Archive for June, 2016
Von Miller Wants To Be Bronco, Curry’s Used Mouthguard For Sale
NFL
Good news for Denver Broncos fans worried about the stalemate between linebacker Von Miller and team management. The Super Bowl MVP appeared on Chelsea Handler’s Netflix talk show recently and said that he wants “to be a Bronco forever.†The Broncos applied the franchise tag to Miller during the offseason, giving them until July 15th to hammer out a contract with the player. Negotiations have been rocky, and Von Miller has rejected the current offer on the table. If there’s no agreement made soon, Von Miller will likely end up playing one season with the annual salary guaranteed him by the franchise-tag- about $14 million.
NBA
If you watch the Golden State Warriors point guard Steph Curry play, you see a lot of things. His unorthodox jump shot, his knack for sinking three pointers, and yes, of course, his staple mouthguard. You may not have Curry’s talent for basketball, but now you can have one of his game-used mouthguards. The mouthguard, recovered from the floor near the Warrior’s bench after a game, is being put up for auction and is expected to net at least $5,000. The item is a staple of Curry. His mouthguard sometimes seems to be going in and out of his mouth more than air. “I just chew on it like crazy,†Curry said in a TV appearance earlier this year. “It kind of calms me down, especially when I’m at the free throw line.†Let’s just see if it has the same calming effect on the auction’s winning bidder when the bill arrives.
Brady Gears Up To Appeal Suspension
NFL
It’s not really about deflated footballs anymore. New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady is gearing up to appeal his four game suspension to the highest court in the nation.
“Deflategate†has been going on for 17 long months, but it’s still not quite over. For a quick recap- the Patriots were accused of deflating game balls before the AFC Championship game last January. Brady was suspended for four games. He appealed and the case slowly made its way through the court system. Most recently, the U.S. Court of Appeals upheld the NFL’s suspension of Brady, calling the evidence against him “compelling.†Now his only chance to play every game of the 2016 season is to get the Supreme Court to hear his case. This would, at the very least, postpone his suspension another year.
Whether or not the Supreme Court will actually hear the case is another matter. The case won’t really be about whether or not Brady is guilty, but how his punishment and appeal were handled by the NFL. Brady’s lawyer will argue that the NFL piled on additional charges against Brady when he went to appeal his suspension, effectively creating a moving target. But for the Supreme Court to hear the case, he must convince them this sets a dangerous precedent for the arbitration process and threatens unionized workers all across America.
LeBron And Kyrie Show Greatness With Cavs Win, Robinson’s Seattle Tryout
NBA
The stakes were high Monday night in Oakland for the NBA Finals with LeBron James and Kyrie Irving showing greatness with a stunning 41 points each to force a game 6 in Cleveland Thursday night. Their combined 82 points was the most by teammates facing elimination in an NBA Finals game. The Warriors were without their Center Draymond Green who was suspended for this game due to a flagrant foul he committed against LeBron James in Game 4. The Warriors’ defense had trouble containing LeBron and Kyrie without Green and when the Warriors’ Andrew Bogut went down in the 3rd quarter with an injured knee, the game was essentially over. Cavaliers 112, Warriors 97.
The Warriors blamed LeBron for disrespecting Green by walking over him during the incident in game 4 then heckled him before and during Monday’s game. Instead of rattling LeBron, the chatter just ignited his fiercely competitive nature directing him to deliver not only 41 points but also 16 rebounds and 7 assists.
Emotions will be running high Thursday night for game 6 when Draymond rejoins the team. Â What could have been a boring 7 game series is now turning into drama filled must watch TV. Game 6 June 16th 9:00 pm EST.
NFL
In what seems like a huge longshot, 11-year NBA veteran, Nate Robinson is trying out to be a Seattle Seahawks defensive back. Robinson is 32 years old but has stayed in physical shape by playing this past season for Hapoel Tel Aviv. Robinson played cornerback in college but then quit to pursue his basketball career.
Game 5 NBA Finals Monday Night W/O Draymond Green, Penguins Win Stanley Cup, Creator Wins Belmont Stakes
Big weekend in sports!
