EL BARRIO, EL FALLS – Happy Monday. It is weird not following the Cheese Man, who is now retired. I have to say, as reluctant as he is, Grinding Ax is very capable pinch hitter. Not sure wants the job full time but the Dirtee Jerz, is under represented on here. As for me, my piece today will be about… Ilona Maher, Mets Don’t Sign Rocker, Lamar Jackson Covid +.
When my wife starts asking me about a rugby player, that’s when I know that player has made it mainstream. I get online and go to sports forums. She does Tik Tok and Facebook groups, so I knew it was big deal when she insisted on showing me about 10 videos from USA Rugby 7s star Ilona Maher. The amount of likes and comments made it clear I had to write about her as a breakout star. But I am late to it. She has now done a Tik Tok with NBC, who are boasting how she is carrying the Tik Tok load from the Olympic Village by USA players. And there have been articles already in other less prestigious publications than this. She has received tons of comments from moms and young women now looking for local rugby for their kids and themselves, respectively. How USA Rugby uses this opportunity as well as her making the most of this moment will be fun to see.
Mets Don’t Sign Rocker
Kumar Rocker will not be coming to the Mets. Their number #1 draft pick and the #10th overall was not signed in time. Instead, the Amazins will receive the #11 pick in the compensation draft next year. It appears that Rocker had an MRI and the Mets didn’t like the results. Considering all the dumb decisions and the way the Mets physio team has just about the worst I have ever seen for a professional team, I find this to be a big deal. Rocker, is represented by Scott Boras, so he quickly grabbed the mic and said Rocker passed an independent physical and will still be forgoing his senior season at Vanderbilt and turning pro. What that means, no one knows. The Mets next 3 picks were pitchers too, so considering how the baseball draft is an even worse crap-shoot than most other leagues drafts, if one of them makes The Show and is a starter, it is a miracle. Current Mets ace Jacob deGrom was drafted in the 9th round, so draft position isn’t everything.
Lamar Jackson Covid +
For the second time in nine months, Lamar Jackson has tested positive for COVID and is quarantining. We don’t know if he was a breakthrough case because we aren’t allowed to know which players are vaccinated. I think he isn’t and maybe this will wake up players that aren’t. I believe this new NFL COVID Protocol will get tested by lots of players and I am here for all the chaos.
Thanks for reading, comment below and come back tomorrow for Ben Whitney.
