Greg Cote’s Hot Button Top 10: NFL Draft Week in America, Heat & Panthers turn it up, Messi and more
GREG COTE’S HOT BUTTON TOP 10 (APRIL 20): 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 101st edition of your HB10:
1. DOLPHINS/NFL: Draft Week in America! Top-pick CB looms for Miami amid Ramsey trade talks: Cam Ward is all but sure to be only the Hurricanes’ third overall No. 1 pick ever. If only the Dolphins’ first-round plans were as certain. Miami is shopping veteran star cornerback Jalen Ramsey in trade talks, so a CB to Fins at 13th overall is likely. At 30 and coming off a so-so year, Ramsey won’t fetch more than a third-round pick. It signals a budding rebuild by the Dolphins, with vets Terron Armstead and Calais Campbell also gone. Is problem-child WR Tyreek Hill next? Meantime Ramsey’s departure would perhaps nudge cornerback ahead of guard as Miami’s biggest 1R need Thursday night, with Michigan CB Will Johnson a popular mock-draft guess for Dolphins.
2. HEAT: Two big road wins have resurgent Miami in playoffs vs. Cavs: After a 37-45 down season hijacked by the Jimmy Butler drama and trade, the Heat has saved two of its best performances for when they mattered most: On the road, in must-win play-in games at Chicago and Atlanta. Two wins fueled by fierce defense and Tyler Herro’s 38- and 30-point shows have Miami as the No. 8 seed at No. 1 Cleveland in Game 1 of the NBA playoffs’ first round tonight/Sunday. Miami is a longshot to beat Cleveland, but the past two games alone will see a more encouraged Heat team enter the offseason.
3. PANTHERS: Tkachuk back as Cats’ title-defense opens Tuesday at rival Tampa: Panthers ended the NHL regular season 47-35 and third in their division after a late grind of nine games in 15 days and hobbled by injuries. But now Matthew Tkachuk is back as Florida regains health and guns for a Stanley Cup repeat beginning Tuesday night with Game 1 in the playoffs’ first at rival Tampa Bay. Cats expect to also have back Aaron Ekblad from a PEDs suspension sometime during the opening round.
4. INTER MIAMI: Team Messi is last unbeaten in MLS; CCC semis next: Inter Miami won Saturday at previously unbeaten Columbus 1-nil on a goal by home-grown Benjamin Cremaschi to stay undefeated in MLS at 5-0-3 -- the only team yet to lose. Lionel Messi played the full match. Giant games ahead as IM plays CONCACAF Champions Cup semifinals this Thursday at Vancouver and April 30 vs. the same foe in Fort Lauderdale, with an MLS home match vs. Dallas in between next Sunday.
5. MARLINS: Reeling Fish lose fifth straight as Alcantara trade talk simmers: Miami is amid The Big Sag after a hopeful 3-1 start and is now 8-12 with a fifth straight loss on Saturday. Marlins are back at it Sunday in Philadelphia. Meanwhile Miami, forever looking to not spend, is widely expected to trade ace Sandy Alcantara before the July 31 MLB deal deadline in a continuing cycle of trading pricey talent for cheap prospects and building toward a future that never arrives.
6. WNBA: Bueckers top-drafted as new season and Caitlin Year 2 nears: UConn champion star-guard Paige Bueckers went No. 1 overall as expected to the Dallas Wings in the WNBA Draft as the regular season and Caitlin Clark Year 2 looms with a May 16 tipoff. Reigning champ New York Liberty, Las Vegas Aces and Clark’s Indiana Fever are preseason faves in betting odds. Woeful Dallas, even with Bueckers, inches up only to a longshot tie for 10th among 13 teams.
