Crowning Achievement

Since none of us woke up this morning as the Duchess of Sussex, it looks like it’s back to the grind.

You're still royally sports smart,

The Last Night’s Game Team

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The Race For The Triple Crown

When there’s no surprise here. Kentucky Derby winner, Justify, was the heavy favorite in Saturday’s Preakness Stakes. It wasn’t pretty but Justify easily won the sloppy, muddy race. The Preakness is the second of three races a horse has to win to achieve the Triple Crown. With two of those races in the bag, the next stop for Justify is the Belmont Stakes on June 9, where he hopes to become the next Triple Crown winner. MORE ON THE RACE

Overtime

Speaking of crowns, you couldn’t avoid the coverage of the royal wedding this weekend. As expected, even the sporty were invited. Tennis star Serena Williams and soccer great David Beckham, along with their spouses, looked the part donning a different kind of uniform for the royal celebration. PICS

Sideline stat

The first all-athlete season of Dancing With The Stars comes to a close tonight in the season finale and may the most coordinated win. The final three athletes left standing are Josh Norman, player for the Washington Redskins (NFL – National Football League) and two members of the Olympic figure skating team – Adam Rippon and Tonya Harding. We’ll find out tonight who will dance away with the famed mirrorball trophy. QUICK SEASON RECAP

Coaches’ corner

With “Star Wars” favorite Chewbacca sitting courtside, the Cleveland Cavaliers (NBA – National Basketball Association) embodied the power of the force when they dominated the Boston Celtics in their playoff game this weekend. Did you know that new Chewbacca is actually played by former Penn State and Finnish basketball player Joonas Suotamo? So maybe the wookie does have game? (PS – the Cavs are down 2-1 in the semifinal series against the Celtics).

What to watch

The Vegas Golden Knights are in! In their inaugural season the team continues to chase history, defeating the Winnipeg Jets last night to advance to the Stanley Cup Finals. They’re waiting on their opponent, the victor of the Washington Capitals and Tampa Bay Lightning series. The two teams will play tonight for a spot in the finals. SCHEDULE

The 5 Sporting Events To Get Excited About in 2018

If creating relationships, growing your client base or expanding your network are on your list of New Year’s resolutions, develop the rapport with sports and keep the conversation going all year long.

Talk the talk,

The Last Night’s Game

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The Five Sporting Events To Get Excited About in 2018

1. Australian Open (Tennis): Monday, January 15 - Sunday, January 28

While the Australian Open is one of the big four in tennis (i.e. a Grand Slam tournament), it’s not one you might normally look forward to so why this year? The gal that some consider the greatest of all time, Serena Williams, is planning to make her return to tennis in the same tournament she won last year, while pregnant. Get ready for her to dominate the courts again.

2. Super Bowl - NFL (National Football League): Sunday, February 4

This year’s game will be played in the "warm and tropical" home of the Minnesota Vikings in Minneapolis. An NFL team has never played in the Super Bowl in their home stadium and the Vikings, who are in the playoffs, may be the first team to break that streak. If the commercials and the parties aren’t enough, Justin Timberlake is headlining the halftime show. Bonus - his new album drops two days before the game. 

3. Winter Olympics: Friday, February 9 – Thursday, February 25

It seems every Olympics there is a major controversy. Tonya Harding and Nancy Kerrigan, Russian doping, Zika and now the proximity of PyeongChang, South Korea to North Korea is on the minds everyone heading into the Winter Olympics. A few positive stories to focus on? Lindsey Vonn’s comeback on the slopes and Nigeria’s first team ever in the Winter Olympics, which happens to be all women.  Also, did you know that PyeongChang is the smallest host city since Lillehammer, Norway, with a population of 50,000.

4. Daytona 500 – NASCAR (National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing): Sunday, February 18

The Daytona 500 has been glorified in the movies (Days of Thunder anyone)? but the race that kicks off the NASCAR season will be without one of its most familiar faces this year. This will be the first time in almost two decades Dale Earnhardt Jr. will not be in the lineup. He retired last year but you can catch him on his new show on the DIY Network and in the broadcast booth for NBC. Another face slowly fading from racing is the most accomplished woman in NASCAR history, Danica Patrick. She will only race two races this year - the Daytona 500 and the Indianapolis 500.

5. World Cup - Soccer: Thursday, June 14 – Sunday, July 15

In the world’s most watched sporting event, soccer teams from all over the world will compete to determine which country is the best. In 2014, over three billion people or nearly 40% of the world’s population watched the competition, which happens every four years. Three notable teams that failed to qualify and will miss this year’s tournament in Russia? United States, Italy and The Netherlands. The underdog? Team Iceland. They’re the smallest country ever to qualify for the World Cup and they’re playing in their first one.

Live in the now

If you're focusing on the moment and not the future, then we have the news for you. Here are the top three topics your friends and neighbors will be talking about today. READ