Last week was a good one for sports. NASCAR had a couple of races. The Triple Crown of horse racing got some clarity, and the NBA is in talks with the Mouse. Check out what happened this past week in the world of sports!
Weekly Sports Recap & Update – May 25th Edition
Brad Keselowski wins the Charlotte 600, Hamlin wins the Toyota 500
Two of the top drivers at NASCAR took home trophies last week.
On Wednesday, Denny Hamlin won the Toyota 500 at Darlington Raceway in South Carolina. Then on Sunday, Brad Keselowski took the checkered flag at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
The Coca-Cola 600 and Toyota 500 were the second and third of three races NASCAR has run since May 17. The first, The Real Heroes 400 at Darlington, served as a blueprint for how NASCAR will conduct racing for the foreseeable future.
Everyone seemed more relaxed on May 20 for the Toyota 500. This past Sunday, it was almost business as usual sans fans.
Both NASCAR and UFC have taken the lead for sports returning to the United States. Every sports fan worldwide should give a thanks, even if it’s silent, to those two leagues.
Tiger and Peyton beat Terrific Tom and Lefty at The Match
In the end, the favorites took The Match: Champions for Charity. Tiger and The Sherriff beat Terrific Tom and Phil Mickelson.
It wasn’t easy. Woods / Manning beat Brady / Mickelson 1-up.
In the beginning, it appeared as if El Tigre and Peyton would walk away with it. Brady played as if it were the first time he had stepped onto a golf course.
But the NFL’s GOAT turned it around. Terrific Tom provided the absolute best shot of the entire match. He holed it from 100-yards out with a wedge.
Brooks Koepka was so impressed, he donated $100,000 to the charity event.
Leipzig, Bayern, Leverkusen, and Dortmund win Bundesliga matches
The four top teams on the Bundesliga Standings didn’t disappoint. On Sunday, Leipzig dominated Mainz 5-0. The day before on Saturday, Leverkusen beat Monchengladbach 3-1, Dortmund took apart Wolfsburg 2-0, and Bayern spanked Frankfurt 5-2.
Although weekend Bundesliga soccer action impressed, nothing compares to Tuesday, May 26. Bayern battles Dortmund. Check out current MyBookie odds.
- Bayern -116
- Dortmund +250
- Draw +305
The match happens at 12:30 ET on Tuesday. FS1 airs the battle between Bayern and Dortmund. Make sure to check it out.
Horse racing sets dates for the Belmont and Preakness
When Churchill Downs decided they’d postpone opening day, the first thing they did was reschedule the 2020 Kentucky Derby.
It made sense. The Belmont Stakes and Preakness Stakes are great horse races. But the only one horseplayers and non-horseplayers both care about is the Kentucky Derby.
Churchill made September 5 the new date for the Kentucky Derby. Pimlico Racecourse, home of the Preakness, and Belmont Park where they run the Belmont Stakes, have decided on their 2020 dates.
The Belmont happens on June 20. The Preakness happens about a month after the Derby on Oct. 3.
Also, Belmont Park said they’re running the Test of Champions at 1 1/8 miles. The spacing between Triple Crown events this year allows trainers and owners to enter this summer’s Haskell Invitational and Travers Stakes.
The new Triple Crown schedule could stick. It does make sense to run at least two Triple Crown races in the fall.
If they’re the most important races for 3-year-olds, why not test those 3-year-olds all year before the championship races?
MLB and players will try to hash something out this week
Everyone knows that the real reason Major League Baseball has yet to announce plans for the 2020 season is because of money.
Players want to get paid their full contract amounts. Baseball owners are balking at that because they don’t believe they can play an entire season.
Both have legitimate arguments. This week should determine if baseball does play in 2020.
Fingers-crossed, both sides will come to some sort of agreement. Don’t hold your breath, though. Unlike the NBA and NHL, baseball players and owners have a spotty history. Neither side has ever wanted to give an inch.
NHL moving to Phase 2 in reopening plans
NHL believes it’s time to move to Phase 2. For the National Hockey League that means small groups at team facilities. Phase 2 is voluntary. Teams won’t require players to show up. It’s a step in the right direction, though.
Also, this past Friday, the NHLPA approved the format the NHL can use to return to play. 24-teams would make the playoff field.
In the East, the top four teams would be the Boston Bruins, Tampa Bay Lightning, Washington Capitals, and Philadelphia Flyers. In the West, the top four teams would be the St. Louis Blues, Colorado Avalanche, Vegas Golden Knights, and Dallas Stars.
NBA and Disney discussing restarting season at Disney World in Orlando
Of the three on hiatus sports leagues, the National Basketball Association made the most progress. The NBA is talking to Disney about having games at Disney World Resort in Orlando, FL.
There’s a ton yet to decide. One of the issues is how the NBA might test players and coaches. But at least the discussions are ongoing.
Orlando is the number one vacation destination in the world. More people visit Orlando year-to-year than they do Las Vegas or Hawaii.
There are enough hotel rooms to house every NBA player. Whether those players really want to do that when the rest of the nation appears to be opening remains to be seen.
Let’s keep our fingers-crossed that the National Basketball Association and the Mouse can come to some sort of agreement that also satisfies the players.
