⚾ More Clutch Hits, Rodgers Training Camp Thoughts + Our Big Ten Preview

Morning Blitzers!

Another interesting day in the sports world. We have the top tennis player in the world testing positive for steroids, Aaron Rodgers complaining about work, and another wild night in baseball. We’re also bringing you all of your favorite categories, plus a preview of the Big Ten. So grab your coffee and donut(s) and let’s get blitzing!

WTF Stat: Penn State's first colors were black and pink. The colors were picked by a group of three student representatives when they first added sports teams in 1887. The colors lasted until 1890, when the school switched to the navy and white they wear today. Would love to see them pull out the black and pink for a White Out game. I for one think their basketball jerseys looked pretty legit:

🎾 Jannik Sinner, the top-ranked tennis player, tested positive for an anabolic steroid twice in March but will not face a suspension. The International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) concluded that the steroid, clostebol, entered Sinner's system unintentionally through a massage by a support team member who used an over-the-counter product containing the banned substance. The ITIA determined the violation was unintentional, leading to no further punishment. He will, however, forfeit the $325,000 and 400 points from the Indian Wells tournament.

• 🔥 Take: At 6’4” and 170 lbs, he doesn’t exactly look like Barry Bonds or Mark McGwire. Do I think something nefarious was going on? Probably, seems like everyone has this same excuse when they get caught. But personally, I'd rather laugh with Jannik Sinners than cry with the saints. I’ll see my way out.

🏈 Jets QB Aaron Rodgers, described the current training camp as one of the most challenging of his career. Rodgers noted that this year's camp has involved 300 more practice reps than last year, reflecting the team's commitment to preparation and ignoring concerns about his age and recovery from Achilles surgery. Rodgers did not play in the first two preseason games and will likely sit out the final preseason game against the Giants.

• 🔥 Take: I think his teammates secretly hate this. A QB is not allowed to talk about practice being hard; it’s an unwritten rule. QBs don’t get hit, they’re barely running, and most starters, like Rodgers, rarely play in the preseason games. The guys that are fighting to make the roster that are in trenches getting mauled every play or doing full sprints on punt return coverage can talk about training camp being challenging, you can’t.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL PREVIEW - Big Ten

For diehard college football fans who pine for the days of yore, remember that it was the Big Ten that ushered in this new era of madness. Everything started changing when USC and UCLA signed on the dotted line and left/destroyed the PAC-12. Now the Big Ten spans from New Jersey to Washington. The question becomes, which style wins out? The gritty, hard-nosed style of the traditional Big Ten or the new run-and-gun, air-it-out hotness from the west coast?

Projected Finish

1. Ohio State

2. Michigan

3. Penn State

4. Oregon

5. Nebraska

6. USC

7. Iowa

8. Wisconsin

9. Washington

10. Rutgers

11. Michigan State

12. Illinois

13. Maryland

14. Minnesota

15. UCLA

16. Northwestern

17. Indiana

18. Purdue

Most Underrated Team: Nebraska - Matt Rhule is a winner at the college level because he recruits like a savage. Long term? Probably sanctions. Short term? Victories. He stole top freshman QB Dylan Raiola from Georgia and signed a Top 25 class. Times are changin’ in Lincoln.

Honorable Mention - Michigan

Most Overrated Team: Oregon - QB Dillon Gabriel is playing for his 3rd program, Dan Lanning is a great coach, but I just don’t trust these PAC-12 runaways to survive the grind of the Big Ten.

Dishonorable Mention - Iowa

Get Your Popcorn Ready to Watch These Dudes:

QB Dylan Raiola - Nebraska

RBs Tre’veon Henderson/Quinshon Judkins - Ohio State

RB Donovan Edwards - Michigan

RB Nicholas Singleton - Penn State

RB Kyle Monangai - Rutgers

WR Tez Johnson - Oregon

DT Mason Graham - Michigan

S Caleb Downs - Ohio State

Top Transfers

QB Tyler Van Dyke - Wisconsin (Miami)

QB Will Rogers - Washington (Mississippi State)

QB Will Howard - Ohio State (Kansas State)

QB Dillon Gabriel - Oregon (Oklahoma)

QB Aiden Chiles - Michigan State (Oregon State)

RB Quinshon Judkins - Ohio State (Ole Miss)

WR Julian Fleming - Penn State (Ohio State)

S Caleb Downs - Ohio State (Alabama)

