Greg Cote’s Hot Button Top 10: Paris Olympics end in U.S. triumph, Pitbull, Messi, Dolphins & more

[Note: Greg Cote’s Poll Dance is off today. Our question of the week will return next Sunday.]

GREG COTE’S HOT BUTTON TOP 10 (AUGUST 11): 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 now to the 69th edition of your Sunday sports-potpourri notes column, the HB10:

1. OLYMPICS: Two U.S. triple crowns in play as Paris games wrap: Triple play I: U.S. had easily clinched the overall medals title and would by far end with the most silvers and bronzes -- but the gold crown remained in play entering Sunday, and ended with the Americans tying China, 40-40. Triple play II: With U.S. women’s soccer led by Mallory Swanson’s goal and men’s basketball led by Steph Curry’s late barrage and including the Heat’s Bam Adebayo and Erik Spoelstra winning gold on Saturday , it was on Team USA women’s basketball to finish the triple today vs. host France in the Summer Games’ final medal event ahead of the Closing ceremony. And Team USA won 67-66 for an eighth straight Olympic gold and 61st straight win.

2. OLYMPICS: Controversies cannot overshadow Paris Games’ grandeur: Controversies there were. Plenty. U.S. gymnast Jordan Chiles made to return her bronze over a scoring snafu. Algeria’s gold-winning female boxer whose gender was wrongly and ignorantly questioned. Swimmers getting sick from the river Seine. Failed doping tests here and here. Noah Lyles running the 200-meters despite testing positive for COVID. U.S. high jumper Shelby McEwen refusing to share gold medal. And break dancing. What? Overall, though, the beautiful city of Paris and the IOC rose above it to present a lovely Games.

3. FIU: ‘Pitbull Stadium’ is the “other team” making a move on Hurricanes: College football in Miami means the five-time national champion Hurricanes. Starts and ends with The U. The other team, Florida International, plays the afterthought with a losing history. But FIU now will play at the renamed Pitbull Stadium in a new business deal with the Miami-born global music star. FIU, a public school, also is now is marketing phrases like “Welcome to the 305” and “the 305’s University” -- as if it, not UM, represents Miami-Dade County. The Pitbull alliance at least gives FIU what’s always been lacking: Attention.

4. INTER MIAMI: Messi still missing as Leagues Cup, MLS resume: Miami is on a 9-2 run sans superstar Lionel Messi, but his continued injury absence could be costly. Team reached round of 16 in defense of its Leagues Cup crown with a 4-3 win over MLS foe Toronto despite no Messi and being a man-down much of the game, led by Jodi Alba’s four assists. Miami next travels to face Columbus this Tuesday in a much tougher matchup -- all but surely without Messi again. Club pegs his hopeful return for the August 24 resumption of MLS play at home vs. Cincinnati, which is second to Miami in the East standings.

5. DOLPHINS: Miami scrubs beat Atlanta scrubs in fake-game opener!: Rookie RB Jaylen Wright looked good, the Fins defense held the Falcons to 226 total yards on 70 plays, Miami won 20-13 and none if it mattered because no starters played Friday night. In case you still think the preseason is any real gauge: The Dolphins’ 1972 Perfect Season began with two straight exhibition losses, and the 1-15 season of 2007 began with two straight preseason wins. Name to enjoy now in case he doesn’t make the final roster: CB Storm Duck.

6. MLB: Gentlemen, start your pitching. Slow sport heading to speedway: Baseball needs a good gimmick more than most sports. The season is so damned long that interest peels off by degrees unless your team is winning big. And so: MLB announced the Atlanta Braves and Cincinnati Reds will play a regular-season game -- the MLB Speedway Classic -- in 2025 at historic Bristol Motor Speedway in Tennessee next August 2. Something in its first year may not rightly be called a “Classic,” but let’s not quibble.

7. MICHIGAN: School to bring back Harbaugh as ‘honorary’ captain at opener: Read the room Michigan. Mind the optics, at least. Jim Harbaugh won a national championship for the Wolverines before bolting to the NFL’s L.A. Chargers. Now U-M is having him back as honorary captain at its August 31 opener. Hmm. Harbaugh was just served a four-year show-cause order by the NCAA, a penalty that runs through Aug. 6, 2028. He was found in violation of multiple NCAA rules pertaining to recruiting and inducement during the COVID-19 dead period in 2021, with officials claiming Harbaugh engaged in “unethical conduct” and lack of compliance. He left Michigan and arrived in the NFL dirty.

8. MARLINS: Fish on 100-loss pace as manager-change looms: Hopeless Marlins enter Sunday on a 103-loss pace, a sad standard achieved only three times previously in 32 franchise seasons (last in 2019). Meantime, with the even-worse White Sox just firing their manager, Miami’s Skip Schumaker has now risen to second in next-manager-fired betting odds, after only Toronto’s John Schneider. My intel: Marlins will make a change -- but my mutual agreement -- after the season. Schumaker has been disillusioned with club ever since it all but forced out GM Kim Ng. A cheap owner hasn’t helped.

9. SOCCER: Fat-guy football is hitting U.S. shores: MANvFAT Football is a thing in Great Britain -- soccer leagues for overweight men with a body mass index of at least least 27.5 who aim to lose weight via playing the sport. Now its American version, MANvFAT SOCCER, has begun with two inaugural leagues in Tampa Bay and Broward (Hollywood). Players score points for goals, weight loss and not having a heart attack. (I made up that last one.) Sounds like a cool idea. Check it out at manvfatsoccer.com.

10. OLYMPICS: Summer Olympics 2028 turn to Los Angeles, U.S.: The baton passes to you today, L.A.

Other most recent stuff from me: U.S. women are back! Soccer team announces return to power with Olympic gold // Pitbull alliance with underdog FIU escalates a turf war with Miami Hurricanes // Tyreek Hill must make Dolphins champions to fulfill his greatness, legacy // Previous HB // Poll Dance: Favorite Olympic Sport // Paris Olympics is one for the ages as golden oldies Biles, Ledecky, James lead U. S. charge // Book it! Miami Hurricanes will vie for ACC title, make playoff in huge return to power // Jazz trade continues Miami Marlins’ losing cycle of talent-for-prospects cost cutting // Dolphins paying Tua like he’s elite with new $212 million extension. Now it’s on him to win like it // The stand-pat Miami Heat must keep up as aggressive NBA East improves all around it // Rain soaks Florida Panthers’ Stanley Cup celebration ... and it was glorious // Blasphemy! Vindication? How ‘McDavid overrated’ took on life of its own in Stanley Cup Final // Willie Mays, 1931-2024: A fond and personal tribute to top-tier baseball legend // And my latest podcast: