Can't Stop, Won't Stop

Ever struggle talking to that one coworker? Well, sports are a great conversation starter and serves as a brilliant bridge to a fabulous conversation. 

You heard it here first, 

The Last Night’s Game Team 

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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

Onward And Upward

Dive headfirst into the weekend with the confidence to talk a little sports.

Darn right you can,

The Last Night’s Game Team

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Summer Olympics

Former Japanese Olympian Seiko Hashimoto is the new leader of Japan’s Olympic Committee. This appointment comes after the former chief stepped down after inappropriate remarks where he said, "When you increase the number of female executive members, if their speaking time isn’t restricted to a certain extent, they have difficulty finishing, which is annoying.” Needless to say, Hashimoto steps in to lead the Summer Olympics amidst COVID and a year delay. YOU’VE GOT THIS

Overtime

Thanks to Houston Rockets (NBA - National Basketball Association) player John Wall, we have some good news to share this morning. Wall worked with his Instagram followers to find a restaurant that could feed more than 500 people who were sheltered after the Arctic storm that hit Texas. All 500 people received a meal, thanks to Wall and his friends. A HAND UP

Sideline stat

One of her athletes may have finished 25 seconds behind the leader, but Iran skiing coach Samira Zargari is proud of her team, even if she’s cheering them on from afar. Zargari’s husband blocked the Iranian ski coach from traveling to Italy for the world championships. He used a local law to ban her from travel after she refused to grant him a divorce after he started dating her best friend. While she’s sad not to be there with her team, Zargari said she wanted to launch a “campaign” to change the law. CAN’T KEEP A GOOD WOMAN DOWN

Coaches’ corner

We’ve received a handful of questions around the new Fan Controlled Football League, so ask, and you shall receive. The league is the only sports league where the fans control every facet of the game. Every decision from the lineup to the play calling is fan-decided. As of now, the league only has four teams. Still, it is backed by some reasonably notable investors in former NFL (National Football League) stars Richard Sherman and Marshawn Lynch, rapper Quavo, baseball’s Trevor May and more. DIVE IN FURTHER

What to watch

The NHL (National Hockey League) is taking the scenic route for a few of this weekend’s games. There will be two games taking place outdoor, along with a Green Day concert on Lake Tahoe's shores. COULD BE WORSE

Get Your Game Face On

Refine your wrapping skills and sharpen your tongue - it’s party time.

Game on,

The Last Night’s Game Team

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College Football 

We don’t want to jinx it but after a season of highs and lows, it looks like we will be able to crown a college football champion. We now know that Alabama (No. 1) will take on Notre Dame (No. 4) and Clemson (No. 2) will face off against Ohio State (No. 3) on January 1 in the playoffs. ‘Bama and the Irish were supposed to play in the Rose Bowl in Pasadena but due to California’s COVID regulations that prohibit fans from attending, the game has been moved to AT&T Stadium in Dallas. KICK OFF 2021

overtime

It’s been a rough year for Vanessa Bryant who lost her husband, basketball legend Kobe Bryant, and her daughter Gianna in a helicopter accident in January. Now her mom is suing her claiming that she, Sofia Laine, was an unpaid “longtime personal assistant and nanny” and that Kobe “promised to take care of” her “for the rest of her life.” Laine is seeking back pay for all of the hours she’s worked over the years helping out and taking care of her grandchildren at the rate of $96/hour. In addition she is seeking “$5 million, a house and a Mercedes SUV.” In a statement to Us Weekly, Bryant said that Laine “has spiraled out of control” and is “continuing to try and find ways to extort a financial windfall from our family.” AND YOU THOUGHT YOUR HOLIDAYS WERE CONTENTIOUS

Sideline stat

The New York Jets (National Football League) secured their first win of the season but it was bad news for the team. Why? With the win, they lost their grip on the No. 1 pick in the NFL Draft which would presumably be used on Clemson’s quarterback Trevor Lawrence. In other shocking NFL news, for the first time in 11 years, the New England Patriots will miss out on the playoffs. BETTER LUCK NEXT YEAR

Coaches’ corner

Tiger and Charlie Woods had fans swooning while playing together at the PNC Championship (golf). While the father and son combo didn’t win, their twinning was a win in our book with the matching fist pumps to their traditional “Sunday Red.” Charlie is the youngest player to every play in the tournament. THE APPLE DOESN’T FALL FAR FROM THE TREE

What to watch

College Football Bowl Season starts today. There aren’t nearly as many games as usual with games being cancelled and teams dropping out but regardless, there’s plenty of football to watch during “The Bachelorette” commercial breaks. (Don’t forget to set your brackets)! SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE

Also, the NBA (National Basketball Association) regular season begins tomorrow.