Thinking out loud…while wondering how many of us are holding the door open for N'Keal Harry to step through it…
• There was a time when a 3-3 West Coast road trip would have been pretty good for the Red Sox. But now?
• Meh. Should'a been better. Could'a been better. We're ever the critics, aren't we?
• We're spoiled by successes in the 21st century, and last-to-first comebacks. But the 86 years of abuse prior to this century's party starting is proving to be hard to erase for much of the Sox' older fan base.
• 28 come-from-behind wins this season following the western sojourn is what should keep these Sox from tattering too badly as the year wears on. Having that innate ability to pick it up and put pedal-to-metal at just the right moment isn't teachable.
• It's exceptional. You either got it, or you don't.
• 28 outfield assists don't stink, either. That's nine more than any other major league team at this point…and it should keep some teams from thinking about rounding third…
• Thumbs up: Rafael Devers. Whoa.
• Thumbs down: Eduardo Rodriguez. 6-5 at the break and a 5.52 ERA with more taters harvested than an Idaho farmer. He was expected to be the staff 'ace' prior to Sale's return. Unfair?
• Perhaps, considering his bout with Covid. But there's nothing fair about life in the bigs, either. He may have cost himself some dinero next off-season unless he figures out how to keep from leaving too many pitches over the middle of the plate.
• Honorable mention – Matt Andriese. His WHIP since May 1st is 2.07, sez Boston Sports Info. Sheesh. What's that smell?
• But the Sox will have five thumbs up at the All-Star game. And who'da thunk that before this season started?
• Five Tampa Bay Rays pitchers threw an 'unofficial' 7-inning no-no last week. With that kind of pitching depth, the Sox will need to be looking over their shoulders for the remainder of this season, certainly.
• But the best trade they can make before the trading deadline – may be no trade at all. Not with Chris Sale presently on his return path to the rotation. My popcorn's ready.
• Tweet of the Week, from @bostonsportsinf: "Red Sox – Aroldis Chapman active roster – Sox all 9 relievers - $18,075,044, Aroldis Chapman - $17,200,000. Chaim looking pretty good right now."
• Shohei Ohtani is remarkable. Especially when you consider – and I'm not quite old enough to remember – that Babe Ruth had his one, big pitching/hitting combo season for the Red Sox 102 years ago in 1919.
• His 32 home runs, the last of which was hit against Boston pitching, set a record for Japanese-born players in the major leagues, surpassing the Yankees' Hideki Matsui.
• Wanna feel old? Ohtani said he watched Matsui play as a child. Is there an end to this madness, or his talent?
• Best guess: Ohtani eventually moves out of the rotation on the pitching staff and stays in the rotation within the Angels' lineup, amiright? But it'll be fun to watch and see if he is a two-way factor the rest of this season…and gets in and contributes BOTH ways at the All-Star game.
• Can't count the Angels out of the running this summer if/when Mike Trout returns to their lineup. Jared Walsh is also showing off, too, especially against Boston pitching.
• I can't get into the NBA Finals. Just the same, I'd like to see the Greek Freak's team win it, despite the leaguewide love for CP3. Always better to have the champs in the East…and more opportunities to knock them off.
• But my real rooting interest is in the presence of ex-Friar point guard Doris Burke, who is the first woman analyst for a men's championship broadcast…and doing her thing on ESPN Radio for a second straight year.
• Not for nuthin'…but a healthy, full roster of Lakers, Clippers and probably Nets might beat both teams left standing.
• Hey, injuries aren't excuses. But no stars playing = no one watching. It's the first finals in 10 years without either LBJ or Steph Curry. The Suns and Bucks played to the second lowest-rated Game One audience on record.
• As we watch the Celtics' Jayson Tatum and his Olympic teammate Bradley Beal play together at the Olympics, can we still dream a little bit about what 'might' be around here later on?
• Bruce Springsteen's daughter Jessica was definitely Born to Run. And apparently, also Born to Ride. She made the Olympics as an equestrian jumper, one of four on the US team.
• Not born to run – is Sha'Carri Richardson. A gold medal fave in the women's 100 meters, Richardson has been suspended – unfairly or not – after testing positive for marijuana.
• Even outdated, rules are still rules.
• It will be weird watching the Olympics as a strictly made-for-TV event. Japan has declared a state of emergency, and while some fans were going to be allowed to watch in person, that plan has now been scuttled by the Japanese gub'ment.
• But the Games go on. Thanks, television. Thanks, NBC and broadcast rights fees.
• Projected loss in ticket sales: $830 million. Projected cost overrun to organizers with the one-year delay and no spectators? $3 billion.
• But NBC Universal is no loser…the Peacock net sez these games might actually be their most
profitable. Ever.
• Zen question: As smart as the Japanese are, they couldn't do what we've done with the Covid vaccine for their populace BEFORE this billion-dollar global event gets started?
• Comings, and goings…former Friar LaDontae Henton is returning to PC to join Ed Cooley's coaching staff as Special Assistant to the Head Coach. He replaces Matt Garvey, who is moving onto the prep ranks for a full-time assistant coaching position.
• Buckets was Cooley's first recruit at PC, as many Friar fans know. He'll assist as a mentor to the current team, helping off the court in academics, social media and community engagement. It also doesn't hurt to have a 2K-point, 1K rebound all-Big East forward showing you what to do, and how to do it on the court.
• Love this 'trend' of adding former players to the coaching staff…following in the footsteps of God Shammgod. In this day of gaining any edge you can, wherever you can, adding street cred to a staff certainly counts.
• A big win for the St. John's Red Storm this week…with forward Julian Champagnie returning to the team and pulling out of the NBA Draft. St. John's immediately goes from afterthought to contender with Champagnie and Posh Alexander both back in the fold for next season.
