After years of planting, planning, and adjusting, our backyard and patio have finally reached the point where we look for absolutely any excuse to sit outside under the shade of the umbrellas. Yesterday afternoon, we strolled around the square for the craft beer walk right here in downtown McKinney and brought back the ultimate souvenir: Saint Arnold Citrus Shandy. It’s the perfect, crisp patio drink for a summer day. So, kick off your shoes, grab a cold drink of your own, and join us under the shade while we catch up on a wild week of sports. Here is our completely unofficial, highly opinionated weekend review… ☀️😎

NASCAR Cleared for Takeoff at Coronado 🏎️⚓

The Porch Brief: History is being made today! NASCAR has taken over Naval Base Coronado for the inaugural Anduril 250, marking the first-ever premier series stock car race held on an active U.S. military base. The temporary 3.4-mile street circuit is a total wild card built right across the tarmac and runways.

Leesl: When we visited Coronado Island last year, we absolutely fell in love with the coastal views and the historic vibe but never envisioned stock cars screaming past the navy flight lines! Because this track is a complete blank slate, I’m putting my money on my road course king SVG. He’s starting on the pole, and I fully expect him to help me protect my 3,598 to 3,111 fantasy lead today.

Andy: It really is an incredible backdrop for a race, and our trip there makes watching this one even cooler. Since nobody has any notes or history on this track layout, I think consistency is key. I’m going with Ryan Blaney from the P3 spot. He’s great at staying out of trouble, and he’s exactly the driver I need to chip away at that points deficit!

Brutal Bogeys and Brilliant Birdies: U.S. Open Sunday Action 🏌️‍♂️⛳

The Porch Brief: The final round is delivering pure, high-stakes championship drama. What looked like a Sunday cruise for Wyndham Clark has turned into an absolute dogfight on the back nine. After starting the day with a commanding six-stroke cushion, his lead has shrunk down to just two shots as the field brings relentless pressure.

Leesl: There is nothing like a Sunday at the U.S. Open to remind you how quickly a golf course can take away a giant lead. We saw it right away on the 5th hole when Wyndham Clark watched his ball roll completely off the green, causing that massive six-shot cushion to shrink to just one. Combined with Scottie Scheffler getting buried deep inside that treacherous sand trap on the 6th, the front nine gave us some truly brutal bogeys. Even Sam Burns felt the sting on the 9th, leaving a crucial par putt agonizingly short to snap his blazing four-birdie streak. It is a complete mental test out there, but I think Wyndham digs deep and hangs on to finish the job for the victory.

Andy: It has crazy to watch, but the response from the field has given us some brilliant birdies. Sam Burns lit the course on fire with that spectacular 50-foot bomb across the 8th green. Then the 10th hole became an absolute heavyweight fight—Scottie sank a clutch, lengthy back-nine spark to try and make a birthday run, but Wyndham countered him instantly with a birdie of his own to protect his lead. Add in Ludvig Åberg capping off a phenomenal 66 with a closing birdie on the 18th, and this has turned into the ultimate Sunday theater. With the way the momentum is swinging, I believe Sam Burns catches him and takes home the trophy!

Cup Contenders or Group Stage Illusion: The USMNT Debate ⚽🏆

The Porch Brief: Following a decisive 2-0 shutout against Australia on Friday, the U.S. Men’s National Team has officially punched its ticket to the Round of 32 on home soil. While they still have to face Türkiye this Thursday to wrap up group play, the real debate heating up across the country is whether this squad has what it takes to survive a deep single-elimination tournament run.

Leesl: I am fully buying into the hype with this team. Scoring six goals and keeping back-to-back clean sheets against Paraguay and Australia proves that Mauricio Pochettino has these guys playing with a level of structure and confidence we haven’t seen in decades. They aren’t just surviving; they are dominating the pace of play. With the home-crowd energy fueling them, I genuinely think this squad is built to surprise the world and make a run all the way to the Quarterfinals.

Andy: I love the optimism, but I’m stepping in as the voice of tournament reality here. Winning your group on home soil is fantastic, but single-elimination knockout soccer is an entirely different beast. The second half against Australia got incredibly chippy and exposed some physical vulnerabilities when teams start pressing us hard. Once we run into the heavyweights like France, Brazil, or Germany in the later rounds, the margin for error drops to zero. I think a Round of 16 exit is their realistic ceiling.

Our Last Sips 🍻☀️

Leesl: While we’re wrapping things up out here, my final take is the Men’s College World Series finals unfolding in Omaha right now, and there is just nothing like the pure energy of June college baseball. Watching Oklahoma and North Carolina trade blows for a national championship makes me miss the sights and sounds of a packed ballpark—it’s the absolute perfect backdrop to a hot summer afternoon.

Andy: I’m staying focused on the immediate future for my final pick. The NBA Draft is coming up fast this Tuesday, and I’m just hoping my Bulls use their first-round picks to actually build a cohesive direction for once instead of leaving us fans scratching our heads.

🗣️ Join our Backyard Table Talk!

Drop a comment below and let us know your hot takes for the week:

• Can Wyndham Clark hold off the field, or is Sam Burns going to complete the U.S. Open comeback?
• Do you think the USMNT has a real shot at a deep knockout run on home soil?

We’ll see you down in the comments—cheers to a fantastic week of sports! 🍻