Soar into the weekend and maybe a conversation with the friendly stranger in the plane seat or cubicle next to you.
So much to talk about,
The Last Night’s Game Team
NFL (National Football League)
The performers for the most important part of the Super Bowl, the halftime show, have been announced. The Super Bowl halftime show in Miami (February 2) will feature Jennifer Lopez and Shakira. The league says the show will have a very “Miami” feel. WHO NEEDS THE GAME?
Overtime
The NBA (National Basketball Association) is making a big push toward transparency in the off-season, likely due to the prominence of gambling. They are requiring all teams to submit the exact height (sans shoes) and ages for all of their players by the first week of training camp. It’s unspoken knowledge that players’ heights are often fudged. THEY’RE TALLER WHEN THEY’RE STANDING ON THEIR WALLETS
Sideline stat
During the NFL off-season, there was a lot of noise around players taking a gamble and holding out on reporting to their team, hoping for a new, bigger contract. It worked out well for Ezekiel Elliott (Dallas Cowboys) but not so much for Melvin Gordon (Los Angeles Chargers). His holdout cost him $989,117 in base salary plus he could be dealt fines for missing training camp. To add insult to injury, he returns to the team without a new deal. INSERT FOOT IN MOUTH
Coaches’ corner
The locker room post-win is all fun and games, until you show your teammate’s bare buns on Instagram. Chicago Bears (NFL) running back Tarik Cohen was celebrating a big win on Instagram Live when he made a big mistake, unknowingly showing his teammate Kyle Long in his birthday suit in the background for about 10 seconds. The NFL prohibits players from posting on social media from 90 minutes before kickoff through all postgame interviews. Most leagues have similar policies. I GOT YOUR BACK BRO. LITERALLY.
What to watch
Actress Gabrielle Union, whose husband is former NBA player Dwyane Wade, will be the guest picker (the celebrity who weighs in on who will win the big games of the week) on ESPN “College GameDay” tomorrow morning. SHOW THOSE BOYS WHO’S BOSS
