Weekend In Review – More Olympic Gold For U.S., NFL, Baseball

A Sports Filled Weekend There’s a first time for everything, even in the Olympics. Sprinter Usain Bolt won his third gold medal in the 100-meter dash. The Jamaican is...

A Sports Filled Weekend

There’s a first time for everything, even in the Olympics.

Sprinter Usain Bolt won his third gold medal in the 100-meter dash. The Jamaican is the first to win that race in three consecutive Olympic Games. And in a first since 1904 – the last time the sport was in the Olympics – Great Britain’s Justin Rose won gold (rose gold?) in golf. Henrik Stenson of Sweden earned the silver medal and Matt Kuchar of the U.S. won the bronze.
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Great Britain’s Andy Murray became the first two-time gold medal winner in tennis, as he defeated Argentina’s Juan Martin del Potro in four sets.

With a win on Saturday in the 4×100-meter relay, Michael Phelps closed out his Olympic career with a record 23 gold medals. Though teammate Ryan Lochte predicted Phelps would swim in the games in Japan in 2020, Phelps declared: “I am not coming back in four years.” Katie Ledecky got her much-anticipated sweep of the 200, 400 and 800 meter freestyle events and walked away from the Olympics with four golds and a silver.

In gymnastics, Simone Biles collected her third goal medal by winning the women’s vault.

NFL
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The Los Angeles Rams’ welcome back to their old hometown was a success on Saturday night. The Rams drew nearly 90,000 for their first game in L.A. since 1995 and beat the Dallas Cowboys 28-24. … Quarterback Carson Wentz, the Philadelphia Eagles’ top pick, suffered a hairline rib fracture, the club said Sunday. Wentz said he hoped to return for the final preseason game Sept. 1. … The Buffalo Bills signed quarterback Tyrod Taylor to a six-year contract extension worth $90 million.

Baseball
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The New York Yankees gave Alex Rodriguez a not-so-fond farewell after Friday night’s game, releasing the 41-year-old as promised. He had an RBI double in his final appearance with the Yankees. Rodriguez might be joining the Miami Marlins, who may have lost slugger Giancarlo Stanton (groin) for the season. … The Baltimore Orioles came back from a six-run deficit to score seven runs in the final three innings and defeat the San Francisco Giants, 8-7. Jonathan Schoop hit a three-run homer in the ninth. The Orioles remained ½ game behind the Toronto Blue Jays in the American League East. … Mookie Betts hit three home runs in a game for the second time this season and drove in eight runs as the Boston Red Sox clocked the Arizona Diamondback 16-2. The only two players in Red Sox history to hit three home runs in a game twice in a season are Betts and a fellow named Ted Williams.
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Post By: Larry Weisman, a longtime sportswriter for USA TODAY, blogs for Twistity.com. Follow him on Twitter @MrLarryWeisman