote. Also Facebook, Instagram, Periscope and Snapchat.

Cote on ESPN's Highly Questionable again today: It's Me-Week on HIghly Questionable, according to me. I was in-studio on ESPN's HQ show Monday and yesterday and will be again for a final time today, in the middle of Bomani Jones and Pablo Torre. Shows airs 4:30 p.m. back on the main ESPN.

Latest columns: On Dolphins, Hurricanes, Marlins: Our latest Sunday column quantifies how rare it is that the Dolphins and UM both are going into a season with new quarterbacks, and both can blame plain rotten luck. Click on Double QB Quandary A Rarity to read. And a Marlins doubleheader: Jeffrey Loria agreeing to sell to the group fronted by Derek Jeter makes us wonder, "What's next?" But first ... LET'S PARTY! Click on New Owner, New Hope to read. Also: Underappreciated nationally, overshadowed in his own city, the Marlins' Giancarlo Stanton is having one of the great seasons in Miami sports history, having hit his MLB-leading (and club-record) 43rd home run last night. My column is an unabashed appreciation. Click on A Diamond, Shining to read. 

ME, PAPI AND 'HIGHLY QUESTIONABLE': It's been fun doing ESPN's Highly Questionable this week. And funny, too, reading some of the Tweets and other reaction from people convinced I'm embroiled in a hostile takeover to replace beloved Papi in the middle of that table. There is no replacing Papi. But, this week, I find myself in between Bomani Jones and Pablo Torre on the set (pictured far left) as Dan and Papi are off on what I assume is vacation but on Papi's part also is an apparent contractual holdout. Fun fact: Bomani is way taller than Pablo and I but appears smaller in this photo. Magic? Also left, Papi and I, erstwhile friends, in happier days. It may surprise many of you to learn they asked me if I wanted to do this; I did not storm the studio heavily armed and commandeer the set. I considered the offer, quickly realized how much more TV pays than radio, and nonchalantly said, OH HELL YES!!! The producers have had me wearing a Papi-esque guayabera shirt and doing a few other Papi-esque things, which probably fanned the flame of controversy a bit. So did this: A LeBatard Tweet in which Papi accused me of being a "scab" for doing HQ in his place. Is Papi actually involved in a contractual dispute (#PayPapi) that has him off the air? No idea. No idea at all. Am I a "scab" for filling in for him, as Papi and a few of you have accused? That wounds me. Hence, the scab. Get it!?! Relax, all. It's just TV. It's just sports. I'll do my three lil' days of HQ this week and you'll likely not see me again on the tube (except on the televised radio show once a week). And soon, Papi will be back at the HQ desk. Well, I think. Probably. Maybe.

POLL RESULT: CONFIDENCE IN JETER STARTS WITH 'ANYBODY BUT LORIA' BOUNCE: We asked, "What best reflects your confidence that money-man Bruce Sherman and baseball-guy Derek Jeter will be successful Marlins owners?" Your verdict: Very confident. Jeter is the perfect out-front guy to build a winner and bring back fans, 28.48 percent; Fairly confident. Who really knows, but 'Anybody But Loria' will do for now, thanks, 62.42%; and Not confident. Be careful what you wish for. The maligned Loria wasn't that bad, 9.09%.

HOT BUTTON DAILY: WED 8-16-17: Today's sports events of most interest in SoFla:

1. San Francisco at Marlins, 1:10 p.m.: Fish (4-1), hot Stanton wrap up 6-game homestand.

2. Highly Questionable, 4:30 p.m.: I co-host again today on ESPN. My blog, my shameless plug!

3. Spanish Super Cup, 4:55 p.m.: Real Madrid-Barcelona in another El Clasico.

Select other recent columns -- Immortality Calling (with Jason Taylor in Hall, who's next?). Right Time, Right Quarterback (Dolphins should have gone with Kaepernick). Also: The Uncommon Pressure On the Miami Dolphins. He Missed a Heck Of a Game. Blockbuster Would Be Slumpbuster for Riley. Paroled But Not Free. Don't Hold Your Breath. An Ageless Wonder, Even In Defeat. All-Star Week Proves Miami's Baseball Potential as Loria Era Ebbs. The Gentleman-Athlete Earned Our Thanks. Heat Lose Twice On Hayward. Bam Is Due Benefit Of Doubt. Make Fun of the Farce, But You'll Watch. No Parade In Sight. A Fall From Greatness And From Grace. NFL's Moral Obligation. The Dolphins' Eight Ifs. Home Run For Miami. The Jose Statue's Positive Purpose. An American Tragedy. 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.

GREG COTE'S RANDOM EVIDENCE BLOG: MIAMI. SPORTS. AND BEYOND.

1) It is MONDAY, AUGUST 14. Click on Pencils for our new Back In My Day from last week's LeBatard Show. 2) Dolphins time! Know any die-hard Dolfans? Surprise and delight them with our new book on club's first half-century. Learn more or order here: Fins At 50. 3) In The Previous Blogpost (ITPB): Dolphins-Atlanta preseason opener, Jay Cutler poll, Fins in fantasy rankings & more. 4) Join us on Twitter @gregcote. Also Facebook, Instagram, Periscope and Snapchat.

Cote on ESPN's Highly Questionable Uh oh: It's Me-Week on HIghly Questionable, according to me. I'll be in-studio on ESPN's HQ show today, Tuesday and Wednesday, in the middle of Bomani Jones and Pablo Torre. Shows airs 4:30 p.m.

Latest Sunday column: The anomaly of Dolphins, Canes' simultaneous QB upheaval: Quantifying how rare it is that the Fins and UM both are going into a season with new quarterbacks. And both can blame plain rotten luck. Click on Double QB Quandary A Rarity to read.   

MARLINS: ON SALE OF CLUB TO JETER GROUP, GREATNESS OF STANTON: Jeffrey Loria agreeing to sell to the group fronted by Derek Jeter of course makes us wonder, "What's next?" But first ... LET'S PARTY! Click on New Owner, New Hope to read my latest column. On Stanton: Underappreciated nationally, overshadowed in his own city, the Marlins' slugger is having one of the great seasons in Miami sports history, having hit his MLB-leading 41st home run last night, one from tying Gary Sheffield's 1996 club record. My column is an unabashed appreciation. Click on A Diamond, Shining to read. Now, weigh in on what Marlins fans are talking about. Take a dip in our poll and check back often to monitor evolving results:

HOT BUTTON TOP 10 (UPDATED): WHAT SOUTH FLORIDA SPORTS FANS ARE TALKING ABOUT: Our blog-exclusive every-Sunday feature, updated Mondays, 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. This week's HB10:

1. DEREK JETER: Group fronted by 'The Captain' gets winning bid for Marlins: Jeffrey Loria has agreed to sell the Marlins for $1.2 bllion to the group led by New York venture capitalist Bruce Sherman and fronted by ex-Yankees star Derek Jeter. Will they be great owners? That's for later. For now, that they're not Loria is good enough. 

2. DOLPHINS: Ready or not, here comes Cutler!: Fins won preseason opener without him, and now host Baltimore Ravens on Thursday night with new QB Jay Cutler expected to start in first game action as a Dolphin. He's 'Club's best Jay since Fiedler!' Dolfans hope they can set the bar a bit higher.

3. MARLINS: At least Stanton's worth price of admission: Fish are sinking to 14^th straight year sans playoffs as six-game homestand continues, but at least Giancarlo Stanton is reason to still pay attention, with an MLB-leading 42nd home run yesterday now projecting to season total of 59. Going, going ... Gone-Carlo!

4. HURRICANES: UM marks CanesFest with QB battle still unsettled: The Hurricanes' annual CanesFest fan event was held Saturday at Hard Rock after a closed morning scrimmage. Fans, three weeks from your season opener, do you know who your starting quarterback is? If so, would you please let Mark Richt know?

5. GOLF: Thomas wins PGA as season's final major wraps up: Little-known Justin Thomas, 24, won year's fourth and last major, the PGA Championship, in Charlotte, N.C. Did you know that when The Masters, U.S. Open and British Open get together for drinks they privately make fun of the PGA?justin thomas, 24

6. HEAT: Historic foreign game scheduled: Leaked highlights of next season's NBA schedule find Heat opening Oct. 18 in Orlando, playing club's first-ever international game Dec. 9 in Mexico and hosting Cleveland just once, March 27. So now LeBron has plenty of time to plan that "rest day."

7. SOCCER: EPL leads way as international soccer league play opens: League seasons began in English Premier League and across globe. Storybook start? Top English star Wayne Rooney, 31, scoring only goal of game in his emotional return to Everton after 12 years at Manchester United.

8. WRESTLING: Downtown Miami hosts WWE event Sunday: WWE was back in South Florida with a non-televised "house show" Sunday evening at the Heat's bayside arena. It featured SmackDown performers as part of SummerSlam Heatwave Tour, whatever the hell any of that means.

9. TRACK: World championships going on. And on. And...: The IAAF track and field world championships have been going on seemingly forever in London. Dear track: We sort of like you for two weeks every four years during the Summer Olympics. Otherwise, don't push it.

10. CIVIL UNREST: White supremacists wreak havoc in Charlottesville: This would be No. 1 in overall importance, of course. My question: What genius granted a demonstration permit to a bunch of hateful, racist, neo-Nazi losers?

Missing the HB10 cut: Countdown 13 days 'til McGregor vs. Mayweather, the only fight I've ever been sick of even before it happened ..... Has Kenny Easley's Hall of Fame induction speech in Canton ended yet?

POLL RESULT: CUTLER POLARIZING, BUT MOST POSITIVE ON SIGNING: We asked, "What best reflects your opinion of the Dolphins signing of quarterback Jay Cutler?" Your answer: Very positive, 14.91 percent; Positive, 42.34%; We'll see, 23.17%; Negative, 6.52%; and Very negative, 13.05%. Broken down, that's 57.25% thumbs-up versus 19.57% thumbs-down, nearly 3-to-1 in favor, with the rest in between.

HOT BUTTON DAILY: MON 8-14-17: Today's sports events of most interest in SoFla:

1. San Francisco at Marlins, 7:10 p.m.: Fish, sizzlin' Stanton welcome Giants.

2. Highly Questionable, 4:30 p.m.: I'm cohost on ESPN. Hey my blog, my shameless plug.

3. Dolphins practice, ongoing: Readying Cutler for his Thursday preseason debut.

Select other recent columns -- Immortality Calling (with Jason Taylor in Hall, who's next?). Right Time, Right Quarterback (Dolphins should have gone with Kaepernick). Also: The Uncommon Pressure On the Miami Dolphins. He Missed a Heck Of a Game. Blockbuster Would Be Slumpbuster for Riley. Paroled But Not Free. Don't Hold Your Breath. An Ageless Wonder, Even In Defeat. All-Star Week Proves Miami's Baseball Potential as Loria Era Ebbs. The Gentleman-Athlete Earned Our Thanks. Heat Lose Twice On Hayward. Bam Is Due Benefit Of Doubt. Make Fun of the Farce, But You'll Watch. No Parade In Sight. A Fall From Greatness And From Grace. NFL's Moral Obligation. The Dolphins' Eight Ifs. Home Run For Miami. The Jose Statue's Positive Purpose. An American Tragedy. 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.

