The Year In SPORTS 2023 • A Kaleidoscopic Prism of Activity

Here’ a kaleidoscopic prism highlighting the colorful collage of activity populating the wide world of Sports in 2023.

Internationally, the U.S.A. beat Iran 1-0 on an outstanding goal by Christian Pulisic. How's that -beating Iran with a Christian: The Iranian team didn't sing the National Anthem to protest the killing of a woman (age 22) who didn't wear her burka correctly. They face prison, beatings, and possibly death. If they don't return their families face the same fate.  The Wyoming State Penitentiary baseball team of 1911 had many of its players on death row. the sentence wasn't carried out if you played good; and if you didn’t, it was off to the hanging. Talk about an incentive to win.

World Soccer Shockers: Japan 2 Spain 1/Saudi Arabia 2 Argentina 1. Cameroon 1 Brazil 0/South Korea 2 Portugal 1.  The U.S.A. lost 3-1 to the Netherlands and was way out played.

The Yankees offered Aaron Judge $ 300 Million for 8 years - that would be $37.5 million a season. "Pistol" Pete Maravich was College's best ever basketball player: 3,667 points - 44.2 points per game. 

Michigan won their second straight Big Ten Title beating Purdue 43-22. J.J. McCarthy (19 years old) 11/17,161 yards, 3 TD'S.  Donovan Edwards (19 years old) had 25 carriers, 185 yards, & one T.D.  Top 4: Georgia, Michigan #2, T.C.U., & Ohio State.  Antonio Brown (Former C.M.U. football & Tampa Buc player  punched his girlfriend in the face. The Police can't find him. This man needs mental health. And how do you lose an Antonio Brown? 

U.S.F. Football: 4 wins in 3 years. (Yes, they suck). Borge Salming (Leaf Great) passed at age 71 from ALS. His tribute by the Toronto fans is a must see. Gaylord Perry passed at 84. 

Tom Brady does it again. (12-5-2022) For 3 quarters the Bucs football team put up one field goal. I couldn't stand how bad Tampa played,  so i left the game. Then Brady comes to life and throws two T.D.'S & wins the game with 6 seconds on the clock. The man is unreal. Tampa beat the Saints 17-16. Tom's stats: 36/54, 281 YRDS, & 2 TD'S. In the very same stadium in 2017 for the National College Football Title, I left my 5th row seat after Alabama scored late on a run (going up 31-28). On the way to the parking lot I heard a loud roar. DeShaun Watson hit Hunter Renfrow to win with ONE SECOND on the cloak (35-31). You can't make this stuff up. 

Aaron Judge stayed with the Yankees for $360 Million (9 years  -$40 Million a year). My worst leave early: 9/29/2011: The Rays were playing the Yankees in a playoff game. N.Y. was leading 7-0 at the end of the 7th inning. My wife and I left an what happens?  Evan Longoria hits a 3 run homer & pulls Tampa within a run going into the 9th.  Now in the car we turn on the radio and the score was 7-6. Dan Johnson (.108 BA) with two outs hits his first homerun since April to tie the game. We made it to the Condo with Evan Longoria coming to bat on T.V. He steps to the plate and hits the game winning run in the 12th inning. (UNREAL). It’s listed in baseball as the most exciting game ever played (as in ever!) 

World Soccer Shocker: Morocco 1 Portugal 0. Cristiano Ronaldo broke down & cried (he has $ 460 Million in the bank). Also: Croatia 1 Brazil 1 - Croatia won the shootout 4 to 2. France beat England 2-1. Argentina beat Netherlands 4-3 in a shootout. Detroit Lions won their 5th game out of 6-beating the Vikings 34-23. 

2022 Big Ten Coach of the Year: Jim Harbaugh. 2022 D.L. of the Year in the Big Ten: Michigan's Mike Morris (6'6"-290 pounds). 2022 Big Ten Runner of the Year: Blake Corum (1463 yards-18 T.D'S). 2022 Big Ten Kicker of the Year: Jake Moody (344 points). 

Alex Ovechkin scored his 800th goal against the Chicago Black Hawks (12-13-2022), along with putting up a hat-trick to help beat the Chicago Black Hawks 7 to 3. He has had 29 hat tricks (Unreal). Texas beat Louisville in NCAA Girls Volleyball in 3 straight sets. 3RD Best in the Soccer World": Croatia 2 Morocco 1. Final: Argentina 3 France 3/Argentina won the shootout 4-2 & the World Title (88,000 fans). 

The Detroit Lions beat the Jets 20-17 on 12/18 to make it 7-7 for the first time ever. The Vikings trailed the Indy Colts 33-0 at the half. Kirk Cousins (former M.S.U. star) brought his Vikings all the way back to win in over-time 39-36. He was 34/54 for 460 yards & 4 T.D.S. 

LPGA Super Star Kathy Whitworth passed at 83. She won a record 88 times. Russian basketball player: Alzhan Zharmukhamedov passed at age 78. I think his name killed him.  He won the Gold with Russia in 1972 beating the U.S.A. by one point. J.J. WATT retired - bad heart. Cancer has taken "Pele" at age 82. The man put soccer on the map worldwide.

College Final Four in Football: T.C.U. 51-Michigan 45. J.J. McCarthy: 20/34-343 YRDS-2 TDS-2 ITS-52 YRDS running. Georgia 42 Ohio State 41. C.F. Stroud: 23/34-384 YRDS-4 TDS-Ran for 34. Ohio State kicker missed game winning field goal at the very end. The Georgia QB cried in happiness. 

