Amidst the Sadness, Sports Went On
Reactions to the sports world’s big losses, plus all the stories you need to know this AM
AMERICAN DREAM, MODEL CITIZEN: JOSE FERNANDEZ (1992–2016)
24-year-old Jose Fernandez was the future of the Miami Marlins franchise. In four short seasons the All-Star pitcher and 2013 Rookie of the Year was 38–17, with a 2.58 ERA. This season he was second in the majors with 253 strikeouts.
Those are the statistics (and plays like the GIF above) are what Fernandez will be forever known for, but as news of his death spread early Sunday morning, coaches, teammates, opponents and legends throughout the league remembered him for the unparalleled spirit he brought to the game.
Looking at his too-short life, it seems Fernandez had lived several lifetimes. Growing up, he tried to escape oppression in Cuba not once, not twice but four times — the last time having to also save his mother, who had fallen overboard. A teenager in a new land. Making it to the big leagues, then starring in them. He became a U.S. citizen on April 24, 2015. Just last week, he posted an Instagram announcing his girlfriend’s pregnancy.
More about the life of Jose Fernandez here.
RIP ARNOLD PALMER, (1929–2016)
The USGA announced on Sunday that golf legend Arnold Palmer had passed away. He was known as the King. His followers were Arnie’s Army. With his charisma and talent, he transformed the sport of golf into must-watch entertainment. Palmer’s heyday was the 1950s and 1960s, but his success paved the way for Jack Nicklaus, Tom Watson, Tiger Woods. Read how Arnold Palmer turned a sleepy, country club sport into a TV staple here.
NFL: PROTESTS, BACKLASH & SIDELINE TANTRUMS
Activism in the NFL continues to enhance our football convos well beyond plays of the week and Fantasy failures (sorry, Adrian* :(. This week, Colin Kaepernick graced the cover of Time (on knee, of course) and visited an Oakland, CA, high school football team to show his support during their national anthem protest. Sunday during warm-ups, Carolina Panthers QB Cam Newton made a statement on protests and unrest in Charlotte wearing a shirt with the MLK Jr. quote “injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere” written on the back. The anthem protest’s opposition won its fair share of headlines as well after a radio interview with Mike Ditka on Friday. The Hall of Famer and former Bears and Saints head coach said in reference to Kap and Co: “If they don’t like the country, they don’t like our flag, get the hell out.” And added for good (?) measure: “I don’t see all the atrocities going on in this country that people say are going on.” Ah, to see the world through Ditka-colored glasses.
Odell Beckham Jr. and Josh Norman continue their campaign as the Taylor Swift and Kim Kardashian of football. On the field, the NY Giants WR racked up impressive numbers against his Redskins defensive rival with seven catches for 121 yards, but Washington still managed to pull off the W with a final score of 29–27 — and no “play” from this weekend will likely be as re-watched as OBJ’s sideline tantrum after Eli Manning’s red-zone interception in the fourth quarter.
Just when we started getting used to the reality of the Rams in L.A., rumors of a Raiders move to Vegas started to look more legit. Between NFL commissioner Roger Goodell’s remarks last week and “numerous ownership sources” echoing the desire to keep the Raiders in Oakland, it seems even if owner Mark Davis hits the funding jackpot in Vegas, there will be an interception.
*Speaking of Adrian Peterson, the Vikings might not be able to keep the injured RB at his $18 million salary. And we may have already swapped him for Ryan Mathews in Fantasy… Detroit Lions RB Ameer Abdullah is likely done for the year with a torn ligament in his foot.
Scores to Know: Buffalo Bills 33, AZ Cardinals 10; Packers 34, Lions 27 (no need for people to worry, Aaron Rodgers is fine); Vikings 22, Panthers 10; Eagles 34, Steelers 3 (Carson Wentz’s offense did a lot more than Big Ben’s).
MLB: WIN, LOSE OR BRAWL
Rebounding from last year’s disappointing pre-playoffs performance, the Washington Nationals clinched their third NL East championship after beating the Pirates 6–1 on Saturday (and the Phillies knocked the Mets out of the running). Sunday, the teams’ tensions hit a fever pitch when a fake tag, Bryce Harper’s jammed thumb and A.J. Cole ejection sparked a bench-and-bullpen-clearing brawl.
The L.A. Dodgers nabbed their fourth consecutive NL West championship after reserve Charlie Culberson hit a two-out, walk-off home run during the bottom of the 10th inning in Sunday’s 4–3 win against the Rockies — in the last home game Vin Scully will ever announce for the Dodgers.
College Football Updates
In college football, you can’t win a national championship in the first month — but you sure can lose the opportunity to win one. Isn’t that right, LSU (2–2 after losing to Auburn), which fired coach Les Miles on Sunday? Miles had been on the hot seat after last season, but hung on to get a 12th season. The Tigers seemed to score a last-second TD to beat Auburn on Saturday but replay showed they hadn’t snapped the ball in time. Miles won a national title in 2007 but that’s ancient history when your team, expected to challenge Alabama in the SEC, ranks 119th in the country in passing offense.
Another coach on the hot seat is Brian Kelly at Notre Dame, where the Irish are 1–3 for the first time since 2010 after losing 38–35 at home to ACC patsy Duke. “If you want to play for me moving forward … you better have some damn fire and energy in you,” Kelly said.
Conversely, №. 8 Wisconsin (4–0 after beating Michigan State) was unranked in preseason but is the surprise of the Big Ten. And №.
9 Texas A&M (4–0 after a 45–24 rout of Arkansas) replaces LSU as the best challenge in the SEC to №1 Alabama.
Quote of the week: “A grave injustice was done to Art Briles.”
That from former Baylor president Ken Starr in an interview with Texas Tribune about former Baylor football coach Art Briles. No gentlemen, the injustice is that neither of you still get that rape allegations against your football team last season should have been taken seriously.
Sports Shorts
Amy Schumer lived out her KissCam dreams at Sunday’s Mets game… with her dad and BF. (We swear, it’s not creepy.)
Cristiano Ronaldo may be off to the worst start of his career, but hey — at least he has a really cute new puppy, right?
New Zealand native, Thunder center Steven Adams told Kevin Garnett he didn’t speak English to dodge his trash talk.
Pieces of this article came from the desks of The Relish’s Copy Chief rach54 and VP of content and audience development Lisa Raphael.
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