2026-27 NCAA Football (Week 5)

Games I saw (some of):

(8) Florida 17-45 (25) Missouri 

I was in and out of this game (I'm still a baseball nerd at heart) but I didn't see anything Florida do anything in this match. Every time I turned it on, it was to catch Missouri to score another TD or get another big stop on D. Nice work, Missouri, but honestly this was all about that disappointing Gator show. 

Top 25

Handled their business

(2) Georgia, (3) Notre Dame, (4) Miami, (5) Ohio State, (6) Indiana, (7) Alabama, (10) Brigham Young, (11) Louisiana State, (12) Texas Tech, (17) Tennessee, (20) Houston, (22) Boise State, (24) Kentucky, (25) Missouri

 

Won but did not impress

(18) Southern Cal (Washington 21-25 Southern Cal)

If USC was really gonna be a squad, I can't help thinking they would have closed out a so-so conference foe at home with more confidence. Don't wanna bang on the Huskies, but they haven't looked particularly good this season, I think the Trojans should've brought it 

(21) Southern Methodist (Boston College 16-25 SMU)

BC is not good right now, I kinda thought SMU's offense would roll. Instead this was much closer throughout than it should have been. Not impressive from the Mustangs.

Bad beat

(14) Iowa (Ohio State 31-14 Iowa)

The Hawkeyes brought their D, the game was a little closer than the score suggests, but that offense still just doesn't exist. So they hung for 2 quarters or so but the Buckeyes were able to pile up points and Iowa just couldn't keep up. Still think Iowa is a pretty good squad but they're not in Ohio State's class.

(16) Mississippi State (Alabama 56-23 Mississippi State)

Yeah, they got trucked at home by a conference foe but Alabama is getting their offense cranked up and there just wasn't much Mississippi State was gonna do about it. Bama is looking pretty good right now. 

Not so good

(8) Florida (Florida 17-45 Missouri)

Man, I was blown away by Florida's offense a week ago at home against Ole Miss, I thought the huge jump into the top 10 was absolutely warranted. But, in Columbia, that offense didn't get going at all. I thought Florida was primed for a run and so now what? Am I supposed to get behind Missouri? 

Next week's intriguing matches:

Iowa State @ (8) Brigham Young (Iowa State is always an upset candidate, might be nothing but BYU better bring it just to make sure)

Texas A&M @ (14) Missouri (its easy to say that A&M is done but with Missouri coming off a big W against Florida, I can't help thinking this is gonna be a close match)

(1) Texas @ Oklahoma (Texas ought to win easily but will that happen?)

(21) UCLA @ (13) Oregon (I kinda think Oregon is ready to roll, but UCLA has gotten off to good start, curious to see how long they can keep it going)

(10) Louisiana State @ Kentucky (easy to say that the Tigers will stomp the Wildcats, but both of these squads are kinda weird right now and actually UK has had decent success against LSU over the years; you never know....)

(2) Georgia @ (6) Alabama (okay, game of the week--game of the season, so far)

(19) Southern Cal @ Penn State (is USC ready to do what needs to be done? Can Penn State still turn their season around?)

2026-27 NFL (Week 3)

Games I saw (some of): 

Falcons 35-14 Packers

Everyone bags on the Falcons but if they can figure out QB, the rest of that offense is kinda loaded and the pass rush is good, too.  For now, QB Pennix looks like the guy (we'll see how long he can stay upright) and I'm not at all surprised that the Falcons are moving the ball right now. I'm a little shocked at how bad the Packers are, not sure what their problem is, they're just not very good right now. This game was not a shock to me but I still expect the Packers to figure it out at some point. 

Chargers 16-24 Bills

Wow, slopfest of a game--so many dumb penalties and turnovers! The Bills eventually got going, the Chargers eventually stopped working after jumping out to an early lead. The Bills are a gunslinger team, the Chargers are a mess. 

Bengals 27-30 Steelers

Meh, these two are basically the same team: surprisingly good D-line, good talent on the offense but a QB struggling to get the ball downfield. I'm not as impressed with the Bengals as I feel like I'm supposed to be and I'm not as bummed by the Steelers as I thought I would be. 

Rams 26-30 Broncos

Fun game. Typical Broncos come back late. The Rams were the better team for three quarters but couldn't slam the door shut--when they figure out how to close games, they'll be really good. The Broncos are okay, they're spunky but I'm not sure if they're actually any good. 

