Do I Know You From Somewhere?
No Tinder dates in the NBA bubble, why LeBron and the Dodgers are teaming up and college championships are cancelled.
There’s something so satisfying about being the one who knows just what to say to get the weekend conversation started.
Did you hear the story about….
The Last Night’s Game Team
College Sports
With a handful of conferences cancelling their fall sports, the NCAA (the governing body for college sports) had no choice but to cancel fall championships. This includes championships for men’s and women’s soccer, men’s and women’s cross country, women’s field hockey and women’s volleyball. The Board of Governors has a requirement that states that 50% of schools need to play to hold the postseason. There’s hope to revisit the championships in the spring. UNPREDICTABLE
Overtime
We all know that leagues have implemented the “bubble” scenario to keep players and staff safe. While the NFL (National Football League) doesn’t have an official bubble, some teams are putting their players and staff up in a hotel to create one. Enter in Seattle Seahawks rookie Kemah Siverand, who was cut from the team after he snuck a woman into the team hotel. She was dressed in Seahawks gear in an attempt to look like a member of the team. (Aren’t you curious to know if she was wearing a helmet, jersey and shoulder pads? Us too). The NFL season is scheduled start on time on September 10. TIME TO LOOK FOR ANOTHER JOB
Sideline stat
The biggest story out of the NBA (National Basketball Association) bubble isn’t the fact that the San Antonio Spurs missed the playoffs for the first time in 22 years or the play-in games happening this weekend for the final two spots in the playoffs. It’s that family will be able to join players in the bubble after the first round of the playoffs. The NBA made the rules very clear on who can enter the bubble. Yes – up to four family/longstanding friends (exceptions made on this number for children). No – Your Tinder date (rules specifically state it can’t be someone you’re meeting for the first time), massage therapist, personal chef or tattoo artist. Regardless, everyone new will need to quarantine for approximately seven days before entering the bubble. FAMILY FRIENDLY
Coaches’ corner
They may compete in different sports but the Los Angeles Dodgers (MLB - Major League Baseball) and Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James (NBA) will play together in November. The two teamed up, along with James’ organization “More Than A Vote,” to use Dodgers stadium as a polling location. It will be the first time a Major League Baseball team has offered its facility as a voting center. REGISTER TO VOTE
What to watch
The St. Louis Cardinals (MLB) haven’t played a game since July 29 due to positive COVID tests amongst the team. Fingers crossed; they should return to the field on Saturday. They won’t be able to make up all the games they’ve missed because there are only 45 days left of the regular season. FULL ON FALL
Born This Way
The noteworthy from the first weekend of baseball, we have our first COVID-era champions and how the NFL is trying to keep COVID free.
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Did you hear the story about...
The Last Night's Game Team
MLB (Major League Baseball)
Opening weekend of the MLB season brought us decapitated cardboard cutouts, an awkward but socially distanced fight between a head coach and an umpire and sad photos of mascots watching baseball in an empty stadium. MLB is not playing its season in a "bubble" and that might be coming back to bite them. The Miami Marlins postponed today’s game after 14 players and staff tested positive for COVID while they were in Philadelphia for an away game. NO FLY ZONE
Overtime
Lou Williamson of the Los Angeles Clippers (NBA - National Basketball Association) is on a mandatory 10-day quarantine after violating the league's COVID rules. He said he stopped to pick up some food but was actually photographed inside a gentlemen's club. (This particular club named its chicken wings after Williamson, so you can make your own conclusions on whether or not he's been there before). Visits like this are clearly a big COVID no-no, so now he'll miss the start of the season. COME ON MAN
Sideline stat
Congratulations to the Houston Dash on their NWSL (National Women's Soccer League) Championship win yesterday. They are the first team sport champions of the COVID era. The team and their MVP and captain Rachel Daly celebrated by double fisting Budweiser in the locker room. BOTTOMS UP
Coaches’ corner
We're slowly learning the rules surrounding the NFL (National Football League) season as it relates to COVID protocol. Players will not be in a bubble like so many other leagues that are in play. If a player contracts COVID from a deemed high-risk event, they'll face a fine and possibly loss of play time. Events include indoor house parties, indoor bars and indoor nightclubs with 15 or more people. PARTY POOPER
Good To Great
The NBA bubble looks like a frat party, the football team who said never is making a change and you can be a part of the hockey playoffs.
Sports news you can use.
Like a boss,
The Last Night’s Game Team
NBA (National Basketball Association)
In case you’re wondering, life inside the NBA “bubble” at Disney World looks a bit like a millionaire sleepover. Teams are hunkered down as they prepare for the season to restart. Life on the inside includes golf, fishing, video games, regular COVID tests and shotgunning beers for retweets. Other big news in the basketball world is the suspension of ESPN NBA Insider Adrian Wojnarowski after he responded to a senator via email with “F-You.” Players are speaking out on his behalf so maybe that’ll help him get reinstated sooner. BLAME AUTOCORRECT?
Overtime
After decades of a lot of talk, the Washington Redskins have decided that now is the time for action. The team, who previously said they’ll never change their name, announced that they will be changing the team’s name in the next few days. This change comes after big sponsors like FedEx (the dollars behind their home stadium – FedExField), PepsiCo and Nike asked them to change their name. NEVER SAY NEVER
Sideline stat
You might remember that Wimbledon had an insurance policy that paid them out $141M when they cancelled the tournament for COVID reasons – the first time they cancelled the tournament since WWII. Well they’re using that money to pay out over $12.7M to the 620 players who would’ve qualified for the famed tennis tournament but never had a chance to compete for the prize money. PAYING IT FORWARD
Coaches’ corner
The NHL (National Hockey League) will return to the ice on August 1 but without fans. To combat the sounds of playing in an empty arena, the NHL has enlisted the teams’ season ticket holders. They’ve asked them to submit a 30-second audio recording of them cheering their team along. Those clips will then be played in the arena and on the broadcast to fill the crowd-free silence. CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW?
A glance at the week ahead
July 15 - NASCAR (National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing) All-Star Race
July 16 - The Memorial Tournament (A BFD because it's Tiger's return to golf)
July 18 - Start of the Major League Lacrosse Season