Sportsman of the Week Ending 2/17/2019

It was a redeeming end to a tough month for Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR).  Having lost the former Super Bowl champion coach's son J.D. Gibbs to a neurological disorder just over a month prior to the season opening race, JGR managed a nearly unprecedented sweep the podium at the Daytona 500, led by prior champion Denny Hamlin.  With three major crashes in the final 20 laps, Hamlin skillfully stayed out front and let the chasers knock each other out, while holding off JGR teammates Kyle Busch and Erik Jones along with defending Cup Series Champion Joey Logano over the final Green-White-Checkered overtime finish.  Masterful use of pit stops along with execution throughout the afternoon, Hamlin's car was clean and fast.  But it was the 21-car-pileup with 10 laps to go that broke the field wide open and left a handful of other decorated veterans like Busch, Kevin Harvick and Logano as major threats to Hamlin's victory.  But Hamlin held them off and took home the trophy for his team.  And most importantly, JGR and J.D. Gibbs.  Hamlin is the Longhorndave Sportsman of the Week.

Sportswoman of the Week Ending 2/10/2019

The greatest female alpine skier in American history retired on top.  Well, maybe not on top.  But still impressive.  Lindsey Vonn (USA) won a bronze in the World Championship Downhill in her final competitive race.  At 34 years old, she is the oldest lady to win at the Worlds.  She beat fellow American, Lindsey Vonn who won two years ago at age 32.  She won the bronze in the downhill following a crash in the Super G less than a week ago.  She becomes the first female skier to win at six Worlds.  She won 82 World Cup races.  But her body is done.  The surgically repaired knees, worn out neck, sore back, hours in the training room.  She won again.  Maybe not gold, but bronze.  Which is enough to be the Longhorndave Sportsmwoman of the Week!

Sportsman of the Week Ending 2/3/2019

The Super Bowl is America's biggest sports stage and the world watches its players.  All season, fans and pundits discounted the New England Patriots as not being what they once were.  But in the Super Bowl, they were who they thought we were.  For the sixth time, Tom Brady led his team to a Super Bowl championship (defeats of the St. Louis Rams, Panthers, Eagles, Seahawks, Falcons, and now the Los Angeles Rams).  This time the final was 13-3.  But it was a receiver who was the most unstoppable force.  In a defensive struggle, where very third down counted, Julian Edelman was the key to moving the chains, keeping time of possession, and willing the Patriots to victory.  at 5'10" and 198 pounds, he looks a lot more like a normal guy in your gym than the best player in the Super Bowl.  But in Super Bowl LIII, he garnered 10 catches (on 12 targets) for 141 yards.  Both were season highs.  He had a carry for 8 yards as well.  Brady will always be remembered for the glory and rightfully so.  But it was Edelman who stole the Super Bowl LIII show.

Sportsman of the Week Ending 1/20/2019

Two games, two overtimes, the Conference Championship Game weekend was full of excitement.  And controversy.  But we leave that for another day.  The New England Patriots are no strangers to the Super Bowl, nor having winning Sportsmen of the Week.  But it's a rookie that stole the show this week.  Running Back Sony Michel was a key factor in the Patriots controlling the clock at nearly a 2:1 ratio and keeping the Kansas City Chiefs offense on the sideline.  Michel toted the rock 29 times for 113 yards, nearly 4 yards a carry but they were tough yards (11 yards was the longest...he was grinding).  Add two key touchdowns (to go with his 3 last week) and it was the respect for the run that opened up passing lanes for Brady to score TD on the last 3 drives.  Michel now has 3 100 yard games out of 4, and seems strong for the Super Bowl.  Yet another key weapon for the Patriots, and our Longhorndave Sportsman of the Week!

Sportsman of the Week Ending 1/13/2019

The NFL Playoffs are reaching a crescendo as the Division Playoffs yielded the four finalists for the Super Bowl.  While the winners were all the home team favorites, it was a surprise player that carried the Los Angeles Rams to their first NFC Championship Game in 17 years.  Veteran running back C.J. Anderson stepped up as a 50/50 back to superstar Todd Gurley and delivered.  Having been the Rams featured back in the final two regular season games (which were of little importance to the Rams playoff seeding), Anderson eclipsed 100 yards on both occasions.  Now he did it when it mattered most.  Anderson notched 123 yards and 2 TD against what had been considered a stingy Cowboys defense.  And the yards were hard earned, as no carries were longer than 15 yards meaning Anderson made each and every carry count.  The Rams moved on with a 30-22 victory that was less in doubt than the score seemed.  And the 27-year old veteran looks poised to provide balance to MVP candidate Gurley.  Which will be a lot for the New Orleans Saints to handle.  Anderson is the epitome of Sportsman of the Week!

