LAST NIGHT'S GAME 7/19/23 LAST NIGHT'S GAME 7/19/23

Chatting Name, Image, Likeness With Ayden Syal, CEO & Founder of MOGL

Happy 2nd Birthday NIL

Photo: Instagram/alyssa_baumann (also a MOGL client)

(Podcast length - 20:23 mins)

Join us as we chat with Ayden Syal, CEO & Founder of MOGL, about Name, Image, Likeness (NIL), the creation of their business and what it means to you, the average sports fan.

MOGL is the leading athlete marketplace and NIL operations software provider enabling college athletes to connect with monetization and sponsorship opportunities with brands, employers and fans.

Sports Curious, presented by Last Night's Game, is here to take the awkwardness out of the conversation and help you join the sports conversation, even if you don't know the first thing about sports. We break down what's happening in sports in an easy-to-understand, fun way without all of the statistics and jargon, so you never have to exit stage left when the chatter at the office, dinner table or networking event switches to sports.

You can always catch us between podcasts at www.lastnightsgame.com or on social media. If you love us, leave us a review wherever you listen to your podcasts. And if you have feedback or questions, you can email Amy at amy@lastnightsgame.com.

Athletes Who Are The Definition Of Dad Goals

#raddads

(Podcast length - 22:55 mins)

Just because these dads have careers that put them in the limelight doesn’t mean they don't know which job is most important.

The Adventures Of The Stanley Cup Trophy

The Instagram-worthy life of the iconic trophy.

(Podcast length - 13:35 mins)

The Stanley Cup – a 34.5-pound trophy that gets around. This silver chalice gets its own seat on airplanes, travels worldwide, and has even been on a spaceship. Its adventures are chronicled on its Twitter account, offering fans a glimpse into its "spring break-like" escapades.

The NBA and Stanley Cup Finals - What You Need To Know To Join The Conversation

Why these two series are stressful if you're a Floridian but even more so if you're a rubber rat?

(Podcast length - 22:55 mins)

The Florida Panthers and Miami Heat (NBA) are trying to make history. No city has won both the NBA and NHL championship in the same year. At the same time, the Denver Nuggets (NBA) and Vegas Golden Knights (NHL) are looking to win their first championships.

Whether you're taking the game in courtside, on the glass or not at all, this week's podcast will set you up for sports small talk. Cue "We Are The Champions."

The Indy 500 - Milk Chugging, BYOB and Snake Pits

Why the Indy 500 is worth watching.

Photo: Instagram/indianapolismotorspeedway

(Podcast length - 22:50 mins)

Grab your favorite celebratory milk (or beverage of choice) and immerse yourself in the excitement of the Indy 500, the "Greatest Spectacle in Racing."

Monday Minute - The Unsung Golf Hero, Sweeping LeBron And So Much OT Hockey

News you need to start your week.

(Podcast length - 2:17 mins)

The news you need to start your week.

Weekend Preview - WNBA Season Starts, Golf Without Tiger + The Preakness

Podcast exclusive content

(Podcast length - 2:00 mins)

We meet again on the cusp of another splendid weekend.

Your Guide To The 2023 WNBA Season

Everyone from Tom Brady to your neighbors are loving the WNBA. Here's what you need to know.

(Podcast length - 22:45 mins)

Last year's season was a hit, and it's clear that people are recognizing the incredible talents of these women athletes. This year, the WNBA season, which starts May 19, is adding more games and expanding to new locations, making it even more exciting.

Monday Minute - SI Swimsuit Cover Models Revealed, The Newest College Grads + NBA News

News you need to start your day.

(Podcast length - 2:01 mins)

The news you need to start your day.

*Clarifying point as it may be a little confusing, The Lakers are the first Western Conference Team in the Steve Kerr era to eliminate the Warriors

Badass Moms In Sports

These moms are not to be underestimated, as they're changing the landscape for all women.

(Podcast length - 19:56 mins)

We're discussing the most badass moms in sports who have to deal with the everyday struggles of parenting and maintaining peak physical performance for their job. We're exhausted just thinking about it. But these moms are not to be underestimated, as they're changing the landscape for all women.

Why The Kentucky Derby Is Our Favorite Event Of The Year

Where else can you find a sport where it's only 2 minutes once a year?

