5 Things You Need To Know About The NFL Draft
The future of football starts tomorrow and here’s the knowledge you need to talk shop with the best of them.
The future of football starts tomorrow and here’s the knowledge you need to talk shop with the best of them.
You're our first round draft pick,
The Last Night’s Game Team
Five Things To Know About The NFL (National Football League) Draft
1. How it works – The candidates for the draft primarily consist of college football players hoping to play in the NFL. The first round picks are determined by the teams’ win/loss record from the previous season. The worst team picks first (because it’s presumed they need the most help) and the Super Bowl champions pick last. Any ties in season records are settled by a coin toss. RULES
2. This year’s draft is at the home of the Dallas Cowboys and it is the first time the draft has ever been held in an NFL stadium. NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell will announce the first round of picks on Thursday and don’t be surprised if he’s booed by Cowboys fans. Last year was a contentious year between the Cowboys organization and Goodell. (For the record, the fans boo Goodell every year – it’s like a fun, family tradition). MORE ABOUT THE COWBOYS CONTROVERSY
3. To keep fans engaged throughout the three days and seven rounds, teams have come up with intriguing ways to announce their draft picks. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are using a live parrot, the Minnesota Vikings will call on the gold medal winning U.S. Men's Curling Team to read their name, the Oakland Raiders will announce their pick from Nellis Air Force Base in their soon to be new home, Las Vegas and members of the Stoneman Douglas football team will make the announcement for the Miami Dolphins. MORE ON THE FANFARE
4. Pizza Hut is the new official pizza sponsor of the NFL and to celebrate the company is giving the 78th pick of the draft free pizza for a year. Why? The 78th pick equals pi therefore why not give them free pizza pies? (Pi is 3.14 and the 78th pick is in the third round, pick 14). Worth noting – the later the pick, the less likely it is that the player will make an NFL team. A superstar exception? Quarterback Tom Brady who was the 199th pick. PICK ME
5. Speaking of picks, the Cleveland Browns have the first pick in the draft. The team has been silent on their choice for the number one spot. So quiet that the general manager of the Browns won’t even tell his coach who he’s picking because he doesn’t want it to leak to the media. FIND OUT WHO MIGHT GO FIRST
Pick me!
There’s more to life than being drafted and today that includes why the NFL could be like the Price Is Right with a $1 offer, another woman breaks through in sports and the player who held a press conference to discuss his dirt bike skills (because why not)? READ
What to watch
The NFL draft starts Thursday night and runs through Saturday. One player to watch is Shaquem Griffin from Central Florida who only has one hand after having it amputated at an early age. He impressed teams in his tryouts but will he make a team and history? SCHEDULE
Poppin' Bottles
Celebrate your sports savviness and the fact that it's Friday by breaking open the bubbly.
Celebrate your sports savviness and the fact that it's Friday by breaking open the bubbly.
It’s never too early,
The Last Night’s Game team
NFL (National Football League)
When you’ve weighed all your options. The schedule for the 2018-2019 NFL season has been released. The schedule isn’t just thrown together, it’s a carefully thought out process that involves mapping out holidays, Beyoncé concerts and shared parking facilities. And you thought it was hard to find a time to have a drink with a few friends. SCHEDULE
When there's never enough time in the day. The NFL is giving its fans the gift of time. Fans can rejoice because the start time for primetime games (i.e. night games) have been moved up this season. Okay, so it’s not a lot of time saved but Sunday night games will start 10 minutes earlier than last season and Monday night football, 15 minutes earlier. MORE
Overtime
Zlatan Ibrahimovic arrived last month in Los Angeles to play for the L.A. Galaxy (MLS - Major League Soccer) with his giant ego in tow. Ibrahimovic was a star player for Manchester United and greeted L.A. with a newspaper ad saying "Los Angeles, You're welcome." Now settling into LaLa Land, you might assume he'd like to meet up with fellow celebrities? Think again. When asked who he'd like to meet the most he said, “Me. I don’t want to meet nobody, they want to meet me.” Well then. READ
Sideline stat
The annual Time's 100 Most Influential list is out and while it’s full of big names, there are quite a few athletes that have landed on this list. The list recognizes activism and achievements of those in influential roles. On the list - Kevin Durant (Golden State Warriors – NBA – National Basketball League), J.J. Watt (Houston Texans - NFL), Roger Federer (Tennis) and Olympians Adam Rippon and Chloe Kim. LIST
Coaches’ corner
Yesterday, the Miami Dolphins and Jacksonville Jaguars (both NFL teams) released their new uniforms for the upcoming season. The Jaguars took their big announcement a step further and revealed they're also opening the first dog park in an NFL stadium this season. Who says cats and dogs can't get along?
What to watch for
Sunday is Earth Day and here are five intriguing ways the sports industry is leading the charge in going green to share with your friends over a sustainable, organic mimosa at brunch. (Hint: one team even went vegan). READ
Living The Dream
If you thought today’s Monday motivation was going to come in the form of a coffee cup, think again.
#Inspired,
The Last Night’s Game Team
NFL (National Football League)
- Bling ring. New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft knew his quarterback, Tom Brady, and his family had been through a lot during the team’s championship run last season. His mom, Galynn, was undergoing chemotherapy and for the first time ever, she missed all but one of Brady’s games. In honor of the sacrifice and challenges she faced, Kraft gave her a Super Bowl ring. Mama Brady’s cancer is now in remission.
- Enshrined. Saturday night the Pro Football Hall of Fame gained seven new members. One of the inductees, Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, proved that everything is bigger in Texas. He threw himself one heck of a party, costing a reported $16 million, that boasted a special performance by Justin Timberlake.
- Determined. In case you missed it, the night featured memorable speeches from the inductees. The always well-spoken San Diego Chargers’ LaDainian Tomlinson, made sure his final words were unforgettable by sharing a moving story about his last name and its origin. If you need some Monday motivation, here are the highlights from each inductee’s speech.
Overtime
- Injured New York Mets pitcher Noah Syndergaard (MLB - Major League Baseball) can now add actor to his resume. Living up to his nickname Thor, it was fitting that he made a cameo in last night’s Game of Thrones as a spear throwing warrior in a battle. Luckily his cameo was well received by fans, unlike Ed Sheeran’s appearance.
Sideline stat
- Usain Bolt is the most decorated sprinter of this generation. Saturday in the world championships, he raced in his final solo race and it didn’t go as planned. He finished third in his first-ever loss in the Olympics or a world championship semifinal, a 45-race winning streak.
Coaches’ corner
- Longtime Chicago Bears quarterback (NFL) Jay Cutler, retired after last season and accepted a job as a commentator with FOX for the upcoming football season. Apparently, retirement wasn’t for him. This weekend he signed a one-year deal with the Miami Dolphins to replace their injured quarterback. (In case you’re wondering, Cutler is married to fashion designer and reality TV star Kristin Cavallari).
