This Week in Sports Talk: July 14, 2019

This Week in Sports Talk (TWIST) is our weekly roundup of the big events and what’s up next in the world of sports. Heading into the week of July 14, 2019, straight from the Dandelion Chandelier Sports Desk, here are the top headlines and a preview of the week to come.

this week in sports talk: July 14, 2019

Let’s start with some short takes on this precious summer Sunday.

fifa women’s world cup

By now you’ve surely heard that last Sunday the US women’s soccer team won their second straight world championship in a 2-0 victory over the Netherlands. On Wednesday, there was a ticker-tape parade through the Canyon of Heroes in Manhattan. Followed by the ESPY Awards in LA that night.

Now, the women are negotiating over their compensation and advocating for equal pay with the men’s team – currently, they earn a small fraction of what the men do, despite having a vastly superior record on the field (and generating more revenue for FIFA and the networks who broadcast their matches).

They definitely seem like a squad of women who know how to get what they want – you’d be foolish to bet against them. Watch this space for further updates.

And Megan – girl, we LOVE those sunglasses.

Tour de France

The Tour De France is off and running, and will conclude on July 28th in Paris. Even if you’re not a cycling fan, you may want to tune in for the stunning visuals from this competition. They’re some of the most cinematic and dazzling images in all of sports.

Out of 174 riders, only 4 are American, so this year the race is not garnering as much press coverage in the US. Saturday was Stage Eight, from Mâcon to Saint-Étienne, and today was Stage Nine. South Africa’s Daryl Impey won Stage Nine; as of this posting, Julian Allaphilippe is wearing the leader’s yellow jersey.

Cricket World Cup

England won the Cricket World Cup for the first time, beating New Zealand in a tie-breaker. The match saw the first Super Over in the tournament’s history (which required an explanation of the rules on the stadium screens so that fans could follow what was happening). The country that invented cricket has finally nabbed its world championship. 

sports headlines heading into the week of July 14, 2019

Now that we’re warmed up, here’s everything else you need to know about sports heading into the week of July 14, 2019:

1. Tennis

must know:

The week at the Championships at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in Wimbledon has once again been the talk of the sports world. On Friday, there was an epic rematch of the iconic 2008 5-set Wimbledon Final between Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal. Eleven years ago, Rafa won. This time, Federer settled the score and now advanced to his 12th Wimbledon Final.

Yesterday there was another epic battle for the ages, with Novak Djokovic, the No. 1 seed and defending champion, claiming victory and winning his fifth Wimbledon title in the longest final of all time. The match lasted 5 hours, as Prince William and Kate Middleton looked on from the stands. Djokovic saved two match points and then prevailed in a fifth-set tie-breaker.

nice to know:

In the women’s tournament, 15-year old phenom, American Cori “Coco” Gauff, the youngest woman to win a match at the All England Club since 1991, lost her match to Simona Halep. Still, she has emerged as a new star with a bright future.

Yesterday, Halep went on to win her first championship at the All England Club, denying Serena Williams a record-tying 24th Grand Slam singles title.

extra credit:

Meanwhile, fans are clamoring for a rules change so that the women play the same number of sets as the men: currently, at Wimbledon the men play five sets and the women play only three. But should the women play more, or the men less? Discuss among yourselves.

2. nba

must know:

Among the top sports headlines heading into the week of July 14, 2019 is the radically transformed landscape in the NBA. The free agency period is only 11 days old, and this year has seen some stunning and unexpected moves that are likely to reshape the fortunes of several teams in the coming season. And for years to come.

Here’s a recap of where we were at the start of this week: The Brooklyn Nets signed both Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving. Kawhi Leonard departed Toronto for the Los Angeles Clippers. The Clippers also announced a trade for Paul George (aka “PG13”) of the Oklahoma City Thunder. Klay Thompson re-signed with the Golden State Warriors.

