Weekly Update July 17, 2023

Baseball: National League ends the streak! Guerrero becomes first son to win HR Derby after his dad. More regular updates.

Basketball: Steph wins at something other than bball.

Football: TN avoids post season ban but it aint good.

Golf: Norrman takes first title. McIlroy upsets MacIntyre.

Olympic Sports: Flying Squirrel is back and Ledecky not going anywhere. TdF update. Blame it on the fan. Cycling bans trans.

Tennis: Unranked CZE Vondrousova  takes women’s while Alcaraz upsets Djokovic’s calendar slam.

Baseball – MLB:

• It was the All-Star break. So let’s get straight to the All-Star game and it was close! The American League struck first with a HR in the 2^nd but it went back and forth with a run by the National league in the 4^th and another by the American in the 6^th. But then the National League had a 2-run HR in the 8^th to seal the victory. This is the first time since 2012 that the National League won the All-Star Game! To put that in perspective, I was still in college. Giants Reliver Camilo Doval got the W and Orioles RP Felix Bautista got the loss.

• Blue Jays 1B Vladimir Guerrero Jr won the home run derby on Monday over Rays OF Randy Arozarena. Normally I don’t report on this but Guerrero joins his dad as a HR Derby winner (his dad won in 2007). They are the first father-son duo to win.

• Other games this week update: Ohtani took the loss against the Astros for his 3^rd L in a row on Friday. But they won in extra innings on Saturday on an Astros error in the 10th. The Padres had 4 different hitters hit HRs to beat the Phillies 8-3. The Orioles won their 6^th straight as Frazier hit 2 HRs and this week they hit 8 after winning Sunday in a close one 5-4. The Dodgers kept the Mets to only 1 hit on Friday and handed Verlander the loss. The Red Sox also hit 6 wins in a row on Friday after beating the Cubs 8-3 but then dropped the next game 4-10 to end that streak. The Rangers pounded Guardians 12-4. The 35-57 Rockies beat the Yankees 7-2 after they couldn’t get things going at the plate. The Nationals beat the Cardinals in the 10^th late on Friday night in a battle of the losing record teams. The Guardians just could not catch a break, losing to the Rangers 2-0 on Saturday. The Orioles beat the Marlins 6-5 after coming back from a 4-run deficit. Bryce Harper finally hit a HR ending his longest MLB major drought as Phillies sweep Padres in double-header. Saturday marked the 3^rd straight shutout of the Reds by the Brewers. The Yankees bounced back from their loss to the Rockies on Friday by winning on Saturday 6-3. Staton hit his 4^th HR in 4 games. Tigers shutout the Mariners 6-0 after Carpenter HR’d twice. On Sunday, the Padres/Phillies matchup went into the 12^th after being tied 5-5 at the end of the 9^th. Then both teams scored 1 apiece in the 10^th to go a further 2 innings before a sacrifice fly by Schwarber brought home a runner. The Royals upset the Rays winning 8-4 on the final day of the weekend. The Rangers won another against the Guardians by rallying with 4 runs in the 8^th inning to win 6-5 – phew! Alan Trejo hit his first HR of the year and it could’ve been better timing, in the 11^th inning against the Yankees to win. The Mets broke their 4-game losing streak with a 2-1 win over the Dodgers on Sunday.

Basketball:

• Steph Curry is in the news in a different sport this week. Steph won the American Century Championship in clutch fashion – literally – with an eagle on 18. It was a dream weekend for him taking this first title and he had a hole-in-one on Saturday. Steph beat Tennis player, Mardy Fish for the title who was beating him before he got to 18. You night recognize some other names in the mix: Aaron Rodgers got 5^th, Tony Romo got 8^th and Charles Barkley got 81^st. Steph is the first black man to win the tournament in the 34 years it has been played and the 5^th active athlete to win (first since 2000).

