Talk That Talk

Sports talk = preventing awkward silences all weekend long. It’s the least we can do since we can’t help your dance moves.

Don't break a hip,

The Last Night’s Game Team

PS – In honor of this weekend’s game in Mexico City, today’s Tailgate Treat will quench your thirst.

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NFL (National Football League)

Mile high club. Tom Brady and his New England Patriots head to Mexico City to play the Oakland Raiders on Sunday. The toughest part for these two teams isn’t all of the tequila they’ll drink, it’s that Azteca Stadium sits at 7,280 feet above sea level. To train for the game the Patriots opted to stay in Denver after playing the Broncos to adjust their elevation (approx. 5,280 feet). The Raiders opted to train in Oakland.

NASCAR (National Association For Stock Car Auto Racing)

Wrapping it up. The NASCAR season comes to a close this Sunday. If you’re ever going to watch a race, this is it. There will be a field full of drivers but only four of them will be eligible for the championship title. The highest-ranking finisher of those four will take home the trophy. This will also be Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s final race before he cruises into retirement.  

Overtime

Stop us if you’ve heard this one before. A UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship) fighter has been charged with assault after throwing a boomerang at another fighter while in Australia. The incident stemmed from one fighter insulting the other’s heritage. Right back at ya.

Sideline stat

MLB’s (Major League Baseball) MVPs come in all shapes and sizes. Yesterday 6’6” Giancarlo Stanton of the Miami Marlins, who smashed the home run record, won the National League honor. The small but mighty, 5’6” Jose Altuve from the World Series Champion Houston Astros took home the American League MVP title.

Coaches’ corner

Head coach Nick Saban and his Alabama team are back at the top of the College Football Playoff rankings this week. Besides his team, what else is top of mind for Saban this week? His distaste for distressed jeans. See his passionate yet funny rant here. 

Freaky Friday

It’s Friday the 13th and while you should avoid black cats and broken mirrors, knowing what’s happening this weekend in sports is bound to be good luck.

Don’t step on a crack,

The Last Night’s Game Team

PS - Today's Tailgate Treat is said to bring good luck...cake! Take it a step further by baking a coin into it. 

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COLLEGE FOOTBALL

Look out for carnies. This weekend features one of the biggest rivalries in college football, the "Red River Rivalry.” The Texas Longhorns and the Oklahoma Sooners (#12) will play on the grounds of the Texas State Fair in the famed Cotton Bowl, where bragging rights and the Golden Hat Trophy are at stake. 

MLB (MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL) 

Moving on. The next round of the MLB playoffs is set. In the American League, the New York Yankees will take on the Houston Astros. In the National League, it will be last season’s World Series champs, the Chicago Cubs, vs. Los Angeles Dodgers. The two winners will meet in the World Series. SCHEDULE.

NFL (NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE)

Win some, lose some. This weekend the Kansas City Chiefs look to remain the only undefeated team in the NFL. On the other hand, the New York Giants are looking for their first win of the season.

OVERTIME

With wildfires devastating Northern California, air quality has become a concern for the Los Angeles Chargers vs. Oakland Raiders game in Oakland on Sunday. Keep an eye out as the teams could call an audible and change the game’s location. 

SIDELINE STAT

The bay area’s professional sports teams have all teamed up to help. The Oakland Raiders (NFL), Oakland Athletics (MLB), San Jose Earthquakes (MLS – Major League Soccer), San Francisco Giants (MLB), Golden State Warriors (NBA – National Basketball Association) and San Jose Sharks (NHL – National Hockey League) together donated $450,000 to the victims of the North Bay wildfires.

COACHES’ CORNER

Since it’s Friday the 13th, we thought we’d leave you with one of our favorite sports superstitions. The golden thong was worn by former MLB player Jason Giambi to help him break out of hitting slumps. Rumor has it that said tiny undergarment was left in the lockers of his teammates and they all began to hit well when they wore it. For more hilarious sports superstitions, click here.

We've All Gone Plaid

What do Paul Bunyan, the Yankees and the national anthem all have in common? They’re the hot topics in today’s Weekend Wrap Up Edition.

Plaid is so in this fall,

The Last Night’s Game Team

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MLB (Major League Baseball)

Boo York. New York Yankees manager Joe Girardi was booed by the hometown fans after his questionable decision attributed to the team losing game two to the Cleveland Indians in the playoffs. Thankfully the Yankees won the following game, otherwise he might have been swimming with the fishes.

Try to contain your excitement. There are four, yes four, playoff games today. Here’s how you can catch them all.

 

College Football

Rewarding. College football rivalries have interesting trophies ranging from bells to axes but the Michigan – Michigan State rivalry takes it to a whole new level. When unranked Michigan State beat Michigan (#7) this weekend, they took home the Paul Bunyan trophy, which is a statue of famed lumberjack Paul Bunyan. Babe the blue ox sold separately.

 

World Cup Soccer

It ain’t over 'til the fat lady sings. In a must-win situation, Team U.S.A. beat Panama to take another step toward their goal of playing in the 2018 World Cup. The team is walking the thin line of not qualifying for next year’s global competition.

 

Overtime

October is Breast Cancer Awareness month and the NFL (National Football League) is expanding its outreach to raise awareness for all types of cancers with the "Crucial Catch" campaign. In concert with the American Cancer Society, they have released The Defender, a free digital assessment tool that provides fans with personalized tips on how to reduce their cancer risk.

 

Sideline stat

The big loss from the weekend that every sports fan will be talking about is the big win by unranked Iowa State over Oklahoma (#3). The loss to an unranked team delivers a huge blow to Oklahoma’s season.

 

Coaches’ corner

Just as we learned that Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones threatened to bench any player that disrespected the flag, Vice President Mike Pence left an NFL game after the anthem saying he "did not want to dignify any event that disrespects our soldiers, our Flag, or our National Anthem." Pence, the former governor of Indiana, was on hand for the retirement of Peyton Manning's jersey number by the Indianapolis Colts.