Sportsman of the Week Ending 7/27/2025

As the late summer sports season rolls around, Major League Baseball begins to take center stage for the All-Star Game, Hall of Fame Weekend, Trade Deadline, and the Pennant Race.  And rookie players emerging.  The Athletics rookie Nick Kurtz became the first rookie in major league baseball to hit a record-tying four home runs in a game against perennial power Houston Astros blowing them out 15-3.  Kurtz tore into two additional hits as well, going six for six, scoring six times, with 8 RBI like it was a Little League Game.  Maybe this is a turned corner for the Athletics as they try and rebuild, but with rookies like Kurtz it may not be too long.  Nick Kurtz is the Longhorndave Sportsman of the Week!

Sportsman of the Week Ending 7/20/2025

The Tour de France remains one of the most visually appealing sports events of the summer and a favorite of this Blog.  The scenes of 150+ cyclists going through the French countryside by small town churches and museums along with 4 hours of action and strategy every day.  However, it's usually settled in the big mountains of the Pyrenees or Alps and 2025 was no different.  And a familiar face dominated.  Tadej Pogačar is making a case for best ever in the sport and on his way to his third General Classification victory in Le Tour well before the age of 27.  Pogačar's biggest threat has been 2022-23 winner Jonas Vingegaard but it's been no match.  Stage 12 is where he made it happen, going one on one with Vingegaard and just crushing him to take over the Maillot Jaune probably for good.  It should be noted, Vingegaard beat the rest of the field, but Pogačar put his stamp on it. Stage 13 to leave no doubt, he won the Time Trial as well.  Maybe the Slovenian will crack in the Alps but not likely.  Tadej Pogačar is poised for his third Tour de France win on the Champs Elysees on Sunday and is the Longhorndave Sportsman of the Week!

Sportsman of the Week Ending 7/13/2025

Summer is a wide world of sports indeed with warm, outdoor temperatures drawing a variety of sports, fans, and winners.  Two times in eight days, NASCAR road king and rookie Shane Van Gispergen dominated the field to go to easy wins.  This week at Sonoma, the New Zealand wheelman Gispergen (commonly called SVG) took the Toyota/Save Mart 350.  Coming from Australian Supercar Series, SVG started NASCAR last year in the Xfinity (lower) circuit while running some road courses to full time Cup Series and won his first race in Chicago's street course in 2024.  This year he took a race in Mexico City, repeated in Chicago, and now in Sonoma.  All cars being equal, he and his 88 hot rod can't be beat on road courses.  Only in his first full season Gisbergen won for the fourth time in 34 starts, becoming the quickest to four wins since Parnelli Jones won at Riverside in 1967 in his 31st Cup start.  This win thrusts him to 3rd overall in the playoff standings despite being essentially non-competitive on ovals.  One of the playoff courses is a road course, can SVG parlay that into a shot at the Cup?  Depends on his oval skills, but he's a great drive and learning.  Shane Van Gispergen is the Longhorndave Sportsman of the Week!

Sportsman of the Week Ending 7/6/2025

As the calendar turns to July, the summer variety of sports season starts, with Baseball, Golf, Tennis, and Soccer taking center stage.  No bigger soccer stage than the Gold Cup settling North America's greatest eleven.  Not surprisingly, the United States and Mexico weaved their way through the group and knockout rounds for a winner take all brawl in Houston.  And a brawl it was.  Estados Unidos struck quickly for a 1-0 lead within the first five minutes, and the crowd went wild.  But that was all the goals they would score.  In the 27th minute, veteran Raul Jimenez netted El Tri first goal on a soft entry and defense and punch of what would be two.  He was the one who scored the lone goal for Mexico in the semifinal to defeat Honduras 1-0 as well.  Mexico finished the task in the last 15 minutes to retain the Cup.  No glory in the United States, the Cup is to Mexico and the Sportsman of the Week goes to Jimenez.