Cote’s Hot Button Top 10: Messi, Miami win MLS Cup, Canes await CFP, Fins and more
GREG COTE’S HOT BUTTON TOP 10 (DECEMBER 7): WHAT IN SPORTS HAS GRABBED US THIS WEEK: Inter Miami wins MLS Cup, Hurricanes await CFP decision, Dolphins-Jets, World Cup draw, Heat, Panthers and more. Welcome to the 129th edition of HB10, bringing you what’s on our minds from a Miami lens and accentuating stuff that’s big, weird, damnable, funny or worth needling as the sports week past pivots to the week ahead:
1. INTER MIAMI: Messi leads Miami to first MLS Cup championship!: Beyond-superstar Lionel Messi was the firestarter with assists on all three goals Saturday as Inter Miami handled the Vancouver Whitecaps 3-1 in the MLS Cup championship match at Chase Stadium in Fort Lauderdale. Messi passes led to an own-goal and scores by Tadeo Allende and Rodrigo De Paul. It was South Florida’s first major-soccer crown in a 50-plus year history that began with the Miami Gatos in 1972. It is the region’s 10th major sports title in all, joining three by the Heat and two each by the Dolphins, Marlins and Panthers.
2. HURRICANES: UM gets some luck, looking good for CFP: The 10-2, No. 12-ranked Miami Hurricanes entered Saturday teetering on the far edge of selection to the 12-team College Football Playoff and needing some breaks in Saturday’s conference title games. Done. Texas Tech’s big win over No. 11 BYU and Georgia handing No. 9 Alabama a third loss should be enough to lift coach Mario Cristobal’s Canes into the CFP, with the announcement to come midday today. UM this week scored a national No. 11 recruiting class but it’s the CFP that’s the big prize. Miami, also 10-2 a year ago, narrowly missed the playoff.
3. DOLPHINS: Miami must beware trap-game at Jets: The red-hot Dolphins (yes I just wrote that) have won three straight and three of four to climb to 5-7. Now they’re playing a Jets team they’ve already beaten. They call this a ‘trap game.’ Warning lights are flashing. Fins are not good enough to be overconfident -- especially vs. a division rival on the road. But a win brings a wild-card playoff possibility into focus, with ensuing games at struggling Steelers and vs. a Bengals team with Joe Burrow back but still with a bad defense. Do you believe in miracles?
4. HEAT: Miami falls back to Earth as Giannis talk swirls: Heat is down to 14-10 with its worst loss of season Saturday, 127-111 at home to bad Sacramento. It was Miami’s third straight L and forth in five games, and now Tyler Herro (toe injury) is sidelined yet again. Heat plays in Orlando Tuesday in a quarterfinal of the NBA Cup in-season tourney. Meantime Giannis Antetokounmpo reportedly wanting out of Milwaukee naturally has the Heat among rumored suitors, though smarter money (and better betting odds) are on the Knicks or a Bucks reconciliation at the moment.
5. PANTHERS: Cats stop the bleeding with OT thriller: Florida hiked its record to 13-14 with Saturday’s needed 7-6 OT thriller over Columbus on Sam Bennett’s game-winner. Panthers had lost four in a row, and five straight at home, before Saturday. Cats host New York Islanders Sunday before four straight on the road as they continue trying to look like the team that won two straight Stanley Cups. Get well soon, Matthew Tkachuk.
6. COLLEGE FOOTBALL: Indiana, Georgia, Texas tech lead rush to CFP: College Football Playoff will reveal its 12-team field midday today and high on the list will be three conference winners Saturday: Indiana 13-10 over Ohio State in the Big Ten, Georgia 28-7 over Alabama in the SEC and Texas Tech 34-7 over BYU in the Big 12. Five -loss Duke will not make it despite beating Virginia for the ACC crown. Will Alabama be left out? Will Miami and Notre Dame both make it? Stay tuned.
