Positive Numbers: Suni Lee (NEW!!!!). Yeah, it's the Olympics, and I never talk about the Olympics here, but I must confess: Yesterday, as I was getting ready to work, the push notification from the Wall Street Journal (and I don't remember giving the newspaper that permission, but oh well) dropped onto my cellphone screen with the breaking news that One Of Us, Sunisa Lee out of St. Paul, won the gold medal in the women's gymnastics all-around final. I thought all was lost once Simone Biles decided to drop out of the competition. But looky here: A Minnesotan, of all people, steps up and delivers an unexpected gold medal.
Local pundits have been quick to anoint Lee as The Greatest Minnesota Sports Story Ever ... and frankly, she might be it. I mean, with the exception of the Lynx and a few Golden Gopher teams since 2000, there haven't been any local champions. Jessie Diggins? That was an unexpected gold, even though she was considered to be a factor, and she was the first American to ever win in cross-country. Also, did you see her finishing kick? But, as provincial as we want to be, no one cares about cross-country. Caleb Truax? He was a champion in boxing, holding the IBF Super Middleweight belt for a year. But it is boxing, a niche sport these days, and it was a year. On the other hand, women's gymnastics is one of the most popular sports in the Summer Games, and the individual all-around is one of its marquee events. Fans know who won gold in that. And this year, it's Suni Lee ... outta St. Paul. That's a hell of a thing.
And so, even though I have never met her, when I saw the push notification, I actually pumped my fist and said quietly to myself, "Alright!" And honestly, my day was a bit brighter because of that news. Not gonna lie.
Congratulations to Sunisa Lee! Too bad you're headed to Auburn to compete instead of the U., but still, you're One Of Us!
I'm looking all over YouTube for videos of just those two Goals, and I don't think there are highlights of them. Just take my word that you should see them. Versus the Timbers (which I could have gone but didn't because 1] I wanted to see Ohtani and Anaheim instead and 2] I was afraid there would be some ugly fallout from fans of both sides over Franco Fragapane allegedly racially slurring Diego Chara), in the 85th Minute, Bebelo Reynoso uncorked a pass from just past the halfway line to Robin Lod who, off the half-volley, tucked it into the corner for the eventual Game-winner. And out in South Central, Jan Gregus crossed to Hasani Dotson who, out of nowhere, blitzed a howitzer into the low corner in the 95th Minute to salvage a Draw and a Point.
Soccer is a transitory Game. Players you become fans of rarely stay awhile. For example, Jan Gregus, who was a stalwart Defensive Midfielder, has become a part-timer this Year and, in all likelihood, is on his way out. (By the way, Ramon Abila is probably already on his way out; after scoring one Goal [I think] with his cup of coffee here, the team looks is asking to call off the loan.) But this organization has shown the ability to find good players and, more importantly, keep finding good players to replace the formerly good players that once had. Oh, also? Reynoso is worth all the Designated Player money MNUFC is paying him.
The play Vancouver Saturday, but not in Vancouver. The three Canadian teams in Major League Soccer have just been allowed to play their home Matches in their actual homes up north, but for the Whitecaps, they're going to take it slow and play the Loons in their home away from home, Rio Tinto Stadium in Salt Lake City.
#-1: Twins (Last Week: -2). Ah, so this all this bullshit happened:
- Supposed ace Jose Berrios, who on the 19th was finally allowed to pitch out the string at the end of the back end of a Doubleheader because it was only seven Innings and Manager Rocco Baldelli had already used his relievers in the first Game, and did not prove he was All That because he was responsible for the three Runs the White Sox got in the bottom of that Inning to win, 5-3, Berrios was the Starting Pitcher for Saturday's tilt vs. Anaheim and took that Loss also. I will say, however, that Berrios actually pitched well: Going seven strong and walking nobody. Unlike his previous outing, his trouble came at the beginning of the Game, not the end: The two Runs that scored while he was on the mound in the First Inning was enough for the Angels, and while he allowed a couple Hits, he was undone by an Error off a botched Double Play relay throw from Jorge Polanco, so neither Run was Earned.
- The Twinks had the lead in Monday's and Tuesday's home contests against Detroit going into the top of the Ninth and, as usual, the relievers shit the bed, allowing the Tigers to tie both Games via the Home Run. Alex Colome (what a disaster his signing was) was responsible Monday, but Minnesota eventually won in extras; I think Hansel Robles was responsible Tuesday, and this time the Tigers eked out the win, their first at Target Field over the Twinks in, like, eight Games here.
- The Tigers, who are just as shit as the Twinks this season, won the series by defeating Minnesota Wednesday afternoon, 17-14. This despite them hitting seven Home Runs, including four in the Eighth Inning. They are just the fifth in Major League Baseball history to hit seven HRs and lose ... and they may be the first team ever to hit that many homers and lose to a team that did not hit a Home Run at all. But the Tigers led 10-0 after four, helped mightily by eight Runs scored in the fourth. J. A. Happ -- goddamn, what a calamitous signing.
This screening Week starts the maximum road trip. They're in St. Louis over the weekend, play a two-fer in Cincinnati starting on Tuesday, then have four in Houston beginning on Thursday.
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