Sportsman of the Week Ending 7/26/2026

The late summer sports season is upon us, and while all four golf majors have been finished for the year, that doesn't mean the season is over.  And a surprise winner emerged on the PGA Tour in only his third professional start.  At the age of 21.  Jackson Koivun held off the best player in the world in Scottie Sheffler to win the 3M Open at Twin Cities TPC in a record 25 strokes under par.  The Auburn golfer didn't flinch as Scheffler charged showing nerves that will serve him well in his burgeoning pro career.  His win by three strokes took away drama at the end, but he earned it with his steady play over the four days.  Earning a smooth $1.5M in the process.  Is this the first of many PGA Tour wins?  Inevitable.  Will he be the next star on the Tour?  Stay tuned.  But for now, Jackson Koivun is the Longhorndave Sportsman of the Week! 

Sportsman of the Week Ending 7/19/2026

Two weeks in a row of World Cup greatness and two weeks in a row of Spanish greatness.  The backdrop for the World Cup Final was perfect.  A Spanish team that was stingy on defense allowing one goal leading into the Final.  And an Argentina defending World Cup Champion team that has been completely resilient scoring late when they needed to in order to beat all the big boys.  The result was an action-packed scoreless tie.  Until in extra time, a new hero emerged.  In the opening minutes of the second half of extra time, Ferran Torres finally broke through.  Argentina goalie Emiliano Martínez set a World Cup final record with 11 saves, but it wasn't enough.  Torres struck a great center with no chance for Martinez for what ended up being the deciding goal in a 1-0 victory.  Torres came on in the 62nd minute with fresh legs and made history for Spain.  Their second World Cup final and second World Cup in history.  Ferran Torres is the Longhorndave Sportsman of the Week!

Sportsman of the Week Ending 7/12/2026

Another amazing week of the World Cup as the field winnowed down to four teams.  The four teams aren't necessarily a surprise, but one of the heroes is.  Spain midfielder Mikel Merino has been the death knell for two teams this week.  Coming off the bench in a tie game, he's scored the eventual winning goal twice.  In the final moments.  After subbing in the 85th minute, Merino broke open a scoreless tie in the first minute of injury time (90+1) to score the only goal in a 1-0 goal against Cristiano Ronaldo and rival Portugal.  Then he doubled the achievement in even less time, subbing in the 86th minute, and dealing a 1-1 tiebreaker against Belgium for Spain to advance to the Semifinals in the 88th minute.  In about the 80th minute, watch for Merino to step in and see if he has the same luck against Spain.  Our Sportsman of the Week cannot be doubted!

Sportsman of the Week Ending 7/5/2026

Another week of exciting World Cup action as the knockout round begins to take shape.  A strong team that has not made a run this deep in recent, and even not-so-recent memory is Norway.  Placed in a bracket with Cup champion favorites France, Norway battled their way to a second place Group finish, poised to run at the Cup starting with Ivory Coast.  Ivory Coast battled to a tie in the waning moments before Norwegian soccer god Erling Haaland scored the deciding goal in the 86th minute to send Norway to their first knockout round victory in the history of the squad.  Then facing Brazil, the formidable foe who won the last World Cup held in North America, Haaland got even better.  Tied the game in the 79th minute, Haaland struck twice in eleven minutes to put Norway up 2-0, ultimately resulting in a 2-1 win sending Brazil home early.  Norway is through to the round of eight, and Erling Haaland has etched his name in the pantheon of great Norwegian athletes.  He is the Longhorndave Sportsman of the Week!

Sportswoman of the Week Ending 6/28/2026

Crazy time for sports indeed.  Certainly, one of the most passionate among fans is the WNBA, the single basketball league going during the summer months.  And a surprise star has emerged.  Marina Mabrey of the Toronto Tempo scorched the Los Angeles Sparks for an WNBA single game record 53 points in 32 minutes.  Mabrey gathered points from all spots on the court, 17-28 from the field, including 9-18 from beyond the arc.  Which leaves 8-10 from inside.  Also 10-12 FG with six boards and a couple of assists in a dominant 125-97 Tempo victory.  She's not the first name you think of from what the media is feeding you about the WNBA, but the 6'1", 29-year-old is a star and her star is shining.  Marina Mabrey is third in the league in scoring and is the Longhorndave Sportswoman of the Week!

Sportsman of the Week Ending 6/21/2026

The World Cup has taken the entire planet by storm, and especially in North America where they are hosting it for the first time in 32 years.  A South American player is etching his name amongst all greatest soccer legends not to exclude his fellow continental star Pele.  Lionel Messi is the all-time leader in World Cup Goals.  Period.  Messi scored a hat trick, the only in the 2026 World Cup so far, in easing to a victory in Argentina's opening match.  Then followed up with two more goals against Austria.  The 38-year-old gets better with age.  And has a World Cup title for his proud nation defending this year.  Will he repeat?  No reason to doubt him.  Lionel Messi is the Longhorndave Sportsman of the Week! 

