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 1/5/2025

Happy New Year Sports Fans!  Many consider this the "Most Wonderful Time of the Year" with Bowl Games and NFL drama.  Not to mention NBA, NCAA Basketball, and Hockey.  The last week of the NFL had a number of teams competing for limited playoff spots, but one game had stakes including a first-round bye versus road game the next week.  The Detroit Lions and Minnesota Vikings were the first regular season game in NFL history to feature a total 28 wins.  28 wins is more than the Patriots, Browns, Jaguars, Titans, Raiders, Jets, and Giants combined.  After a defensive struggle in the first half which ended 10-6, the Detroit Lions busted out their offense in the second to defeat the Vikings 31-9 and get the first-round bye and home field advantage throughout the playoffs.  And led by a commanding performance by runing back Jahmyr Gibbs.  Gibbs thrashed the Vikings defense for a total of 139 yards on a yeoman-like 23 carries and 3 TDs.  He caught another 5 passes for 31 yards and a fourth TD.  The entire Vikings defense knew he was their scoring player and couldn't stop him.  Gibbs will be a huge part of the Lions postseason run to balance a great passing game and is the Longhorndave Sportsman of the Week!

Sportsman of the Week Ending 8/22/2021

There may not be a more appropriate 500th Sportsman of the Week than to look to a man who hit his 500th Home Run this week.  You can't make this up.  Miguel Cabrera etched his name next to baseball elite when he clobbered his milestone home run.  He was a hero in 2003 when he emerged as a post season phenom in securing a world Series for the Florida Marlins, and now he puts another stamp on his Cooperstown passport in getting 500 home runs.  Cabrera clobbered number 500 against Toronto Blue Jays hurler Steven Matz in a game in which the Tigers won in a resurgent season as they rebuild.  Next up. 3000 hits hoping to become the (Aaron, Mays, Palmeiro, Murray, Rodriguez, Pujols, and two of those have some PED issues.)

Sportsman of the Week Ending 4/28/2013

Another week, another pitcher as Anibal Sanchez put on an amazing display of missing bats and set the tone for his team to win a key weekend series.  Sanchez struck out Tigers record
17 Atlanta Braves on Friday night in only 8 innings, technically having a chance to tie Roger Clemens and Kerry Wood's single game record had he come out for the 9th. In the process, lowering his ERA to a microscopic 1.34.  He didn't, but he nearly single-handedly turned around a team that had lost 5 of their last 6, into a team that has now won 4 straight and is on the rise for a presumable AL Central title. For now, Anibal Sanchez will have to settle for Longhorndave Sportsman of the Week!

Sportsman of the Week Ending 12/23/2012

This week's Sportsman of the Week broke one of the most iconic records in the NFL.  Calvin Johnson hauled in 11 passes (4th straight week of over 10 receptions) for 225 yards in moving his season total to 1892 yards, breaking the 17-year old record held by the 49ers great Jerry Rice.  All this, with one game still yet to play.  Not to mention on a team that has very few other reliable receiver options and a very nondescript running game.  Johnson is truly etching his name among the NFL receiving greats, and an outstanding Sportsman of the Week!