Ear ya go, seven little kernels of joy from the world of sports — a day late. Forgive me; I’ve been moving and needed to give my balky knees and balkier mind a rest.
⛳️ Quote
“Gosh dang, I didn’t think I was gonna cry.”
— Nick Dunlap, after becoming the first amateur in 33 years to win a PGA Tour event
Source: The AP
You can understand Dunlap’s emotions. The 20-year-old has been on quite the ride. He won The American Express in La Quinta, California, which would have netted a $1.5 million check, except he couldn’t collect because of his amateur status.
He won’t have that problem again, because Thursday he announced he’s turning pro and joining the PGA Tour. Here’s hoping he tears it up.
⚽️ Story
She Was the World’s Best Player. Now She Won’t Play Soccer Again.
A knee injury is forcing U.S. midfield star Sam Mewis to retire at age 31. Here’s what happened—and what she’s doing next.
By Rachel Bachman, The Wall Street Journal
For six-plus years Mewis managed a chronic knee injury. She did it well enough that ESPN ranked the 6-foot midfielder the top female player in the world in 2021.
Now she’s moving on, so she can simply move without pain. Her new gig gives her knee a rest while putting her UCLA English degree to work. She’s now editor in chief at Men In Blazers, leading coverage of the women’s game.
“I recognized that I had other things to live for besides being good at soccer,” Mewis told the WSJ.
🏀 Highlight
This highlight shows a 7’4” rookie center calmly knocking down a three. And then things go bat$#!+ crazy!
If you’re wondering why the announcers were “paging Manu Ginobili”, you missed an even better highlight 15 years ago in San Antonio when Ginobili swatted a bat out of the air that had been disrupting a game and eluding the coyote.
So, yeah, flying rodents are an issue in San Antonio. An issue fifth-year Spur Keldon Johnson is in no hurry to help solve.
“I know my lane,” Johnson told the AP without batting an eye. “Like, I’m borderline scared of the dark … so, the bat? That’s something like, nah that ain’t really up my alley. I was more scared.”
🏀 Stat
73: points scored Friday in Atlanta by Luka Dončić, most ever for an NBA player in an away game
Four days after Joe Embiid scored 70 vs San Antonio, Dončić dropped 73 on Atlanta, the team that drafted and traded him to Dallas. Not exactly like a good neighbor at State Farm Arena, Luka shot 17-for-20 inside the arc, 8-for-13 outside it, and 15-for-16 from the foul line. He also added 10 rebounds and 7 assists as Dallas topped the Hawks 148-143.
Just three players in NBA history have scored more than 73 points in a game, and two of them were named Wilt Chamberlain.
100: Chamberlain, Philadelphia Warriors; vs New York Knicks in Hershey, PA on 1962 Mar 2
81: Kobe Bryant, Los Angeles Lakers; vs Toronto Raptors in Los Angeles on 2006 Jan 22
78: Chamberlain, Philadelphia Warriors; vs Los Angeles Lakers in Philadelphia on 1961 Dec 8
🏁 Groaner
Brad Pitt is filming a movie about an aging Formula 1 racer. Who is rumored to be cast as a key member of his Pitt crew?
Hugh Jackman, of course! Hugh else?
🎾 Song
Sinner by Andy Grammer
In 2014 Grammer released this sweet tribute to his mother, who died of breast cancer when he was 25.
Ten years later Jannik Sinner released his talent at the Australian Open, winning his first Grand Slam title. Sinner could do little wrong in Melbourne. The 22-year-old from northern Italy dethroned 10-time champ Novak Djokovic in the semifinals and then came from two sets back in the final to beat Daniil Medvedev. Sinner is the youngest men’s AO champion since Djokovic won his first of 24 majors in 2008.
⚾️ Trivia
Last week the National Baseball Hall of Fame announced four new members. Which one earned Gatorade National Football Player of the Year honors as a high school quarterback?
Adrián Beltré
Todd Helton
Jim Leyland
Joe Mauer
Answer below.
You may know Todd Helton was the University of Tennessee quarterback before Peyton Manning, but did you know St Paul’s Joe Mauer was the Gatorade National Football Player of the Year in 2001. He was the first winner to not play football collegiately or professionally. Maybe he made an okay decision to play baseball for his hometown Twins instead, eh?
Aw shucks 🌽. That’s it for this week. Hope you can give your knees a rest this week. And don’t worry about any tears. Let ‘em flow. Otherwise, life drives us batty.