Baseball – MLB: All-Star rejects. Smokies and Harper respond to Kaepernick. Lucroy gets his nose bent out of shape. Decker retires. Cervelli’s 6th concussion. All-Star Game on Tuesday!
Basketball: All the trades! LA seems to be racking up the players.
Football: Deja Vu Kaepernick edition. Manning decommits from OU. Norton has arm amputated.
Golf: Matt Wolff wins first PGA title in 3 starts.
Olympic Sports: Meza’s marathon. Olympic voting controversy. Spain wins EuroBasket. USA wins FIVB. Bobrova retires. Tour de France begins.
Soccer: USA Women repeat World Champions! USA Men continue to disappoint.
Tennis: Wimbledon Quarterfinals are set! Finals on Sat & Sun.
ESPY Awards are on ABC @ 7pm!
Baseball – MLB:
- Some major names left out of the All Star game picks: Bryce Harper (Phillies), Manny Machado (Padres), Jose Altuve (Astros) and Jose Ramirez (Indians) and some others.
- In response to the Kaepernick/Nike controversy, the Tennessee Smokies put a Betsy Ross flag on their field and later apologized if it offended anyone. The Tennessee Smokies are a MiLB team under the Cubs.
- Bryce Harper also had a problem with the shoes being taken away showing off his own Patriotic cleats with not quite the Betsy Ross flag but it certainly got the point across.
- Astros Jake Marisnick pummeled the Angels’ catcher Jonathan Lucroy while trying to score in the 8th inning with the score 10-10 (he was out). Lucroy broke his nose and suffered a concussion (pictured above).
- Cody Decker hit a walk off HR to win the game and end his career. Decker scored his 204th minor league HR to secure the win for the Aces 10-9 and retired like the scene from Bull Durham.
- Pirates’ catcher Cervelli suffered his 6th concussion on May 25th and said ‘that’s it I am done catching.’ TBD on where he will play now but he has been working on 3rd base.
- The newest trend in baseball is sleeveless jerseys?
Basketball:
- Get ready for some major wardrobe changes because there have been some major trades and pickups in the last week:
- Jimmy Butler to Heat
- DeMarcus Cousins to Lakers
- Kawai Leonard to Clippers – yes the same guy who just won MVP and won the NBA title with the Raptors
- Paul George to Clippers
- Rondae Hollis-Jefferson to Raptors (previously with the Nets)
- Danilo Gallinari to Thunder
- Thunder has received 1st round picks for 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2026 from Clippers and Heat
- Russell Westbrook is rumored to have interest from the Rockets, Heat and Pistons but will he leave the Thunder where he has been for 11 years?
- Bucks signed Thanasis Antetokounmpo, brother to Giannis, for a 2 year deal.
- Kevin Durant will wear the #7 for the Nets after 12 seasons as #35.
Football:
- #ICYMI Colin Kaepernick is back in the news after he allegedly convinced Nike to pull their Air Max 1 Quick Strike Fourth of July sneakers because it had the Betsy Ross flag on the back. He deemed the shoe to be offensive as it came from a slavery era. Needless to say, there have been many opinions on the issue. Déjà vu anyone?
- My favorite opinion on the issue: @Hodgetwins
- #2 ranked DB Dontae Manning de-committed from Oklahoma and will be open to other schools. He had recently taken a visit to Texas A&M. Oklahoma will still be in one of his final schools but we will see where he ends up now. He was Oklahoma’s highest defensive recruit.
- Dolphins’ DT Kendrick Norton got into a car accident on July 4th and has since had his left arm amputated. His car hit a concrete barrier and flipped over. He is in stable condition.
- Baker Mayfield is off the market, sorry ladies!
Golf:
- Matt Wolff won his first PGA title on Sunday after making a 26 ft eagle putt on the final hole! He won this title after being accepted to play in the 3M Open on sponsor exemption (which means you don’t have your PGA Tour card) and only 6 weeks after winning NCAAs at Oklahoma St.
- The Open will be contested next week and they have changed the playoff rules. If there is a tie after 72 holes, the players will play 3 holes instead of the customary 4. That 4 playoff hole custom had been in place since 1986 when they changed over from an 18 hole playoff system. Playoff holes at Royal Portrush will be holes #1, #13 and #18.
Olympic Sports:
- Last week in the news you might have seen that a 70 year old, Dr. Frank Meza, beat the age group record in the marathon, however it was later found that he had cheated and cut some of the course. Meza claimed he went off the course to use the bathroom but never cut any of the course. This does not have a happy ending as Dr. Meza’s body was discovered in the LA River on Thursday. His wife claimed he has been devastated by the cheating allegations as he left for a run on Thursday.
- 2 Olympic stars are being investigated for vote-buying allegations for the 2016 Rio games and maybe even the 2020 Tokyo games. Bubka won the 1988 Pole Vault and held the record until 2014. Popov won the 50m and 100m freestyle back to back in 1992 and 1996 Olympics.
- Spain won their second women’s EuroBasket title over France 86-66. This is the first back to back winner since the Soviet Union (who won 17xs in a row from 1960-1991).
- Team USA won the FIVB championship over Brazil 3-2 in China. Annie Drews scored 33 points for the Americans and was named MVP.
- Noah Lyles ran the 4th fastest 200m time ever with 19.50 (only Bolt, Blake and Johnson have recorded faster times).
- Caster Semenya won the 800m easily at the Prefontaine Classic over the weekend.
