AFL (with Matthew Pavlich and all)

Jeremy Cameron

Mark O'Connor

Marley Williams

Matthew Pavlich

Matthew Kreuzer

August is Beach Month

Gabriel Duarte Meira

 Ryan Fisher

Laszlo Baritz

Adam Ayash

Matt de Boer

Alen Kostelac

 Alfie Allen

Andrea Denver

Blake Bridges

Saturday Sport: Kittens, Swans, Crickets, Hurdles

It has been a weeks of surprises in sport, some weirdness, some upsets:

USA:  Baseball:  The St. Louis Cardinals were losing 5 to 4 to their cross state rivals, the Kansas City Royals, when a cat invaded the field and stopped play.  The cat did not look feral, but certainly did not like the attention it was receiving.  Originally approaching a Royals outfielder, the cat realized his mistake, clearly a feline of good taste, and continue to flee toward the outfield wall.   A Cardinals groundskeeper risked life and limb, in short sleeves and short pants, to track down the feline, so that play could continue.  The cat did not go down easily, biting and scratching across the entire outfield, and infield for that matter.  The unfortunate and importunate groundskeeper dropped the cat outside of the ball field, as he headed for first aid. A woman insisted on taking the cat, but then stated she had lost it in the park across from the stadium.  The search continues.

The cat was renamed #RallyCat.  Baseball fans will remember #Buschie the #RallySquirrel from a few years ago, whose appearance during a game launched the suffering Cardinals into glory.  #RallyCat did not disappoint as it was his turn at bat.  After the distraction, Cardinal's veteran player Yadier Molina was at bat, and batted a GRAND SLAM HOME RUN, garnering four runs for the Cardinals, who held out to win the game.  The Cardinals have renamed him Yadier Meowlina, and he has since professed a great love for cats.  The next day the Cardinals hit a grand slam, the first time in their history this has happedn two games in a row.  Pictures of Yadier with his kittens are now all over the internet.  In more weird news, Cardinal's pitcher, Lance Lynn, was hit in the side of the head by a 110 mph ball, but continued the game unscathed. 

The Cardinals have reignited the National League Central Division race these days with a six game win streak.  This should make their weekend games at the Atlanta Braves doubly interesting. Division Leaders Chicago Cubs have entered their characteristic August slump. 

In the USA:  Today features PGA Golf Third-round play in the 99th PGA Championship, from Quail Hollow Club in Charlotte, North Carolina. This is golf's final major of the season, with Sergio Garcia, Brooks Koepka and Jordan Spieth winning the first three. The purse for this tournament is $10.5 million

In London, United Kingdom, the Track and Field Worlds continue.  As covered elsewhere in this space, 21 year old Norwegian Hurdler Karsten Warholm apparently surprised himself most of all, when he took the Gold medal in the 400 m hurdles.  Please read Rexswimguy's excellent coverage, but look around the net for pictures of the amazed athlete like the one featured here.  They're  better than a baseball player covered with kittens.    

Saturdays action at the Track and Field Worlds includes various events in the Decathlon, including the 110 m hurdles, the discuss, javelin,  and pole vault.  The Decathlon will come to a stirring conclusion in this evening's 1500 meters race.  Today also features finals in men's 5000 meters, javelin, and 4x100 m relay. 

In Sri Lanka, India continues their tour with their 3rd Test at Pallekele International Cricket Stadium, also known as Muttiah Muralitharan International Cricket Stadium (Sinhala: පල්ලෙකැලේ ජාත්‍යන්තර ක්‍රිකට් ක්‍රීඩාංගණය, Tamil: பல்லேகலை சர்வதேச கிரிக்கெட் விளையாட்டு மைதானம்) in Kandy.  This test begins today and lasts through

the 16th.   Pallekele is an ultra modern facility, which opened a few years ago and seats 22,000.  India has been dominating the series so far, and with Sri Lanka missing some key players due to injuries, the hosts will have to rely on surprise to hold out for a win.  No national team from India has ever swept a series of three tests or less on foreign soil, but under the captaincy of Virat Kohli, this team may pull out that honor. 

In Aussie Rules football:  The 2017 season has been one of the most exciting and intriguing in recent memory, as many matches have been close, and could have gone either way.  On a weekly basis at least one fan base has been left wondering how different things could have been if that crucial set shot or turnover went in their team’s favor.  In a season as close as 2017 - it is the close margins in games which may well decide who finishes in the top eight.  This is especially challenging in that as of the end of Round 20 there have been 37 games decided by 10 points or less.  Every team apart from Adelaide have been involved in a game which has been decided by 10 points or less thus far.  Today will see contests between the Sydney Swans vs. Fremantle at the Sydney Cricket Grounds, the Geelong Cats vs. Richmond, the Brisbane Lions vs. the Gold Coast Suns, Essendon vs. the Adelaide Crows, and the West Coast Eagles vs. Carlton.  The Fremantle Dockers make a rare trip to Sydney for a clash with the Swans at the Sydney Cricket Grounds, and it looms as a tough assignment for Ross Lyon's team who showed some good signs in their win over the Suns last week, just their second from their past 10 games. Sydney, currently 6th in the standings,  bounced back from a loss to Hawthorn to smash Geelong and reaffirm its status as a premiership contender. The Swans' miserly defense is settled and in form, so it's hard to see Fremantle kicking a big enough score to cause the home side any trouble.  In their last five meetings, the Swans have beat the Dockers, three games to two. 

Meanwhile, back in Europe, English Premiership Soccer is ramping up again, as are many of the other Ligues, Ligas, Serie, etc.  Seems like last season was just wrapping up.  More tomorrow.  

Sport Sunday: Los Campeones, Las Copas, Steele Sidebottom

Champions League:  It would be impossible to start a sports overview today without congratulating Real Madrid for their masterful win over a struggling Juventus in last night's Champions League European Cup final at the Principality Stadium, Cardiff, Wales. The astounding game inspired sportswriters to launch into a torrent of statistics, almost as many as baseball, only a few of which we will report in this space.   

Claudio Marchisio

While Juventus played well for much of the game, it was clear that toward the end they were phoning it in, resigned to the Real Madrid victory.  Many Juventus players are commended for their play, among them Claudio Marchisio, who was sent in to right a sinking ship, and Mario Mandžukić, who kicked their only goal.  Meanwhile, CR7 garnered two goals, the second being the unbelievable 600th goal of his professional career.  Midfielder Casemiro and sub Marco Asensio kicked Real Madrid's other two goals, in their masterful 4-1 victory over Turin's Juventus. RM Coach Zidane has rotated players and concentrated on collective wins this season, the non Ronaldo goals in the game clearly showed that everyone matters on the team.  Last minute cameo by injured Gareth Bale, on his home territory of Wales, excited the crowds immensely.  

In Bermuda:  The America's Cup  This past week saw the qualifying rounds in the America's Cup in a round robin competition to determine which nation's ships would pass to the semifinals.  Today, these semifinals begin with series of races lasting until Thursday.  The next two rounds determine who, eventually, will challenge team USA for yachting dominance.  New Zealand and Great Britain will meet up in two races today, and Sweden will contend with Japan in two races today.  These pairs will race twice a day through Thursday, and then the winners of those series will ultimately meet up to determine the finalist.   Live coverage from Bermuda's Great Sound has been stunning, even for the fan of no sports. 

In the USA, the National Basketball Association Finals continue today.  The Cleveland Cavaliers lost game one to Golden State Warriors, being overwhelmed 113-91.  The Warriors seized a 1-0 lead in the best-of-seven series that continues today in Oakland, California.  While the Warriors are making NBA history as they did last year, they know the feeling would be bittersweet without a title. Last year the Cavaliers made the greatest comeback in NBA Finals history, rallying from 3-1 down to take the title.  It is said that the Warriors are so strong, they could make an undefeated run to the title.  Basketball is basketball, though, and surprises are possible, even in the heavily scripted ego fest called the NBA.  Today's should be a good game. 

In Australia:  In Aussie Rules only contest today, the Fremantle Dockers take on the Collingwood Magpies at Domain Stadium in Perth.  Fremantle and Collingwood meet for the 28th time and the Magpies hold the advantage with 16 wins to 11. Collingwood, looking very much like Juventus in the black and white stripes,  is aiming for three consecutive wins for the first time since rounds 14-16 in 2016, but the teams are evenly matched, and like to alternate victories.  

Steele Sidebottom

Fremantle's resurgence hit a speed bump against Adelaide last round, and the Dockers need to bounce back to avoid a potentially swift tumble down the ladder. The midfield battle looms as the key this Sunday, with Collingwood's powerful force,  led by Scott Pendlebury, Adam Treloar and, how perfect is this,  Steele Sidebottom, ready to resist opponents Nat Fyfe, Lachie Neale, Stephen Hill. The Magpies have hit some reasonable form and a third-straight win would keep Nathan Buckley's men right in top-eight contention.