It was a tough weekend in sports. There were some big wins but also some big losses that will leave a gaping hole in the sports world.
Happy trails,
The Last Night’s Game Team
PGA (Professional Golfer’s Association)
- A trailblazer. Legendary golfer and creator of your favorite lunchtime beverage, Arnold Palmer, passed away Sunday at the age of 87. Dominant on and off the course, Palmer was known as the “father of modern-day sports marketing” by starting what we now know as endorsements, including this great ESPN commercial. Thank you Mr. Palmer.
MLB (Major League Baseball)
- Tragic loss. Early Sunday morning Miami Marlins’ young superstar pitcher Jose Fernandez was killed in a boating accident. At only 24, Fernandez had the potential to end up in the hall of fame. Fernandez, a soon-to-be father, defected from Cuba four times before successfully making it at the age of 15. The Marlins cancelled yesterday’s game.
- Thanks for the memories. Sunday was Los Angeles Dodgers’ longtime broadcaster, Vin Scully’s last home game after 67 years with the team. He couldn’t have scripted it any better if he tried. Dodgers won the game on a walk-off home run and clinched the NL (National League) West Division, securing a spot in the playoffs.
NCAA Football (College)
- See ya. LSU Tigers (Louisiana State University) fired head coach of 12 years, Les Miles. Miles had a winning career record with LSU but some say this play was 10 months in the making. Tigers lost their season opener to unranked Wisconsin and then to unranked Auburn on Saturday.
- Remember this name. University of Louisville sophomore quarterback Lamar Jackson is leading the pack in the race for the Heisman Trophy. He alone scored seven touchdowns on Saturday. He has 25 touchdowns in four games. Unreal.
- Did your team win? Check all the scores here.
NFL (National Football League)
- Victorious. We’ve wrapped up week three and there are a handful of undefeated teams in the league. The Denver Broncos, Philadelphia Eagles, Baltimore Ravens, New England Patriots and Minnesota Vikings are all without a loss.
- A little help here? Conversely, there are three teams who haven’t won a game - Cleveland Browns, Jacksonville Jaguars and Chicago Bears.
- Catch the scores from the weekend here.
NASCAR (National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing)
- Next! Kevin Harvick won yesterday’s race in New Hampshire. Harvick earned himself a spot in the next round of the “Chase for the Cup” (NASCAR playoffs), joining Martin Truex Jr.
Overtime
- Kevin Garnett announced his retirement after 21 seasons in the NBA (National Basketball Association). Garnett was drafted straight out of high school and made the most money of any player in NBA history, over $330 million. The MVP spent his career playing for Boston Celtics and Minnesota Timberwolves, who he helped put on the map.
Sideline stat
- Rory McIlroy was three shots behind the leader with three holes to go in yesterday’s final round of the PGA season. Rory caught up and forced a playoff round, where he won after four holes. McIlroy not only won the tour but the FedEx Cup and its $10 million prize. Take that to the bank.
Coaches’ Corner
- Can you be drafted to the NBA out of high school? Once upon a time this was true, but not any longer. Kevin Garnett was the leader of the influx of high schoolers drafted (Kobe Bryant and LeBron James among them), prompting the league to add the "one year out of high school" requirement that effectively requires players to play at least one year of college basketball. This is so scouts can see players perform against higher competition before they are considered draft picks.