By Matt McDonough
Oyez. Here ye.
Those are a couple calls of the town crier.
Quack.
That’s a call that might be better suited for our space at “Duck on a Rock Sports.” The goal of this town crier is to inform, share opinions and engage readers. This column will be a regular installment that provides commentary on whatever crosses our minds. Feel free to agree, disagree, but most of all, read.
- The Summer Olympics wrapped up Sunday in Paris. As always, the Olympic Games remind us that sport is the ultimate celebration. From the opening ceremony, where athletes who make thousands share the same stage with multi millionaires, to the sports and games most of us only watch every few years, the two weeks always seem to fly by no matter how much viewers savor it.
The United States won the overall medal count with 126 total and 40 golds. China tied the U.S. for golds with 40 but was second with 91 total. Host country France earned 64 medals (16 gold).
As impressive as the individual and team performances were across the board, especially Simone Biles in gymnastics and Katie Ledecky in swimming, the crier’s most captivating watches were on the track and basketball court. The back to back 4×400 relay races followed by the men’s basketball gold medal game was a scintillating stretch. The men held off Botswana while the women made everyone else fight for silver and bronze. The men’s basketball Saturday afternoon soiree and women’s basketball Sunday morning final had a feel of stiff competition combined with a simultaneous celebration of the game.
According to NBC CT, 20 medals were won by athletes with Connecticut ties. Special shoutout to Alexis Holmes, a Cheshire Academy grad who is from Hamden, who was the anchor position of the 4×400 meter relay and ensured there’d be no drama during the last leg of the race.
- Before beginning “Hard Knocks: Training Camp with the Chicago Bears” on HBO, the crier warmed up with Oregon Football’s “That Team Out West,” released on their official X (in our hearts it’s still Twitter) account. Narrated by Ty Burrell, made famous, at least to this crier, by his role in “Modern Family,” the show takes viewers behind the scenes of the Ducks’ football operation.
Oregon figures to have a real shot at the College Football Playoff. Nike founding father Phil Knight has invested heavily in his alma mater over the years, but reportedly upped the ante recently by providing whatever resources and NIL blank checks are needed in hopes he sees the Ducks capture a national title. That story line, combined with transfer quarterback and Heisman Trophy hopeful Dillon Gabriel leading a deep roster, makes it an intriguing watch.
Although the pilot episode is not as captivating as Amazon’s “Coach Prime” overall, early returns show head coach Dan Lanning coming across as likable and respectable. Speaking of Coach Prime, prior to last season’s Oregon beatdown of Colorado, Lanning went after Buffaloes head coach Deion Sanders by saying. “They’re fighting for clicks, we’re fighting for wins.” Both coaches, despite exhibiting a clear contrast of style, are genuinely authentic in their own right. Lanning’s business-like approach is apparent, but it’s tough to argue that Oregon hasn’t at least been trying for some extra clicks and web traffic as they embark on their Big 10 journey.
Between the mammoth-sized duck in the White River during Big 10 Media Days, another parade of new uniforms (that this writer considers to be their best version of apple green and gold yet), and an online show that mirrors Coach Prime’s, there’s at least a layer of contradiction somewhere. Or maybe it is possible to fight for both. In the meantime, this crier will be watching, rooting, and clicking, even if the title phrase “Team Out West” seems scripted and is forced upon the viewer as inorganically as the listing of benefits in a life insurance policy commercial.
- Apparently it’s better to lose with “aura” than win without it now.
- Two things to try: Gatorade’s limited edition flavor called “Midnight Ice” and Jack Link’s Doritos Spicy Sweet Chili Beef Jerky.
- Props to the Chicago White Sox, who snapped their 21-game losing streak last week by beating the Athletics in Oakland, 5-1. The Sox skid tied an AL-record for woefulness, but their bad luck ran out when they won the second game of the series against the only MLB team with a dimmer future (more on the A’s in future crier columns). A thread on X from @JHurtsFan highlighted happenings that spanned the gap between wins, which included the assassination attempt against former president Donald Trump, the Euro and Copa soccer finals, EA Sports College Football 25’s release, the MLB All Star Game, president Joe Biden dropping out of the race, and the beginning of the Olympics. The White Sox even waited to win until both party’s presidential tickets truly took shape.
- The crier already likes this season of “Hard Knocks” way better than last year. The Jets coaching staff was unbearable.
Please consider donating to the Dave Solomon Scholarship, which provides funding for future journalists from UConn, as well as Gina Malafronte’s “Closer to Free Ride,” honoring her brother Chip. Both Dave Solomon and Chip Malafronte were sports writers at the New Haven Register and are dearly missed.
