Sportsman of the Week Ending 12/25/2022

An action-packed week of sports spanned the Week before Christmas with Bowl Season ramping up, the NFL in playoff push form (not to mention frigid weather), and the NHL starting to see some separation of teams.  We turn to hockey for the first time this season and no team has been more dominant than the Boston Bruins.  Leading the Eastern Conference by six points at 27-4-2 through 33 games they seem to be setting up for a summer Cup run.  Right winger David Pastrnak is leading the highest scoring offense in the NHL with 24 goals and 23 assists.  This week in three games, he had four goals and an assist in three wins, including ones over Winnipeg and New Jersey, two projected playoff teams.  The 26-year-old Czech-born star is exceeding the best year of his career and looks poised to jump to elite stardom and is the Longhorndave Sportsman of the Week! 

Sportsman of the Week Ending 12/18/2022

What a week and what a weekend for sports in the United States and around the world.  No more eyes were on any event than the 2022 FIFA World Cup Semi-finals and finals.  And a legend emerged, cementing his legacy as one of the greatest of all time.  Lionel Messi led his strong, but not favored, Argentina squad to a thrilling victory (3-3, 4-2 PK) over defending champion France in the World Cup Finals as well as Croatia (3-0) the semis.  Messi netted the first goal (on a penalty kick) in the Semis and two goals (first one off a PK) in the Finals.  It was his assist for the third goal in extra time that helped Argentina push it to Penalty Kicks.  Messi netted his opportunity in the PK shootout as part of Argentina's 4-2 victory.  He ended up with 21 World Cup career "contributions" (8 goals, 13 assists) the most since 1966.  He's the best of the era and now has a World Cup to hoist.  The Longhorndave Sportsman of the Week!

Sportsman of the Week Ending 12/11/2022

The Philadelphia Eagles have been a surprise dominant team and continue to etch their path toward the NFL Playoffs.  Taking no prisoners in what is probably the NFL's toughest division, the Eagles put another notch in their belt on Sunday.  On the road.  The Eagles took control early behind both MVP front-runner Jalen Hurts and Miles Sanders.  It was Sanders who the Giants couldn't stop.  Sanders scored the opening salvo with a TD in the first quarter and finished off the Giants with a TD early in the fourth.  By then, it was 41-14.  Overall Sanders ran unleashed for 144 yards on 17 carries and those two TDs.  The balance Sanders brings to the offense, with the playmaking ability of Hurts and a WR room the envy of Pro Bowl team or Hall of Fame wing.  The Eagles look poised for another Super Bowl title to follow up their 2017 title (just like the Houston Astros).  Led by Sanders, the Sportsman of the Week!

Sportsman of the Week Ending 12/4/2022

It was a veritable buffet of college football in the first weekend of December and the games delivered surprising results.  No result shook the college football landscape more than the Utah Utes upsetting number four and presumable playoff bound Southern California Trojans.  While oddsmakers had this as a close one, most experts were already penciling in the Trojans to a playoff spot.  Not so fast.  Utah quarterback Cam Rising put together a flawless effort in answering a huge deficit to win the Pac 12 Championship Game going away.  Trailing 17-3 and within 4 minutes of halftime, Rising brought the Utes offense alive.  Two gut punch drives in the second quarter, Rising led Utah down the field for 144 yards and two TDs to tie the game up just before halftime.  He then led Utah to 10 more unanswered points to take a 27-17 lead they would not relinquish.  Overall Rising through for 310 yards and 3 TDs.  No fumbles just one sack in a masterful control of the game.  His effort earned the Utes a trip to the Rose Bowl.  Cam Rising is the Longhorndave Sportsman of the Week!