Gang, well, we're here. We're like a week away from high school football practice starting and about 10 days from college practice beginning.
Good-bye summer, it was a blast.
From the "Talks too much" studios, let's buckle up... it's go time.
Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland holds the Claret Jug trophy after winning the British Open Golf championship and shakes hands with runners up Sergio Garcia of Spain, left, and Rickie Fowler of the US at the Royal Liverpool golf club, Hoylake, England, Sunday July 20, 2014.Rory goes to work
Profitable day for the McIlroy clan, eh?
Rory wins the Open. Pops and chums cash a 500-to-1 bet they made 10 years ago for a touch more than $300K.
So how was your family's Sunday?
As for the tag that matters after 25-year-old Rory McIlroy went wire-to-wire to win his third major golf title, well, it's time.
Is this Rory's world when it comes to golf?
He's got the big deals, the big coin, the big game and the big resume. His third major puts him a green jacket from winning the career grand slam and puts him in some elite company: He's now one of three golfers in the Masters era to have three majors before he turns 26. The other two are guys you may have heard of named Tiger and Jack. (Side note: There are certain lists that no matter the title, you know they are good by the other names on it. And when it comes to golf, if you are a list with Tiger and Jack, well, that's a good thing. A very good thing.)
So Rory dominated, eliminating any Sunday drama yet again by a dominant performance from start to finish. (Side note, part II: We are a snoozer at the PGA away from having zero compelling story lines at this year's major championships. That's not a good thing. At all.)
Tiger WoodsSo what is the takeaway from the Rory runaway?
First, we have to ask how good can Rory be? Right now, Rory is the best player in the world and when he plays his best, we're pretty sure no one on the planet can beat him. Granted, the consistency that Jack and Tiger brought every week is still lacking in Rory's game, but that's picking nits to be sure.
Still, maybe this is Rory's time to launch. Golf needs a one-name star now that Tiger is simply a guy in the field. Rory could be that guy - dude has the skills and the promise and the charisma.
And more than that, he's another major or three away from being a talking point before every major.
We forget that in addition to Tiger's brilliance on the course, his place in history was always a compelling story at each major. Will he winn and get closer to Jack? Could he catch Jack? Will he win 20 majors before he's done?
Those were all part of the grand show that was Tiger Woods at major championships. Now Rory is in position for a similar position.
Think of it this way: Phil Mickelson has been the second best golfer of his generation and arguably a top-10 player in the history of the game, but he did not win his first major until 2004 about two months before his 34th birthday. Rory is at three majors and he's only 25.
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College football song-and-stance
ACC commissioner John Swafford fired his "more autonomy" salvo as the ACC opened its media days on Sunday.
Granted, Swafford's position was not as dug in or as aggressive as SEC boss Mike Slive's was last week, but it was clear, and Swafford even went as far as to say he expects it to pass Aug. 7 when the NCAA board of control votes on the proposal from the Big Five conferences to establish a set of rules that only pertain to them.
Swafford also echoed Slive's statement that the first order of business will be "full cost of attendance" also known as paying players.
It's all happening. It's all changing.
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Atlanta Braves second baseman Dan Uggla, right, celebrates with teammate B.J. Upton, left, after scoring on a Ryan Doumit base hit in their baseball game against Milwaukee Brewers May 22, 2014, in Atlanta.Baseball
And with that he's gone.
The Braves cut Danny Struggla on Friday, ending a love-hate relationship with arguably the worst signing in Braves history.
Atlanta announced Friday afternoon on its Twitter, "The Braves have released 2B Dan Uggla."
The numbers are staggering - the Braves will still owe Struggla the rest of his $13 million salary for this year and a full $13 million for 2015.
His numbers so far this year before being benched: .162, 2 HRs, 10 RBIs. Uggla made about $357K for each of his 21 hits this season.
Ouch-standing.
This and that
- OK, this is officially ridiculous. Baseball's "unwritten rules" continue to be laughingstock, especially if Rangers pitcher Colby Lewis is to be believed. Apparently Lewis got his feelings hurt when Cory Rasmus bunted for a single against him over the weekend. Lewis was irked because Rasmus bunted against the shift with his team leading 2-0. Yes, those were his reasons. Stop talking for a while, there Champ. Seriously, we think the more the shift becomes the play, the more the play becomes to bunt. Stuff it in your pie-hole Colby. (Of course if we were named after a cheese, we'd be hacked off most of the time too. Side Rushmore of people named like cheeses: American Dream Dusty Rhodes, Rabbit's buddy Cheddar in "8 Mile," Herman Munster, K-Swiss, maybe?)
- Happy birthday to Don Knotts and Robins Williams, two people that have consistently made us laugh. Thank you both.
- More golf: If we had unlimited coin, we'd have the guy from the British Open follow us around and announce our entrance into every room.
- More golf, part II: We normally root for the train wrecks to occur on Sunday afternoons - we enjoyed Philly Mick's major struggles a little bit too much - but we genuinely want Sergio to win a major. That would be cool.
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FILE - In this July 20, 1969 file photo, Apollo 11 Commander Neil Armstrong walks slowly away from the lunar module to explore the surface of the moon. (AP Photo, file)Today's question
As we alway like to ask on Mondays here and on Press Row on 105.1 FM, who won the weekend?
If you need another talking point, today is the 45th anniversary of one of life's sure-fire, where were you moments for those old enough to remember Neil Armstrong walking on the moon. It's a slam dunk.
What's on your "I remember exactly where I was..." sports moments Rushmore? Go.