The Big Story – Is USA Still Alive: We ask it that way because right after I file this on Monday they face Belgium in their first chance to get to the Round of 8 in the World Cup since 2002.
Which pushes the Celtics’ controversial trade of Jaylen Brown to Philly to story 2.
The good news, however fair it is or not, is top USA scorer Folarin Balogun will play in the game after his red card penalty/suspension from their win over Bosnia-Herzegovina was magically pushed into the future after the convicted felon in the White House appealed to FIFA chief Gianni Infantino because “it was unfair” and he rolled over like he was about to face a primary challenge for disagreeing with the boss.
Belgium was justifiably irate, as United States corruption now extends to even World Cup soccer.
Sports 101: With baseball’s All-Star Game coming up on Tuesday seems a good time to ask: \Who holds the ASG records for RBI, homers and games played?
News Item – Celtics Trade Jaylen Brown: No, that was not an earthquake aftershock that hit Celtic Nation last week. It was Red Auerbach rolling over in his grave at the dumbest trade made in team history.
It sent the prime-of-life 29-year-old coming off an MVP-caliber year to the 76ers for limping-to-the-finish-line 36-year-old one-time All-Star Paul George, who has averaged playing just 47 games per year over the last seven seasons. A preposterous move that sets them back and makes their historic rival co-favorite (with NYK’s) in the Eastern Conference.
News Item – Mind Numbing All-Star Picks: Somehow wins don’t matter these days in MLB. The latest example is 10-1 Sonny Gray with a 2.69 ERA somehow being passed over for the All-Star squad in favor of teammate Ranger Suarez, who is 4-3, 2.94.
Love to hear the rationale on that.
The Numbers:
2 – more professional athletes added to growing list of sports gambling indictments. This time it’s Malik Beasley, who’s kissed his multi-million-dollar NBA career goodbye along with Bucks teammate Ed Davis.
6 – errors by Sox right fielder Wilyer Abreu, which is a lot for a full season, let alone by mid-year. There goes that third straight gold glove.
1,364 – career strikeouts by Aroldis Chapman where the K of the Angels’ Denzer Guzman on Friday made him the all-time strikeouts leader among closers.
… Of the Week Awards
Who’s Hot – Caleb Durbin: On June 1 Durbin was hitting .186 with 2 homers and 22 RBI. As of Sunday he’s up to .227, 8 homers, 37 RBI, 8 stolen bases. Not great, but comparable to the departed Alex Bregman’s .240, 7 homers and 31 RBI with the Cubs. They even are identical in the field with each having 4 errors and .978 fielding averages. The only difference is that Bregman makes $40 million per and it’s $790 K for Durbin.
Rumor Mill: The most interesting recent one has former Celtics owner Wyc Grousbeck among the bidders to buy the Seattle Seahawks from the estate of Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen.
Random Thoughts:
I’ve got zero interest in LeBron James’ coming narcissistic “hey look at me in my final year” tour.
Hate to tell LBJ, the truly beloved players are identified with their team — Jordan/Bulls, Bird/Celtics, Duncan/SA, Kobe/Lakers. Which of the four teams you abandoned will you be identified with?
Definitely not L.A. And unless he goes back to Cleveland it’ll probably be none.
Instead he’ll likely go to Miami or Philly because he wants to close it out with another manufactured title team that he had to join others to get. That’s the career pattern anyway.
Sports 101 Answer: With 12 Ted Williams has the ASG record for RBI. Stan Musial’s 6 are the homer record. Musial, Willie Mays and Hank Aaron played in a record 24 games.
Final Thought – Thumbs Down On Jaylen Brown Trade: Brad Stevens is not dumb enough to make the worst trade in Celtic history. Which is to move a 29-year-old coming off a powerhouse season for an injury-prone 36-year-old cheaper guy.
If they’d gotten electric rookie VJ Edgecombe, fine. Instead it’s for a guy who’s missed 35 games played for seven seasons, two first-round picks too far into the future to help now and two second-round picks who’ll likely have little impact.
So why do it? Money, of course. Brown is eligible later this month for a two-year extension to the remaining three years on his already giant contract and ownership apparently didn’t want to pay it. Hence the willingness/haste to accept a deal that makes them immediately weaker and their archrival much better. Where if Philly does win the title, to me it will be the new owner’s Bill Buckner moment.
But at least the playing hurt Buckner tried to catch Mookie Wilson’s grounder, while the Celtics just let the moment go by without much effort.
Booooo!!!!
Email Dave Long at dlong@hippopress.com.