Sportsman of the Week Ending 11/27/2022

Three-hundred-yard performances just don't happen in the NFL, but we saw one this week.  From an unlikely source, certainly for the team if not individual.  Josh Jacobs of the Las Vegas Raiders shredded a playoff contending Seattle Seahawks defense for 229 yards on the ground plus another 74 through the air for 303 total yards.  He led the Raiders in both yardage categories.  Add two touchdowns, the last of which was epic.  An 86 yard "walk off" in overtime.  After being pinned inside their own 20-yard line with 4:20 left, Jacobs ended it all.  Busting through the middle it was a track meet to the goal line and he would not be denied.  Ballgame.

Sportsman of the Week Ending 11/20/2022

It was a topsy-turvy weekend of college football in which many of the top playoff contending teams struggled and one seemingly favorite went down.  Hard.  Tennessee rolled into Columbia, South Carolina, as 22-point favorites and their chanced of making the college football playoffs seemed more dependent on Big 10 and Big 12 losses ahead of them.  South Carolina Gamecocks QB Spencer Rattler took that personally.  South Carolina struck pay dirt early and often in an absolute bludgeoning of the SEC East runners up.  After USC of the East jumped to a 21-7 lead in the first quarter, the track meet began, and Tennessee battled back to cut the Cocks lead to 35-31 late in the 3rd quarter.  But South Carolina scored four straight TDs, two on Rattler passes.  Overall Rattler threw 6 TD passes on 30-37, no picks, and 438 yards.  Tennessee will be left licking their wounds in a Bowl game in Florida on New Year's Day, instead of in the playoffs on New Year's Eve.  Thanks to Rattler, the Longhorndave, Sportsman of the Week!

Sportsman of the Week Ending 11/13/2022

In a really fun and amazing weekend of NFL Football, two traditional powerhouses squared off in the late TV window and thrilled audiences.  With the proud Green Bay Packers licking their wounds after 5 straight losses and the sky-high Dallas Cowboys in the frozen tundra, the Packers acted like a cornered wounded animal.  While Aaron Rodgers was his usual steady self, it was rookie wide receiver Christian Watson that emerged as a potential future superstar in the league.  Watson, who had been plagued with uneven play over the first half of his rookie season, emerged and showed why the Packers believed he can help bring the Packers back to the playoffs.  After a disappointing 88 yards on 10 catches in his first six games, he emerged with four big catches, including three touchdowns in the crucial 31-28 win to keep Green Bay in the playoff hunt.  His 58 yard catch in the 2nd quarter seemed to boost both the Packers and his confidence and they emerged as winners of their biggest game of the year.  Will Green Bay make the playoffs?  If so, it'll be due to Watson's emergence.  He is a worthy Longhorndave Sportsman of the Week!

Sportsman of the Week Ending 11/5/2022

Nothing defines October, err, early November, more than the Major League Baseball World Series.  For over a century, the Fall Classic has captured the attention of baseball fans as the Commissioner's Trophy is up for grabs in the seven-game series between the American and National League Champions.  Until 2022, only one no-hitter had been thrown in World Series history.  Make it two.  Houston Astros pitcher Cristian Javier dominated the hard-hitting Philadelphia Phillies for six innings of no-hit baseball for a 5-0 win in Game 4 to even the series at 2.  The Astros would never look back and win the next two.  The stats barely do his effort justice, as there were very few even hints of hard contact and nine strikeouts of his 18 ours.  Unassuming and cold blooded, Javier mowed through the Phillies lineup twice (plus two batters) retiring the final 11 hitters he faced after a couple of early walks.  Leading 5-0, the Astros then used their well-rested high leverage relievers in Bryan Abreu, Rafael Montero, and Ryan Pressly to close out the knock-less box score.  Javier started two games in the postseason with 11.1 innings and just 1 hit.  This was no fluke, and he is the Longhorndave Sportsman of the Week!

Sportsman of the Week Ending 10/30/2022

Will all four professional sports in regular or post season, we turn to the consummate fall sport, College Football for our honors.  The North Carolina Tarheels have been a surprise in the ACC this year, up to 7-1 (4-0 in conference) under legendary coach Mack Brown.  The Heels were in a battle this week, before emerging victorious when it counted, the fourth quarter.  Led by freshman quarterback Drake Maye, Carolina ran off the game's final 28 points to overcome a 10-point deficit and turn it into an 18-point victory.  Maye threw for 3 TD passes over the game's last 22 minutes, amassed 388 yards and 5 TD in the Tarheels 42-24 victory over the Pittsburgh Panthers.  Maye was also North Carolina's leading ground gainer with 61 yards on 14 carries, meaning is 449 yards outshined his opponents who had 25 combined rushing otherwise, literally doing it all for the Heels.  Drake Maye has a bright future and showed us why, as the Longhorndave Sportsman of the Week!