Olympics - Tokyo 2020 - Day 13

 Day 13 - August 2, 2021

Entry 3 of catch-up (almost there) ...

In soccer, Canada defeated a lackluster US women's team 1-0, scoring their only goal on a penalty kick, which also happened to be their only shot on goal.  All-World goalie Alyssa Naeher was forced out of the game in the first half with a knee injury, and she is likely out for the bronze medal game against Australia, itself a 1-0 loser to Sweden.  Look for the USA to play a lot of youngsters, as the likes of Carli Lloyd, Alex Morgan, Megan Rapinoe, Crystal Dunn and others are likely at, or near, the end of their national team careers.

In a very exciting game, Japan defeated the United States 7-6, with a walk-off single in the tenth, after starting the inning with two runners on base (by rule), after a sacrifice bunt, Kai Takuya singled off Edwin Jackson, Jr, scoring Yanagita Yuki with the winning run.  The USA is still in medal, and even gold, contention, but Japan's path is now easier after winning as they advance to the gold medal game.  USA is still in the medal play-in tournament, needing to defeat Korea in its next game to keep advancing.

Badminton was exciting as two gold medal matches took places.  In the men's singles, Denmark's Vikto Axelsen defeated Chinee favorite Chen Long 2-0.  Indonesia's Anthony Sinisuka Ginting defeated Guatemala's Keving Cordon 2-0 for the bronze medal.  In the women's doubles match, Indonesia's team of Greysia Polii and Apriyani Rahayu defeated China's Chen Qing Chen and Jia Yi Fan 2-0 to wing old, with Korea's Kim Soyeong and Kong Heeyong defeated countrywomen Lee Sohee and Shin Seungchan 209 for the bronze medal.  Indonesia has won 8 gold medals all time in the Olympics and all 8 have been in badminton.

At the track, Moracco's Soufiane El Bakkali won a very tactical men's 3,000 meter steeplechase, edging Ethiopia's Lamecha Girma - who won silver - and Kenyan Benjamin Kigen - who earned bronze.  In another tactical race, Hellen Obiri led three Kenyans in the top 12 and Gudaf Tsegay led three Ethiopians in the top 6 of the women's 5000 meter, only to finish second and third respectively.  The Netherlands' Sifan Hassan won gold in 14:36.79.

In the women's 100 meter hurdles, Jasmine Camacho-Quinn of Puerto Rico, and sister of Chicago Bears linebacker Robert Quinn (which I only mention because I am a Bears' fan), could not equal her Olumpic record set just one day prior, but she was able to hold on for gold, with Kendra Harrison of the USA finishing second, and Jamaica's Megan Tapper winning bronze.

Out in the field evnets, the USA's Valarie Allman won gold in the discus by 2.12 meters over silver medalists Kristine Pudenz of Germany.  Yaime Perez of Cuba took bronze.  A good haul for Cuba in the field as Juan Miguel Echevarria won silver and Maykel Masso won bronze in the men's long jump.  Echevarria, in the lead after his third jump, also hurt himself on this jump, so he passed on his fourth and fifth attempts.  Then, on his last attempt, Miltiadis Tentoglou of Greece took the lead, requiring Echevarria to make one last attempt for gold, but alas, his body would not let him even complete his run down the runway.  Incidentally, none of the jumpers were close to the Olympic record of 8.90 meters (29.199 feet) set by Bob Beamon in 1968!!!!  Mike Powell set the World Record in 1991 - 30 years ago - of 8.95 meters (29.363 feet).

On the wrestling mat, Adeline Maria Gray of the United Sates won the 76kg freestyle gold medal 7-3 over Aline Rotter Focken of Germany, earning gold.

Mijain Lopez Nunez won the gold medal in the Men's Greco-Roman 130kg division, defeating Iakobi of Georgia 5-0.  This was Lopez's 4th consecutive gold medal in the event, joining a very short list that includes Paul Elvstrom of Denmark (Sailing Firefly/Flynn 1948, 1952, 1956, 1960), Al Oerter of the United States (Discus 1956, 1960, 1964, 1968), Carl Lewis of the United States (long jump 1984, 1988, 1992, 1996), Kaori Icho of Japan (Wrestling 2004, 2008, 2012, 2016), and Michael Phelps of the United States (200 meter individual medley 2004, 2008, 2012, 2016).

