Forget Christmas — this is my most wonderful time of the year and I know the guys at The Den can’t wait. That pigskin’s flying again, and the buzz of pads popping is sweeter than a country fiddle in July. We’ve got NFL warmups, trade rumors turning MLB clubhouses upside down, and the tennis elite heading north to duke it out in Toronto. Let’s roll.
🎾 Canadian Open Loses Its Big Guns (July 28 to August 3rd)
Toronto was set to host a blockbuster, but the top of the ticket got torn in half. Alcaraz, Sinner, Djokovic all said pass. Even Jack Draper bailed. That leaves Alexander Zverev — a man who can beat anyone or self-destruct in the same match — holding the top seed at this year’s Canadian Open.
You’ve got American heat in Taylor Fritz and Ben Shelton — the latter’s got a serve that sounds like a shotgun and a mindset that says “I’ll either win or blow up trying.” Holger Rune is lurking too, always one tantrum away from either brilliance or disaster. Throw in Lorenzo Musetti, de Minaur with his wheels, and Canada’s own Felix Auger-Aliassime trying to give the home crowd something to cheer about finally, and suddenly, the bracket looks like a trap house for favorites.
This is what tennis bettors’ dream of, a Masters 1000 with no clear alpha and a handful of young wolves ready to eat. So if you see Shelton grinning after round one, bet the damn house — that kid’s hungry to make a run we’ll talk about all summer.
⚾ MLB Trade Deadline Chaos: Breaking It Down (Deadline: July 31, 6 p.m. ET)
And now the heat coming off the trade wire. July 31’s just around the corner, and the MLB deadline’s already cookin’ with gas. Contenders are circling like hawks, sellers are bluffing hard, and there’s always one GM who wakes up too late and overpays for a washed-up arm. Happens every damn year.
Now, if we’re talking biggest fish on the market, it’s Eugenio Suárez out in Arizona. The man’s been on a tear — leading the league in bombs this month, driving in runs like it’s a hobby, and carrying that “I dare you to pitch to me” energy. The Yankees want him bad, the Cubs are lurking, and I heard the Mariners might get frisky too. Suárez isn’t just a rental bat — he’s the kind of guy who can shift the balance in a playoff race. You plug him into the middle of your lineup and suddenly pitchers stop sleeping easy.
On the mound, things are a little messier. Everyone’s hunting for arms, but the names out there aren’t exactly aces. Sandy Alcántara’s floating around despite his ugly ERA. Don’t let the 7.22 scare you — his velocity’s still nasty, and teams know he’s a tweak away from turning it around. Then you’ve got Joe Ryan in Minnesota — more stable, less sexy, but he eats innings and won’t melt in October. Those two are going to cost, but with the way teams are babying pitchers these days, you take what you can get.
Now let’s talk bullpens —
the real unsung warzones of October. Jhoan Duran from the Twins is the big-name closer being whispered about. He’s got the gas and postseason poise. But there are under-the-radar guys too, like Brandon Eisert over in Chicago. Southpaw, sub-2 ERA, nobody’s talking about him — which means he’s the kind of guy a savvy team steals for pennies on the dollar.
There’s also a handful of teams just ready to hit the garage sale button. The Orioles are listening on Cedric Mullins and Ryan O’Hearn, the Pirates are dangling Mitch Keller, and the A’s… well, they’re probably trading players none of us have even heard of yet. Cleveland’s even taking calls on Steven Kwan, which tells you no one’s off-limits this year. That’s a controllable on-base machine, and if he moves, it’ll shake the whole market.
Bottom line? This deadline’s shaping up to be a chessboard of desperate buyers, sneak sellers, and one or two wildcard blockbusters that’ll come outta nowhere. Let the kids chase the headlines, I’m watching the back channels.
🏈 Smell That? This is the real scent of fall: It is Football.
Forget pumpkin spice — this is the real scent of fall, fresh-cut turf, overhyped rookies, sweaty pigskins and third-string quarterbacks fighting like hell for a practice squad spot.
Hall of Fame Game kicks it all off, with the Detroit Lions hosting the Los Angeles Chargers, set for Thursday, July 31 at 8 p.m. ET in Canton, Ohio. Both teams are taste-makers, fresh off playoff runs — Detroit went 15–2 and took the NFC North, while L.A. snuck into the Wild Card—but neither has faced off in this season’s opener since the ’90s. You can be sure both franchises want to send a message that they’re back with a roar. Coverage from NBC/Peacock will feature the 2025 enshrinement class—Antonio Gates (Bolts legend), Eric Allen, Jared Allen, and Sterling Sharpe—introduced right before kickoff.
Then right after Canton, comes Preseason Week 1 — The Heat Test. Opening on August 7, every franchise tells themselves this might be the year, and every fan overreacts to a 7-play drive as if it’s the Super Bowl.
Now look, if there’s one thing I’ve learned from a lifetime of watching preseason ball, it’s this: nobody knows a damn thing. Not me, not the books, not even half the coaches. These early games? They’re auditions in disguise. You think you’re watching the future of the franchise, but a lot of times you’re watching a guy they’re trying to trade or cut by Tuesday. Coaches use these games to showcase players they want to sell or send packing. You don’t start learning who’s who until Week 3 — when the dress rehearsals begin and the playbooks stop looking like coloring books. Until then, don’t trust the highlights. Trust the tape… and maybe Uncle Tony.
And well, some head coaches treat preseason like a proving ground. Others? Like a necessary evil. Here’s my take on a few of them for:
NFL Preseason Week 1
- John Harbaugh (Ravens): 40-20 ATS in preseason. He plays to win. Always.
- Nick Sirianni (Eagles): 2–5–1 ATS in preseason. Normally sits starters and treats early games as evaluation tools.
- Pete Carrol (Raiders): With his long-established reputation—26–19–1 ATS, the Raiders better strap up for his first ride with the squad as his expectations are really high.
- Dan Campbell (Lions): Clocking 3-6-1 ATS. Normally likes to see who steps up under pressure during these early games.
- Dave Canales (Panthers): 1-2 ATS, barely a record and still trying to make something out of the Panthers, god bless him.
- Mike Vrabel (Patriots): With his record .545, he will focus on tough situational football, but staying conservative.
- Sean Payton (Broncos): Loves a crisp product early — 29–30 ATS preseason lifetime.
- Mike Tomlin (Steelers): 36-27-1 ATS. Doesn’t care if it’s August or February, the man prepares.
- Matt LaFleur (Packers): Just 7–7 ATS preseason. Don’t count on intensity from Green Bay.
🧠 Bet You Didn’t Know…
I said it twice and I bet most of you didn’t understand. They call it a pigskin, but that ain’t just some folksy football slang — back in the early days, the ball for football was literally made from an inflated pig’s bladder, wrapped in leather. It wasn’t until the 20th century that they started using rubber bladders and cowhide. So next time someone says “slingin’ the pigskin” tip your cap to the hogs that helped build our beloved game.
Anyways, see you next time, same Den place.
