Cote’s Hot Button Top 10: Rory’s Masters drama, Heat, UFC, Messi, Marlins and more
GREG COTE’S HOT BUTTON TOP 10 (APRIL 12): WHAT IN SPORTS HAS GRABBED US THIS WEEK: McIlroy tries to bounce back from Masters meltdown, Heat still alive for home play-in game, Trump at UFC in Miami, Team Messi with another draw, Marlins tumbling to Earth and more. Welcome back to the 144th 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 sports week past pivots to the week ahead:
1. GOLF: McIlroy’s 6-shot Masters lead now zero. Can Rory rise again?: Fan favorite and reigning Masters champion Rory McIlroy entered Saturday at 12-under par and with a 6-shot lead -- biggest 36-hole advantage in Masters history. He enters Sunday’s final round at 11-under and tied at the top with Cameron Young. Now McIlroy might shake off Saturday’s collapse and channel 2025 at Augusta to become only the fourth back-to-back Masters winner ever.
2. HEAT: Miami assures winning season, can still earn home play-in: Heat is 42-39 and assured winning record with Friday’s 140-117 rout at blatantly tanking Washington. Miami closes regular season at home today/Sunday vs. Atlanta -- with stakes. Heat finishes 10th if they lose finale or if Charlotte wins Sunday at Knicks. If so Miami would play in Charlotte Tuesday or Wednesday in 9/10 play-in game. Also possible: If Heat beats Hawks and Hornets lose at Knicks, Miami would be 9-seed and host Charlotte in first play-in. Either way Miami must win two straight play-ins to then face top-seed Detroit in first round of playoffs-proper. Meanwhile Heat finally released gambling-accused Terry Rozier and filled roster spot with guard Jahmir Young from G-League.
3. UFC: Failed Iran peace talks don’t stop Trump from watching UFC in Miami: War with Iran continues, but the fight (in Miami) goes on for Donald Trump. Prez was at the Heat arena for UFC 327 Saturday night as Carlos Ulberg won the light-heavyweight championship despite being beset by a knee injury. Ulberg dropped Jiří Procházka with a left hook in first round of their 205-pound title fight after being injured. “I felt mercy in that fight,” Procházka said afterward. “I felt sorry for him. That fight was won. I just let [up] because I saw his injury.” UFC Freedom Fights 250 will be hosted by Trump at the White House June 14.
4. INTER MIAMI: Another draw has Miami still winless at new stadium: Teams Messi is winless with two draws in its new stadium at Miami Freedom Park. Miami tied the New York Red Bulls 2-2 Saturday night as Messi saw free kick saved in stoppage time. Herons christened their new home the previous week vs Austin, also with a 2-2 tie. Reigning MLS champion Miami is now 3-1 with 3 ties and third in the East this still-young season. Team is back on the pitch next Saturday at Colorado.
5. MARLINS: The Fightin’ Fish are tumbling slowly back to Earth: The budget-ball Marlins started 5-1 and hopes soared even though that record came against the awful Rockies and White Sox. Well, Miami is 3-6 since and now 8-7 with Saturday’s second straight low-offense loss in Detroit. Teams close series today/Sunday with a Cy Young duel between Sandy Alcantara and Tarik Skubal, then Fish play three in Atlanta before heading home.
6. PANTHERS: Champs end forgettable, no-playoffs season with two at home: Florida is 38-42 after Saturday’s 6-2 win in Toronto ended a four-game skid. The two-time defending Stanley Cup champs will end their injury-wracked down season with two at home Monday and Wednesday vs. the Rangers and Detroit. This is the Cats’ first losing-record season and first missing the NHL playoffs since 2018-19.
7. NFL: Vrabel-Russini photos a sudden football soap opera: The Athletic reportedly is looking into NFL reporter Dianna Russini’s relationship with New England Patriots coach Mike Vrabel after New York Post published photos showing the two together at a resort in Arizona. Both say there was no wrongdoing and for me the photos are full of innuendo unsubstantiated by proof of anything. I also find it interesting Russini is being investigated as if charged with a crime while Vrabel is feeling no heat (beyond, perhaps, in his marriage?). Let this play out, folks. Meantime, all presumption of innocence from me.
8. SOCCER: Can Real Madrid, Barca overcome home L’s in Champs League quarters?: Who’ll reach the May 30 UEFA Champions League final in Budapest? Eight teams reached the quarterfinals, whose second leg matches are this Tuesday and Wednesday. Can Barcelona overcome a 2-0 first-leg loss to Atletico Madrid and Real Madrid a 2-1 home defeat to Bayern Munich? Also with a leg up: Reigning champ Paris Saint-Germain, 2-0 over Liverpool, and Arsenal, 1-0 over Sporting Lisbon. Arsenal is now betting fave (+225 per DraftKings) to win it all.