GREG COTE'S RANDOM EVIDENCE BLOG: MIAMI. SPORTS. AND BEYOND.

1) It is FRIDAY, AUGUST 11. Click on Pencils for the new Back In My Day from this week's LeBatard Show. 2) R.I.P., Glen Campbell, the Rhinestone Cowboy, gone this week at 81. 3) Dolphins time! Know any die-hard Dolfans? Surprise and delight them with our new book on club's first half-century. Learn more or order here: Fins At 50. 4) In The Previous Blogpost (ITPB): Hot Button Top 10 led by Jay Cutler arrival, your Dolphins/Hurricanes QB calamity verdicts & more. 5) Join us on Twitter @gregcote. Also Facebook, Instagram, Periscope and Snapchat.

Latest column: On the wonder of Giancarlo Stanton: Underappreciated nationally, overshadowed in his own city, the Marlins' Giancarlo Stanton is having one of the great seasons in Miami sports history. My new column is an unabashed appreciation. Click on A Diamond, Shining to read. 

Dolfan Satisfaction Meter is back ... but not yet: Another season of Dolfan Satisfaction Meter postgame polls is at hand, but, as always, they begin with the regular season, not in the preseason. Watch for the season's DSM debut on Sunday, Sept. 10.

PS1: DOLPHINS 23, ATLANTA 20: ARE YOU READY FOR SOME FAKEBALL!?: Click on Quick Thoughts On Fake Game 1 for our mini-column on Thursday night's preseason-opening Miami win. The one update I'd offer: Rookie Raekwon McMillan's torn-ACL knee injury will cause him to miss the season and overrides any good that came out of last night. Big blow. First Tannehill, now the starting middle linebacker ..... Original post: The biggest scam in all of sports is that NFL teams get away with including preseason exhibition games in their season-ticket packages, requiring fans to pay full fare for fakeball or fraudball games they wouldn't otherwise pay to see. I mean, seriously, if you plan to  attend tonight's first preseason game (7 p.m., CBS) despite the forecast of gloomy weather and are actually and truly excited to do so -- you are a Dolfan deserving of a medal. No Jay Cutler tonight. In fact very few starters will play much if at all. Not for the visiting Falcons, either. This of course renders the result meaningless. Miami could win by 20 or lose by 20 and it would signify nada. The game does mean a lot to participants, naturally. To coaches who must make roster cuts. To borderline players trying to make it. From a fan standpoint, though, it's a micro/macro thing. If you're Macro and you just want to judge the finished product starting Sept. 10, not see how the sausage is made along the way, tonight probably isn't for you. If you're Micro and you care about the minutia, stuff like who might be the fifth wide receiver, the preseason is your Petri dish. Tonight will mostly be about rookies, and Miami draft-loaded on defense, so that's tonight's focus. On rookie middle linebacker Raekwon McMillan: He's a baby, not yet 21, but set to start. Whether he flies or fails will have a huge impact on whether the Fins' defense improves as much as it needs to. On rookie defensive tackle Davon Godchaux: Is he really beating out young veteran Jordan Phillips for the start, or are the reps right now more of a fire-starter under Phillips? And on rookie defensive end Charles Harris: Surprisingly little attention for the No. 1 draft pick, maybe because he'll begin as a rotation player. But tonight will be our first good look at that explosive first step of his. And on rookie cornerback Cordrea Tankersley: Can the third-round pick make the team? Needs to shine tonight. Offensively, tonight one of the "other guys" at quarterback will stake a claim to being kept as a No. 3 behind Cutler and Matt Moore. By the way, don't look for Cutler to be smoking a cigarette on the sideline tonight. That would violate stadium rules.

THE CUTLER POLL: YOUR CONFIDENCE IN THE DOLPHINS' NEW QUARTERBACK: I have my say in this column; click New QB, Same Hopes to read. Although I preferred the Dolphins dare to sign Colin Kaepernick instead, hauling Jay Cutler out of retirement makes a ton of sense for Miami, given his experience, relationship with Adam Gase and knowledge of the offense Gase and the Fins use. The transition should be smooth. And I think with Cutler the Dolphins remain exactly what they were a week ago with Tannehill healthy, no more, no less: A pretty good team with a lot of "ifs" but a real shot at the playoffs. I know Cutler is a ripe target for lampooning. The nude photo. The cigarette photoshops. The celeb wife. And he has this habit of often seeming to convey apathy or boredom; see photo at right from yesterday's introductory media session. Still, a positive signing that makes the best of a bad situation and keeps Miami's season viable, I say. OK, now here comes your opinion. Express your degree of confidence in Cutler, or lack of, by taking a dip in our poll. Vote now and check back often to monitor evolving results.

