Greg Cote’s Hot Button Top 10: Copa America, Euro ’24, Hurricanes’ big get, fined for a kiss & more
[Note: Hot Button Top 10 will be off on vacation next Sunday. Look for the next new HB10 on July 21.]
GREG COTE’S HOT BUTTON TOP 10 (JULY 7): WHAT IN SPORTS HAS GRABBED US THIS WEEK: Our Sunday Hot Button Top 10 had been blog-only but when our blog retired it moved, re-imagined, to online-only. HB10 means what’s on our minds, locally and nationally, but from a Miami perspective and accentuating stuff that’s big, weird, damnable, funny or otherwise worth needling as the sports week just past pivots to the week ahead. Welcome now to the 65th edition of your Sunday sports-potpourri notes column, the new HB10:
1. SOCCER: Messi, Argentina front Copa America semifinals as favorites: Reigning champion and heavy favorite Argentina advanced to Tuesday’s Copa America semifinal despite a missed penalty kick by Lionel Messi and will face surprising Canada, which survived Venezuela in a penalty shootout. In the other semi Wednesday, Colombia after routing Panama will face Uruguay, which upset Brazil ion penalties, with Uruguay a slight betting pick. Host nation U.S. figured in the quarterfinals to reach Wednesday’s game but choked in group play in a display that should get Gregg Berhalter fired.
2. INTER MIAMI: Messi-less Herons get crushed in Cincy, lose MLS East lead: No Messi, yes problem. With its star occupied in Copa America, Inter Miami suffered a crushing 6-1 loss at Cincinnati Saturday night to fall behind Cincy by a point atop the MLS East team leaderboard. Inter Miami is off now until July 17, when Messi should again be available. A home rematch vs. Cincinnati is scheduled August 24.
3. HURRICANES: Coveted 5-star football recruit adds to pressure on Cristobal: Coach Mario Cristobal kept alive a hot streak in recruiting with a 2025 commitment from 5-star offensive lineman S.J. Alofaituli from Nevada. Canes beat Michigan and Nebraska for the big prize, the No. 10 overall prospect in the ESPN 300. Alofaituli fronts a highly rated (so far) ‘25 class for UM. Another highly rated recruiting class, along with transfer portal scores such as QB Cam Ward, heaps added pressure on Cristobal to see a breakthrough 2024 season after a disappointing first two years back at The U.
4. SOCCER: It’s powerhouse final four in semifinals of Euro ‘24: It’ll be Spain vs. France on Tuesday and England vs. Netherlands on Wednesday in semifinals of the European Championship being hosted by Germany. Spain after ousting host Germany and and England are betting faves. Notable: France’s elimination of Portugal on penalties meant the end of Cristiano Ronaldo’s Euros career.
5. HEAT: Miami rumored after Markkanen as Summer Leagues open: The tanking Utah Jazz have made it known that in-his-prime all-star power forward Lauri Markkanen is available -- and ESPN reported that a trade this summer could involve San Antonio, Sacramento Kings, Golden State ... or Miami. Markannen averaged 24 points and almost 40 percent on 3’s over the past two seasons and would be a great fir paired with Bam Adebayo. But will the Heat pull the trigger? Can they afford him? Meantime Miami has begun Summer League west-coast play in San Fran ahead of the main Summer League in Vegas starting July 12.
6. TENNIS: No. 1 Swiatek out rocks Wimbledon at midpoint: Iga Swiatek is a five-time major winner and the world’s No. 1-ranked woman by a mile, but her (relative) weakness on grass shone through again at Wimbledon in a 3-6, 6-1,-6-2 third-round loss to little known Yulia Putinseva. The women’s crown is now formally up for grabs. On the less surprising men’s side all top five seeds were still alive entering Sunday’s play.
7. BOXING: Rising star Garcia latest in trouble for bugling his ignorance: The WBC has expelled boxing star Ryan Garcia for repeatedly using racial slurs against Black people and disparaging Muslims in a livestream on social media. WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman: “We reject any form of discrimination. I fear for Ryan’s well being as he has declined multiple attempts for our help with mental health and substance abuse.” Garcia already is serving a one-year suspension for PEDs. Livestreaming one’s ignorance with no apparent awareness of repercussions may be a whole new level of dumb.
8. CYCLING: Dumb Tour de France fines rider’s sweet gesture: The storied race ends July 21 but what I’ll remember is French rider Julien Bernard being fined 200 Swiss francs ($223) by the International Cycling Union because he stopped to kiss his wife and young son during the seventh stage minutes into Friday’s time trial held in Bernard’s home region of Burgundy. The Union said in a statement Bernard’s behavior was inappropriate and damaged the image of the sport. Said Bernard: “I’m willing to pay 200 Swiss francs every day and experience this moment again.” The image of cycling and the Tour de France was legit-damaged for years by doping. Now it penalizes a feelgood moment!? May Bernard win the race, please.
9. NBA: Off-year Draft lessens Summer League interest, but...: It was a low-watt NBA Draft -- can you name the overall No. 1 pick? -- so interest in the Summer Leagues now underway is less than usual. Maybe that’s why at least one league ad for its July developmental schedule features the Lakers’ Bronny James, likely the most celebrated 55th overall pick in basketball history. Normal cirumstances, you’d wonder if he’ll even make the team. With Daddy LeBron on it ... I like his chances.
10. EATING: Nathan’s hot dog fest goes on as Chestnut ban begins: Pat Bertoletti inhaled 58 hot dogs and buns to win the annual ESPN-televised Nathan’s Fourth of July contest on Coney Island -- the first since the ban of star Joey Chestnut, who violated his Nathan’s contract by signing with a plant-based food company. Stripped of the spotlight, Chestnut desperately and somewhat sadly held his own five-minute exhibition later in the day at Fort Bliss Army Base in El Paso, Texas, defeating four soldiers in a livestream to his YouTube channel that drew fewer than 20,000 viewers.
Other most recent stuff from me: Why U.S. should fire Gregg Berhalter after early exit from Copa America // The stand-pat Miami Heat must keep up as agressive NBA East improves all around it // Rain soaks Florida Panthers’ Stanley Cup celebration ... and it was glorious // Previous HB10 // Poll Dance: Panthers MVP // Blasphemy! Vindication? How ‘McDavid overrated’ took on life of its own in Stanley Cup Final // Champions! Epic rise as Florida Panthers win 1st Stanley Cup, deny McDavid coronation // For Florida Panthers it’s Stanley Cup or historic defeat in a Game 7 for the ages // Willie Mays, 1931-2024: A fond and personal tribute to top-tier baseball legend // Lionel Messi is hero/savior in MLS, but Caitlin Clark is resented in WNBA. Here’s why // Dolphins, quit nickel & diming and pay Tua the major money NFL QB market demands // Connor McDavid is overrated, other thoughts, picks for Panthers-Oilers, NBA Finals // MLB finally adding Josh Gibson, Negro Leagues an ‘historic moment’ too long in coming // And my latest podcast:
This story was originally published July 7, 2024 at 9:09 AM.
