The Oscar Goes To...5 Academy Award-Winning Sports Movies
From the locker room to the red carpet. Plus today’s Wednesday Wisdom.
The Oscars are no different than sports, there’s still a uniform (albeit a tux and a ballgown) and you still have to be a good sport even when you lose.
Game faces on, if the botox allows,
The Last NIght’s Game Team
1. Million Dollar Baby (2004) This movie about a middle-class female boxer who forges a life-changing bond with her trainer is tied for the most celebrated movie on our list. The movie took home Oscars for Best Picture, Best Actress (Hilary Swank), Best Director (Clint Eastwood) and Best Supporting Actor (Morgan Freeman). The other flick with four wins? Chariots of Fire. GIRL ON FIRE
2. Rocky (1976) We all remember the iconic line of “Yo Adrian” and Sylvester Stallone’s run up the steps, but while the actors and their lines are what we remember, the movie took home the award for Best Picture, Best Director and Best Film Editing. A big fat TKO for Rocky and Adrian. WE’LL STILL NEVER EAT A RAW EGG FOR BREAKFAST
3. Jerry Maguire (1996) Tom Cruise may have yelled “show me the money” in a story about a sports agent down on his luck but Cuba Gooding Jr. showed them how it was done as he received the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor. OSCAR, YOU COMPLETE ME
4. Chariots of Fire (1981) In a class-focused, divided society, two runners train for the 1924 Paris Olympics. The movie is probably best known for its Oscar winning original music score. THE MUSIC THAT STILL INSPIRES US ALL
5. The Blind Side (2009) Sandra Bullock took home her first Oscar for her role as a pushy mom who takes in a homeless teen and helps to harness his talents to turn him into a football powerhouse. Based on a true story, the real Michael Oher became a college football sensation and an NFL (National Football League) player. DREAMS DO COME TRUE
BONUS - Since it wasn’t a full-length feature film, the honorable mention goes to Kobe Bryant’s Dear Basketball. The animated short took home an Oscar last year and Bryant proclaimed that his win “felt better than winning a championship.” THE TROPHY ISN’T AS COOL
DON’T SKIP TODAY'S WEDNESDAY WISDOM
The Oscars may be on Sunday, but there’s plenty happening in the sports world today including a new, very odd nickname for a football player, a viral inspirational locker room speech and why someone almost needed a trip to the plastic surgeon’s office. READ
Monday Motivation
It’s Monday but don’t pull the covers back over your head. Go out and getcha some.
It’s Monday but don’t pull the covers back over your head. Go out and getcha some.
Making it happen,
The Last Night’s Game Team
NFL (National Football League)
When making snow angels sounds more fun than working. The Indianapolis Colts and Buffalo Bills played in white out conditions yesterday. In the snowiest game in recent history, the Buffalo fans stuck it out to watch their team take home an overtime win. Now that’s commitment and maybe a slight bit of insanity considering it was snowing so hard you could barely see the field.
Tennis
To your friend who’s back to work after maternity leave, Serena Williams understands. She announced that she will play in the Australian Open next month, the same tournament she won last year while pregnant. She took off most of last season from competing and daughter Alexa was born in September to Williams and her husband, Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian.
Overtime
A heartbreaking video of a student, Keaton Jones, talking about being bullied has struck a nerve with so many. Celebs and athletes alike are using social media for good by bringing the issue of bullying to light and offering their support to Keaton. Tennessee Titans’ (NFL) Delanie Walker offered to fly Keaton to a game and UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship) President Dana White invited him to their Las Vegas headquarters so they can hang out.
Sideline stat
Oklahoma quarterback Baker Mayfield was named the top college football player this season, winning the Heisman Trophy. He is the first walk-on player to ever win the coveted award. The grateful player gave a heartfelt speech thanking the coaches who took a chance on him. (Wondering what a walk-on is? Here’s your answer).
Coaches’ corner
Desperate times call for desperate measures. The St. Louis Blues (NHL - National Hockey League) called on a vending machine worker who is also a season ticket holder to play as their emergency goalie in a game. The elated fan played until the replacement player brought up from the minor leagues could make it to the game.
The NHL has a rule that requires each team to have a list of emergency goalies for themselves and for visiting teams. If only that rule was around for Happy Gilmore.
College football bowl season is upon us! Join us for our bowl game pool and pick the winners. It's easy (ESPN even has auto pick) and it's a great way to learn a little more about college football without having to work too hard for it. Oh and there are prizes involved too.
SIGN ME UP (password: sportscurious)
The Rundown: 5 Things to Know About UFC and Other Trending Topics
Now that the election fight is over we bring your attention back to New York where another historic fight is happening this weekend. Instead of crying or gloating, we present you with something else to talk about besides the election results.
You’re always a winner with us,
The Last Night’s Game Team
Five things to know about UFC
- UFC stands for Ultimate Fighting Championship. MMA (Mixed Martial Arts ) refers to the sport, like baseball. UFC is the organization, like the MLB (Major League Baseball) is to baseball. It may appear that MMA is only a barbaric brawl but that is a misconception. It is sport of strategy, fought in the octagon (the ring), that is made up of many different disciplines some of which include boxing, judo, muy thai, jiu jitsu and wrestling.
- Dana White, current UFC President, and his high school buddies and Las Vegas casino owners, the Fertitta brothers bought the UFC franchise back in 2001 for $2 million. Fast forward to July 2016 when they signed a deal to sell the franchise for a reported $4 billion.
- One of the biggest fights for UFC outside of the octagon was obtaining approval of the rules and regulations by athletic commissions across U.S. and around the world. They needed this approval to host fights in each location. It took 14 years but this year they were given the green light in New York, the last state approval needed in the U.S.
- UFC 205 is this weekend and will be the first fight in New York, taking place at Madison Square Garden (MSG). The fight is already breaking records including the gate record for MSG (the gate is money brought in by ticket sales). According to Dana White, this fight has surpassed the current MSG record of $13.5 million and 21,284 spectators, a record set by a battle between Lewis/Holyfield (boxing) in 1999.
- Headliner Conor McGregor is the biggest financial draw in UFC history with three straight million-buy pay-per-views under his belt and UFC 205 appears to be his fourth. (This means more than one million people bought his previous fights on pay-per-view. Cha-ching)! McGregor will face Eddie Alvarez for lightweight title.
NCAA football (College)
- The results are in (no not those results). The new college football playoff rankings were released Tuesday and the Washington Huskies moved into the coveted number #4 spot. (The top four teams play for the national championship).
Alabama
Clemson
Michigan
Washington
Overtime
- The Skirvin Hotel in Oklahoma City is famous for being haunted, but NBA (National Basketball Association) teams still stay there. The hotel is haunted by Effie who allegedly threw herself off the 10th floor with her baby. Players have claimed to see a ghost in their room causing some scaredy cat players room with their teammates. For the record, this is the same hotel whose bed bugs caused Kyrie Irving to miss a game last season. I ain't afraid of no ghost, but bed bugs? Terrifying.
Sideline stat
- The Cleveland Cavaliers were the lone undefeated team in the NBA (National Basketball Association) at 6-0. Tuesday night the Atlanta Hawks handed the Cavs their first loss of the season.
Coaches’ Corner
- For some reason MLB (Major League Baseball) thought it was a great idea to announce their Golden Glove winners last night while election results were rolling in. (Yes there were other things on TV). The Gold Glove award goes to one defensive player per position in each league. The San Francisco Giants lead with three winners. Here’s the complete list of winners.