Thursday Morning Thoughts – July 23

I had no idea the men’s Pan Am 100 metre final was yesterday. Thrilled to see Andre De Grasse win gold for Canada. This country has been looking for the next Donovan Bailey for too long.

MLB
Well, the Jays let that slip away last night. Big chance to win it in the ninth after loading the bases with nobody out. But they managed just one run off Tyler Clippard, on a one-out walk to Jose Bautista. The list of games the Jays “should’ve” won this season is long enough.

Are the Yankees ever going to stop winning ballgames? Honestly, this is getting ridiculous now. How is Alex Rodriguez delivering like it’s 2009 all over again? New York are 11 games over .500! That might be the most shocking thing I’ve seen all year.

SOCCER
So last night I learned that Sunderland are better than TFC II. Of course Jermain Defoe scored a brace. I was stunned to see him play the full 90 minutes. Good on him, and Sunderland for fielding a predominantly Premier League calibre squad. But if I were one of the few sitting near the halfway line that paid $85 a ticket, I would’ve been hella disappointed.

If only Canadians could score goals…
What Canada‘s Pan Am semifinal loss to Colombia proved was that our women just can’t anticipate as quickly, or as well, as their South American competition. Fully capable of improving on that though, and quickly. Great chance at winning bronze on Friday. Mexico have shown their vulnerablilities and if Canada can capitalize on the chances they’re more than capable of creating, a medal is a real possibility. They just need to do something very “un-Canadian” – find the back of the net.

The Gold Cup just isn’t the Gold Cup if it isn’t a Mexico v USA final!!! They’re going to have to change the name of the tournament. How about “The forgotten championship of the northern Americas and a shitload of islands”? Good on Jamaica though. After competing in Copa America last month, I’m stunned to see them succeed the way they have in their own tournament.

Panama: always the bridesmaid. Never the bride. With the USA already out, there was no way a Panama v Jamaica final would be good for the growth of the sport on this side of the Atlantic. So, take the game away from an already undermanned Central American side that nobody really cares about. Roman Torres was fouled and fell on to the ball with no intention. That was not a penalty. The second penalty call was legit, and Mexico will always get those calls in this tournament. If only Canada had such an advantage…

Was happy to read that Rafa Benitez is 100% convinced that Sergio Ramos is staying at Real Madrid. That means he will be sold to Manchester United on transfer deadline day. If only he could bring Ronaldo back with him.

BASKETBALL
I really don’t think I’m ready for the LeBron James Space Jam sequel. #DontMessWithaClassic

The Timberwolves may want to think twice about shipping Anthony Bennett out of town. He certainly looked like a confident big man in Canada‘s nail biting Pan Am win over Argentina. That’s what has been missing from Bennett’s NBA game so far. If two games are any measurement, head coach Jay Triano will have some tough decisions to make when picking Canada’s Olympic qualifying team next month. The improvement Canada Basketball has enjoyed over the last decade is remarkable. If only soccer in this country could match it.

New Lakers Lou Williams, Roy Hibbert and Brandon Bass haven’t spoken to Kobe Bryant yet? Sorry Byron Scott, but y’all in for a looooong season. Again.

NFL
How are there not more Olympians in the NFL? Buffalo Bills wide receiver Marquise Goodwin won the silver medal in long jump at the Pan Am Games yesterday. He hadn’t competed in track and field since London 2012! Goodwin may have his work cut out for him at camp next month. He did play just 10 games last season and will compete for a spot on the Bills roster, and Rex Ryan‘s admiration. I’d give him one simply based on how hard he works. Multi-tooled men like Goodwin don’t come around that often .

Monday Morning Thoughts – July 20

Going to try to get back in to the habit of writing these daily posts. After the weekend we just witnessed, it was hard to restrict every opinion to just 140 characters.

THE OPEN
I never thought I would ever open a multi sport post, with golf. But The British Open has been pretty compelling over the last four days. Especially if you’re an fan of wild weather captured on camera. Encouraged by the R&A there will be plenty of people who have called in sick to work today to enjoy what should be a ridiculous final round.

If 22-year-old Irishman Paul Dunne does pull off the miracle and win, as an amateur, he wouldn’t actually receive ANY of the $1.8 million purse. Because, amateurs don’t get paid. That would re-define the word ridiculous.

And here’s something that won’t surprise anyone that has ever been to a sporting event in Toronto. A ticket to the Pan Am Golf Medal Session will cost you $75. A ticket to today’s final round at The Open? $20.24.

BASEBALL
You can watch this game for 100 years and not see a championship deciding game end like the Pan Am gold medal game in Ajax last night.

If you didn’t see it, with Canada trailing 6-5 in the bottom of the 10th inning and two runners on, American lefty David Huff‘s horrendous pickoff attempt at first base allowed Canada to plate a pair and walk off to claim back-to-back baseball gold medals. The U.S. haven’t won since 1967. Insert Leafs cracks below.

How amazing was it to see Marco Estrada “Chris Archer” the Rays? All the hype around Archer, fully deserved I may add, but everyone forgot Estrada nearly perfect game’d Tampa last month. Great momentum to take out west on their 6 game road trip. Starts in Oakland tomorrow.

For you doomsday preppers, you may want to get ready. It hadn’t rained in California since 2007. But, yesterday the Padres AND the Angels were rained out, marking the first time 2 Major League games were rained out in California on the same day since Sep. 24, 1986. Pretty sure I saw moths fly out of the tarp at Petco when they rolled it out…

Can someone please find the kid in suburban Detroit, maybe he’s even in Windsor, Ontario, that’s pitching as well as Justin Verlander used to? JV must’ve been Space Jam’d. How else can you explain how bad he’s been this season? At some point he’s got to show the Tigers a glimpse of what’s left. If he’s done, so are the Tigers in the Central. For a while.

Just give Dallas Keuchel the A.L. Cy Young award already. I don’t know if I’m more surprised to see the Astros still contending in the West, or that his beard hasn’t become an athletic disadvantage. At some point his hipster circle is going to turn on him… As long as he’s throwing career high lines like he did yesterday against the Rangers, 7 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 13 Ks, it doesn’t matter who’s in his social circle. Though if I were management, I’d be concerned if he started dating Rihanna.

The second the Reds signed Aroldis Chapman, I was jealous he wasn’t pitching for my team. Yesterday with only 292 Major League innings pitched, the Cuban became the fastest player in MLB history to reach 500 strikeouts. Slow clap for ya, bro.

SOCCER
Full credit to the Canadian Womens Pan Am team for holding their own against Brasil‘s World Cup squad (minus only Marta). A 2-0 loss is nothing to shake your head at. But there’s something odd about a tourney, where a team with just 1 win and 1 loss can enter their final preliminary match knowing that anything better than a 4-0 loss would still see them through to the semis. But hey, won’t find a person in this country complaining. Good luck against Colombia on Wednesday.

And how does (assistant) referee Eric Boria give that penalty in the final minute of extra time? Costa Rica deserved to try their hand in a penalty shoot-out after Mexico wasted chance after chance in over two hours. I know everyone loves to see Miguel Herrera celebrate, but c’mon man!

Happy Monday everybody. May you go the entire day without being subjected to the song Steph Curry‘s daughter is dancing to.