Baseball – MLB: A’s #34 retired (again). Judge keeps his word. Ortiz hires special firm. Ramirez to IL while Swanson comes off it. Louisiana LLWS Champs.
Basketball: USA FIBA team trips. Nets and LeVert extend. Blazers #TBT.
Football – NCAA: Let the season begin. GameDay 2xs this week. ACC Network launches. QB starters and suspensions named.
Football – NFL: Luck retired. McClain’s headache. Chung on cocaine. Women may be kicking it into the NFL. Last preseason week.
Golf: Season is over. Rory takes home the big bucks. Koepka bares all for Body Issue. Koepka POY again.
Olympic Sports: Lyles breaks Bolt’s meet record. Liu’s quad lutz. Vonn is off the market. Aurora’s huge success.
Tennis: The US Open begins today. Finals will be held on Sept 7th and 8th
Baseball – MLB:
- The A’s will retire #34 in honor of Dave Stewart, 1989 World Series MVP. He played 8 seasons with the A’s and won > 20 games per year from 1987-1990. The A’s have retired 5 numbers honoring Reggie Jackson, Catfish Hunter, Rickey Henderson, Dennis Eckersley and Rollie Fingers (who is also #34). Stewart will be the first # to be retired by the A’s who is not in the HoF.
- Aaron Judge kept his word after he promised a HR to the bullpen catching coach’s dad. At his 2nd at bat, Judge hit a HR off of Dodger’s Kershaw to make the Yankees lead 2-1.
- David Ortiz hired a firm led by former Boston Police Commissioner Ed Davis to look into the shooting incident in the DR in June.
- Indians 3B Jose Ramirez is now on the IL after injuring his right hand. He will have surgery this week and this injury usually takes about a month to heal.
- Braves SS Dansby Swanson is back from IL after being out for a foot injury for a month. Swanson played 3 games in Class A to get back to speed. He will start against the Rockies tonight
- The team from Louisiana won the LLWS over Curacao in a dominating fashion 8-0. With this win, US teams have now won its first back-to-back LLWS title since 2009. The suburban NOLA team went undefeated through the consolation bracket after losing its first game to Hawaii.
- Here are the standings of each region in the league:
- American League
- East: Yankees
- Central: Twins
- West: Astros
- National League
- East: Braves
- Central: Cardinals (Cubs are within 2)
- West: Dodgers
- American League
Basketball:
- Host nation, Australia, stunned the USA World Cup team in an upset 98-94. This ends USA’s win streak of 78 games. However Team USA rebounded against Canada on Monday 84-68.
- The Nets have extended guard Caris LeVert’s contract for 3 more years for $52.5MM.
- The Trail Blazers will wear a #TBT 1976-77 uniform on Oct 8th during their preseason opener. The uniform was worn when they won their NBA title.
- Sexual assault charges have been dropped against the Kings HC Luke Walton after there was ‘not sufficient basis to support’ the claims.
Football – College:
- College football starts this Saturday – this time for everyone!
|
Week 1 |
||||
|
Top Games of the Week |
||||
| Visitor | Home | Day | Time (CT) |
TV |
| Georgia Tech | 1. Clemson | Thurs 8/29 | 7:00 PM | ACC |
| 14. Utah | BYU | Thurs 8/29 | 9:15 PM | ESPN |
| Northwestern | 25. Stanford | Sat 8/31 | 3:00 PM | FOX |
| 11. Oregon | 16. Auburn | Sat 8/31 | 6:30 PM | ABC |
- These are just deemed the top games of the week. These will be ranked vs ranked games or games where the line is closest with one team being in the Top 25.
- Keep in mind you can always find the full schedule of when the Top 25 (along with Games to Watch When You’re Bored, etc.) on the Top 25 games page.
- College GameDay is at the Georgia Tech vs 1. Clemson game on Thursday 8/29 with the 1st hour being on ESPN and then 2nd being launched for the 1st time ever on the ACC Network. Then College GameDay will be in Arlington, TX for the Oregon/Auburn game!
- Also Kirk Herbstriet has twin sons who are walk ons at Clemson for the first time!
- Also launching at that game, the ACC Network! The conference finally has its own network following in the footsteps of the Big 10, Pac 12, SEC and Longhorns.
- Scores from last week: #8 Florida survives 24-20 over the Canes and Hawaii takes Arizona 45-38.
- With season starting this week for most teams, coaches have made some tough choices:
- OU QB Jalen Hurts was named the starter
- Wisconsin QB Coan was named starter
- Florida St names Blackman starting QB
- Players were also suspended – not ideal timing:
- Tennessee CB Bryce Thompson was suspended after spending a night in jail for misdemeanor domestic assault (verbal altercation with a woman in the dorms). He threatened to slap the girl and then proceeded to announce he was going to shoot up the school. He has been suspended from the team indefinitely
- Miami suspended CB Ivery for violating team rules – he did not go to the Florida game
- Florida meanwhile suspended S Stewart Jr, DE Slaton, WR Wells and Moorer for ‘not living up to the Gators standards’
- UCLA suspended LB Bo Calvert indefinitely due to violation of NCAA rules.
