1st Down: Game 1 of the 2022 College Baseball World Series Finals is in the books, and it couldn’t have been more clear, could it? The Ole Miss Rebels dominated on the night, beating the Oklahoma Sooners 10-3 on Saturday to take a 1-0 lead and move one game away from a title that looked nearly impossible even a month ago. Jack Dougherty, typically a reliever, started on the mound and pitched into the sixth for the Rebels to aid their cause while Tim Elko was the highlight at the plate, going 4-5 with a solo homer coming in the fifth. The Sooners now know that they must win on Sunday afternoon in Omaha or the series- and their championship aspirations- are over.
2nd Down: A pivotal Game 6 awaits on Sunday in the Stanley Cup Final as the Colorado Avalanche head to Tampa Bay to face the Lightning, and the status of two big players- one on each team- remains to be determined ahead of the massive tilt. Avs star Andre Burakovsky, dealing with a hip injury, and Lightning star Brayden Point are both said to be game-time decisions for the potential decider. Both players’ returns would be a boon for their respective sides, so we’ll see if they suit up when the puck is dropped or not.
3rd Down: Kawhi Leonard, according to a recent report, is not restricted any longer as he works on rehabbing his ACL injury. The Los Angeles Clippers star has long endured injury problems, and this one is the latest of a long line of them. Sustained way back in the 2021 Playoffs, Leonard had surgery last July. The team is now refusing to put a timeline on Leonard, who has bucked that in the past anyway in favor of a slower route, so we could see him return literally anytime in the 2022-23 season. When he does come back, the Clips will certainly hope he is able to be similar to the old Leonard we saw in Toronto.
4th Down: Gareth Bale is headed to Los Angeles. LAFC made big news on Saturday when they announced that the Welsh soccer star, soon-to-be formerly of Real Madrid, will be headed out West to play for them in Major League Soccer. Bale, who has had a lot of injury concerns over the years but was one of the best players in the game during his prime for Los Blancos, signed a one-year deal that has an option for an additional year as he seeks to stay fit ahead of Wales’ World Cup venture in November. Bale, interestingly enough, and co. will face the United States in the group stage in Qatar, so that will be something to watch in the buildup to the event.