AJAYI, LANDRY LEAD DOLPHINS IN FANTASY: Almost fantasy draft time, with Greg's Lobos on high alert. ESPN has a 10-team, 16-round mock fantasy draft here, and the four Dolphins selected, predictably, are: RB Jay Ajayi (2nd round/16th overall); WR Jarvis Landry (6th/51st); WR DeVante Parker (9th/85th); and WR Kenny Stills 12th/116th).

HOT BUTTON DAILY: FRI 8-11-17: Today's sports events of most interest in SoFla:

1. Colorado at Marlins, 7:10 p.m.: After 2-5 roadie, Fish open 6-game homestand.

2. PGA Championship, 1 p.m.: Second round of season's final golf major.

3. Steelers at Giants, 7 p.m.: NFL preseason game.

4. USA Diving nationals, 9 p.m.: Nat'l championships From Columbus, Ohio.

5. Track world championships, ongoing: Track & field worlds continue in London.

Select other recent columns -- Immortality Calling (with Jason Taylor in Hall, who's next?). Right Time, Right Quarterback (Dolphins should have gone with Kaepernick). Also: The Uncommon Pressure On the Miami Dolphins. He Missed a Heck Of a Game. Blockbuster Would Be Slumpbuster for Riley. Paroled But Not Free. Don't Hold Your Breath. An Ageless Wonder, Even In Defeat. All-Star Week Proves Miami's Baseball Potential as Loria Era Ebbs. The Gentleman-Athlete Earned Our Thanks. Heat Lose Twice On Hayward. Bam Is Due Benefit Of Doubt. Make Fun of the Farce, But You'll Watch. No Parade In Sight. A Fall From Greatness And From Grace. NFL's Moral Obligation. The Dolphins' Eight Ifs. Home Run For Miami. The Jose Statue's Positive Purpose. An American Tragedy. 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.

GREG COTE'S RANDOM EVIDENCE BLOG: MIAMI. SPORTS. AND BEYOND.

Latest Dolphins column: The case for Kaepernick: In wake of Thursday's Ryan Tannehill injury, Dolphins should consider Colin Kaepernick the best of available option. Click on Right Time, Right Quarterback for my column. 

HOT BUTTON TOP 10 (UPDATED): WHAT SOUTH FLORIDA SPORTS FANS ARE TALKING ABOUT: Our blog-exclusive every-Sunday feature, updated Mondays, 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. This week's HB10:

1. DOLPHINS: Tannehill knee injury casts pall, Fins sign Cutler: With Saturday's scrimmage in the books and the first exhibition game only three days away, this season will start just like the last one ended: With QB Ryan Tannehill out injured indefinitely, victim of that same left knee. The question was what to do next. The answer came Sunday with the 1-year, $10 million signing of ex-Bears QB Jay Cutler. Isn't it weird: How Tannehill looks better and better to fans vs. alternatives when he isn't there?

2. JASON TAYLOR: Miami's great No. 99 enters Canton: The Dolphins' great defensive end and career sacks leader Taylor stepped into the Pro Football Hall of Fame and into immortality as one of seven Class of '17 inductees Saturday night in Canton, Ohio. Reference to his having played at AKron, I loved his "20 years to go 20 miles" theme. Well done. Just wish his longtime running mate Zach Thomas could have gone in with him.

3. MARLINS: Fish back on road, chasing consolation of .500: Marlins are in midst of a seven-game road trip following a 5-2 homestand that drew the Fish within four games of a .500 record. Hey, with a playoff spot looking pretty hopeless, you reach for the nearest consolation prize available, right?

4. HURRICANES: UM crashes Top 20 in early preseason polls: The Canes entered at No. 18 in the preseason coaches' poll, and were 16^th in the initial ESPN Power Rankings. Imagine how high they might rank if they had a proven starting quarterback or knew who that person would be!?

5. DAVID BECKHAM: Miami group wins league approval: Major League Soccer owners this week authorized moving forward on David Beckham's bid, with the league expected by September to officially announce a Miami expansion team for 2020. Golden shovels, please. Better get to breakin' ground on that stadium, Becks.

6. HEAT: Projected standings have Miami seventh in East: Spoiler alert! ESPN has projected the Heat will finish seventh in the Eastern Conference this season with 42.3 wins. That's mediocre. But it will be interesting to see how Miami manages to get that one-third of a win.

7. SOCCER: Neymar switches clubs in record deal: Rising soccer superstar Neymar moved from Barcelona to Paris Saint-Germain on a record transfer fee worth $263 million U.S. For that kind of money, he better have scored a hat track on the flight to France.

8. BASEBALL: Amazing Dodgers on historic run: Los Angeles is on a .709 clip this season and on a 43-7 run, the best 50-game stretch by any MLB team since 1912. And the Dodgers just acquired an ace-level starter in Yu Darvish. Which is like Bill Gates finding money. 

9. MIAMI FC: NASL club eliminated from U.S. Open Cup: Miami FC was eliminated at home 1-0 by Cincinnati of the USL in a disappointing finish to a sterling run to the quarterfinals of the U.S. Open Cup. Might we suggest an NASL championship as a decent consolation prize?

10. GOLF: Season's final men's major on deck: The PGA Championship, season's final major, begins this Thursday in Charlotte, N.C., with Jordan Spieth, Rory McIlroy and Dustin Johnson the betting favorites. FORE! No, it's just those three, really.

