Sportsman of the Week Ending 7/13/2025

Summer is a wide world of sports indeed with warm, outdoor temperatures drawing a variety of sports, fans, and winners.  Two times in eight days, NASCAR road king and rookie Shane Van Gispergen dominated the field to go to easy wins.  This week at Sonoma, the New Zealand wheelman Gispergen (commonly called SVG) took the Toyota/Save Mart 350.  Coming from Australian Supercar Series, SVG started NASCAR last year in the Xfinity (lower) circuit while running some road courses to full time Cup Series and won his first race in Chicago's street course in 2024.  This year he took a race in Mexico City, repeated in Chicago, and now in Sonoma.  All cars being equal, he and his 88 hot rod can't be beat on road courses.  Only in his first full season Gisbergen won for the fourth time in 34 starts, becoming the quickest to four wins since Parnelli Jones won at Riverside in 1967 in his 31st Cup start.  This win thrusts him to 3rd overall in the playoff standings despite being essentially non-competitive on ovals.  One of the playoff courses is a road course, can SVG parlay that into a shot at the Cup?  Depends on his oval skills, but he's a great drive and learning.  Shane Van Gispergen is the Longhorndave Sportsman of the Week!

Sportsman of the Week Ending 7/6/2025

As the calendar turns to July, the summer variety of sports season starts, with Baseball, Golf, Tennis, and Soccer taking center stage.  No bigger soccer stage than the Gold Cup settling North America's greatest eleven.  Not surprisingly, the United States and Mexico weaved their way through the group and knockout rounds for a winner take all brawl in Houston.  And a brawl it was.  Estados Unidos struck quickly for a 1-0 lead within the first five minutes, and the crowd went wild.  But that was all the goals they would score.  In the 27th minute, veteran Raul Jimenez netted El Tri first goal on a soft entry and defense and punch of what would be two.  He was the one who scored the lone goal for Mexico in the semifinal to defeat Honduras 1-0 as well.  Mexico finished the task in the last 15 minutes to retain the Cup.  No glory in the United States, the Cup is to Mexico and the Sportsman of the Week goes to Jimenez.

Sportsman of the Week Ending 6/29/2025

The Detroit Tigers have quickly emerged as the team to beat in the American League, surging to an 11.5 game lead in the AL Central and 2.5 best in the League.  They showed no intimidation last year facing the Houston Astros in the playoffs and quickly dispensing them in two games in Houston, the first time the Astros didn't make the ALCS in 8 years.  A great deal of their recent success has been due to reigning Cy Young award winner Tarik Skubal.  Never a heralded draft pick or prospect, he is probably now the best pitcher in baseball.   This week he was a strike out machine in two wins, striking out 18 over 13 IP.  In 5 of his last 7 outings, he's allowed 1 or fewer runs. He won 6 of them with the other a 1-0 loss due to the bullpen.  He's every bit of the ace and every bit, the Longhorndave Sportsman of the Wee!

Sportsman of the Week Ending 6/22/2025

The NBA Finals were a boon of excitement, intrigue, and uncertainty.  While the latter reigned, a particular player was a certainty.  The NBA MVP.  Shai Gilgeous Alexander showed no doubt that he was the best player in the NBA and on the best team as his Oklahoma City Thunder won their first NBA Championship against the Indiana Pacers.  The Thunder were the best team in the regular season yet tried in the playoffs against resilient teams like the Pacers and the Denver Nuggets.  But in Shai they trusted.  The reigning MVP poured in 80 points over the last three games, including 11 rebounds and 24 assists.  The totals were somewhat muted in a Game 6 blowout to the Pacers in which key players took rest.  Gilgeous-Alexander is starting the comparisons to other champion greats like MJ, Kobe, and LBJ.  Will the Thunder win more titles like those did?  Signs point to yet.  But for now, Gilgeous-Alexander is the Longhorndave Sportsman of the Week!

Sportsman of the Week Ending 6/15/2025

The epic run of great early summer sports continues with tons of action across no fewer than ten sports.  Perhaps the most dramatic was the 125th United States Open which had no fewer than 8 golfers within a shot of the lead as the leaders took the final five holes.  But as the Oakmont, PA, golf course was brutal after a mid-4th round rain delay, the best golfers retreated. Except for J.J. Spaun.  Starting in the second to last group, Spaun started the fourth round near disaster almost dismissed.  Five bogeys the first six holes.  Then he got nails.  There would only be one more bogey.  But the best part, was in the hunt, finished the last two holes birdie/birdie.  The last birdie was the legend.  Only needing par, he struck a 60 foot something put across a wet sloped fast green and nailed it.  Center cut.  His second PGA tour win and first major.  An effort worthy of Sportsman of the Week!