NBA
The Golden State Warriors stole a game 4 in Cleveland on Friday night to lead the best of seven series 3-1. Game 5 is back in California Monday night. If the Cavaliers lose, the series is over and the Warriors will have won back to back NBA Championships. Unfortunately for the Warriors,  one of their best players, Draymond Green is suspended for Monday night’s game for a flagrant foul he committed during the last few minutes of game 4. The foul against LeBron James was called a, “retaliatory swipe of his hand to the groin”.  According to the NBA, Draymond wouldn’t have been suspended for game 5 just for this foul alone but with the number of flagrant fouls his committed through the postseason, this penalty was appropriate.  Many in the sports world think the penalty is excessive and could affect the rest of the series. Must watch game, Monday 9:00 pm EST ABC.
NHL
With a win over the San Jose Sharks, the Pittsburgh Penguins took home the Stanley Cup for the 4th time in franchise history. The Penguins beat the Sharks 4-2 in the best of seven Finals. The Penguins’ Captain Sidney Crosby took home the MVP honors, the Conn Smythe trophy, and according to his coaches and teammates, there was no one more deserving.
HORSE RACING
In the 3rd leg of the Triple Crown series, the Belmont Stakes, Creator won by a photo finish, just edging out Destin. Creator finished 13th in the Kentucky Derby and didn’t even compete in the Preakness. The Preakness winner, Exaggerator, went off as the favorite but only finished in 11th place. There was considerably less hype for the Belmont Stakes this year as there wasn’t a Triple Crown Contender like American Pharoah who caught the racing world by storm when he won all three races last year.
Sharks Out Skate Penguins Game 5, Euro 2016, NBA Finals Game 4
NHL
The San Jose Sharks out skated the Pittsburgh Penguins in Pittsburgh to force the series back to San Jose for game 6 Sunday night of the Stanley Cup Finals. The Penguins lead the series 3-2. The Sharks goalie, Martin Jones, made a remarkable 44 saves, the most of any finals regulation game. Sharks 4, Penguins 2.
SOCCER
The Euro 2016 tournament kicks off this weekend. The European Championship takes place every 4 years so it’s a big deal. Plus, France is hosting the tournament and with the terror attacks in Paris last November, security will be tight. They are expecting over 100,000 security officials working the tournament. Â Super Victor is the official mascot of the tournament, but unfortunately for event organizers, the name (which was chosen in a poll) is the same name as a sex aid.
NBA
The NBA Finals’ Game 4 is Friday night in Cleveland. 9:00 pm EST. The Golden State Warriors lead the best of seven series 2-1.
Cavs Dominate Game 3, Von Miller Still Negotiating Huge Contract, Sharapova Banned For Drug Use
NBA
The Cleveland Cavaliers dominated game 3 from beginning to end and have now made the NBA Final against the Golden State Warriors competitive. Kyrie Irving stepped up early and finished the game with 30 points while LeBron added his magic with 32 points, 11 rebounds and 6 assists. Compare those stats to the Warriors’ Splash brothers, Steph Curry and Klay Thompson only combing for 35 points. Game 4 is Friday night 9:00 pm ABC. Cavaliers 120, Warriors 90.
NFL
The Denver Broncos organization has more on its mind than Aqib Talib’s gunshot wound. They are now reportedly still trying to sign an agreement with their franchise linebacker Von Miller. The offer on the table is  $114.5 million over 6 years. The issue apparently is the how much of the money is guaranteed. The Broncos have offered $35 million in the first 2 years while Von Miller’s reps have asked for a number closer to $69 million. Even though Von Miller hasn’t attended the Bronco’s off-season practices, he did join the Team in meeting President Obama at the White House this week.
TENNIS
The former #1 player Maria Sharapova plans to appeal her 2 year suspension from tennis for taking the drug meldonium, as stated by drug detox el paso. Sharapova claims she unintentionally took a banned substance and she should have been warned in advance of the drug’s listing. In addition to not playing in tournaments,  Sharapova’s major endorser, Tag Heuer, has cut its ties to her while Porsche says its keeping its distance.
