Sports

Under Armour has admitted a hard truth. They conceded that their flagship sneaker, the Curry 3, was not selling as well as they originally hoped. CEO Kevin Plank did his best to “business-talk” his way out of this harsh reality. Yet the perceptive reader/listener was consistently reminded that the corporate tongue is typically forked. Ironically, the Curry 3 might be one of the more unappealing sneakers a reigning MVP has ever worn.

During the summer of 2015, Peter Budaj was a free agent goalie who may have been considering retirement. At the very least, he could head back to Europe to try and save his career. He was given a pro tryout by the Los Angeles Kings, but was a long shot to make the roster. Just 18 months later, Budaj is one of the best comeback stories in the NHL.

The Los Angeles Dodgers are clicking on all cylinders. From their starting pitching, to their bullpen, to their bats, they are getting the job done. When Andrew Toles went down just 31 games in with a season ending knee injury, their starting center field at the time, I’m sure there was some concern on who would replace Toles. Rookie Cody Bellinger was called up, unexpectedly. Well, the rest is history. Bellinger has put together a rookie campaign for the ages thus far, sitting second in the big leagues with 24 homers in just 58 games. Just like the Aaron Judge saga, no one could have predicted this type of performance from Bellinger. I’m sure no one could have guessed that two rookies would be leading the majors in home runs. Regardless, it’s been a treat to watch.

At the All Star Break, the Cleveland Cavaliers are once again the “team to beat” in the NBA Eastern Conference. They are led by their three stars in LeBron James, the now out for 6 weeks Kevin Love, and “Uncle Drew” himself, Kyrie Irving. Not only is Kyrie Irving a star in Cleveland though, he appears to be taking his talents, and the character he helped to make famous, to Hollywood.

Norman Powell adds a spark to the Raptors lineup when they need it most. He’s the go to guy off the bench, and hardly ever disappoints. This was evident in the series against the Bucks where he opened eyes with several impressive performances, especially in Game Five when he dropped 25 to lead the Raps to a big win over Milwaukee.

Basketball talking types have recently engaged in a debate regarding the best young big men in the league. Karl Anthony Towns plays for the Minnesota Timberwolves and he is a very good player. Nikola Jokic plays for the Denver Nuggets and he is very good. People debate which of the two is better. People debate who is the better young big man to build a team around? Some people point to KAT’s statline — 25 points, 12 rebounds, 35% from three — on the year. Some people point to Jokic’s passing ability which hints at the paranormal. This is a real debate real people with real eyes and real brains have.