Tom Brady's Bucs beat the Panthers 30-24 to win their 3rd straight South Div. Title. He was 34/45-432 yards-3 TD'S (All to Mike Evans). Tom is 44 years old - these are insane numbers. The Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin was critically injured (suffered a cardiac arrest) in a game against the Bengals. The game was called. Hamlin had a charity for kids one day after the incident and it went from $2500.00 to $3 million. Blaine Gabbert (Bucs QB backup), saved passengers after their helicopter went down in the water - he got them to shore on his jet ski.   

Tom Brady (2-1-2023) has stepped away from football. 335 games  - 89214 yards - 649 TDS -7 Super Bowl wins. A jar of sand Brady stood on when he retired is over a $100,000 (YES STUPID) on E-Bay.

Blake Wheeler (Jets) ruptured his testicle blocking a slap shot. He finished the game (THATS HOCKEY). Giants 31 Vikings 24. Bengals 24 Ravens 17 (WTF? Football) Cinn. D-Man Sam Hubbard 6'5" 265 pounds (Ohio State Grad) had a 98 yard fumble pick up return from the goal line for a TD. He ran like a gazelle. Totally the play of 2023. The Ravens coach John Harbaugh (Jim's brother) almost had a heart attack. 

Phil (I'm washed up) Mickelson got $200 million over 4 years to join the Saudi Golf Tour. The 1984 Tigers and the 2023 Tampa Rays hold the record for the start of a season. Only Shoehei Otanti & Babe Ruth hold a record for over 100 home runs & throwing over 500 strike outs. 

American League 2022 Rookie of the Year: Mike Harris: 297 BA - 64 RBI'S -19 HRS. National League 2022 Rookie of the Year: Julio Rodriquez: 284 BA - 28 HRS  -75 RBI'S.  

Novak Djokovic  2023 Wimbledon Champ can't play in the US Open because of no COVID shot, but America with no boarders lets in 5 1/2 Million Illegals under Biden. (STUPID) 

Hemlock Girls Basketball won the 2023 State Championship. They finished with 17 straight wins. In the final they beat Blissfield 59-43. Chloe Watson & Regan Finkbeiner led the way. Willis Reed -the famous N.Y. Knick passed at 80. Japan won the World Baseball Championship beating the USA 3-2. Saginaw’s Darvin Ham is the head coach of the L.A. Lakers.

Saginaw, Michigan got the 2024 Memorial Cup (WOW-THIS IS HUGE!). Elena Rybakina won the 2023 Wimbledon.   Saginaw Spirit beat Flint in 7 games in round one to win in the playoffs. (Round 2) the Spirit got knocked out in 4 straight by Sarina. 

Back in the day I looked forward to the “Sports IIIustrated Swim Suit Edition”. Now they have gone “WOKE”. Two years back the cover girl was 180 pounds in a bikini. Now we have a 51 year-old woman on the cover (Martha Stewart). Way too stupid.

Hockey Playoffs: Panthers 3 Canes 2 in 4 overtimes. Panthers Bobrovsky was 63/65. Canes Anderson was 57/60. LeBron James went out in a whimper in the playoffs, losing 4 straight. As the game ended he tried to choke another player - SEE YA PUNK! 

The INDY 500 winner was Josef Newgarden. 2023 Hockey Finals are Vegas & the Panthers. 2023 NBA Finals: Miami & Nuggets. Liam Hendriks (White Sox) pitcher beat stage 4 cancer-pitched in a game on May 30^th. La’Crosse NCAA Men’s Title: Notre Dame 13 Duke 9. Lauren Hartlage won the won the Liberty National with a -7.   

Roger Craig passed at age 93. He was a great pitching coach for the Tigers. Katie Bone age 17 was the Girl American Ninja Warrior Champion 2023. She has unreal strength. Viktor Hovland won the 2023 Memorial Tournament in a playoff. As of June 2023, Nelly Korda has won $823,074.00.  The Denver Nuggets beat Miami in 5 games to win the World Title in Basketball. In celebration in the streets 10 people were shot. Oh those NBA fans! 

Saginaw Gear Dave Westner is fighting cancer.  Bay Ice Arena had an Open House in August and it started 50 years ago. I was coaching there year one. Nolan Ryan never won a Cy Young Award -(UNREAL) . Jim Harbaugh - Michigan football coach will be suspended by the NCAA for the first 4 games (WOW). England beat Nigeria in a shoot-out to make the Final Four Soccer Final.  Spain beat England 1-0 in the finals. Spain was much faster - England had a great goalie. 

After a two year absence Simone Biles came back & won the U.S.A. Gymnastics Title. Phil Mickelson admitted to his 30 year addiction to gambling. He bet over one billion dollars & lost $100,000-Yes he should stop .

Some of the Highest paid athletes: Christano Ronaldo (Soccer) $136 Million. Lionel Messi (Soccer) $130 Million. LeBron James $119.5 Million Dustin Johnson $107 Million.

Recent Sports Deaths: Tim McCarver - Pele-Gaylord Perry  -Franco Harris - Don Maynard  -Bob Lanier-Hank Aaron  -Dan Reeves & Bobby Hull. 

SPORTS CURSE: Bobby Layne after he was dumped to Pittsburg in 1957. It’s now 66 years. Selling Babe Ruth to N.Y. It took Boston 86 years to win a World Series. Chicago Black Hawks coach was fired in 1927 - he said they would never finish first. It took 67 years. The Leafs after winning in 1967  -It’s been 56 years. A Canada team in the NHL hasn’t won a Stanley Cup since Montreal won with Jacques Demers in 1993 -  its now been 30 years.