The Sunday Rundown: The 7 Things You Need to Know for 7/22-7/28

We've got golf, baseball, and a bit of Olympic flavor this week. 

Sunday: The Open Championship, Round 4 (6 a.m. ET, ESPN/ESPN3/WatchESPN.com) The fourth and final round of The Open Championships from Lancashire tees off bright and early on Sunday morning. Chances are, if you walk up early enough you’ll be able to catch most of the action. The current leader is Adam Scott (-11) and he is being trailed by some of golf’s best, including Tiger Woods (-6) who was my pick to win the tournament, Zach Johnson (-5) and Ernie Els (-5). If all holds up, for the tenth time in a row a first-time major champion will be crowned. You will not want to miss the conclusion of this historic competition.

Monday: Baltimore Orioles vs. Cleveland Indians (7:05 p.m. ET, MASN 2, STO) Yes, do not adjust your computer screens. The Orioles are on The Sunday Rundown. The current holder of the second Wild Card spot in the American League, Baltimore has surprised many this season so far. They have done a good job thus far this weekend of taking care of business against the Cleveland Indians, taking the first two games of this four game set. By this time Monday, they could take three and theoretically be in a position to set the Indians back a few more games away from the Wild Card spot. The pitching matchup is less than stellar (Tommy Hunter vs. Justin Masterson) but if you are interested in watching a couple of potential good stories, this game is for you.

Tuesday: Washington Nationals vs. New York Mets (7:10 p.m. ET, MASN, SNY) The Mets may be struggling and in a bit of a downfall, but that has not stopped them from having one of the better pitchers in baseball through the first half or so of the season. R.A. Dickey reached 13 wins on Thursday, becoming the first NL pitcher to do so this year, and has kept his other numbers down as well to prove those 13 wins are no fluke. He squares up against Gio Gonzalez, who also has been one of the better pitchers in baseball this season. He was shelled on Thursday against the New York Mets, so we will see if he can gain some retribution in Flushing on Tuesday evening.

Wednesday: Olympic Women’s Soccer: USA versus France (12:00 p.m., NBC Sports Network) The 2012 London Olympic Games may officially begin on Friday evening with the Opening Ceremonies, but do not be confused. The events actually kick off on Wednesday morning here in the United States, with women’s soccer being the first to enter the threshold. They actually begin with Great Britain, the host nation, taking on New Zealand at 11:00 a.m. on MSNBC, but I figured I would spotlight the game featuring the United States. The women’s soccer team from the red, white, and blue nation is the top-seed in the Olympic Games, and is looking for their third consecutive gold medal, and their fourth gold medal in five attempts. It is fair to say that all eyes will be on the American women, and should be considered as the favorite.

Thursday: Olympic Men’s Soccer: Spain vs. Japan (9:45 a.m., MSNBC) With the recent successes of Spanish football as of late, it is hard to believe that this will mark the first soccer match for the country in the Olympic Games since the year 2000. That is in fact the case, as La Roja will take to the pitch to battle with the Japan National Team early Thursday morning. Spain reenters the Olympic Games as a No.1 seed in the tournament, and as one of the favorites, looks to continue their country’s incredible success in the beautiful game. Japan looks to pile on top of their consistency, as this is their fifth consecutive appearance in the Olympic games. While that is true, they have only made the knockout stage once within this period, so they’re looking to capitalize once again. To do it, they’ll have to start by going against one of the top dogs.

Friday: Opening Ceremonies of the XXX Olympiad (7:30 p.m. ET, NBC) I’ve always been a sucker for the Olympics and always a sucker for the Opening Ceremonies too, so you should pay attention to this when it airs at 7:30 p.m. on your local NBC affiliate. This extravaganza never seems to disappoint and has always brought some of the best moments of the Olympics. Who could forget the memorable flame lighting by ‘The Greatest,’ Muhammad Ali back in 1996? Or Beijing’s terrific display during their opening Ceremonies back in 2008? While there will be no moment of silence for the victims of the massacre in Munich in 1972 (which I find disheartening and disappointing) I expect a can of awesome to be opened up on Friday evening.

Saturday: Los Angeles Dodgers vs. San Francisco Giants (4:05 p.m. ET, FOX) In case you’re getting a break from the Olympics, an option for you is to watch one of the best rivalries in all of baseball play out, as the L.A. Dodgers take on the San Francisco Giants. The Giants have been one of baseball’s best since gaining a stranglehold of the National League West division from the Dodgers a couple of weeks ago, and have maintained it through finding a way to generate a form of offense and through their excellent rotation. They will send out Barry Zito to the mound; Zito has been surprisingly good for them this season, coming into this start 8-6 with a 3.57 ERA. Meanwhile, the Dodgers started off incredibly hot, but have plateaued recently and have been plagued by injuries. They’re getting their best players back though, and they’re performing at the level that they need them to. Chad Billingsley is probable for the start, but with his injury, it is unknown if he will in fact be starting. If things hold throughout the week, this series could see the Dodgers up at the top again, or the Giants could send the boys in blue reeling.