Eagles 7-27 Bears

Yeech! The Eagles kinda stink! The Bears are fun, we see how well they can actually close games, although they did just fine with backup QB Keenum tonight. The Eagles do this every year but this year they seem even weirder than usual. The Bears are pretty good, man, but they will lose games they ought to win (while winning games they ought to lose). 

The rest of the slate:

Panthers 18-21 Browns 

QB Watson getting it done! If he can actually play--a possibility no one even bothered to consider--the Browns might win their division. 

Jets 24-31 Lions

Looks like a sloppy game but a fun one. The Jets aren't good but they play hard and weird, they'll win some games. The Lions still have the offense but the defense isn't as good as its been lately. 

Texans 17-19 Colts

The Texans still can't get going. The Colts are meh.

Chiefs 24-10 Dolphins

Yeah, yeah.

Titans 7-12 Giants

Glad I missed this one. The Giants are a weird team, gonna be dangerous some weeks and positively invisible in others.

Patriots 6-35 Jaguars

The Jags are rolling right now. The Pats are weird but I wouldn't worry just yet, I think the Jags are actually really good.

Seahawks 31-33 Commanders

Whoa! What happened here? Looks like the Commanders got turnovers and put points on the board and that was enough to outlast the Seahawks. 

Cardinals 30-36 Niners

Division game. The Niners got the W, that's all that matters. 

Vikings 23-16 Bucs

What is up with the Bucs? Are the Vikings actually good? 

Ravens 34-31 Cowboys

It was simply a matter of which team would make the fatal mistake and give the game away....this week it was the Cowboys. 

Raiders 35-27 Saints

The Raiders are kinda for real, right? The Saints are gamers, not particularly good but they play hard. 

2026-27 NCAA Football (Week 4)

Games I saw (some of):

(1) Texas 20-17 (14) Tennessee

Texas's defense was monstrous in this game, not sure why they fell asleep on that late 4th quarter drive that allowed the Vols to keep it close (the other TD was a nifty punt return). The Longhorn offense was not impressive, I chalk that up to Tennessee playing some pretty good defense, too. I thought Texas QB Manning had a coupla good drives and wasn't terrible but he wasn't special either; and as for Tennessee QB Brandon, I'd say keep an eye on that guy, he's got skills (a next level Anthony Richardson?). Texas is good, this was a good W and would've been more dominant if they'd a) cut out the stupid defensive penalties, b) played all the way through the 4th quarter instead of slacking off and c) really tried to get the running game going. Tennessee is not bad, the QB is a work in progress, but the D-line is pretty good and if they can get the ball downfield, they'll definitely outscore a lot of their opponents. Sludgy game but a good one. 

(4) Mississippi 28-52 (21) Florida

Wow, Florida's offense is legit and the defense is good enough to slow down a fine squad like Ole Miss. I thought Florida took charge early in the game and the Rebels were never able to get the tempo where they wanted it, the momentum was just never in their favor, they were just watching the avalanche come down to them. As for Florida, oh that attack is for real! They're #21 this week but I expect them to be in the top 10 soon enough.

(20) Oregon 41-27 (12) Southern Cal

In and out of this game but I watched most of the 4th quarter, where the Ducks moved the ball and got stops and the Trojans did not. Looked like a pretty even contest for three quarters, then Oregon made plays down the stretch and the Trojans couldn't get it done. Oregon has been pretty sloppy so far this season and this game will likely be remembered for the brutal hit that QB Moore suffered (a pretty ordinary play when I was a kid but with the softening of the game in the last decade, you just don't see carnage like that much any more), I saw this as a get-right game for the Ducks and establishing that they are still clearly better than USC; I think Oregon is finally ready to be the team they were supposed to be this season, even with a backup QB. As for the Trojans, they're not bad but....that's all they are....not bad.

(17) Iowa 20-19 (18) Michigan

All I saw really was the final play where the Hawkeyes ran out the clock with the game-winning TD. Good stuff!

But why didn't Michigan put more time back on the clock and keep playing? They finally found a strategy that works for them and then failed to employ it in an important conference game? Puzzling...

Top 25

Handled their business

(1) Texas, (2) Georgia, (3) Notre Dame, (6) Miami, (7) Ohio State, (8) Alabama, (10) Louisiana State, (11) Texas Tech, (15) Utah. (17) Iowa, (20) Oregon, (21) Florida, (22) Southern Methodist, (24) Mississippi State, (25) Houston

Won but did not impress

(5) Indiana (Northwestern 23-29 Indiana)

The Hoosier offense had been running as smooth as anyone in the land so far, but then....what? Northwestern is some kind of defensive juggernaut? And the Hoosiers suffered a major injury to their starting RB and gave up a bunch of point late...not looking good in Bloomington suddenly. Curious to see how they bounce back from this. 

Bad beat

(4) Mississippi (Ole Miss 28-52 Florida)

Normally when a top 5 team gets pantsed in a conference game, I would put this in the "Not so good" category. But was genuinely impressed with Florida's offense --not just skill but depth at the skill positions--and talent on both sides of the ball and as of now I see the Gators as wildly underrated. So I'll give the Rebels another chance to save some face because I think was more of an ambush than a gimme for them. I think both these sides are pretty good but for now the Gators look kinda devastating. 

(14) Tennessee (Texas 20-17 Tennessee)

The Vols did well to keep it close, stuck in a late TD to make it a nailbiter (when in reality the Longhorns were the better team throughout) and I think their young QB could really turn into something against lesser competition. While I definitely think the Longhorns are better on both sides of the ball than the Vols, I think the Vols are probably better than you think. Keep an eye on the Vols. 

(18) Michigan (Iowa 20-19 Michigan)

Another one I probably would've put in the "Not so good" category but I think these two squads are pretty even and Iowa was just lucky enough to have their shot at a stealing a W (which they did). Even game between even opponents, I think they're both pretty good squads and if this game had been one second longer....well, you just never know. 

(19) Missouri (Missouri 24-31 Mississippi State)

Missouri held the lead for long stretches of the game but State came back on them. Which is the better team? Well, for 2026 it is Mississippi State, though both squads are probably pretty similar. 

Not so good

(12) Southern Cal (Oregon 41-27 USC)

Southern Cal just couldn't get it done down the stretch, you gotta win these games to be one of the big dogs. 

(13) Penn State (Wisconsin 24-20 Penn State)

Penn State was up most of the game, but Wisconsin ended up winning. I don't even know how. But, you gotta win these games....

(16) Louisville (Wake Forest 30-27 Louisville)

Big fave at home, Louisville has a pretty soft schedule, they absolutely could've gone undefeated this season, but to blow one like this at home is disappointing. You gotta...

(23) Texas A&M (Texas A&M 6-35 LSU)

A&M is done. Officially.  

Next week's intriguing matches:

(7) Alabama @ (16) Mississippi State (I think the Tide will roll, but we'll see)

(5) Ohio State @ (14) Iowa (if Iowa can slow down the Buckeye passing attack, perhaps they can hang around and steal another one this week)

(8) Florida @ (25) Missouri (I was blown away by Florida's offense last week, I suspect Missouri will be their next victim)

2026-27 NFL (Week 2)

Games I watched (some of):

Lions 31-41 Bills

Fun one. The Bills were up 21-0 almost instantly, pretty even match from that point on. The Lions started slow, got no lucky breaks and while they were never really in the game, they did pile up some points and moved the ball with confidence. The Bills defense isn't wowing anyone, feels like the Bills have finally figured out that their success is built on scoring every time they touch the ball. 

Vikings 9-3 Bears

Fun game (if you like slop). Neither team could move the ball at all in the misty muddy conditions. Just as the Bears were about the stick in the TD that surely would've sealed the victory, QB Williams pulled up lame. Looked bad at first, then not quite as bad on replay, now everyone is clowning on him because it seems like he'll be back in Week Three, when he was hang-dogging like his career was over on the sideline. Anyway, both of these squads were on the 2nd string QBs by the end and neither team could do anything anyway. Weird game, one of those you just chalk up to weirdness and move on. 

Bengals 20-6 Texans

I dunno, man, I was not impressed with anything the Texans were doing in this game. The D looked flat and backpedaling, the offense couldn't move forward at all. Everyone is blaming QB Stroud, but I don't think so. I think the O-line is not good, the WRs are kinda terrible, the running game is non-existent and the defense everyone was raving about isn't getting stops. You can blame the QB if you want, but I don't think its him. It could be the Bengals defensive Renaissance is for real (meh, maybe) or that the Bengal attack is back on track (the passing game is humming right now), and maybe the Bengals are gonna be for-real dangerous this season (could be). But I think this game was really more about everything going wrong in Houston and that is EVERYTHING (except the QB that is taking all the blame).

Colts 30-33 (OT) Chiefs

The Colts had a 4th down call late in the game that ended up in a penalty, so they kicked the tying FG in OT and then let the Chiefs come back and win the game. This was the controversial moment of the game but my quibble wasn't the 4th down FG itself, it was the first three downs they squandered. In that position, I would've wanted only a TD, a tie is of little use if you're gonna hand the ball back to QB Mahomes. So it was 4-down territory the whole time and they farted around on the first two downs, scrambled on 3rd down, got stuck with a 4th and long and basically had to kick the FG, which was just giving the game away at that point. It wasn't the 4th down, it was the 1st and 2nd downs that were wasted. Not sure what the Colts are (this is, like, the 5th year in a row that I don't understand what the Colts are), while the Chiefs seem better than last year (but not exactly vintage). 

The rest of the slate:

Panthers 34-3 Falcons

The Panthers offense looks pretty damn good. Sup wit dat?

Eagles 24-20 Titans

Eagles had to steal the W, not a good sign, but they did get the W, so what do you want? The Titans are gonna be looking at drafting another QB next spring, I'm guessing.

Steelers 3-20 Patriots

The Pats don't look very good, the Steelers look bloody awful. 

Packers 20-17 (OT) Jets

Two ugly teams getting ugly together. NYJ probably should've taken this but no one is surprised they didn't. The Packers got lucky (and no one is surprised about that either).

Browns 23-19 Bucs

To be fair, this game had a weird rain delay deep into the 4th quarter that interrupted what could (should?) have been the game-winning drive for the Bucs.  That said, they shouldn't have let it get to that point. The Bucs are 0-2 and I thought they were the better team in both games.....is this a fixable problem or are they already cooked? As for the Browns, kinda thought the Deahsun Watson experience would've been over by now, but he just got a W on the road, so....can't stop now. 

Saints 24-17 Ravens

Listen: more than any team in all of sports, the Saints do NOT tank, they are not out there trying to lose--indeed, they're trying to win the Super Bowl every damn Sunday no matter how sorry their roster is. So, while it is sad to see them spin their wheels at times, it is heartening to watch their never-say-die-ness go into a place like Baltimore and steal a W. Are the Saints good? Probably not, but they don't roll over, you have to beat them to get the W. As for the Ravens, I mean they've been like this for more than a decade now, right? Just when you think it is their time and they're going to dominate, they lose at home to the Saints. (Likewise, every time you're ready to give up on them, they go on a run) Up-down is just who the Ravens are. 

Jaguars 13-20 Broncos

Seemed like the Jags had this one, then the Broncos stole it late. I think both of these teams are going to be good and this is probably the correct outcome.

Raiders 26-14 Chargers

Another sluggish performance (on both sides of the ball) from the Chargers, so, uh, wtf, guys? What is going on in LA? As for the Raiders, they look frisky, they look loose and it looks like it might be a while before we see their rookie QB. Chargers need to figure it out pronto. 

Commanders 20-37 Cowboys

Yeah, division game. Commander QB Daniels hurt his elbow (yowza, a gnarly highlight) and that was pretty much it for the Commanders. The Cowboys looked better than last week but division games are always weird. Not looking good for the Commanders (it's Mariota time!), not sure yet about the Cowboys.

Seahawks 31-7 Cards

The Cards looked pretty good at the Chargers last week, not so much against the Seahawks (with a backup QB), who were clearly in no mood to mess around. I think the Cards are not particularly good but I think they're gonna be scrappy. The Seahawks look good and they look no-nonsense (don't mess with these dudes).

Dolphins 13-35 Niners

*yawn* Yeah, the Dolphins. 

Giants 6-28 Rams

And here it is: Giants QB Dart got hurt, looks to be out for several weeks. Okay in last week's post I pointed out that while no one really thought much of NYG coming into this season that pessimism was based on the fact that we all knew Dart was going to get hurt eventually. We were all shocked the Giants stuffed the Cowboys last week, but they were healthy. Now they are no longer healthy. And the Rams finally looked like what we thought the Rams were gonna be. 

2026-27 NCAA Football (Week 3)

Games I saw (some of):

(7) Louisiana State 24-32 (8) Mississippi

Last year, Coach Lane Kiffin left Ole Miss as they were heading into the quarterfinals to take the LSU job. I couldn't believe a coach would leave a team that had a shot at winning the title--they beat Georgia!--to take a job at a school that had been a mess for a while. How do you walk away from a contender? Well, now Coach Kiff is back with his LSU Tigers and I'm sure he was expecting to get the better of his old mates. Didn't happen. I think Ole Miss kinda fell asleep after halftime and allowed LSU to make a game of it, but one good scoring drive was all the Rebels needed to finish off the Tigers. Ole Miss was better last year, still better this year. 

