Sportsman of the Week Ending 6/23/2024

Early summer means crowning champions of winter sports one of the highest profile being the NBA.  After a dominant regular season, the Boston Celtics hit their stride and finally fulfilled their destiny as NBA Champions.  After reaching at least the Eastern Conference Finals in six of the last eight years, and the Finals two years ago, the Celtics finished the job in a dominant exhibition in the NBA Finals and throughout the Playoffs.  They were led by Jayson Tatum in Game 7, who poured in a game high 31 points, with 11 assists and 8 rebounds in a decisive 106-88 victory over the Dallas Mavericks that wasn't even as close as the score indicated.  With partner in crime (and NBA Finals MVP Jalen Brown), Tatum was able to find space and hit from the line in an effort that could have won the MVP himself.  He'll have to settle for the Longhorndave Sportsman of the Week!

This is Jayson Tatum's second Sportsman of the Week.

Sportsman of the Week Ending 6/16/2024

The late Spring sports engine chugs on with big moments across multiple sports and tough to pick, but we're going for one of the best golfers in the world that won the United States Open.  Bryson DeChambeau was a steady force in a shaky field to outlast his opponents and the Pinehurst #2 course to win his second Open in five years.  Not many win two.  DeChambeau was among the leaders all weekend, as some surged and some faded.  Relying on length and somewhat surprising, approach play including saves he was able to beat Rory McIlroy by one stroke after the Northern Irelander couldn't knock down putts when it counted.  But take nothing away from DeChambeau, who consistently would hit long and wayward and would need to find ways around the green to get up and down.  Including the 18th (72nd hole) where he hit a shot left, saved into a bunker, then up and down where nobody could.  Exemplary of great golf and Bryson DeChambeau is the Longhorndave Sportsman of the Week!

Sportswoman of the Week Ending 6/9/2024

So many amazing sports in late Spring style, but the French Open was center square (in advance of the 2024 Summer Olympic Games in Paris) and new faces are taking control.  On the Ladies side of the bracket, Iga Swiatek won her third straight French Open and the fourth in five years.  The World's Number One lady dominated at Rolland Garros through 15 sets in seven rounds, only losing one and having one tiebreak (against the formidable resurgent Naomi Osaka in the second round).  Outside of that Sviatek lost a total of 20 games in six matches.  That's 72-20 games never a lost set.  She's so good and may be cementing herself as an all-time great but is the Longhorndave Sportsman of the Week!

This is Ms. Swiatek  second Sportswoman of the Week, she previously won in the COVID year which was her first Grand Slam Major.

Sportsman of the Week Ending 6/2/2024

A thrilling week of Stanley Cup Playoff action ended with two unexpected teams reaching the Finals.  It's not that they weren't great teams it was just that they were less traditional markets who probably played on a national broadcast once combined.  But good they were, especially Sergei Bobrovsky of the Florida Panthers. With his team down 2-1 after three games, both losses in OT, Bobrovsky shut it down allowing only four goals in the last three games (two on desperation goalie pulls with a two goal lead).  Three straight wins for the Panthers.  With all the focus on Igor Shesterkin of the Rangers, it was his Russian countryman Bobrovsky that shut it down. The Panthers are balanced and not the least of which is their goaltending and the Edmonton Oilers will have their hands full as we go to the Stanley Cup Finals.  Sergie Bobrovsky is the Longhorndave Sportsman of the Week!

This is Sergei Bobrovsky's second Sportsman of the Week.

This is the third Sportsman of the Week for the Florida Panthers.