Subject: Recent sports oddities

The Colorado Rockies fired their manager shortly after securing the worst start in a century. Did it help?

Last night, the Rockies lost to the Phillies and are now 8-42. According to MLB.com, the worst start ever was the Louisville Colonels at 7-43 in 1895. Next are the Rockies followed by the 1899 Cleveland Spiders and 1886 Washington Nationals at 9-41. The 2023 Oakland Athletics were 10-40 in 2023, so there is some recency. 

With 30+% of the season behind us, we have a large enough sample size to confidently declare that the Rockies suck. A team this bad can look to the top of the organizational chart to assess blame. 

I overheard O'Neil Cruz of the Pirates just hit the hardest baseball ever measured in the StatCast era...so like harder even than judge ever...maybe like Mantle hit it when it went 500ft. somewhere down in Florida's thick heavy air.

This year ties the greatest number of Canadians in the NBA Finals with four: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Luguentz Dort, Bennedict Mathurin and Andrew Nembhard.

So are we now saying that Canadians are better at hoops than sticks?  ;)

Certainly those four. 

Reed's albatross 2025 U.S. Open Par 5-4th...Oakmont (PA).

And J.J. Spaun rolls in the longest putt of the whole tournament - 64 ft. - on 18 - to nail down the championship. 

I *think* this can, for now, still be called an oddity.  Whether its "sports" or not is a much harder call:

https://apnews.com/video/beijing-hosts-chinas-first-fully-autonomous-3-on-3-ai-robot-soccer-match-e304c40f16684667a9c35a73ab8e5b31

The action was riveting. 

I thought it was robust.

Not unlike this:

Robot Theater

https://youtu.be/AWs6ctiEBvA

16-year-old sets a new U.S. HS record in the 800m. USATF Championships against the big boys. The discipline this kid shows to run his race. 

He is within one second of the U20 world record. 

Smoking! Thanks Buzz.....

Follow-up to my June 30 post above:

https://www.bbc.com/news/videos/cvg3mv3rz60o

To be honest.............that's getting to be pretty spooky 😮.

Pretty odd. The soccer is still bad. Not unlike the gynecologists vs the Long John Silver impersonators. 

https://youtu.be/y9k3L1NC2mE?si=WPMwUcPhnnUyMlOJ

At this moment, only two in the NL have averages of .300 or greater. (Seven in the AL). 

A bizarre dustup in the women’s bracket of the U.S. Open. Townsend was playing Ostapenko in a close match. Townsend won an important point when one of her shots hit the cord and fell in for a winner. Often, the player winning such a point will make a small gesture of “oops”, but Townsend did not. Ostapenko took great offense and raged at Townsend, accusing her of being classless and uneducated. Townsend went to win the match.  

At her presser, Townsend was annoyed at the choice of words but held it together pretty well. Ostapenko was blistered on social media and issued an unapologetic statement. 

Meh. This happens. 

Right.  While it's sort of an "unspoken rule", it's far from universal, and somewhat dependent on the relationship between the players.  In my career (NOT as a professional (LOL)), it was optional depending on the person(s) and situation.  If it was a friendly match, then no - not necessary.  It's gonna happen again the other way 'round in 10 minutes or so - so no point in even acknowledging.  In the professional (and high amateur) levels, sure, it's a courtesy.  But to me it's always been a case of overkill.  Since it happens so frequently (maybe 3-5 times a match??), it's just sort of "luck of the draw".  Why bother?  Both players know it was just a fluke either way.  Perfect example of "sorry; not sorry", as one story I read termed it.

Do they still play tennis?

Last we heard, TT does.  I almost wondered "out loud" (meaning here) whether or not he would apologize in such a situation.  But I think we know the answer to that.  And on those occasions in which the ball fell on *his* side of the net, he would insist on replaying the point - as many times as necessary for him to (proudly) win it.

But to answer your question more fully.................yes - altho it's being quickly overtaken by you-know-what.  And even squash is still played - or so the rumor goes......

