The Toughest Job Interview Around - 5 Things To Know About The NFL Combine
Why is it called the Underwear Olympics?
The ultimate job interview could lead to a big paycheck. One of the ways to become an NFL player is to participate in the combine where players are judged on their speed, strength, brain and size of their body parts.
We’re guessing that doesn’t include beer bellies?
The Last Night’s Game Team
1. The combine (pronounced kɒmbaɪn– like a harvesting tractor). is known as the “Underwear Olympics” because prospects compete in different challenges in small, tight-fitting workout gear all while being scrutinized. It wasn’t long ago that prospects stripped down to their underwear for the “eyeball test” where coaches would make notes about their stature, muscle build, etc. IT’S LIKE PRIZED CATTLE GOING TO MARKET
2. As if being in your undies isn’t bad enough, teams are known for asking really weird and intrusive questions. The 338 players who have been invited to the tryout will be asked interrogation-style questions in an attempt to evoke the player’s vices (drinking, drugs), ethics, failures, sexual orientation (even though technically this is illegal) or anything to get a rise out of the player. WHERE’S THE HR DEPARTMENT?
3. Unlike in the last election, hand size matters in the combine. Expect that to be a challenge for last season’s Heisman Trophy winner, quarterback Kyler Murray, who is notably small for the NFL. (You may remember that Murray originally signed a professional baseball contract and then chose to try out professional football). What are teams looking for? According to an NFL (National Football League) executive, there’s not a quarterback in the NFL that has a smaller hand than a 9-inch hand, the span from the thumb to the pinkie. THE FUTURE IS IN THE PALM OF YOUR HAND
4. The “sexiest” event in the combine is the 40-yard dash. In the past, the fastest runner has won prizes such as a private island or $1 million. For the 15th year in a row, sports reporter Rich Eisen will participate in the dash, while wearing a suit with cleats, to raise money for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. RUN RICH RUN
5. If you think any dumb jock can make it to the NFL, you’ve never taken the Wonderlic Test. This challenge tests players’ problem solving and critical thinking skills. Only one player has ever had a perfect score. Think you can beat it? GIVE IT A SHOT
THAT’S NOT ALL FOLKS
No test here, just knowledge for networking. Here’s are the top three stories from today including a new Will Ferrell sports movie, an elevator nightmare and one athlete’s Marie Kondo moment. READ
And You Think You’re Cold – The 5 Coldest Games In Sports
What else is there to talk about besides the weather and sports?
What else is there to talk about besides the weather and sports?
Throw another log on the fire,
The Last Night’s Game Team
The Five Coldest Games In Sports
1. The beauty of the NBA (National Basketball Association) is that their games are fairly quick (as it relates to the sports world) and they’re inside, with the exception of four games that were played outside. The coldest game on record was between the Denver Nuggets and the Phoenix Suns outdoors in Palm Springs, CA. Temps dipped into the 60s and the wind toyed with the player’s shots.
2. MLB (Major League Baseball) players are called the boys of summer but not on April 23, 2013. The first game in a doubleheader between the Atlanta Braves and the Colorado Rockies in Colorado started off at 23 degrees. Luckily it warmed up to just below freezing for the second game. Inevitably, somebody froze their you know what off.
3. We all love college football bowl game season in December, except for the coldest bowl game on record. Picture this. The Bluegrass Bowl in Louisville, KY in 1958. The Oklahoma State Cowboys and Florida State Seminoles take the field and your hot chocolate? Well, it’s frozen because it’s 12 degrees. That 60 degree basketball game suddenly looks like a beach vacation.
4. You expect to be cold at an NHL (National Hockey League) game since it’s played on ice after all. But what happens when it’s outdoors in the dead of winter? Ask the 56,000 fans that came out to the 2003 Heritage Classic to watch the Montreal Canadiens and Edmonton Oilers battle it out in – 4 degree weather. A ride on the Zamboni is the only thing that would make that situation better.
5. We saved the best for last. The infamous NFL (National Football League) ”Ice Bowl” between the Green Bay Packers and the Dallas Cowboys proved to be the most brutal on the list. The New Year’s Eve game of 1967 in Lambeau Field (home of the Packers) saw actual temps around -13 degrees and with the wind chill, -48 degrees. No thank you.
Did you know? Legendary New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady (NFL) is forced to play in the cold quite often but how does he deal with it? He wears a wetsuit under his uniform to stay warm. Forget long johns, that’s brilliant.
Today’s The Day
Board meeting banter boring you? Heat up the conversation with the three hot topics in sports today. Don’t miss out on the blast from the past that's rocking the world of sports, a model’s promise to an Olympian and the awkward post-game interview you simply have to see for yourself. READ
The Rundown: Out Into The Real World
What do Oprah, Will Ferrell and President Trump have in common? They all spoke at college graduations this weekend. Even though they inspire our grads, they still need conversation starters just like you and me.
That’s why we’re serving up a side of sports,
The Last Night’s Game Team
NASCAR (National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing)
- Great balls of fire. NASCAR raced on Saturday night this week and Aric Almirola lit up the night sky. He was involved in a fiery crash with Danica Patrick and Joey Logano. After watching the video you’ll see how incredible it is that he only walked away with fractured vertebra.
NBA (National Basketball Association)
- We’re getting there. In game one of the Western Conference finals, the Golden State Warriors overcame a huge deficit to pull off a win against the San Antonio Spurs. (This is the semifinal round – the finals start on June 1st).
UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship)
- Overachiever. The fighter known as the “blue collar champion,” Stipe Miocic, set a record for title defenses by a heavyweight on Saturday. As if that’s not impressive enough, the Cleveland native also a firefighter when he’s not in the octagon. (FYI heavyweight classification is for fighters between 205 and 265 pounds).
Overtime
- MLB (Major League Baseball) teams proved that real men wear pink. All teams broke out the pink gear yesterday to celebrate Mother’s Day and raise money for the fight against breast cancer. The pink game used items are being auctioned off to benefit the cause, in case you forgot to buy mom a gift.
Sideline stat
- Yesterday the New York Yankees (MLB) celebrated Derek Jeter Day and retired his jersey. During his playing days Jeter wore the #2 jersey. Now all single-digit jersey numbers have been retired by the Yankees, which means no Yankee player can ever wear a single-digit jersey number again.
Coaches’ corner
- The NBA (National Basketball Association) Draft lottery is tomorrow. Like your grandma on Tuesdays at 10 am, the NBA uses a bingo-like ping pong ball system to determine the order in which the 14 non-playoff teams will pick in the draft. The worse your team was last season, the higher the odds of receiving a top spot in the draft. Want more? Read on.