Osweiler And Talib Miss Trip To White House, NBA Finals Game 3 Wed Night
NFL
Former Denver Bronco QB Brock Osweiler skipped a trip to the White House with his former teammates to practice with his new team, the Houston Texans. He wasn’t trying to make a political statement, he said he just didn’t want to miss a practice. He told USA Today,“We only have 10 OTA practices, plus minicamp. It’s really not that many days. And whenever you’re learning a new system, every single one of those days is very precious. Every single rep, every single meeting.” The Texans made a huge investment in Osweiler and Osweiler is clearly taking his leadership role seriously.
Broncos’ cornerback Aqib Talib also missed the Super Bowl Champions’ trip to DC to meet the President. He accidentally shot himself in the leg early Sunday morning after partying in a Dallas nightclub. Talib is expected to be back at practice in Denver this week.
NBA
The NBA Finals heads back to Cleveland for Wednesday night’s game 3. The Golden State Warriors hold a 2-0 lead over the Cleveland Cavaliers so game 3 is a must-win for the Cavs. Watch on ABC 9:00 pm ET
Penguins Game 4 Win Over Sharks, Curry Resting Over Olympics, Drake Stops By Ayesha’s Restaurant
NHL
The Pittsburgh Penguins are now one win away from winning the Stanley Cup Title. In a decisive game 4 win over the San Jose Sharks on Monday night, the Penguins head home for game 5 (and the chance of securing a Championship) Thursday night 8:00 pm ET. Pittsburgh 3, San Jose 1.
NBA
Steph Curry announced he will skip the Rio Olympics. He stated he needs to rest his knee which he injured in their playoff matchup against the Houston Rockets. Curry has never competed in the Olympics but he has won two FIBA World Cup gold medals with Team USA.
In more Curry news, Ayesha Curry (Steph’s wife) opened up a pop up bbq restaurant in San Francisco called International Smoke (open through the end of the summer). Ayesha is scheduled to have her own show on Food Network. Toronto fan, Drake, showed up to support the Curry’s (even though Curry and the Warriors beat his beloved Raptors).
Muhammad Ali’s Legacy, Djokovic’s Historic Win, Williams Loses In Final, Warriors’ Defense Crushes Cavs
BOXING
The most charismatic and greatest boxer of the ages, Muhammad Ali, died over the weekend at the age of 74 due to respiratory issues related to his Parkinson’s disease. Ali was a three-time heavyweight champion but transcended the world of boxing and became known for his anti-war stance and his opinions on the world.  One of his assistants captured Ali’s presence in the ring with the now famous saying, Mr. Ali would “float like a butterfly, sting like a bee.â€
TENNIS
By winning the French Open, Novak Djokovic accomplished what no male player has in over a decade, won all four Grand Slam titles at once. The last player to accomplish this feat was Rod Laver in 1969.
In the women’s draw, top seeded Serena  Williams lost to Garbine Muguruza. The win was Muguruza’s first Grand Slam title.
NBA
The Golden State Warriors certainly made a statement at home in game 2 of the NBA Finals. Their defense simply crushed the Cleveland Cavaliers for a decisive win. On offense, the Warriors’ Draymond Green was the star with 28 points and 5 3-pointers. The Warriors are up 2-0 in the best of seven series. Game 3 is Wednesday in Cleveland 9:00 pm EST ABC. Warriors 110, Cavaliers 77.
Bench Helps Warriors Cruise To Victory
NBA
The Cleveland Cavaliers were only down by 3 entering the 4th quarter but then the Warriors’ bench came to play. Shaun Livingston added a team high 20 points while Leandro Barbosa and Andre Iguodala rounded out a solid 45 point points from these bench players. The Cavs held the Splash brothers (Steph Curry and Klay Thompson) to only 20 points but with the depth and the perseverance of this team, it didn’t matter. In addition to the great play from the bench, sports fans are talking about Andre Iguodala getting “accidentally” swatted in the groin and Warriors’ coach Steve Kerr taking his frustrations out in the 3rd quarter by smashing and destroying a clipboard.  Asked about the clipboard incident, Kerr said, “Destruction tends to ease some of the anger. So I try to take it out on a clipboard instead of a player. It’s better that way.†Game 2 will take place on Sunday, 8:00 pm ET. Warriors 104, Cavaliers 89.
