Friday’s 6-pack:
Last six rookies to win a Silver Slugger Award:
2023- Gunnar Henderson, UT
2022- Julio Rodriguez, OF
2017- Aaron Judge, OF
2016- Corey Seager, SS
2014- Jose Abreu, 1B
2012- Mike Trout, OF
Quote of the Day
“There was a lot of people who worked really hard alongside me. … I am really thankful for the four years I got, coming from zero coaching experience to getting the chance to manage such a great organization that has impacted my life in a great way. There’s great people there. I really don’t have a whole lot negative to say, to be honest. I get mad from time to time but I have a lot to be thankful for.”
Former Cubs manager David Ross
Friday’s quiz
Since 1985, who is the only Chicago Bears’ QB to play in a Pro Bowl?
Thursday’s quiz
Spurs coach Gregg Popovich is a graduate of the Air Force Academy.
Wednesday’s quiz
Shaquille O’Neal played his college basketball at LSU.
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Bears 16,
Panthers 13
Former Bear Ihmir Smith-Marsette ran a punt back 79 yards for a TD.
Carolina led 10-9 at halftime- they didn’t score a TD on offense.
Carolina in 2nd half: 35 plays, 91 yards, 3 points.
Panthers ran ball 16 times for only 43 yards.
Chicago’s only TD drive was 38 yards; they took lead for good in third quarter.
Total yardage was 295-213, Chicago
Bears were 6-15 on third down, Carolina 3-15.
Four of last five Chicago games stayed under the total.
— Bears, by the way, have Carolina’s first round pick next spring, plus their own, so there is a decent chance they could get the first two picks in the 2024 Draft. Would they move on from Justin Fields and draft Caleb Williams, or trade one/both of the picks for a boatload of picks/players, to rebuild their roster around Fields?
— James Madison 113, Kent State 108, 2 OT’s
JMU scored five points in last 0:02 of regulation to force overtime.
Dukes made 17-35 on the arc, Kent State 11-28
Golden Flashes were 35-48 on foul line, JMU 24-36.
James Madison upset Michigan State in their opener; great start for the Dukes.
— Cal-Davis 79, Pepperdine 78
Ty Johnson scored 28 points, scoring the game-winning hoop with 0:00.8 left.
Pepperdine led this game 50-31 early in second half.
If you like college basketball, you need to get ESPN+; there are a ton of games on there, from all over the country. This was a fun game to watch, fast-paced action.
— While we’re on college hoop, it is really, really tough to wager on early season games; lot of teams have totally rebuilt their rosters. Their coaches don’t even know what they have; how are we supposed to know?
Plus, NCAA is still deciding on whether some transfers are eligible; Cal Bears just got one of their players declared eligible this week, which is a big help to them.
Was watching Western Kentucky-Wichita State game; two new head coaches, the game was like a rock fight, everyone getting used to each other. Very difficult game to handicap.
— Dayton Flyers lost a good player, Malachi Smith, for the season with a knee injury; Gonzaga also lost a good player for the season- Steele Venters, with a knee injury.
— Word of the Day: Pinnacle— the most successful point, the high point.
Pinnacle is not to be confused with Pinochle, a card game for two or more players using a 48-card deck consisting of two of each card from nine to ace, the object being to score points for various combinations and to win tricks.
— Bryce Harper is going to be the Phillies 1B going forward, which means Rhys Hoskins will be playing elsewhere next season. Hoskins missed 2023 with an injury but he’ll be starting for someone in 2024- he hit 57 homers in 2021-22.
— From 1985-2015, Kentucky’s football team went to only eight bowl games; this year, Mark Stoops’ Wildcats are headed to their 8th straight bowl, which is impressive.
Granted, there are more bowls now than there were in the 80’s, but winning consistently in a league as tough as the SEC is nothing to sneeze at.
— Texas Longhorns’ QB Quinn Ewers will return from injury this week and start against TCU.
— San Diego Padres are going to have assistant farm director Mike Daly manage their AAA farm team next year. Daly has never coached at the professional level; this is unusual.
San Diego still hasn’t chosen a replacement for manager Bob Melvin at the major league level.
— Relief pitcher Will Smith pitched for the Rangers, Astros, Braves the last three years; he is the first player in pro sports history (MLB, NFL, NBA, NHL) to play in at least one game for three different franchises in consecutive seasons who all won a championship.
— Atlanta 120, Orlando 119
Dejounte Murray hit the game-winning 3-pointer for Atlanta.
Trae Young scored 41 points for the Hawks.
Game was played in Mexico City.
— Indiana 126, Milwaukee 124— Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 50 points, had 12 rebounds, but Milwaukee was minus-8 in the 12:00 he was on the bench.
Indiana shot 20-48 on the arc, as they improve to 6-3.
— Louisville 31, Virginia 24
Louisville had TD plays of 52, 73 yards in last 6:20 of game.
Virginia had taken a 21-14 lead by virtue of two defensive TD’s.
Louisville is 9-1; 2-8 Virginia had 13 penalties for 100 yards.
— Southern Miss 34, Louisiana 31 OT
Southern Miss drove 75 yards, tied game on a TD with 1:26 left.
USM was 9-18 on third down, Louisiana was 4-15.
Golden Eagles were an 8.5-point underdog; they ran ball for 229 yards.
