The 5 Things You Never Knew About NFL Cheerleaders
Movin’ and shakin’ do not bring home the bacon.
Like most jobs, it’s not always what it’s cracked up to be.
Limelight and lawsuits,
The Last Night’s Game Team
1. If you become an NFL (National Football League) cheerleader, you're not doing it for the money. On average, they make under $10/hour and with practices, appearances and games, they put in 30-40 hour weeks during the season. For the most part, they are not reimbursed for money spent maintaining their team-defined appearance. (Think coloring their hair, uniforms, makeup, etc). Cheerleaders are often required to have another full-time job or be a full-time student. (Yes, being a mother does count as a full-time job in this case). There have been many lawsuits against teams over their pay, and some teams have settled. In the case of the Buffalo Bills, they disbanded their cheer squad altogether. SEEKING THE SILVER LINING
2. The NFL's most famous pom-pom wielding gals, the Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders, have a vigorous application process that includes a written test with questions like "Name a member of Biden's cabinet? or "How many yards are assessed for a personal foul penalty?" In fact, a few years back, ESPN talked 12 Cowboys players into taking the test and…they failed. BRAINS AND BEAUTY
3. The cheerleaders are required to maintain a particular look (see above) because if they don't, they can be benched without pay for violating their contract. Some team's cheer coaches conduct "jiggle tests" to assess the firmness of the cheerleader's bodies during the season, and if they don't pass the test, they're benched. Others have a height-to-weight ratio requirement intended to make sure the cheerleaders do not become too skinny. (NOT) BODY POSITIVE
4. While there are six NFL teams without cheerleaders - Chicago Bears, Buffalo Bills, New York Giants, Pittsburgh Steelers, Cleveland Browns and Green Bay Packers. The Los Angeles Rams broke down barriers by having male cheerleaders on their squad. SHARING THE SIDELINE
5. The film "A Woman's Work: The NFL's Cheerleader Problem" follows the league's "general insensitivity toward women" and the lawsuits over low pay (crediting the NFL's greed). It even covers some of the inner workings of the sport, such as cheerleader handbooks that "patronizingly mansplain how to use cutlery and tampons." It's not streaming yet but can be seen on the film festival rotation. WATCH IT WITH POPCORN, IF THERE'S NO JIGGLE TEST AFTER
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
The Promise Of A New Day
Say goodbye to weekend and hello to a new week of making things happen.
Say goodbye to weekend and hello to a new week of making things happen.
Onward and upward,
The Last Night’s Game Team
PS - Share us with a friend for a chance to win sweet swag. Who doesn't love free stuff? Here's how you can win.
NFL (National Football League)
United front. On Friday, President Trump called for teams to fire any “S.O.B." who kneels during the anthem. The comments drove players, coaches and owners to stand united during yesterday’s games. Players from all teams that competed Sunday participated in some form of protest, with many standing arm-in-arm in solidarity on the sideline during the anthem.
MLB (Major League Baseball)
Family ties. For the first time in baseball history, a son pitched against his father’s team. Cincinnati Reds pitcher Luke Farrell took on his dad’s Boston Red Sox. Even though they were rivals on the field, his dad beamed with pride from the dugout.
Overtime
The 10-time all-star Carmelo Anthony is slipping into a new jersey for the upcoming NBA (National Basketball Association) season. Once the face of the New York Knicks, Anthony is the newest addition to the Oklahoma City Thunder. He will play alongside superstars Russell Westbrook and Paul George but will his fashionable gal, LaLa Anthony, make the move to the Sooner state too?
Sideline stat
What would you do with $10 million? Yesterday that dream became a reality to golfer Justin Thomas. The 24-year-old won the FedExCup Championship, along with the sweet trophy and the hefty cash prize. (FYI – the FedExCup is akin to the Super Bowl or World Series for the PGA – Professional Golfers Association).
Coaches’ Corner
The tradition of championship teams visiting the White House goes back to 1865 but the NBA Champs, the Golden State Warriors, are no longer invited. Their invitation to visit was rescinded by the White House over the weekend after many of the team’s players said they would not attend. Want more on the tradition of White House visits? It's like we read your mind.
