Sportsman of the Week Ending 10/24/2021

What a week of baseball playoffs, culminating in two very successful franchises punching their ticket to the 2021 World Series.  The Houston Astros and Atlanta Braves.  Both of them slayed tough Wild Card competition who were red hot, but it's a Braves slugger that was the big difference.  OF Eddie Rosario made big hit after big hit to guide the Braves past the Los Angeles Dodgers to advance them to their first World Series this millennium (okay 22 years).  Rosario bludgeoned the Dodgers in the NLCS  at a 14-25 clip, 3 HR, 9 RBI, and threw in a double and a triple.  His hits were clutch, including a walk off single in Game 2, 2 HR in Game 4, then a momentum changing 3-run HR in the decisive Game 6 to stand up a 4-2 win.  Whenever clutch was needed, Rosario answered.  And on to the World Series for our Sportsman of the Week!

Sportsman of the Week Ending 10/17/2021

The Dallas Cowboys may FINALLY be for real and it's because they built up offensive weapons all over the place and their defense isn't bad.  This week, in an extraordinarily entertaining game, the Cowboys beat the longstanding dynasty (albeit waning) New England Patriots in overtime.  While QB Dak Prescott torched the Patriots defense time and time again, it was receiver CeeDee Lamb that hauled in most of them.  Lamb hauled in 9 receptions (career high) for 149 yards (career high) and 2 TD (tied career high) including the overtime winner after the Patriots won the toss and had to punt.  Targeted just 11 times, Lamb got just about everything thrown his way and for the first time since Barry Switzer stalked the sidelines, the Cowboys look like serious Super Bowl Contenders.  Will America's team finally win a title for the first time in 25 years?  They will if Lamb keeps it up.  He is the Longhorndave Sportsman of the Week!

Sportsman of the Week Ending 10/10/2021

The Major League Baseball postseason hit full throttle this week and big teams and big names took center stage.  A surprise surging team was the Boston Red Sox.  On a wild final Sunday of the regular season, they Red Sox stage a huge comeback to avoid having a one-game playoff against the Toronto Blue Jays.  Bought them a one game blood bath against the Yankees.  And a win.  Turn the page to the ALCS against the Tampa Bay Rays and they stormed to a 3-1 series win in the ALDS.  The star?  Enrique 'Kike" Hernandez.  Overall the Sox went 4-1 against the two best teams in the AL East.  Hernandez was 10-18, 3 doubles, 2 HR, 5 runs, 6 RBI in the 4 wins.  Perhaps his most dramatic at bat was a series walk off against the top seeded Rays on a Sacrifice Fly.  He was nothing short of unstoppable in taking the Red Sox to their second ALCS in four years.  He has played in 3 of the last 4 World Series, winning a title last year.  He may make it 4 out of 5.  Our Sportsman of the Week!

Sportsman of the Week Ending 10/3/2021

The last week of the Major League Baseball Season produced drama as the last few playoff spots were grabbed in the final weekend.  One of the most contested races were between the two best teams in baseball (in win total), the San Francisco Giants and Los Angeles Dodgers.  The preseason World Series favorite Dodgers trucked along the regular season, but always found themselves looking up at the Giants in the standings.  Going into the final week, they stayed that way.  Despite the efforts of our Sportsman of the Week.  Trea Turner, a mid-season acquisition by the cash and prospect rich Dodgers, sealed a National League batting title by torching opponents all week.  Turner went 11-24, 8 runs, 11 RBI as the Dodgers won all games and positioned themselves to nip the Giants at the finish line.  It was not to be, as the Giants held out.  But the Dodgers earned a Wild Card berth and, if they win, will face the Giants with a chance to finally get the upper hand and advance in the World Series.  Turner will be a big factor, and is the Longhorndave Sportsman of the Week!