7. SOCCER: U.S. gifted a favorable World Cup group draw: The United States draw for 2026 summer men’s World Cup was a favorable Group D placing with Paraguay, Australia and the winner of a four-team playoff with Kosovo, Romania, Slovakia and Türkiye. As co-hosts (with Canada and Mexico), the U.S. avoided being grouped with top seeds like Spain, Argentina, France and England. Defending champ Argentina -- led by Inter Miami’s Lionel Messi -- also was gifted a soft draw, in with Algeria, Austria and Jordan. U.S. reached semifinals of inaugural World Cup in 1930 but has gone as far as quarterfinals only once since, in 2002.
8. SOCCER: Details on 7 World Cup matches in Miami: Hard Rock Stadium’s four group-stage matches will be June 17 (Saudi Arabia-Uruguay); June 21 (Uruguay-Cape Verde); June 24 (Brazil-Scotland) and June 27 (Colombia-Portugal). Getting five-time champion Brazil and Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal are the big prizes. Miami could get Lionel Messi and Argentina in a round-of-32 match July 3, and also hosts a quarterfinal game July 11 and the third-place match July 18.
9. MARLINS: Time for Miami to add bats, not stand pat: MLB’s winter meetings are going on in Orlando, signalling the start of the offseason proper. Marlins are coming off a surprisingly successful(ish) 79-win season. Now what? Fish are in position to compete for wild-card playoffs led by starting rotation depth. But lack of offense remains glaring. Kyle Stowers’ bat can’t do it alone. Stand pat, stay in Mediocresville. Time to add offense and give winning a real shot.
10. NASCAR: Michael Jordan at center of landmark trial: Iconic former NBA superstar Michael Jordan took the stand Friday in Charlotte in the landmark NASCAR antitrust case, testifying he “little choice” but to sue NASCAR to force changes. Jordan and others believe the sport’s business model shortchanges the teams and drivers risking their lives. The trial is ongoing.
THE LIST: WORLD CUP GAMES HEADED TO MIAMI: Hard Rock Stadium will host seven matches in the 2026 men’s World Cup. Here are the four group-stage games whose matchups are now set:
Date Match
June 17 Uruguay vs. Saudi Arabia
June 21 Uruguay vs. Cape Verde
June 24 Brazil vs. Scotland
Jun 27 Portugal vs. Colombia
Other select most recent stuff from me: Messi, Inter Miami win MLS Cup, crown 50 years of SoFla soccer // NFL Week 14 picks // Cowboys-Lions Thursday pick // Updated Herald NFL QB rankings // Achane the answer among question as Dolphins hang on for 21-17 win // Poll Dance: Canes or Irish in CFP? // Previous HB10 // Canes wallop Pitt, belong in CFP ahead of Notre Dame // How Browns fan’s tragedy gave Bernie Kosar new life // Tortoise to hare, reinvention of Miami Heat an NBA marvel // NFL, Canes QB great Bernie Kosar in a fight for his life // Bags over heads, season dead, as Grier departure signals Dolphins reboot // How Miami project -- and forgiveness -- helped Marc Buoniconti turn tragedy to triumph // Beloved cast member leaving Dan Le Batard Show // Wounded, doubted but nobody’s underdog, champ Panthers win opener // Barkov lost for season a mortal blow to Panthers’ 3-peat bid // Dolphins owner Ross’ prior in-season firings hints McDaniel at risk // Super Bowl to Dolphins to dregs: My annual NFL Team Rankings! // Cristobal has ‘insatiable’ drive for new Hurricanes glory days, and he’s getting close // Heat getting 3-point ace Powell a pickpocket-win for Riley // Inter Miami falls to PSG but won big to reach Club World Cup final 16 // Major news on future of Dan Le Batard Show, Meadowlark Media, DraftKings // A tribute to Miami sports legend Jimmy Johnson as he retires from Fox TV // 15 years later, Dolphins Cancer Challenge is life-saving legacy of Jim Mandich // And my latest podcast:
