Sports ‘n Stuff! 7/28/21

While you’re busy watching the events at the Olympic Games, there are some hidden details in the athletes’ outfits you may have missed.

• The U.S. women’s gymnastics team’s blue leotards contain a nod to American history – The blue leotards worn for the qualification event displayed 76 stars in honor of America winning its independence in 1776.
• Their leotards worn for the women’s all-around team final feature 76-hundred Swarovski crystals – In another reference to 1776, the women’s gymnastics team’s patriotic red, white and blue leotards shimmer with 76-hundred crystals.
• The Dutch women’s gymnastics team’s leotards feature Japanese writing – As a tribute to the host country of the Olympics, the team’s black, white and orange uniforms have the Japanese word for the Netherlands written across the front.
• Germany’s men’s basketball head coach also wore Japanese writing – Coach Henrik Rodl of Team Germany sported a shirt featuring the Japanese word for Germany on the front.
• Jayson Tatum of the U.S. men’s basketball team wore Kobe Bryant’s jersey number – Tatum’s jersey number is 10, as a tribute to his favorite player, Bryant, who also wore that number when he helped win gold medals for Team USA at the 2008 and 2012 Olympics. “With this being the first Olympics since we lost him, it holds that much more value,” Tatum explains. “It’s not something I take lightly.”
• Russia’s Olympic uniforms aren’t allowed to display the Russian flag – Because of sanctions imposed after a doping scandal, Russian athletes can’t wear the Russian flag or hear their national anthem at medal ceremonies. Their uniforms feature the Olympic logo with Russia’s colors instead.
• Team Australia’s suit jackets honor every past gold medalist from the country – The suit jackets worn by athletes from Australia at the opening ceremony were lined with the names of all 320 Australian Olympic gold medalists.

Ex-UFC star Ronda Rousey showed support for Simone Biles after the superstar gymnast dropped out of the Olympics women’s team final on Tuesday.

Rousey had a stern message for critics on Twitter and wrote whatever Biles is dealing with is an internal struggle.

“Everyone judging @Simone_Biles doesn’t know their foot from their a–hole when it comes to being in her position. She’s on the Olympic team while you’re on Twitter. Whatever is going on cannot be grasped from outside. She’s doing the absolute best she can given the situation she’s in,” Rousey wrote. Rousey represented the U.S. in the 2008 Beijing Olympics. She won a bronze medal in judo.

The Green Bay Packers are completing a trade with the Houston Texans to acquire wide receiver Randall Cobb, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN, fulfilling the request of quarterback Aaron Rodgers. This deal will become official once Rodgers’ revamped contract is official so that everything fits under the salary cap. Trey Wingo reported that Rodgers returning to the team was dependent upon the acquisition of Cobb. 

Former USC star Reggie Bush won’t have the 2005 Heisman Trophy returned to him after the NCAA announced it will not reverse penalties or restore vacated records from past years based on recent changes to name, image, and likeness.

Pittsburgh Penguins head coach Mike Sullivan has been named the head coach of the United States Men’s Olympic Hockey Team for the 2022 Beijing Olympics. Maybe he’ll do better than Popovich is doing with the basketball team.The Beijing Olympics are scheduled to open on Feb. 4 and run through Feb. 20. The NHL’s All-Star Game break is set to begin Feb. 4, and there is an extended break that runs through Feb. 22 to accommodate the Olympics.

The National Sports Collectors Convention started today just outside Chicago.  PWCC Marketplace announced that a Patrick Mahomes 2017 Panini National Treasures 1-of-1, NFL shield, autographed card has sold for $4.3 million, the most ever paid for a football card and the fourth-largest sum fetched by a sports card all time.

“It’s the perfect storm. It’s a 1-of-1, the NFL shield an on-card auto, a rookie. You have someone betting on Mahomes’ career, [and] this is as good as it gets.”

The buyer betting on Mahomes is LJ’s Card Shop of New Albany, Ohio, originally a digital store for single cards, boxes, cases and memorabilia which is opening a brick-and-mortar shop in the near future.

With the NBA draft only a day a way, trades are the the other hot topic.

Philadelphia 76ers All-Star guard Ben Simmons, is said to be likely traded, per The Athletic’s Sam Amick. The teams tied to the two-time All-Defensive guard are the Miami Heat, Toronto Raptors and Washington Wizards,

The Movie Ghostbusters: Afterlife was pushed from a 2020 release date amid the pandemic. It is now dated for Nov. 11 from Sony Pictures. The plot revolves around the family of Egon Spengler — who was played by the late, beloved Harold Ramis — discovering his hidden lab at the family farm. Around the same time, ghosts, long since thought to have been eradicated, return.

Today is Wednesday, July 28, 2021

Today in Sports History

1991 – Dennis Martinez, of the Montreal Expos, pitched the 13th perfect game in major league baseball history. 

1994 – Kenny Rogers, of the Texas Rangers, pitched the 14th perfect game in major league baseball history. 

2002 – Lance Armstrong won his fourth straight Tour de France.