- East Carolina also suspended 2 players (CB Powell and LB Harris) after they broke into a car.
Football – NFL:
- Andrew Luck has chosen to retire! Update your fantasy teams people – this is not a drill!
- In an interview, Luck just says that it was the right decision for him after battling injuries and the game has been fun anymore for him. We wish him Luck in this next chapter – punny right?
- Another update for your fantasy team? AB is moving on from the helmet fight.
- FB Le’Ron McClain is asking the NFL to help him with his head issues after playing in the league for 7 years for the Ravens, Chiefs and Chargers. He made the Pro Bowl 2xs and played for Alabama. There is an ongoing lawsuit against the NFL for $1Bn. However in May, a federal judge fired 3 of the 4 judges on the class counsel. This will not be the last we hear of this.
- Patriots’ S Partick Chung pled not guilty to cocaine possession charges. He will appear in court on Nov 8th and has yet to play in any preseason game for the Patriots.
- This week (well Thursday) is the last week for NFL Preseason. Season begins September 5th!
- Women may now be kicking their way into the NFL
Golf:
- Playoffs and the golf season are officially over! And Rory McIlroy won it all at the Tour championship on Sunday by 4 strokes. Pretty impressive seeing as he came into the week down 5 strokes on the leader Justin Thomas. Rory joins Tiger Woods as the only other player to win the FedEx Cup 2xs. McIlroy takes home golf’s biggest prize money amount of $15MM with this win.
- Other news from this tournament. There was a weather delay on Saturday that delayed the 3rd round into Sunday morning. Allegedly 2 spectators were struck by lightning but they are ok.
- The PGA Tour 2019/2020 season resumes at the Greenbrier Classic on Sept 12th
- World #1, Brooks Koepka, made quite the stir last week with his riske picture for the ESPN body issue. This will be the last time ESPN creates the magazine which drops on Sept 4th! Other athletes featured: Christian Yelich, Eagles O-Line, UCLA gymnast Ohashi and OKC guard Chris Paul
- Breaking: Brooks Koepka wins PGA Player of the Year award for the 2nd year in a row.
Olympic Sports:
- American Noah Lyles broke Usain Bolt’s meet record in the 200m at the Diamond League meet in Paris this past weekend, running 19.65 seconds. Lyles has the fastest time in the world right now. The Athletic World Championships will begin on Sept 27th.
- Get used to this name: Alysa Liu (who is only 14 years old) landed a quadruple lutz in competition during her US champions long program at the Aurora Games on Saturday. She is one of only a few women to ever land it in competition. She will make her international debut next weekend.
- The Aurora Games was a success and the first of its kind competed on Aug 21-25th in Albany, NY. The festival was a women’s only competition in ice hockey, basketball, table tennis, tennis, gymnastics, figure skating and beach volleyball.
- Team USA was captained by Jackie Joyner-Kersee, one of the orig GOATs in track & field
- Team World was captained by Nadia Comaneci. If you don’t know who this is, she is the reason they changed the perfect 10 only scale in gymnastics – she got too many!
- Lindsey Vonn is engaged to P.K. Subban, an NHL standout! They have been dating for over a year and Subban is newly with the NJ Devils. No wedding date yet.
Tennis:
- The US Open begins today!
- Serena Williams plays Maria Sharapova in round 1 tonight. These 2 women have never met up in this tournament. Williams is ranked 8th while Sharapova has no ranking due to battling injuries this season.
- Reigning champions: Djokovic and Osaka
- Venus Williams ties the US Open appearances record with 21st appearances tying Martina Navratilova.
- Click here to see the full men’s bracket
- Click here to see the full women’s bracket
What to Watch This Week:
Baseball – MLB:
- Mon 8/26
- Cardinals at Brewers @ 6pm on ESPN
- Wainwright vs Gonzalez
- Yankees at Mariners @ 9pm on ESPN
- Cardinals at Brewers @ 6pm on ESPN
- Tues 8/27
- Rangers at Angels @ 9:07pm on FS1
- Minor vs Heaney
- Rangers at Angels @ 9:07pm on FS1
- Sat 8/31
- Mets at Phillies @ 3:05pm on FS1
- Matz vs Eflin
- Mets at Phillies @ 3:05pm on FS1
- Sun 9/1
- A’s at Yankees @ 12:05pm on TBS
- Fiers vs Happ
- Mets at Phillies @ 6pm on ESPN
- Stroman vs Vargas
- A’s at Yankees @ 12:05pm on TBS
Basketball:
- Tues 8/27 – WNBA: Sparks vs Mystics @ 6pm on ESPN2
- Sun 9/1 – FIBA 1st Round: USA vs CZE @ 7:30am on ESPN+
Football – NCAA:
|
Week 1 |
||||
|
Top Games of the Week |
||||
| Visitor | Home | Day | Time (CT) |
TV |
| Georgia Tech | 1. Clemson | Thurs 8/29 | 7:00 PM | ACC |
| 14. Utah | BYU | Thurs 8/29 | 9:15 PM | ESPN |
| Northwestern | 25. Stanford | Sat 8/31 | 3:00 PM | FOX |
| 11. Oregon | 16. Auburn | Sat 8/31 | 6:30 PM | ABC |
- College GameDay will be on Thursday for 1 hour on ESPN with the 2nd hour on ACC Network
- College GameDay will then be in Arlington, TX for the Oregon/Auburn match up.
