Greg Cote’s Hot Button Top 10: Messi’s bold new venture, plus Dolphins, Mercury, Ohtani, Caitlin

GREG COTE’S HOT BUTTON TOP 10 (SEPTEMBER 22): 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 74th edition of your Sunday sports-potpourri notes column, the HB10:

1. DOLPHINS: Mercury Morris dies; post-Tua Fins find out Sunday if they have fight left: Championship-era Dolphins running back Eugene (Mercury) Morris passed away Saturday night at 77. R.I.P. to an important player in club history. His team carries on without him today in Seattle. Skylar Thompson takes over as starting quarterback for who knows how long as Miami begins life after Tua Tagovailoa as he nurses his latest concussion. The good news? Fins have five winnable games ahead across a forgiving six weeks: Today, vs. Titans, at Patriots, a bye, at Colts and then vs. Cardinals. It’s realistic Miami comes out of that 4-3 or at least 3-4 with hopes Tua might then be back in time for an important trip to Buffalo November 3. The upset win I predicted for today would be a huge boost backing such optimism.

2. MLB: It figured Ohtani’s historic night would be at Marlins’ expense: Shohei Ohtani -- that dude knows how to set a record! The Dodgers star became the first member of the made-up 50/50 Club (home runs and stolen bases) on a night he went 6-for-6 with three homers and 10 (!) RBIs in a 20-4 L.A. win. It was in Miami (of course), victimizing and embarrassing the sad, rebuilding-again Marlins as they hurtle to a 100-loss season. By the way, good for manager Skip Schumaker for not intentionally walking Ohtani. And thumbs-down to the mercenary fan who caught Ohtani’s 50th HR ball but refused the Dodgers’ offer to give it up.

3. INTER MIAMI: Messi plotting life after soccer with ‘525 Rosario’: Lionel Messi, 37, who is signed with Inter Miami in MLS through 2025, is launching a media content company called 525 Rosario, named for Messi’s Argentine hometown and the street number of his family home. Messi is partnering with Smuggler Entertainment, which produced the docuseries ”Messi’s World Cup: The Rise of a Legend” on Apple TV+. The new company, to be based in Miami and L.A., will develop and produce TV, film, live sports and other events as well as branded content and commercials for athletes globally, including Messi. Meanwhile, Inter Miami is a league-best 19-4-7 after a 1-1- draw at New York City Saturday. Herons have an eight-point lead in MLS East and are six up for the Supporters’ Shield with four games left in regular season,

4. HURRICANES: UM continues playoff march with rout-win at South Florida: The No. 8-ranked Hurricanes are 4-0 after comfortably handling South Florida 50-15 Saturday night in Tampa. QB Cam Ward further feathered his Heisman Trophy bid with 403 yards passing and three TDs. Miami now confronts a more challenging four-game schedule stretch vs. Virginia Tech, at Cal, at No. 19 Louisville and vs. Florida State.

5. WNBA: Caitlin Clark, seven other teams open playoffs Sunday: The snarky headline is intentional to mirror Clark’s domination of WNBA headlines, attention and TV ratings as a rookie with the Indiana Fever, who started 1-8 but clawed into the postseason led by you-know-who. No. 6-seed Fever face favored No. 3 Connecticut Sun in first round. New York Liberty led by Breanna Stewart is betting pick for the WNBA title, followed by A’ja Wilson’s defending champion Las Vegas Aces and Napheesa Collier’s Minnesota Lynx. Best shot for Clark and Indiana to reach the Finals? If the referees working the playoffs are TV executives.

6. PANTHERS: Defense of Cup begins with Sunday dress rehearsals: Florida open its too-long eight-game NHL preseason on Sunday with a doubleheader vs. Nashville. Regular season opens at home October 8. Can the Cats repeat? They’re second in Stanley Cup betting odds behind Edmonton -- the team they beat in the Final. But repeat crowns are more common in hockey than some sports. Since 1980 there have been nine in the NBA, seven in NHL, five in NFL and two in MLB. MLS (since 1996) and WNBA (since ‘97) both have had three.

