Sportswoman of the Week Ending 2/26/2017

Anytime you reach an "all time scoring leader" status you probably did something good.  The University of Washington's Kelsey Plum reached that status, as the all time leading scorer for NCAA women's basketball now at 3,397 points and counting.  She surged to the record with a 57 point effort on Saturday against the Utah Utes at the number 11 Huskies last home game (Senior Day).  The diminutive guard is averaging over 30 points per game and has over 100 three pointers on the season.  She is even shooting 53.7% from the field, unheard of for a guard.  Add in over 88% from the free throw line and she can score from anywhere.  Plum's future is bright, but her past week is worthy as our Sportswoman of the Week!

Sportsman of the Week Ending 2/19/2017

If you haven't heard of Patrik Laine yet, you will. A lot. Over the next decade or two.  The Winnipeg Jets struck gold with the 2nd overall pick in the 2016 draft and Laine has not disappointed in his rookie season.  He has found the net 28 times in 54 games.  This week, he scored 5 goals (including a hat trick against Dallas), while leading the Jets to a 3-1 record including a brutal road trip to Ottawa, Montreal, and Pittsburgh, all of which are top playoff contenders.  The Jets are on the cusp of a playoff appearance after a last place division finish just a year ago.  This week, Laine also chipped in three assists and a staggering +7 plus/minus (greater than 0 in each game).  Did I mention the Finn is still 2 months from his 19th birthday?  Get on the Laine train now, it's going to be a fun ride!  Patrik Laine is our Longhorndave Sportsman of the Week!

Daytona 500: Q+A with Bulldog Babe

Unlike the Super Bowl as the biggest NFL event at the end of the season, NASCAR holds its biggest race to lead off the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup series (formerly known as the Sprint Cup Series).  One answer as to why is that in the initial race, everyone is at 100%.  As the season goes on, the car carnage persists.  Regardless, the Daytona 500 remains the "circled in sharpie" racing event of the Spring.  The 2017 Daytona 500 commences on Sunday, February 26 at 2:00 p.m. EST.

To breakdown the current state of NASCAR, we are honored to have Twitter celebrity and blog friend Bulldog Babe (a.k.a "burnin'rubberbulldog" or @bulldogbabexoxo) can drive circles around me (pun intended) in analysis.  So we asked her a few questions on the race, the season, and NASCAR in general.  As with her NFL analysis, she pulls no punches and tells it like it is.  Which is why we love her as a blog contributor!  As you can see, she's looking forward to the action!

Anywho, I'll be without sports for the next three weeks. Then, @NASCAR comes on & I start my 15th year of being a fan 😍🏁 #DaytonaDay pic.twitter.com/JUR7ZO3Bhf

— burnin'rubberbulldog (@bulldogbabexo) February 6, 2017

Longhorndave (LHD): When did you become a NASCAR fan and why did you like it so much?
Bulldog Babe (BDB): I became a NASCAR fan in 2002, when I was 6 years old. It was the first sport I got into and I thought it was really cool to see the race cars.

LHD: Who are your favorite drivers and why?
BDB: My favorite drivers are Dale Earnhardt Jr., because he was the first driver I set my eyes on & I think he's just such a down to earth person and so respectable. Denny Hamlin, because while he has his moments like all of the drivers, he knows how to drive and he's such a class act. May I even mention that he's a great father to his four year old daughter Taylor? :).  Also, Kyle Busch, because since meeting his wife Samantha, he's become a better person & driver & he's even a great father to his almost two year old son Brexton. I think that's very admirable.

Editors note: Denny Hamlin was our Sportsman of the Week for winning Daytona last year.  Kyle Busch was our Sportsman of the Week for his Sprint cup Series win in 2015.  Dale Earnhardt Jr. has yet to win the Sportsman of the Week.

LHD: Who are your least favorite drivers and why?
BDB: My least favorite drivers are Jimmie Johnson, because I think he's too cocky & he acts like he's better than everyone when he's actually not, and Joey Logano because he acts like he's 12 when he doesn't get his way & he intentionally wrecks other guys because they block him to keep him from passing & that's annoying.