(Podcast length - 21:06 mins)

Giddy up! Everyone's favorite excuse to wear big hats, eat and bet on horses takes place this Saturday, May 6, and here's why it's one of our favorite events. (Who doesn’t love a reason to wear a big hat)??

The NFL Draft - Join The Conversation

The small hands controversy, all the boos and Mr. Irrelevant

(Podcast length - 28:29 mins)

From features on the “Today Show” to concerts and red carpets, the NFL Draft has come a long way since first being televised in 1980. Here's what you need to know.

Sports Teams Upping Their Game To Save The Planet

From the world's only vegan soccer team to a stadium that uses rainwater to make the ice for its' NHL team

(Podcast length - 20:22 mins)

Kermit the Frog said, "It isn't easy being green," but in sports, lofty goals come true, and rivals unite all in the name of Mother Earth. And not just for Earth Day, which is this Saturday, April 22.

PS: We are constantly evolving our offerings for our great LNG readers and listeners and would love it if you would take this short survey. There's a drawing for a $100 Amazon gift card in it for you. SURVEY LINK

What Happens When Athletes Get Traded

Pack your bags, gas up the moving van and break your lease; we're going on an adventure.

(Podcast length - 18:50 mins)

For some athletes, the moving van is gassed up and ready to go at any moment.

Why Everyone Loves The Masters (And You Will Too)

What to say, what not to do, and why a green blazer is a coveted fashion statement

(Podcast length - 18:37 mins)

While golf seems so unapproachable with uptight rules and golf claps, the Masters has some fun quirks. Here’s what to say, what not to do, and why a green blazer is a coveted fashion statement.

Batter Up! Baseball Season Is Back

The 5 things you need to know

The boys of summer are back. Here's what you can expect on the diamond this season.

Transcript

(Podcast length - 4:45 mins)

1. The Houston Astros are this year's defending champions, and teams are spending a pretty penny to rob them of back-to-back titles. The league does not have a salary cap but a luxury tax. The New York Mets owner Steve Cohen isn't worried about the luxury tax. The Mets are projected to pay roughly $111M in luxury tax fees in 2023, per ESPN's Jeff Passan. That figure is higher than what 10 MLB teams will spend their entire 26-man rosters. WINNING ISN'T CHEAP

2. Food is synonymous with baseball, and this year there are some exciting treats to titillate your taste buds at the ballpark. Like the Texas Rangers' Boomburger, a two-foot burger. (It's the big brother to the Boomstick, a two-foot-long hot dog). The Seattle Mariners boast chapulines or toasted grasshoppers on the menu and cult favorite Din Tai Fung in the ballpark. The New York Mets have a fried donut chicken sandwich with glazed donuts for buns. GET IN MY BELLY

3. MLB is looking to ride the momentum of the wave of the World Baseball Classic, which shattered previous American viewership records for the event. Starting the season off, all 30 teams will play on Opening Day, Thursday, March 30. Teams are rolling out their big-named pitchers, with eight Cy Young Award winners, 21 All-Star hurlers and five pitchers making their team debuts. TAKE ME OUT TO THE BALLGAME

Want a sweet moment? Check out this one with Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Mitch Keller finding out he'll be the starting pitcher for opening day. Then there's the prank the New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone pulled over on their top prospect Anthony Volpe.

4. Remember that starting last season, both leagues adopted the designated hitter, which was previously only an American League thing. The change allowed big named players like Bryce Harper, who could not throw due to injury, to play the whole season by only hitting. BATTER UP

5. Now for our last and most technical point, the new rules. There are new rules this year, a major one being the pitch timer. Baseball has a reputation for being a slow game, and this pitch timer reduced minor league games by 25 minutes. The bases will be larger to encourage more stealing (i.e., more excitement). Lastly, there are shift restrictions on the infielders. When trialed in the minor leagues, these shift restrictions "increased batting average and decreased strikeouts in Minors while giving players more opportunity to show off their athleticism." MORE ON THESE RULES HERE

What's a can of corn, where is the all-star game, and why are they called the boys of summer? We have those answers and more in our Major League Baseball FAQ. READ

The Most Powerful Women in Sports

Ain’t no stopping us now.

