Weekly Update – Week of May 6th, 2019

Baseball – MLB: 3 straight Red HRs.

Baseball/Softball – NCAA: Softball Conference Championships this weekend with the Softball College World Series Selection show on Sunday.. is your team in?

Basketball – NBA: Playoff Update. 4OT game!

Football: XFL Tv deal. Scott released from hospital.

Golf: Homa wins first PGA title.

Hockey: Playoff Update. Hurricanes only team already through to next round.

Horse Racing: WTF happened at the #KYDerby?!

Olympic Sports: Kipchoge announced 1.59 marathon attempt. Semenya’s appeal denied. Osmond retires.

Baseball – MLB:

• The Reds had 3 hitters hit home runs on 3 consecutive pitches. Suarez, Winker and Dietrich were 2-4 in the batting order and made the score 4-0. This isn’t even the first time the Reds have done this this season! In April Kemp, Suarez and Schebler hit consecutive HRs. Don’t feel to obad for the Giants pitcher, Samardzija, who only allowed 5 hits and 4 runs retiring the next 13 batters. The Giants even pulled off the W with a 6-5 final score.
• Red Sox lefty Pitcher David Price is on IL with elbow tendinitis for at least 10 days.
• Yankee pitcher Luis Severino will be on the IL for half the season with right rotator cuff inflammation, so do not expect him to be pitching until after the All-Star break in July.

Baseball/Softball – NCAA:

• Its conference championship tournament week for NCAA Softball. Here are the top 10:
  • ACC starts May 8^th in Tallahassee
  • Big 12 tournament starts May 10^th in OKC
    • 4 teams are ranked in the Top 25 in this conference including 2 in the top 10
  • Big 10 starts May 9^th in Bloomington, IN
  • SEC starts May 8^th in College Station
    • 10 teams are in the top 25 including 3 in the top 10
  • Pac 12 has no tournament
  • For a complete list of your conference see this page.
    • https://www.ncaa.com/news/softball/article/2019-04-30/2019-ncaa-softball-conference-tournament-brackets-automatic
  • The Selection show for the Softball College World Series will be on May 12^th at 8pm on ESPN2

Basketball – NBA:

• Playoff Update:
  • Nuggets vs Trail Blazers game on Friday went into Quadruple OT (4OT) with ultimately the Trail Blazers taking home that long fought victory. The Nuggets won last night to tie the series 2-2 mostly thanks to a triple-double by Jokic and a 30 point game by Murray. This is the first time a pair has done that in back-to-back games since 1980 with Magic Johnson and Karem Adbul-Jabbar.
    • Game 3 was 68 minutes of basketball. McCollum (Trail Blazers shooting guard)ran 4.38 miles during the game. The game started at 9:46pm and went on until 1:13am. Time in-between Game 3 and game 4: 36 hours.
  • That wasn’t the only game that went into OT, the Warriors/Rockets Game 3 went into OT with the Rockets pulling out the W. It helps when Steph Curry has his worst game of season going 7 for 23 from the field and missing a dunk… Curry dislocated his finger during game 2 but hes not using that as an excuse on his less than stellar play. Game 4 is tonight.

Football:

• Texas Tech DL John Scott III was released from the hospital today after a shooting last weekend. The suspect turned himself in and he was charged with aggravated assault.
• Duke extended their football coach’s (David Cutcliffe) contract through the 2022 season.
• The XFL games will air on weekly on ABC and Fox as well as games on ESPN, ESPN2 and FS1 starting in 2020 for their inaugural season.

Golf:

• Max Homa won his first PGA title scoring 15 under at the Wells Fargo Championship this weekend. This was after he only made 2 cuts his 2017 season on the PGA and only had 2 Top 20 finishes this season (along with 8 missed cuts so far).
• This week the PGA Tour heads to Dallas for the AT&T Byron Nelson before the PGA Championship!

Hockey:

• Stanley Cup Playoffs Updates:
  • The Hurricanes have already clinched their spot in the next round of playoffs sweeping the Islanders. However they will have to move on without van Riemsdyk who is out for the rest of playoffs due to shoulder surgery.
  • Sharks captain Joe Pavelski is still iffy if he will play in game 6 or 7(if needed) but he is at least making the trip to Denver. Pavelski went down in Game 7 against the Golden Knights. Sharks lead the series over the Avalanche 3-2.
  • Ben Bishop, Stars goalie, exited Game 6 early after getting hit in the shoulder by a shot from Colton Parayko. The Stars lost 4-1 to fore game 7.
• Despite being eliminated in round 1 of this year’s playoffs, the Lightening are the favorites to win the Stanley Cup in 2020.

