Minnesota Duluth

Monday Mania

Rolling out of bed may have hurt a little this morning, but what doesn’t have to be painful today is the small talk.

The Rundown: Watercooler Worthy

While Monday might be the pits, at least you now have something to talk about at the watercooler.

 

Today is already looking up,

The Last Night’s Game Team


PGA (Professional Golfers' Association)

  • How it all went down. If you thought watching golf was simply an excuse to nap on Sunday, The Masters proved you wrong. Yesterday’s Masters win came down to a playoff between Sergio Garcia and Justin Rose. Garcia finally overcame his demons to win The Masters after 74 starts in majors. (There are four “major” golf tournaments a year – The Masters is one of them).
  • And the crowd goes wild. American golfer Matt Kuchar did the unthinkable and made a hole-in-one yesterday at The Masters. He then gave the ball from his record achievement to a little golf fan. There have only been 18 holes-in-one in Masters history.

College Hockey National Championship

NFL (National Football League)

  • Flexing their muscles. The NFL is investigating players who participated in an arm wrestling tournament at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. The investigation isn’t for an excessive use of force but the fact that the players may be in violation of the league’s gambling policy. Players and other league personnel are prohibited from making promotional appearances at casinos or other gambling-related establishments.

Overtime

  • Our dreams for a white wedding were dashed after learning that Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers and actress Olivia Munn have called it quits after three years of dating. Insert heartbroken emoji here.

Sideline stat

  • Oklahoma City Thunder’s Russell Westbrook has had a season for the ages. He became just the second player in NBA (National Basketball Association) history to average a triple-double for a season. He also set the all-time record for triple-doubles in a season with 42. (See coaches’ corner below for an explanation of a triple-double). Thanks to his Herculean efforts, his team has secured a spot in the playoffs, which start April 15th.

Coaches’ corner

  • What's a triple-double? A triple-double happens when a player records a double-digit number in three of these statistical categories in a game - points, total rebounds, assists, steals and blocks. Breaking it down - three categories (triple) in double-digits (double).

For example, Westbrook might have scored 21 points, recorded 10 steals with 11 rebounds in a game for a triple-double.

The Rundown: Ninja Style

Is your weekend full of happy hours, charity events and birthday parties? Break the ice with anyone by perusing today’s Rundown over your morning cup of coffee.  

 

Small talk ninja,

The Last Night’s Game Team  


PGA (Professional Golfers’ Association)

  • Slippery when wet. The competition at The Masters took a hit as the favorite Dustin Johnson (#1) withdrew from the tournament just before teeing off, citing a back injury from falling down the stairs in his Augusta rental house. Word is he was wearing socks on wood floors. Everyone who’s seen Risky Business knows that’s a slippery slope.
  • A tea and lemonade toast to you. This was the first time since 1954 that Arnold Palmer was not present at Augusta. (He passed away in September). Golf legends Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player hit the ceremonial first shot in front of a huge crowd with tears in their eyes and Palmer’s green jacket draped over an empty chair.
  • What they’re saying. The terrible weather is the talk of the town with high winds and rain taking a toll. What else is everyone talking about? Find out in our five things to know about The Masters.

NASCAR (National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing)

  • The need for speed. Who doesn’t love American Ninja Warrior? Nothing like parading the physical specimens of the nation across our TV while we eat ice cream. Three NASCAR drivers are going to take their chances on the Warrior’s obstacle course this summer. To see which drivers and when, click here.

Overtime

  • The college hockey “Frozen Four” was yesterday in Chicago. In the two semifinal games, Harvard and Notre Dame lost as did Mayor Rahm Emanuel. Tickets were in such high demand that the Mayor of Chicago struggled to get extra tickets. Minnesota-Duluth takes on Denver tomorrow for the national championship.

Sideline stat

  • Amazon won the rights to stream NFL (National Football League) Thursday night football games on their platform. (The games will also be simulcast on NBC or CBS). Reports suggest the deal is worth up to $50 million. Last season’s games were streamed on Twitter, which was reportedly a $10 million deal.

Coaches’ corner

  • On Thursday, former Heisman Trophy winner and NFL quarterback Tim Tebow made his minor league debut for the New York Mets (MLB – Major League Baseball) Single-A affiliate, the Columbus Fireflies. Tebow hit a home run in his first at bat.