Arnold Palmer

The Rundown: Ninja Style

Is your weekend full of happy hours, charity events and birthday parties? Break the ice with anyone by perusing today’s Rundown over your morning cup of coffee.  

 

Small talk ninja,

The Last Night’s Game Team  

PGA (Professional Golfers’ Association)

  • Slippery when wet. The competition at The Masters took a hit as the favorite Dustin Johnson (#1) withdrew from the tournament just before teeing off, citing a back injury from falling down the stairs in his Augusta rental house. Word is he was wearing socks on wood floors. Everyone who’s seen Risky Business knows that’s a slippery slope.
  • A tea and lemonade toast to you. This was the first time since 1954 that Arnold Palmer was not present at Augusta. (He passed away in September). Golf legends Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player hit the ceremonial first shot in front of a huge crowd with tears in their eyes and Palmer’s green jacket draped over an empty chair.
  • What they’re saying. The terrible weather is the talk of the town with high winds and rain taking a toll. What else is everyone talking about? Find out in our five things to know about The Masters.

NASCAR (National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing)

  • The need for speed. Who doesn’t love American Ninja Warrior? Nothing like parading the physical specimens of the nation across our TV while we eat ice cream. Three NASCAR drivers are going to take their chances on the Warrior’s obstacle course this summer. To see which drivers and when, click here.

Overtime

  • The college hockey “Frozen Four” was yesterday in Chicago. In the two semifinal games, Harvard and Notre Dame lost as did Mayor Rahm Emanuel. Tickets were in such high demand that the Mayor of Chicago struggled to get extra tickets. Minnesota-Duluth takes on Denver tomorrow for the national championship.

Sideline stat

  • Amazon won the rights to stream NFL (National Football League) Thursday night football games on their platform. (The games will also be simulcast on NBC or CBS). Reports suggest the deal is worth up to $50 million. Last season’s games were streamed on Twitter, which was reportedly a $10 million deal.

Coaches’ corner

  • On Thursday, former Heisman Trophy winner and NFL quarterback Tim Tebow made his minor league debut for the New York Mets (MLB – Major League Baseball) Single-A affiliate, the Columbus Fireflies. Tebow hit a home run in his first at bat.

The Rundown: The 5 Most Talked About Sports Moments of 2016

It wouldn’t be the end of the year without a host of lists to celebrate the year that was. We’re bringing you the most talked about sports moments of 2016. Chatting to your NYE date has never been easier.

 

Break out the bubbly,

The Last Night’s Game

The five most talked about sports moments of 2016

  1. Cubs win! The Chicago Cubs (MLB - Major League Baseball) ended their 108-year championship losing streak by coming from behind in the World Series to defeat the Cleveland Indians. Chicago went wild with an estimated five million fans attending the victory parade.
  2. Summer Olympics in Brazil. The Zika scare. Ryan Lotche’s late night antics (and maybe his hideous blue hair?) landed him in hot water. Michael Phelps retired with 28 career Olympic medals, 23 of them gold. Swimmer Katie Ledecky became the most decorated female of the Rio Olympics.  The U.S.A. women’s gymnastics team, The Final Five led by Simone Biles, dominated the competition.
  3. Championship Cavs. The Cleveland Cavaliers won the NBA (National Basketball Association) championship, ending the City of Cleveland’s 52-year professional championship drought. LeBron James, Kyrie Irving and their Cavs were down three games to one but managed to take home the title over the Golden State Warriors.
  4. Take a knee. San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick (NFL - National Football League) started taking a knee during the national anthem to demonstrate police brutality and racial oppression. No matter how you feel, the protest propelled the conversation and motivated action around the nation.
  5. Legends retire. Everyone’s favorite quarterback and five-time MVP Peyton Manning called it quits after winning the Super Bowl with the Denver Broncos (his second Super Bowl victory). Although post retirement he's still starring in primetime, but in advertisements. 

Kobe Bryant’s Los Angeles Lakers were terrible in his final season of basketball but the 18-time all-star still went out on top with five NBA Championships. He and his wife welcomed their third baby girl during his retirement. Better than 73-year-old Mick Jagger who’s still working and having babies.  

Overtime

  • Northwestern University will wear stickers on their helmets to honor Craig Sager, an alum of the school. Sager, who lost his battle with cancer on Dec. 15th, was one of the most respected sideline reporters in sports and was known for his colorful outfits.

Sideline stat

Coaches’ corner

  • The sports world lost so many sports icons this year including "The Greatest" boxer Muhammed Ali (74), sports reporter Craig Sager (65), women's basketball coach Pat Summitt (64), Miami Marlins pitcher Jose Fernandez (24) and the storied golfer and namesake of your favorite refreshment Arnold Palmer (87).

The Rundown: Weekend Wrap Up - A Tough Weekend in Sports

It was a tough weekend in sports. There were some big wins but also some big losses that will leave a gaping hole in the sports world.

Happy trails,

The Last Night’s Game Team

PGA (Professional Golfer’s Association)

  • A trailblazer. Legendary golfer and creator of your favorite lunchtime beverage, Arnold Palmer, passed away Sunday at the age of 87. Dominant on and off the course, Palmer was known as the “father of modern-day sports marketing” by starting what we now know as endorsements, including this great ESPN commercial. Thank you Mr. Palmer.     

MLB (Major League Baseball)

  • Tragic loss. Early Sunday morning Miami Marlins’ young superstar pitcher Jose Fernandez was killed in a boating accident. At only 24, Fernandez had the potential to end up in the hall of fame. Fernandez, a soon-to-be father, defected from Cuba four times before successfully making it at the age of 15. The Marlins cancelled yesterday’s game.
  • Thanks for the memories. Sunday was Los Angeles Dodgers’ longtime broadcaster, Vin Scully’s last home game after 67 years with the team. He couldn’t have scripted it any better if he tried. Dodgers won the game on a walk-off home run and clinched the NL (National League) West Division, securing a spot in the playoffs.

NCAA Football (College)

  • See ya. LSU Tigers (Louisiana State University) fired head coach of 12 years, Les Miles. Miles had a winning career record with LSU but some say this play was 10 months in the making. Tigers lost their season opener to unranked Wisconsin and then to unranked Auburn on Saturday. 
  • Remember this name. University of Louisville sophomore quarterback Lamar Jackson is leading the pack in the race for the Heisman Trophy. He alone scored seven touchdowns on Saturday. He has 25 touchdowns in four games. Unreal.
  • Did your team win? Check all the scores here.

NFL (National Football League)

  • Victorious. We’ve wrapped up week three and there are a handful of undefeated teams in the league. The Denver Broncos, Philadelphia Eagles, Baltimore Ravens, New England Patriots and Minnesota Vikings are all without a loss.  
  • A little help here? Conversely, there are three teams who haven’t won a game - Cleveland Browns, Jacksonville Jaguars and Chicago Bears. 
  • Catch the scores from the weekend here. 

NASCAR (National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing)

  • Next! Kevin Harvick won yesterday’s race in New Hampshire. Harvick earned himself a spot in the next round of the “Chase for the Cup” (NASCAR playoffs), joining Martin Truex Jr.

Overtime

  • Kevin Garnett announced his retirement after 21 seasons in the NBA (National Basketball Association). Garnett was drafted straight out of high school and made the most money of any player in NBA history, over $330 million. The MVP spent his career playing for Boston Celtics and Minnesota Timberwolves, who he helped put on the map.

Sideline stat

  • Rory McIlroy was three shots behind the leader with three holes to go in yesterday’s final round of the PGA season. Rory caught up and forced a playoff round, where he won after four holes. McIlroy not only won the tour but the FedEx Cup and its $10 million prize. Take that to the bank.   

Coaches’ Corner

  • Can you be drafted to the NBA out of high school? Once upon a time this was true, but not any longer. Kevin Garnett was the leader of the influx of high schoolers drafted (Kobe Bryant and LeBron James among them), prompting the league to add the "one year out of high school" requirement that effectively requires players to play at least one year of college basketball. This is so scouts can see players perform against higher competition before they are considered draft picks.

 

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