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Miami coach pushes back on 'bulls—' narrative Cam Ward quit on his team after setting touchdown record

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Miami coach pushes back on 'bulls—' narrative Cam Ward quit on his team after setting touchdown record


Cam Ward drew up controversy when he didn’t play the second half of the Pop-Tarts Bowl.

Ward played the first half and sat the second after he broke the Division I record for most passing touchdowns in a career (156), surpassing Case Keenum.

Arguments were aplenty. 

Many felt Ward took a risk in playing in a meaningless bowl game as potentially the No. 1 overall pick. On the flip side, others felt Ward was selfishly in it for only the record. The Hurricanes lost, 32-31.

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Miami quarterback Cam Ward (1) throws a pass during the first half of the Pop Tarts Bowl NCAA college football game against Iowa State, Saturday, Dec. 28, 2024, in Orlando, Fla.  (AP Photo/John Raoux)

The future first-round pick received lots of praise and criticism, but his now former head coach, Mario Cristobal, came to his defense this week.

“I don’t feel the need to go race to squash false narratives and a bunch of bulls— that people like to start because that’s their way of doing whatever their job is,” he said on Monday. “That’s where it’s at. That’s where it’s always been. Cam has been an exceptional, an elite, Miami Hurricane. As a competitor, as a player, as a teammate. He’s elevated the profile, the exposure of the University of Miami. 

Miami head coach Mario Cristobal and quarterback Cam Ward (1) celebrate a 52-45 win against Louisville at L&N Federal Credit Union Stadium in Louisville, Kentucky, on Saturday, Oct. 19, 2024. (Al Diaz/Miami Herald/Tribune News Service via Getty Images)

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EX-FLORIDA QB JESSE PALMER TALKS COLLEGE FOOTBALL PLAYOFF, FRENCH-ONION BEER, AND SHEDEUR SANDERS, CAM WARD

“He is leaving a legacy that’s gonna be impactful for generations to come. I mean, he’s the best I’ve been around, and I look forward to watching him lead an NFL franchise to championships and watching him play on Sundays.”

“He’s a big reason why he won 10 games and had a chance to really win every game,” Cristobal added. “He set the tone for what the standard is, right, the expectation is going forward — as difficult as that might be and sound.”

Miami controlled its own destiny in the College Football Playoff heading into the final week of the regular season, but the Canes fell to Syracuse to knock themselves out of the ACC title game and lose their chance of making the Playoff. Perhaps the conversation would have gone away on both sides if Ward had more to play for in December.

Miami quarterback Cam Ward (1) stands back to pass during the second half of an NCAA college football game against Wake Forest, Saturday, Nov. 23, 2024, in Miami Gardens, Fla.  (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)

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Ward and Shedeur Sanders are both in the conversation about being the No. 1 pick in the NFL Draft, which is owned by the Tennessee Titans.

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Miami, FL

Tokyo-style Neapolitan pizza is coming to Miami, led by legendary pizzaiolo chef Bun

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Tokyo-style Neapolitan pizza is coming to Miami, led by legendary pizzaiolo chef Bun


If you’re a diehard pizza fanatic in Miami, you’ll soon be able to check another renowned style off your list without leaving home. Arriving in October 2026, Royale Pizza Napoletana will debut at 1680 Meridian Avenue, introducing South Florida to the exceptionally precise world of Tokyo-style Neapolitan pizza. This highly anticipated opening marks the monumental stateside arrival of legendary Japanese pizzaiolo Chef Bun, the mastermind behind Tokyo’s genre-defining concept, Savoy.

RECOMMENDED: Where to find the best pizza in Miami

The restaurant is the brainchild of banking entrepreneur and restaurateur Jess Varughese, the innovator behind Miami’s ultra-exclusive, members-only hotspot, Haiku. After experiencing Chef Bun’s “perfect pizzas” during a trip to Japan, Varughese envisioned bringing this science-driven culinary movement to sunny South Florida. To ensure absolute authenticity, Varughese assembled an elite culinary team. Alongside Chef Bun, the kitchen features Haiku Executive Chef Albert Diaz and Chef Dalila Sabatino, a rising pizzaiola talent praised by Bun who previously trained at Los Angeles’ acclaimed Pizzeria Sei.

Photograph: Courtesy Royale Pizza NapoletanaRoyale Pizza Napoletana

What sets Tokyo-style Neapolitan pizza apart is its rigorous, chemistry-like execution. At Royale, the dough undergoes a meticulous 30+ hour fermentation process. Varughese and his team spent hundreds of hours adjusting the recipe, combining artisan flours with the Autolyse technique and even altering Miami’s water softness to match Japan’s famously soft water. Pizzas are then baked fresh in an 800-degree oven. The resulting crust achieves an ethereal balance of lightness, chewiness, char and crunch. As Varughese notes, having Chef Bun’s 20-plus years of innovation on board elevates the entire culinary game.

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Royale will be fast-casual, yet polished, with seating for 65 guests including a large community table at its center. Staying true to an accessible vibe, the restaurant will operate on a first-come, first-served walk-in basis with no reservations, though takeout and delivery will be available. You’ll order at a main counter from a carefully curated menu featuring antipasti, two pastas, two mains and seven distinct pizzas—including four traditional options and three specials. This is a pizza spot that deserves the hype, so stay up to date on their progress at @royalenapoletana ahead of the official October launch.





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Miami, FL

Girl, 12, shot while sitting in parked car in northwest Miami-Dade, deputies say

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Girl, 12, shot while sitting in parked car in northwest Miami-Dade, deputies say


MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, Fla. — A 12-year-old girl was shot in the arm after gunfire erupted in a northwest Miami-Dade neighborhood early Tuesday morning, according to the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office.

Deputies said they responded just before 1 a.m. to the area of Northwest 64th Street and Northwest 21st Avenue in the county’s Gladeview area, where they found three vehicles struck by gunfire, including a silver Hyundai.

“The car was parked outside of the residence. It was occupied by three juveniles, so it was the girl and her two siblings that were in the vehicle. The mom was outside of the vehicle at the time, so this could have been a very different outcome,” MDSO Detective Samantha Choon said.

Authorities said Miami-Dade Fire Rescue medics transported the girl to a nearby hospital in stable condition.

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A family member of the victim told Local 10’s Jackie Pascale that the girl is now home and doing OK.

They said neither her siblings nor their mother was injured in the shooting.

According to investigators, no arrests have been made, and detectives have not released any suspect information at this time.

Neighbor Marie Grimes said she was shaken after hearing multiple gunshots.

“I heard the booms — boom, boom, boom, boom — and I said, ‘Oh my God, what’s happening?’” she said. “Maybe five or six, ’cause look at that right there. I’m just glad the little girl is OK.”

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Investigators asked neighbors to check their surveillance or Ring camera footage from around 1 a.m. and contact authorities with any information.

Anyone with information on the shooting is urged to contact Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at 305-471-8477. Anonymous tips are accepted.

Copyright 2026 by WPLG Local10.com – All rights reserved.





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Miami, FL

South Florida mother arrested for leaving daughter chained to fence, police say

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South Florida mother arrested for leaving daughter chained to fence, police say


A Hialeah woman was arrested and charged with child neglect for leaving her 13-year-old daughter chained to her great-grandmother’s fence in the heat with no shoes or water. CBS News Miami’s Abby Dodge reports from the neighborhood where it all happened.



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