7. HALLS OF FAME: Most think Eli belongs in Canton. But does he?: Eli Manning is the one name of 16 first-time nominees for the Pro Football Hall of Fame out this week that jumps out. He has all the prerequisites: The position (QB), the badge (two Super Bowl rings) and the royal surname. But does he belong -- let alone as a first-ballot guy? Offered for discussion: Career record, 117-117. Never led NFL in TD passes but three times led in interceptions. An 84.1 passer rating that ranks 64th and a 7.0 yards-per-attempt that’s 103rd. Yet Eli is the betting favorite of the 16 newbies (per sportsbetting.ag) at 1-5 probability or 83.3 percent. Terrell Suggs (1-3) and Luke Keuechly (1-1) are other faves. Odds are based on public perception, and Eli’s is that he’s a first-ballot guy for sure. A big, notable career, no doubt. But automatic Canton? Hmm.

8. WNBA: Sol 2.0? Miami on short list for (another) expansion team: The little-remembered Miami Sol played in the early WNBA in 2000-02 before folding. Caitlin Clark was a baby as the team played its last games. Now Clark is leading a WNBA resurgence, the league just added Portland as its new 15th team -- and there is talk South Florida is among contenders to be the inevitable 16th. Reports are the league will add another new market by 2028 at latest, and Front Office Sports lists Philadelphia, Nashville, Denver and South Florida among “serious contenders,” along with Houston. Sol 2.0! Let’s go! (Caitlin, please endorse our candidacy!)

9. SPORTS MEDIA: NBA insider saved the biggest ‘Woj bomb’ for last: Adrian Wojnarowski was for years the pro hoops expert many turned to as ESPN’s immensely respected NBA insider. Suddenly, at 55, his final ‘Woj bomb” was to announce his own thoroughly unexpected retirement to become general manager of the St. Bonaventure Bonnies men’s basketball team at his alma mater. There’s pressure there, too, but not like what he’s had trying to scoop the world on all things NBA. Woj gets his life back now. Congrats for that and good for him.

10. NFL: Lions fans chase coach Campbell from his home: Dan Campbell last year led Detroit to its first playoff win since 1991, but he has been chased from his suburban Bloomfield Hills home in search of privacy. “The home is beautiful,” Campbell told Crain’s Detroit Business. “It’s just that people figured out where we lived when we lost.” Detroit’s Fox 2 News reported Campbell’s home address was leaked to the public and that he and his family became victims of pranks and harassment after tough losses, including most recent NFC Championship Game. Police reports were filed. The 7,800-square-foot home quickly sold for $4.5 million and they already have relocated. Their new address: 123 Noneyadamnbusiness Way.

Other most recent stuff from me: NFL Week 3 picks // Herald NFL Week 2 QB Rankings // Raiders coach, others telling Tua to retire: Shut up! His life, his decision // Previous HB10 // Poll Dance: What Should Tua do? // Miami Dolphins suffer familiar double-nightmare: Loss to Bills, Tua concussion // Dolphins’ Tyreek Hill victim of police abuse of power, MDPD needs to apologize /./ Two great QBs = huge hoops, but Dolphins, UM face very different challenges // Tyreek sheds handcuffs, leads Dolphins comeback win in season opener // Miami Dolphins own city’s heart, now it’s time to reward starved Dolfans with new glory days // Le Batard Show reveals major new partnership, 20th anniversary plans // Cristobal’s Hurricanes stake best-in-ACC claim with 41-17 opening rout at Florida // 2024 NFL Team Rankings: 1 to 32, Super Bowl to dregs // Mario Cristobal’s rebuild of Miami Hurricanes has been ‘massive.’ Now it’s time to win big // Messi at 37 has missed more than half of Inter Miami games. Cherish him while you can // 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 // Rain soaks Florida Panthers’ Stanley Cup celebration ... and it was glorious // And my latest podcast: