Twistity Sports Exclusive WEEKEND IN REVIEW: Football, futbol and golf

 
Football and futbol were headliners on a summer weekend that marks the pivot into the fall (believe it or not).

The NFL, after a couple of weeks of practices and scrimmages, held its annual pilgrimage to Canton, Ohio, for its Hall of Fame inductions and opening preseason game. The NFL remains the favorite sport of Americans by a large margin and they got a tasty helping of the game’s rich history when seven players were enshrined in the Hall.

FOOTBALL RETURNS: Oh, we love the opening of training camps and those sweaty positional battles for primacy. But the fun really starts with the Pro Football Hall of Fame inductions and the first preseason game. The inductions, on Saturday night in Canton, Ohio, tied the past to the present.

Some grand old veterans – Ray Guy, Claude Humphrey – were at last given their due. The more recent stars – Michael Strahan, Andre Reed, Derrick Brooks, Aeneas Williams and Walter Jones – still looked as if they could get back on the field and take a few snaps. Reed, in fact, caught a pass from Jim Kelly, his old Buffalo Bills teammate and fellow Hall of Famer, in a touching display. Kelly, 52, has been battling cancer for the past 14 months. The speeches were interminable (as always) but heartfelt and enjoyable. Then, on Sunday night, the Giants (for whom Strahan played) and Bills opened the preseason. The Giants won 17-13, meaning absolutely nothing. The rest of the NFL teams make their preseason debuts this week.
 
 

THAT OTHER FUTBOL: The World Cup’s popularity in the United States was not a one-time thing. When Manchester United and Real Madrid got together for a match on Saturday at the Big House, the University of Michigan’s football stadium in Ann Arbor, people showed up.  A US-soccer record crowd of 109,318 jammed the place to see United prevail, 3-1. The previous attendance record for a soccer match in the US was 101,799, set at the Rose Bowl during the 1984 Olympics final.
 
 

RORY ROLLS, TIGER BACKS OUT (WITH A BAD BACK): Rory McIlroy reclaimed the world No. 1 ranking as he won the Bridgestone Invitational in Akron, Ohio. McILroy shot a 4-under-par 66 to defeat Sergio Garcia, who went into the final round with a three-stroke lead. Garcia is ranked third in the world. This was McIlroy’s first start since his wire-to-wire waltz to the British Open title. Tiger Woods reinjured his back playing the second hole and withdrew after the eighth hole Sunday and his availability for the upcoming PGA Championship and the Ryder Cup are both in doubt. Woods had back surgery four months ago; this was his third tournament since being cleared to play.
 
 

OUCH: Paul George of the Indiana Pacers broke two bones in his leg in gruesome fashion during a USA Basketball scrimmage in Las Vegas on Friday night. He underwent surgery and may well be lost for the entire NBA season. A number of other players had previously withdrawn from the competition for a roster spot on the USA team, including Kevin Love of the Minnesota Timberwolves and Blake Griffin of the Los Angeles Clippers. The FIBA International tournament is later this month. The NBA is looking at the injury situation regarding these outside competitions.

TODAY’S QUESTION: Is Tiger Woods done? Has his body given out? Answers in the comments box, please.
 
 
Post By: Larry Weisman, a longtime sportswriter for USA TODAY, blogs for Twistity.com. Follow him on Twitter @MrLarryWeisman .