Cote’s Hot Button Top 10: Canes’ big start, Dolphins open, Messi, cap flap, more

GREG COTE’S HOT BUTTON TOP 10 (SEPTEMBER 6): WHAT IN SPORTS HAS GRABBED US THIS WEEK: Canes’ big opening win, Dolphins Opening Week, NFL’s weird start, Messi and Argentina, Marlins hopes at 1.5%, Clippers sanctions a win for Pablo, U.S. Open, WNBA, MLB cap flap and more. Welcome back to 164th edition of HB10, bringing you what’s on our minds through a Miami lens and accentuating what’s big, weird, damnable, funny or worth needling as sports week past pivots to week ahead:

1. HURRICANES: Canes’ rout at Stanford a dream start to season of highest hopes: Even a demanding Mario Cristobal had to admit Friday’s 45-6 road spanking at Stanford was as close to perfect as a game gets. A 27-for-30, 401-yard, five TD debut for Darian Mensah. A school-record 234 receiving yards and three scores for Malachi Toney. The defense pitching a TD shutout. It underlined that No. 7 Miami may be even better than last year’s national runnersup and that no less than UM’s sixth national crown and first since 2001 should absolutely be the goal in 2026. Miami is another huge favorite in Game 2 at home vs. Florida A&M this Thursday night. (Dear Schedule maker: A Saturday game, please?)

2. DOLPHINS: Ready or not, it’s Opening Week for rebuilding Fins: Miami’s 61st season kicks off Sunday at 4:25 in Las Vegas against a Raiders squad led by veteran QB Kirk Cousins — not rookie No. 1 overall pick Fernando Mendoza of Miami Columbus High. Both teams enter with low expectations, Vegas only a 3 1/2-point favorite over the rebuilding, new-regime Dolphins. Two questions that need answers: Who will Malik Willis’ top targets be from a young, unproven receivers room? And can an unproven secondary stand up vs. NFL offenses? Let’s see.

3. NFL: King Sport launches season weirdly; Hall of Fame reboots: Is NFL’s aim to glom the whole calendar? The whole world? Season kicks off this week on a Wednesday for first time with Patriots at Seahawks, then Thursday launches a record number of international games with 49ers-Rams in Melbourne. Meanwhile, a major reboot out of Canton as Hall of Fame reduces its voting body from 50 to 25 in wake of last year’s embarrassment when all-time Super Bowl-winning coach Bill Belichick stunningly did not get in on first ballot.

4. NBA: Huge penalty on Clippers = huge triumph for Pablo Torre’s reporting: The NBA hit the cheatin’ Los Angeles Clippers with a huge punishment — loss of five future first-round draft picks, a $30 million fine and year’s suspension of owner Steve Ballmer — for violating salary cap rules involving payment to star Kawhi Leonard. It’s a huge, well-earned victory for the reporting of Pablo Torre Finds Out, whose richly documented investigation exposing the Clippers’ wrongdoing earned a Pulitzer Prize.

5. MARLINS: Flailin’ Fish playoff hopes now next to zero as club honors Beckett: A third straight loss Saturday left Miami 71-72 and under .500 for first time since Aug. 7 — now 4 back in wild-card chase with a negligible 1.5 percent playoff shot. Marlins must get super-hot in final 19 games for any shot. Team’s nine-game homestand continues today vs. Cubs, then three each vs. Mets Dodgers. Today will see Josh Beckett inducted into Marlins Legends Hall of Fame. Beckett’s five-year record of 41-34 is a bit light as legends go, but that World Series gem that beat the Yankees and won the 2003 championship helps justify the honor.

6. INTER MIAMI: Messi from retires from Argentina; Miami ties Atlanta: Lionel Messi surprised no one on Earth by announcing, at 39, that he has retired from the Argentina national team. It was fully expected, though he wasted no time with it. Messi than assisted Saturday night in a 2-2 MLS home draw with Atlanta that has Miami 12-4 (7 ties) in the MLS East and still in second place. Goals by Casemiro and Luis Suarez were not enough. Herons are back on the pitch Wednesday in Chicago.