Sportswoman of the Week Ending 6/8/2025

It was a crazy week of sports.  French Open.  NCAA Baseball tournament.  Stanley Cup and NBA Finals.  MLB in midseason form.  But a sport that got the best rating in its history takes center stage.  Softball's Women's College World Series captivated the nation, in addition to the state of Texas.  As Big 12 Texas Tech and their all-world pitcher faced off against Texas, old Southwest Conference (and Big 12) rival who battled through their conference without winning either the regular season or tournament.  In a thrilling three game series that brought tons of eyes to the sport, Texas won WCWS Game 1 defeating Tech superstar NiJaree Canady on a clutch 2-run single in the bottom of the sixth.  Tech answered with a 4-3 win holding on in Game 2.  But Texas delivered the death blow scoring a mind blowing 5 in the first inning and coasting to a girlpile for the Longhorns first National Championship.  Behind it all?  Superstar starter Teagan Kavan who outshined her Red Raiders counterpart.  Kavan set a record with 31 2/3 WCWS innings with no earned runs.  Started both the Longhorns wins in Finals Game 1 and 3.  Finished the season 28-5.  To loosely quote Yogi Berra (at the time regarding Bob Gibson), "I understand how she won 28.  I have no idea how she lost 5."  Kavan is now a Longhorn Legend and the Longhorndave Sportsman of the Week!

Sportsman of the Week Ending 6/1/2025

The NBA Playoffs have featured lots of seed upsets and new teams advancing to the final rounds.  The Indiana Pacers check both boxes.  Entering the playoffs, the fourth seeded Pacers faced an uphill challenge and have not flinched.  They've marched through the 5th seeded Milwaukee Bucks, top seeded Cleveland Cavaliers, and 3rd seeded New York Knicks not even facing elimination.  12-4 so far with eight games on the road.  This week they were led but Eastern Conference Finals MVP Pascal Siakam, who relentlessly pushed the Knicks in their two decisive wins in Games 4 and 6.  Siakam netted 76 points (including 30+ in the wins) with 16 boards and ten assists.  He added three blocks in decisive Game 6.  The ten-year Cameroon native is a relentless best supporting player as he also won a title with the Raptors in 2019.  He's the guy you want on your side and epitomizes the Pacers team play and is the Longhorndave Sportsman of the Week!

Sportsman of the Week Ending 5/25/2025

The annual "Best Day in Motorsports" did not disappoint as the Sunday of Memorial Day Weekend featured the Monaco Grand Prix, Indianapolis 500, and Coca Cola 600 across the Formula 1, IndyCar, and NASCAR series respectively.  The Indianapolis 500 features storylines including a rookie pole sitter, a driver attempting for a rare three-peat, and the best driver on the circuit looking for his first iconic win in the premier race of his sport.  The latter happened.  Alex Palou from Chip Ganassi Racing kept a consistent presence near the front, as others faded by the wayside.  The three-time IndyCar champ pulled out all the stops in passing, then holding off Marcus Ericsson.  Brilliant use of pit strategy and economic fuel management put Palou in position to pass Ericsson with 15 laps left and with a faster machine, drive on to Victory and the brick kissing and milk that goes with it.  Palou becomes the first Spaniard to win the Indianapolis 500 and puts a major stamp on his career which is still on the younger side of 30.  Alex Palou is the Longhorndave Sportsman of the Week!

Sportsman of the Week Ending 5/18/2025

Both the NBA and Stanley Cup Playoffs are rounding into semifinal form. On the NHL side, there is one team left to represent Canada.  The Edmonton Oilers.  A big reason they look poised to capture the cup is their goalie, Stuart Skinner.  This week, Skinner shut down the Las Vegas Golden Knights with two shutouts.  Game, set, match.  27 shots, 27 saves and two wins including a 1-0 overtime.  You can't win if you can't score and Skinner showed that.  The native of Edmonton could be one of the greatest heroes of local yore. Just eight more wins. One octopus.  But for now, the Longhorndave Sportsman of the Week!

Sportsman of the Week Ending 5/11/2025

The NBA Playoffs first round was somewhat predictable, but the second round has been pure chaos of upsets.  The Minnesota Timberwolves got a tough draw with the 3x World Champion Golden State Warriors having disposed of the second seed Houston Rockets and out for more blood.  But our Sportsman of the Week has taken control.  Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards is exerting his teams will and looks to point the Wolves to the Conference Finals.  After stumbling in Game 1, Edwards helped Minnesota recover, Stephan Curry injury withstanding, push his team to a 2-1 lead after 3 with home court in hand.  Edwards 36 points in Game 3 in a close win, to go with an average of 27 points, 9 assists, and 5 rebounds.  And team leadership.  The Timberwolves seem to be poised to win their first title and if they do, it will be because of Anthony Edwards, the Longhorndave Sportsman of the Week!