9. COLLEGE BASKETBALL: Parade celebrates Michigan’s first title since ‘89: About 5,000 fans Saturday celebrated Michigan’s first men’s basketball NCAA Tournament national championship since 1989 with a parade in Ann Arbor near the campus followed by an arena event. UCLA’s first women’s championship was honored with an event at Pauley Pavilion in apparent lieu of a parade.
10. BUSINESS: It’s Iceman Gervin vs. fake-Iceman Williams: Bears quarterback Caleb Williams‘ effort to trademark the “Iceman” nickname is getting understandable pushback from an NBA great. Hall of Famer George Gervin told ESPN he was “caught off guard,” saying, “I’ve been the Iceman for 40-something years.” Williams was first called Iceman in 2025 for late-game heroics that led Chicago to its first playoff game in 15 years. On March 16 Williams filed a trademark application. On March 20, Gervin did the same. Rules Judge Cote: Gervin was first and deserves Iceman to himself.
THE LIST: MOST CHAMPIONSHIPS IN MASTERS GOLF TOURNAMENT: As Rory McIlroy chases his second -- and second consecutive-- Masters green jacket on Sunday, here are the only golfers to win more than two Masters:
No. Golfer Years won
6 Jack Nicklaus 1963, ‘65, ‘66, ‘72, ‘75, ‘86
5 Tiger Woods 1997, 2001, ‘02, ‘05, ‘19
4 Arnold Palmer 1958, ‘60, ‘62, ‘64
3 Jimmy Demaret 1940, ‘47, ‘50
3 Sam Snead 1949, ‘52, ‘54
3 Gary Player 1961, ‘74, ‘78
3 Nick Faldo 1989, ‘90, ‘96
3 Phil Mickelson 2004, ‘06, ‘10
Note: McIlroy would be the fourth back-to-back Masters champ, after (see above) Nicklaus in 1965-66, Faldo in 1989-90 and Woods in 2001-02.
Other select most recent stuff from me: Poll Dance: Dolphins’ top-priority position in draft // No Tiger, no Phil at Masters and why it’s so hard in sports to let go // Latest GCS podcast: Flying animal damages Cote car // State of Miami Sports; Grading Fins, Heat, Cats, Fish, Inter Miami & more // Previous HB10 // It was a grand opening night -- finally -- for Inter Miami in Miami // U.S. team struggles, doubts grow as men’s World Cup nears // NFL’s Rooney Rule needs protecting in face of Florida’s dumb attack // Sandy shines, Marlins win to launch latest season of budget-ball // Sister Jean gone. High Point out. Cinderella dead. But NCAA Tournament bigger than ever // Baseball, politics, emotion lift Venezuela past U.S. to WBC championship // Dolphins got good haul, but blame Curse of Tua for trading Waddle at all / Dolphins’ epic failure at drafting Hurricanes is poised to end // L.A. gave him a statue, but Heat’s Pat Riley has meant as much to Miami // 46 years later and on top of world, USA hockey owns Canada’s sport // 4 reasons why Dolphins and Malik Willis a perfect fit // Dolphins’ major rebuild is on -- and it’s about damned time // No Giannis (yet), but for Heat it’s a dream deferred, not dead // Belichick’s stunning Hall snub is a shame on sanctimonious voters // Dolphins’ new coach, GM take on 25 years of franchise torpor and a QB mess // Canes title-game loss does not erase success of watershed season // Rams’ Stafford wins 1st season title in Herald’s 28th NFL QB rankings // Canes’ ‘violent, relentless’ defeat of Ohio State is Miami’s biggest win in 23 years // Step aside, other cities: Why 2026 in sports belongs to Miami // Stugotz signs major iHeart Media deal, but says not done with LeBatard Show // Messi, Inter Miami win MLS Cup, crown 50 years of SoFla soccer // How Browns fan’s tragedy gave Bernie Kosar new life // Miami project -- and forgiveness -- helped Marc Buoniconti turn tragedy to triumph // Barkov lost for season a mortal blow to Panthers’ 3-peat bid // 15 years later, Dolphins Cancer Challenge is life-saving legacy of Jim Mandich // And my latest podcast:
This story was originally published April 12, 2026 at 10:34 AM.