Horse Racing:

• Because of the gravity of the Kentucky Derby, horse racing got its own category today. Need some background?
• ICYMI: the favorite at race time, Maximum Security, won the Kentucky Derby but was DQ’d after the race after an objection was issued by 2 teams. This is the first time that the horse who won has gotten DQ’d for an in-race foul (technically one other horse failed a drug test so I don’t count that). The race officials gave this a lot of thought as the money bet on this race alone ($165.5MM total on the race) would give anyone pause let alone what was bet on Maximum Security ($6.2MM to win). The officials took 22 minutes to review footage and decided on the DQ.
  • So what actually happened? #7 Maximum Security veered away from the inside rail when coming around to the home stretch. It was ruled that Maximum Security directly impeded #1 War of Will and #18 Long Range Toddy. Maximum Security’s leg did actually hit War of Will and it was lucky both horses didn’t go down. Bumping is expected but he was DQ’d for directly affecting the outcome of the race.
    • Remember in horse racing, if something happens to a horse’s legs, it is usually euthanized.
  • Still think that’s unfair? So do a lot of people. This will be talked about for a long time. In my opinion, if Maximum Security had just run wide, making the other horses do the same to pass him, I don’t think they would’ve DQ’d him. However, because War of Will had to essentially put the brakes on even for just a split second, that small difference was enough to DQ the KY Derby favorite.
  • According to the WSJ here is the rule: “A leading horse when clear is entitled to any part of the track, except in a straight-away racing, every horse must maintain position as nearly as possible in the lane in which it starts. If a leading horse, or any other horse in a race, swerves or is ridden to either side so as to interfere with or intimidate or impede any other horse or jockey, or to cause same, it is a foul;
  • Maximum Security was placed 17^th after the last horse that was directly affected. This is industry standard.
  • Who actually won? #20 Country House with the 2nd longest odds in history to win!
  • For full results, click here

Olympic Sports:

• Eliud Kipchoge will attempt the sub-2 hour marathon in September or October at the same place where Briton Bannister broke the 4 minute mile 65 years ago. His PR is only .26 shy of his goal – although it should be noted that this was on a non-regulated track and he used rolling drink stations and a wind-blocking pace car. The legal World Record Marathon is 2:01.39 sent by Kipchoge in Berlin. #159challenge
  • This attempt is also not going to change the legal marathon WR as Kipchoge will use pacers who dip in and out of the race as well as wearing the controversial Vaporfly shoes.
• Caster Semenya and Fransine Niyonsaba, both of whom have a testosterone condition, competed in the 800m in the Doha Diamond League, placing 1^st and 2^nd This will be the last race as permitted by the IAAF who declined Semenya’s appeal.
• Antwerp will host the world championships for gymnastics in 2023.
• Canadian skater, Kaetlyn Osmond is retiring after 2018 World Championship title and bronze Olympic medal career. The 23yr old is Canada’s most decorated women’s singles skater.

What to Watch This Week:

Baseball – MLB:

• Mon 5/6 – Philies at Cardinals @ 7pm on ESPN
  • Velasquez vs Mikolas
• Wed 5/7 – Mariners at Yankees @ 5:30pm on ESPN
  • Kikuchi vs Loaisiga
• Sat 5/11 – Indians at A’s @ 3:05pm on FS1
  • Bauer vs Brooks
• Sun 5/12 – Brewers at Cubs @ 6:05pm on ESPN
  • Chacin vs Lester

Baseball – College / Softball:

• Mon 5/6
  • Baseball: 12. Texas Tech at Oklahoma @ 3pm on ESPNU
  • Baseball: Boston College at VTech @ 6pm on ESPNU
• Tues 5/7
  • Baseball: Vanderbilt vs Louisville @ 6pm on ESPNU
  • Baseball: Indiana vs Kentucky @ 6pm on SEC
  • Baseball: Texas St at Texas @ 6:30pm on LGHN
• Wed 5/8 – Softball: SEC Tournament Round 1 starting @ 10am on SEC
• Thurs 5/9
  • Softball: SEC Tournament Round 2 starting @ 11am on SEC
  • Baseball: LSU vs Arkansas @ 6:30pm on ESPNU
• Fri 5/10
  • Softball: SEC Tournament Round 2 @ 10am on ESPNU
  • Softball: SEC Semi #1 @ 3pm on ESPN2
  • Softball: SEC Semi #2 @ 6pm on ESPN2
  • Baseball: Kentucky at South Carolina @ 6pm on SEC
  • Baseball: Indiana vs Michigan @ 7pm on ESPNU
• Sat 5/11
  • Baseball: Indiana vs Michigan @ 8am on ESPNU
  • Baseball: Kentucky vs South Carolina @ 11am on SEC
  • Softball: ACC Conference Tournament @ 11am on ESPN
  • Baseball: LSU vs Arkansas @ 1pm on ESPN2
  • Baseball: Tennessee vs Florida @ 2pm on SEC
  • Softball: SEC Conference Tournament @ 7pm on ESPN2
• Sun 5/12
  • Baseball: Kentucky at south Carolina @ 11am on SEC
  • Baseball: Mississippi St at Ole Miss @ 12pm on ESPN2
  • Baseball: Texas A&M vs Alabama @ 2pm on SEC
  • Softball: Selection Show for NCAA Tournament @ 8pm on ESPN2

