The Best In Show - 5 Things You Need To Know About The Westminster Dog Show
Best in show will be determined tonight.
The year 2000 brought us the hilarious “Best in Show” and now 20 years later, we bring you the real-life version. Just as interesting and almost as funny.
Sit. Stay. Enjoy.
The Last Night’s Game Team
1. It’s been said that no good story ever started with a salad and neither did the Westminster Dog Show. The story starts with a group of guys who met at the Westminster Hotel to boast about their hunting dogs. In 1877, they named themselves the Westminster Kennel Club after their favorite bar. Now on its 145th show and is the second longest-running sporting event after the Kentucky Derby. WHY TRY TO TEACH OLD DOGS NEW TRICKS?
2. Naming your prized show dog isn’t as easy a calling them Spot or Rover, there are strict rules on how you name your prized pooch. While Siba the Standard Poodle - show name GCHP CH Stone Run Afternoon Tea - took the title of best in show last year, but did not get paid for it. There’s no prize money. The handlers make their money by charging more for breeding rights. LUCKY DOG
3. These dogs don’t just show up and take the title, they have to work hard to get there. Like the Boston Marathon, they must qualify by winning lesser competitions to make it to the big show. In case you’re wondering over 204 breeds are welcome to compete for best in show. If you’re placing a bet on the winner, remember male dogs have won 73 times and the females, 40 times. LADIES NIGHT?
4. There are seven categories of dogs in the show and most were originally bred for hunting or life on the farm. There are also pups from the non-sporting and toy categories that are bred to be your B.F.F. LOYAL COMPANION
5. The event takes place at Madison Square Garden and the winning pup used to score a photo op with Mr. New York himself, pre-president Donald Trump at Trump Tower. Since he became president, that’s no longer an option. PRESIDENTIAL PUPS
Honorable mention – We can’t leave you without a good laugh. Here’s the "Saturday Night Live” parody of the famed pup show featuring Matt Damon. LOL
5 Things You Didn’t Know About The Olympics
After nearly a week of Olympic coverage, you’d think you’ve heard it all. We answer the questions you were too afraid to ask in today’s Five Things To Know.
After nearly a week of Olympic coverage, you’d think you’ve heard it all. We answer the questions you were too afraid to ask in today’s Five Things To Know.
Gold medal goodness,
The Last Night’s Game Team
Five Things You Didn’t Know About The Olympics
1. Ever wonder how skaters come off the ice without enormous wedgies? (You know you did). Some have been known to sew the bottom of their costume to their tights to keep everything in place. Gymnasts do something similar by using spray adhesive to keep their back tuck from becoming a full moon.
2. Real men wear pink and speedskaters wear blue. Why? Well no one really knows but there seems to be a consensus amongst the athletes that blue skates faster. That’s why you’ll even see teams that notoriously wear red, like Norway, wearing blue on the ice.
3. Have you watched the Olympians hurl down the tunnel of ice in the luge? You didn’t think there was room to hide anything in those skintight uniforms, but what you don’t really see is a vital neck strap. This strap helps the athlete hold their head up when they reach high g-forces. Do not try this one at home.
4. How do athletes in sports like skiing stay warm when they can’t wear a scarf? Athletic tape. They use athletic tape that resembles a giant Band-Aid to keep their nose and cheeks warm. It’s like a pore strip, only more patriotic. PICS
5. Coaches are an integral part of gold medal success but who pays for them? Athletes (or their families) typically pay for their coaches, putting them in a precarious financial situation. Different governing bodies (i.e. U.S. Figure Skating) have been known to also offer coaches medal incentives, similar to the athletes.
That’s not all folks
If you’re already over the Olympics or are looking for something else to talk about besides wedgies, here are the top three things happening in the world of sports. Find out what’s new in this year’s Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition, why Shaun White cried like a baby and which four-legged friend is 'best in show.' READ
I'm On A Roll
It’s Monday and that means it’s a new week for you to conquer the conversation by sharing a little something about sports.
It’s Monday and that means it’s a new week for you to conquer the conversation by sharing a little something about sports.
Rolls off the tongue,
The Last Night’s Game Team
Winter Olympics
If you’re ready to dominate your Monday. The U.S. Figure Skating Team picked up a bronze medal in the team skate event. Their score was boosted by Mirai Nagasu’s free skate in which she did something no American has ever done. She successfully landed a triple axel in the Olympics. What is a triple axel? 3.5 rotations in the air. No big deal.
Because breakfast beers are perfectly acceptable at the Olympics. Red Gerard, 17, became the first American to win a gold medal in the Winter Olympics. Before the competition, he received early morning Snapchat videos from his family shotgunning beers on the way to watch him compete for gold. Too bad he’s not old enough to join them.
When there are never enough spirit fingers in your day. Overshadowing the athletes themselves are the North Korean cheerleaders. This handpicked crew of young women has more spirit than a remake of “Bring It On.” Their dances and cheers were on display at the Korea - Switzerland hockey game, where the joint Korean team was handily beaten by the Swiss team.
Overtime
The Westminster Dog Show begins today and so many people in the competition will be living out their doggie dreams including Hall of Fame NFL (National Football League) player Shannon Sharpe. He’ll be joining the long line of fantastic correspondents covering canines with names like Tickle Em Jock and Starfire’s Spank Me Hard Call Me Crazy. (Those are not names used to describe your former boyfriends, but in fact names of real dogs that have competed in the show).
Keep an eye on Sonnito, a Chihuahua that could be the first of its breed to claim the title of “best in show.”
Sideline stat
This weekend, a very emotional Paul Pierce became the 22nd player in Boston Celtics (NBA - National Basketball Association) history to have his jersey retired. Pierce wore #34 and was part of the team that brought the city of Boston a championship. (Unsure what it means to retire a jersey number? Here’s your answer).
Coaches’ corner
If you’re looking for a way to stay calm this Monday, look no further than Finnish snowboarding coach Antti Koskinen. You can find him in zen mode, knitting away while standing next to his athletes who are getting ready to take on the mountain. Who knew Grandma was a trendsetter?
In tonight’s Olympic coverage, look out for Chloe Kim, another 17-year-old American snowboarding prodigy, on her quest for gold.