Sportsman of the Week Ending 4/22/2018

The weather is warming up, and so is the baseball action.  But no pitcher has been hotter in a game this season than Sean Manaea of the Oakland Athletics, who scored the first no-hitter of 2018.  The feat is more impressive in that it was against the team with the best record, and best offense in baseball, the Boston Red Sox.  Manaea got the 9 inning complete game with 2 walks and 10 strikeouts in an efficient 108 pitches.  He has long been considered a work in progress, in that his stuff was dominant, but seemed like he could not harness it.  Well through five starts this season, he leads the American League in innings pitched and has allowed only 22 baserunners in 36.2 innings.  And of the 5 runs he's allowed, 4 were solo home runs.  He's not giving up much, but on Saturday night, he gave up nothing hit wise.  And is a worthy Sportsman of the Week!

Sportswoman of the Week Ending 4/16/2018

The Boston Marathon is one of the most iconic American sports events as it occurs in one of the oldest cities and features elite athletes from around the world.  Moreover, unlike other marathons held on a weekend, it is held on the third Monday of April, which is Patriots Day.  Patriots Day commemorates the anniversary Revolutionary War battles of Lexington and Concord on April 19, 1775.  But this is not a history blog, it is a sports blog.  As the Boston Marathon got more elite, it became more and more rare that an American woman would win the race.  But this year produced the first American winner since 1985, as American Desi (Davila) Lindon broke the streak.  In downright miserable (and slow) conditions, the 2012 and 2016 Olympian Lindon crossed the line at 2 hours, 39 minutes, and 54 seconds.  Far from a record or even her best time in Boston, the 34 year-old Michigander will be an inspiration to young American runners for years to come, and is our Sportswoman of the Week!

NASCAR Chat 4/14/2018

I'm honored to partner with the Ladies in Black Blog to collaborate on NASCAR Chat.  This week  LiB Lexie and I discuss last week's race in Texas including a win by Kyle Busch, one of her favorites as well as another penalty for Chase Elliott.  Next we discuss changes to the All Star Race in (Lexie's home town of) Charlotte in a month or so.  And finally, looking forward to Bristol on Sunday. 
Here is the full episode:



Prior Episodes
NASCAR Chat 04/06/2018
NASCAR Chat 03/24/2018
NASCAR Chat 03/10/2018
NASCAR Chat 03/03/2018

Sportsman of the Week Ending 4/8/2018

Another Masters and another first time major winner.  And we can't get enough.  After what had seemingly set up as a match play final, the top of the leaderboard was crashed by a former champion and another major virgin and drama on the last three holes.  But it was Patrick Reed who leveraged his 3 stroke lead coming into Sunday into a 1 stroke victory.  And his first major.  The incredibly likeable pro was bidding to go four rounds under 70, but did just enough to hold off Jordan Spieth and Rickie Fowler to secure his place in history.  Simply hitting par on the last four holes with a fury of birdies by Spieth and Fowler was enough to win his first green jacket.  Finishing under par for all four rounds, and a total of -15 on a week which saw low scores, Patrick Reed secured his place in Augusta lore, and is the Longhorndave Sportsman of the Week!

Sportswoman of the Week Ending 4/1/2018

If you want to be the best, you have to beat the best.  And that's just what the Notre Dame Women's basketball team did.  The Fighting Irish completed an improbably National Championship season by defeating the seemingly invincible Connecticut Huskies (36-0) and last year's runner up Mississippi State Bulldogs (37-1).  But it was the style in which our Sportswoman of the Week defeated them that will make her legend.  Arike Ogunbowale didn't shoot particularly well in either game, but was unstoppable at the end.  Ogunbowale first slayed the Huskies with a 19 foot jumper with just a second left to break a tie in overtime.  Then against the Bulldogs, she hit a fall away three pointer under guard as the buzzer sounded.  She averaged 22.5 points her game in willing her team to the title.  The Irish overcame injuries to four players throughout the season to complete the improbably run, and Arike Ogunbowale made it happen as our Sportswoman of the Week!