Missing the HB10 cut: Justin Gatlin beat Usain Bolt in the 100 meters at the IAAF track & field world championships in London. In between doping bans, Gatlin is really good ..... Steph Curry shot 74 and missed the cut at a Web.com golf event. Maybe it was habit, but the king of the 3's was sinking too many 3-putt greens ..... Watched the Pro Football Hall of Fame inductions last night. I think Kenny Easley is still talking. ..... Team World beat Team Africa in the annual NBA Africa Game. Geez, let the host continent win, already! ..... LaVar Ball has gone a few days without doing anything idiotic. Is he OK? ..... Heat dancer auditions on Sunday will send 40 young women on to a four-day boot camp. That seems really uncomfortable, dancing in boots ..... A softball team of 12-14 year-old girls from Mechanicsville, Va. was disqualified from a championship game for a Snapchat photo in which six girls were giving middle fingers to the team they'd just beaten. Ah, sportsmanship!

POLL RESULTS: KAEPERNICK, PERRY WIN YOUR SUPPORT FOR DOLPHINS, HURRICANES: We called it "Quarterback Quandary X2," invited your opinion, and got it in a massive response. Dolphins: We asked, "If Ryan Tannehill is out injured, who would you prefer to be the Dolphins' starting quarterback to begin the 2017 season?" And you voted Colin Kaepernick 46.5 percent, Matt Moore 32.2%, Jay Cutler 17.8% and Robert Griffin III 3.5%. Kaepernick was up to about 58% before the race narrowed, but he still won comfortably. Hurricanes: We asked, "Which quarterback do you predict will emerge as the Miami Hurricanes' starter this season?" And you voted N'Kosi Perry 54.8 percent, Malik Rosier 31.6%, Evan Shirreffs 7.1% and "someone else" 6.6%.

HOT BUTTON DAILY: MON 8-7-17: Today's sports events of most interest in SoFla:

1. Marlins at Washington, 7:05 p.m.: Fish 7-game road trip visits NL East-leading Nats.

2. Dolphins practice, 8:45 a.m.: Turning page at QB as preseason opener nears.

3. Track world championships, 2 p.m.: IAAF track & field worlds continue in London.

4. Big3 basketball, 8 p.m.: Old-guy hoops tour moves to Lexington, Ky.

Select other recent columns -- The Uncommon Pressure On the Miami Dolphins. He Missed a Heck Of a Game. Blockbuster Would Be Slumpbuster for Riley. Paroled But Not Free. Don't Hold Your Breath. An Ageless Wonder, Even In Defeat. All-Star Week Proves Miami's Baseball Potential as Loria Era Ebbs. The Gentleman-Athlete Earned Our Thanks. Heat Lose Twice On Hayward. Bam Is Due Benefit Of Doubt. Make Fun of the Farce, But You'll Watch. No Parade In Sight. A Fall From Greatness And From Grace. NFL's Moral Obligation. The Dolphins' Eight Ifs. Home Run For Miami. The Jose Statue's Positive Purpose. An American Tragedy. 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.

GREG COTE'S RANDOM EVIDENCE BLOG: MIAMI. SPORTS. AND BEYOND.

GREG COTE'S RANDOM EVIDENCE BLOG: MIAMI. SPORTS. AND BEYOND.

HOT BUTTON TOP 10 (UPDATED): WHAT SOUTH FLORIDA SPORTS FANS ARE TALKING ABOUT: Our blog-exclusive every-Sunday feature, updated Mondays, 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. This week's HB10:

1. SOCCER: Barcelona 3, Real Madrid 2 caps huge soccer week in Miami: El Clasico filled Hard Rock Stadium Saturday night with scintillating soccer as futbol titans and mega-rivals Barca and Real lit it up in their historic, first-ever U.S. meeting. The big question leading up to the match? Forget “Where's Waldo?” It was "Where's Ronaldo!?" Alas, the answer: Not in Miami. Shoulda been here but guess what. Match was so great, we barely missed him.

2. DOLPHINS: Buoyant Fins aiming high as training camp unfurls: ESPN ranking of NFL “offensive arsenals” this week listed Dolphins a lofty No. 3 overall. Mediocre to-good is easy; now the pressure is building on the Fins to go good-to-great. How will they handle it? We find out together.

3. HURRICANES: QB battle center-stage as UM opens camp: As FIU stags its third fall workday of Butch Davis era today, Canes are poised for first fall practice on Tuesday as Mark Rich Year II unfurls. Hopes are high but much depends on open quarterback spot. Malik Rosier? Evan Shirreffs? Maybe true freshman N'Kosi Perry? Whomever wins, inexperience will lead UM.

4. MARLINS: Sale talks stalling at trade deadline: With closer A.J. Ramos dealt to Mets, Monday is MLB trade deadline as Fish saw four-game win streak end Sunday and continue six-game homestand. Meanwhile Jeffrey Loria's sale of club continues to not get done. Dear Jeff: You wanted what you wanted, now the market has responded. Wanna sell? Lower the price!

5. MIAMI FC: NASL club hosts U.S. Open Cup quarterfinal: NASL's Miami FC hosts USL's FCF Cincinnati Wednesday night at FIU in duel of underdogs for a spot in the U.S. Open Cup semifinals. Following Barca-Real, call this one El Pequeno Clasico.

6. HEAT: Miami denies offer for Irving, but...: ESPN's NBA expert Adrian Wojnarowski identified the Heat among six teams that have made offers to Cleveland for Kyrie Irving. The Heat in turn publicly denied they have made an offer. Hmm. I'll side with Woj, thanks.

