MLB: HR Derby and dreadful anthem. All Star Game. Short week updates.
Basketball: Team USA escapes South Sudan.
Football: EA game is out!
Golf: Open Championship played tough but not tougher than Xander Schauffle. Longest ace. Best Qualifier. Barracuda – two wins for Dunlap.
Motorsports: McLaren drama in F1.
Olympic Sports: Tour de France est fini! Tadej wins but will skip Paris. Paris Olympics starts Wed with action but Open on Fri.
Quick Headlines: WNBA new deal. Team WNBA>USA.
Baseball – MLB:
- The Home run derby kicked off All-Star Weekend. And kicking it off was the dreadful National Anthem performance by Ingrid Andress. She literally apologized afterwards saying she was drunk and that she checked herself into rehab. I literally didn’t even hear who won the derby but I heard all about this. Dodgers CF Teoscar Hernandez won the title in his first appearance in the derby. It was a dramatic final round with Royals Bobby Witt Jr, coming down to one. the first round took a lot of the main favorited characters.
- The All Star Game was on Tuesday in Dallas. The AL was favored to win and it showed. Although the NL was first to draw blood. No surprise but Dodgers Ohtani hit a 3-run HR in the 3rd to take the lead and put points on the board. But after that it was all the AL. They would literally pull back to a tie in the same inning and put the nail in the coffin with a 2-run HR in the 5th.
- Regular games resumes on Friday. The A’s upset the Angels putting 13 runs on the board to LA’s 3. They would win on Saturday too 8-2. The Guardians shut out the Padres 7-0 even with an error against CLE. The Padres would return the favor on Sat, winning 7-0. In a make up game from the day before, the Braves would in by 1 in the 10th over the Cardinals even though St. Louis had more hits on the board. The Cardinals would win the 2nd game in the double header 9-5. The Mets beat the Marlins in a slow one 1-0. The Orioles would get to 60 wins with beating the Rangers at home 8-4 on Sat. The Dbacks also shutout the Cubs 3-0. The Red Sox/Dodgers went into extra innings before ending in the 11th 7-6 LA.
- The Dbacks and the Cubs went into extra innings on Sunday and it ended in the most anticlimactic way, with a walked in run for the Cubs in the 10th. The reigning WS champs were one and done with a 3-run HR in the 4th. That was their only score all game but it was enough to outlast the Orioles (who had a 2-run HR in the 8th). Giants star Jorge Soler hit a HR 478 feet which is the longest HR of the season and that was just in the 1st The Giants would get another HR in the 3rd and a run in the 4th while the Rockies would only put up a 2-run HR in the 4th to lose by 1. Helps when the Giants P Birdsong strikes out 12!
- The longest game of the short week was the Brewers/Twins game that went into the 12th. The Brewers got a run in the 3rd and the Twins tied it up in the 8th. You wouldn’t have thought that was the only scores in regulation by the final score. Extra innings were full of runs. Both teams got 2 in the 11th with MN getting it done with just a 2-run HR to stay alive. Same story in the 12th when MIL got a rally going, putting up 5 and the Twins would only manage another 1 run. Final was 8-4 Brewers.
Basketball:
- Team USA was almost upset by South Sudan, who was up 16 points on the American team at one point. USA was just sloppy in the 1H and were down 14 going into the locker room. Kerr made the decision to start 2H with his 2nd unit who played well and got the ball rolling. However when the starters came back in, they fell back behind by double digits. KD is injured and it showed as they could’ve used him on the court. USA wins by 1 point!
Football:
- Media days are all over the place with the Big Ten this week to finish it up. SEC and Big 12 have already happened.
- The EA 25 game has officially been dropped so if you’re wondering why your bf is parked in front of his gaming system, that is why. This is the first NCAAF game since 2014.
Golf:
- For the first time since 1982, an American has won every major in a year! As a matter of fact, an American has won the last 7 majors in a row – their longest streak since they won 13 in the 70s. The final major of the year, the Open Championship, was this weekend at Royal Troon. He waited 7 years but Xander Schauffle now has 2 majors in one year (and really just 2 months). Schauffle’s final round of 65 was too good for some notable names that were flirting with the top of the leaderboard and he would win by 2. Justin Rose and Billy Horschel tied for 2nd. Xander will now join Scottie Scheffler and Colin Morikawa on the Olympic team in FRA.
- KOR Si Woo Kim had an ace on the 17th which is the longest hole-in-one in Open history at 238 yards. ENG Daniel Brown qualified for the tournament on the final hole of the qualifier by sinking a 20-foot putt then he came out and shot a 65 in the first round to share the lead! He ultimately finished at par for T10.
