Sunday Sports Wrap - August 31, 2008

I started this regular feature when the NFL was not in season to highlight that there were plenty of happenings in the sports world on Sundays without the NFL. I love the NFL just as much as anyone, but I also love MLB, MLS, NBA, etc. I'm sure now that what is now considered to be the most popular sport in the US starts its regular season next week the sports blogosphere will be filled with football, football, and more football (nothing wrong with that). I'm going to continue the Sunday Sports Wrap feature as I always have while including some NFL observations. Otherwise, we'll still have what else is going on in sports and a bit of history as always. The only exceptions are when I've covered a minor league in the area the night before. At any rate, that was all a long-winded explanation of the premise of the Sunday Sports Wrap for those of you who haven't been around here for very long. Now, on with it:

MLB: One of the biggest pleasures this baseball season has been writing about the Rays at the top of the AL. As of this morning they are 4.5 ahead of the Red Sox and 11.5 ahead of the Yankees. The Trop must certainly be a fun place to be right now. The Rays host the Orioles today after a 10-9 victory over them yesterday. A Tampa native I know commented that they might actually get a new stadium now. I never saw anything wrong with the old one but I hope they get the respect they deserve from the home crowd.

WNBA: The West is pretty tight with Seattle, San Antonio, and Los Angeles jockeying for the top. Seattle is at Connecticut today in a nationally-televised match-up.

MLS: Chicago travels to Houston today. The Dynamo are ahead in the West with 32 points. The Galaxy are waaaaay back with 25 points. Even Chivas USA is ahead of Los Angeles at this point with 27 points. Looks like the Galaxy took a page out of the Dodgers playbook - stay strong at first but finish out with a fizzle...


Today in Sports History

1964 - Ground is broken for Anaheim Stadium, future home of the Angels

1997 - Don Mattingly's #23 is retired by the Yankees