This is Messi's third Sportsman of the Week becoming the 20th athlete to do so.  

December 2022

March 2012

Sportsman of the Week Ending 6/14/2026

Both the NBA and NHL finished amazing and dramatic Finals.  While neither went the full seven games, each game within was dramatic to say the least.  One of the most exciting games in Stanley Cup Finals history was Game 3, where the Las Vegas Golden Knights seemingly were putting a beat down of the Carolina Hurricanes both in the game, and maybe in the series, as they scored 4 second period goals to take a commanding 4-0 lead, looking to go up 2 games to 1.  This after torching the Hurricanes goalie Frederik Andersen for 5 goals in Game 1.  Hurricanes coach Rod Brind'amour had seen enough.  He pulled his goalie for a journeyman first-year player who had never played in the playoffs, let alone in the Stanley Cup Finals.  Brandon Bussi put up 45 straight minutes of scoreless hockey as the Canes came roaring back to force double overtime.  It was into second overtime before his Canes fell.  They would not fall again.  Bussi ran off three straight wins, the Cup winner a shutout of the high-flying offensive Knights in Game 6.  Bussi came from nothing to win it all.  And is the Longhorndave Sportsman of the Week!

Sportspersons of the Week Ending 6/7/2026

This Blog has seen dueling winners for Sportsman of the Week, but never a Sportsman AND Sportswoman of the Week in the same week.  Until now.  Mirra Andreeva and Alexander Zverev both surged through fields to win their first Grand Slam tournament at Rolland Garros, the French Open.  In Andreeva's case, it may be the sign of the next superstar of ladies' tennis.  She's 19 and this was her first Grand Slam Final.  The Russian teen cruised to victory over qualifier Maja Chwalinska, who shocked the whole tournament just by getting this far.  In fact, Chwalinska earned more money at the 2026 French Open than she had in her pro career to date starting in 2019 before the COVID disruption.  Meanwhile the talented German Zverev hasn't been able to break through the best players in any tournament, being denied titles in Grand Slams in 2020, 2024, and 2025. But at the French Open, he surged past Flavio Cobolli in a five-set thriller for his title.  2026 was the year for this pair, winning their first Grand Slams and, especially in Andreeva's case, one of more to come.  Congrats to Mirra Andreeva and Alexander Zverev, the Longhorndave Sportspersons of the week!

Sportsman of the Week Ending 5/31/2026

There's a new star pitcher emerging in baseball and his name isn't Paul Skenes.  It's Jacob Misiorowski.  Okay, they're both stars, but Misiorowski continues to emerge as the superstar he seems destined to become.  The tall, lanky right hander had two amazing games this week and seems as if he's just getting started.  The 24-year-old shut down both the Cardinals (5-1) and Astros (2-0) as the Brewers once again seem poised for another, quiet, division title.  If they make the playoffs, this time they'll have an ace that can nail down two games for them.  Over the week, Misiorowski had 14 IP, 5 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, and 20 K.  His ERA is entering Bob Gibson level at 1.65.  Will the Brewers finally make and win a World Series?  If so, the Miz will need to lead, he is the Longhorndave Sportsman of the Week!

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!

Sportsman of the Week Ending 4/26/2026

Late spring sports continue to peak, and a peak performance was delivered at the London Marathon.  In race conditions, the first human being in the history of running marathons finished under 2 hours.  A mark that was thought to be unobtainable has come to fruition.  And of course, done by a Kenyan, the elite runners on the planet.  29-year-old Sebastian Sawe torched the British Course 30 seconds under 2 hours, at 1:59:30.  To speak to the conditions, the second-place finisher, Yomif Kejelcha also finished under 2 hours.  Only 11 seconds too late to be the first, so settle for second place.  The pace is insane.  Every mile for 26.2 is 4:34.  A quarter mile in under 70s.  Sawe will be remembered like the four-minute mile and Roger Banister, perfect 10 for Nadia Comăneci, sub 10s 100m, and other major milestones and is the Longhorndave Sportsman of the Week!

Sportsman of the Week Ending 4/19/2026

Spring sports is peak, with summer sports starting (baseball, golf), winter sports entering playoffs (hockey, basketball), and college sports reaching end of academic year.  It's baseball we go to this week.  The Chicago Cubs loaded up for a pennant run in 2026 but stumbled out of the block going 7-9 but are now on a 5-game winning streak a lot due to our Sportsman of the Week.  Infielder Nico Hoerner poured it on this week leading the Cubs to a 5-1 record and a sweep of the Rival New York Mets and taking 2 of 3 from the Phillies.  On Sunday, he had the walk off Sac Fly RBI.  For the recent 5-game winning streak, Hoerner went 9-23, 2 HR, 11 RBI leading the team to 10+ runs 3 of the games.  The Cubs are going to contenders, and if they can get a career year from the 28-year-old Hoerner, maybe a deep playoff run.  Nico Hoerner is the Longhorndave Sportsman of the Week!

