We made it through the first full week of 2021, and well, it looks like 2020 might be overreaching its’ boundaries. Here’s something not political to chat about.
Change the conversation,
The Last Night’s Game Team
NFL (National Football League)
It’s time for the NFL playoffs and lucky for you, they come with googly eyes and SpongeBob SquarePants. The Sunday Chicago Bears vs. New Orleans Saints game will be shown on Nickelodeon. There will be slime superimposed on endzones, googly eyes and other Snapchat-style filters layered over the game and the pregame show will be called "The SpongeBob SportsPants Countdown Special." The NFL's TV rights deals are expiring in 2022, and this is Viacom’s, Nickelodeon's parent company, innovative way of wooing a younger audience. Don’t worry, if you want to watch the name “normally,” you can find it on CBS. NFL playoff games will take place on Saturday and Sunday this weekend. SO MUCH TO SEE
Overtime
Tom Brady didn’t get to be one of the oldest and most successful players in NFL history without being a fine-tuned machine. So when his teammate Rob Gronkowski shared a story about Brady taking a rare whiskey shot at the Kentucky Derby, it made headlines. Brady apparently took a shot of Fireball and said, “Oh, how am I gonna throw next week?” FIREBALL WILL DO THAT TO YOU
Sideline stat
The new owner of the Utah Jazz (NBA - National Basketball Association) is already impacting his community. Ryan Smith has pledged a four-year scholarship for every Jazz win this season. The scholarship will be awarded to underrepresented or minority students to attend college. PAYING IT FORWARD
Coaches’ corner
The Cleveland Browns (NFL) finally broke their 18-year playoff drought, only for COVID to rear its ugly head. After multiple players and coaches tested positive for COVID, they haven’t been able to practice. Now that they’ve finally made it to the postseason, they’ll wing it with fewer players and no head coach when they take on their rival Pittsburgh Steelers. JUST WHEN YOU THINK YOU MADE IT
What to watch
The Buffalo Bills (NFL) are hosting their first home playoff game for the first time in 25 years. Bills fans will be allowed at a home game for the first time this season, with NY Governor Andrew Cuomo allowing 6,702 fans. But one person is not welcome according to a petition signed by 16,000+ Bills fans - Governor Cuomo himself. GO FIGURE
