Greg Cote’s Hot Button Top 10: Panthers’ Cup runneth over, Copa America, Heat, a poop protest & more

GREG COTE’S HOT BUTTON TOP 10 (JUNE 30): WHAT IN SPORTS HAS GRABBED US THIS WEEK: Our Sunday Hot Button Top 10 had been blog-only but when our blog retired it moved, re-imagined, to online-only. HB10 means 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 64th edition of your Sunday sports-potpourri notes column, the new HB10:

1. PANTHERS: Championship celebration today crowns Stanley Cup-winning week: The Florida Panthers marked their franchise’s first Stanley Cup triumph with a parade and celebration today/Sunday on Fort Lauderdale beach, the Atlantic Ocean the backdrop. (It was either that or a few laps around the Sawgrass Mills mall in Sunrise.) The Cats capped their 30th season in historic fashion with an epic 2-1 Game 7 home win over the Edmonton Oilers to deny superstar Connor McDavid his coronation as ice hockey in the tropics fully arrived . They’ve been partying from the Elbo Room to Club E11even as a warmup for Sunday’s grand finale. The weather didn’t cooperate, but fans didn’t care.

2. HEAT: Miami extends Bam, drafts center. Now what about Jimmy?: Heat lavished a three-year, $166 million contract extension on center Bam Adebayo, 26, who’ll soon head to Paris with the U.S. Olympic team. Prioritizing Bam with such a commitment could signal Jimmy Butler’s Heat future beyond next season may be in doubt as NBA free agency begins Sunday. Meanwhile Miami selected Indiana pick-and-roll big Kel’el Ware 15th overall in NBA Draft to mostly mixed reviews as many questioned not drafting available Tennessee forward Dalton Knecht instead. Miami hopes to find a way to pair Ware with Bam, not just as his backup. Heat hit big with Jaime Jacquez a year ago and must do the same with Ware.

3. SOCCER: It’s advance or calamity for U.S. men’s team in Copa America: The Americans’ 2-1 loss to Panama – thanks to playing a man down on defender Tim Weah’s way-stupid early red card – leaves the U.S. on precarious ground entering Monday’s final group-stage game vs. strong Uruguay. U.S. advances to knockout round with a win if Panama draws or loses to Bolivia, or if Panama wins but does not exceed the Americans’ two-goal advantage in plus-minus entering Monday. U.S. also could advance by drawing or even losing, but with much less likelihood. Coach Gregg Berhalter could be sacked if the U.S. fails to advance in a tournament it is hosting.

4. DOLPHINS: Team’s failure to extend QB Tua continues as training camp nears: The Dolphins have yet to offer Pro Bowl quarterback Tua Tagovailoa a deal comparable to big-money extensions recently signed by the Detroit’s Jared Goff and Jacksonville’s Trevor Lawrence, ESPN reported. The insulting strategy has Tua increasingly frustrated as training camp nears with rookies reporting July 16 and the full team July 23. The threat of a camp holdout by Tua looms unless the Dolphins offer established NFL market value for their most important player.

5. SOCCER: Messi sits out Argentina’s Copa America match in Miami: Argentina vs. Peru Saturday night might have filled Hard Rock Stadium, but Lionel Messi sat out with the Argentines already 2-0-0 and assured advancement to the knockout rounds of the U.S.-hosted Copa America. Messi, on leave from Inter Miami, played fully the first two group games but is nursing thigh and hamstring injuries as he turns 37 on Monday. Meantime Inter Miami sits atop the MLS East,helped by Saturday’s Messi-less 2-1 win at Nashville Saturday night.

6. NBA: Signing Redick, drafting Bronny keep Lakers in spotlight: Signing J.J. Redick as coach after first failing to land UConn’s Dan Hurley and then drafting Bronny James in the second round has kept the nation’s eyes on the L.A. Lakers. With NBA free agency starting Sunday, it would seem drafting Bronny hugely increases the likelihood that free-agent Big Daddy LeBron re-signs to stay, even if only on a two-year deal that would give him options again next offseason. LeBron/Bronny as father-son teammates starting this October now looms likely.

7. SOCCER: Morgan left off U.S. Olympic team signals end of an era: The ‘24 Summer Olympics in Paris will mark the first time since 2008 the U.S. Women’s National Team will play a major soccer tournament without Alex Morgan. It happened this week Morgan, tuning 35 on Tuesday, was left off the 18-woman U.S. Olympic roster by new coach Emma Hayes. Neither is she among four alternates. Morgan admitted she was “disappointed“ but said, “I look forward to supporting this team and cheering them on alongside the rest of our country.” The USWNT is a four-time World Cup champion but has slipped to No. 5 in the FIFA World Ranking and is retooling with youth -- Morgan a victim of that.

8. CRICKET: India ending drought, U.S. arrival highlight T20 World Cup: India ended an 11-year trophy drought in global cricket in defeating South Africa with a seven-run win in Saturday’s championship game of the ICC T20 World Cup hosted by the U.S. and West Indies. The final game was held in Barbados. The U.S. team participated for the first time in the prestigious event and unexpectedly advanced to the Super 8s, which in turn qualifies the U.S. for the ‘26 T20 World Cup. Team USA’s massive upset of Pakistan caught the world’s attention and signaled the arrival of U.S. cricket.

9. GOLF: Whoa, Nelly! The sudden, weird fall of world’s No. 1 women‘s golfer: American Nelly Korda, 25, shot to No. 1 in the world this year by winning six LPGA tournaments before June -- including a record-tying five in a row. Since then she has missed two straight cuts including at the Women’s U.S. Open thanks to a career-worst round of 81. Cameras caught her apparently crying during the round. Now she has withdrawn from a tournament in London next week after announcing she’d been bitten by a dog in Seattle and is undergoing treatment. Here’s to a return to form. Go, Nelly!

10. OLYMPICS: ‘Poop protest’ among threats to upcoming Paris Games: As Paris prepares to host its first Olympiad in 100 years, issues range from heightened security over possible terrorist attacks to the athletes’ rooms not being air-conditioned against the summer heat. (The U.S. is flying over A.C. for its own athletes.) Now this: A “poop protest” targeting the Seine River. Parisians complain the river is polluted with bacteria, but politicians say it’s safe and will hold an open swim during the Summer Games. Locals in turn threaten to protest with a mass defecation into the river. So let me get this straight: Parisians’ answer to a polluted river is to crap into it en masse? Sacre pee-YOU!

Other most recent stuff from me: Blasphemy! Vindication? How ‘McDavid overrated’ took on life of its own in Stanley Cup Final // Champions! Epic rise as Florida Panthers win 1st Stanley Cup, deny McDavid coronation // For Florida Panthers it’s Stanley Cup or historic defeat in a Game 7 for the ages // Willie Mays, 1931-2024: A fond and personal tribute to top-tier baseball legend // Previous HB10 // Poll Dance: Charles Barkley // Lionel Messi is hero/savior in MLS, but Caitlin Clark is resented in WNBA. Here’s why // Dolphins, quit nickel & diming and pay Tua the major money NFL QB market demands // Connor McDavid is overrated, other thoughts, picks for Panthers-Oilers, NBA Finals // MLB finally adding Josh Gibson, Negro Leagues an ‘historic moment’ too long in coming // Miami Heat must change. Jimmy Butler cannot be best player if another NBA title is the aim // And my latest podcast: