Week in Sports - Monday August 2, 2021
Westbrook to the Lakers
Big news dropped on NBA Draft day, which sent Russell Westbrook to LA to join Lebron and AD. Westbrook was traded from the Wizards to the Lakers for Kuzma, Trez, KCP, and draft picks, which one would think is a big haul. But to me, Trez was never a good fit, especially since he was rarely in the rotation, KCP has lost his shot making ability and not worth the money, and Kyle Kuzma is the biggest BUST we have seen in quite some time. This was a great trade if I'm Lebron James, despite so many people hating the fit. I think Russ is still one of the best players in the league, and contrary to popular belief, he's one of the most giving and unselfish players there is. He is a willing passer and works his ass off on every possession. That's what the Lakers need. Too many times the Lakers, including Lebron, seem lazy and uninspired. With Russ, everyone will be pushed to play hard and give maximum effort.
I also think the real connection will be Russ getting AD easy baskets. Too many people are focusing on Lebron and Russ fitting together, when Russ' ability to penetrate and set up his teammates is what will be the X-factor for this team. Lebron is getting older and his pace has slowed down significantly. Russ will get Lebron easier baskets down low as well. And Lebron seems to want to become a 3 point shooter in his older age, so he'll get to do that now. But I know one thing, I will take Russell Westbrook, the NBA leader in assist and triple doubles, over Dennis Schroeder any day of the week.
I also think the real connection will be Russ getting AD easy baskets. Too many people are focusing on Lebron and Russ fitting together, when Russ' ability to penetrate and set up his teammates is what will be the X-factor for this team. Lebron is getting older and his pace has slowed down significantly. Russ will get Lebron easier baskets down low as well. And Lebron seems to want to become a 3 point shooter in his older age, so he'll get to do that now. But I know one thing, I will take Russell Westbrook, the NBA leader in assist and triple doubles, over Dennis Schroeder any day of the week.
Simone Biles is still the Greatest
I really want people to stop and think about just how extraordinary of an athlete one has to be to have achieved the level of excellence Simone Biles has in her career. If Simone Biles needs to withdraw from any contest because her mind isn't right and she knows she has to be in complete focus to perform safely at a high level, WHO THE HELL ARE YOU to tell her what she needs to do? Just really look back at her accomplishments:
Please, shut the hell up and appreciate whatever else she decides to add to this list.
- Most decorated U.S. women's gymnast ever with 31 World/Olympic medals
- 2021 U.S. all-around, vault, balance beam & floor exercise champion
- Seven-time U.S. all-around champion (2013-16, 2018-19, 2021)
- Six-time U.S. vault champion (2014-16, 2018-19, 2021)
- Five-time U.S. balance beam champion (2015-16, 2018-19, 2021)
- Five-time U.S. floor exercise champion (2014, 2016, 2018-19, 2021)
- 2019 AP Female Athlete of the Year
- Named Team USA's Female Olympic Athlete of the Year for 2019
- Winner of the USOPC's Best of October (2019) Team USA Award
- Winner of the 2019 People's Choice Awards Game Changer award
- 2019 World team, all-around, vault, balance beam & floor exercise champion.
- Has won 25 World medals (19 gold, three silver, three bronze), which is the most in gymnastics history
- Her 19 World gold medals is the most ever in gymnastics history
- First woman to win five World all-around titles (2013-15, 18-19)
- First woman to win three World balance beam titles (2014-15, 19)
- First woman to win five World floor exercise titles (2013-15, 2018-19)
- 2019 U.S. all-around, vault, balance beam & floor exercise champion
- 2018 Laureus Sportswoman of the Year
- 2018 Houston Sports Athlete of the Year
- 2018 United States Sports Academy Female Athlete of the Year
- Named the Most Dominant Athlete of 2018 by ESPN the Magazine
- November 2018 Hickok Belt Award winner
- 2018 World team, all-around, vault and floor exercise champion
- Winner of the USOC's Best of August (2018) Team USA Award
- 2018 U.S. all-around, vault, uneven bars, balance beam & floor exercise champion
- Named Sports Illustrated's fittest female athlete in 2017
- Winner of the 2017 ESPY Awards for Best Female Athlete and Best U.S. Female Olympian
- 2016 Laureus World Sportswoman of the Year
- 2016 United States Sports Academy Female Athlete of the Year
- 2016 International Sports Press Association (AIPS) Female Athlete of the Year
- 2016 Associated Press Female Athlete of the Year
- Named ESPN's Woman of the Year for 2016
- 2016 Olympic team, all-around, vault & floor exercise champion
- Her four 2016 Olympic gold medals tie the Olympic record for a female gymnast in a single Games
- Her five 2016 Olympic medals tie for the most by a U.S. gymnast
- Winner of the USOC's Best of June (2016) Team USA Award
- 2016 U.S. all-around, vault, balance beam & floor exercise champion
- 2016 Pacific Rim Championships team & all-around champion
- USOC's Female Olympic Athlete of the Year for 2014-15
- Winner of the USOC's Best of November (2015) Team USA Award
- 2015 World team, all-around, balance beam & floor exercise champion
- 2015 U.S. all-around, vault & balance beam champion
- 2015 AT&T American Cup champion
- USOC Athlete of the Month for October 2014
- 2014 Women's Sports Foundation's individual Sportswoman of the Year
- First woman to win four gold medals at a single World Championships (2014) since 1974.
- 2014 World team, all-around, balance beam & floor exercise champion
- 2014 U.S. all-around, floor exercise & vault champion
- 2013 World all-around & floor exercise champion
- 2013 U.S. all-around champion
Please, shut the hell up and appreciate whatever else she decides to add to this list.
Sunisa Lee Comes Through!
Before I get into anything else about the Olympics, I must first applaud Sunisa Lee for stepping up big time and and winning a gold medal in the women's all-around and bronze in women's uneven bars. To step up when the major focus from outside has been about Simone not participating and the team chemistry has been interrupted, it was huge on her part to step up big and I must give her her flowers. She also helped the team win a silver medal as well. I'm no expert on the ins and outs of gymnastics, but I respect greatness and I want to acknowledge Sunisa for showing extreme poise under the circumstances.
Dressel & Ledecky win Big
Some of my favorite events to watch at the Olympics are of the swimming meets largely because of my fandom for Baltimore's own Michael Phelps and how he dominated the sport. I have so many great memories of rooting for Phelps and I think he's one of the greatest athletes of all time. My father was also a great swimmer and swam in college, so I just love watching the sport. The U.S team has found its new gem in Caeleb Dressel, who in his second appearance in the Olympics has racked up gold in the 4x100-meter medley relay, 4x100-meter freestyle relay, 100-meter freestyle, 100-meter butterfly, and 50-meter freestyle meets. Complete and utter dominance! This story has been so fun to track, as he's grown so quickly to rise to the top of the sport.
Someone who has been dominant for some time now is the great Katie Ledecky. The three-time Olympian has been one of the absolute best women I have ever seen hit the water with 7 gold medals and 3 silvers. With seven gold medals, she is one away from the record held by American Jenny Thompson, who holds the most medals of any female swimmer in Olympics history. Katie made history when she won the gold medal in the 1,500-meter freestyle in the first time that race had been open to women in the Olympics. That's a long ass swim and you have to be a phenomenal athlete to pull it off. Extremely impressive.
U.S Women's Volleyball Struggles
One my other favorite events to follow during the Olympics is indoor and outdoor Volleyball. This year, the U.S really has a great indoor team, led by the young rising superstar Jordan Thompson. JT as they call her as all the charisma and skill that you look for from a young superstar, and she can be a face that will transform the popularity of the sport. In 33 games this season, Thompson has registered a Division I-leading 768 kills, which is 143 more than the next best attacker.
The U.S gained an impressive win over the defending Olympic champions from China, where JT scored 34 points and tallied more than 45% of the points scored by the U.S. However, over the weekend0 the home team was defeated by the R.O.C and JT suffered an injury. Thompson went high to set the block and landed on her teammates foot, triggering the roll of her ankle. The R.O.C was dominating the entire game regardless and defeated the U.S in straight sets, giving them a record of 2-1. The women will need to come together and be ready to fight their tails off for the rest of the tournament if they want to come home with gold.
The U.S gained an impressive win over the defending Olympic champions from China, where JT scored 34 points and tallied more than 45% of the points scored by the U.S. However, over the weekend0 the home team was defeated by the R.O.C and JT suffered an injury. Thompson went high to set the block and landed on her teammates foot, triggering the roll of her ankle. The R.O.C was dominating the entire game regardless and defeated the U.S in straight sets, giving them a record of 2-1. The women will need to come together and be ready to fight their tails off for the rest of the tournament if they want to come home with gold.
U.S Basketball Bounces Back
This won't be a long update, but I must comment on Team U.S.A Basketball and the doom and gloom that was preached by so many last weekend. Yes, the team was poorly put together, and we did not send our best players to compete. But we still should be good enough to beat any team in the world. With Kevin Durant, the player many say is the best player in the league, there is no excuse to lose a game. KD was magnificent against the Czech Republic over the weekend, which should be a given, but the key was his shot was falling. For team U.S.A to be successful against Spain, Australia, and Slovakia. Don't sleep on some of these other squads, but the United Sates should still be favored, highly. Time to step up and show why.