7. USMNT: U.S. wins Gold Cup championship: U.S. Men's National Team kept its record perfect under new coach Bruce Arena by beating Jamaica 2-1 to win the CONCACAF Gold Cup championship, a regional but notable international title.

8. MLB: Hall of Fame celebrates Induction Weekend in Cooperstown: Speeches came Sunday as Jeff Bagwell, Pudge Rodriguez and Tim Raines headed the Cooperstown Class of '17. Pudge and Raines played for Marlins but not long enough to go in as Fish. So they're dead to me!

9. UFC: Jon Jones makes most of comeback vs. Daniel Cormier: UFC 214 looked a good one Saturday night and saw Jones return from a one-year suspension with a third-round TKO over Cormier, with Jones reclaiming the light-heavyweight title he held from 2011-15.

10. NFL: Dire results in new study on brain injuries: A new study found a sample of 111 brains of former NFL players showed 100 with evidence of CTE injury. Asterisk: They were donated brains from families who strongly suspected their loved ones were impaired. Sort of like doing a study of cancer patients and discovering 99.9 percent had cancer.

Missing the HB10 cut: As a new lawsuit impedes his stadium progress, David Beckham heard Stephen Ross throw shade on an MLS team's likelihood of success in Miami. Beckham still hopes to field a team by the end of the decade. We need to start asking, "What decade, exactly?" ..... LaVar Ball had an AAU female referee replaced mid-game after she gave him a technical. The good news? I won my bet that LaVar could not go an entire week without embarrassing himself ..... USC said paroled O.J. Simpson would not be welcome on the sideline or at Trojans events, surprising absolutely nobody ..... Rangers' Adrian Beltre got ejected from the on-deck circle. Congrats, Adrian, for redefining how to be an idiot ..... Answer: There's a Monster Jam next weekend at the Sunrise arena. Question: What is maybe the most ridiculous motorsports event on Earth? ..... Thursday there's a $2 million prize in a 5-on-5 challenge called The Basketball Tournament. Dear organizers: How 'bout you take some of that money and buy your event an actual name ..... Answer: Ravens just signed barely known arena-league QB David Olson. Question: "Why do people keep saying Colin Kaepernick is being blackballed?" ..... There are reports a $10 million cricket franchise is coming to South Florida, surprising analysts who were unaware there were cricket franchises.

HOT BUTTON DAILY: MON 7-31-17: Today's sports events of most interest in SoFla:

1. Washington at Marlins, 7:10 p.m.: Fish play 1st of 3 vs. NL East power.

2. MLB trade deadline, 4 p.m.: And then the dealin's done. 

3. Dolphins training camp, ongoing: Fins' 5th open-to-public workout in Davie.

4. FIU football practice, ongoing: Third fall workday of Butch Davis era.

Select other recent columns -- Blockbuster Would Be Slumpbuster for Riley (on Kyrie Irving-to-Heat possibility). Paroled But Not Free (O.J. SImpson). Don't Hold Your Breath (LeBron/Wade return to Miami. An Ageless Wonder, Even In Defeat (Venus Williams' Wimbledon run). Also: All-Star Week Proves Miami's Baseball Potential as Loria Era Ebbs. The Gentleman-Athlete Earned Our Thanks. Heat Lose Twice On Hayward. Bam Is Due Benefit Of Doubt. Make Fun of the Farce, But You'll Watch. No Parade In Sight. A Fall From Greatness And From Grace. NFL's Moral Obligation. The Dolphins' Eight Ifs. Home Run For Miami. The Jose Statue's Positive Purpose. An American Tragedy. 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.

GREG COTE'S RANDOM EVIDENCE BLOG: MIAMI. SPORTS. AND BEYOND.

POLL RESULT: LANDRY EDGES SUH AS DOLPHINS' BIGGEST STAR ENTERING 2017 SEASON: We asked, "What current player is the Miami Dolphins' biggest star entering the 2017 season?" and, among five finalists, you anointed receiver Jarvis Landry in a fairly close vote over runnerup and defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh. Those two were a level above. Further down but bunched very close were, in order, quarterback Ryan Tannehill, running back Jay Ajayi and defensive end Cameron Wake. Those five on the ballot split 97.03% of all votes cast, with 2.97% voting for "somebody else." Here are the complete results, with our brief commentary:

1. WR JARVIS LANDRY / 30.93% -- Consecutive Pro Bowls as an offensive playmaker and 288 catches in three seasons will win you attention, and fans. Landry also is out front about embracing stardom. He has his own website, his own clothing line emphasizing his nickname, Juice. Winning even a little unscientific blog poll like this would please him.

2. DT Ndamukong Suh / 22.88% -- The behemoth run stopper probably is the Fins' biggest star from a national vantage, and obviously big with Dolfans, too. But it's tough for a defensive player, particularly one doing the dirty work, to be seen as a bigger star than a uber-productive "glamour position" guy.

3. QB Ryan Tannehill / 14.83% -- In many or most instances an entrenched starting quarterback would have a leg up in a poll such as this, but Tannehill finishing a distant third only mirrors the continuing mixed or incomplete grades on him with many fans. He's liked, generally, but a long shot from earning "beloved" status. (And he was fifth in voting until a late bump).

4. RB Jay Ajayi / 14.41% -- Ajayi's 1,272 yards in a breakout season made him an instant and fast-rising star. His aggressive, quick-hit running style wins admirers, and the charisma needle move a bit, too. He has a flamboyance about him, and that British accent doesn't hurt.