Editors note: Jimmie Johnson has won the Sportsman of the Week twice, once for winning the Daytona 500 in 2013 and again for the Sprint Cup Series in 2016.  Joey Logano won the Sportsman of the Week for his Daytona 500 win in 2015.

LHD: What is your best NASCAR memory in your life?
BDB: My best NASCAR memory was going to my first race, which was the 2006 Coca Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway. While it was such a long race, it was so much fun!

LHD: What underrated or young drivers on the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup series do you think will break through?
BDB: Overall, I think Chase Elliott will get his first win at Michigan International Speedway because I feel like that was a track where he did so well, but I also think Pocono could be the track to get his first win as he also did well there. For 2017, I think while Daniel Suarez lives up to his Monster Energy Cup debut and has a successful season in the 19 Toyota Camry, Erik Jones will be the one to watch. While Daniel has a title under his belt in the XFinity Series, Erik also has a title under his belt and I believe he is probably the most talented out of the 2017 rookie class.

LHD: What's the fastest you've ever driven (or ridden) in a car (and did you or someone get a ticket)?
BDB: The fastest I've ever been in a car was 85 mph, that was on Charlotte Motor Speedway when they had a drive your car on the track event going on so we did not get a ticket.  I was riding. My dad was driving.

LHD: If you could pick the exact Top 3 finish at the Daytona 500 that you would like, what would it be?
BDB: If I could pick the top 3 finishes for this year's Daytona 500, it would be Denny Hamlin-Kyle Busch-Matt Kenseth. Not because they drive for Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR), but because they are all very good at Daytona and have wins across the entire Daytona Speedweeks. While Kyle doesn't have a Daytona 500 trophy, I believe he will get it soon.

LHD: What driver (or drivers) would you least like to see win the Daytona 500?
BDB: The drivers I would least like to see win the Daytona 500 would be Jimmie Johnson, Joey Logano and Kevin Harvick.

LHD: In all honesty, what is your prediction for the Top 3 finishers at the Daytona 500?
BDB: My predictions for the 2017 Daytona 500 are that while it might possibly be another close one for the second straight year, I personally believe Denny Hamlin will win his second straight Daytona 500, with his teammate Kyle Busch finishing 2nd and Chase Elliott finishing 3rd.

Great discussion and breakdown by a true fan!  If you love racing, be sure to follow her on race day (any Sunday, but especially Daytona Day.  Her lap-by-lap analysis and reaction is awesome.  Thanks to Bulldog Babe once again!

Sportsman of the Week Ending 2/12/2017

The post NFL playoffs time of year turns our attention to so called "spring sports".  The Washington Capitals have been the dominant team during the regular season with their eyes on the Presidents Trophy (for the most team points in the regular season) for the second year in a row.  In three dominant wins this week, Caps Center Nicklas Backstrom scored two goals and had five assists while the Caps outscored their opponents 17-7.  Backstrom is one point off the NHL league lead in with 60, and his 43 assists are tied for the lead as well.  The Caps are 18-2-1 since January 1, and their +71 goals and 84 points are both tops in the NHL.  Backstrom is our Sportsman of the Week and in line for a number of honors for the overall season, hoping to raise his first Stanley Cup this summer.

Sportsman of the Week Ending 2/5/2017

There can be little doubt who was the story of the sports week this week.  Let us count the Super Bowl records.  Most Super Bowls won (5).  Biggest comeback in Super Bowl history (25 points).  Most completions (43).  Most yards (466).  New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady did it all in stunning a crowd who figured it could not be done.  It could.  After trailing 28-3 late in the third quarter, Brady orchestrated 31 points in 21 minutes to defeat the Atlanta Falcons 34-28 in Super Bowl LI.  Brady and head coach Bill Belichick have now combined for 5 Super Bowl victories, most among a QB/Head Coach tandem.  This was the Patriots second victory in Houston, having won Super Bowl XXXVIII in the same stadium.  Many are calling it the greatest Super Bowl ever played.  Tom Brady is certainly the most victorious Super Bowl quarterback ever, if not the greatest quarterback ever.