- Ekaterina Bobrova, Russian ice dancer, has announced her retirement at the age of 29 after having her first child. She has an Olympic gold medal and silver medal to her name along with 6 European medals.
- The Tour de France will run from the 6th – 28th. Look for it in the mornings on NBCSN. I will add stories as we get closer to the end. As of Stage 3 the yellow jersey is being worn by Julian Alaphilippe
- The Yellow Jersey goes to the winner of the race so far.
Soccer:
- USA wins their 2nd straight world Cup! The USWNT won over the Netherlands 2-0. Rapione scored off a penalty kick in the 61st minute like so many other games before. Lavelle followed it up by scoring 8 minutes later. The USA set a World Cup record with the most goals scored in single World Cup bid with 26 goals.
- The US Men’s National Team lost to Mexico in the Gold Cup final a couple of hours after the women won the World Cup.
Tennis:
- Wimbledon updates:
- Women’s side:
- Ash Barty was knocked out by American Alison Riske in the round 3 with a score 3-6, 6-2, 6-3. Riske will play Serena Williams in the quarterfinals.
- Coco Gauff had a dream start to her Wimbledon being the 1st 16 year old to reach round 3 since 1991. She lost to Romania’s Halep in straight sets yesterday.
- There are 4 women players in the quarterfinal round (1 in each of the 4 remaining games) that are unranked. #7 Halep is the highest ranking woman still in.
- Men’s side:
- Querrey is the lowest ranked man in the quarterfinal with no world ranking and the only American
- In contrast to the women, the #1, 2, 3 men are all still in and all but Querrey are ranked
- If both men win, we could have another Nadal vs Federer show down before the final.
- Women’s side:
What to Watch This Week:
Baseball – MLB:
- Tues 7/9 – All Star Game @ 6:30pm on Fox
- Thurs 7/11
- Astros at Rangers @ 7pm on ESPN
- Sat 7/13
- White Sox at A’s @ 3:07pm on FS1
- 3 games @ 6:15pm on FOX depending on location
- Dodgers at Red Sox
- Giants at Brewers
- Nationals at Phillies
- Sun 7/14
- Nationals at Phillies @ 12:05pm on TBS
- Dodgers at Red Sox @ 6pm on ESPN
Golf:
- Thurs 7/11
- John Deere Classic – Round 1
- 3 –6pm on Golf Channel
- American Century Championship – Round 1 @ 10pm on NBCSN
- John Deere Classic – Round 1
- Fri 7/12 – John Deere Classic – Round 2
- 3 – 6pm on Golf Channel
- Sat 7/13 – John Deere Classic – Round 3
- 12 – 1:45pm on Golf Channel
- 2 – 5pm on CBS
- Sun 7/14 – John Deere Classic – Round 4
- 12 – 1:45pm on Golf Channel
- 2 – 5pm on CBS
Olympic Sports:
- Mon 7/8 – Tour de France: Stage 4 @ 8pm on NBCSN (replay)
- Tues 7/9 – Tour de France: Stage 5 @ 7:30am on NBCSN
- Replay @ 8pm on NBCSN
- Wed 7/10 – Tour de France: Stage 6 @ 7:30am on NBCSN
- Replay @ 8pm on NBCSN
- Thurs 7/11 – Tour de France: Stage 7 @ 8am on NBCSN
- Replay @ 8pm on NBCSN
- Fri 7/12
- Tour de France: Stage 8 @ 6:30am on NBCSN
- Track & Field: IAAF Diamond League @ 12pm on NBCSN
- Sat 7/13
- Tour de France: Stage 9 @ 7:30am on NBCSN
- Replay @ 8pm on NBCSN
- Swimming: World Championships @ 11pm on NBCSN
- Tour de France: Stage 9 @ 7:30am on NBCSN
- Sun 7/14
- Tour de France: Stage 10 @ 7:30am on NBCSN
- Replay @ 8pm on NBCSN
- Rowing: FISA World Cup @ 11pm on NBCSN
- Tour de France: Stage 10 @ 7:30am on NBCSN
Soccer:
- Fri 7/12 – MLS: DC United vs New England Revolution @ 6pm on ESPN
- Sun 7/14
- US NWSL Women’s League: Portland Thorns vs Orlando Pride @ 2pm on ESPNNEWS
- MLS: Seattle Sounders vs Atlanta United @ 2:55pm on ESPN
Tennis: (ESPN channels are hosting the Wimbledon – Centre court is typically on ESPN while others are featured on ESPN2)
- Tues 7/9 – Women Quarterfinals
- USA Riske vs USA S Williams @ 7am
- ROU Halep vs CHN Zhang @ 7am
- CZE Strycova vs GBR Konta @ 9am
- UKR Svitolina vs CZE Muchova @ 9am
- Wed 7/10 – Men Quarterfinals
- SRB Djokovic vs BEL Goffin @ 4am
- USA Querrey vs ESP Nadal @ 4am
- JPN Nishikori vs SUI Federer @ 4am
- ARG Pella vs ESP Bautista Agut @ 9am
- Thurs 7/11 – Women Semifinals @ 4am on ESPN
- Fri 7/12 – Men Semifinals @ 4am on ESPN
- Sat 7/13
- Women Final @ 4am on ESPN
- Replay @ 3pm on ABC
- Women Final @ 4am on ESPN
- Sun 7/14
- Men Final @ 4am on ESPN
- Replay @ 3pm on ABC
- Men Final @ 4am on ESPN