Wrapping up women’s history month.

We can't be what we can't see, and these women are showing the next generation of female leaders that being a powerhouse in the sports world is attainable.

Transcript

(Podcast length - 5:13)

Dany Garcia

Dany Garcia has been making things happen behind the scenes for years, and now she's in the spotlight as the Chairwoman and Owner of the XFL. Garcia works alongside her ex-husband Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, on everything from the XFL to "Jumanji." Garcia's acquisition of the XFL made her the first woman to own an equal or majority ownership stake in a major professional sports league in the United States.

Garcia is the co-founder of Seven Bucks Productions, a production company for TV, film and digital networks and founder, CEO, and chairwoman of The Garcia Companies, where she oversees a portfolio of brands within the business, entertainment, sports, entrepreneurial and food spaces. As balancing 50+ projects isn't enough, she's passionate about the sport of bodybuilding. She first competed in 2011 and was the first-ever Women's Physique Division athlete to be signed to the Weider roster. UNSTOPPABLE

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Simone Biles

Simone Biles is this generation's "it" girl. With 32 Olympic and World Championship medals, she's the GOAT in the gym. Still, she singlehandedly changed the way we think about the impact of pressure on an athlete's mental health after she withdrew from the Tokyo Olympics. (She later earned a bronze medal on the beam). Biles reminded everyone that it's okay not to be okay. With she has the hardware to back it up.

If that wasn't brave enough, she spoke out against a system of injustice, testifying before Congress about how the US justice system failed to stop former USA Gymnastics doctor Larry Nassar from sexually abusing her and others. BOLD

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Jeanie Buss

Jeanie Buss made a name for herself as the president and controlling owner of the Los Angeles Lakers. The daughter of Jerry Buss, the former Lakers owner, became the first female owner to lead a team to an NBA championship title.

But running the Lakers didn't come without hard work. At only 19, she served as the general manager of the Strings, a tennis team owned by her father. She bought the Los Angeles Blades, a roller hockey team, and was named Executive of the Year by the league. She isn't afraid to make bold moves. She fired the Lakers general manager in 2017 and pushed for her brother's resignation as VP of operations. She hired Magic Johnson as the team president and Rob Pelinka as the new GM. She's also the owner of WOW, Women Of Wrestling. THIS IS HOW WE DO

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Becky Hammon, Katie Sowers and Jennifer Welter

Becky Hammon, Katie Sowers and Jennifer Welter have made a career of paving their path as coaches. In 2014, Hammon became the first full-time female assistant coach in the NBA, following a 16-year WNBA (Women's National Basketball Association) career. She joined the San Antonio Spurs (NBA – National Basketball Association) as an assistant coach. Last year the Las Vegas Aces signed Hammon to a $1M/year contract, the largest in WNBA history. Hammon went on to win Coach of the Year and became the first coach to win a title in her first year.

Sowers made NFL (National Football League) history in 2020 by becoming the first female coach to coach at the Superbowl and the first openly gay coach in the NFL. Welter broke barriers in 2015 by becoming the first female NFL coach in a coaching position with the Arizona Cardinals. WHO RUN THE WORLD?

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Julie Urhman

Julie Uhrman is the co-founder and president of her hometown NWSL (National Women's Soccer League) team, Angel City. The Los Angeles-based team is one of the world's only majority female-founded and -run pro sports teams. It's an expansion team that began play in 2022, with owners including Natalie Portman, Serena and Olympia Williams, Eva Longoria and other high-profile celebrities.

Working alongside her is another powerhouse, Angela Hucles, the vice president of player development and operations at Angel City FC. WHAT DREAMS ARE MADE OF

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5 Things To Know About March Madness

Put on your dancing shoes.

(Podcast length - 4:21 mins)

You might care less about March Madness, but it will undoubtedly be the hot topic of conversation over the next few weeks. Here's how you can level the playing field and join the conversation. (Hint: you don't have to know anything about basketball).

