Off And Running

The Boston Marathon is today and that’s clearly the Monday motivation you’ll need to make your morning coffee run, because going for an actual run might be a little ambitious.

Either way, you’ve got this,

The Last Night’s Game Team

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Boston Marathon

If you need an excuse to miss work today. Today is Patriots Day in Boston and the celebration includes the Boston Marathon followed by an early Red Sox game (MLB - Major League Baseball). Did you know that the Boston Marathon was one of the five major sporting events to continue during the World Wars? Read more fun facts about the marathon.

If you’re a goal digger. Today marks the five year anniversary of the Boston Marathon bombing. One runner with a heartwarming story in today’s race is Jennifer Phinney. While deployed in Iraq 11 years ago, she was told her tour was being extended by six months. She dealt with the disappointment by running a Boston Marathon shadow race. Since then, she has completed a multitude of marathons, including a six-hour finish when she was eight months pregnant. She will finally have her chance to run the real race this morning, 11 years after running the shadow race in Iraq.

Overtime

The wedding anticipated by fans everywhere is off. Wrestler turned actor, John Cena and his wrestler fiancée Nikki Bella have called off their wedding. Fans all over the world are heartbroken as their dreams of spandex-filled, body slamming nuptials are shattered. READ  

Sideline stat

It was not quite the birdie he was looking for. Golfer Kelly Kraft hit an actual bird on Friday on the 14th hole, causing him to miss the cut to make it into the next round in the tournament. In a statement, PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) showed zero remorse for the golfer stating that, “if he would’ve practiced more, he would’ve made the cut. It’s not the bird’s fault.” Ouch. MORE  

Coaches’ Corner

In a no big deal moment, the gasman for NASCAR (National Association For Stock Car Auto Racing) driver Cole Custer caught on fire during a pit stop. The gasman is the one who fills up the car with fuel during the quick stop and is obviously equipped with fireproof gear. Regardless, he was remarkably calm as flames shot off his body. As one gasman said last season “If you’re worried about catching on fire, you’re not doing your job.” We can safely say this is not the motto in our office.

What to watch

The Minnesota Twins and Cleveland Indians (MLB) will be playing in Puerto Rico tomorrow and Wednesday. (Oh and we're still in the first round of the NHL [National Hockey League] and NBA [National Basketball Association] playoffs). 

The Rundown: When One Door Closes Another Opens

Tonight marks the culmination of the college basketball season - the national championship game. We’ll also find out who will win a year of bragging rights as the winner of our bracket challenge.

The cure for your case of the Mondays,

The Last Night’s Game Team

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Men’s NCAA March Madness Tournament

• No fairytale ending. Cinderella made it to the ball in the movies but not in March Madness. Number one ranked Gonzaga and North Carolina beat their lower seeded opponents of South Carolina and Oregon. Tonight, we will see two of the nation’s number one teams battle it out for the national championship. Here's how you can watch.

Women’s NCAA March Madness Tournament

• It had to happen at some point. Friday night we witnessed one of the biggest upsets in March Madness history. Mississippi State upset a previously unbeatable UConn (Connecticut) team in overtime of the semifinals. The UConn women’s team hasn’t lost since November 2014.
• Close but no cigar. Mississippi State was unable to carry that momentum into Sunday where they were defeated by the South Carolina Gamecocks, who won their first ever national championship.

NFL (National Football League)

• That’s going to leave a mark. The New England Patriots’ Super Bowl Trophy made an appearance in Maine and was being transported home when the vehicle transporting it hit a deer. The driver and the trophy were unharmed. No word on if the deer was an Atlanta Falcons fan. (Falcons lost to the Patriots in the Super Bowl).

Overtime

• The “Super Bowl of wrestling,” WrestleMania, was last night and WWE (and substitute Today Show co-host) John Cena proposed to his girlfriend of five years and star of Total Divas, Nikki Bella, after they won a tag team match in the ring. That’s how every girl dreams it will happen. (PS – WWE stands for World Wresting Entertainment and she said yes).

Sideline stat

• Pitchers aren’t known for their batting skills (they spend too much time practicing pitching) but San Francisco Giants pitcher Madison Bumgarner didn’t receive that memo. Yesterday during his team’s first game of the season, he became the first ever pitcher to hit two home runs on opening day. (FYI - today is opening day for teams that didn't play yesterday).

Coaches’ corner

• Golfer Lexi Thompson was on her way to her first major win of the year, but then she was given a penalty from the previous day’s play. A TV viewer emailed the LPGA (Ladies Professional Golf Association) about her improper ball placement. The LPGA reviewed it and assessed the delayed penalty. She ended up losing in a playoff. Golfers everywhere, including Tiger Woods, united on social media to defend her.

The Rundown: Ugly Sweater Not Included

While you were busy this weekend rocking that ugly sweater and singing holiday karaoke, there was plenty of excitement happening in the world of sports. We have what everyone is talking about, besides that video of your co-worker’s impression of the boss.

Darn you vodka,

The Last Night’s Game Team

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MLS (MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCER)

• Winner winner.  The Seattle Sounders and Toronto FC (Football Club) battled Saturday for the MLS Cup but neither of them scored a goal in regulation time or overtime. Therefore, the quest for the title came down to penalty kicks. Seattle won, securing the club’s first ever MLS Championship. Seattle did not have a shot on goal until the penalty kicks. (That means they didn’t even come close to scoring a goal until the penalty kicks).

NCAA Football (College) 

• Pat on the back. The presentation of the award for the best player in college football, the Heisman Trophy, was on Saturday. It was no surprise that University of Louisville quarterback Lamar Jackson was named the winner. Jackson is the first Heisman winner from Louisville and the youngest recipient ever. He also claimed the award while rocking a red velvet sport coat.
• Good vs Bad. The Heisman Trophy presentation brings together all of the former winners. A photo from the award presentation of Tim Tebow and Johnny Manziel together set the internet on fire as they are literally different ends of the moral spectrum. Read the funny tweets here.
• At last. Army ended a 14-year winless drought to the Naval Academy, winning in front of a crowd of 71,000+ that included President-Elect Donald Trump.

NFL (National Football League)

• Brr. The Pittsburgh Steelers and Buffalo Bills game in New York was exactly how you'd imagine, freezing cold with heavy snowfall. Steelers’ Le’Veon Bell wasn’t bothered as he set the franchise record for rushing yards and secured a Steelers win. 
• You had one job. The Buffalo ground crew didn’t have quite the same luck in the snow. While removing snow from the field they also removed the black rubber pellets from the artificial turf causing a delay in the game to fix the field. The pellets make the turf soft (i.e. safe), otherwise it’s basically concrete.

Overtime

• Wrestler and occasional Today Show co-host John Cena hosted Saturday Night Live this weekend. He spared no expense poking fun at student athletes with this skit about a football player at Alabama. He struck gold with a game show skit entitled “Where’d Your Money Go?” featuring "athletes." Key takeaway - don't buy a cheetah.  

Sideline stat

• The Dallas Cowboys (NFL) were on an 11-game winning streak after losing their only game this season to the New York Giants. Last night the Giants once again beat the Cowboys to break their winning streak. No word yet on whether or not the state of Texas has outlawed Green Giant products. 

Coaches’ corner

• Jägermeister and the Milwaukee Bucks (NBA) are in the headlines but not for a new collaborative cocktail.  Jägermeister has filed an appeal with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office over the redesigned Bucks logo featuring a deer. The appeal states that the new Bucks logo is very similar to the German liquor company's logo. See for yourself.