Sportsman of the Week Ending 9/27/2026

In what has been, despite its off-field challenges, one of the most interesting starts to the college football season, conference play has begun and heavyweight matchups with ranked teams are commencing.  The SEC had four games between ranked teams, and none were bigger than number 4 Ole Miss going into The Swamp to face number 21 Florida.  The game did not disappoint.  80 points later, the Gators offense proved unstoppable as they scored 35 second half points, with a TD on all five possessions that didn't end the game.  Led by emerging running back Jadan Baugh.  Baugh toted the rock 29 times for 142 yards and three touchdowns.  And tough runs, longest was 23 yards as he continued to wear down the Rebels defense in a dominating Gators win 52-28.  The Florida Gators are 4-0 and dare we say back?  If they want to make a run at another SEC title, they'll need Jadan Baugh to lead them as he did this week, as the Longhorndave Sportsman of the Week! 

Sportsman of the Week Ending 9/20/2026

Another weekend of college football upsets and one of the more surprising ones were the West Virginia Mountaineers upending the ranked Virginia Cavaliers.  In the era of transfers, a blue blood team castaway played hero.  Michael Hawkins Jr., former Oklahoma quarterback, accounted for all five touchdowns for the Mountaineers in a neutral site game.  Hawkins didn't light the stadium up with his arm, but was efficient with 19 yards per completion and two TDs and no interceptions.  But his legs were the rest of the story for another 123 yards and three touchdowns.  The result was a 35-27 win for a once proud program trying to resurge. West Virginia may be a player in the wide open Big 12, and if so, it may be because of Hawkins Jr., the Longhorndave Sportsman of the Week!

Sportsman of the Week Ending 9/13/2026

Week two of the College Football season started to feature some bigger matchups than woodshed week 1, but this wasn't supposed to be one.  The number six Oregon Ducks went down to Stillwater, Oklahoma, to face Oklahoma State as over 3 touchdown favorites.  Oklahoma State hasn't beaten a Football Bowl Subdivision team in 21 games.  They fired their long tenured coach last year.  New season, new Cowboys.  Enter QB phenom Drew Mestemaker.  The North Texas transfer did it all, outperforming who some think should be the overall number one if not first quarterback in the 2027 NFL draft in Dante Moore.  Mestemaker threw for 317 yards with two touchdowns, while running for 109 yards on six runs for another TD.  The TD was spectacular and go-ahead TD head over heels to beat the Top 10 Ducks. Oklahoma State was coming off a frustrating loss to Tulsa in week one but may suddenly be rounding into Big 12 form.  Can they make a run at the conference championship?  Drew Mestemaker will be a factor, the Longhorndave Sportsman of the Week!

Sportsman of the Week Ending 9/6/2026

A thrilling opening week of college football in 2026 unfolded with not at whole lot of marquee matchups but an SEC/ACC thriller filled TV sets on Sunday night and was worth the exclusive timeslot.  Top ten, National Semifinal participant Ole Miss took on number 24 Louisville in the only Top 25 matchup of the weekend.  While there were other interesting scares (looking at you Oregon and Michigan), the Ole Miss and Louisville game fitted the bill.  The neutral site game in Nashville (actually a good geographical compromise) lit up on offense.  Both teams notched over 450 yards, 300 yard through the air, and scored what was the same final score of the classic 2006 Rose Bowl where Texas beat USC.  41-38.  In this game, it was a last second field goal after Louisville stormed back in the last 5 minutes with two touchdowns to tie.  But Ole Miss won and while the end was somewhat anticlimactic, it was a wide receiver that was the man of the match.  Ole Miss Deuce Alexander hauled in 5 passes for 159 yards and two TDs, both 62 yards in the first half.  Big players in big games, he wears number one and was the star player in Week 1 and is the Longhorndave Sportsman of the Week! 

Sportsman of the Week Ending 8/30/2026

College Football started in earnest with what many call "Week Zero".  And there was much rejoicing.  There will be meaningful football on for the next I don't care to count how many weeks just rest assured the 2027 Valentine's Day and Daytona 500 will be around that time. While the first weekend offered not so much in terms of national matchups, one upset resonates true from the Football Championship Subdivision.  William and Mary were unranked and near two touchdown underdogs going into Philadelphia to face the usual basketball powers but Top 10 rated Wildcats of Villanova.  Unflinched.  Led by their nerves of steel quarterback Winston Watkins, the Tribe from Williamsburg went toe to toe with Villanova until finding themselves 10 points down with under 3 minutes left.  Their fate seemed sealed until Watkins got his act together and led a 52 yard FG drive, then after an onside kick, 3 play, 39 yard drivc for the tying touchdown.  An interception and FG later, the Wildcats had been had giving up 13 points in the last two plus minutes.  Overall, Winston Watkins was the man of the match, going for 254 yards and 2 TDs in the air, and 72 yards and another TD on the ground.  The steady hand wins and upsets are fun.  Winston Watkins is the Longhorndave Sportsman of the Week!

Sportsgirl of the Week Ending 8/23/2026

We've had 67 Sportswomen of the Week, but never a Sportsgirl of the Week.  There's a first time for everything.  The Little League World Series in Williamsport, Pennsylvania (may it never move) has seen 25 girls compete at the top of the game, and outside of Monae Davis, Kinley Rasmus has been the most elite.  The young hurler and slugger has taken Williamsport by storm.  To get them there, she threw a complete game shutout to take Phenix City, AL, to Little League Title town.  She followed that up with a one hitter (through six innings) in her team's LLWS opener, only losing due to pitch limits and a relief pitcher who could not follow up.  No worries, after surviving an elimination game, the phenom was brought on again to shut down West Chester, PA, including escaping extra innings with a dazzling play on a bunt and shut down inning.  Oh, she also hits.  She was 2-2 with a triple in their elimination game (which she could not pitch) and has tied a record for hits by a girl and strikeouts in a game by a girl.  She's fun to watch.  She wears a Bow.  Signs about are "Fear the Bow" and "Girl Power".  Deserved.  Kinley Rasmus is the Longhorndave Sportsgirl of the Week!

Sportsman of the Week Ending 8/16/2026

The greatest debut in the history of Major League Baseball happened at Wrigley Field on a Saturday.  St. Louis Cardinals next phenom Joshua Baez hit a home run on the first pitch he saw in the big leagues against 2025 All Star and 10-year Chicago Cubs Veteran Matthew Boyd.  But it didn't stop there.  Wearing the classic powder blue uniforms, Baez squared up Boyd again in the fourth inning.  And then the sixth.  Three home runs in his first three MLB at bats.  The hulking 23-year-old born in Boston but with parents from the Dominican Republic has surged this year after a noteworthy youth prospect career and second round selection by the cardinals.  Checks notes, that's pretty good.  Comps to Albert Pujols are coming too soon but fun.  Is this the savior to take the Cardinals to the playoffs for the first time since 2022?  They're on the cusp this year but if they fall short, they are looking better for the second half of the decade.  Joshua Baez is the Longhorndave Sportsman of the Week!

Sportswoman of the Week Ending 8/9/2026

The "in-between" summer sports season (post basketball/hockey, pre football) continues, and the WNBA is capitalizing with headline after headline.  Some not so good.  But some good.  This is a blog celebrating sports, so let's look at a WNBA record set for three pointers in a game.  Minnesota Lynx guard Kayla McBride broke the WNBA single-game record with ten (10) 3-pointers in a win vs. the Dallas Wings.  Overall 43 points in an eye popping 16-21 field goal effort.  The 5'11" Guard has had a working-woman's career now in her 13th season at age 34.  A decent scorer, good for 15 PPG scorer is enjoying a late career boom up at 18.4 PPG, good for 10th in the WNBA in scoring (no player higher than her is older) and 9th in 3PT FG% (42.4%).  For pop culture reference, Caitlin Clark is at a pedestrian 35.5% 3PT FG%.  The WNBA needs to celebrate those who are setting records and Kayla McBride is that player.  the Longhorndave Sportswoman of the Week!

Sportsman of the Week Ending 8/2/2026

As we hit the dog days of summer, baseball enters the home stretch for playoff pushes.  And no team has made a bigger push than the Boston Red Sox.  Given up for dead, fired their coach, but now they are storming up the American League East standings and look poised for a playoff run.  No player has been more in the center of it than Ceddanne Rafaela.  The centerfielder at the top of the lineup has been a spark plug since the All-Star Break and especially this week.  Rafaela torched the Los Angeles Dodgers and Athletics for a Ted Williams like .419 average while clubbing 5 HR, 2 2B, 11 RBI and scoring 7 times for the week.  The Red Sox went 6-1.  Since the All-Star break, the Sox have gone 14-3 sweeping the Tampa Bay Rays (best team in the AL), Los Angeles Dodgers (best team in the NL), and, just before the break, swept the Chicago White Sox (first in AL Central) and New York Yankees (second best AL team).  The native of Curacao is mimicking his best recent Hall of Fame inductee and countryman Andruw Jones in his star play, and is the Longhorndave Sportsman of the Week!

Sportsman of the Week Ending 7/26/2026

The late summer sports season is upon us, and while all four golf majors have been finished for the year, that doesn't mean the season is over.  And a surprise winner emerged on the PGA Tour in only his third professional start.  At the age of 21.  Jackson Koivun held off the best player in the world in Scottie Sheffler to win the 3M Open at Twin Cities TPC in a record 25 strokes under par.  The Auburn golfer didn't flinch as Scheffler charged showing nerves that will serve him well in his burgeoning pro career.  His win by three strokes took away drama at the end, but he earned it with his steady play over the four days.  Earning a smooth $1.5M in the process.  Is this the first of many PGA Tour wins?  Inevitable.  Will he be the next star on the Tour?  Stay tuned.  But for now, Jackson Koivun is the Longhorndave Sportsman of the Week!