7. GOLF: Even in triumph, McIlroy’s DeChambeau feud escalated: It was Rory’s Masters Sunday, his first career green jacket and first major in 11 years to become only the sixth man to accomplish a career Grand Slam. It drew 13 million viewers, golf’s most since 2018. But during his triumphant day McIlroy’s icy relationship with Bryson DeChambeau continued as they played in the final pairing even as DeChambeau withered out of contention. “Didn’t talk to me once all day,” DeChambeau told Golf.com. It was McIroy’s choice. Was it the height of competitiveness? Lingering animus from PGA Tour vs. LIV golf? His sports psychologist has since said it was “part of the plan.” All that matters: One man soared as the other caved.
8. COLLEGE FOOTBALL: Nine months early, Miami touts hosting ‘26 CFP title game: Next season’s College Football Championship title game at Hard Rock Stadium isn’t until January 19, 2026, but what better time to celebrate Miami as host than now, right!? The CFP staged a “kickoff event” at Miami’s Brownsville Middle School, recipient of a makeover by the CFP and Miami Host Committee, to tout local events in the buildup. No response yet to a request that the host-city Miami Hurricanes receive an automatic bid to play in the championship game.
9. BUSINESS: Belichick, girlfriend look to lock up trademarks: Jordan Hudson, who puts the girl in girlfriend at age 24, is behind efforts by coach Bill Belichick, 72, claiming trademark rights to various phrases he coined while with Patriots -- trademarks now owned by Robert Kraft and New England. Hudson’s company has filed for 14 federal trademarks for phrases including “Do Your Job,” and “Ignore the Noise.” The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office is expected to hear the petition, unless President Elon Musk fires those government workers, too.
10. MEDIA: Farewell, Lee Corso: From Miami to ESPN legend: Retiring Lee Corso’s final broadcast on ESPN’s College GameDay set will be August 30, three weeks after he turns 90. Corso, known for his popular headgear segment, has been a fixture of the network’s college football coverage for 38 years. “My family and I will be forever indebted,” he said. Less known: Corso grew up in Miami. His family moved here when he was 10 and he played quarterback at Miami Jackson High.
THE LIST: Most championships won since 2000: Most league championships won in the NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, MLS or WNBA since 2000:
No. Team (League) Most recent
6 Los Angeles Galaxy (MLS) 2024
6 Los Angeles Lakers (NBA) 2020
6 New England Patriots (NFL) 2018
4 Golden State Warriors (NBA) 2022
4 Seattle Storm (WNBA) 2020
4 Boston Red Sox (MLB) 2018
4 Minnesota Lynx (WNBA) 2017
4 San Antonio Spurs (NBA) 2014
Note: Ten teams including Miami Heat have won three championships this century. Seventeen teams have won two.
Other most recent stuff from me: Resurgent Heat win again, make NBA playoffs. Wait, do you believe in miracles? // Miami’s stay-alive play-in win lets Heat smile after a hard, chaotic season // Previous HB10 // Poll Dance: Position Dolphins should target in 1st round // Miami Dolphins should be fed up with Tyreek Hill, but team is too desperate to trade him // LeBron vs. Michael, now Ovechkin-Gretzky. Our obsession with ranking greatness // Cam Ward, Shedeur Sanders will own NFL Draft. But are they franchise QBs? There are doubts // NCAAs crescendo with exciting Final Fours, but college basketball is broken. Let’s fix it // To owner Bruce Sherman of low-hope Marlins: Spend more on payroll, or sell team // After Miami Heat’s lost season, urgency this summer will be Riley’s epitaph to write // Dolphins’ 18-month decline, quiet offseason heap pressure on Tua, coach, GM in ‘25 // New Hurricanes coach Jai Lucas’ job: Make Miami college hoops matter like never before // A tribute to Miami sports legend Jimmy Johnson as he retires from Fox TV // Must-win MLS season for Messi, Inter Miami a tough climb, as opening 2-2 home draw shows // 15 years later, Dolphins Cancer Challenge is the life-saving legacy of Jim Mandich // Rivalry! Politics! Power shift? NHL is ice on fire with U.S.-Canada in 4 Nations final // Unprofessional Jimmy Butler quit on Heat, ruined his legacy in Miami // Our Top 10 biggest Miami/South Florida sports stories of 2024 // And my latest podcast:
