Sportsman of the Week Ending 5/24/2026

Memorial Day weekend remains synonymous with the Indianapolis 500 and the 110th edition delivered.  Featuring the most lead changes and closest finish in the century plus history, it had it all.  Including a surprise winner.  Felix Rosenqvist was assumed by none to be drinking milk and kissing the bricks.  He had all of one previous win on the Indy Car Circuit.  He started second row behind favorites like defending series champion Alex Palou and Alexander Rossi.  Then he was trailing David Malukas who seemingly was cruising to victory on the last green flag lap.  But it was Rosenqvist who maneuvered his car to stay ahead of those behind and win by 0.02s, the closest finish ever.  Only his second win, the last coming during COVID which seems like a lifetime ago.  A great victory for a career racing man, the Swede is the Longhorndave Sportsman of the Week! 

Sportsman of the Week Ending 5/17/2026

An amazing weekend of sports action from the college level (softball and baseball), NBA Playoffs, NHL Playoffs, WNBA. EPL soccer, Preakness Stakes, and yes, the PGA Championship.  And for the golf major, we have a new winner.  The humble and grounded Aaron Rai surged through a crowded Sunday field that started Sunday with nine golfers within 3 shots of leader Alex Smalley.  But it was Rai who played flawless Sunday over the last ten holes.  Through the first eight holes he sputtered to a one over par before hitting an Eagle on the 9th that launched him to a six under par over those ten holes.  With a comfortable, but not yet insurmountable, lead he made the tournament academic with an amazing 68' birdie putt on the Par 3 17.  Tournament over.  While his rivals sputtered in the rough off the tee and off the green on the approach.  Rai was a machine.  The 31-year-old Englishman son of immigrants is now, a Major Champion.  And Sportsman of the Week!

Sportsman of the Week Ending 5/10/2026

The late spring sports season continues with elite golf, horse racing, along with playoff basketball and hockey.  On the basketball side, the Oklahoma City Thunder seem poised for a back-to-back title.  Young and loaded.  While reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is consistent, it's been his big man so far to lead the Thunder to a 3-0 lead against LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers.  7'1" Chet Holmgren is an unstoppable force that the Lakers can't answer.  In the first three games of the Western Conference semifinals, Holgren has averaged 21 points, 10 rebounds, to go with 2 assists, 2 blocks, and 2 steals per game.  While shooting 60% from the field, 45% from 3-point land, and over 80% from the line.  Efficient.  Difference maker.  The Lakers can't finish a game within 15 points of the best team in the NBA.  Thanks to our Longhorndave Sportsman of the Week!

Sportsman of the Week Ending 5/3/2026

Mid-spring is for horse racing, specifically the Triple Crown as the weather warms up and mid-latitude venues host the best 3-year-olds in the Sport of Kings.  And nothing captures the spirit more than the Kentucky Derby, run with a full entry as owners, trainers, and jockeys vie for greatness.  Sometimes a favorite wins.  And sometimes it's an underdog.  Horse, trainer, and jockey.  The 152nd running of the Run for the Roses was a wide-open field, and a long shot won coming from the back.  Eighteen horses made it to the post, and Golden Tempo won.  Golden Tempo started on the outside as the 19th draw and entered 18th at the stretch.  Jockey Jose Ortiz guided the colt to a thrilling and unexpected victory at 23-1 paying of handsomely to those with faith.  Ortiz has now won the personal Triple Crown, having won the Belmont Stakes (Tapwrit 2017) and Preakness Stakes (Early Voting 2022).  Winning the Personal Triple Crown, biggest horse race of the year, and doing it on a 23-1 longshot seems worthy of Sportsman of the Week!