Top 25

Handled their business

(1) Texas, (2) Georgia, (3) Notre Dame, (4) Indiana,

(5) Miami, (6) Ohio State, (8) Mississippi, (10) Alabama, (11) Brigham Young, (12) Southern Cal, (13) Texas Tech, (14) Penn State, (15) Tennessee, (17) Utah, (19) Michigan, (20) Missouri, (21) Oregon, (23) Louisville

Won but did not impress

(24) Oklahoma (New Mexico 6-14 Oklahoma)

I don't want to diss on New Mexico, but what the hell was that? OU has yet to look good--and I was not a fan of how they closed last season. The Sooners look like they have a long way to go to actually the earn the rankings they've already had this season. 

Bad beat

(7) Louisiana State (LSU 24-32 Mississippi)

I'm gonna be generous to the Tigers and call this a Bad Beat, when we all know Lane Kiffin and the Tiger faithful really wanted to come into Ole Miss and lay a beatdown. But that wasn't happening because Ole Miss is pretty good. I liked their offense and pass rush last year, still impressed with them this year. LSU under Kiffin will be better than they have been lately, but maybe not this year (and not in Oxford). 

(16) Southern Methodist (SMU 31-41 Louisville)

A back and forth game, the Cardinals took control in the 2nd half. SMU went on the on the road and (kinda) hung with a ranked opponent, not a bad L.

(22) Houston (Houston 26-28 Texas Tech)

Needed the 2-point conversion to tie it late, didn't get it. Too little, too late for the Cougars. Not a bad L, though, looked like a fun game. 

Not so good

(9) Texas A&M (Kentucky 31-21 Texas A&M)

Whoa! Kentucky winning conference games on the road doesn't happen often, so what happened here? On the one hand, outside of the 2nd half of last week's Alabama, UK has played well this season--weller than usual! So can A&M turn it around? Were the caught off guard by a Kentucky squad playing with unexpected confidence? Or is it all over for the Aggies? I have no idea. My gut feeling is UK just came in feeling themselves and A&M just didn't know how to react. That might be because they're not that good (still not overwhelmed by their QB) or it could be that they turn dangerous from here. We'll see.

(25) Virginia (West Virginia 38-27 Virginia)

It's early but this is not a good result for the Cavs. WVU has been down lately, UVA has been, well, overrated, lately, but you're still expecting a well regarded Cavs squad at home to get the W over the Mountaineers. Well, not so much.  

Next week's intriguing matches:

(1) Texas @ (14) Tennessee (game of the week, right off the bat)

Illinois @ (7) Ohio State (Illinois is an enigma: this will either be the most fascinating game of the week or it'll be long over by halftime)

(4) Mississippi @ (21) Florida (I think the Rebels will get it done on the road, but we'll just have to see it, won't we?)

(17) Iowa @ (18) Michigan (yeah, I guess I'm supposed to care)

(23) Texas A&M @ (10) Louisiana State (hmmmmm....both coming off embarrassing L's, let's see whose season is over by Saturday night)

(20) Oregon @ (12) Southern Cal (could be fun or could be a tire fire--which might be fun!)

(19) Missouri @ (24) Mississippi State (I doubt either of these teams will be ranked by the end of September)

2026-27 NFL (Week 1)

Games I saw (some of)

Pats 10-13 Seahawks

Seahawks lost QB Darnold on the first drive, had to go to backup Drew Lock, felt like the Pats had a shot. The Pats were more consistent on offense through the 3rd quarter. But Lock was pretty good, the Seahawks finally started moving the ball; and on the other side, QB Maye just kept throwing interceptions (3--I thought all were his fault). The Pats were generally the better team but they didn't put points on the board and Lock made plays (better than I've ever seen him play before--is Lock the new Sam Darnold?). The game was there for the Pats to take (or at least extend into OT) but they didn't snatch the opportunity, Maye was pretty bad in the 4th quarter. Disappointing L for the Pats, but not a killer, not unexpected, shouldn't really affect them all that much. Good W for the Seahawks--how long can they keep it going with Lock under center?