The mental strain of competing at the highest levels cannot be overstated. Naomi Osaka dropped out of the game while at the top because her brain was breaking. (Simone Biles also took time off from gymnastics for the same reason.)

Watching Coco Gauff sobbing between games as she struggled with her serve was heart breaking. She rallied and won her second round match, but it’s hard not to be moved. 

Leyla Fernandez and Venus Williams moved on to the fourth round in doubles. Williams is playing with such joy. It is wonderful to see her moving beyond her serious health issues. 

Williams/Fernandez out in fourth round. Fun while it lasted. 

Anisimova v Swiatek playing right now. Should be a corker. 

Amanda Anosimova in a big win! 

I understand that sometimes one just has to fit into a certain time schedule.............but after the second set tonight in the second match (Osaka vs. Anisimova), the crowd was *at least* 2/3 gone.  And it was high quality tennis (which yes, is still being played as a sport) - just like the first match.  Those tickets can't be cheap, and NY is a very knowledgeable crowd.  I could understand if 10% of the folks *had* to leave - or even 20%.  But 65-70% (if not more)?!?  Don't get that.

I was really stunned at the very late start time for that match. A semifinal starting at 9:30? Why? 

Regardless, those were pricey tickets, and to clear out at before it ended was odd. Especially with an American on the court. 

The men’s semis are today — at 3 pm and 7 pm. Much more reasonable scheduling. 

Joker commenting (wink wink) after whupping up on Taylor Fritz:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=3ui3ccYNUPk

Funny, esp. considering the 'other' Joker is arguably the best hoopster in the world. 

Instead of "Man Bites Dog!"......

Saw something new just now. Watching the American Conference championship. Tulane was in a shotgun alignment. The center attempted to snap the ball, but he whiffed. The ball just wobbled, and the ball was getting kicked around in the scrum. The Tulane QB eventually recovered the ball. 

Very odd play. 

Just-concluded VCU (amazing!) comeback over UNC was the largest (17 pts.?) *first-round* comeback in the tournament history.  (Second-largest for all games.) UNC was previously 48-1 with a double-digit halftime lead. Now 48-2.

Edit:  it was actually a 19-pt. comeback.  Further.......here's where it ranks all-time amongst NCAA Tournament comebacks:

March Madness largest comebacks: Where VCU vs. North Carolina ranks

The story could be better written, but it's good enough:

https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/mlb/mlb-fans-make-history-after-showing-up-to-the-wrong-game-at-chase-field/ar-AA240iPG?ocid=entnewsntp&pc=U531&cvid=6a14621a4e5743238983ec5afd4c02d9&ei=21

For some context, I'll refer you sports and/or stats fans to two earlier discussions, the first one being in this thread back in Sept., 2019:

Freecell.net - play online competitive Freecell solitaire  (See Sept. 9 and 10)

.........which was preceded by this thread:

Freecell.net - play online competitive Freecell solitaire

The Giants have four games in Brewtown next week...he'll receive cheers to the echo.

OK, this is crazy......

I actually knew there was a Max Muncy playing, but had NO idea there were two of them.

https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/40863679/max-muncy-los-angeles-dodgers-oakland-athletics-meet-milb-game

Miki had 38 wieners shoved down her throat in ten minutes...while her husband beamed with pride.

A very local oddity: No Buzz...prolific sports coverage starkly absent.

The team captain’s post-match speech was incredibly enthusiastic. I’ve never seen anything like it from a team captain. Even politicians would be green with envy!

Volleyball babes' bodies get superhot superquick offseason, 7-11lb. gain, much tit, rest ass.

Hyrox athlete apologizes for continuing race after...

Common (sort of) sight in athletics. Especially running. Ran a hurdles w/o a shoe once. 

Before today........in US college football.......teams ahead, with the ball in their possession, with less than 10 seconds left, had been 1,046-1.  Now NC St. joins that ignominious club on the bad side:

https://apnews.com/article/music-city-miscue-nc-state-vanderbilt-9ac6ce0d04f1b4294891660a6d377809