Football:

• Tennessee has been hit by what is believed to be the biggest NCAA fine in modern history of $8MM and a reduction of 28 scholarships. In the 3 years that he was there, HC Jeremy Pruitt’s staff conducted over 200 recruiting violations totaling $60,000. Tennessee must also vacate 11 wins from the 2019 and 2020 season and 16 players were deemed ineligible due to those infractions. Although 11 doesn’t sound like a lot (especially after last season), but vacating these drops Tennessee out of the Top 10 in wins to a record of 856-410-53.
• The CW will air ACC games starting this fall, 13 football and 28 basketball. This will be the first time the network will air college sports but they have been the sole channel for the LIV tour.

Golf:

• A huge congrats to Vincent Norrman who won his first PGA Tour victory as a Rookie with his win at the Barbasol Championship. The golfers played through torrential rain on Saturday where another rookie, Trevor Cone had the lead on Norrman by 1 stroke. However Norrman struck early carding 6 birdies on the front 9 to take the lead. All he needed was a par on 18 to take the title in regulation but in an effort to avoid the water, ended up in the left rough. His bogey on 18 put him in a playoff with ENG Nathan Kimsey, who was already in the clubhouse with a 64 final round. But despite the late drama, Norrman only needed another par on 18 to win his first playoff hole and managed it this time around.

• Scottish golfer MacIntyre had a heartbreaker this weekend at his home Open. He was leading Rory McIlroy by 1 and had a final round 64 but Rory birdied the final 2 holes to win. The crowd was also behind MacIntyre all week as the hometown hero. Rory will now take all of this momentum into the Open next week at Royal Liverpool. Scottie Scheffler, world #1, took 3^rd.
  • He might also own a LIV team next year if the rumors are true..

Olympic Sports:

• We have a comeback. Gabby Douglas, aka the Flying Squirrel has said she is eyeing the Paris Olympics! And Katie Ledecky said she wont end with Paris either. All good Olympic news all around (get it, get it?).
• We are in the final week in the Tour de France. DEN Jonas Vingegaard is leading still by 9 seconds over the previous champ, Pogacar. But it is still wide open. Vingegaard’s team Jumbo-Visma is also leading by over 3 minutes. The Danish cyclist called out fans though after a pileup involving 24 riders was caused by fans, asking them to enjoy the race but not stand on the road and mentioned not pouring beer on the riders. Seems reasonable. Remember (from last year) that the final stage on the Champs-Elysees is mostly for show, not racing. Final stage will be on the 23rd.
• Also sticking with the cycling news, the International Cycling Union has banned trans women who went through puberty as a male from competing in the women category and they must compete in the men/open. Previously, trans women were allowed to compete as long as their testosterone level is reduced.

Tennis:

• The Wimbledon concluded this weekend! Only the US Open to go this year.

• • On the women’s side, we had a killer semifinal between #6 TUN Ons Jabeur and #2 BLR Aryna Sabalenka that went to 3 sets. Sabalenka won the first in a 7 game tie-breaker but Jabeur won the next two 6-4 and 6-3 to make it to her 2^nd straight Wimbledon final. And just like last year, she lost in the final. That was a huge upset by CZE Marketa Vondrousova who won in straight sets 6-4, 6-4 at the age of 24. This was her first Wimbledon final and only her 2^nd GS final (previously 2019 French Open). But you might recognize her name as she was the silver medalist from Tokyo in women’s singles. Now she has a GS title to add.

• • On the men’s side, the final was #1 Alcaraz and #2 Djokovic and it was as epic as the their rankings suggest, lasting 4 hours and 42 minutes which is the 3^rd longest in Wimbledon history. Djokovic took the first set easily 6-1 but then Alcaraz fought back to win the 2^nd and 3^rd set 7-6 and then 6-1 himself. Djokovic bounced back though as he always does winning the 4^th set 6-3 to force a 5^th That one went 6-4 meaning the Spaniard ended Djokovic’s hope for a calendar slam. That was the first match Djokovic had lost at Wimbledon since 2019. Alcaraz is the 3^rd youngest man to win Wimbledon and only in his 4rd try. This is Alacaz’s 2^nd GS after winning the 2022 US Open last year.

Soccer:

• Need I say more?

