Dodgers Streaking and Haydens Comeback

Dodgers Streaking

- The LA Dodgers were 30-42 on June 22^nd, since then they have been the hottest team in baseball, snapping out of the basement in their division catapulting to the top of their division, with a 7.5 game lead over the Arizona Diamondbacks.

- Since that Saturday in June, the Dodgers have won 43 games and only lost 10, one of the best 53 game stretches in MLB history. They are doing this behind an insane 1-2-3 pitching rotation of Clayton Kershaw, Zach Greinke and Ryu.

- The Dodgers’ manager Don Mattingly said that his job was in jeopardy prior to this streak. This streak is in line with the call up of Cuban defector outfielder Yasiel Puig. Puig’s offensive power and rocket arm in the outfield has been a jolt, while the rest of the Dodgers massive payroll is starting to perform.

Hayden back on field

- The Oakland Raiders may not win many games or make many headlines this year but they do have the feel-good story of the NFL season in the return of rookie CB D.J. Hayden. For those of you who don't know the story, Hayden was practicing last November at the University of Houston when a teammate hit him in the chest, a hit that looked fairly routine and innocuous. What nobody realized at the time though, was that he had suffered a freak injury, a vein tear in his heart, which usually only happens in car accident victims. - Here's where you start to realize how lucky Hayden is not just to be playing football still but to be alive. 95% of the people who suffer this injury die from it. Add to that the fact that no one could have guessed that he needed immediate emergency medical care and it looks even worse in retrospect. As put by Yahoo Sport's Frank Schwab:

1. If the training staff didn't make the decision to have him ride the cart into the football building, and had him walk in instead, he would probably be dead.

2. If athletic trainer Mike O'Shea had Hayden rest for a bit or take a shower, which isn't unusual, he would probably be dead.

3. If O'Shea hadn't seen the play because he was tending to another player or looking at another part of the field, when Hayden started talking about losing vision in his left eye on the training table, he couldn't immediately rule out a head injury and Hayden would probably be dead.

4. If O'Shea, without having any way of knowing that Hayden was suffering a life-and-death heart injury in his training room, not followed his instincts and called 9-1-1 immediately, Hayden would probably be dead.

5. If the first responders in the ambulance hadn't changed their minds once they got Hayden in the ambulance and took his vital signs, and decided to go right to the trauma center instead of another hospital, Hayden would probably be dead.

6. If Hayden had gone to another school after junior college, and not one in Houston with one of the world's best trauma center about four miles away, he would probably be dead.

7. If his thoracic diaphragm hadn't also torn, which caused blood to drain into his stomach, Hayden's heart would have suffocated and he would probably be dead.

- The Raiders may be unwatchable at times but even if the team is losing games they will have someone on the field who won his life back against stacked odds.

Tennis Stunner, and ARod Goes Deep

Stephens stuns Sharapova
- American Sloane Stephens defeated Maria Sharapova 2-6, 7-6 (5), 6-3 despite losing 8 of the first 10 games to advance to the third round of the Western and Southern Open. When asked about the match afterwards, Sharapova (who hadn't played in nearly a month) said: "I didn't continue what I was doing well for the first set and a half, and that hurt me."
- Stephens, who only turned 20 in March but is already the 17th ranked player in the world, is no stranger to upsets, having defeated Serena Williams earlier this year.
- The tournament is a bit of a misnomer as it is played in Cincinnati, not somewhere in the southwest.

Rodriguez Hits First Home Run of the Season
- Alex Rodriguez, with all the controversy swirling around him, crushed his first home run of the season off of Detroit Tigers superstar Cy Young winning pitcher Justin Verlander on Sunday. In his 5th game back, Rodriguez turned on a 92 MPH pitch from the struggling verlander to hit his 648th home run of his career.
- Rodriguez's well documented struggles are currently on hold as his appeal of his steroids suspension goes in front of an arbitrator. In the mean time, he is playing his way back into shape and into the lineup. Later in the same game a single with another RBI moved ARod into 6th place in the all time RBI list, ahead of Stan Musial.

Dufner, Busch win

Dufner wins PGA

- Jason Dufner completed a terrific week highlighted by a 63 on Friday, tied for best ever in a round at a major, by holding off Jim Furyk down the stretch by shooting a two-under 68 to win his first major championship.
- Dufner, who's known for his lack of emotion, did finally give a little fist pump and rose both arms after the win was final.  When asked about why he was so less emotional than athletes in other sports afterwards he said; "But those sports are a little more exciting.  For me, golf is a little bit more boring."  Fair enough.  Although golf is still probably more exciting than sitting in an elementary school as a part of a community outreach program, as Dufner did months ago.  That photo actually started an Internet fad called "Dufnering."  Google it.
- You can bet that he wasn't be Dufnering after the win on Sunday though, as he can now call himself a Major champion for the first time.


Busch holds on at Watkins Glen

- Two years ago, he lost the lead right at the end on a green-white checkered finish, ending up in third.  Last year he was bumped by Brad Kezelowski on the final lap and finished second.  This year, however, there were no late slip-ups for Kyle Busch at Watkins Glen and he held off none other than Brad Kezelowski down the stretch for the victory.
- Kezelowski said he could have won but probably would have had to wreck Busch, something which he was not willing to do.
- It was the first race that Tony Stewart, who badly broke his leg and was in the hospital for multiple surgeries, had missed in years.  He had a streak of 521 Cup starts.

Tigers Streaking, and Shabazz Sent Home

Tigers Streaking

- The Detroit Tigers are on a hot streak with the highest winning percentage in the American League bolstered by a 12-game unbeaten streak. The streak, largely against some of the weaker teams in the Major Leagues, has also been helped by starting pitchers Max Scherzer. Scherzer is 17-1 with 4 straight wins in his last 4 decisions.

- While the Tigers’ offense is led by last year’s MVP Miguel Cabrera, the second best player – Jhonny  Peralta – on the team was just suspended for most of the regular season in the Biogenisis scandal. The Tiger’s offense has been well rounded, but the Tigers ace Justin Verlander has had a relatively disappointing season, but Scherzer has more than picked up the slack.

Muhammad Sent Home

- The NBA kicked Minnesota Timberwolves first round pick Shabazz Muhammad out of their annual rookie symposium for allegedly bringing a girl back to his hotel room after the first day. The NBA rules specifically prohibit any guests in hotel rooms during the 4 day session.

- Muhammad will be required to attend the event next year along with all the rookies from the 2014 draft. This is the latest in a long line of questionable behavior from Muhammad and his family. In addition to dubious sponsorship for his tennis playing sister, a doctored birth certificate and a questionable relationship with many UCLA boosters, Muhammad and his parents have been accused of taking money from various sources.

- Muhammad has yet to play a game in the NBA, but is already becoming a lightning rod of contention.

Biogenesis update and Dempsey

Rodriguez, 12 others suspended for roles in Biogenesis

- On the same day that Alex Rodriguez was suspended for the rest of the 2013 season as well as all of 2014 for his role in the Biogenesis scandal, he ironically played his first game of the season, going 1 for 4 for the Yankees.  Rodriguez, who faces by far the harshest penalty of any of the players (who include former MVP Ryan Braun, Texas Rangers star Nelson Cruz, Detroit Tigers SS Jhonny Peralta and a handful of lesser known players) is in the process of appealing his suspension, the only player to do so.  
 - The theory is that his is so much longer in part because he misled investigators and has a long history with PED's.  Ryan Braun, received a 65 game suspension instead of the 50 games that the others received.  He was suspended following his MVP season but had the suspension overturned by an independent committee.
- Interestingly, it seems that investigators got most of their data from Facebook, text messages and BlackBerry messages, which is considered the main reason that none of the players chose to appeal their suspensions.  
- Superagent Scott Boras ripped the leaks that led to this investigation, saying that it does a disservice to the game and violates the collective bargaining agreement.  Boras does not represent Rodriguez, Braun or any of the other players suspended, but does represent a number of the biggest stars in baseball.


Dempsey Back Stateside 

- Clint Dempsey is back in the USA after he was transferred from Tottenham Hotspur to the Seattle Sounders for a transfer fee of $9 million. Dempsey is back for his second stint in America with Major League Soccer after previously playing for the New England Revolution from 2004-2006. Dempsey, one of the most prolific players in US Soccer history, is the captain of the US Men's Soccer team and is the second all time leading scorer in US history with 35 career goals. Dempsey is the first American to score a hat-trick in the ultra-competitive English Premier League. 
- This move should be a huge boon to Major League Soccer as well as the Sounders, who have sold out the first game Dempsey may play, even though he may be limited due to illness. The return to this side of the pond should bolster Dempsey’s stature and potentially help the game grow in the US.
- The move had nothing to do with the "new coach" in Tottenham. 

Rumors of Suspensions

Suspensions Likely Coming Today

- It is rumored that MLB will be announcing suspensions for the remaining players on the biogenesis scandal that has already taken Ryan Braun out of baseball for the rest of the year.

- The biggest name expected to be suspended is Alex Rodriguez.  Rumors are that MLB will look to suspend him through the end of 2014, or about 210 games. Rodriguez has been very defiant in interviews this past week reportedly angering MLB commissioner Bud Selig.

- Rodriguez has been “penciled” into the starting lineup for the Yankees today, potentially completing his comeback from offseason hip surgery. It is remained to be seen if he actually plays and how these suspensions will affect how much he plays this season.

Manziel done at College (Station)?
- Last week we brought you the story of Texas A&M superstar QB Johnny Manziel being thrown out of a fraternity party at a rival college, but now it looks like he could be thrown out of the NCAA altogether. - Manziel is being investigated for signing thousands of memorabilia items while in Miami for the National Championship Game in January and receiving a flat fee, said to be a five-figure amount. Two sources say that an autograph broker named Drew Tieman approached Manziel with the offer and although neither of the two saw money being exchanged, they did see the autograph signings, which were significantly more organized than a typical player just signing stuff for fans. - If Manziel is found to have done this, the reigning Heisman Trophy winner could be ruled ineligible for the upcoming NCAA season, and since he's only been out of high school for one full season, he wouldn't be able to go to the NFL via the supplemental draft, as former Ohio State QB Terrelle Pryor did a couple seasons ago after he was booted for a violation.

Sox rally, Cooper in trouble

Red Sox rally, stun Mariners

- When the Boston Red Sox were down 7-1 in the bottom of the 8th, and 7-2 to start the bottom of the 9th, even Red Sox players admitted that thoughts of a major league leading 11th walk-off victory were "still too far off."  Somehow though, the Red Sox managed to come through with 6 runs in the bottom of the 9th, sweeping the series from the Seattle Mariners and moving into first place in the AL East by a full game over the idle Tampa Bay Rays.
- Despite using 3 pitchers in the 9th, the Mariners only managed to get one out in an inning that Daniel Nava started (with a walk) and ended (with a game-winning single).  Boston got 6 hits and 3 walks during the inning, with only David Ortiz failing to get on base.  An emotional first year manager John Farrell said, "We don't quit. Ever. We truly believe we have a chance to do something special on a given night or given year. And that happens to be this year."
- Boston, whose 66 wins are the most in the MLB, will host Arizona next after the Diamondbacks just finished off the series against the Rays, who have the second best record in the American League at 64-44.


Cooper in hot water after slur

- Philadelphia Eagles WR Riley Cooper is in the news for all the wrong reasons.  Cooper, who is white, was at a concert a few weeks ago when someone took a video of him saying that he would "fight every black person in here," only he didn't say "black person."  After a while the video was posted online and now Cooper is having to scramble to explain himself.
- He was fined an undisclosed amount by the Eagles but will not be punished further by the NFL.  QB Michael Vick, who famously had his own different issue that he had to deal with years ago, came out a couple days ago saying that although he was offended by Cooper's remarks, he was satisfied with the heartfelt apology that followed.  RB Lesean Mccoy, who is also black, gave a more candid response, saying that although he forgives him and that they will continue to be civil, he no longer considers Cooper a friend and that their relationship will no longer extend beyond the football field.
- Certain players around the league have already come out saying that they think Cooper's action will make him a bigger target on the field so it's worth watching to see if he gets "retribution" at some point during the season.