By LOGAN RIPLEY
Sports Editor
1. NFL Preseason
NFL preseason is in full swing, leading with the New York Giants delivering star wide receiver Victor Cruz an ultimatum to take less money or leave town, and the Houston Texans cutting ties with Pro Bowl running back Arian Foster after seven seasons.
In a month where we will see many changes in personnel, the headlines are dominated by suspensions.
New England Patriots star quarterback Tom Brady will serve his four-game suspension for violating league rules; Jimmy Garoppolo will start in his absence.
Pittsburgh Steelers running back Le’Veon Bell will again be suspended to start the season; originally reported as a four-game suspension, it was cut down to three for missing mandatory drug testing.
Dallas Cowboys linebacker Ronaldo McClain has been suspended for 10 games for violating the NFL’s substance abuse policy.
Buffalo Bills star defensive tackle Marcell Dareus will enter a rehab program after receiving a four-game suspension. “After careful consideration of recent events within my life, I have made the decision to enter a rehabilitation facility,” Dareus said. “I feel this is the best decision for me, my family and my teammates as I move forward with my career. I appreciate the support of my teammates and the Bills organization through this process.”
The biggest story thus far in preseason games, though, goes to back-up rookie quarterback Dak Prescott.
Prescott now has six touchdowns in two games for the Cowboys and only five incompletions. Dallas has a much deeper quarterback regime this season than last, knowing that without Tony Romo starting their season would take a hit.
“He’s playing great. To have depth at that position, it’s a big, big bonus,” said Romo about Prescott. “Hopefully he can continue. And he’s a good kid, so you really root for him.”
As Romo returns after an array of injuries in 2016, the Cowboys may need Prescott sooner than later.
2. Mets’ Struggles Continue
The MLB has showcased many interesting storylines late in the season, from the Yankees selling for the first time since the 80s to the Chicago Cubs trying to end a reign of disappointment with curse buster Theo Epstein at the helm.
But the biggest change in recent history is the star-studded New York Mets as they are taking in water in the NL East, sitting 12½ games back of the first place Washington Nationals and two games below .500.
After a season that has seen ace Matt Harvey lost for the year, star David Wright still not back from injury and Daniel Murphy having a breakout season after moving out of New York to the red-hot Nationals, the team which featured in last year’s World Series may not make the playoffs and could be without a head skipper in a few weeks.
The Mets and their fans have lost hope in their season which was highlighted after coach Terry Collins called the players out for not working hard enough on the field. Though they are not living up to what they should have been this season, it doesn’t mean they are out of it for the next couple years.
With arguably still the best rotation in the majors when healthy, the Mets have the arms to make a run to the playoffs, but the key is what bats will carry them through it.
Jay Bruce, who was acquired through a trade with the Reds, has been a shell of himself and can’t be relied upon in the future. Also, lack of depth in the outfield has ranked this team toward the end in run support.
Making a splash in free-agency this coming off-season will turn around what was a bottom-feeding team to having another chance at being world champions.
3. Olympic Golf Returns
Enough about the self proclaimed “dream team,” it’s time to talk about the “B” team.
Just like in Olympic golf, players decided to forgo their chance at being an Olympian to improve their chance of being around for their own seasons or tournaments.
In golf, players are on a hectic schedule, leading them around the world for more than half the year. These tournaments are set well in advance to help golfers find time for practice and things outside the sport.
But when an opportunity like the Olympics comes up, they would just decide to drop everything and take a flight to Brazil… so the fans thought.
Big names like Dustin Johnson, Jordan Spieth and Jason Day cited many issues to explain why they did not play for their respected countries, but none were more brash than what Irishman Rory McIlroy.
“I don’t feel like I’ve let the game down at all,” he said. “I didn’t get into golf to try to grow the game. I got into golf to win championships and win majors. All of a sudden you get to this point and there is a responsibility on you to grow the game, and I get that. But at the same time that’s not the reason I got into golf. I got into golf to win. I didn’t get into golf to get other people into the game.”
With the core four dropping out of the tournament, a weekend field was left that was less exciting and viewable to non-fans of the sport.
Though not the highlight of the Olympic games, a performance was put on by Justin Rose who won gold for Great Britain (268), Henrik Stenson silver for Sweden, and Matt Kuchar bronze for the United States.
4. USA Basketball Shines, Once Again
Sticking with the B-Team and the Olympics, men’s golf wasn’t the only sport to take a hit. The USA men’s basketball team did not dress all their stars for this Olympics as we’ve grown accustomed to throughout the years. Top NBA players such as LeBron James, Stephen Curry, and Russell Westbrook did not make the flight to Brazil.
Backing out of the Olympics became a norm early in the summer and for an array of reasons. Some cited injuries, while others plainly Zika.
But the B-team, which featured Kevin Durant, Paul George and Klay Thompson bent but not break against the ever-growing talent across the world. Their first test was Australia, headlined by guards Mathew Dellavedova, Patty Mills and big man Andrew Bogut. The Aussies gave the U.S. a challenge but fell 98-88 and faced Spain in the bronze medal game. The U.S. didn’t coast throughout the Olympic schedule, facing tough opponents while their defense was raided for bucket after bucket.
Though not the best team that could be fielded, the Americans made it to the gold medal game where they defeated Serbia 96-66 to win their third straight gold medal on the international stage.
5. Memorable Rio Olympics Come to a Close
The 2016 Olympics in Rio kept August in a fog. From the U.S. Women’s Gymnastic team winning the overall gold to Usain Bolt once again electrifying the world on its biggest stage, the Olympics in Brazil were better than expected.
The story lines were not all about Bolt or gymnastics coming into the 29th summer Olympics, but also about the condition of the area surrounding and inside the games.
From the viral problem with Zika virus and conditions of the water used for rowing competitions, these Olympics were concluded by some to be a disaster.
The fact that this forecast changed even a little bit was good for the country of Brazil. Once prosperous and one of the up-and-coming economies before 2008, Brazil didn’t know what was ahead of them before bidding on their Olympic games.
Not knowing they would be at the forefront of maybe the biggest Olympic disaster, they stayed the course and made all the events possible to the best of their abilities.
In the end Brazil hosted a memorable games that had Michael Phelps winning five gold and one silver medal for a record 23 gold medals and 28 total medals throughout his illustrious career. 20-year-old Simone Manuel made history as she became the first African-American female to win an Olympic gold medal in an individual swimming event.
To cap off the games, the fastest man in the world, Usain Bolt, made it a three-peat as he won the 100m, 200m, and 4x100m relay this year and for an unmatchable third time.
Though not the most traveled Olympics, it hosted a first-time sport, many first-time Olympians and the most memorable Olympics to date. We’ll have to wait and see if the 2020 summer games in Tokyo can match or overshadow this historic Olympic games.