• A big loss, however, for Marquette as Big East all-freshman big man Dawson Garcia has made it official, he's decided to transfer to North Carolina.
• The latest in the NIL version of "Coeds Go Wild": The entire University of Miami football team – all 90 scholarship players – have been offered a $500 per month deal from the same Florida mixed martial arts gym to promote them on social media.
• Master P's son Hercy Miller – an incoming freshman basketball player at Tennessee State – has reportedly signed a $2 million deal with a tech company. That really shouldn't come as a shock, considering his Pops' "rapertoire."
• Fresno State twin hoopsters Haley and Hanna Cavinder have announced deals with Boost Mobile and Six Star Nutrition. The sisters have a combined 3.4 million Tik Tok followers, too.
• The entire UCF women's basketball team is also the first team sponsored by a deal – with College Hunks Hauling Junk.
• Umm…we ain't in Kansas anymore, Toto. We ain't in Fresno, either.
• Some athletes, however, are already pointing their NIL profits toward charitable causes…Texas quarterback Casey Thompson opened a Cameo page (for personalized video messages to fans) that donates all proceeds to the No Kids Hungry organization.
• PC's super-senior center Nate Watson has one of the first-known local athlete deals announced, with Playmaker Brand apparel.
• URI football is gaining FCS preseason Top 25 votes for the fall. You heard me right.
• Thought the Mickelson, Brady, DeChambeau, Rodgers challenge golf match was boring. Maybe it's just me, but I got zero insight or entertainment from it.
• Other than what I've already thought about Bryson DeChambeau…the weight he's gained must be going to his head. And is there any high-profile pro athlete as truly unlikeable as Aaron Rodgers?
• But DeChambeau and Rodgers beat TB12 and Phil Mickelson 3 and 2…the golf equivalent of about a 28-14 win on the gridiron.
• Does the Tampa Bay Lightning winning a second-straight Stanley Cup cement Florida's Bay Area as today's Titletown placeholder? Yup.
• True, they've got about 18 more years to go in which to prove regional dominance over New England, mind you.
• But can you imagine the sports world's reaction if the Rays win a pennant…or the Bucs get another pinch of foo-foo dust from TB12 next season?
• It'll be like we (New England) never even existed. Bet on that.
• Just in case you were wondering…NFL, NBA and MLB team values have grown more than five-fold since 2000. NFL teams' average worth - $2.6 billion. NBA? $1.9 billion. MLB? $1.7 billion.
• That's waaaay more than Monopoly money out there, big fella. Just sayin'.
• Time passages: Eight-time Wimbledon champ Roger Federer was bounced in the tourney quarterfinals. Serena Williams retired from her first match at Wimbledon because of an injury. Is it over for two of the greatest to have ever played the game?
• How 'bout this for a resume booster? Our Cold Hard Football Facts buddy Kerry Byrne served as a ref at Nathan's Famous Hot Dog eating contest at Coney Island on July 4th.
• And he watched Joey Chestnut set another record…76 dogs and buns in 10 minutes. Over/under was 73.5. Had it all the way.
• My buddy "Big E" sez his nutrition coach told him Japanese people eat very little fat and suffer fewer heart attacks than British or Americans. Italians drink a lot of wine, eat a lot of pasta and suffer fewer heart attacks than the British or Americans. Germans drink a lot of beer and eat a lot of sausage yet suffer fewer heart attacks than the British or Americans.
• His conclusion: Eat and drink what you like. Apparently, speaking English is what will kill you.
• Remember the name Olivia Moultrie. She's 15 years old. She just signed a three-year deal to play with Portland in the NWSL. She's also had a six-figure endorsement deal with Nike since she was 13.
• So…what's in your wallet?
• This week, 27 years ago…Forrest Gump hit the movie theaters. A generational flick if there ever was one. Not exactly stupid is as stupid does.
• Hey, remember Michael Avenatti, the lawyer who represented Stormy Daniels during her 'thing' with President Trump? He tried to extort $25 million from Nike by threatening to drag them into corruption within college basketball, too.
• He now faces 2 ½ years in prison. Don't try to smoosh the swoosh.
• That silence you hear is a collective YAWN with the news of no impending XFL-CFL merger. It might have been amusing to see, however…just for the rule changes.
• The Providence Bruins are in the market for a new coach – ICYMI, former Friar and now former PBruins head coach Jay Leach signed on as an assistant with the NHL expansion Seattle Kraken this week.
• An optimist might say: "What a season the New England Revolution are having! First place in the Eastern Conference. Great forwards, solid backstop. A real MLS Cup contender."
• A pessimist might say: "First place Revs lose to last place Toronto. At home, no less. Typical Revs. Nothing to see here."
• I know, I know. N'Keal Harry's trade request – if granted – doesn't appear to be much on the surface. Except for the fact that it still counts as another bust at WR for the current brain trust.
• Let's also add here…he's big and physical and it is quite likely he can find a fit somewhere with someone else. But why didn't it work (apparently) in New England? Timing.
• Timing is everything. His rookie year – he had a demanding, veteran QB who turned out to have very little patience (or time) left for young 'uns. And the next year?
• It was a veteran QB who had a hard time finding any receivers – much less inexperienced ones.
Interested in having your questions on local Rhode Island sports (and yes, that includes the Patriots, Red Sox, Bruins and Celtics) answered in a somewhat timely fashion? It's your chance to "think out loud," so send your questions, comments and local stories to jrooke@weei.com. We'll share mailbag comments/Facebook posts/Tweets right here! Would appreciate the follow on Twitter, @JRbroadcaster…and join in on Facebook, www.facebook.com/john.rooke ...
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