Sportsman of the Week Ending 4/28/2024

The NBA and NHL (a.k.a. Stanley Cup) Playoffs are in full swing and, as usual, heroes are emerging. The Minnesota Timberwolves are one of the teams that people are watching whether they can emerge and make a run at an elusive NBA Championship.  They entered what some thought would be a precarious series against a veteran, talented Phoenix Suns team but took no time to establish dominance.  And 22-year-old Anthony Edwards is showing why he was a great selection in the top spot of the 2022 draft.  Edwards torched the Suns, with Games 3 and 4 with 36 and 40 points respectively.  He also filled the stat sheet with 9 rebounds each game, 5.5 assists a game and a couple of blocked shots.  8 of 18 from deep, 18 of 21 from the line, he did it all.  Edwards is a big reason that we may see a Finals team not named the Nuggets and is the Longhorndave Sportsman of the Week! 

Sportswoman of the Week Ending 4/21/2024

Last week we recognized the most dominant gentleman golfer on the PGA circuit, this week we recognize the most dominant lady.  Nelly Korda can't stop won't stop on the LPGA tour and dominated again in the Chevron Championship, the first Major on the Tour.  Most impressively it was Korda's fifth straight tournament win, tying a record among Ladies golf legends Nancy Lopez and Annika Sorenstam.  Korda was lurking around the top but not dominating but consistent play netter her her second Major Championship.  Consistent like 68-69-69-69, 3 under par every round at the Woodlands, Texas.  At 25, greatness stands in front of the American Korda as there may be nothing standing in her way to her own Hall of Fame Career.  Nelly Korda is the Longhorndave Sportswoman of the Week!

Sportsman of the Week Ending 4/14/2024

He's a machine.  Best player in the world and proves it.  Again and again.  And for the second time in 730 days he's wearing the Green Jacket of The Masters.  Scott Scheffler has the amazing consistency we haven't seen since Tiger Woods and reminiscent of Jack Nicklaus and his peers and before.  He doesn't have to play his best round on any given day.  He just needs to do what he's capable of and not make mistakes.  At The Masters this week, Scheffler took a crowded field into Sunday and made it academic on the last four or five holes.  No mistakes.  Making putts.  His four under par was the best round by anyone in the Top 29.  We're watching greatness and appreciate.  Scott Scheffler is the Longhorndave Sportsman of the Week! 

Sportsman of the Week Ending 4/7/2024

Major League Baseball has kicked off into full gear with 30 teams optimistic for a pennant.  One of those teams has won four of the last 7 in the American League and, although off to a rocky start, has had a new superstar arm emerge.  Ronel Blanco may be the most unassuming "next man up" pitcher in the Astros golden era.  The 30-year-old third year pitcher became the first one to throw a no-hitter in 2024 by blanking a powerful Toronto Blue Jays lineup with just two walks and maybe one ball that might have flirted with a hit.  It was the earliest no hitter in history.  To follow that up, on national television Sunday Night Baseball, Blanco flummoxed the defending World Series Champion Texas Rangers for 5 2/3 no hit innings, left after 6 with just one hit.  He left leading the AL with 2 wins and a 0.00 ERA (and accounted for two of the Astros three wins on the year yikes).  Blanco is the next Astros arm to watch and is a worthy Longhorndave Sportsman of the Week!

Sportsman of the Week Ending 3/31/2024

The Road to the Final Four "March" -ed on with a number of top seeds holding serve, but it was a double-digit seed that stole the headlines of the Sweet 16 round.  The North Carolina State Wolfpack are partying like it's 1983 with huge upset after huge upset sending them to their first Final Four in 40 years.  Senior guard DJ Horne has been the consistent energy propelling the Pack and he led by example over the weekend.  Horne netted a consistent 19, then 20 points in wins against 2-seed Marquette, and 4-seed Duke.  Add 9 total rebounds and 4 assists.  All of this coming off a miracle ACC Tournament run (in which Horne had 29 points in the final) to seal their NCAA bid which was in doubt.  Will this Wolfpack mimic the Jim Valvano miracle run of 1983?  Tune in, with Horne at the helm, I would not bet against them!