Rise And Shine
The college baseball player who barely escaped the Surfside building collapse, Biles heads to Tokyo and why Monday is must-see TV for sports.
Rise and shine; it’s small talk time.
Call us your favorite life hack,
The Last Night’s Game Team
Bigger Than Sports
We’ve all been watching the tragic story of the Champlain Towers collapse in Surfside, FL. While the professional sports teams in the area have stepped up, donating food and supplies to the volunteers and first responders, the most amazing story came from UConn pitcher Justin Willis. Willis, who was staying with his grandparents who live in the building, was watching TV with his sister on Thursday around 1 am when they saw dust and debris. They went into the hall, and the elevators were gone, as was the apartment next to them. They evacuated their family down 11 flights of stairs, stopping to help an elderly lady on the way down, and were about 15 feet away from the building when it collapsed. TERRIFYING
Overtime
Channel your inner Kate Middleton because it’s time for her favorite sporting event, Wimbledon. The biggest news from the weekend is that Venus Williams and tennis bad boy Nick Kyrgios are teaming up in the mixed doubles at Wimbledon. Sit back and enjoy a traditional glass of champagne and strawberries and cream; the Royals’ favorite tennis tournament is back today. WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
Sideline stat
We’re less than a month away from the Summer Olympics in Tokyo, and the last few competitors have been announced. This weekend Simone Biles was officially selected for the U.S. Women’s Gymnastics team even though she had a rough night, by her standards, that left her in tears. She will be joined on the four-women team by Sunisa Lee, Jordan Chiles and Grace McCallum. MyKayla Skinner will compete in the "plus-1" specialist spot. GO GET ‘EM
Coaches’ corner
Tonight’s the night that the defending champion Tampa Bay Lightning and Montreal Canadiens take the ice in game one of the Stanley Cup Finals. The Canadiens hope to be the first Canadian NHL (National Hockey League) team to win a Stanley Cup since they won it in 1993. The teams can cross the Canadian border despite the country’s strict COVID rules, thanks to a special dispensation from the government. Although their fellow countrymen, the Toronto Blue Jays (MLB – Major League Baseball) did not make that cut; therefore, they’re still playing their home games in the U.S. EVERYONE LOVES A WINNER
What to watch
Tonight also marks game one of the Men’s College World Series finals between Mississippi State and Vanderbilt. How Vanderbilt made it to the finals is controversial after the NCAA forced NC State to drop out, blaming COVID. GAME ON
There's A First Time For Everything
The Final Four is set, Ron Burgundy takes the field and a dino disaster.
The first Monday of the month is an ideal time to drum up a conversation.
Starting off on the right foot,
The Last Night’s Game Team
College Basketball
The Final Four teams in the NCAA College Basketball March Madness tournament are set. Both Auburn and Texas Tech are heading to their first Final Four in school history. The head coach of Virginia is making his first trip to the Final Four and Michigan State, well…welcome back. The games will take place on Saturday. YOU’LL NEVER FORGET YOUR FIRST
Overtime
San Diego is the home of the Padres (MLB – Major League Baseball) and of course, Ron Burgundy. The Padres paid tribute to the Channel 4 news team from the movie Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy in their new mascot race. Yes, the large headed versions of Ron Burgundy, Champ Kind, Brian Fantana and Brick Tamland raced around the track with Mr, Burgundy taking home the win in the inaugural race. SIXTY PERCENT OF THE TIME, IT WORKS EVERY TIME
Sideline stat
Olympian Michael Phelps and his wife, Nicole, announced they're expecting their third child. Baby No. 3 will join siblings Boomer, 2 and Beckett, 1. MAKE YOUR OWN SWIM TEAM
Coaches’ corner
A dinosaur throwing out the first pitch at a Texas Rangers (MLB) game went exactly as you’d imagine. Short arms aren’t exactly ideal for throwing a strike across the plate either, although a dino can dream. THAT’S EMBARRASSING
Making It Happen
This is no early April Fool’s prank; here’s what’s happening in sports so you can create conversation all weekend long.
This is no early April Fool’s prank; here’s what’s happening in sports so you can create conversation all weekend long.
Like a boss,
The Last Night’s Game Team
MLB (Major League Baseball)
If your Thursday was a home run. By all accounts, Opening Day in baseball was a success. It started with a home run on the first pitch of the season and ended with a visit from Jennifer Lopez in the broadcast booth, where her former baseball player boyfriend, Alex Rodriguez, was broadcasting the Los Angeles Dodgers – San Francisco Giants game.
College Basketball
If your mama taught you to respect your elders. The final four is Saturday night and it features Villanova (#1) vs. Kansas (#1) and Loyola Chicago (#11) vs. Michigan (#3). The teams may have met their match but so has Sister Jean. The 98-year-old nun and chaplain for Loyola has been challenged by Michigan’s “Fab Five” legend and former NBA (National Basketball Association) player Jalen Rose’s grandma. The 100-year-old Grandma Rose loves her some Michigan basketball and told Sister that “it’s been fun but Loyola’s time is up.” A little shade thrown from her elders.
Overtime
The Los Angeles Rams (NFL – National Football League) have made a lot of noise in the offseason with on-field acquisitions but this one made history. The Rams hosted cheerleading tryouts this week and their new squad will feature the first two male cheerleaders ever in the NFL. You’ll see Quinton and Napoleon, both professional dancers, on the sideline this the fall. (Other teams have stuntmen, but not actual male cheerleaders/dancers).
Sideline stat
The NCAA (governing body of college sports) allocates $3,000 - $4,000 for players’ families to attend the final four and the national championship game. The money is for travel costs, hotel rooms and meals. The funds allow Kansas player Udoka Azubuike’s mom to see her son play for the first time. Her visa was approved for travel from Nigeria. Also on Kansas, Svi Mykhailiuk, whose parents travelled from the Ukraine to see him play on Saturday. MORE
Coaches’ corner
Zeke Upshaw of the Detroit Pistons G League developmental league collapsed on the court on Saturday and later died. Last night, the Detroit Pistons honored Upshaw posthumously with an honorary call-up. Being called up means he’ll officially be memorialized in the record books as a player for the Detroit Pistons.
What to watch
March Madness continues tonight with the final four in the women’s bracket. Unlike the men’s bracket, all final four teams started off the tournament ranked #1 in their division – UConn, Notre Dame, Louisville and Mississippi State.
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