Making It Happen Monday
It’s Monday and there’s no time like the present to use your newfound sports knowledge to make a connection in conversation.
It’s Monday and there’s no time like the present to use your newfound sports knowledge to make a connection in conversation.
#GSD,
The Last Night’s Game Team
NBA (National Basketball Association)
Don’t let them count you out. It all came down to game seven for the Indiana Pacers and LeBron James and his Cleveland Cavaliers. King James lived up to his name and led his Cavs to a victory over the Pacers. The Cavs are heading into round two of the playoffs - one step closer to making it back to the finals. ROUND TWO SCHEDULE
NFL (National Football League)
When you’re making money and dreams come true. The NFL draft fulfilled the lifelong dreams of many football players and dashed the dreams of others. Either way, the draft was a dream come true for the networks because this year’s draft was the highest rated and most viewed draft in history. Forget hopes and dreams, the TV networks are happy and isn’t that really all that matters? BY THE NUMBERS
Overtime
Performance anxiety is real, even for animals. Some of the biggest hype around the NFL draft was Zsa Zsa the parrot, scheduled to deliver the Tampa Bay Buccaneers pick. Well, when the time came the feathered friend succumbed to the pressure and couldn’t make the call. Weird, that’s never happened before. VIDEO
Sideline stat
The most talked about pick from the weekend’s NFL draft is pick #141, Shaquem Griffin. Griffin had his hand amputated as a child but can now say he’s the first player with only one hand to be drafted in the NFL's modern era. Even better? He joins his twin brother Shaquill as a member of the Seattle Seahawks. WATCH THE HEARTWARMING MOMENT
Coaches’ corner
When life gives you a dead catfish, drink beer out of it. That’s what Tennessee Titans’ (NFL) Taylor Lewan did to support his fellow Nashville team in the playoffs. The Nashville Predators (NHL – National Hockey League) ended up beating the Winnipeg Jets in double overtime last night. The team was undoubtedly inspired by this stinky stunt or maybe it was Carrie Underwood’s rendition of the anthem? (Underwood’s husband Mike Fisher came back from retirement this season to regain his spot with the Predators). PROOF OF FISH BEER BONG
And Now Back To Our Regularly Scheduled Programming
Don’t really want to divulge the details of your weekend during the small talk around the coffee pot this morning? Use sports to shift the conversation and show off your savviness.
Don’t really want to divulge the details of your weekend during the small talk around the coffee pot this morning? Use sports to shift the conversation and show off your savviness.
You’ve got this,
The Last Night’s Game Team
College Basketball
If you’re feeling like a champ this morning. It’s championship week in college basketball. That means the different conference tournaments have begun in advance of the big March Madness tournament, which starts next week. Teams that win their conference championship earn an automatic bid into the tournament. The rest will have to sit and wait to hear their team name announced on Selection Sunday (March 11).
Who doesn’t love an underdog? The Lipscomb University Bisons won their conference tournament, which guarantees the team from a small university in Nashville a spot in the March Madness tournament for the first time ever. LIST OF TEAMS THAT HAVE QUALIFIED
If you’re interested in participating in the bracket madness of the NCAA (the governing body of college sports) tournament, you can play with us. After Selection Sunday we’ll share a link to our bracket so you can pick your teams and play along in a judgement free zone for a chance to win prizes and have a little fun too.
Overtime
Kobe Bryant isn’t only one of the best in basketball, but he can now add one of the best in Hollywood to his list of accomplishments. Last night he took home an Oscar for his animated short Dear Basketball. He is the first professional athlete to win an Academy Award.
Sideline stat
In hopes of making a team, NFL (National Football League) hopefuls showed off their athletic and mental abilities to scouts in the NFL Combine. University of Central Florida’s Shaquem Griffin was not on the original invite list but the one-handed Griffin certainly made the best out of his appearance, dominating the Combine. Not only did he bench press 225 pounds an impressive 20 times using a prosthetic hand, he ran the fastest 40-yard dash for linebackers in 10 years. And with that, we have no excuse to skip the gym today.
Coaches’ corner
Michelle Wie and Phil Mickelson are two of the biggest names in golf who have been down on their luck for years until this weekend. Wie ended a four-year losing streak by taking home a win on the last hole of the HSBC Women's World Championship in Singapore. Mickelson, 47, finally broke his five-year losing streak, winning the Mexico Championship this weekend.
Starting Off On The Right Foot
It’s Super Bowl week and sports will surely dominate the conversation over the next few days. Make the week yours by owning the conversation.
It’s Super Bowl week and sports will surely dominate the conversation over the next few days. Make the week yours by owning the conversation.
Where the magic happens,
The Last Night’s Game Team
PS – Las Vegas fans, catch us this morning at 8:15 am PST on CW as we talk Super Bowl or you can watch it live here.
NFL (National Football League)
If your work promotion isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. Yesterday's NFL all-star game, the Pro Bowl, resembled a backyard pickup game with its laissez-faire attitude but the AFC (American Football Conference) still beat the NFC (National Football Conference). The winning team members each took home a $64,000 bonus and the losers cashed in at $32,000. Oddly enough, the winners of the Pro Bowl actually end up making more than the losing team in the Super Bowl.
Overtime
The Senior Bowl showcases college senior football players’ talents one last time for NFL scouts. You may have seen the big oops video of Shaquem Griffin being interviewed on the sideline instead of participating in a play on the field. What you may not know is that Griffin plays football one handed because he lost his left hand at age four. Now that’s impressive.
Sideline stat
Yesterday at the ripe old age of 36, a tearful Roger Federer won the Australian Open and his 20th Grand Slam title. Federer is the first male to win 20 Grand Slam tournaments. Serena Williams won her record 23rd at the same tournament last year.
A Grand Slam in tennis describes one of the four major tournaments - the Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon and U.S. Open.
Coaches’ corner
Former UFC champion Ronda Rousey is taking her Hollywood acting career to a different level, signing a full-time contract with WWE (World Wrestling Entertainment). She made her first appearance last night at the Royal Rumble. WWE has also been in the news lately because its chariman Vince McMahon is reviving the previously defunct XFL (Xtreme Football League).
Stay tuned - Wednesday is the day you've been waiting for all year - our Super Bowl edition of Five Things To Know. Don't miss out!