Friday’s Hot Clicks: Injured Anthony Rizzo Returns Using the Undertaker’s Theme Song

By god, that’s Anthony Rizzo’s music!

He’s back from the dead an ankle injury

This is probably the best way to sum up the past four days for Anthony Rizzo:

On Monday, Rizzo’s season looked over. He had rolled his ankle badly in Sunday’s game while fielding a bunt in front of the mound and the prognosis was not good. Rizzo couldn’t put any weight on the ankle and would be confined to a walking boot for the next five to seven days after an MRI revealed a lateral sprain. Cubs president Theo Epstein left the door open for an eventual regular-season return, but no one thought it would be just four days later. 

With the Cubs sitting three games behind the Cardinals in the National League Central, and St. Louis coming to town for the first four of seven games the two teams will play between now and the end of the regular season, Rizzo shed the walking boot and slid into the leadoff spot for the series opener. 

When it came time to step to the plate for his first at-bat, Rizzo opted for walk-up music that should strike fear into the heart of any pitcher. 

In the third, he proved he had risen from the dead by lifting a home home run to the opposite field. 

But the Cubs’ division hopes were chokeslammed by the Cards. Despite a three-run rally to tie the game in the ninth (after Rizzo had come out of the game), Chicago lost in extra innings and trails St. Louis by four games in the division and the Brewers by one game for the final Wild Card spot. 

It’s not quite as long as The Undertaker’s WrestleMania streak, but the Cubs have made the playoffs four years in a row and they’re not ready to count themselves out.

“We’re fighting at Wrigley Field in late September to go to the playoffs, and that’s where all the magic happens,” Rizzo said after the game. 

A million times better than Jags-Titans

The Thursday night football action you should have been watching came from the AAC. Houston and Tulane played a wild game that came down to a thrilling pair of final plays.

After Houston tied the game with a field goal and Tulane returned the ensuing kickoff to the 29, the Green Wave looked content to take it to overtime. But no, they faked the kneel-down. 

On the next play, Tulane somehow got away with throwing into triple coverage on what turned out to be a 53-yard touchdown pass.

You have to feel bad for the Houston players, especially the guy who was puking on the sideline. 

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A good song

Email dan.gartland@simail.com with any feedback or follow me on Twitter for approximately one half-decent baseball joke per week. Bookmark this page to see previous editions of Hot Clicks and find the newest edition every day. By popular request I’ve made a Spotify playlist of the music featured here. Visit our Extra Mustard page throughout each day for more offbeat sports stories.