It’s the most wonderful time of the year. No, our iTunes isn’t stuck on our holiday playlist, it’s Super Bowl 51 time. That’s right the biggest day in sports is this Sunday in Houston when the Atlanta Falcons take on the New England Patriots. We have the five fun, factual and fabulous things you need to know for the big day.
Ready to play,
The Last Night's Game Team
PS – Have you been curious about how Last Night’s Game went from an idea to a reality? Check out our latest interview, How to Talk "Super Bowl" Like a Pro, to find out.
FIVE THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT SUPER BOWL 51
- The Falcons have only been to one Super Bowl in franchise history but have never won. The Patriots have won four Super Bowls.
- The game is only part of the reason we watch. First, we have to talk commercials which are $5 million for 30 seconds. Secondly, the broadcast will feature country superstar Luke Bryan performing the national anthem and Lady Gaga will be bringing her A game for the halftime show.
- The Super Bowl is the time of year to place your unconventional bets. This year you can bet on will “Houston we have a problem” be said during the live broadcast? What color will the sports drink be that is dumped on the head coach of the winning team? What color will Lady Gaga’s hair be when she starts her half time show?
- The Falcons come into the game with the best offense in the league and the Patriots have the best defense, which should make for a great game.
- The Falcons’ owner Arthur Blank has certainly made a name for himself over the past few weeks with his postgame celebratory dancing. (He’s no Lady Gaga but he’s having fun). He also petitioned his daughter’s school in Atlanta stating the students should have Monday after the Super Bowl off so they can stay up late and support their team. It worked and school will be closed. This guy is going to be more popular than Santa.
OVERTIME
- Hacking isn’t reserved only for Russia. The St. Louis Cardinals' director of scouting hacked into the Houston Astros database retrieving scouting data for a competitive advantage. (He has since been fired and is serving time in jail). This week MLB (Major League Baseball) penalized the Cardinals even further by ordering them to pay the Astros $2 million and give them their top two draft picks.
SIDELINE STAT
- MLS (Major League Soccer) has announced it will be expanding from 22 teams to 29. The bid submission window for the four franchises up for grab closed yesterday. Did your city apply? Find out here.
COACHES’ CORNER
- Why is the NFL (National Football League) championship, the Super Bowl, such a big day in sports but other championships are not? The NFL is the only major professional sport to decide its champion with one game. The other leagues have a “best of” series of games.