Sportsman of the Week Ending 4/12/2026

Another year, another green jacket.  A generational talent did generational things on the biggest stage as Rory McIlroy surged ahead, fought tough stretches, surges by competitors, was behind, then ahead, then finished.  One stroke ahead of Scott Scheffler.  That's what champions do.  McIlroy becomes only the fourth golfer to win back-to-back Masters championships joining legends like Nicklaus, Woods, and Faldo.  And in today's game, it's just more difficult.  He was also either first or tied for first after each round.  Impressive.  It wasn't a perfect performance, but the best in the biggest tournament as McIlroy won his second green jacket in two years and is the Longhorndave Sportsman of the Week for the third time!

Rory McIlroy Sportsman of the Week 2025

Rory McIlroy Sportsman of the Week 2014

Sportswoman of the Week Ending 4/5/2026

The NCAA tournament on the men's AND women's side have been amazing theater.  The big teams are winning when it counts, and UCLA has fit the bill on the women's side.  At 31-1 entering the tournament, the Bruins seemed to be about the fourth choice by betting favorites behind fellow number one seeds Connecticut, South Carolina, and Texas.  They made no match for two of three.  The Bruins played absolute clamp down defense and scored consistently to win by an average of 17 points, culminating in a 28 point beatdown of South Carolina in the Finals .  Led by our Sportswoman of the Week Lauren Betts.  In relative low scoring games, The 6'7" senior Betts scored 30 points in the Final Four, on efficient 13-20 from the field, perfect 4-4 from the line, 22 rebounds, 5 blocks, 5 assists, all of what it takes to win.  It was their first NCAA Championship for a program of proud sports tradition.  Betts and her team finished the season 37-1, and a worthy Longhorndave Sportswoman of the Week! 

Sportsman of the Week Ending 3/29/2026

The shot of the tournament.  Maybe the shot of the tournament in this century.  Heavyweight number one overall seed goes down on a miracle sequence.  This is why we love March Madness.  Connecticut and Duke went toe to toe in the East Regional Finals, two teams with a healthy number of NCAA Championship banners hanging from their rafters.  Despite what some say, NCAA tournament upsets are fun in the short term, but heavy weights going at it at the back end of the tournament is fun too.  Duke was comfortable leading by as many as 19 points as the top seed seemed to be in position to go to their third Final Four in six years.  They led 40-21 three quarters of the way through the first half.  Ten-point lead with 6 minutes left.  Four points and the ball with 90s left.  Two points and the ball with 10s left.  Then it all imploded.  The final sequence will never be forgotten.  Duke just needing to dribble it out throws a pass over a double team, tipped by Braylon Mullins.  Mullins recovers the ball, quick pass, pass back to Mullins, 35-footer.  Good!  It didn't even touch the rim.  Connecticut advances and Duke cries. May not have seen a final sequence like that since the Laettner win over Kentucky.  It's in March Madness Lore and Braylon Mullins is the Longhorndave Sportsman of the Week! 

Sportsman of the Week Ending 3/22/2026

March Madness is in full effect!  With fewer upsets than some wanted (I'm good with it, I want to see big boy heavyweight games downstream), one individual set an all-time NCAA record that is decades old.  Purdue guard Braden Smith hit 1077 career assists passing the sentimental Duke guard Bobby Hurley for most in NCAA history.  Hurley had the record for over 30 years.  One of only four players to have more than 1000 (Chris Corchiani and Ed Cota the other two).  He's an All-Big 10 first team selection for the third straight year.  Epitome of older school college basketball where your best players played through their eligibility and consistently go deep in the tournament.  Purdue is queued up for a Sweet 16 matchup against Texas, and should they play that they'll look for their second Final Four berth since 1980, the last of which was two years ago when they lost to Connecticut in the finals.  Experienced guard play is always key to deep tournament runs and Smith has that for Purdue.  He is the Longhorndave Sportsman of the Week!  

Sportsman of the Week Ending 3/15/2026

An incredible sports week commenced with NCAA Basketball ramping up March Madness, and the World Baseball Classic entering knock out round, and NBA and NHL in the playoff push.  For the NBA, the most improbable, neigh impossible happened as Bam Adebayo reach the penultimate scoring game with 83 points in a regulation NBA game.  Yes, 83 points.  By math, that's 1.7 points per minute.  Rounds up to 2 points per minute he played.  Figuring each team gets a possession, maybe two per minute, incredible.  He got his shots, taking 43 and knocking down 20 in a high scoring win for his Miami Heat over the hapless Washington Wizards in a 150-129 win.  Seven of those made shots were from 3-point land for eh, a quarter of his points. But the main damage he did was from the free throw line getting 36 points in 43 attempts.  If you can't stop him, foul him.  He didn't tip toe around other statistics as well, getting 9 boards and actually passing 3 times for assists.  He also had a game high 2 blocks on the defensive end.  Few expect Adebayo to compete for an MVP or scoring title, but he only looks up to Wilt Chamberlain in terms of a single game total.  And his was on tape.  Adebayo is a worthy, Longhorndave Sportsman of the Week!