Hustle Belt Daily Dump: Academic All-MACs, Game 7s, US Opens

For me, sports and father’s day go hand in hand. It’s like that for a lot of people, I assume. When you’re little, you want to be just like your dad. You’re interested in the things he is, like the things he likes, and root for the teams he roots for.

My sports loyalties have evolved and expanded in the last thirty years or so, but the fire that was lit when I was little is still there. My father taught me about loyalty, commitment, how to win, how to lose, and so many other life lessons all through the guise of sports or competition. If he taught me nothing else other than lessons learned on a field or court, he did his job and then some.

As I’ve gotten older and friends and colleagues have become fathers themselves, I am consistently awe-inspired by the amount of responsibility and work it takes to be a dad. One day isn’t enough for pointed recognition, but it’s what we have.

So, for all the dads/soon-to-be-dads/stepdads/like-a-dads, here’s to you from Hustle Belt. Off we go with the news and notes...

MAC Announces Baseball Academic All-MAC Teams | MAC-Sports.com
I know a lot of us give a knowing wink and eye roll to the term “student-athlete”, but this list does demonstrate that for some in our conference, academics are just as important as what happens in their sport of choice. There are even a few very high draft picks, showing that even when you are about to make your dreams come true, you still have a responsibility to your school. Congrats to all.

14 MAC Swim & Dive Programs Honored | MAC-Sports.com
While we’re on the subject of academic recognition, how about the 14 MAC swimming and diving programs honored by the College Swimming Coaches Association of America for hitting a team GPA of 3.0 or higher. By the way, every women’s program in the conference got that accolade.

Game 7 Stakes Couldn’t Be Higher | SBNation
If you’re a sports fan, you know there is nothing better than a Game 7. Sure, there’s a big episode of Game of Thrones tonight and a WWE PPV (don’t judge), but the stakes couldn’t be higher for the Cavs or Warriors. If you’re on the fence about your viewing priorities, this will help.

US Open News and Notes | SBNation
Perhaps you are like me and take great pleasure in kicking back after lunch with your dad and watching some golf, talking about life, napping, or any other dadriffic things to do on Father’s Day. In that case, you need to know some things about the US Open and SBNation has you covered.