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!