5. DE Cameron Wake / 13.98% -- His long tenure in Miami and being second in all-time Dolphins sacks make Wake perhaps the team's most respected active player. Coming back from career-threatening Achilles surgery and still going strong at 35 gooses the admiration factor.

HOT BUTTON DAILY: SAT 7-29-17: Today's sports events of most interest in SoFla:

1. El Clasico Miami, 7:30 p.m.: It's Barcelona and Real Madrid (sans Ronaldo) at The Rock.

2. Cincinnati at Marlins, 7:10 p.m.: Fish on 6-2 run as homestand continues.

3. UFC 214, 10 p.m.: Jon Jones vs. Daniel Cormier for light-heavyweight title.

4. Dolphins training camp, underway.: Third of 14 open-to-fans Davie practices.

5. FINA World Championships, 2 p.m.: Major swim meet from Hungary.

Select other recent columns -- Blockbuster Would Be Slumpbuster for Riley (on Kyrie Irving-to-Heat possibility). Paroled But Not Free (O.J. SImpson). Don't Hold Your Breath (LeBron/Wade return to Miami. An Ageless Wonder, Even In Defeat (Venus Williams' Wimbledon run). Also: All-Star Week Proves Miami's Baseball Potential as Loria Era Ebbs. The Gentleman-Athlete Earned Our Thanks. Heat Lose Twice On Hayward. Bam Is Due Benefit Of Doubt. Make Fun of the Farce, But You'll Watch. No Parade In Sight. A Fall From Greatness And From Grace. NFL's Moral Obligation. The Dolphins' Eight Ifs. Home Run For Miami. The Jose Statue's Positive Purpose. An American Tragedy. 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.

GREG COTE'S RANDOM EVIDENCE BLOG: MIAMI. SPORTS. AND BEYOND.

AS DOLPHINS OPEN TRAINING CAMP ... WHO IS TEAM'S BIGGEST STAR?: As the Dolphins report for Davie training camp today/Wednesday and stage their first practice Thursday, it was interesting to me to see the cover of the Dolphins' new 2017 media guide. It depicts not any one player but three unidentified players hugging in celebration. Maybe this is by design to emphasize team over individual? But it also strikes me the Dolphins do not have one clear-cut "star," an unequivocal "face of the franchise" who merits a cover photo above all others. Is there that player in Miami? If so, who? I offer a poll here that aims to answer the question. For most of two decades here that answer was Dan Marino. Many other years the answer has been clear. Now? By however you would define the phrase "biggest star," what current Dolphins player most earns that title entering the 2017 season? Here are my top five candidates, alphabetically, plus an "other" category, and you may choose only one. Hey nobody said life was fair. Or easy. Take a dip in our poll and vote now!

HOT BUTTON DAILY: WED 7-26-17: Today's sports events of most interest in SoFla:

1. Int'l Champions Cup, 8:30 p.m.: Juventus vs. Paris Saint Germain in Miami.

2. Gold Cup, 9:30 p.m.: U.S. vs. Jamaica for the CONCACAF championship.

3. Int'l Champions Cup, 7 p.m.: Barca-Man U in Md., then Man City-Real 11:30.

4. Marlins at Texas, 8:05 p.m.: Fish wrap up 6-game road trip.

5. FINA World Championships, 11:30 a.m.: Major swim meet continues in Hungary.

Select other recent columns -- Blockbuster Would Be Slumpbuster for Riley (on Kyrie Irving-to-Heat possibility). Paroled But Not Free (O.J. SImpson). Don't Hold Your Breath (LeBron/Wade return to Miami. An Ageless Wonder, Even In Defeat (Venus Williams' Wimbledon run). Also: All-Star Week Proves Miami's Baseball Potential as Loria Era Ebbs. The Gentleman-Athlete Earned Our Thanks. Heat Lose Twice On Hayward. Bam Is Due Benefit Of Doubt. Make Fun of the Farce, But You'll Watch. No Parade In Sight. A Fall From Greatness And From Grace. NFL's Moral Obligation. The Dolphins' Eight Ifs. Home Run For Miami. The Jose Statue's Positive Purpose. An American Tragedy. 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.

GREG COTE'S RANDOM EVIDENCE BLOG: MIAMI. SPORTS. AND BEYOND.

HOT BUTTON TOP 10 (UPDATED): WHAT SOUTH FLORIDA SPORTS FANS ARE TALKING ABOUT: Our blog-exclusive every-Sunday feature, updated Mondays, 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. This week's HB10:

1. SOCCER: El Clasico Miami headlines huge week: The annual International Champions Cup rocks Hard Rock Stadium bigger than ever with Juventus vs. Paris Saint-Germain on Wednesday and then headliner Barcelona vs. Real Madrid, El Clasico, on Saturday.  Added drama decorates the week, with Ronaldo very questionable to make the trip for Real Madrid and with Barcelona star Neymar reportedly about to sign with PSG. We just hosted the MLB All-Star Game, but guess what. Worldwide, El Clasico is bigger.

2. DOLPHINS: Fins set to open full training camp: After Dolphins rookies reported last week, the full squad reports for training camp in Davie on Wednesday, with the first practice scheduled for Thursday. Team has very high hopes of making playoffs again, but Vegas' low expectations (7.5 over/under on wins) beg to differ. Somebody's dead wrong, but who?