This week saw two additional big trades: Russell Westbrook has been traded to the Houston Rockets (where he’ll join star James Harden). And Chris Paul has been traded to the Oklahoma City Thunder.  

nice to know:

In addition to those headline-making trades, there were others as well. Kemba Walker is joining the Boston Celtics. Jimmy Butler heads to the Miami Heat. The Golden State Warriors have picked up D’Angelo Russell.  Al Horford signed as a free agent with the Philadelphia 76’ers. DeMarcus “Boogie” Cousins is going to the LA Lakers. Finally, Derrick Rose will play for the Detroit Pistons.

Wow. That’s a head-spinning number of changes.

One of the more interesting story lines that we’ll be following this fall when the NBA season begins is how all of these superstar pairings will ultimately work out. Like arranged marriages, some will blossom and thrive, and others will end in tears and acrimony.

What odds will you take on each of these pairs becoming NBA Dynamic Duos?

• LeBron James and Anthony Davis – LA Lakers
• Kawhi Leonard and Paul George – LA Clippers
• Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant – Brooklyn Nets (although KD probably won’t be on the court this season due to his injury)
• James Harden and Russell Westbrook – Houston Rockets

extra credit:

As of this posting, Vegas odds-makers have adjusted their predictions for who will win the NBA Championship in the upcoming season as follows. The LA Lakers are at the top, followed closely by the LA Clippers, the Milwaukee Bucks, and the Houston Rockets. The Philadelphia 76’ers round out the top 5. Our beloved Golden State Warriors are not even in the top 5!!! Don’t sleep on Steph Curry just yet, Vegas.

3. mlb

must know:

The All Star Game – aka The Midsummer Classic – was played on Tuesday in Cleveland, and the rookies owned it. A highlight for fans is always the Home Run Derby. 

This year’s Derby was one of the most exciting ever. Two rookies ended up in an epic battle in the final round. 20-year old Vladimir Guerrero Jr. of the Toronto Blue Jays and the Mets’ Pete Alonzo fought it out.

While Guerrero hit 91 homers, one of which was the longest of the night at 488 feet, Alonzo ultimately prevailed in the final, winning the $1 million purse. Alonzo immediately announced that 5% of his winnings will be donated to the Tunnel to Towers Foundation and another 5% to the Wounded Warriors Project. Nice. 

nice to know:

In the actual All Star Game, the American League beat the National league for the 7th straight time.  While they may not be the most popular team in the league, the New York Yankees nearly stole the show.

Yanks pitchers Masahiro Tanaka and Aroldis Chapman earned the win and the save, respectively. Chapman got three strike-outs in the 9th inning, and became the first pitcher to get a save in the All Star Game. Yankee C.C. Sabathia, who will retire at the conclusion of this season, threw out the ceremonial first pitch and was warmly received by his former home-town crowd in Cleveland.

The MVP for the night was Cleveland Indians pitcher Shane Bieber, playing in his home stadium. He entered the game in the fifth inning and got 3 strike outs, then left the game again. Some fans groused his achievement was the result of “some home cooking.” 

Extra credit:

As of this posting, the Yankees sit at the top of the AL East, 6.5 games ahead of the Tampa Bay Rays. And 9 ahead of their arch-rivals the Boston Red Sox. The Minnesota Twins are up 6.5 games over Cleveland in the AL Central, and the Houston Astros are at the top of the AL West, 6 ahead of Oakland.

In the National League, the LA Dodgers continue to dominate in the West; they’re 12.5 ahead of the Arizona Diamondbacks. The Chicago Cubs are slightly ahead in the NL Central, and the Atlanta Braves are 6 ahead in the NL East.

bonus round:

Jim Bouton, author of Ball Four, one of the first tell-all books penned by a professional athlete, passed away this week at the age of 80 after suffering from cerebral amyloid angiopathy, a brain disease. His 1970 memoir shook up the wholesome image of Major League Baseball with its irreverent tone and sometimes raunchy anecdotes, paving the way for a new and highly popular publishing genre.  

Those are the top headlines in sports heading into the week of July 14, 2019. You’re good to go. See you next week!

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