GREG COTE’S HOT BUTTON TOP 10 (SEPTEMBER 28): WHAT IN SPORTS HAS GRABBED US THIS WEEK: Panthers’ awful Barkov news, Dolphins-Jets Monday, Canes-FSU on deck, MLB’s wild finish, college football’s wild weekend, raucous Ryder Cup and more. Welcome to the 120th 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. PANTHERS: Barkov serious injury casts pall as season nears: The season-ending knee injury to captain Aleksander Barkov casts a dark shadow as the Florida Panthers move through a preseason now more meaningless than ever and prepare for the Oct. 7 season opener here vs. Chicago. The team’s hopes for a third straight Stanley Cup championship, last done in the NHL more than 40 years agp, also have taken an enormous hit. With Matthew Tkachuk already out until December, Barkov’s erasure has seen Florida dropped from near the top of betting odds to all the way to seventh at DraftKings.
2. DOLPHINS: Fins vs. Jets Monday night in Game of the ‘Weak’: Desperaton X2 at Hard Rock Monday night as two bitter old rivals meet both carrying 0-3 records like tired field workers carrying 110-pound gunny sacks of potatoes. Winner gets to believe/hope the season is not over. Loser hasn’t the luxury. In Miami’s case coach Mike McDaniel and GM Chris Grier’s jobs will sway with the result. National TV. Prime-time. Dolphins a small favorite. Buckle up.
3. HURRICANES: ‘Noles loss at Virginia robs luster from UM at FSU: The game in Tallahassee in six days is still XXL-big but lost some splash with No. 8 Florida State’s 46-38 overtime loss at Virgina Friday night. FSU is now 3-1 and will tumble in polls before meeting No. 2 and 4-0 Miami, which is on a bye week and preparing for its first road game. Meeting remains huge for both state rivals, maybe bigger now for the Seminoles. For Miami, the path to perfect will open up with a win, as FSU will be The U’s last currently ranked opponent.
4. MLB: Six teams in wild, playoff-shaping finish today: Yankees and Blue Jays are tied for AL East lead entering Sunday with Blue Jays owing the tiebreaker, but New York assured at least a wild-card. Cleveland and Detroit are tied atop the AL Central, with Guardians owning ghe tiebreaker but Tigers assured a wild card. And it’s winner-take-all for the final NL wild card spot, with the Mets and Reds tied Cincy winning the tiebreaker. Mets must hope Reds and lose and then beat the Marins in Miami. Delish!
5. GOLF: Europe way up as raucous Ryder Cup crescendos in New York: The Ryder Cup, bienniel U.S. vs. Europe grudge match, ends Sunday at Bethpage. Crowds have not disappointed in a three-day event known for boisterous cheering and overt nationalism by pumped-up players. Crowd in New York has been bordered on rude; embarrassing! This 45th edition found U.S. leading all-time 27-15-2, although Europe has led 12-6-1 since 1983 and is reigning champ. Scottie Scheffler-led U.S. is in deep trouble vs. Rory McIlroy-led Europe, trailing 11 1/2 to 4 1/2 entering today. U.S. has mathematical shot but needs a dimpled miracle.
6. COLLEGE FOOTBALL: Top 10 havoc as 3-4-5 Penn State, LSU, Georgia all lose: Top 25 will change majorly at the top as No. 3 Penn State fell to Oregon, 4-LSU lost to Ole Miss and 5-Georgia was beaten by Alabama Saturday. Three other Top25 gteams lost including Fllorida State to Virginia on Friday. Tough weekend in-state, too. Besides FSU losing, UCF lost at Kansas State and FAU got clobbered at home by Memphis.
7. WNBA: Minnesota and Vegas can clinch spot in Finals today: In WNBA playoff best-of-5 semifinals No. 1-seed Minnesota Lynx hold a 2-1 lead over 4-Phoenix Mercury and No. 2 Las Vegas Aces also are up 2-1 over 6-Indiana Fever. Lynx and Merc can both clinch a spot in the Finals with road wins today/Sunday, or, Games 5s if needed would be Tuesday. Minnesota is a four-time league champ but not since 2017. Vegas reigend in 2022 and ‘23.
