Longhorndave on Sports
A sports fan take on the world of sports. Out is what the media wants me to think, in is what people should be following. Listed Top 75 Sports Blog by Social Animal https://socialanimal.com/blog/best-sports-blogs/
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Monday, October 28, 2024
Sportsman of the Week Ending 10/27/2024
There is no greater truth in sports than the best players stepping up in the biggest moments in big games. And World Series Game 1 was the epitome. Perhaps the third or fourth most hyped player, Freddie Freeman delivered his team to a huge Game 1 victory while sending the crowd and teammates in a frenzy. Down to their last out, and facing a 1-0 game deficit and with it, losing home field advantage, Freeman delivered the biggest World Series 9th (or 10th) inning home run since 1988. He deposited a cookie inside pitch into the right field bleachers for a walk off grand slam, turning a 3-2 loss, into a 6-3 victory against historical rival New York Yankees. Much like Kirk Gibson in 1988, Freeman had been hobbled, even put on the bench late in the NLCS because his ankle just didn't seem up to the task. No problem. The former MVP (and 8-time Top 10 MVP finisher) knows how to deliver as he pursues his second title in 4 years, and also the second for the Dodgers in 5 years. If they get to the promised land, it will be the epic swing by our Sportsman of the Week that is remembered in history.
Monday, October 21, 2024
Sportsman of the Week Ending 10/20/2024
The World Series has converged on the best two regular season teams (and highest payrolls) with star studded lineups ready to square off in the Fall Classic. The New York Yankees are in the World Series for the first time in 15 years and the teams seems to have a new edge and attitude thanks to an offseason trade for Juan Soto. The World Series champion has been a menace all year and the American League Championship Series was no exception. Against the Cleveland Guardians, Soto went 7-19 (.368 Ted Williams level), 3 HR, and 6 RBI in 5 games. But his biggest blow was in extra innings in Game 5 as he teed off on Hunter Gaddis for a 2 out, 2 strike three run home run to seal the Guardians fate. While Aaron Judge will be the AL MVP, the team MVP may be Juan Soto for his energy and difference. A worthy Longhorndave Sportsman of the Week!
Labels:
Baseball,
Cleveland Guardians,
Juan Soto,
LHD_PotW,
MLB,
MLB Playoffs,
New York,
New York Yankees
Wednesday, October 16, 2024
Sportsman of the Week Ending 10/13/2024
Another huge weekend for college football including big conference matchups and one of the more intriguing games was Penn State travelling out west to Southern California for a new world Big 10 matchup. The game did not disappoint. USC took a 20-6 lead at halftime but the Nittany Lions came out of the locker room in the second half on fire. Overall, while Drew Allar stepped up with the biggest game of his QB career, it was Tight End Tyler Warren who put up the biggest individual numbers. Allar to Warren was good for 17 catches and 224 yards and a touchdown. The senior Warren had eclipsed 100 yards only twice in his career and never more than 8 catches. The Lions won in overtime to preserve their Top 4 ranking and Warren is an unlikely hero. And the Longhorndave Sportsman of the Week!
Labels:
Big 10,
College Football,
Football,
LHD_PotW,
Penn State,
Southern California,
Tyler Warren
Tuesday, October 8, 2024
Sportsman of the Week Ending 10/6/2024
In an upset-filled weekend of college football, Vanderbilt pulled the most upsettedness of upsets. Over number one [Forrest Gump Voice] Ahh-luuh-BAAMMMA. Led by an unlikely hero. Senior Commodore quarterback Diego Pavia did it with his arm and legs in an efficient performance. An accurate an efficient 16-20 throwing for 252 yards with 2 TD and no interceptions. The New Mexico State transfer averaged over 10 yards per attempt and 15 yards per completion. Long was only 36 yards so it wasn't one or two big plays. Then mix in his legs at 56 yards on 20 carries (no sacks either). Protected the ball. Got tough yards rushing. Threw efficiently. And won the biggest game of his life. Diego Pavia is the Longhorndave Sportsman of the Week!
Labels:
Alabama,
College Football,
Diego Pavia,
Football,
LHD_PotW,
SEC,
Vanderbilt
Wednesday, October 2, 2024
Sportsman of the Week Ending 9/29/2024
One of the biggest college football games of the SEC (which means in national college football) was Alabama hosting Georgia and the action did not disappoint. Alabama surged to a 30-7 half time lead and there were arguments the score did not even reflect the domination of the Tide. Then Georgia, inspired by a halftime lead, scored 27 of the next 30 points to take an improbable lead. Enter our Sportsman of the Week Jalen Milroe. One play for 75 yards to end the scoring. But it was his dominant effort all game, throwing 27-33 (missed six passes) for 374 yards and two TDs. He was also the Tide's leading rusher at 16 carries for 117 yards and two TDs. That's like near 500 yards in their biggest game of the year. Milroe has ascended to the short conversation for Heisman Trophy and is the Longhorndave Sportsman of the Week!