Bucs 27-33 Bengals

The Bucs just kept turning the ball over and once they stopped doing that, I thought they were the better team. Let's be clear: these were not "Bengals defense" turnovers, these were sloppy Bucs plays. So are the Bengals the better team? I don't know (but I kinda doubt it).

Packers 22-39 Vikings

The Packers just stopped playing, while the Vikings kept going. The Packers had a comfortable lead going into the 4th quarter, generally looked like the better team through the first three, then the Vikings pass rush just started swarming the Packers. All momentum went to the home team, the Packers just collapsed and the Vikings took over. Are the Packers bad? Are the Vikings good? Not enough to tell from this game (but I'm leaning "yes" and "no").

Cowboys 20-28 Giants

This is a shock but is it really? The theory on the Giants is that they're skill players will eventually get hurt and there's no way they'll be able to weather an entire season without major injuries. But this is Week 1, everybody's healthy, so is it really a shock that the Giants were better than you thought they'd be on both sides of the ball? Or that the Cowboys are sluggish? Not at all. The Giants were the better team from beginning to end but I'm not done with the Cowboys just yet. And as for the Giants, well, let's see how long they stay healthy. 

The rest of the slate:

Niners 27-7 Rams

All the talk was about each team's plan for going to Australia...so, the Niner travel plans were better?

Saints 30-31 (OT) Lions

Going for the W in OT, good for you, Saints. The Lions should've won bigger, no?

Jets 23-10 Titans

When was the last time the Jets won on the road? The Titans offense has another year of experimenting, I take it. 

Ravens 41-23 Colts

I was in and out of this game, felt like the Ravens were doing whatever they wanted, Lamar looked good, the Colts just don't look elite in any way. 

Falcons 13-20 Steelers

Meh, my gut feeling is these two squads both suck. 

Bears 59-37 Panthers

Tons of points, but tells us nothing about either team. Is the Bears defense this bad? Is the Bears offense really this good? Do the Panthers just suck or did they get overwhelmed on opening day?

Browns 10-34 Jaguars

Yes, this looks right.

Bills 36-31 Texans

The right outcome? (As a Bills fan, I'll take it) (*)

Dolphins 13-27 Raiders

Feels right. I think the Raiders are gonna be one of those trick-or-treat teams that are actually pretty good every once in a while. 

Commanders 22-24 Eagles

Division game. I still think the Eagles are the better side,

Cards 26-14 Chargers

Hmmmm....wtf? Okay, the Cards are (were) everyone's pick to be the worst (most inept) team in the league, while for the most part the Chargers are seen as a good team, probably a playoff team in the AFC. So....how do the Cards go to LA and lay a smackdown on a team that is supposed to be moving in the right direction up and down the organization? Is this the game we look back on throughout the season and scratch our heads or are the Chargers just all-round overrated? (Notice I didn't say anything about the Cards....no, they're gonna suck). How do we react to the pitiful performance from the Chargers?

Broncos 10-31 Chiefs

Expected a more competitive match but division games are always dicey.  

(*) As a Bills fan I'm bummed to report that I got stuck with Colts-Ravens instead of Bill-Texans, which was obviously the high profile game of the time slot. 

2026 US Open

(1) Zverev 6/7/5/6 - 3/6/7/2 (8) Shelton

Honestly an almost flawless match from Zverev--and minimally flawed from Shelton! Shelton blew a serve early in the 1st, which Zverev held on to. 

But then neither Zeverev nor Shelton blinked in the 2nd set. Zverev rather easily took the tie break but Shelton was still very much alive. 

Zverev had one bad serve late in the 3rd set, which Shelton capitalized on. 

But early in the 4th Shelton gave a break to Zverev, then flailed toward the end in a manner that seemingly caused Zverev to lose track of the score.  

Not a lot to say on this match except that this shows the point-by-point nature of tennis: it looks like Zverev cruised or dominated but, not at all. Shelton was really good, he made a handful of mistakes, whereas Zverev really only had the one broken serve. Tennis is tough, man, these guys were actually super close but Zverev was nearly perfect. Zverev is really putting his stamp on the title of best of the post-Federer/Nadal/Djokovic era. 

The only other US Open I caught was Tiafoe beating Medvedev. I like Tiafoe, hell of an athlete, but I always wondered if he was good at tennis, if he really had it in him to to take the next step against the top tier players. Well, from what I saw of his match against Medvedev, I believe Tiafoe can rise up. In fact, I'm surprised Shelton beat him in the semifinals.