Lopez's teammate Luis Alberto Orta Sanchez of Cuba won gold in the 60kg Greco-Roman Wrestly final defeating Kenichio Fumita of Japan 5-1, culminating a very good day for Cuba.

Athlete of the Day - Mijian Lopez Nunez, Wrestling, Cuba

Seriously, did you see that list of names that he joined?  Elvstron, Oerter, Lewis, Icho, and Phelps.  That's it!!!

Olympic Term of the Day:  Over/under - In wrestling, where one wrestler has one arm wrapped over and the other under an oppoentn's arm.  Sometimes referred to as the "dance position".

Olympic Events Watched:  Athletics (Track & Field), Badminton, Baseball, Basketball, Beach Volleball, Equestrian, Soccer, Volleyball, Water Polo, Wrestling 

USA Potential Closing Ceremony Flag-Bearer (Alphabetically):  Caleb Dressel, Phillip Dutton, Brady Ellison, Robert Finke, Adeline Gray, Lee Kiefer, Katie Ledecky, Sunisa Lee, Kelsey Plum, Anastasija, Zolotic

Divisional Roundtable

Both the American League and National League have started their respective divisional series, so it is officially playoff time!  Enough with this stupid one game wildcard stuff.  Real series, where the depth of the pitching staff is tested, rather than hoping your one ace can win a game for you.  We gathered the entire WeMakeItRain staff, plus our friend Tony to discuss our predictions for this round.  Our gathering took place last week, but I am just now getting around to putting our collective thoughts on screen.  Here are the predictions from WeMakeItRain to you ...


Pepster:  OK fellas.  It's playoff baseball time, a glorious time of year to be a sports fan.  Let's jump right into the series.  The marquis series features 100 win teams but since both of the historic rivals Boston and New York play in the same division, one - the Yankees - ended up the Wild Card.  Thus, they travel to Boston to start the series.  This is interesting here because Hopps is a lifelong Sox fan and Tony is a lifelong Yankees fan.  We will go with home-field advantage first, so Hopps?


Hopps:  Red Sox.  Best team in baseball. HARD STOP.


Tony:  Are you kidding me?  Yankees.  They may not have won 108 games, but they are better than the Red Sox, and I will rejoice when Fenway collapses on them.


Hopps:  I have glaucoma, and even I can see that isn't the case.  If we played just our "B" guys - Betts, Benintendi, Bogaerts and Bradley we win.


Tony:  Until we start a fight, and then Judge and Stanton pummel the entire Sox nation.


Pepster:  Woah, woah, woah, guys.  Let's not make this too personal. 


Hopps:  Red Sox/Yankees IS personal.

Tony:  Don't you mean Yankees/Red Sox.


Pepster:  Ok, moving along.  Sinickal?


Sinickal:  F'in Cubs. 


Pepster:  Great analysis there.  I guess that leaves me.  The Sox are thin in starting rotation, and even thinner in the bullpen.  If there "star"ters - Sale and Price - can get into the 7th or 8th innings, the Sox will win.  Only needs to happen twice, as the Sox can win one slugfest as they have bats all up and down the order.  As does New York.    I will go with Boston as 108 wins is 108 wins.  What did Bill Parcells use to say?  "You are what your record says you are".  So - Boston.  Next up - Houston and Cleveland.


Tony:  Indians. After Houston won the World Series last year, Cleveland just wants it more.


Hopps:  That is exactly why I am picking the Astros.  They are defending champs, and they defended their title with quite possibly the quietest 103 win team ever.  They keep rolling. 


Pepster:  I am with  you Hopps.  The pitching is phenomenal and Alex Bregman has joined Altuve, Correa and Springer as a top bat.  Tough to pitch to this lineup.


Sinickal:  (Mumbling) Up four, end up tied for the division.  Lose the play-in, then lose the wildcard.


Pepster:  Huh?