3. HEAT: Kyrie Irving, Wade speculation keep things interesting: Heat re-signed Udonis Haslem (of course); meanwhile, amid speculation Dwyane Wade could end up back in Miami this season at a bargain rate, Cleveland all-star Irving is asking for a trade with the Heat among places he'd like to land. Cancel that vacation, Pat Riley. No such thing as an offseason. Go to work!

4. MARLINS: Fish on road as trade deadline looms: Marlins following a lousy 1-5 homestand are in midst of a six-game road trip as talks to sell the team continue and the July 31 trade deadline nears. Fish already have dealt Adeiny Hechavarria and David Phelps for prospects. No fire sale ahead (we hope), but more deals coming.

5. O.J. SIMPSON: Notorious ex-NFL star wins parole: His parole means O.J. will be out of prison in October after serving nine years for armed robbery. Of course most people continue to think he got away with double murder in the '90s, a steadfast belief from which he remains permanently ineligible for parole.

6. GOLF: Spieth wraps up British Open triumph in England: Branden Grace set a majors-record-low 62 on Saturday but it was Jordan Spieth in the ultimate with a 3-shot victory. This is the oldest major in golf. The first British Open was in 1860. I was there. I recall it being windy that day.

7. HURRICANES: ACC vote, Paradise Camp make big week for UM: Canes football held its annual Paradise Camp, a brilliant Mark Richt invention in which ex-UM stars return to mingle with recruits and Richt falls backward off a 10-meter diving board. Meanwhile ACC media members anointed UM to win the Coastal Division. Even scarier than Richt's backward dive? Facing FSU. 

8. CYCLING: Froome win as Tour de France (finally) ends: Brit Chris Froome (rhymes with zoom) won his fourth Tour de France on Sunday as cycling 's crown jewel ended along the Champs-Elysees. No PEDs, either. That we know of.

9. SOCCER: U.S. men reach Gold Cup final: U.S. beat Costa Rica 2-0 last night to reach the final of the CONCACAF Gold Cup. Yanks will face Jamaica, surprisingly, not Mexico, for the title Wednesday night in Santa Clara, Calif. "Let's gooooo States!"  

10. POKER: New Jersey man wins WSOP main event: Scott Blumstein, 25, of Brigantine, N.J., on Sunday won the World Series of Poker final table in Las Vegas and its $8.15 million grand prize. "I can do that, too!" dreamed a million millennials, 999,999 of whom are laughably wrong.

Missing the HB10 cut: Lavar Ball pulled his Big Ballers AAU team off the court Saturday and forfeited the game after he was called for technical foul, confirming to the few remaining doubters what an ego-driven moron he truly is ..... Did I dream it or did it actually happen? Was it Michael Vick who counseled unemployed Colin Kaepernick to cut his Afro? ..... Ole Miss football coach Hugh Freeze resigns in scandal related to his calls to an escort service. He claimed a "misdial." America snorted laughter and said in unison, "Yeah, right!" ..... Did you watch the WNBA All-Star Game yesterday? Yeah, me neither ..... Floyd Mayweather and Conor McGregor are annoying even when not speaking ..... Roger Federer hadn't won a major since 2012 and was nearing hasbeen-hood before Wimbledon last week gave him two this year. See, Tiger, there may be hope for you yet! ..... Jeff Bagwell, Tim Raines and Pudge Rodriguez are set for baseball's Hall of Fame induction weekend in Cooperstown next week. No offense, but that's a bit low-watt on the starpower, no? ..... Feds are reviewing the endangered species status of the Florida panther, with only 230 or so thought left on earth. Even more rare: Florida Panthers in the Stanley Cup Finals ..... The state granted Miami's Magic City Casino permission to replace its dog races with jai-alai matches. "Damn!" said one of the greyhounds. "And just when I was finally gaining on that !@#$ing rabbit!"

POLL RESULT: VERY STRONG SUPPORT FOR PROPOSED KYRIE IRVING-TO-HEAT TRADE: We asked, "Would you want the Heat to trade Goran Dragic, Justise Winslow and Tyler Johnson to Cleveland for Kyrie Irving and Channing Frye?," a deal that would be workable based on ESPN's Trade Machine. You said: "Yes" 67.9 percent, "No" 21.5% and "Nit sure" 10.6%. (You may still vote in the previous blogpost).

HOT BUTTON DAILY: MON 7-24-17: Today's sports events of most interest in SoFla:

1. Marlins at Texas, 8:05 p.m.: Fish begin second leg of 6-game road trip.

2. FINA World Championships, 11:30 a.m.: Major swimming event goes on in Hungary.

3. Int'l Champions Cup, underway: Lyonaisse vs. Nanjing soccer in China.

Select other recent columns -- Don't Hold Your Breath: On chances LeBron/Wade return to Miami. An Ageless Wonder, Even In Defeat: Venus Williams' Wimbledon run. Also: All-Star Week Proves Miami's Baseball Potential as Loria Era Ebbs. Verdict to Judge, But Marlins Come Up Big. Home Run Derby Is King. Miami Loves Hosting, Just Has A Funny Way Of Showing It. There Should Be A Place For Ichiro. The Gentleman-Athlete Earned Our Thanks. Heat Lose Twice On Hayward. Bam Is Due Benefit Of Doubt. Make Fun of the Farce, But You'll Watch. No Parade In Sight. A Fall From Greatness And From Grace. What's Next, Marlins? NFL's Moral Obligation. The Dolphins' Eight Ifs. Home Run For Miami. The Jose Statue's Positive Purpose. An American Tragedy. 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.