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Weekend winners, and there were more than a few
Cape Verde. Wow, we all thought the 0-0 draw against heavily favored and World Cup front runner Spain was a one-off. Then, Cape Verde was even better in Game 2 of its first ever World Cup. The magical Cape grabbed a 2-2 draw — actually, it likely should have won the match — and has become the darling of this global event. Cape Verde has a 676% chance of advancing, according The Athletic’s metrics, and 100% chance of being the sentimental favorite from this point forward.
Keith Mitchell. Yeah, the biggest winner of the weekend will get his own attention here in a few, but Baylor School grad — and Chattanooga-raised (a distinction needed more and more often with some of the area private schools, in terms of superstar athletes) — went from planning a Saturday morning flight after a first-nine 41 to his best ever major championship finish. Mitchell finished even par at the treacherous grounds known as Shinnecock Hills after the 6-over start in his first nine holes. He shot 70-70-70-70. Keith made $920,882 on the weekend when he had to be thinking about a very real missed cut walking to his 10th tee shot of the tournament.
The Russells. Not Bill, the former Celtics legend. Or Bill, the underrated former Dodgers shortstop. Or Crowe, or Wilson, or Simmons or anyone else.
No, on Sunday — Father’s Day, 17-year-old amateur Miles Russell got to the 18th tee and gave an unforgettable Father’s Day gift to his dad. This is truly special. Shut up, Spy. Yes, it’s dusty in my cubicle.
The Phillies sluggers. Wow, big bashing on Father’s Day weekend as Kyle Schwarber hit three homers and Bryce Harper hit for the cycle on Saturday. Each homered again on Sunday as the Phillies moved to 42-35 as we head to the halfway point. Those dudes are smoking.
College World Series drama. Two games in, and Oklahoma and UNC have not decided anything. That forces a Game 3 for all the marbles for the final NCAA title of the 2025-26 cycle. Let’s go.
Tennis. OK, I’m not in the racket of rackets, to be honest, but Serena Williams will now play singles at Wimbledon. Good times. Add in her playing doubles with sister Venus, and Serena Williams at Wimbledon is easily the biggest story of the biggest tournament in the sport. Yay, interesting storylines.
Weekend losers
The home run derby. Yes, Spy, it was lower-cased for a reason. But when the AL home-run leader says, “Thanks but no thanks,” then you know the event is becoming the mockery that is the NBA dunk contest.
Pinch-running chaos. Watch Rafael Devers be less than pleased when Tony Vitello wanted to replace him at first this weekend. Yikes.
The Milwaukee Bucks. Yes, they could very well become the exact opposite, all things considered, but with a bona fide A-list superstar like Giannis wanting to be moved — and days before the deepest NBA draft in at least a generation, the Bucks may be fiddling while Milwaukee burns.
Chattanooga Eagles 16u head coach. That dude is a clown and did a terrible job this weekend. Trust me. A 3-3 record — playing teams from both Carolinas, Michigan, Mississippi and Florida (twice) — was OK, but he (me) made so many decisions I wish he (me) could redo.
Every movie that went against “Toy Story 5” this weekend. Yeah, not so much. The latest installment of the beloved series was a huge box office success and set records along the way. https://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2026/jun/21/toy-story-5-rakes-in-the-biggest-box-office-debut-of-the-year-with-a-franchise-best-160-million/
Golf-announcing hypocrites. Look, I don’t like club-throwing or tantrums on a golf course at an esteemed place like Shinnecock Hills or in a big-time event like the U.S. Open. But anyone complaining about the modern players and their etiquette needs to rewatch some Tiger film. Of course, as Crash said, “If you win 20 in the show, you can let the focus grow back on your shower shoes, and the press will think you are colorful. Until you win 20 in the Show, it means you are a slob.”
Open and shut
Wyndham Clark won the U.S. Open. He went wire-to-wire after a stellar opening 18 and sat on the lead as best he could and mustered a lotta guts to finish the deal with a one-shot lead on the 72nd hole.
That is the golf part of it, and Clark won because his ability to get up and into the hole in his short game was truly special.
But that’s the headline and the story everyone sees on SportsCenter. It was a great win and Clark’s second career major.
But the layers are worthy for this discussion.
Career Clark has been hounded since he completely showed his backside in this same event a year ago. After a controversial showing, Clark trashed his locker at Oakmont. No one was pleased.
But Clark has owned his shortcomings and has been open about it since it happened.
It was not the victory that transformed. It was the process to the place to be in position to win that did.
Look, we all need grace. We all need kindness. We all need human interaction.
And Clark has found little of any of those in the last year.
I truly believe that forgiveness can be a person’s best asset.
Justice without kindness is almost always cruel.
Kindness without justice is almost assuredly hollow.
Clark deserved to win this weekend. He was the best player when the lights came on.
But the full circle — especially in terms of year and locale — made it even more special.
As for the rowdy NYC golf fans who were openly cheering against Clark, I get it.
Bu, in my mind, the majority of folks rooting against Clark (loudly, by the way) Sunday were more likely rooting for a dramatic finish. And from the start to the end, Wyndham Clark was more than happy to oblige.
This and that
> Braves played. Braves won twice, including a Friday night game against superhuman Jacob Misiorowski on Friday. That’s big-boy work right there, friends.
> Little DGG news, because, hey, David Gabriel Georges is the best high school football player I’ve ever seen in person. (If someone wants to say Derrick Henry was better, then OK. But DGG is numero uno for these eyes.) Now THE Ohio State — which is battling Tennessee for DGG’s signature — has offered Baylor School teammate and buddy Jordan Darren Djila. You’re move, Josh Heupel.
> Rest well, Alan Greenspan, the former longtime Fed chair who died this weekend. He was 100.
> Head on a swivel, friends, as the congressional “college sports bill” is moving down the line today.
Today’s questions
Weekend winners and losers? Go.
As for Multiple Choice Monday, we’ll offer this:
Who has the best team in the NL, as of this morning?
> Dodgers,
> Braves,
> Brewers?
As for this day, June 22, let’s review.
Personal fav Kris Kristofferson would have been 90 today. Rest well, sir.
As for the Rushmore, in honor of Sunday, let’s do the Rushmore of sports “dads,” and we will offer a very wide range of interpretation on this one, friends.
Go.