Sportsman of the Week Ending 1/7/2019

Another week, another dominant performance, and another National Championship for the Clemson Tigers.  Led by super freshman Quarterback Trevor Lawrence (and last week's Sportsman of the Week Justyn Ross), the Alabama Crimson Tide were overmatched.  Lawrence torched the Tide defense for 347 yards and 3 TD in a flawless performance with no interceptions.  Lawrence also scrambled effectively for 27 yards on six carries.  The end result was a dismantling of the number one Alabama 44-16, the worst loss in the Nick Saban era.  It marks the second title for Clemson in 3 years, as well as the third straight title game loss for the Southeastern Conference.  And the best may be yet to come for Trevor Lawrence who will have at least two more years at Clemson.  But for now, he is the Longhorndave Sportsman of the Week!

Sportsman of the Week Ending 12/30/2018

On college football's biggest stage, against college football's most storied program, it was a freshman that had a career day to push his team to the National Championship game.  Clemson Tigers wide receiver Justyn Ross looked like a man among boys as he ran past, around and through the Notre Dame Fighting Irish defense for an easy Cotton Bowl win.  Ross helped the Tigers bust the game open in the second quarter, catching both of his TD passes from 40 yards or more out.  Overall, he hauled in six catches for 148 yards, both were career highs.  Considering the throws were coming from a freshman QB, this is probably not the last we'll hear from Ross.  Starting next week, when the Alabama native faces the home state Crimson Tide in the National Championship Game  Ross is a surprise but worthy, Sportsman of the Week!

Sportsman of the Week Ending 12/23/2018

The College Football Bowl Season continues through the pre-Christmas slate and another unheralded star has emerged.  Brigham Young University freshmen quarterback Zach Wilson put his team on his back and led the Cougars to a decisive 49-18 victory over the Western Michigan Broncos in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl.  Yes, the one on Blue Turf.  However, it was that turf that none of Wilson's passes actually hit.  He was a record perfect 18-18 in passing with 4 of those resulting in touchdowns.  Lest you thought he was just throwing easy short routes, he eclipsed 300 yards (317 to be exact) and no, none of his passes were caught by the other team either.  BYU finished a transition season at 7-6 but is positioned strongly for the future, with our Sportsman of the Week a talent at QB to watch for years to come!

Sportsman of the Week Ending 12/16/2018

It's the most wonderful time of the year!  Also known as Bowl Season.  The Las Vegas Bowl is typically one of the more elite bowls in the first weekend of the 40 game Bowl matching up a Pac 12 school and Mountain West Champion.  For the third year in a row, the Mountain West Champions took the bowl.  This year, led by a strong running performance, the Fresno State Bulldogs defeated the Arizona State Sun Devils 31-21.  Bulldog RB Ronnie Rivers torched the Sun Devils for 212 yards on 24 carries, both career highs.  Add two touchdowns and 4 catches and he was clearly the man of the match.  His two touchdowns were the last two of the game and the only points for the Bulldogs to put away the Sun Devils.  As the bowls get bigger, there may not be a bigger running performance than Rivers, and he is the Longhorndave Sportsman of the Week!

Sportsman of the Week Ending 12/9/2018

The NFL playoff run is in the home stretch and big games call for big players.  None were bigger than the Dallas Cowboys WR Amari Cooper against the Super Bowl Champions to essentially seal the division for his teams.  Cooper was a much talked about acquisition at the trade deadline, some feeling that it was a waste of a draft pick, others thinking it was finally the Cowboys answer for a go to receiver.  The latter were right.  Cooper had the biggest game of his pro career in dismantling the Philadelphia Eagles.  In the end, he hauled in 10 catches for 217 yards including 3 TD.  The last TD the biggest in overtime, as the Cowboys possessed the ball for over 8 of the 10 minutes, the last play being Cooper going into the end zone.  This following his two TDs in the 4th quarter when the game broke open.  The Cowboys now have 2 games in hand plus the tiebreaker.  May have knocked the Eagles out of the playoffs.  Cooper stepped up in the big game, and is the Longhorndave Sportsman of the Week!