The 5 Ballpark Foods To Eat Before You Die

Since we’re far enough past those New Year’s resolutions and not quite into bathing suit season, let’s talk food.

Don’t forget your antacids,

The Last Night’s Game Team 

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1. We’ve heard of a can of corn but the Atlanta Braves took it a step further with the Blooper Burger. It features everything you can imagine including four cheeseburger patties, a foot-long hot dog, chicken tenders with lettuce, tomato, onion and jalapeños, covered in cheese sauce. It’s all held together with Texas toast and comes with a side of candied popcorn for $26. (PS – In baseball, “a can of corn” is a really easy catch). WHERE DO YOU START?

2. While they may be a minor league team, this burger is big league. The Albuquerque Isotopes have created the ultimate sweet and savory treat – the Tumbleweed Burger. It features a green chile bun, ghost pepper cheese and “a large poof of red chile cotton candy.” MELTS IN YOUR MOUTH & LIGHTS IT ON FIRE

3. Frosé’s new cousin, Pink Peach Bellini ice cream, is making its debut at Oracle Park, home of the San Francisco Giants. Sadly, the ice cream does not actually contain booze but you can slap this creamy goodness between two cookies of your choice (or a wonderful waffle) for an ice cream sandwich. MVP

4. Vegetarians no longer have to miss out on the glory of a Philly cheesesteak. The Roots’ drummer/”Tonight Show” band leader Questlove is bringing a vegetarian cheesesteak, featuring Impossible 2.0 fake meat smothered in cheese, to the Philadelphia Phillies ballpark. (The drummer is an investor in Impossible Foods). CHEESESTEAKS FOR ALL

5. Not to be outdone by their cross-state rivals, the Pittsburgh Pirates are taking the ballpark favorites and stuffing them into a waffle cone. Yes, an ice cream waffle cone. There’s Kielbasa, pierogi, Swiss cheese, sauerkraut and Russian dressing all in a travel friendly waffle cone. WHO NEEDS ICE CREAM?

Want to try these foods (and more) without having to hop on a plane? Check out MLB’s FoodFest featuring food from ballparks around the country. The Los Angeles event is April 26 - 28 with New York City and London dates to be announced. EAT IT

THIRSTY FOR MORE?
Now that you’re drooling and ready to eat, we’re serving up some lunchtime chatter including how equal pay is on the way, a football league implodes and a finale cameo that you don’t want to miss. READ

5 Things You Need To Know About Sports, America And The Anthem

Whitney’s is the most popular, Billy Joel’s is the shortest and Fergie’s is the weirdest. Here are five things to share with your fellow patriots today over burgers and beer.

We can toast to that,

The Last Night’s Game Team

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5 Things You Need To Know About Sports, America And The Anthem

1. Singing the anthem before a sporting event wasn’t always a thing. The tradition started in baseball where the song would be sung on opening day of a season or for special occasions/holidays. It wasn’t sung every game because the powers that be didn’t want to “cheapen it.” That eventually changed to the tradition we know now. HISTORY

2. College bands were originally called upon to play the Star-Spangled Banner before the Super Bowl. Diana Ross was the first pop star to sing the anthem before the big game in 1982. The longest rendition of the anthem at the Super Bowl? Alicia Keys at 156.4 seconds. Shortest? Billy Joel at 90 seconds. THAT WAS QUICK

3. Whitney Houston’s rendition of the anthem is undoubtedly the fan favorite. The not so fan favorites? Before Fergie’s “outside the box" rendition at last year’s NBA (National Basketball Association) All-Star Game, there was Roseanne Barr’s performance at a San Diego Padres (MLB – Major League Baseball) game. Her shrieking of the anthem (and classy crotch grab afterward) reminded us how not to represent our country. LISTEN AT YOUR OWN RISK

4. Singing the Star-Spangled Banner is a lot of pressure especially when it’s before a game you could play in. Pittsburgh Pirates (MLB) pitcher Steven Brault sang the national anthem before a game this season, fulfilling a promise to his grandma that he would sing before an MLB game as an MLB player. NOW THAT'S TALENT

5. As if the singing part wasn’t hard enough, try doing it on ice skates. Mark Donnelly found this out the hard way while singing the Canadian anthem, O Canada, before a hockey game. Nothing like hitting the high note with a belly flop. VIDEO

BUT WAIT There's more

You didn’t think we’d leave you without a little something extra to bring up poolside? Today the sports world is talking about the famed hot dog eating contest, the stars and stripes take the field and Japanese fashion takes over Wimbledon. READ

Working The Room

Good looking and interesting? You’re bound to be the party favorite after reading today’s weekend preview edition.

If you’ve got it, flaunt it,

The Last Night’s Game Team

PS - Need something to bring to a holiday party? This week's Tailgate Treat won't help you fit into your clothes but we're sure it'll get everyone talking. 

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College football

Saturday = couch surfing all day. It’s championship weekend in college football. That means the top two teams in a conference play each other for the conference championship. These games determine the postseason of college football (i.e all of those bowl games) and the national championship contenders. SCHEDULE

Golf

He's baack. Tiger Woods is in the Bahamas, but not for vacation. He’s hitting the green to play competitively for the first time in 300 days. Woods recently underwent spinal fusion surgery but is playing well in his comeback in the Hero World Classic. If this story sounds familiar, Woods has had quite a few “comebacks” over the past few years. So feel free to get excited, just not too excited. Yet.

 

Overtime

Carrie Bradshaw would be so proud because it’s all about the shoes this weekend in the NFL (National Football League). The “My Cause My Cleats” initiative allows players to wear customized cleats that represent a cause meaningful to them. The shoes will then be auctioned off to benefit their individual causes. Browse the shoe rack here. #mycausemycleats

Sideline stat

As part of the NFL’s plan to combat social injustice and address the causes players are kneeling for, they announced a proposal for an $89 million, seven-year initiative. The proposal funds projects dealing with criminal justice reform, law enforcement/community relations and education. Although not all players are happy with the proposal that was negotiated by their fellow athletes, many believe this is the first step. Will less players kneel during the anthem because of this milestone agreement? We’ll find out come Sunday.  

Coaches’ corner

Pittsburgh Pirates (MLB - Major League Baseball) player Andrew McCutchen took his love for his city to another level. He and his wife welcomed a new son this week and it seemed only fitting when playing in the "Steel City" that they name him Steel. Let's hope McCutchen isn't traded anytime soon. 

Follow us on Twitter or Facebook for today’s big 2018 World Cup announcement.