Another work week down, another weekend to watch sports. Training camps have started for most of the NFL this week and that can only mean one thing...preseason football is a mere two weeks away. If only there was something to keep our attention during that time span.
Let's get right to it...your limited weekend viewing guide:
5: Baseball Trading Deadline
I'm cheating a little bit here because the deadline isn't officially until Tuesday, but seeing as this is the final weekend for your favorite team to prove they're a buyer or a seller. Hopefully there are a couple of trades this weekend to tide us over. We've already seen Hanley Ramirez and Ichiro traded and yesterday the Brewers announced that pitcher Zack Greinke will most certainly be traded. Because of the 2nd Wild Card there is fear that more teams will avoid selling off key pieces and just stand pat. It will be interesting
to see if there is more or less activity than usual.
4: Boston Red Sox at New York Yankees
Just because I won't be watching this, doesn't mean the rest of America won't be suckered into it. Doesn't this feel like a last stand for Boston? They are in dead last place in the A.L. East at 10.5 behind their bitter rival and 4.5 games out of the Wild Card, but the caveat is that seven teams are ahead of them. They cannot afford to get bludgeoned this weekend and fall further behind. The Yankees had a bad weekend out west and then lost ARod for six weeks with a broken hand midweek. They'll will probably feel like they are playing on a Little League field back at home after spending the week in Oakland and Seattle.
3. Chicago White Sox at Texas Rangers
Just so I don't get accused of an east coast bias (or mid-Atlantic for that matter) I head to the middle of the country for this battle of division leading (or co-leading) teams. Just when I thought the White Sox would take a step in reverse they took advantage of playing the Twins by sweeping them. Things should get a bit tougher deep in the heart of Texas against the Rangers who are feeling the heat from both the Angels and Athletics. The week for Texas has been overshadowed by squabbling between Nolan Ryan and Josh Hamilton over the sluggers recent extended struggles. Tonight is the featured match up Chris Sale facing off against Yu Darvish...that should be all kinds of fun. I'm saying Josh Hamilton has a hat trick of K's tonight.
2. Los Angeles Dodgers at San Francisco Giants
Just to keep my west coast reader(s) in the loop I head to the other side of the Bay to focus on the Giants as they bring in their biggest rival to AT&T Park. Sitting only three games behind first place, the Dodgers are healthy, have added Hanley Ramirez and feeling kind of salty after losing three of four to St. Louis. The West won't be won or lost this weekend, but both teams are in being given the opportunity to stake their claim for the division title. The marquee pitching duel comes Sunday afternoon when Clayton Kershaw goes up against Ryan Vogelsong. I bet that game will be shorter than the running time of the Dark Knight Rises...just saying.
1. The Summer Olympics
Even though soccer is well underway including the Spain men being stunned by Japan, the Olympics officially get underway with the opening ceremonies tonight. I usually only grab the highlights of that, but this year it is being run by one of my favorite movie directors, Danny Boyle (Trainspotting, Slumdog Millionaire). Also seeing as London is the only city in Europe I've ever been to I will at least recognize some of the sights around the Olympic village. The biggest disappointment about this years Olympics is that there will be zero live prime time events. I'm fortunate to work around multiple televisions so I'll be able to watch swimming, basketball and soccer live, but in this day and age tape delayed sports just don't cut it. Between web surfing on ESPN, Twitter and watching television at work I should know all the results by 8pm. That sucks. Sure I could cut myself off from the world at work, but I may miss important tweets!!!!! :)
I'm a sucker for the Olympics whereas many of you aren't. I like to get into the mind of the athletes and realize that they have worked their entire lives for these two weeks. For some this will be their only moment of glory. Not all will see four Olympics like Michael Phelps. Not all are multimillionaires like LeBron James. Some will just have their story told for two weeks and have one chance to succeed and get on a box of Wheaties or fail and be forgotten forever. No pressure. There will be tears of joy and tears of sadness and that is what draws me in. It's top level competition with individual accomplishment and national pride at stake. Go USA!!!
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In case your not wanting to watch live sports this weekend, I'll present you with my favorite sports movies of all time. Being good is not a qualification.
Top 10 Favorite Sports Movies:
10. Searching For Bobby Fischer-sweet story about a father trying to connect with his son who is a chess prodigy.
9. Eight Men Out-the story about the 1919 Chicago White Sox who threw the World Series
8. Rocky IV-USA vs USSR; Sylvester Stallone vs. He-Man
7. Happy Gilmore-The price is wrong, bitch. Need I say more?
6. Rounders-Technically not a sport, but it inspired a generation of card players including me
5. The Rookie-The dream I hang onto every new season
4. The Sandlot-If you have to ask, you're not my friend.
3. Major League-Still funny and very quotable almost 25 years later
2. Field of Dreams-If you don't cry, you don't have a soul.
1. Miracle-The sporting event I most wish I was able to watch live (or on tape delay as it was for most). Masterful reenactment and the usage of the live call by Al Michaels is perfection.
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