Sportsman of the Week Ending 1/19/2020

The surprise team of the NFC this year emerged as Champions behind a surprise performance by an unexpected hero.  San Francisco 49ers running back Raheem Mostert gashed the Green Bay Packers defense for huge chunks of yards and there was nothing they could do about it.  And it had very little to do with respect for the Niners passing game, which only had to throw it 8 times.  Mostert ended the afternoon with 220 yards on 29 carries; the 2nd most rushing yards in a playoff game ever behind legendary Hall of Famer Eric Dickerson.   To go with that, four TDs in which he becomes on the the third player to have that many in a playoff game (Ricky Watters with 5 and LeGarrette Blount with 4).  Mostert's rise to get to this point is equally as amazing.  Having played for 5 teams in 2 years, the undrafted Purdue alumnus almost quit the game before the 49ers found a spot for him.  In a three-headed 2019 Niners backfield along with Tevin Coleman and Matt Breida, it was Mostert who caught fire when San Francisco needed it.  And now he'll live every football player's dream.  Playing in a Super Bowl.  Mostert is a worthy Sportsman of the Week!

Sportsman of the Week Ending 1/12/2020

In one of the most thrilling and historic (in terms of comeback) games in NFL history, the Kansas City Chiefs roared back from a 24 point 2nd quarter deficit to easily win their AFC Division Round Playoff game by 20 points.  During the key 2nd quarter surge, it was Travis Kelce who put the team on his back (along with quarterback Patrick Mahomes II) to lead the charge.  Kelce hauled in 10 passes for 134 yards and 3 TD, all in the pivotal second quarter to set the Chiefs up for their first Super Bowl berth in 50 years.  Moreover, they will be hosting the title game at Arrowhead Stadium as the top remaining seed in the AFC.  Kelce was a matchup problem all day for the Texans, even shaking off an injury to continue to torment the Texans who had no answer.  With his size and speed and hands, he's a matchup problem for anyone, and is the Longhorndave Sportsman of the Week!

Sportsman of the Week Ending 1/5/2020

Happy New Year, as our Blog enters the ninth year of Sportsman of the Week, we have a winner who was only 13 when all of this started.  The Seattle Seahawks are a team recently counted out.  For several years not much home field advantage.  Rebuilt defense, too young and too old talent on offense.  But it was their youngest playmaker that carried them to the Division Round of the NFL Playoffs.  Rookie Wide Receiver D.K. Metcalf put his team on his back and carried them to victory at the Philadelphia Eagles.  Metcalf made critical catch after critical catch for an NFL Playoff rookie record 160 yards on 7 catches and a TD.  His 53-yeard TD catch in the 3rd quarter seemed to build the hill so high the backup QB-led Eagles didn't have much of a chance.  Metcalf is a beast that should end up as an elite receiver in the league, but was the story of the Wildcard weekend and is the Longhorndave Sportsman of the Week!

Sportsman of the Week Ending 12/29/2019

The dismantling of Oklahoma by Louisiana State was not only record breaking for a playoffs game, but record breaking for a bowl game, and really, any game.  Former Sportsman of the Week Joe Burrow was in full video game mode as the numbers piled up.  But it was his receiver Justin Jefferson that also rewrote the record books.  Jefferson caught nearly half of Burrow's passes (14) for an astounding 224 yards and 4 TDs in the Chick-Fil-a Peach Bowl.  As the Tigers eased their way to a coasting 49-14 halftime lead, it was Jefferson's ability to beat his man that enabled LSU to rest most of their wounded or hurt players for the title game against Clemson in 2 weeks.  LSU won the game 63-28 and demonstrated their invincibility for the National Championship game.  Jefferson (with Burrow) will be a big task for Clemson to solve, and he is our Sportsman of the Week!

Sportsman of the Week Ending 12/22/2019

Single season records are very hallowed in the major sports and none may be more difficult to attain than one that relies on your entire team being good.  There have been 50+ Super Bowl winning teams, but no wide receiver has caught more passes in a single season than the New Orleans Saints Michael Thomas.  With 136 yards on 12 catches (and a TD), Thomas was the difference in pushing the Saints towards a first round bye with a 38-28 road victory over the Tennessee Titans.  At 12-3, the Saints stayed in position to earn the top seed in the NFC.  It was Thomas' ninth game with 10 or more catches, tenth game with 100 or more yards, and seventh game with at least one receiving TD.  For the season, 145 catches sets the single season record of Marvin Harrison.  This to go with 1,688 yards, perhaps the most amazing thing about that statistic is his longest for the year is below 50 yards.  All of this with one full game to go and set the bar even higher for the next great.  For this week, Thomas is the Longhorndave Sportsman of the Week, his second time to be so honored!

