Welcome to another week of potential sports memories. Summer is almost over and school will be beginning soon and that means the sport of football will come back into the national spotlight. It is easily the new American pastime now that baseball has been drowning in steroid reports. The weekly schedule and hard hitting play make this game the most popular game in the country. Well be prepared because it is coming and the anticipation is building.
College football will be here in about two weeks so you better be ready for all the madness on Saturdays. With the dozens of teams scattered throughout the United States it is easy for everyone to hop on board with their favorite team and cheer them on just because. It is a great time of year that can bring communities together and also turn neighboring communities to heated rivals. It’s all in good fun though and sportsmanship should be kept up throughout. But go ahead, cheer on your team and get ready for all the ups, downs and controversies that come from a season of college football.
The NFL preseason has officially begun and the countdown to the regular season is winding down. Soon enough the malls and streets will turn to ghost towns on Sundays and offices will be filled with the chatter of trades, missed points and all sorts of other fantasy football jargon on Mondays. It is
a multi-billion dollar industry and pretty soon we will be in it’s grips and enjoying every second of it.
Just a couple more weeks and it will all be here but until then enjoy what’s left of the baseball regular season and the final home stretch of the NASCAR season.
Top 3
1. NASCAR – Bristol Motor Speedway – August 21 @ 7:30 pm
KevinHarvick solidified his spot in the Sprint Cup Chase with a big win over the weekend but with three races left before The Chase officially begins, there is plenty of room fo
r other drivers to maneuver into the running. Big names like Jeff Gordon, Tony Stewart and Jimmie Johnson would need to have monumental collapses not to make it but other headliners like Dale Earnhardt Jr., Kasey Kahne and Mark Martin are on the close outside looking in but would not make the post season as of now. They need to be on top of their game these last few weeks and secure wins in order to make sure they made The Chase. This race at legendary Bristol Motor Speedway could be the start of their Cinderella trip to the Sprint Cup. Watch to see who steps up to the challenge and who fades away in the rear-view mirror. While Kevin Harvick won’t be all that aggressive, other drivers will be and this aggressiveness can lead to some spectacular crashes. This will be fun to watch.
2. MLB – Chicago White Sox at Minnesota Twins – August 17, 28 & 19
The Twins currently hold a three game lead over the White Sox in the American League Central division and this series could bring the Sox into a tie for first or help keep the Twins on top. At this point of the season a series like this could make a huge difference when it comes down to the end and only a few games stand between a team’s season ending or advancing onto the playoffs. The White Sox Manage, Ozzie Guillen, is no slouch and he will keep his player’s heads in the game until the bitter end but the Twins are a solid team with reigning American League MVP Joe Mauer for a catcher and they won’t go down easily. This will be a hard fought and scrappy series that could very well could cost one of these teams their shot at the World Series. Usually the most memorable part of any White Sox game is the press conference after the
game when Ozzie says some of the most memorable quotes you will ever hear in sports. Examples:
“I’m not a quitter. When I want to quit, I’ll do a lot of stupid things and make sure they fire me and get paid.”
“We’re playing lousy baseball on the bases, pitching, everything. There’s no doubt about it. We really flat-out stink. It’s not the same team I’ve been watching all year.”
3. MLB – Washington Nationals at Philadelphia Phillies – August 21 @ 7:05 pm
Stephen Strasburg is scheduled to start this game against the hard hitting Phillies and after less than stellar outings his last two games, it will be very interesting to see how he responds. The Florida Marlins hit him hard and then the Arizona Diamondbacks didn’t let him reach the 6th inning and neither of those teams have nearly the batting lineup the Phillies have. Monster slugger Ryan Howard will have returned by then and looking to prove that he’s still the big power hitter he always has been. But there is also Jayson Werth, Jimmy Rollins and Shane Victorino (among others) that Strasburg will have to deal with. Add to it that the Phillies are trying to make the playoffs and every win is huge for them, Strasburg has his work cut out for him. But if he can shut down this lineup and then his legend will continue to grow. It’s a win-win opportunity for you because a win or a loss by Strasburg will be remembered for a long time at this point.
Quick Picks
- There aren’t any real marque-esque preseason games this week for the NFL but any team is worth watching in the first quarter when their starters are in to get some playing time. Check out the schedule to see when your team will be playing.
- College football is even closer to meaningful games, check out their regular season schedule to see where your school is playing.