Sportsman of the Week Ending 3/25/2018

March Madness reaches its crescendo with the Final Four in San Antonio, TX.  None of the National Quarterfinal match ups was more of a back and forth brawl than elite programs Kansas and Duke squaring off on Sunday.  And it went to overtime.  And that's when our Sportsman of the Week took over.  Kansas' Malik Newman scored 13 points in overtime.  That was all of Kansas points, and enough to win the game by 4 (would have been 7 if not for a meaningless 3 by Duke).  Newman finished the game with 32 points, including 5-12 from beyond the arc and 11-12 from the free throw line.  In the Sweet 16 match up against pesky Clemson, he also led his team in scoring with 17 points including 4-7 from 3-pointers.  He had 7 rebounds in each game as well.  Newman also played 83 out of 85 minutes over the weekend.  He willed Kansas to the Final Four, can our Sportsman of the Week will them to a championship?

NASCAR Chat 3/24/2018

Check out our new feature in combination with the Ladies in Black Blog, called NASCAR Chat.  In this week's episode, LiB Lexie (who you have seen featured in my Blog for football picks) and I talk about Kevin Harvick's wreck in Fontana, California.  We also discuss how we would improve the tracks used during the playoffs as well as Lowe's no longer sponsoring Hendrick Motorsports #48 car currently driven by Jimmie Johnson.  Finally, we talk about new drivers Will Byron, Bubba Wallace, and Erik Jones.  Here is the full episode:



Prior Episodes
NASCAR Chat 03/10/2018
NASCAR Chat 03/03/2018

Sportsman of the Week Ending 3/18/2018

When the calendar says March, it's time for Madness.  Basketball madness.  In today's day and age, the favored teams seem to be loaded with one-and-done freshman and maybe a key sophomore.  But it's a senior who led his team this week to a Sweet 16 berth.  West Virginia's Jevon Carter provided that rare veteran leadership in positioning the Mountaineers for a Final Four run.  In two victories of over Murray State and rival Marshall, Carter posted 49 points, 11 steals, and 13 assists.  His total points are tops for teams still alive and the latter.  He only needed to play 29 minutes in the Marshall game because the team was coasting.  He was also 19-35 from the field, including 5-8 from beyond the arc.  Savage.  Carter is the kind of player that could turn greatness into legend the next two weeks, and he is the Longhorndave Sportsman of the Week!

Sportsman of the Week Ending 3/11/2018

The NCAA Men's and Women's conference basketball tournaments officially kick off March Madness.  Win and you're in.  Lose and, in many cases, your season ends.  But everyone has a chance to win their tournament.  Through buzzer beaters and upsets, the Arizona Wildcats solidified their NCAA tournament position by winning their 7th conference tournament title (and third in four years).  Led by a freshman from the Bahamas.  Deandre Ayton is showing he's ready for the next level.  In Arizona's dismantling of UCLA and USC in the semifinals and finals, Ayton played 79 out of 85 possible minutes.  The 7'1" phenom tallied 64 points, at 75% from the field, 90% from the free throw line and hauled in 32 total rebounds.  During the regular season he averaged 20 points, 12 rebounds, and 2 blocks.  Look for Arizona to make a deep run, as Ayton is Olajuwon-esque unstoppable.  And our Sportsman of the Week!

Sportsman of the Week Ending 3/4/2018

It's time for Spring sports.  Football is over.  Olympics are over.  Baseball hasn't started.  Basketball isn't quite to March Madness.  And NBA and NHL are in the dog days before the summer playoffs.  So why not track?  World sprint championships are a big deal.  And we have one.  American Christian Coleman won the 60m World Championship in Birmingham, England..  Time is 6.37 this week as he reminded us when he had a 6.34 a month ago.  He's a full stride ahead of the field in an era where the Justin Gatlins and Usain Bolts are head out to pasture.  Remember the name.  He's only 21.  And fast.  At 5'9" and 160 pounds, he seems built for championships.  Like 2020 Tokyo.  Or 2024 Paris.  The sky is the limit, and Coleman is the next great American sprinter.  And our Sportsman of the Week!