It’s Freaking Friday
A fiery plane crash, who’s playing like a girl and who lost their sh*t on the tennis court.
Hallelujah!
That’s all folks,
The Last Night’s Game Team
NASCAR (National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing)
Former NASCAR driver Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s plane caught on fire upon landing at a small airport in Tennessee yesterday. Luckily, Earnhardt, his wife Amy, their 1-year-old daughter, the family dog and the pilots all escaped without serious injuries. The racing family was in town for this weekend’s race at Bristol. The former driver will no longer be in the broadcast booth this weekend as he recovers with his family. TOO CLOSE FOR COMFORT
Overtime
The Dallas Cowboys and Los Angeles Rams (NFL - National Football League) are saying aloha to Honolulu, Hawaii this weekend where they will play their preseason game. The Cowboys star running back, Ezekiel Elliott, continues to train in Cabo San Lucas while he holds out for a contract. Meanwhile, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones is using gross and confusing analogies to describe contract negotiations. (For more on Mr. Jones and other wacky team owners, check out our five guys to know). HE SAID WHAT?
Sideline stat
They say diamonds are a girl’s best friend and in this case, it’s baseball diamonds. Maddy Freking is the starting second baseman (or woman) for her team from Coon Rapids-Andover, representing the Midwest region in the tournament. She is only the 19th female to ever play in the Little League World Series. PLAY LIKE A GIRL
Coaches’ corner
In an Olympic qualifying event, the assumed first and second place runners joined hands as they crossed the finish line as a show of unity and teamwork. The two were disqualified for violating the rule that states athletes must not "finish in a contrived tie situation where no effort to separate the finish times has been made." RULES WERE MEANT TO BE BROKEN
What to watch
The bad boy of tennis, Australian Nick Kyrgios had yet another melt down. You might remember his Wimbledon outburst from our five time sports imitated an episode of Real Housewives, but this time he destroyed a racket, used profanity to describe the chair referee and spit toward him. In addition to a significant fine, there could be a suspension looming for Kyrgios after this outburst. CLASSY
Out Of Ideas? 5 Extravagant Gifts Athletes Buy Each Other For The Holidays
‘Tis the season to be jolly. Quarterbacks and star running backs often give holiday gifts to their offensive line for protecting them. But what do you give someone who can afford to buy themselves anything? You’ll see.
‘Tis the season to be jolly and give gifts to the ones who have our backs. The same unspoken rule applies to football players. Quarterbacks and star running backs often give holiday gifts to their offensive line – the guys who protect them from being hit by the opposing team’s defense. But what do you give someone who can afford to buy anything? You’ll see.
Better than a lump of coal,
The Last Night's Game Team
PS - Speaking of gifts, head over to the Last Night’s Game store to check everyone off your list. SHOP NOW
FIVE EXTRAVAGANT GIFTS ATHLETES BUY EACH OTHER FOR THE HOLIDAYS
1. Tom Brady has been referred to as the G.O.A.T (Greatest Of All Time). What do the best in the business and his supermodel wife Gisele get his offensive line for protecting him? How about Audi Q7s? That’ll do the trick.
2. Gifts with wheels are very popular. Last year, Dallas Cowboys’ Ezekiel Elliott gave his linemen John Deere UTVs and former running back Reggie Bush? He gave away segways. Hall of Fame running back (and Dancing With The Stars winner) Emmitt Smith left a key to a new Hummer in each of his linemen's lockers. Too bad they were actually for the remote controlled version.
3. Last year for the holidays, Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson (aka Ciara’s hubby) gave his offensive linemen TVs and the entire team two-first class airline tickets. Go big or go…to the airport.
4. Understanding the severity of the hits his lineman have taken for him, Arizona Cardinals quarterback Carson Palmer bought each of them a hot tub to soothe their aching muscles.
5. We saved the best for last. Quarterback Trevor Siemian is a lover of Skittles and he wanted to share that with his linemen. So, he bought them custom parkas that dispense Skittles. Yes, the fur-rim hooded parkas have a button on the chest that when pushed, Skittles arrive in a coat pocket. A dream come true.
5 Things You Need To Know About Fantasy Football
Like driving through a puddle after a car wash, you can’t avoid fantasy football. Talk of leagues and drafts are omnipresent with the start of the football season around the corner. Now you can play a part in the conversation.
Boom!
The Last Night’s Game Team
Five Things You Need To Know About Fantasy Football
- The “sport” was originally developed in 1962 but modern fantasy football started in 1999 when Yahoo offered an online league.
- There are 59.3 million (!!) people who play fantasy football in the U.S. and Canada and over 34% of them are female. Who says football is for the boys?
- Picking a team name is the best part but remember no one is intimidated by the Football Fairy Princesses. Like naming a baby, there are massive lists of names out there to inspire you. Some of our favorites? Here’s my number, call me Brady, Sacks and the City and Game of Throws.
- Online betting sites like DraftKing and FanDuel bring in big bucks from fantasy football, but they are still illegal in a few states. Some states say fantasy football is a gambling while others say it’s a game of skill.
- Drafts, trades and researching game day opponents are all part of the game, hence why U.S. employers suffer a $17 billion (yes with a 'B') loss in productivity due to fantasy football.
For more tips check out: fantasy football 101 and the top 100 players to draft.
Overtime
- You can do your celebration dance because the 2017-18 NBA (National Basketball Association) schedule has been released. The Minnesota Timberwolves will travel further than any other team this season. Let's hope they embrace it like the St. Louis Cardinals (MLB – Major League Baseball) and hold a dance party on the plane.
Sideline stat
- Everyone in the sports world is talking about Miami Marlins (MLB) slugger, Giancarlo Stanton. He’s on a hot streak, hitting home runs in six straight games AND setting a Marlins franchise record for home runs in a season, which is impressive because the season isn't even over for a month and a half.
Coaches’ corner
- Dallas Cowboys' (NFL - National Football League) Ezekiel Elliott was hit with a six-game suspension for violating the league’s personal conduct policy. The suspension was the result of a league investigation into an accusation of domestic violence. This week he filed an appeal, hoping to lower or even have the sentence dismissed. The hearing will take place a week before the season starts.