Must Watch Games

9/7 Texas at Michigan

9/21 USC at Michigan

10/12 Ohio State at Oregon

10/12 Penn State at USC

11/2 Ohio State at Penn State

11/2 Oregon at Michigan

11/30 Michigan at Ohio State

MLB Games

• San Diego Padres 7, Minnesota Twins 5: Jurickson Profar torrid season continues. He hit a three-run homer in the eighth inning to propel the Padres to a 7-5 victory over the Twins. Manny Machado also homered, contributing to San Diego's second straight win against Minnesota. The Padres trailed 5-3 before Profar's 20th homer turned the game around. Xander Bogaerts added an RBI double to extend the lead. Tanner Scott got the win despite some late struggles, and Robert Suarez secured his 29th save. The Padres have been on fire, winning 22 of their last 27 games.

Key Highlight: I really wish I came up with the “ProFAR” pun. A great night in San Diego:

• Cleveland Guardians 9, New York Yankees 5: The Guardians outlasted the Yankees in a 12-inning battle, winning 9-5 in the longest MLB game of the season. Lane Thomas, a slumping pinch-hitter, sparked a six-run 12th inning with a tiebreaking double. Cleveland's offense had struggled earlier, but Thomas' hit ignited a rally that included a bases-loaded triple by David Fry. Emmanuel Clase pitched two crucial innings, and Scott Barlow closed it out despite Aaron Judge's late two-run double. The Yankees struggled offensively, going 1-for-16 with runners in scoring position and issuing 14 walks. This loss dropped the Yankees behind the Orioles in the AL East, while Cleveland remains in a tight race in the AL Central.

Key Highlight: If you want to see some gross looking baseball you can watch this bases loaded “triple”, here is a much better effort play all around:

• Los Angeles Dodgers 6, Seattle Mariners 3: The Dodgers rallied to beat the Mariners 6-3, thanks to a clutch three-run homer by pinch-hitter Jason Heyward in the eighth inning. Heyward's shot off All-Star closer Andrés Muñoz gave the Dodgers their first lead of the night. Max Muncy and Gavin Lux also homered, contributing to the Dodgers' third straight win. The Mariners, despite Jorge Polanco's two hits and three RBIs, continue to struggle, having lost seven of their last eight games. Walker Buehler had a rough start, allowing three runs over four innings, while Joe Kelly and Daniel Hudson secured the win and save, respectively.

Key Highlight: Heyward’s still got it:

• Atlanta Braves 3, Philadelphia Phillies 1: The Atlanta Braves defeated the NL East-leading Philadelphia Phillies 3-1, thanks to Marcell Ozuna's 37th home run of the season and a strong pitching performance from Reynaldo López. In the opener of a crucial three-game series, the Braves pulled within six games of the Phillies, despite a string of injuries, including losing third baseman Austin Riley. Ozuna's sixth-inning homer broke a 1-1 tie, while López, returning from injury, pitched five solid innings with 10 strikeouts. The Braves remain in the hunt for the NL's final wild-card spot.

Key Highlight: Reynaldo López continues his breakthrough season (7-4, 2.05 ERA, 112ks). Paul Skenes is absolutely dominating and has the second best odds to win the NL Cy Young, but if you compare their stats (7-2, 2.30 ERA, 121ks), they’re not really that far off. Yes, I’m ignoring WHIP and K/9; those wouldn’t help his case.

Boston Red Sox 6, Houston Astros 5: Jarren Duran's tie-breaking home run in the eighth inning, his fourth hit of the night, lifted the Red Sox over the Astros 6-5. Duran went 4 for 4, walked once, and scored three times. Triston Casas contributed with a two-run homer in the first, helping Boston take an early lead. Although the Astros tied the game twice, including a two-run homer by Jon Singleton and another by Yainer Diaz, they went 0 for 8 with runners in scoring position. Red Sox reliever Zack Kelly earned the win, and Kenley Jansen secured his 24th save.

Key Highlight: Triston Casas is back and hitting bombs: 

See the full MLB scoreboard here and the current standings here.

On this day in 1982, Milwaukee Brewers' relief pitcher Rollie Fingers becomes the 1st pitcher to save 300 games. Fingers would finish with 341 career saves, the Hall of Famer currently sits 15th on the all-time saves list. Fingers is regarded as a pioneer of modern relief pitching, defining the role of the closer for years to come. He also happened to have an incredible handlebar mustache:

Trivia Time Answer

Answer above and check back in tomorrow for the answer and more info!