NBA news
As the Cavs get ready to celebrate with more than half the city of Cleveland, there are a ton of moves and machinations out of the NBA right now.
It's being widely reported that Ben Simmons, the LSU phenom, will be the No. 1 overall pick. (Side note: Simmons has the chance to be an elite NBA talent. Added range offensive and he could be a top-10 player. And if you think the Dean Smith-Jordan jokes make you giggle, wait until Simmons is a year-in, year-out All-Star and then we'll remember that Johnny Jones couldn't make the NCAA tournament with a superstar.)
There will be a fair amount of moving and shaking before the NBA draft tomorrow night. (Side note, II: We love the draft. You know this. That love affair started with the NBA draft believe it or not. It was glorious and golden an you knew almost all the players. Heck we were stunned when some 6-foot white dude named John Stockton was picked. Now, it's as forgettable as the Slam Dunk contest.)
Also, the names opting out of contracts will start to become more and more appealing.
Dirk Nowitzki has already done so, and we know everyone and their brother would love to try to sign Kevin Durant. (Side note, III: The summer of Durant could be kind of fun, and while it likely will last several weeks, watch teams dealing during Thursday's draft to try to open cap space for the Slim Reaper. Good times.)
Of those teams, the Golden State Warriors seem to be the name most-often linked to Durant, and it's staggering to think of a starting five with Durant, Steph, Klay, Draymond and just about anyone else on the planet.
Would that be a good move for Durant and/or the Warriors?
Thoughts?
In this image provided by the United States Golf Association, Bryson DeChambeau plays his tee shot on the 14th hole during the semifinal round of match play against Sean Crocker at the U.S. Amateur golf championship Saturday, Aug. 22, 2015, at Olympia Fields Country Club in Olympia Fields, Ill. DeChambeau won 4 and 3. (John Mummert/USGA via AP) Golf tidbits
OK, the USGA apologized. Cool.
Now, the golf world has a couple of other items of interest today.
First, Rory McIlroy became the most recent elite athlete to say thanks but no thanks to playing in the summer Olympics in Rio. Be it schedule or Zika or poop in the water or whatever, McIlroy joins Adam Scott as the biggest name to take a pass on the chance to win an Olympic gold. (Yes, basketball and tennis also have had a ton of big names drop out, too.)
Whatever the reason, here's betting the big names - Spieth, Day, et al. - will also look long and hard at whether the Olympics is worth it.
Picture it now: In the gold medal match will be Brian Gay vs. Steven Bowditch. Olympics Fever, catch it. (Or wait, don't catch anything down there, who knows, it could kill you.) Also of note from the course is that Tiger Woods will meet with the media today in advance of his tournament this weekend at Congressional.
It's doubtful he will reveal much - if anything - about his timetable.
And that's OK. Here's hoping he takes as long as he needs to get healthy and then gives this thing one more legit chance to be a factor on the PGA Tour again.
That is all.
(And at this rate, healthy or not, he may be the U.S. representative at the Olympics anyway.)
Atlanta Braves first baseman Freddie Freeman (5) hits a two-run home run in the third inning of a baseball game against the Cincinnati Reds, Thursday, June 16, 2016, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Brett Davis)Braves win
Atlanta got three late RBIs from Jace Peterson and edged Miami 3-2 in 10 innings.
That's six straight for the Braves. Ironically, it always seemed like the very good Braves teams struggled with the Marlins, and this bunch - who are still an NL-worst 24-46 - is 6-1 against the fish.
Crazy, right?
Here are three quick things to remember about Tuesday's Braves win before we get to the Atlanta prospect of the week:
First, the Braves bullpen has been light years better after a disastrous first month. Maybe this is a coincidence, but most all of the anti-Fredi Gonzalez folks we know have long believed that he was awful at managing a bullpen. So there's that.
Secondly, with Peterson's big evening, it's clear the Braves have an overflow of young middle infielders. Here's betting someone gets dealt sooner rather than later.
Finally, Ichiro Suzuki had two hits Tuesday and has 2,982 for his career. Dude is hitting .353 and he's 42 for Pete's sake.
Prospect report - Ozzie Albies, 2B, AAA
The transition to AAA pitching is only part of the process for the youthful Albies, who is still a teenager. This is his third year in professional baseball and he'll turn 20 next January.
In May, he struggled with contact, striking out 24 times with only five walks, something that really limits a top of the order speedster like Albies.
He's been much better in June with nine walks and 10 Ks so far this month. He's also 18-for-58 in his last 16 games. Even better for Braves fans, is that his offense has been boosted by the move to second bas. (He's hitting .317 at 2B at AAA compared to .205 when he plays shortstop.)
This and that
- This was an interesting read. This golf writer - who was a college golfer and sports a 4 handicap, played Oakmonster Mondayafter the U.S. Open. He carded an 89, lending even more credence to Tiger Woods' assertion that a 10-handicapper would have a hard time breaking 100 at Oakmonster.
- College baseball is quite perplexing. Florida and Miami - the two highest seeded teams to advance to Omaha - have already been eliminated. Survive and advance, indeed.
- Will Smith says he still regrets making "Wild, Wild West" which makes since because we still regret paying to see "Wild, Wild West" as well. The extra tidbit of information in this interview is that Smith picked that movie over playing Neo in "The Matrix." Ouch-standing.
Today's question
Happy 80th birthday to Kris Kristofferson, who is on more Rushmores than most folks will ever realize.
It also is Clyde Drexeler's birthday, who is 54, and Champ Bailey, who is 38. It was 30 years ago today that the "Hand of God" goal happened and Diego Maradona led Argentina by England in the World Cup semifinals.
Eight years ago today, George Carlin died.
It's also a big day for Cleveland, with the championship parade and this being the 46 anniversary of the Cuyahooga River catching fire. (That was the launching point for the boondoggle that is the EPA, as well, but that's a story for another day.)
So there are a lot of Rushmore options.
We'll go with the Rushmore of Cleveland. Go, and remember the mailbag.