Monday is here again. Don’t worry, we’ll provide you with a ray of sunshine and a little something about the world of sports to sweeten your day.
Sweet as pie,
The Last Night’s Game Team
PS - Only 18 days until the start of the Olympics! Follow us on Twitter or Facebook for all the Olympic excitement.
Golf
- Age ain’t nothing but a number. The Open wrapped up yesterday in Scotland and age seemed to be the most important factor in a field of youngins. Phil Mickelson (46) and Henrik Stenson (40) went back and forth with the lead in what became a two-man race for the win. Stenson ultimately prevailed as the winner. He is the first Major winner from the country of Sweden. (The Majors are the four big tournaments in golf).
NFL (National Football League)
- Fight over football. After over 500 days of a legal battle concerning deflated footballs, New England Patriots’ quarterback Tom Brady has given up his fight to have his four game suspension overturned by the next step in the legal system, the Supreme Court. Yes, the Supreme Court. Brady will miss the first four games of the season.
But don’t worry ladies, Brady’s backup, Jimmy Garoppolo, will fill the void in your hearts. Although no word on his in-game skills as it’s the first time the Patriots will start a quarterback not named Tom Brady since 2008.
NBA (National Basketball Association)
- Shootin’ hoops. The NBA summer league final game is set for tonight and the Minnesota Timberwolves team will play the Chicago Bulls team for the championship. The summer league is a launching pad for NBA talent where first and second year players get a chance to show off their skills in hopes of becoming the next LeBron or Michael Jordan.
NASCAR (National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing)
- Breaking the law. Matt Kenseth won the race in New Hampshire this weekend. The high of victory didn’t last long as Kenseth’s car failed the post-race inspection. The team’s penalty will be announced on Wednesday after further review.
- Don’t call it a comeback. Sunday’s race was missing one of NASCAR’s biggest stars, Dale Earnhardt, Jr., who was unable to race due to concussion-like symptoms. If Earnhardt is unable to race next weekend, retired legendary driver and current commentator, Jeff Gordon, will take over the driving responsibility for the Nationwide #88 (Earnhardt’s) team.
Overtime
- Former NFL running back Jahvid Best, who had his football career cut short due to injuries, has reinvented himself and will be the first former NFL player to compete in the Olympics. Best will compete for St. Lucia in the 100-meter race.
Sideline stat
- Tom Brady’s financial team was prepared that Brady may have to serve out his four game suspension. In the offseason they renegotiated his contract adjusting his salary for this year to just $1 million, down from $9 million. This move will save him almost $2 million which would’ve been lost salary. (Players forfeit their prorated game salary if suspended). In case you were wondering, minimum salary for an NFL player with 10+ years experience (like Brady) is $985,000/year.
Coaches’ corner
- What does it mean to fail NASCAR’s post-race inspections? All cars must face a post-race examination to ensure that the cars meet the standards set by NASCAR. Kenseth’s car did not meet the requirements in the laser inspection station. Another example, a team earlier in the year was found to have a rigged 22-gallon fuel tank that read full but only contained five gallons of gas during a qualifying race. NASCAR rules call for a car to have a full tank of gas. Less fuel makes the car lighter (i.e. faster) or allows the crew to put the weight in a more advantageous place for a faster race.