Good Morning, Stumpers!

You know what August 13th means right? Yup, you guessed it, we are 22 days away from season opener of the NFL. It’s Eagles-Cowboys, but frankly you could put any two teams on TV and we’d watch it! Cool stump for you today that includes Week 1 previews, HR records, and thumb surgeries!

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The Rundown

🏈 We Are Dangerously Close to Week 1

⚾️ There’s a New King of Home Run’s in NY

🖐️ Jordan Love Set to Undergo Thumb Surgery…Uh-Oh

🚨 TRIPLE PLAY ALERT! TRIPLE PLAY ALERT!

On This Day

👶 Yanks Rookies Go DEEP

If I told you that Aaron Judge’s first career plate appearance in the MLB ended in a home run, would you be surprised? Probably not, but what else happened might.

On this day in 2016, future Yanks first ballot Hall of Famer Aaron Judge hit a home run in his at-bat in the MLB. Not shocking. But what is shocking is that Judge wasn’t the first rookie to hit a homer in his first at-bat that day. In fact, fellow Yankee rookie Tyler Austin had his first plate appearance the at-bat before Judge, and he hit a home run! So Austin and Judge went back-to-back to start their careers.. ELECTRIC!

Today’s Trivia

Glue Guy of the Day

🏈 Is Football Really This Close?

Today being Wednesday the 13th is just another excuse to say how close we are to Week 1 of the regular season!

Would love to say that today is some round number away from the number of the days we are from football. Maybe 10, or 25, or 50. It’s not. It’s just an average Wednesday over here in August. Fantasy commissioners are getting ready to set those draft days, preseason is in full swing, the final few contract disputes are hopefully close to settling out.

Today I just want to share how ELECTRIC the Week 1 Slate is going to be this year! It’s truly unreal. Here are a few games and just a quick little pump up 22 days before Week 1.

Opening Game - Cowboys @ Eagles (TNF - 8:20 PM ET)

The defending Champs (who are still one of the odds on favorites to win it all this year) open the season against the Dallas Cowboys. An NFC East showdown that will be a great way to start the season. I can already see the Tush Push, the Micah Parsons headlines (whether he is there or not), and a close 4th quarter. It’s a great start.

Friday Night Football? Chiefs vs Chargers (Sao Paolo, Brazil - 8:00 PM ET)

For the second year in the row we are getting a FNF game in Week 1. This year it’s an AFC battle between the team that always gets it done vs the team that never quite can close it out. If the Chargers ever wanted to make a statement, it’s right here in Week 1. Stage setting matchup for the AFC West.

The Aaron Bowl - Steelers @ Jets (1:00 PM ET)

What’s the reaction going to be here? Boo birds? Gotta be right. Rodgers gave the Jets such high hopes and what was delivered was just so disappointing. Now he is in PIT with Mike Tomlin in what is poised to be a weird 8-8-1 season where the Steelers are in the hunt late. This will be a very interesting Week 1 matchup. Fields vs Rodgers, both against former teams!

Afternoon Highlight - Lions @ Packers (4:25 PM ET)

We discuss this one a little later, but this one will be something as well. Is Goff still Goff without Ben Johnson? Surely….right?

Sunday Night Football - Ravens @ Bills (8:20 PM ET)

The Ravens head back to the stadium where they played their last game. This is the classic “best of the rest” matchup in the AFC, the two teams who have been trying to dethrone the big guy. The two MVP candidates from last year will square off in what easily could be the game of the week!

All of this to say, GET FIRED UP…because this is just half the slate, and it’s going to be so so good! WOOOOOOOOO!

The BIG Moments

⚾️ There’s a New Home Run King

The Stump Short Story: No, I’m not talking in all of the Major Leagues, Cal Raleigh still has that on lock. I’m talking Polar Pete, who hit his 253rd career Mets home run to become the all-time leader in franchise history. Not only that, but he added to his new record, hitting his 254th later on in the game. Alonso got a curtain call, a standing ovation, and a lot of hugs in the dugout for this one, and deservedly so.

Why it Matters: Alonso has just been one of those loyal guys you kind of forget about sometimes, but is so valuable to a franchise. Mets fans live and die by this guy, through thick and thin, he’s been their dude. Remember how electric he was when he first got into the league? He was smashing homers and records left and right. This is a feel-good story, because when Alonso was a free agent this offseason you could really tell how much he wanted to stay and win in New York. Congrats, Pete, you’re a Mets legend!

Read More: Watch the Moment Pete Makes History (SNY)

🏈 Jordan Love to Undergo Thumb Surgery

The Stump Short Story: It comes with preseason, but sometimes we see injuries during the course of these preliminary games. It’s why coaches and GMs really think hard about every series that their starters play. Luckily this isn’t anything season derailing, but after hitting his left thumb on a helmet on Saturday, Jordan Love will have to undergo surgery to repair ligament damage in the thumb. Packers GM Brian Gutekunst said that he is expected to play in their season opener on September 7th. Who do they play? None other than the Detroit Lions.

Why it Matters: The NFC North is set to be a very interesting one this season. The Lions are the favorites, after being the 1-seed last year, but after losing both their OC and DC, it will be interesting to see if they can replicate what they did a year ago. The Packers will be right there with them, and the Vikings and Bears will both be question marks with new faces in big positions. The NFC North is no doubt going to be one to keep an eye on.

Read More: Jordan Love set to undergo Thumb Surgery (NFL)

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🔗 Quick Links

⚾️ TRIPLE PLAY ALERT! TRIPLE PLAY ALERT!

🏈 This Dart bomb really was something…

🐐 Build the man a statue!

What To Watch

⚾️ Wednesday = Baseball Day

• Tigers @ White Sox (2:10 PM), Diamondbacks @ Rangers (2:35 PM), Padres @ Giants (3:45 PM), Phillies @ Reds (5:10 PM), Twins @ Yankees (7:05 PM), Cubs @ Blue Jays (7:07 PM), Red Sox @ Astros (7:10 PM), and a whole HOST of other games on Thursday!

⚽️ UEFA Super Cup (oh, we’re SO back) CHAMPIONSHIP features two of the top clubs in the world facing off at 3:00 PM today on CBSSN, Paris Saint-Germain vs Tottenham! Winner takes all!

🏀 Four Game WNBA Slate:

• Sky vs Sun (7:00 PM), Valkyries @ Mystics (7:30 PM), Liberty @ Aces (9:30 PM on ESPN), Dream @ Storm (10:00 PM)

🏌️ By the time we talk next we’ll be one day into the BMW Championship in Owings Mills, Maryland at Caves Valley Golf Club. The top 50 in the PGA Tour standings make this tourney, and the top 30 in the standings advance after this weekend. EVERY SHOT MATTERS! Here’s the tee times for tomorrow…

Of! The! Day’s!

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