R.G.'s Weekly Sports Recap (Tues 10/20 - Sun 10/25/2K15)

My notable happenings in the sports world this past week:

 

MLB: The Kansas City Royals repeated as American League champs after taking out the offensively potent Toronto Blue Jays in six games of the ALCS. KC looks to win their first World Series title in exactly three decades when they face sizzling-hot slugging second baseman Daniel Murphy and the New York Mets, who swept a young, talented, on-the-rise Chicago Cubs squad to win their first National League pennant since 2000. The Amazin's seek to win their first world championship since their historic, magical run back in 1986. My prediction - KC will suffer disappointment in the Fall Classic for a second-straight season, falling to the Mets' young, talented arms in six games max....After five seasons, 446 wins and postseason disappointment, Don Mattingly decided to wrap up his tenure as manager of the Los Angeles Dodgers...Great news for the Boston Red Sox organization and their loyal fan base going into the 2K16 campaign: Manager John Farrell looks like he'll return to the dugout as his non-Hodgkins lymphoma is currently in remission from the treatment he's received since he took medical leave back in August....The underachieving Seattle Mariners hired 48-year-old Scott Servais as their new manager for 2K16.

NFL: The New England Patriots remain without a loss at 6-0 after edging out the New York Jets 30-23 at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro. Also remaining impressively unbeaten are the 6-0 Carolina Panthers after their latest win over the Philadelphia Eagles at home 27-16.

Men's College Basketball: The infamous sex scandal involving the Louisville Cardinals basketball program - in particular by way of former staff member Andre McGee paying escorts to engage in very intimate and explicit activity with players and recruits in a dorm on campus is getting serious burn. Hall-of-Fame head coach Rick Pitino alleges that he had absolutely 'zero' knowledge of what supposedly took place between 2K10 and 2K14. Former escort Katrina Powell is the source that has initially ignite the firestorm by writing a book on what allegedly took place. A messy situation for sure, and I hope that Pitino is being truthful about the matter coming into a season where they're not expected to be amongst the top 25 teams in the nation.

NHL: As of Sunday, October 25, the Montreal Canadiens are still the league's lone unbeaten at a perfect 9-0 thus far. (18 points).....Notable head coach firing - Todd Richards, Columbus Blue Jackets

NBA: In very sad news, Minnesota Timberwolves head coach/President of Basketball Ops/part-owner Flip Saunders passed away from cancer (Hodgkin lymphoma) at just 60-years-young. Saunders coached 17 seasons with the T-Wolves, Detroit Pistons and Washington Wizards, winning 654 career games...After holding out the entire preseason, the Cleveland Cavaliers inked rebounding power forward Tristan Thompson to a five-year, $82 million extension.

College Football: Associated Press Top 10 - 1. Ohio State. 2. Baylor. 3. Clemson. 4. LSU. 5. Texas Christian. 6. Michigan State. 7. Alabama. 8. Stanford. 9. Notre Dame. 10. Iowa....No. 1 Ohio State behind new starting QB J.T. Barrett breezed through the Rutgers Scarlet Knights 49-7 to remain unbeaten at 8-0 on the season thus far. Barrett was efficient in completing 14 of 18 passes for 223 yards, ran for an additional 101 yards and was responsible for five touchdowns scored for the Buckeyes... After getting totally embarrassed 58-0 on their home field by the then sixth-ranked Clemson Tigers, the Miami (FL) Hurricanes fired head coach Al Golden.