The weekend is here, time to kick back relax and enjoy yourself. For those not heading to the beach or on some fantastic vacation, I offer up your weekend viewing guide in the world of sports.
5. Hall of Fame Game
Preseason football is here!! It may not count, but it is football and I know you will watch. This was the only game that was canceled last season during the lockout, but this year you get Drew Brees and the New Orleans Saints versus Larry Fitzgerald and the Arizona Cardinals. When it comes to thinking about the Hall of Fame, the Cardinals and Saints are two teams that don't come to mind. Dan Dierdorf was the last player to be inducted from the Cardinals franchise and he retired in 1983. The Saints have had a checkered history and have only seen three players inducted from their franchise. The game is Sunday night so watch the Olympics live on Sunday so that you don't have go back and forth...NFL!!!!!!
4. Baltimore at Tampa Bay
Just when you thought both of these franchises were dead in the water they right the ship. The Orioles have won 3 of 4 including 2 of 3 in New York while the Rays went 6-3 on a very difficult road trip to Baltimore, Los Angeles and Oakland. Each team stands only 6.5 games behind the Yankees after being more the double digits behind just two weeks ago. Do I think either will catch New York? No. In all actuality they have their sights focused on the two Wild Card spots where they are only 1.5 games out. Neither team made any key additions or subtractions at the trade deadline so the Orioles will continue to piece together a pitching staff, while the Rays will try and eke out enough runs to support their pitchers.
3. Los Angeles Angels at Chicago White Sox
After a grueling four game set in the heat of Texas where pitching was optional, the Angels now head to the mid-west to take on first place Chicago. The White Sox have feasted off the Minnesota Twins of late winning 5 of 6 games and also took 2 of 3 from the struggling Texas Rangers. They now begin a nine game home stand with both the Angles and Athletics coming to town. The only downside of this series is the neither Chris Sale nor Jered Weaver are scheduled to pitch as the Angels are pushing back Weaver to line him up against my Athletics next week...screw you Angels, screw you.
2. Pittsburgh Pirates at Cincinnati Reds
A meaningful series for the city of Pittsburgh in August. For the older generations that must just sound right. The Reds are blazing hot (and doing so without Joey Votto) and hold a 3.5 game lead over the Pirates. It's this close because Pittsburgh has yet to play a game against a team over .500 since the All-Star break. Really! Look it up...Milwaukee, Colorado, Miami, Chicago, Houston and Chicago again. Five crappy teams that are a combined 97 games BELOW .500. Yeah that's a cake schedule. Of course Cincinnati has gone 12-1 against very similar, soft, opponents in Milwaukee, Houston, Colorado and San Diego after starting the 2nd half against St. Louis and Arizona. We really don't know if either of these teams are really good, but they are good at beating bad teams.
1. The Summer Olympics
Week one is wrapping up meaning short distance swimming and gymnastics are coming to a close and track & field is getting under way. In between tennis, volleyball, soccer and basketball will start handing out medals as they are all just about finished with group stages. There have been plenty of great moments for the United States, but there have been some disappointments as well...I'm looking at you Ryan Lochte. Outside of the tape delay controversy here in the states, the lack of corporate sponsored fans filling the seats and the badminton scandal the London games have been rather successful. I still can't believe that baseball is NOT an Olympic sports, but dudes jumping on a trampoline is. Something is wrong with that, really wrong.
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Yesterday I unplugged from the world at noon so that I could watch the Olympics at night the way were used to...hours late. Here at work I am afforded the opportunity to watch everything live with multiple televisions and my iPad available at my desk, but I didn't feel like doing it yesterday. I wanted to sit on my couch with my wife and watch Lochte vs Phelps one last time. I held my breath every time Gabby Douglas flipped in the air. I cheered when Rebecca Soni broke her own world record then night after setting it to win gold.
With me going back in time to the days of yore before internet, before Twitter and Facebook, I almost felt like reading a newspaper this morning...almost. I really can't wait for the 2016 Olympics with live prime time events. I've gotten used to getting information in real time and I like it that way. I feel bad for Bob Costas having to fake dramatic speeches to keep the viewer locked in on NBC. Its such a waste. He must be so very bored, at least it looks that way.
I don't know if I'll try that experiment again, but it was fun for a night.
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