Football – NFL Preseason:
- Thurs 8/29
- Steelers at Panthers @ 6pm on NFL
- Chargers at 49ers @ 9pm on NFL
Olympic Sports:
- Wed 8/28
- Cycling: 2019 Vuelta a Espana Stage 6 @ 12pm on NCBSN
- Track & Field: IAAF Diamond League: Zurich @ 2pm on NBCSN
- Thurs 8/29 – Rowing: FISA World Rowing Championships @ 12am on NBCSN
- Fri 8/30 – Rowing: FISA World Rowing Championships @ 12am on NBCSN
- Sat 8/31
- Rowing: FISA World Rowing Championships @ 12am on NBCSN
- Beach Volleyball: AVP Pro Tour: Chicago @ 2:30pm on NBCSN
- Sun 9/1
- Rowing: FISA World Rowing Championships @ 12:30am on NBCSN
- Cycling: UCI Mountain Bike World Championships: Men’s Downhill @ 1am on NBCSN
Soccer:
- Wed 8/28
- NCAAW: Wake Forest vs 12. Santa Clara @ 4pm on ACC
- NCAAW: 10. Duke vs 3. Georgetown @ 6pm on ACC
- Fri 8/30
- Premier League: Southhampton vs ManU @ 7:25am on NCBSN
- Premier League: Chelsea vs Sheffield @ 9:55am on NBCSN
- NCAAW: 13. UVA vs East Carolina @ 4:30pm on ACC
- NCAAM: 22. NC St vs Loyola @ 6pm on ACC
- NCAAM: 12. Duke vs Furman @ 6:30pm on ACC
- NCAAM: 5. UNC vs Creighton @ 6:30pm on ACC
- NCAAM: 3. Louisville vs Cleveland St @ 6:30pm on ACC
- NCAAM: 6. UVA vs Pacific @ 7pm on ACC
- NCAAW: 11. Texas A&M vs Cal St Northridge @ 7:30pm on SEC
- Sat 8/31
- Premier League: Everton vs Wolverhampton @ 8:55am on NBCSN
- Premier League: Arsenal vs Tottenham @ 11:25am on NCBSN
- NCAAW: 10. Duke vs 12. Santa Clara @ 6pm on ACC
- Sun 9/1
- Italian Serie A: Lazio vs AS Roma @ 11am on ESPN2
- NCAAW: 13. UVA vs 9. West Virginia @ 1pm on ACC
- NCAAM: 12. Duke vs Cal St Bakersfield @ 1:30pm on ACC
- NCAAM: 22. NC St vs St Johns @ 6pm on ACC
- NCAAM: 1. Wake Forest vs Creighton @ 6pm on ACC
- NCAAW: 11. Texas A&M vs Abilene Christian @ 6pm on SEC
- NCAAM: 5. UNC vs UCF @ 6:30pm on ACC
Tennis:
- Mon 8/26
- US Open 1st round @ 11am on ESPN
- Barty vs Diyas @ 11am
- Djokovic vs Carballes Baena @ 1pm
- Zheng vs V. Williams @ 2:30pm
- Federer vs Nagal @ 8pm
- S. Williams vs Sharapova @ 6pm
- US Open 1st round @ 6pm on ESPN2
- US Open 1st round @ 11am on ESPN
- Tues 8/27
- US Open 1st round @ 11am on ESPN
- Osaka vs Blinkova @ 11am
- (Top ranked American Man) 14. Isner vs Garcia-Lopez @ 12pm
- Potapova vs Gauff @ 2:30pm
- Nadal vs Millman @ 6pm
- Stephens vs Kalinskaya @ 8pm
- US Open 1st round @ 11am on ESPN
- Wed 8/28
- US Open 2nd round @ 11am on ESPN
- Men’s next round – no other specifics given on times yet
- Women’s next round – no other specifics given on times yet
- US Open 2nd round @ 11am on ESPN
- Thurs 8/29
- US Open 2nd round @ 11am on ESPN
- US Open 2nd round @ 6pm on ESPN2
- Fri 8/30
- US Open 3rd round @ 11am on ESPN
- Men’s next round – no other specifics given on times yet
- Women’s next round – no other specifics given on times yet
- US Open 3rd round @ 6pm on ESPN2
- US Open 3rd round @ 11am on ESPN
- Sat 8/31 – US Open 2nd round @ 11am on ESPN2
- Sun 9/1
- US Open Round of 16 @ 10am on ESPN
- Men’s next round – no other specifics given on times yet
- Women’s next round – no other specifics given on times yet
- US Open Round of 16 @ 7pm on ESPN2
- US Open Round of 16 @ 10am on ESPN
