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

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Five Things You Need To Know About Fantasy Football

1. The “sport” was originally developed in 1962 but modern fantasy football started in 1999 when Yahoo offered an online league. 
2. 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?
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. 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.

The Rundown: Weekend Wrap Up - A Tough Weekend in Sports

It was a tough weekend in sports. There were some big wins but also some big losses that will leave a gaping hole in the sports world.

Happy trails,

The Last Night’s Game Team

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PGA (Professional Golfer’s Association)

• A trailblazer. Legendary golfer and creator of your favorite lunchtime beverage, Arnold Palmer, passed away Sunday at the age of 87. Dominant on and off the course, Palmer was known as the “father of modern-day sports marketing” by starting what we now know as endorsements, including this great ESPN commercial. Thank you Mr. Palmer.     

MLB (Major League Baseball)

• Tragic loss. Early Sunday morning Miami Marlins’ young superstar pitcher Jose Fernandez was killed in a boating accident. At only 24, Fernandez had the potential to end up in the hall of fame. Fernandez, a soon-to-be father, defected from Cuba four times before successfully making it at the age of 15. The Marlins cancelled yesterday’s game.
• Thanks for the memories. Sunday was Los Angeles Dodgers’ longtime broadcaster, Vin Scully’s last home game after 67 years with the team. He couldn’t have scripted it any better if he tried. Dodgers won the game on a walk-off home run and clinched the NL (National League) West Division, securing a spot in the playoffs.

NCAA Football (College)

• See ya. LSU Tigers (Louisiana State University) fired head coach of 12 years, Les Miles. Miles had a winning career record with LSU but some say this play was 10 months in the making. Tigers lost their season opener to unranked Wisconsin and then to unranked Auburn on Saturday. 
• Remember this name. University of Louisville sophomore quarterback Lamar Jackson is leading the pack in the race for the Heisman Trophy. He alone scored seven touchdowns on Saturday. He has 25 touchdowns in four games. Unreal.
• Did your team win? Check all the scores here.

NFL (National Football League)

• Victorious. We’ve wrapped up week three and there are a handful of undefeated teams in the league. The Denver Broncos, Philadelphia Eagles, Baltimore Ravens, New England Patriots and Minnesota Vikings are all without a loss.  
• A little help here? Conversely, there are three teams who haven’t won a game - Cleveland Browns, Jacksonville Jaguars and Chicago Bears. 
• Catch the scores from the weekend here. 

NASCAR (National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing)

• Next! Kevin Harvick won yesterday’s race in New Hampshire. Harvick earned himself a spot in the next round of the “Chase for the Cup” (NASCAR playoffs), joining Martin Truex Jr.

Overtime

• Kevin Garnett announced his retirement after 21 seasons in the NBA (National Basketball Association). Garnett was drafted straight out of high school and made the most money of any player in NBA history, over $330 million. The MVP spent his career playing for Boston Celtics and Minnesota Timberwolves, who he helped put on the map.

Sideline stat

• Rory McIlroy was three shots behind the leader with three holes to go in yesterday’s final round of the PGA season. Rory caught up and forced a playoff round, where he won after four holes. McIlroy not only won the tour but the FedEx Cup and its $10 million prize. Take that to the bank.   

Coaches’ Corner

• Can you be drafted to the NBA out of high school? Once upon a time this was true, but not any longer. Kevin Garnett was the leader of the influx of high schoolers drafted (Kobe Bryant and LeBron James among them), prompting the league to add the "one year out of high school" requirement that effectively requires players to play at least one year of college basketball. This is so scouts can see players perform against higher competition before they are considered draft picks.