Labels:
Alabama,
College Football,
Football,
Georgia,
Jalen Milroe,
LHD_PotW,
SEC
Monday, September 23, 2024
Sportsman of the Week Ending 9/22/2024
An historic season for a legendary player, our Sportsman of the Week entered a club that nobody else has even sniffed. 50/50. Shohei Ohtani has been a unicorn to say the least since entering Major League Baseball in 2018. After six years of futility in not making the postseason, he jumped across LA to join a winner, the Los Angeles Dodgers. And has thrived. While recovering from Tommy John surgery which derailed his dual threat hitting/pitching amazingness, he's put together a season that nobody will ever forget. Fifty home runs. Fifty steals. He leads the league in HR. Second in SB. On top of that, he recorded perhaps the best statistical night in baseball history on Thursday September 19. He went 6-6, five extra base hits and knocked in 10 runs. 17 total bases. As if that wasn't enough, he also went 8 for his next 12 two more bombs. That's 14-18, 5 HR. Beer league softball like numbers and he did it in the majors. Amazing player remains amazing, the Longhorndave Sportsman of the Week!
Labels:
Baseball,
LHD_PotW,
Los Angeles,
Los Angeles Dodgers,
MLB,
Shohei Ohtani
Wednesday, September 18, 2024
Sportsman of the Week Ending 9/15/2024
The second weekend of NFL action was filled with unexpected results as experts thought who were the best teams but oh were they wrong. The Dallas Cowboys, in perennial fashion, were media darlings after a dominant win over the favored Cleveland Browns on the road in Week 1 in a game they looked like a team their fans expected. Enter Week 2. As heavy favorites in their home opener, the Cowboys found themselves down early and often, specifically as Alvin Kamara tore through them via land and air. The veteran running back (and second time Sportsman of the Week winner) scored 3 TDs in the first half and had 180 combined yards as the Saints drilled the Cowboys 44-19 in a game that wasn't as close as the score if you can believe it. Now the Saints are suddenly the talk of the NFC while Kamara is the Longhorndave Sportsman of the Week!
Labels:
Alvin Kamara,
Dallas Cowboys,
Football,
LHD_PotW,
New Orleans,
New Orleans Saints,
NFL
Monday, September 9, 2024
Sportsman of the Week Ending 9/8/2024
Are we finally to a changing of the guard for Men's Tennis elite after a decade plus of what might be considered the greatest three men's tennis player ever (and 6x Sportsmen of the Week among Nadal, Federer, and Djokovic). Italian Jannik Sinner took the Big Apple by Storm, slicing through all contenders with ease. By with ease, I mean dropping only one set and never trailing in sets. He finished off the popular American finalist Taylor Fritz in straight sets only the last going to a tiebreak. A machine. The 23-year-old is poised to be the next thing (along with Alcaraz) for years to come. Meanwhile, Sinner is the United States Open Champion and the Longhorndave Sportsman of the Week!
Labels:
Grand Slam,
Italy,
Jannik Sinner,
LHD_PotW,
Taylor Fritz,
Tennis,
US Open Tennis
Tuesday, September 3, 2024
Sportsman of the Week Ending 9/1/2024
A second thrilling weekend of college football commenced with a handful of big national matchups between big conferences. The weekend spanned five full days (Thursday through Monday) giving fans a holiday weekend buffet of action. Sunday night may have been the peak game with a huge SEC and Big 10 matchup at a neutral site and it didn't disappoint. Teams that have each won National Championships in the last 20 years squared off in Las Vegas as the 13th ranked Louisiana State Tigers and 23rd ranked Southern California Trojans went toe to toe for 60 minutes. In what many expected to be a high scoring game (having seen USC defense the prior year) was a slugfest with body blows thrown throughout but coming down to the fourth quarter. With the game 17-13 entering the fourth quarter, USC excelled with two huge scoring drives to win it led by heir apparent to the USC QBU franchise Miller Moss. Moss ended the day 27-36 with a TD, but had two go ahead drives in the fourth quarter with a TD throw, and a two-minute drill drive in which he was 5-6 and led a 1m 39s drive with ease. They could have gotten a FG but got the TD on a run. Moss was patient behind Heisman Trophy winner and eventual top NFL draft pick Caleb Williams and the reigns are now his, and he is the Longhorndave Sportsman of the Week!
Labels:
Big 10,
Caleb Williams,
College Football,
Football,
LHD_PotW,
LSU,
Miller Moss,
SEC,
Southern California
Tuesday, August 27, 2024
Sportsman of the Week Ending 8/25/2024
College Football is back and what may end up being a Top 10 game of the year was the first game of what is like 2000. 2023 undefeated and playoff snubbed Florida State entered the season reloaded and with playoff hopes abound. As ten-point favorites against Georgia Tech in a Week 0 kickoff game in Ireland, seemed like a great warm up and easy conference win. Not so fast. Georgia Tech has a new attitude and that is tough. Led by Jamal Haynes, the Rambling Wreck controlled the football and most importantly, the final possession to defeat the number ten Seminoles. Haynes produced gutsy runs totaling 75 yards on 11 carries, with two TDs. Toss in a couple of catches for 16 yards for over 90. No these aren't Heisman type numbers but numbers the team needed in a run first approach with variable weather against a good team. Haynes and the Yellow Jackets received 0 AP or AFCA votes in the first poll. Less than Texas State, Texas San Antonio, and Air Force among others. They'll get votes this week thanks to Haynes the Longhorndave Sportsman of the Week!
Labels:
College Football,
Florida State,
Football,
Georgia Tech,
Jamal Haynes,
LHD_PotW,
NCAA
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