Angelique Kerber

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It’s Monday and that means we’re delivering your cheat sheet from the weekend.

The Rundown: Upsets Abound

This weekend brought us big upsets on the field, the court and the baseball diamond. Here’s to Monday starting off on the right foot with plenty of coffee.

Let’s conquer the week,

The Last Night’s Game Team

NFL (National Football League)

  • They’re going to the Super Bowl. The Atlanta Falcons gave the Georgia Dome a memorable sendoff. In the last game in their home stadium the Falcons beat the red hot Green Bay Packers. Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan and receiver Julio Jones teamed up to crush the Packers' Super Bowl dreams.

  • Headed to the big show. The New England Patriots took care of business last night, dominating the Pittsburgh Steelers. This is a record breaking seventh Super Bowl appearance for quarterback Tom Brady and head coach Bill Belichick.

MLB (Major League Baseball)

  • At the top of his game. Baseball lost a young talent over the weekend. Kansas City Royals pitcher Yordano “Ace” Ventura was killed in a car crash while at home in the Dominican Republic. Ventura was a key piece in the Royals' 2014 World Series win. He won game six of the World Series days after his childhood friend and fellow MLB player Oscar Tavares was killed in a car crash in the Dominican Republic.  

Overtime

  • A Patriots fan set off the fire alarm in the Steelers team hotel at 3 am Sunday morning. The hotel was evacuated and the man was arrested. No bunny slippers were harmed during the incident but it looks like the team could've used that extra beauty sleep. 

Sideline stat

  • There were plenty of upsets down under this weekend at the Australian Open with both the world’s #1 ranked players Andy Murray and Angelique Kerber losing. This is the first time since 2004 that both the #1 and #2 seeds on the men’s side have failed to reach the quarterfinals of a major tournament. (Novak Djokovic, #2, lost earlier in the tournament). 

Coaches’ corner

  • The Walter Payton Man of the Year Award is one of the most prestigious awards given in the NFL and it has nothing to do with athletic achievements. Every year on the night before the Super Bowl, the award is given to the player who has made the biggest impact on his community through charity work. The three finalist were revealed yesterday and they are: 
    • Larry Fitzgerald, Arizona Cardinals wide receiver
    • Greg Olsen, Carolina Panthers tight end
    • Eli Manning, New York Giants quarterback

The Rundown: Weekend Wrap Up - Monday Magic

The first Sunday of NFL football lived up to expectations. Unless you were ESPN and then your Sunday was a hot mess.

Exit stage left,

The Last Night’s Game

College football

  • Wait what? In one of the most bizarre endings in recent history, Central Michigan Chippewas defeated heavily favored Oklahoma State Cowboys with a Hail Mary on the last play of the game. Although the play should have never happened as the Cowboys committed a penalty on the previous play and the game should have been over. The referees erroneously gave the ball to Central Michigan and they took advantage.  
  • Call in the HR team. The referees who worked the Oklahoma State – Central Michigan game have all been suspended for two games for their giant error and will be unable to work any bowl games. 
  • Holy people. In front of record breaking college crowd of 156,000, Tennessee Volunteers topped Virginia Tech Hokies. The game was held in the infield of the Bristol Motor Speedway. 

NFL (National Football League)

  • Man down. The ESPN Fantasy Football app crashed yesterday only an hour into the first Sunday of NFL. Fans were not happy but their reactions on Twitter provided some levity to the situation. The cause of the crash is unknown but Putin and Tom Brady are still suspects. (Okay not really). 
  • Go for two. In a thrilling back and forth game in New Orleans, Saints quarterback Drew Brees threw the longest touchdown pass in Saints history – 98 yards. With seconds to go in the game the Raiders scored a touchdown to pull within one point. Instead of kicking the extra point to tie and go into overtime, Raiders went all in with a two-point conversion attempt for the win. They did just that. Winner winner chicken dinner for the Raiders.

Tennis

  • On top of the world. Angelique Kerber won her first U.S. Open, which makes her the new #1 ranked player in the world since Serena Williams lost earlier in the tournament. 
  • Oldie but goodie. Stan Wawrinka upset Novak Djokovic (#1) in the men’s final of the U.S. Open, becoming the oldest person (31) to win since 1970.

Overtime

  • Put on your dancing shoes. Dancing with the Stars begins tonight on ABC with Laurie Hernandez (Team U.S.A. gymnast), James Hinchcliffe (IndyCar driver), Calvin Johnson (retired NFL player) and Ryan Lochte (Team U.S.A. swimmer) all competing to win.   

In other entertainment news, Olympic gymnasts Aly Raisman and Simone Biles teamed up with Olivia Munn (Packers QB Aaron Rodgers' girlfriend) on Lip Sync Battle Live. It was a fierce battle between a group of celebrity competitors but in the end Michael Phelps won with his rendition of "Lose Yourself" by Eminem. 

Sideline stat

  • In a game that resembled a basketball score, Arizona State University beat Texas Tech 68-55. ASU running back Kalen Ballage scored eight touchdowns, tying an NCAA record.

Coaches’ Corner

  • What is a Hail Mary pass? It’s not the same as your favorite breakfast cocktail, a bloody mary. A Hail Mary is a long forward pass in football, used when there’s really no other option and time is running out to pull off a win. See a video here.

 

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