Can't Stop, Won't Stop
How is it almost April? Elite Eight, U.S. men’s soccer team fails to qualify for the Olympics and sports + vaccinations = a beautiful relationship.
Ever struggle talking to that one coworker? Well, sports are a great conversation starter and serves as a brilliant bridge to a fabulous conversation.
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The Last Night’s Game Team
College Basketball
This weekend in the men’s March Madness tournament, the underdogs went home and the teams you expected to be in the Elite Eight are there. Oral Roberts, Loyola Chicago (hi Sister Jean) and Syracuse were all sent packing but three of the No. 1 ranked teams are still in it. The Elite Eight play takes place today and tomorrow. PREDICTABLE
On the women’s side, the first No. 1 seed lost with Indiana upsetting North Carolina State. NFL (National Football League) quarterback Russell Wilson was spotted cheering on his sister Anna and her No. 1 ranked Stanford team. Keep your eye on the University of Arizona, whose team is on fire heading into the Elite Eight, which runs today and tomorrow. YAS GIRLS
Overtime
A mere days after U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team star Megan Rapinoe spoke in D.C. on Equal Pay Day, the U.S. Men’s Soccer Team failed to qualify (again) for the Olympics. The U.S. men’s team has not qualified for the Olympic games since 2008, yet the women’s team is still having to fight for similar paychecks and working conditions as the men’s team. For the record, the women’s soccer team has more Olympic golds than any other participating country. (Note, the men’s team is working with primarily amateur players as some MLS – Major League Soccer – teams refused to release players to play on the U.S. team). THINGS THAT MAKE YOU GO HMM
Sideline Stat
The NFL (National Football League) is expected to announce this week that the next NFL season will be a 17-game season, one more than previous years. Owners are ecstatic over the option of more time to make money, and fans are excited about more regular-season games, but players aren’t happy about it. The collective bargaining agreement gave the league the option to expand the season. The league has paired down the preseason from four games to three but players are still concerned about injuries. Why? Let us explain. JUST THE BEGINNING
Coaches’ corner
The MLB (Major League Baseball) season kicks off on Thursday. And while you might think everyone sat around during the off-season eating bonbons, think again. Over 1 million vaccinations were distributed at MLB ballparks during the off-season. There are 11 ballparks across the league that have been converted into mass vaccination centers, and some will continue to be vaccination centers, even with the start of the season. Some teams will be allowing fans when the season opens up this Thursday. For more on the MLB season, stay tuned for Wednesday's podcast. THAT’S A HOME RUN
Never Gonna Give You Up, Never Gonna Let You Down
Which athlete is taking over for Chris Harrison, mean girls no more in Atlanta and who picked on LeBron and lost.
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The Last Night’s Game Team
WNBA (Women’s National Basketball Association)
Pave the way for the new guard. Controversial Atlanta Dream owner Kelly Loeffler is out as an owner of the team, and an ownership group featuring former Dream player Renee Montgomery is in. Montgomery is the first former WNBA player to be an owner of a team. Loeffler previously served as a Republican Senator in the Georgia Senate. Calls for Loeffler to sell her ownership started after she criticized the Black Lives Matter movement. GET WITH THE PROGRAM
Overtime
By now, you’ve heard that longtime Bachelor host Chris Harrison is stepping aside after controversial comments. Stepping in for him during the “After the Final Rose” episode is former NFL player (National Football League), broadcaster, author and host of the YouTube sensation “Uncomfortable Conversations with a Black Man,” Emmanuel Acho. The episode will air after “The Bachelor” finale on March 15. CAN I STEAL YOU FOR A MINUTE?
Sideline stat
The love triangle between Shailene Woodley, Jodie Foster and Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers (NFL) continues. Last night during the Golden Globe Awards, Foster thanked Rodgers during her Best Supporting Actress acceptance speech for her performance in "The Mauritanian." This is her third Golden Globe Award. A few weeks ago, Rodgers thanked Foster in his acceptance speech for his league MVP award. (It was also the same speech he revealed that he was engaged). So why did Foster return the favor? She's a huge Packers fan. Rodgers' fiancée stars alongside Foster in "The Mauritanian." SO MUCH LOVE
Coaches’ corner
Former L.A. Galaxy player (MLS - Major League Soccer) and current AC Milan star Zlatan Ibrahimovic is known for his big ego and outlandish comments. Well, he decided to go after one of the world’s most popular athletes, LeBron James. Ibrahimovic criticized James for his social justice efforts. James, who founded the iPromise School, responded by saying, "I would never shut up about things that are wrong…There’s no way I would ever just stick to sports, because I understand how powerful this platform and my voice is." ROLE MODEL MATERIAL