May The Force Be With You

As curfews go into effect across the country, that means your masked conversation while dining outdoors should be interesting and thought-provoking. What better way to relate to everyone than where sports meets pop culture?

No need for a curfew if your bedtime is 10 pm,

The Last Night’s Game Team

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MLS (Major League Soccer)

Tonight’s Friday night lights bring us a different kind of football tonight with the start of the MLS playoffs in a COVID world. With a compressed schedule, MLS will do everything in their power to reschedule a game where one or both teams is suffering from a COVID outbreak but it could result in a forfeit of the game and therefore the team would exit the postseason (it’s a single-elimination tournament). The Sporting Kansas City and Philadelphia Union are both ranked No. 1 in their respective conferences but it’s anyone’s guess who will end up in the finals on December 12. Kevin Durant (Phil. Union) is one of the star-studded athletes and celebrities to have an ownership stake in an MLS team. SIDE HUSTLE 

Overtime

Don’t get us wrong, we all wish COVID would go away but the wife of Detroit Lions (NFL - National Football League) quarterback Matt Stafford took to social media to share her displeasure with the rules in place. In Kelly Stafford’s Instagram life story she said “I'm over living in a dictatorship we call Michigan.” The rant comes days after Michigan implemented new rules including taking school and work virtual. She later apologized for the use of the word dictatorship and praised healthcare workers. RUBBED PEOPLE THE WRONG WAY

Sideline stat

There’s nothing like quality family time on the golf course but how about doing it for your share of $1M? Tiger Woods announced that he and his son Charlie, 11, will be battling it out against John Daly and 18 other legendary golfers (think Greg Norman, David Duval and Jim Furyk) and a member of their family in the PNC Championship on December 17. While the tourney is for fun and won’t go against anyone’s records there is a total purse of $1M on the line. FAMILY FUN

Coaches’ corner

Wednesday night was a big night for the Ball family. First, the youngest of the three basketball brothers, LaMelo Ball was the third selection in the NBA (National Basketball Association) Draft by the Charlotte Hornets. (Michael Jordan is an owner and chairman of the Hornets). And SPOILER ALERT older brother, Lonzo Ball who plays for the New Orleans Pelicans, was unveiled as the whatchamacallit on the “Masked Singer.” Like a man to man defense, actor Ken Jeong nailed it when he said it was Ball, who is also a rapper on the side. SO LITTLE TIME FOR THAT MUCH TALENT

5 Uncontroversial Turkey Day Table Topics

Football and Thanksgiving go together like turkey and gravy or tofurky and green beans. (We’re not here to judge what you’re into). These tidbits about Thanksgiving football traditions are great conversation starters for your table and your family will thank you for not bringing up the current political climate.

From our family to yours – Happy Thanksgiving,

The Last Night’s Game Team

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FIVE OUTSTANDING Thanksgiving Football Traditions

1. While many NFL (National Football League) players complain about having to play in Thursday night football games, playing on Thanksgiving is an honor awarded to few teams. There are only three games on Thanksgiving Thursday. SCHEDULE

2. The Detroit Lions and the Dallas Cowboys have hosted the most home Thanksgiving Day games in the NFL.

3. They may be in first place but the Jacksonville Jaguars are the only NFL team that has never played on Thanksgiving Day. 

4. Many people around your Thanksgiving table will remember the tradition started by John Madden, former NFL player, coach, broadcaster and video game namesake (Madden NFL).  He started the tradition of awarding the “Turkey Leg” back in 1989. The leg of the turkey was given to the MVP of the game. More than one MVP? Obviously, you need more legs. So, he started "creating" turkeys with more legs. (He took them off of other turkeys – this isn’t Frankenstein people).  

5. Madden is no longer handing out turkey legs but his legacy is still alive as each network has their own turkey game day celebration.  There's an equally as interesting, but not edible, trophy on the line for the teams that play on FOX. The best player in that game walks away with the very attractive “Galloping Gobbler” trophy. 

A little something extra - Want to impress the chef? John Madden also made the turducken famous. 

 

There’s more turkey day talk ahead

The table topics don’t stop here. Read on for the three things the sports world is talking about today. HERE YOU GO

The Rundown: Friday…Where Have You Been All My Life?

We don’t know about you but this week back to work after the holidays felt like a week full of Mondays. Phew – we made it. Happy Friday!

It’s a great weekend to work on your touchdown dance,

The Last Night’s Game Team

PS - Since the majority of the country is being hit with some sort of precipitation this weekend, here are a few tailgate treats that’ll give you an excuse to stay inside. 

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NFL (National Football League)

• This weekend is filled with wild card playoff games. Who qualifies to be a wild card team? They are the top four teams in each league that did not win their division but were still really good.

Saturday games

• Oakland Raiders vs Houston Texans - Raiders rookie starting quarterback Connor Cook has never started a game before and Texans starting quarterback Brock Osweiler was benched this year for bad performance. This ought to be a doozy. 
• Detroit Lions vs Seattle Seahawks- The Seahawks have never lost a playoff game on their home turf at CenturyLink Field and the Lions have never won a game there. Talk about home field advantage. 

Sunday games

• Miami Dolphins vs Pittsburgh Steelers - For the first time the “Big Three” of Pittsburgh - quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, wide receiver Antonio Brown and running back Le’Veon Bell - will play in a playoff game together. A dangerously good combination to play against the Dolphins and their backup starting quarterback. 
• New York Giants vs Green Bay Packers - The Giants beat the Packers in the playoffs the two times the Giants won Super Bowl (2008 and 2012) although the Packers finished this season on a six game winning streak. We’ll find out if the Giants partying with the Biebs this week was good luck or if Olivia Munn’s boyfriend Aaron Rodgers can pull off a win for his Packers. 

• Going back back back. After 31 years of hosting ESPN’s NFL studio programming, the iconic Chris Berman will be stepping down after this season. Berman is staying with ESPN, but in a different role. No replacement has been named but we guarantee his job is the hottest ticket in town since Billy Joel played in baseball stadiums.

Overtime

• The piano man himself, Billy Joel, is determined to make baseball exciting. He announced that he’ll be playing in Major League Baseball stadiums on his upcoming tour. During his six stadium tour he’ll play where his career started, in Los Angeles. He’ll play at Dodgers Stadium on May 13th. Will he be rocking out in your city? Find out here.

Sideline stat

• The Las Vegas SuperContest is one of the most prestigious competitions for NFL bettors. It puts your $1,500 entry fee up against 1,854 entries for a prize of more than $900,000. This year’s contest was won by a Starbucks barista. No word if he showed up to make Frappuccinos for demanding teenagers the next day.

Coaches’ corner

• NBA (National Basketball Association) all-star voting is open to the fans and they are showing why the fan vote only counts for 50% of the game’s starting line-up. You’ve probably never heard of Golden State Warriors’ Zaza Pachulia, who is an average NBA player. Well he’s in second place in all-star voting behind his powerhouse teammate Kevin Durant. He may be a fan favorite but he’s not at the all-star level quite yet. This is why the fans can’t have nice things.