- There was actually another PGA Tour tournament going on as the Open was taking place across the pond. The Barracuda Championship was in Cali. You might recognize the name, Nick Dunlap. That’s because earlier this year (at another CA tournament the Amex) he won as a sophomore at Bama so an amateur (the 8th to win a PGA Tour tournament and first in 33 years). This time he wins as a pro! He took the lead on the 15th and if you’re confused by the score that’s because this tournament works in points (8 for double eagle, 5 for eagle, 2 birdie, -1 bogey and -3 for double bogey). Dunlap finished the day bogey free and birding 6 of the final 12 holes. Two Hambric rep’d guys finished behind Dunlap, Vincent Whaley and Patrick Fishburn.
Motorsports:
- There was a battle in Budapest between the two McLarens in F1. The two cars were in 1st and 2nd and trying not to let their pit stop mess that up with a Lewis Hamilton hot on their tail. The team decided to have Lando Norris (in 2nd) come in and pit first then the next lap to have Oscar Piastri come in. When they executed that, it switched the places of the two drivers. Norris refused to give the lead back in direct contrast with orders from the team. This is not new in F1 but it doesn’t sit well with the team and this is the only F1 team Norris has been apart of. He did eventually let Piastri by in the final 3 laps. This is Piastri’s first F1 win! But it was a little overshadowed by the team drama. The first 1-2 McLaren finish had a little bit more drama than it should have.
Olympic Sports:
- No surprise here with the reporting so far btu Tadej Pogacar won his 3rd Tour de France on Sunday. He barely snuck by Jonas Vinegaard (last years TdF winner) to win the 20th stage for his 5th stage win. The last man to win 5 stages in a single TdF is Gino Bartali in 1948. Technically he would win 6 with winning the final but only for show final stage on the Champs Elysée. He beat Vinegaard for the whole thing by 5 minutes and 14 seconds.
- For the first time in its 111 year history a black man has won a stage of the TdF.
- Sad side note is that Tadej will miss the Olympics and competing for the SLO team. It was ruled for fatigue as his road race would’ve been on Aug 3rd.
- The Olympics begin on Wednesday!!! Opening Ceremonies will be Friday and will continue til Closing on Aug 11. The Paris mayor even swam in the Seine to show how save it is!
- Noah Lyles just set his PB in the 100m in the final Diamond League meet before Pairs with a 9.81, still only the 3rd fastest time in the world this year behind JAM and KEN. GBR went 1-2-3 in the W 800m. JAM (and Arkansas) Pryce set the WL time in the W 400m with 48.57.
Some quick highlights:
- Team USA in WBB lost to Team WNBA. The last time that happened, Team USA took home the gold.
- Speaking of the WNBA, the league reached a record setting deal for $2.2Bn for 11 years. That is 6xs the last deal.
- In the MLS, the youngest player in a major sports league made his debut at just 14 years old. He actually plays with his older brother for Phili.
What to watch this week
Baseball – MLB:
- Tues 7/23
- Mets at Yankees @ 6:05pm on TBS
- Wed 7/24
- Mets at Yankees @ 6pm on ESPN
- Fri 7/26
- Rangers at Blue Jays @ 6:07pm on Apple TV+
- Dodgers at Astros @ 7:10pm on Apple TV+
- Sat 7/27
- Padres at Orioles @ 3:05pm on FS1
- Yankees at Red Sox – or – Mariners at White Sox @ 6:15pm on FOX
- Sun 7/28
- Yankees at Red Sox @ 6pm on ESPN
Basketball:
- Mon 7/22
- TBT @ 6pm on FS1
- TBT @ 8pm on FS1