Basketball – NBA:

• Mon 5/6
  • East Game 4: Bucks at Celtics @ 6pm on TNT
    • Bucks lead 2-1
  • West Game 4: Warriors at Rockets @ 8:30pm on TNT
    • Warriors lead 2-1
• Tues 5/7
  • East Game 5: 76ers at Raptors @ 7pm on TNT
    • Series tied 2-2
  • West Game 5: Trail Blazers at Nuggets @ 9:30pm on TNT
    • Series tied 2-2
• Wed 5/8
  • East Game 5: Celtics at Bucks @ 7pm on TNT
  • West Game 5: Rockets at Warriors @ 9:30pm on TNT
• Thurs 5/9
  • East Game 6: Raptors at 76ers @ 7pm on ESPN
  • West Game 6: Nuggets at Trail Blazers @ 9:30pm on ESPN
• Fri 5/10
  • East Game 6: Bucks at Celtics @ TBD on ESPN – if needed
  • West Game 6: Warriors at Rockets @ TBD on ESPN – if needed
• Sun 5/12 – Game 7 – if needed
  • 76ers at Raptors @ TBD on TNT
  • Rockets at Warriors @ TBD
  • Trail Blazers at Nuggets @ TBD

Golf:

• Thurs 5/9 – AT&T Byron Nelson – Round 1
  • 2:30pm – 5:30pm on Golf Channel
• Fri 5/10 – AT&T Byron Nelson – Round 2
  • 2:30pm – 5:30pm on Golf Channel
• Sat 5/11 – AT&T Byron Nelson – Round 3
  • 12pm – 1:45pm on Golf Channel
  • 2pm – 5pm on CBS
• Sun 5/12 – AT&T Byron Nelson – Round 4
  • 12pm – 1:45pm on Golf Channel
  • 2pm – 5pm on CBS

Hockey:

• Mon 5/6
  • Bruins at Blue Jackets @ 6pm on NBCSN
    • Bruins lead 3-2
  • Sharks at Avalanche @ 9pm on NBCSN
    • Sharks lead 3-2
• Tues 5/7 – Game 7: Stars at Blues @ 7pm on NBCSN
  • Series tied 3-3
• Wed 5/8 – Game 7s if needed
  • Blue Jackets at Bruins @ TBD
  • Avalanche at Sharks @ TBD

Olympic Sports:

• Mon 5/6 – Beach Volleyball: NCAA Championship – 1. USC vs 2. UCLA @ 9pm on ESPNU
• Tues 5/7
  • Swimming & Diving: SEC Championships @ 6am on SEC
  • Curling World Cup: Grand Final USA vs China @ 12pm on NBCSN
• Thurs 5/9
  • Cycling: Eschborn – Frankfurt @ 12pm on NBCSN
  • Cycling: Tour of Yorkshire @ 1pm on NBCSN
• Fri 5/10
  • Swimming: FINA Championship Series Day 1 @ 2pm on NBCSN
  • Track & Field: IAAF World Relays Day 1 @ 3:30pm on NBCSN
  • Beach Volleyball: Collegiate Championships: Women’s Final @ 6pm on NBCSN
• Sat 5/11
  • Track & Field: IAAF world Relays Day 2 @ 4pm on NBCSN
  • Track & Field: SEC Outdoor Championships @ 5pm on SEC
  • Cycling: Tour of California Stage 1 @ 6pm on NBCSN
• Sun 5//12 – Cycling: Tour of California Stage 2 @ 4pm on NBCSN

Soccer:

• Wed 5/8 – USL Championship: Nashville vs Tampa Bay Rowdies @ 7pm on ESPN2
• Sat 5/11
  • Burnley vs Arsenal @ 9:55am on NBCSN
  • LA Galaxy vs NYC FC @ 3pm on ESPN
• Sun 5/12 – Italie Serie A: AS Roma vs Juventus @ 1:30pm on ESPN