The Toronto Blue Jays' J.A. Happ has faced numerous challenges getting to, then staying, in the major leagues.
There is one obstacle that growing up in what Happ called the "one stop light" town of Peru, Ill., never could have prepared him for: bagged milk.
"You guys [in Canada] sell milk in bags, and I don't really get why, or what you then do with the bags," Happ, 33, told Sportsnet's Kristina Rutherford.
Among his grievances toward the dairy's packaging were its perceived messiness, which was the result of a misunderstanding about how to properly use the bagged milk and, consequently, the inefficiency of the container.
Fortunately for all other current and future baseball transplants to Canada, the left-handed pitcher has plans to help his fellow foreigners.
"We need a memo sent out to all American players on how Canada dispenses its milk," he proposed.
Financial decision
Nearly two dozen male golfers have removed themselves from consideration for the Rio Olympics, including the top four in the current Official World Golf Rankings. Many players have cited the Zika virus or other health concerns as the reason they will not compete, but one LPGA player doesn't think that adds up.
"Those guys play for so much money, and I think you kind of get lost in that at times," Stacy Lewis (Arkansas Razorbacks) told Golf Channel last week at the U.S. Women's Open. "If I knew that I had the potential of a $10 million paycheck at the end of the year, I'd probably do my schedule a little bit different, too."
The $10 million is a reference to the FedEx Cup, which was won last year by World No. 3 Jordan Spieth, who will not play at Rio as well as No. 1 Jason Day, No. 2 Dustin Johnson and No. 4 Rory McIlroy.
"You become a product of that environment," Lewis said. "You have that opportunity to win that money, you become a product of it. And you can't blame them for being that way. They are bred to be that way, with the amount of money that they play for.
"On our tour, while we have some pretty good paychecks, it's nowhere close to what those guys are playing for. So, to me, the opportunity to play in the Olympics, and to represent your country, is probably worth as much as winning a U.S. Women's Open or winning an [ANA Inspiration] or winning any of those big majors. Winning a gold medal would be up there with winning a major championship, to me, and that's the difference of the men versus the women."
Air Michigan
Jim Harbaugh has recruited another sports superstar to rep his Michigan team.
During a Friday appearance on The Rich Eisen Show, the 52-year-old Wolverines football coach made some waves by announcing Michael Jordan will be the honorary captain for his team's opener against Hawaii on Sept. 3.
The partnership doesn't make sense at first glance until realizing Michigan will become the first school in college football to don Nike's "Jumpman" athletic gear, which debuts Aug. 1. Jordan is its namesake.
This isn't the first time Harbaugh has made use of sport's biggest names to sell the Michigan brand. WWE wrestler Rick Flair, Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter and New England Patriots quarterback (and Michigan alum) Tom Brady all made appearances at Michigan's signing day party in February.
QUIZ
What team did J.A. Happ make his major league debut for June 30, 2007?
ANSWER
Happ pitched one game for the Philadelphia Phillies in 2007 before being returned to the minors the remainder of the season.
Sports on 07/16/2016