"The Stack" 7-14-17
The Stack is back on this Friday with thoughts on the ESPYs plus a couple of other headlines. Let’s end the week strong before we head into the weekend. Let’s get right to it when we see what’s in “the stack” for today, Friday, July 14th:
Cubs get Quintana
The Chicago Cubs have been very underwhelming and disappointing this season. Their starting pitching is a major reason why. They took a step to improve that on Thursday by acquiring starting pitcher Carlos Quintana from their cross-town rivals the Chicago White Sox, but it will cost the Cubs…a lot. The Cubs are sending four prospects to the White Sox, including outfield Eloy Jimenez who is one of the top five or ten prospects in the minors. Three other minors completed the deal. Quintana is a solid pitcher, but is just 4-8 this season with a 4.49 ERA. Then again the White Sox stink so that’s probably why. Will it be enough for the Cubs though to catch the Milwaukee Brewers? They had to do something, but the Cubs have plenty of other issues. I don’t know if they will catch the Brew Crew.
Wimbledon finals approach
In non-NBA Summer League news (because who really cares outside of Lonzo Ball what the hell is going on in Las Vegas), the Wimbledon finals are here. On the women’s side it is #10 seed Venus Williams against #14 seed Garbine Muguruza of Spain. You may recall I picked Venus at the outset of this tournament. I sure hope she gets the job done. It appears she is close to being cleared from that traffic accident that left one elderly person dead earlier this year. A win here would be super sweet and perhaps her biggest grand slam win of all time and that is in part because of what age she is. Go Venus!
On the men’s side Roger Federer is cruising and will most likely make the finals. No Rafael Nadal, Andy Murray and Novak Djokovic await him, but perhaps American Sam Querrey will. All he has to do is beat Marin Cilic, the #7 player in the world. No big deal. Would love to see Sam in there, but this is Federer’s tournament. He will win this thing most likely.
ESPYs
So I’ve finally watched the ESPYs and I have to say that Peyton Manning killed it. He was fantastic with his opening monologue getting in his spokesman role and sending jabs at Kevin Durant, John Cena and the others. His Sunset Acres skit was pretty funny. Reminded me of Saturday Night Live. It was his monologue that will stick out the most to me though. He was absolutely fantastic. I hope he hosts the ESPYs again, hopefully before another 25 years are gone.
Best breakthrough athlete: Dak Prescott, QB Dallas Cowboys. Obvious choice. My choice was Aaron Judge. Prescott was great don’t get me wrong, but he was the recipient of a dominant offensive line and a great running back in Ezekiel Elliott. Look at what Judge is doing. He is going to annihilate the record for most homeruns by a rookie. He’s doing this for the Yankees. Keep it up the second half of the season and prove them wrong Judge.
Best record breaking performance: Michael Phelps. How as it not Russell Westbrook? Seriously. The guy recorded the most triple-doubles ever. Phelps is perhaps the best, most dominant athlete who ever lived, but we’ve seen him win gold medals before. What Westbrook did was incredible.
Major Sergeant Israel Del Toro Jr.: Pat Tillman Award for Service. Amazing story. Very inspirational. How can you not be amazed by what this guy did for our country? You are the man Major Sergeant Israel Delo Toro Jr.
Bob Hurley Sr.: Great coach…looks a little bit like Vice President Mike Pence
Best Moment: Chicago Cubs winning World Series. David Ross was kind of weird. Okay, really weird. Bill Murray and Nick Offering drew this out a lot longer than it needed to be
Best Game: Atlanta Falcons vs. New England Patriots (Super Bowl). Wrong choice. Should have gone to the Cubs-Indians game 7 World Series. That game had everything. Super Bowl was a blowout and then the Falcons quit after three quarters.
Jarrius “J.J.” Robertson: Jimmy V Award for Perseverance. How can you not love this kid? So much charisma. Maybe a little cocky, but he is doing some great things. Well deserved award kid.
Best Championship Performance: Kevin Durant. A little surprised Brady did not win this one given that the Patriots-Falcons won Super Bowl for “Best Game” and Brady was a major reason for that. Deshaun Watson did great stuff. Wish he would have won, but what Durant did in the NBA Finals was sensational.
Best Play: Aaron Rodgers to Jared Cook. Tough to beat that play. It essentially won the Packers the NFC Divisional Game against Dallas. Rodgers was magnificent extending the play and Cook was great keeping his feet down. The other nominees were good, but Rodgers was the right choice.
Arthur Ashe Award for Courage: Eunice Kennedy Shriver. Helped with the founding of the Special Olympics. Used her stature for good and it has changed lives. Magnificent story and very inspirational. Well deserved award. It’s too bad she wasn’t there live to receive the award. She was watching from above though.
Best Female Athlete: Simone Biles. Really tough to choose from. Katie Ledecky certainly would have been a fine choice for me. But what Biles did with the USA women’s gymnastics team was something else. Totally fine with this award winner.
Best Male Athlete: Russell Westbrook, Oklahoma City Thunder. Since he didn’t win the record breaking performance ESPY, this seems due. There was a fantastic group of four, but Westbrook carried the Thunder on his back this season and setting the record for triple-doubles and he deserved this award.
Best Team: Golden State Warriors. I think they won this award in large part because of what they did in the postseason going 16-1. That is pretty special. Steph Curry, Kevin Durant and company deserved this award. All the other champions were worth adversaries and nominees, but the Warriors reigned supreme.
All in all, it was a great 25th ESPYs. Here’s to 25 more.
Coming up Monday: Reaction to top stories in sports