7. TENNIS: Few upsets, Williams sisters out and pot in the air at U.S. Open midpoint: The major in New York has been shy of major upsets with only No. 4 Novak Djokovic’s first-round ouster headlines-worthy. Forty-something Williams sisters Serena and Venus lost in first round of doubles but thrilled the crowd, going three sets — the last two in long tiebreakers. Meanwhile top women’s seed Aryna Sabalenka complained when the smell of marijuana wafted from crowd to court. Sunday match worth eyeballs: Men’s round of 16 with title contender Carlos Alcaraz vs. American Tommy Paul.

8. WNBA: Despite critics, Engelbert had positive impact as commissioner: WNBA boss Cathy Engelbert is retiring at end of 2026 after a seven-year run that saw two labor deals, expansion, record franchise values and spiking popularity. “We have built something stronger than we could have imagined,” she said. Her term was not without rifts, some over her dealing with players. One, Napheesa Collier, called the WNBA’s the “worst leadership in the world.“ Engelbert’s decision — hers, not forced — comes with league on an international break for FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup in Berlin. Team USA beat China 94–61 in first game.

9. MLB: Straighten your hat, rookie. Say what!?: So Cardinals rookie reliever Hancel Rincon is making his big-league debut at Coors Field when home plate umpire Doug Eddings stops the game and tells Rincon to straighten his left-tilted ballcap. Cards manager Oli Marmol leaves dugout to defend his pitchers’ style choice and is later ejected for arguing with Eddings, calling it a “power-hungry move” to tell Rincon to adjjust his cap. Note: No rule on how hats must be worn. Step off the high horse, Eddings. Fitting: Cards players including the manager wore tilted caps in support of Rincon on Saturday.

10. YOUTH SPORTS: Curacao tops U.S. for Little League crown: International champion Pariba from Willemstad, Curaçao defeated U.S. champ Paseo Verde from Henderson, Nev., 11-2, to win the Little League World Series’ ultimate global crown in South Williamsport, Pa. It was Curacao’s second LLWS title and first since 2004, a team that produced two future big leaguers in Jurickson Profar and Jonathan Schoop. A U.S. team last won it all in 2024.

THE LIST: How Dolphins fared after winless preseasons: Miami this year was winless in the preseason for only the fourth time in franchise history. The regular-season records that followed:

Year Preseason / Regular-season

1966 0-4 / 3-11

1989 0-4 / 8-8

2012 0-4 / 7-9

2026 0-3 / ???

Note: On the flip side, the Dolphins’ 1972 Perfect Season followed a preseason record of only 3-3.

Other select most recent stuff from me: Mensah to Toney-led 45-6 rout at Stanford a dream start to Miami Hurricanes season // Poll Dance: Fins starting QB beyond this year // GCS podcast: Greg in ‘68, Sueys, Catchphrase #4 // Previous HB10 // Our annual NFL Team Rankings // New Dolphins coach Hafley aims to bring culture shock to Miami // Tommy John known for surgery more than 288 wins. He deserved better // Cristobal seeks to pay back Miami Hurricanes for lifting ‘a nobody from down the street’ // It’s Dolphins Malik Willis vs. doubters and a QB curse // MLB labor proposal a godsend for cheap-spending teams like Miami Marlins // Sophie Cunningham/transgender debate has no easy right or wrong // FIFA bows to pressure from Europe boycott, abandons private-equity plan // History suggests Miami Dolphins may be surprise team in ’26 // Cancel that intro. LeBron to Philly a stunning loss for Miami Heat // Latest Messi magic conjures Argentina-Spain final // More than Messi/Mbappe, this was greatest World Cup final-four ever // Miserable end makes it disappointing World Cup for American team // Seismic trade for Giannis a massive win for Miami Heat, Pat Riley // It’s the end of era as Le Batard Show drops Stugotz from name // Ugly buildup to World Cup, but now the beautiful game and the magic take over // As we lose ‘72 Perfect Season Dolphins 1 by 1, time to cherish Miami’s family heirloom // Stephen Ross takes last big swing to rescue legacy as Dolphins owner // Heat’s Pat Riley still fighting for career finish Shula never got // Baseball, politics, emotion lift Venezuela past U.S. to WBC championship // Dolphins’ major rebuild is on — and it’s about damned time // And my latest podcast: