Sportsman of the Week Ending 6/28/2015

Some of the pitching in Major League Baseball has been impressive this year, so for the third week in a row, we go to the bump.  Los Angeles Dodgers right handed pitcher Zack Greinke has had a long run of success.  This week, he went 13 2/3 innings of scoreless baseball with just 7 hits, 3 walks, and 11 strikeouts. Throw in another 7 innings in his previous start and he's over 20 straight scoreless.  In his last 11 starts, he's only allowed more than 2 runs once for six more more innings every outing.  His 1.58 ERA leads the major leagues and Greinke's Los Angeles Dodgers are second in the National League with 43 wins.  Greinke is another arm worthy of the Sportsman of the Week!

Sportsman of the Week Ending 6/22/2015

Another week and another no-hitter.  Almost perfect game.  Washington Nationals ace Max Scherzer baffled the Pittsburgh Pirates 26-up, 26-down through the first 8 2/3 innings on Saturday.  Then after a hit by pitch (he leaned his elbow in), the 27th out secured the no-no.  Ten strikeouts and 106 pitches. This was coming off a complete game shutout with just one hit and one walk.  So total over the last two outings.  2-0, 18 IP, 1 H, 1BB, 1 HBP, 26 strikeouts.  Some are calling it the best two-game stretch in pitching history.  Certainly worthy of the Longhorndave Sportsman of the Week!

All-around NCAA Men's Athletic Programs Honors 2014-15

As the 2014-15 Academic year draws to a close, we recognize those Division 1 schools that have the best all-around athletic program.  Specifically, schools that made the football postseason (102 spots, 78 bowl teams and 24 FCS playoff teams), a berth to the NCAA Basketball tournament (68 spots), and a College World Series regional (64 spots).  Only 250 or schools would be eligible to qualify (limited by Division 1 football, ~130 FBS, ~120 FCS).  Of that, fourteen schools made the honor role.

It's surprising to see perennial all-around powers like Stanford, North Carolina, Florida, Florida State, Arizona State, Southern California, Oklahoma, Georgia, Ohio State, Michigan, and Tennessee all missing one postseason or another.

Here we rank those teams by postseason performance.

** Yes, there are many other schools that have more points than these, but to play in this game, you have to make ALL THREE postseasons **

Here are the points available

1 - Qualify for postseason
2 - Win a regular bowl game, first round basketball, make CWS Regional final
4 - Qualify for a (non-playoff) Big Six Bowl game, Sweet 16, CWS Regional Champion
8 - Win a non-playoff Big Six Bowl game, Elite 8, make College World Series
16 - Qualify for Football playoffs, Final 4, CWS semifinals
24 - Win a CFP playoff game, make NCAA Finals, make CWS Finals
32 - Win National Championship

We also look at the best athlete turning pro for each school.

1. Oregon Ducks (27 points)
Football: Lost CFP National Championship (Ohio State 20-42)
Basketball: Lost round of 32 (Wisconsin, 65-72)
Baseball: Lost on Regional (1-2 record)
Best Team: Football
Best Athlete: Marcus Mariota (football, QB, 2nd overall NFL draft pick)
Highlight of year: Defeating Florida State in Rose Bowl (59-20)

2. Louisville Cardinals (13 points)
Football: Lost Belk Bowl (Georgia 14-37)
Basketball: Lost Elite Eight (Michigan State, 70-76)
Baseball: Lost in Super Regional (Cal State Fullerton, 1-2 record)
Best Team: Basketball
Best Athlete: DeVante Parker (football, WR, 1st round NFL draft pick)
Highlight of year: Defeating Notre Dame in football in South Bend (31-28)

3. Arkansas Razorbacks (12 points)
Football: Won Texas Bowl (Texas 31-7)
Basketball: Lost round of 32 (North Carolina, 78-87)
Baseball: Lost in College World Series (0-2 record)
Best Team: Baseball
Best Athlete: Andrew Benintendi (baseball, OF, 7th overall MLB draft pick)
Highlight of year: Defeating Texas in Texas Bowl (31-7)

4. Notre Dame Fighting Irish (11 points)
Football: Won Music City Bowl (LSU 31-28)
Basketball: Lost Elite Eight (Kentucky, 66-68)
Baseball: Lost in Regional (1-2 record)
Best Team: Basketball
Best Athlete: Jerian Grant (basketball, PG, projected 1st round NBA draft pick)
Highlight of year: Defeating LSU in Music City Bowl (31-28)

5T. Louisiana State Tigers (10 points)
Football: Lost Music City Bowl (Notre Dame 28-31)
Basketball: Lost round of 64 (North Carolina State, 65-66)
Baseball: Lost in College World Series (1-2 record)
Best Team: Baseball
Best Athlete: Alex Bregman (baseball, SS, 2nd overall MLB draft pick)
Highlight of year: Defeating Wisconsin opening football weekend with a comeback (28-24)

5T. Coastal Carolina Chanticleers (10 points)
Football: Lost FCS playoff quarterfinals (North Dakota State 32-39)
Basketball:Lost round of 64 (Wisconsin, 72-86)
Baseball: Lost in Regionals (1-2 record)
Best Team: Football
Best Athlete: Casey Schroeder (baseball, C, 8th round MLB draft pick)
Highlight of year: Defeating Richmond (36-15) in football playoff

7T. North Carolina State Wolfpack (8 points)
Football: Won St. Petersburg Bowl (Central Florida, 34-27)
Basketball: Lost Sweet Sixteen (Louisville, 65-75)
Baseball: Lost in Regional Finals (2-2 record)
Best Team: Basketball
Best Athlete: Logan Ratledge (baseball, SS, 13th round MLB draft pick)
Highlight of year: Defeating Duke in ACC play (87-75) and Villanova in 2nd round of NCAA basketball tournament (71-68)

7T. UCLA Bruins (8 points)
Football: Won Alamo Bowl (Kansas State 40-35)
Basketball: Lost Sweet Sixteen (Gonzaga, 62-74)
Baseball: Lost in Regional Finals (3-2 record)
Best Team: Basketball
Best Athlete: James Kaprielian (baseball, P, 16th overall MLB draft pick)
Highlight of year: Defeating SMU in the first round of the NCAA basketball tournament (60-59)

9. Maryland Terrapins (7 points)
Football: Lost Foster Farm Bowl (Stanford 21-45)
Basketball: Lost round of 32 (West Virginia, 59-69)
Baseball: Lost in Super Regional (Virginia, 0-2 rec)
Best Team: Baseball
Best Athlete: Brandon Lowe (baseball, 2B, 3rd round MLB draft pick)
Highlight of year: Defeating Michigan/Penn State on road in inaugural Big 10 football season.

10. Ole Miss Rebels (6 points)
Football: Lost Peach Bowl (TCU 3-42)
Basketball: Lost round of 64 (Xavier 57-76)
Baseball:Lost in Regional (0-2 record)
Best Team: Football
Best Athlete: Senquez Golson (football, CB, 2nd round NFL draft pick)
Highlight of year: Defeating Alabama in football (23-17) 

11. Iowa Hawkeyes (5 points)
Football: Lost Taxslayer Bowl (Tennessee 28-45)
Basketball: Lost round of 32 (Gonzaga 68-87)
Baseball: Lost in Regional Finals (2-2 record)
Best Team: Basketball
Best Athlete: Brandon Scherff (football, G, 5th overall NFL draft pick)
Highlight of year: Defeating North Carolina in basketball on the road (60-55) 

12T. Oklahoma State Cowboys (4 points)
Football: Won Cactus Bowl (Washington 30-22)
Basketball: Lost round of 64 (Oregon, 73-79)
Baseball: Lost in Regionals (1-2 record)
Best Team: Football
Best Athlete: Michael Freeman (baseball, P, 8th round MLB draft pick)
Highlight of year: Defeating Oklahoma in football in Norman (38-35)

12T. San Diego State Aztecs (4 points)
Football: Lost Poinsettia Bowl (Navy 16-17)
Basketball: Lost round of 32 (Duke, 49-68)
Baseball: Lost in Regional (1-2 record)
Best Team: Basketball
Best Athlete: Terry Poole (football, G, 4th round NFL draft pick)
Highlight of year: Defeating St. Johns in first round of NCAA basketball tournament (76-64)

14. Texas Longhorns (3 points)
Football: Lost Texas Bowl (Arkansas 7-31)
Basketball: Lost first round of NCAA tournament (Butler, 78-70)
Baseball: Lost in Regional (0-2 record)
Best Team: Football
Best Athlete: Myles Turner (basketball, PF/C, projected 1st round NBA draft pick)
Highlight of year: Winning Big 12 baseball tournament


Five of these fourteen have made it two years or more on this list (sorted by straight years making the list)
4 - Louisville
3 - Oregon, Oklahoma State, San Diego State
2 - Texas

By conference
3 - SEC (Arkansas, LSU, Ole Miss)
2 - ACC (Louisville, North Carolina State)
2 - Big 10 (Maryland, Iowa)
2 - Big 12 (Oklahoma State, Texas)
2 - Pacific 12 (Oregon, UCLA)
1 - Big South (Coastal Carolina)
1 - Independent (Notre Dame)
1 - Mountain West (San Diego State)

Images courtesy of NCAA/Sportslogos.net

Sportsman of the Week Ending 6/15/2015

An amazing amount of sports this week, but one player leaped from obscurity to grab the headlines.  San Francisco Giants pitcher Chris Heston did what no other pitcher has done this year.  Threw a no-hitter.  The 27-year-old rookie in just his 12th career start dominated the (first place) New York Mets lineup on Tuesday for 9 IP, 0H, 0R, 0BB, 11K, and an unusual 3 HBP.  In a manageable 110 pitchers.  He also racked up 2 hits himself and 2 RBI in a 5-0 Giants win.  It was the fourth straight season that a Giants pitcher has tossed a no-hitter (Cain 2012, Lincecum 2013 and 2014).  Heston is our improbable Sportsman of the Week!

Sportsman of the Week Ending 6/8/2015

After an epic sports weekend that saw the French Open Finals, playoff basketball and hockey, and the start of the Women's World Cup, it's horse racing that captured the nation.  Of course we are talking about American Pharoah ridden by Victor Espinoza who won the first Triple Crown of horse racing in 37 years.  There is no question that Espinoza was on the best horse, but to guide the colt over a mile and a half in the second best time (among triple crown winners) and 12th best all-time is something special.  You can't get trapped early, you can't hit the throttle too early, you can't let up down the stretch.  He did everything right.  For three races.  And he joins a very elite fraternity.  Triple Crown jockey.  And our Sportsman of the Week!

Sportsman of the Week Ending 6/1/2015

As the Stanley Cup semifinals winded down, the Chicago Blackhawks seemed to will their way past the Anaheim Ducks.  Captain Jonathan Toews seemed to be in the middle of the action at all points.  Coming into the week tied 2-2 in the series, the Toews scored two late goes in Game 5 miraculously top send the game to overtime (but an eventual 5-4 loss).  In Games 6 and 7, Toews continued to be in the middle of the action, skating to a +2 in a Game 6 victory, and scoring two goals himself in Game 7 on the road in Anaheim.  When the going gets the toughest, the Blackhawks look to their captain, our Longhorndave Sportsman of the Week!