8. INTER MIAMI: Herons tie at Toronto as MLS regular season wanes: Lionel Messi had two-plus goals in eight of previous 12 matches but was held off the scoresheet in Saturday’s 1-1- draw at Toronto leaving Miami 16-6-8 in the MLS standings, still in contention for a second straight Supporters Shield trophy for best overall record. The playoffs have already been clinched as Miami closes the regular season Tuesday vs. Chicago, Oct. 4 vs. New England, Oct. 11 vs. Atlanta, then Oct. 18 at Nashville.
9. MARLINS: No playoffs, but Miami improved, showed fight: Marlains were one-hit in a 5-0 Saturday home loss to the Mets as they close the MLB regular season vs. the same rival today/Sunday in Miami. Fish is 78-83 entering its finale, having won 12 of its past 16 games to secure third place in the NL East. Not going to call season a complete success, but the improvement and development of young players made it closer to that than a failure.
10. HEAT: Miami places four in Top 100 players list: NBA season getting close as Heat stage annual Media Day on Monday, open preseason Oct. 4 and tip regular season Oct. 22. Four Miami players made ESPN’s annual preseason top 100 players list led by Bam Adebayo at No. 21 (down from 18) and Tyler Herro No. 68 (up from 76). Also on it: Norman Powell 82nd and Andrew Wiggins 89th. Top three leaguewide are Nikola Jokic, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Luka Doncic, with ageless LeBron james eighth.
FRI SAT THE LIST: MLB’S 50-HOMER SEASONS: Baseball has tied its all-time rceord for most 50-home run players in a season with four this year — but would break the record if Seattle’s Eugenio Suarez (49) hits one more on Sunday as regular season ends.
#50HRs Season Players
4 2025 Cal Raleigh 60, Kyle Schwarber 56, Shohei Ohtani 54, Aaron Judge 51.
4 2001 Barry Bonds 73, Sammy Sosa 64, Luis Gonzalez 57, Alex Rodriguez 52.
4 1998 Mark McGwire 70, Sammy Sosa 66, Ken GriffeyJr. 56, Greg Vaughn 50.
3 Never
2 Eleven times, last in 2024
Note: MLB’s first four 50-homer seasons were all by Babe Ruth, starting with 54 hit in 1920.
Other select most recent stuff from me :Barkov lost for season a mortal blow to Panthers’ 3-peat bid // NFL Week 4 picks // NFL Week 3 QB rankings // Seahawks-Cardinals Thursday pick // Dolphins owner Ross’ prior in-season firings hints McDaniel at risk // Previous HB10 // Poll Dance: Judge vs. Raleigh // No. 4 Hurricanes flex championship potential in win over Gators // Winless Dolphins fought hard in loss a Buffalo. Nobody cares // Super Bowl to Dolphins to dregs: My annual NFL Team Rankings! // Dolphins will surprise doubters — if Tua finally proves he’s the star they need him to be // Cristobal has ‘insatiable’ drive for new Hurricanes glory days, and he’s getting close // Like it or not, UFC and Dana White’s world domination tour just grew // Cowboys owner Jerry Jones still chasing glory — and attention // This one goal for Dolphins and another for Hurricanes will define success or failure in 2025 // Strobe lights? Trajekt Arc? How Marlins’ trust in youth, player-development is paying off // Heat getting 3-point ace Powell a pickpocket-win for Riley // Champion Panthers keep revving this summer while Heat stays quiet // Dolphins’ gamble on Waller after Ramsey and Smith for Fitzpatrick was net loss // Inter Miami falls to PSG but won big to reach Club World Cup final 16 // Panthers celebrate as 1 of 4 South Florida sports dynasties — with no end near // 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:
Cote’s NFL Week 4 picks: Dolphins-Jets Game of ‘Weak,’ big upset, all 16 games
Cote: Losing Barkov is mortal blow to Florida Panthers’ three-peat hopes | Opinion