Transcript

1. The NCAA tournament had become the second most popular sporting event amongst gamblers in the sportsbooks, office pools or online. (Super Bowl is the most popular). Many companies have turned the tournament into a team-building opportunity with various contests. Take Warren Buffet and his $1M a year for life promise for an employee who picks a perfect bracket in the first round. What are the chances of picking a perfect bracket? 1 in 9.2 quintillions. For perspective, there are 31.6M seconds in a year, so 9.2 quintillion seconds is a quick 292 billion years. YOU CAN BET ON IT

2. Did you know that vasectomies increase during March Madness because it's doctor's orders to be a couch potato, so men might as well heal while watching basketball? Speaking of feeling blue, the color might be the ticket to winning. Since 2002, except for two teams, every winner has had blue as their primary uniform color. LET’S DO THIS

3. The first women's NCAA tournament began in 1982 — 43 years after the men's debut. This is only the second year the women's tournament has been allowed to use "March Madness" in its promotion. Keep an eye out on the team to beat the defending champion South Carolina Gamecocks that finished the season undefeated. An interesting fact to note, while the men play two-20-minute halves, the women play four-10-minute quarters. GAME ON

4. The defending champion Kansas Jayhawks landed a No. 1 seed in the tournament. But the most important win for the Jayhawks is the return of their head coach Bill Self. Self checked into the hospital on March 8 with chest tightness and balance concerns. He underwent a standard heart catheterization and had two stents placed to treat blocked arteries. Self will return in time to pace the sidelines during the NCAA tournament. DOCTOR'S ORDERS?

5. Experts project hourly corporate losses of roughly $1.9B due to workers whose productivity is diverted by March Madness. When choosing your bracket in this single-elimination tournament, remember that the most likely upset is a No. 12 team over a No. 5. A No. 16 team has upset a No. 1 seeded team once in the tournament's history. Where did the bracket come from? It began in a Staten Island bar in 1977 when 88 people joined a prize pool and completed their tournament predictions. The prize pool ballooned to $1.5M and 150,000 people in 2006. The pool was shut down in 2006 after scrutiny from the IRS. CHOOSE WISELY

PS: The sun is setting on Jim Nantz's basketball broadcast career. The famed voice for both The Masters and March Madness is in his last year calling the NCAA tournament.

Notable dates:

Women's March Madness Tournament

The first round is Friday and Saturday, March 17-18
The championship game is on April 2 in Dallas

Men's March Madness Tournament

The first round is Thursday and Friday, March 16-17

o The championship game is on April 3 in Houston.

Women Leading Sports Teams From The C-Suite

Changing the face of sports.

These women aren't the norm to hold positions in the C-Suite, but they are changing the face of sports.

Transcript

Kim Ng

Kim Ng serves as the General Manager of the Miami Marlins (MLB - Major League Baseball) and is the first female to ever serve in the role in American sports history. She served as an assistant GM with the Yankees and the Dodgers and in the executive suite with the White Sox. Hall of Famer and Miami Marlins CEO/owner Derek Jeter led the breakthrough hire. HOME RUN HIRE

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Cynthia Marshall

Cynthia Marshall, CEO of the Dallas Mavericks, became the first Black female CEO in the NBA (National Basketball Association). But being first is nothing new for her. In ninth grade, her mother inspired her to claim her place in school leadership. Later Marshall became the first Black president at her school. "It was historic and the faculty was more emotional than I was. We've been blazing trails ever since then," Marshall said. She became the first Black cheerleader at Berkley and the first Black woman in Delta Gamma at the school. TRAILBLAZER

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Nikki Williams and Nikki Fargas

Las Vegas Raiders (NFL – National Football League) and Las Vegas Aces (WNBA – Women's National Basketball Association) owner Mark Davis knows talent when he sees it, hiring women to lead his professional teams. First, Nikki Williams and Nikki Fargas lead the championship Aces as the general manager of basketball operations and president of business operations, respectively. Last year the Aces signed Becky Hammon to a $1 million per year contract, the largest in WNBA history. She won Coach of the Year and became the first to win a title in her first year. A STEP ABOVE THE REST

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Amy Trask and Sandra Douglass Morgan

Amy Trask became the Oakland Raiders' chief executive and the first woman of that rank in the NFL in 1997. After nearly 30 years with the team, Trask now serves as an analyst for CBS. Sandra Douglass Morgan, who serves as the team's president, is filling the big shoes left by Trask. She is the first Black female president in NFL history. TOUCHDOWN

