Greg Cote’s Hot Button Top 10: Super Bowl, new Heat trio to debut, Marlins playoff shot at 0.0 & more
GREG COTE’S HOT BUTTON TOP 10 (FEBRUARY 9): WHAT IN SPORTS HAS GRABBED US THIS WEEK: Our Sunday Hot Button Top 10 notes column brings you 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 to the 93rd edition of your HB10:
1. NFL: Super Bowl Sunday. Chiefs-Eagles as America eats, bets, watches: More than 120 million of us will come together in the U.S. today to wager money, gorge ourselves, imbibe and cheer either for an historic Kansas City three-peat or for Philadelphia exacting its revenge after losing to the Chiefs just two Super Bowls ago. It’s Patrick Mahomes and Saquon Barkley vs. two strong defenses at the very pinnacle of America sport. Enjoy ... and root for my Super Bowl pick.
2. HEAT: Rid of Butler, Miami gets big return in Wiggins, Mitchell, pick: Ridding the team of poison Jimmy Butler alone made it a trade-deadline plus for Miami. Bonus was getting in return starter-caliber Andrew Wiggins, rotation guys in top defender Davion Mitchell and Kyle Anderson, and a first-round draft pick from Golden State. No Kevin Durant, but still a net-plus for Pat Riley. The three newbies will be intro’d today/Sunday and may make their Heat debuts Monday vs. Boston. They need the help, falling to 25-25 with Friday’s 102-86 loss at sad Brooklyn. Miami was outscored 31-9 in a miserable fourth quarter with Tyler Herro, after being chosen for the all-star 3-point contest, shooting 2-for-11 on 3s.
3. NBA: Trade-deadline flurry steals some shine from Super Bowl Week: Mavericks’ Luka Doncic going to Lakers in exchange for Anthony Davis was a seismic swap of superstars made all the more stunning for the refreshing lack of any indication, advance rumor or speculation. Consensus has L.A. picking Dallas’ pocket, but here’s saying Mavs will be happy with a motivated Davis. Big trade season when Jimmy Butler to Warriors and De’Aaron Fox to Spurs is second-tier stuff.
4. NFL: Josh Allen reigns, Eli denied Hall at NFL Honors awards show: Bills QB Josh Allen won his first league MVP trophy at the NFL Honors awards show in New Orleans, ahead of Lamar Jackson and Saquon Barkley. There were no major surprises. The night’s biggest surprise may have been Eli Manning denied the Hall of Fame as a first-ballot inductee. I agree with the call. I don’t know that a career with Hall of Fame moments always constitutes a Hall of Fame career.
5. PANTHERS: Cats stay hot entering 4 Nations Face-Off break: Stanley Cup champs are 34-23 and on a 5-1 run with Saturday’s 5-1 home rout of Ottawa. entering the Feb. 12-20 4 Nations Face-Off tournament. Top players are repping teams from the U.S., Canada, Sweden and Finland. Eight Panthers are in it led by Matthew Tkachuk (USA) and Aleksander Barkov (FIN). Tourney games are being held in New York and Boston.
6. INTER MIAMI: Herons at perfect in preseason with one left: Team Messi is an encouraging 4-0 in its five-game preseason after Saturday’s 5-0 road win in Honduras over Olimpia, with Lionel Messi among the goal scorers. Preseason closes with a match at MLS rival Orlando City this coming Friday night. Miami then has a CONCACAF Champions Cup match at MLS team Kansas City on Feb. 18 before opening the league’s regular season at home Feb. 22 vs. New York City. Miami is aching for a championship in its expected final season with Messi and last in Fort Laudedrdale before the move to the new Miami Freedom Park.
7. GOLF: Tiger giving it another shot as PGA Tour season unfurls: Tiger Woods, the 15-time major winner now 49 but eternally relevant, committed to play in this week’s Genesis Invitational at Torrey Pines outside San Diego, the tournament benefiting Woods’ TGR Foundation that was moved from Riviera in Pacific Palisades because of the devastating wildfires. Woods is set to compete nine days after the death of his mother, Kultida, at age 80, in his first start on the Tour since last September.
8. DOLPHINS: Tyreek Hill now says he’s happy; Dan Marino on Tua: Top receiver Tyreek Hill says he wants to stay in Miami, though the mercurial one expressed frustration after the season, saying he’d do what’s best for his career, “whether that’s here or wherever.” But on Friday he said, “I don’t want to go nowhere. I love [Miami], my family loves it.” In even less surprising offseason Fins news, club legend Dan Marino says he’s convinced Tua Tagovailoa is the QB of the future, but that the Dolphins “have to keep him healthy.” Stop the presses!
9. FOOTBALL: Bill bleepin’ Belichick, am I right!?: Gets back in it as the new head coach at U-North Carolina. Now he shows up at the Super Bowl in New Orleans with 24-year-old girlfriend Jordan Hudson on his arm. Bill’s 72, by the way. Belichick and Hudson attended the NFL Honors awards show hosted by Snoop Dogg. Snoop looking at them said, “I’ve been a football fan for a long, long time. I remember back when the Cowboys was good. I remember back when the Chiefs was bad. And I remember — what was it? -- Bill Belichick’s girlfriend wasn’t even born yet.”
10. MARLINS: So I guess it’s official. Fish are hopeless in ‘25: Club has created a Marlins Legends Hall of Fame, with charters members Luis Castillo, Jeff Conine, Jim Leyland and Jack McKeon. Alas, the team’s past is better than its present. On eve of spring training, Baseball Prospectus issued its annual, highly respected PECOTA ratings and they say the Marlins will stink this season. NL East rival Braves, Mets and Phillies all are projected as playoff teams, while Miami’s playoff projection is 0.0 percent -- one of only two reams (with Colorado) given literally no chance. Alrighty then. Play ball!
THE LIST: MOST CHAMPIONSHIP SINCE 2000: As the Kansas City Chiefs go for their fourth Super Bowl win this century, we list the winningest franchises in the old Big Four leagues since 2000. The 11 teams that have won three or more crowns:
Titles League/Team Most recent
6 NBA Los Angles Lakers 2020
6 NFL New England Patriots 2018
4 NBA Golden State Warriors 2022
4 MLB Boston Red Sox 2018
4 NBA San Antionio Spurs 2014
3 each: NFL Chiefs 2023; NHL Lightning 2021; NHL Penguins 2017; NHL Blackhawsk 2015; MLB Giants 2014; NBA Heat 2013.
Other most recent stuff from me: Super Bowl LIX pick // Smirk V / Smirk IV / Smirk III / Smirk II / Smirk I // Miami misses on Durant, but trading Butler brings gust of fresh air -- and Heat got plenty in return // Dolphins trading for Browns defensive star Myles Garrett wold be boldness Miami needs // Previous HB10 // Poll Dance: Super Bowl X2 // Amid Miami’s Butler drama, all-star Herro, Ware lead surge of Heat home-grown talent // Unprofessional Jimmy Butler quit on Heat, ruined his legacy in Miami // Hurricanes bank on QB Carson Beck to lead ‘monster jump’ to 6th national title // Herald NFL Final 2024 QB Rankings // Our Top 10 biggest Miami/South Florida sports stories of 2024 // Canes’ Larranaga lost heart for game in ‘new world’ cannibalizing college sports // It’s mountaintop to hinterlands for Miami Marlins’ new manager // Messi, Inter Miami out in MLS playoffs’ first round a stunning disappointment // Pete Rose wasn’t perfect, but MLB’s endless lack of mercy followed him to grave // And my latest podcast:
