Earlier this week I was reflecting on what an incredible run it’s been to be a sports fan these past three Sundays. I wonder what’s in store for this, the final Sunday in June.
June 8 – Men’s French Open Singles Final
Like most iconic sporting events that have made my list for attending during the Around the World in 80 Sporting Events project, I endeavor to tune in at least for a bit – for no other reason – to look longingly at the venue envisioning myself on the grounds some day.
That said, it seemed as though watching the Jannik Sinner–Carlos Alcaraz match might not consume too much time. If I’m being honest, like a lot of viewers, I was probably a point or two away from turning the match off and moving on with whatever Sunday had in store. And, in this case, it was birthday Sunday so there was a decent chance something might be in store.
But then Alcaraz won a point. And then another. And then another. And then the third set. And, suddenly, I was sucked in.
I began texting my tennis-loving friends to see if they were watching.
They were.
And then I posted the following on The Sports Fan Project‘s Facebook page:
The match remained on in the background during birthday lunch.
The match remained on in the background during birthday gifts.
And then I sat back and watched every point of the fifth set super tiebreaker in absolute admiration for what was occurring before me.
Five hours and 29 minutes these two fellas played!
Shoot, I could’ve driven from my home to Chicago’s Wrigley Field in that amount of time and maybe even had a cold one at Murphy’s Bleachers before returning home.
June 15 – First Elimination Day at the Men’s College World Series & the U.S. Open Final Round
The Arizona Wildcats and Louisville Cardinals played the first elimination game of the 2025 Men’s College World Series … and I was there!
At some point during the next couple of weeks I’ll put together all of my thoughts about the experience of being in Charles Schwab Field in Omaha to see some of the MCWS. For now, though, I’ll simply note that my father and I were in the upper deck roasting away on this 90-degree mid-Father’s Day afternoon watching the Cardinals eliminate the Wildcats, 8-3, as part of Event No. 19 of Around the World in 80 Sporting Events.
It was a darn good game for the first seven innings. Arizona clung to a 3-2 lead entering the bottom of the eighth when Louisville cashed in on fielding miscues and scored six runs to seize control.
Sweaty, tired, and a bit sun burned, we retreated to the air conditioned comfort of our accomodations in nearby Council Bluffs, IA, to recharge and tune into the finals of the U.S. Open. Of course this tournament is where Around the World in 80 Sportings Events had all begun a year ago with Event No. 1 at Pinehurst No. 2.
I flicked on my television just in time to see play resuming following what I later learned was a 90-minute rain delay. What I didn’t discover until much later, was how oddly J. J. Spaun‘s final round began (shooting a 5-over-par, 40 on his front side) and how the rain delay may have impacted the various players.
The tournament quickly devolved from a test of golf to a test of survival on the soggy Oakmont Country Club layout, especially for clubhouse leader Sam Burns and his playing partner, Adam Scott. While their scores went the wrong way following the resumption of play, Spaun and Rob MacIntyre (and to an extent, Scottie Scheffler) went in the correct direction. For a moment it looked like the 3-over-par Jon Rahm had posted earlier in the day (later matched by Scheffler) might be the number to beat.
Then MacIntyre finished at 1-over-par and suddenly it looked like his might be the number to beat. But Spaun sank a birdie putt at No. 17 and needed only to 2-putt from 64-feet on No. 18 to seemingly lock it up. Instead, Spaun went ahead and drained his birdie putt and jubilation ensued.
It also ensued in Room 108 at the Best Western Crossroads of the Bluffs as well. I let out a whoop that might well have been heard all the way back in Omaha.
Unbelievable!
June 22 – MCWS Championship Game, Travelers Championship Final Round, & NBA Finals Game 7
I wasn’t even in the Continental U.S. for these events.
Having just witnessed the 120th Midnight Sun Baseball Game two nights earlier, I was spending an otherwise quiet early afternoon at my friend Tim’s Fairbanks, AK, house. And only because I’d been at Charles Schwab Field less-than a week earlier, I felt compelled to at least tune into the final between Coastal Carolina and Louisiana State.
That it was a 5-3 LSU when I dialed by in the seventh inning, I figured it was worth at least a looksee to discover if the underdog Chanticleers could muster a rally. About the time I began watching, LSU reliever Chase Shores entered the game and he was dealing. Fastballs in the upper 90s and touching 100 miles per hour, CCU could do little with it, though the lead-off batter in the bottom of the ninth inning reach, but a strikeout and a doubleplay ended it and led to a dog pile in the infield for the newly crowned champions, 5-3.
To this moment, I’m unsure what possessed me to flip the channel to the PGA’s Travelers Championship. I suspect it had something to do with potentially witnessing Tommy Fleetwood‘s first PGA Tour victory. Only that didn’t happen. Fleetwood left his approach on No. 18 short of the green and then failed to get up and down to, at worst, force a playoff. Keegan Bradley then calmly sank his birdie putt and celebratedthe way I had the week before in my hotel room.
The main event on this Sunday was, unquestionably, Game 7 of the NBA Finals. I’d made it known on Saturday that I’d hoped to see a good portion of the game.
Unlike the previous two events on this Sunday, I had a dog in this fight. I’m an Indiana native and had taken in my first-ever Pacers’ home game as part of Event No. 14 (the Indiana basketball experience). It turns out Tim had a dog in the fight as well. He’s a Seattle-area native and there are some things folks from his part of the Pacific Northwest don’t forget. In this case, it was the SuperSonics franchise being yanked out from under them and relocated to Oklahoma City.
Sadly, by the time we made our way to The Banks Alehouse for some spectating, perhaps the biggest event of the day had already occurred: Tyrese Haliburton‘s right achilles tendon snapped. With it, as it turned out, so too did the Pacers’ chances.
That didn’t prevent us – and most others in the surprisingly full Banks – from urging on the undermanned and scrappy Pacers against the Thunder until the bitter end. Alas, it was not to be.
What a Sunday! Clockwise from upper left, Keegan Bradley celebrates with his caddie, Scott Vail, after winning the Travelers Championship (photo by Jessica Hill/Associated Press). The LSU Tigers pile on after winning the Men’s College World Series in Omaha (photo by Getty Images). Indiana Pacers’ guard, Tyrese Haliburton, is comforted by teammate T.J. McConnell, the Thunder’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and Indiana’s trainer (photo by Justin Ford/Getty Images).
I wonder what the sports gods have in store for me this week.
Lots of good reading and viewing in this post.
Thanks!