What to watch this week

Baseball – MLB:

• Mon 7/17
  • Twins at Mariners @ 8:40pm on FS1
    • Gray vs Gilbert
• Tues 7/18
  • Dodgers at Orioles @ 6:05pm on TBS
• Fri 7/21
  • Cardinals at Cubs @ 1:20pm on Apple TV+
  • Padres at Tigers @ 5:40pm on Apple TV+
• Sat 7/22
  • Mets at Red Sox @ 3:10pm on FS1
  • Braves at Brewers – or – White Sox at Twins @ 6:15pm on FOX
• Sun 7/23
  • Padres at Tigers @ 11:05am on Peacock
  • Mets at Red Sox @ 6pm on ESPN

Golf:

• Thurs 7/20
  • Open Championship – Round 1 @ 3am on USA
  • PGA: Barracuda Championship – Round 1 @ 5pm on Golf Channel
• Fri 7/21
  • Open Championship – Round 2 @ 3am on USA
  • PGA: Barracuda Championship – Round 2 @ 5pm on Golf Channel
• Sat 7/22
  • Open Championship – Round 3
    • @ 4am on USA
    • @ 6am on NBC
    • Replay @ 10pm on Golf Channel
  • PGA: Barracuda Championship – Round 3 @ 5pm on Golf Channel
• Sun 7/23
  • Open Championship – Final Round
    • @ 4am on USA
    • @ 6am on NBC
    • Replay @ 8pm on Golf Channel
  • PGA: Barracuda Championship – Final Round @ 5pm on Golf Channel

Motorsports:

• Sun 7/23
  • Hungarian GP @ 8am on ESPN

Olympic Sports:

• Mon 7/17
  • Tour de France: Stage 15 @ 1am on USA
• Wed 7/19
  • Tour de France: Stage 16 @ 1am on USA
• Thurs 7/20
  • Tour de France: Stage 17 @ 1am on USA
• Fri 7/21
  • Tour de France: Stage 18 @ 1am on USA
• Sat 7/22
  • Tour de France: Stage 19 @ 1am on USA
• Sun 7/23
  • Tour de France
    • Stage 20 @ 1am on USA
    • Stage Recap @ 4pm on NBC
  • Swimming: Worlds Highlight show @ 5pm on NBC

Soccer:

• Wed 7/19
  • Club Friendly: Manchester City vs Lyon @ 8am on ESPN2
  • Club Friendly: Chelsea vs Wrexham @ 6:30pm on ESPN2
• Thurs 7/20
  • FIFA W World Cup: NZL vs NOR
    • @ 2am on FOX
    • @ 6:30pm on FS1
  • FIFA W World Cup: AUS vs IRE @ 5am on FOX
  • FIFA W World Cup: NIG vs CAN @ 9:30pm on FOX
• Fri 7/21
  • FIFA W World Cup: PHI vs SUI @ 12am on FOX and FS1
  • FIFA W World Cup: ESP vs CRC @ 2:30am on FOX and FS1
  • FIFA W World Cup: USA vs VIE
    • @ 8pm on FOX
    • @ 11pm on FS1
• Sat 7/22
  • FIFA W World Cup: ZAM vs JPN @ 2am on FS1
  • FIFA W World Cup: ENG vs HAI @ 4:30am on FOX
  • FIFA W World Cup: DEN vs CHN @ 7am on FOX
  • Leagues Cup: Phili Union vs Tijuana @ 7pm on FS1
  • Leagues Cup: San Jose Earthquakes vs Portland Timbers @ 9pm on FS1
• Sun 7/23
  • FIFA W World Cup: SWE vs RSA @ 12am on FS1
  • FIFA W World Cup: NED vs POR @ 2:30am on FS1
  • FIFA W World Cup: FRA vs JAM
    • @ 5am on FOX
    • @ 10pm on FS1
  • Leagues Cup: NYFC vs Atlas @ 6pm on FS1
  • Leagues Cup: Puebla vs Minnesota United @ 8pm on FS1
• Mon 7/24
  • FIFA W World Cup: ITA vs ARG @ 1am on FS1
  • FIFA W World Cup: GER vs MOR @ 3:30am on FS1
  • FIFA W World Cup: BRA vs PAN @ 6am on FS1
  • FIFA W World Cup: COL vs KOR @ 9pm on FS1