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Shari Ballard and Carolyn Kindle

The USWNT (US Women's National Soccer Team) aren't the only ladies in soccer making things happen. Shari Ballard was named CEO of Minnesota United FC last August. She is the first female to be CEO of a Major League Soccer (MLS) team. The newest edition to the MLS, the St. Louis City, also boasts Carolyn Kindle as the team's president and CEO. She is part of the nine-strong majority female ownership group that shelled out a reported $200 million in expansion fees to make St. Louis City the 29th MLS team. "I'll be honest, four years ago I knew nothing," Kindle, the team's CEO and President, told USA TODAY Sports. "I've learned a lot about the sport since then. Now, I understand why it's called the beautiful game." HUMILITY

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The Most Fashionable Athletes

Every day is a chance to make a statement.

More athletes are claiming their stake in the fashion industry by starting clothing lines and walking the catwalk. They may be uniform when honing their craft on the court, field or track, but their style is anything but conforming for these athletes.

Transcript

Kyle Kuzma

From walking the runway in New York Fashion Week in 2022 wearing a black basketball jersey over a black hoodie and a skirt made of puffy coats, Kyle Kuzma has established himself as a fashion icon in the NBA (National Basketball Association). His arrival style at the arena ranges from a trench coat and bucket hat to a hilariously oversized pink sweater (which was immortalized as a bobblehead). The NBA champion's girlfriend, model Winnie Harlow, may have helped him on the catwalk, but the Childhood Dreams clothing brand founder's fashion is one-of-a-kind and influenced by no one (or everyone). WERK IT

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A’ja Wilson

The Las Vegas Aces forward A'ja Wilson (WNBA - Women’s National Basketball Association) claimed the championship crown last season, but she's always been the queen of fashion. From her arrival in vintage WNBA jerseys and "We are BG" shirt or her admission to wearing spandex underneath her red carpet looks, Wilson always has us swooning over her fashion. PERFECTION

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Lewis Hamilton

F1 (Formula One) driver Lewis Hamilton's clothing line +44 is the number on his race car and his lucky number. (It is also the country code for calling his homeland, the UK). Sir Hamilton (he was knighted by William, the Prince of Wales, in 2021) has been seen in the front row of the Valentino show at Paris Fashion Week, seated next to Zendaya. He was selected as one of the world's most stylish people as part of 2022 The New York Times, "93 most stylish people." SO CHIC

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Joe Burrow

Not many athletes joined Lewis Hamilton on The New York Times' list of "93 most stylish people" in 2022. But one who did, Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow. His fashion flair ranges from SpongeBob clothing items to Cartier glasses to oversized diamond pendants. The Times even gave him the nickname, "Joey Flowers," for his floral-print suit. Flowers, or Burrow, doesn't even try hard, saying, "he throws on whatever he thinks looks good." EFFORTLESS

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DK Metcalf

A candy addict (Skittles and Jolly Ranchers) turned health nut, DK Metcalf of the Seattle Seahawks (NFL) doesn't exactly throw on whatever works when he heads to the stadium. He plans his outfits in advance. It clearly works, as Metcalf is a frequent visitor to the NFL's weekly list of most fashionable player arrivals. He told GQ one of the ten items he can't live without is his Louis Vuitton murse. STRUTTING SEAHAWK

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Honorable Mention

Honorable mention to the NWSL's (National Women’s Soccer League) highest-paid player, Trinity Rodman, Megan Rapinoe of the NWSL/US Women's National Team and the Los Angeles Clippers Russell Westbrook, founder of clothing line Honor The Gift.

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Transcript

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Transcript

Dany Garcia

Simone Biles

Jeanie Buss

Becky Hammon, Katie Sowers and Jennifer Welter

Julie Urhman

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Transcript

Other posts you might enjoy

Transcript

Kim Ng

Cynthia Marshall

Nikki Williams and Nikki Fargas

Amy Trask and Sandra Douglass Morgan

Shari Ballard and Carolyn Kindle

Other posts you might enjoy

Transcript

Kyle Kuzma

A’ja Wilson

Lewis Hamilton

Joe Burrow

DK Metcalf

Honorable Mention

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