- Showcase: USA vs GER @ 10pm on FS1
- Tues 7/23
- Showcase: W USA vs GER @ 2pm on FS1
- TBT @ 7pm on FS1
- TBT @ 9pm on FS1
- Wed 7/24
- TBT @ 7pm on FS1
- TBT @ 9pm on FS1
- Sun 7/28
- MBB: Group Play: USA vs SRB @ 10:15am
Golf:
- Thurs 7/25
- 3M Open – Round 1 @ on Golf Channel
- Fri 7/26
- 3M Open – Round 2 @ on Golf Channel
- Sat 7/27
- 3M Open – Round 3
- @ 12pm on Golf Channel
- @ 2pm on CBS
- 3M Open – Round 3
- Sun 7/28
- 3M Open – Final Round
- @ 12pm on Golf Channel
- @ 2pm on CBS
- 3M Open – Final Round
Olympics:
- Wed 7/24 – Olympics
- Rugby: M Group Play: USA vs FRA @ 9:30am
- Rugby: M Group Play: USA vs FRA @ 1:30pm
- Soccer: M Pool play: FRA vs USA @ 2pm on USA
- Thurs 7/25 – Olympics
- Rugby: M Group Play: USA vs URU @ 8am
- Soccer: W Group Play: USA vs ZAM @ 2pm on USA
- Fri 7/26
- Paris Olympic Opening Ceremonies @ 11am on NBC
- Olympics in Prime Time @ 6:30pm on NBC
- Sat 7/27 – Olympics
- Paris Olympics
- @ 12am on NBC
- @ 2am on USA
- Prime Time @ 7pm on NBC
- Shooting: Rifle Mixed Team @ 3:30am
- Diving: W Synchro 3m @ 4am
- Beach Volleyball: M Group Play: USA vs CUB @ 7am
- Cycling: Road W Time Trial @ 7:30am
- Water Polo: W Group Play: USA vs GRE @ 8:35am
- Judo M 60kg W 48kg @ 9am
- Cycling: Road M Time Trial @ 9:30am
- Skateboarding: M Street @ 10am
- Soccer: M Group Play: NZ vs USA @ 12pm on USA
- Rugby 7s Bronze and Gold Medal Match @ 12pm
- Fencing: W Epee, M Sabre @ 1:40pm
- Swim Finals: M 400 Free, W 400 Free, M&W 4x100m Free Relay @ 1:42pm
- Volleyball: M Group Play: USA vs ARG @ 2pm
- Beach Volleyball: W Group Play: USA vs CAN @ 3pm
- Paris Olympics
- Sun 7/28 – Olympics
- Paris Olympics
- @ 12am on NBC
- @ 12am on USA
- Prime Time @ 6pm on NBC
- Shooting: M&W Pistol @ 2:30am & 5am
- Cycling: W CC Mountain @ 7:10am
- Water Polo: M Group Play: USA vs ITA @ 8:35am
- Judo: W52kg & M66kg @ 9am
- Rugby: W Group Play: USA vs JPN @ 9:30am
- Archery: W Team @ 9:48am
- Skateboarding: W Street @ 10am
- MBB: Group Play: USA vs SRB @ 10:15am
- Canoe Slalom: W Kayak Single @ 10:45am
- Rugby: W Group Play: USA vs BRA @ 1pm
- Swim Finals: M 400IM, W100 Fly, M 100Breast @ 1:30pm
- Fencing: W Foil & M Epee @ 2:20pm
- Soccer: W Group Play: USA vs GER @ 2pm on USA
- Beach Volleyball: W Group Play: USA vs CZE @ 3pm
- Paris Olympics
Soccer:
- Wed 7/24
- Olympics – M Pool play: ARG vs MOR @ 8am on USA
- Olympics – M Pool play: EGY vs DR @ 11:30am on USA
- Olympics – M Pool play: FRA vs USA @ 2pm on USA
- Olympics – M Pool play: UZB vs ESP @ 4pm on USA
- Olympics – M Pool play: JPN vs PAR @ 9pm on USA
- Olympics – M Pool play: IRQ vs UKR @ 10:45pm on USA
- Thurs 7/25
- Olympics – M Pool play: Mali vs ISR @ 12:30am on USA
- Olympics – W Pool play: SLO vs DEN @ 2am on USA
- Olympics – W Pool play: NED vs ANG @ 4am on USA
- Olympics – W Pool play: HUN vs FRA @ 12pm on USA
- Olympics – W Pool play: USA vs ZAM @ 1:30pm on USA
- Olympics – M Pool Quarterfinals @ 4pm on USA
- Olympics – W Pool play: GER vs AUS @ 6pm on USA
- CONCACAF U20: CUB vs JAM @ 6pm on FS1
- CONCACAF U20: USA vs CRC @ 9pm on FS1
- Olympics – M Pool Quarterfinals @ 10pm on USA
- Olympics – W Pool play: FRA vs COL @ 11pm on USA
- Fri 7/26
- Olympics – W Pool play: ESP vs JPN @ 2am on USA
- Olympics – M Pool Quarterfinals @ 6am on USA
- League Cup: Austin FC vs Pumas UNAM @ 8pm on FS1
- Sat 7/27
- Olympics – M Group Play: NZ vs USA @ 12pm on USA
- Sun 7/28
- Olympics W Group Play: GER vs USA @ 1:45pm on USA
- Leagues Cup: NYC FC vs Queretaro @ 7pm on FS1
- Leagues Cup: Leon vs Portland Timbers @ 9pm on FS1