Sportsman of the Week Ending 12/15/2019

The Army/Navy Game remains one of the longest running traditions in American sports.  And its 120th edition did not lack luster.  The President of the United States attended.  Navy, which had recently dominated over the last 20 years found themselves on a three game skid with a class of Midshipmen not tasting victory.  Never Fear.  Malcolm Perry is here.  And how.  The Navy QB (which in this case, means guy who ran after it was snapped to him), ran for a record 304 yards on 29 carries.  That's called unstoppable.  By record-breaking, Perry set a single season Navy rushing record (1804), single season yards record (2831) and had the most rushing yards in the history of the series.  He was the best player on the field and now gears up for the Liberty Bowl against Kansas State.  Will he lead Navy to their fifth bowl victory in seven years?  Our Sportsman of the Week has the desire and the talent.

Sportsman of the Week Ending 12/8/2019

The San Francisco 49ers were on nobody's radar to start the NFL season and suddenly they're on a very short list to make Super Bowl LIV.  One of the most balanced teams on offense and defense seems to be able to match up with any team and just won't lose.  Thanks to their leader and QB Jimmy Garoppolo.  The former backup to Tom Brady now has his own team.  And it looks better than Brady's New England Patriots.  Jimmy G lit up the NFC rival New Orleans Saints in their house for 349 and 4 TDs on 26-35 passing as the Niners won at the gun and overtook the Saints for the top seed in the NFC.  Winning is nothing new to Garoppolo as he is now 19-4 as a starting QB.  And it's not like he inherited a loaded San Francisco roster as without him last year they went 4-12.  Is he the next great 49ers Super Bowl legend to join Joe Montana and Steve Young?  Check back in February.  But Jimmy Garoppolo is the Longhorndave Sportsman of the Week!

Sportsman of the Week Ending 12/1/2019

The college football season is hitting its regular season climax, with a round of great rivalry games on Thanksgiving weekend, now followed by the Conference Championships this weekend.  And Ohio State is smack dab in the middle of it, led by their Heisman Trophy candidate running back J.K. Dobbins.  Dobbins sliced through the statistically stout Michigan Wolverine defense for 211 rushing yards on a workman-like 31 carries.  With OSU leading most of the game, there was no reason not to feed the monster.  And 4 of the 31 carries ended with him untackled as he crossed the goal line as the Buckeyes pummeled their rival 56-27.  Dobbins also added 2 catches for 49 yards as if his running wasn't unstoppable enough.  Dobbins now turns to a rematch with Wisconsin then the College Football Playoff.  Dobbins will be a big part of their success, and is the Longhorndave Sportsman of the Week!

Sportsman of the Week Ending 11/24/2019

The heavyweight boxing division has lacked a singular power (particularly not named Klitschko) for some time, but WBC Champion Deontay Wilder may be that guy.  The numbers pop off the score sheet better than the greats of heavyweight history.  Tyson, Ali, and Louis included.  42-0-1.  41 knockouts.  Yes, one fight he won via cards. And he drew one.  Never lost.  Saturday night in Las Vegas was no different as he faced Luis Ortiz for the second time in 21 months.  And for the second time, he won without it going the distance.  Despite being behind on all cards, the power punch of Wilder proved to be the difference.  He landed it late in the 7th round.  And despite Ortiz's ability to get to his feet near the end of the 10 count, the referee stopped it.  Wilder wins.  Again.  He'll now get a shot at Tyson Fury, former Sportsman of the Week who was his only draw.  But the division is Wilder's.  Big, strong, and knockout potential.  That's the heavyweight boxing I remember, and our Sportsman of the Week is bringing it back!

Sportsman of the Week Ending 11/17/2019

What is sweeter than a first championship trophy?  A second championship trophy.  One of the winningest driver on the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series has come up short the past few years despite being on the very short list of top wins for each year.  This year, he left no doubt.  Kyle Busch dominated the field in winning the Ford EcoBoost 400 by 7 seconds over teammate and 2017 champion Martin Truex Jr.  Busch drove flawlessly, outdueling fellow playoff contender Kevin Harvick in several sequences in the first two stages.  But Harvick could never capture the speed over the long runs (only one non-stage yellow all race) and faded.  Then there was Truex Jr. and Denny Hamlin with crucial pit crew errors (wrong tires on each side and an ill-advised aero tape applied).  By the end, it wasn't entertaining.  Kyle won, and it was another huge win for Joe Gibbs Racing.  Which dominated the year.  Congrats Kyle Busch, you're the Longhorndave Sportsman of the Week!