Sinickal:  F'in Cubs.


Pepster:  Speaking of the Cubs, let us turn to the National League where the surprising Milwaukee Brewers won the NL Central to earn the home-field advantage against the Rockies.


Sinickal:  I hate you.


Pepster:  Hopps?


Hopps:  I hate you too!  Ha.  So I am going with Milwaukee.  Just a guess.

Tony:  Leave it to the Sox fan to "take a guess".  Take a stand you idiot.  I am picking Milwaukee because they are a great team and are hungry.


Pepster:  I get the hungry part.  Milwaukee was supposed to be a year away, from being a year away.Then, they go out and pick up Lorenzo Cain, Mike Moustakas and likely NL MVP Christian Yelich - man I wish the Marlins could get a player like Yelich.  So, I am taking Milwaukee.  F'in Marlins.


Sinickal:  Are the Marlins even a team?


Pepster:  Fair question.  Last series.  Dodgers hosting Atlanta.  Really good young talent in Acuna and Albies, and another team that is supposed to be a year away from being a year away.  But that Dodgers lineup - Wow.  They have guys on the bench that would be stars, not just starters, on any other club. Plus, they have two Cubans.  Dodgers in a walk.


Tony:  I also am picking the Dodgers; great team and they are hungry.


Hopps:  Are you sure it isn't YOU that is hungry?  Dodgers.  Atlanta still can't win in the post season.


Sinickal:  F'in Cubs.


Pepster:  And there you have it.  Our divisional series round-up.  Be back shortly for the ALCS and NLCS.

Little League Legend

I am a little late to the editorializing about this situation, but it took me awhile to figure out who exactly was to blame.

Jerricho Scott is a 9 year old little league [editor's note - not Little League, but rather a different organization for developing players] pitcher in New Haven, Connecticut who happens to throw around 40 miles per hour. Apparently, he was scaring opposing hitters to the point where he was told that he could no longer pitch in his league, but that he could continue pitching if he moved up an age bracket. (It is my understanding that 40 mph is not necessarily fast for 9 - 10 year olds, and that Scott has not hit a batter all year). Scott did not pitch in his first game after being told not to pitch, as it was not his usual game in the rotation. However, in the following game, his coach told Scott that he was going to pitch. Upon taking the mound, the competing team's coach had his players leave the field, despite the protestations of the player's themselves. (One of the stories is that the team was 0-8 and their coach wanted the forfeit victory).

One of the allegations is that Scott turned down an offer to play on a different team in that league (the defending champs apparently), and that a board member that banned Scott from pitching was an employee of the defending champs' sponsor.

That, of course, is the Cliff's Notes version, and I am sure that as the (sure to be filed) lawsuit progresses we will hear all types of allegations and excuses, but for right now, I want to figure out who to blame. Here are my 5 people that I feel are the most to blame.

5. Overzealous parents who want their teams to win at all costs. Their ridiculous attitude has led to the development of sports and leagues where nobody wins, nobody keeps score, and everybody just has a good time. This is sports. Kids need to learn how to win, and how to lose. It's part of growing up. If you want your kid to have fun only, then take them somewhere else.

4. Ridiculous parents who don't want to hurt anybodies' feelings, let alone the children. Your kids' feelings will not be permanently damaged because one pitcher is better than them. Your kid won't be permanently damaged if all the pitchers are better than them. Your kids will bounce back. If they aren't good at baseball, try music, soccer, art, pick-up-sticks, whatever. Hell, try all of them. Let the kid figure out what he is good at. It might not be baseball, it might be photography. Who cares.

3. Johnnie Bell of Stuart, Florida - Because he was the pitcher that threw 1000 miles per hour and was the first to have the wicked curve ball that scared everyone in my league. I don't blame him for being good or for the Jerricho Scott situation, but I blame him for ending my baseball career.

2. Parents and bureaucrats that think it is alright to skirt the rules, or change them altogether. If Scott was allowed to pitch at the beginning of the season, let him pitch at the end of the season. The board members of that little league should be absolutely ashamed of themselves.

1. YALE! - It was New Haven, after all.