One Giant Leap For Mankind
Making history even before coffee with who’s leaving the U.S. for good, what astronauts have to do with football and a new champion is crowned.
Jumping into the weekend and making history at the same time.
Yaaas!
The Last Night’s Game Team
PS – A huge congratulations to the Washington Mystics on their first WNBA (Women’s National Basketball Association) championship title.
Soccer
For the first time in 40 years, and after pressure from world governing body FIFA (Fédération Internationale de Football Association) and women's rights campaigners, women were allowed to attend a men’s soccer match in Iran. Tickets sold out in minutes for the FIFA World Cup qualifying match between Iran and Cambodia. The home team won 14-0. EVERYONE WINS
Overtime
Halloween will come a bit early for the Purdue University football team. This weekend they’ll be wearing all white uniforms that mimic an astronaut suit as part of their moon-themed uniforms. Why you ask? It’s because Purdue has produced the most astronauts out of any school not affiliated with the U. S. Military. TO INFINITY AND BEYOND
Sideline stat
Former U.S. Open Champion and #3 ranked tennis player in the world, Naomi Osaka, is giving up her U.S. citizenship to play tennis for Japan in next year’s Olympics. The two-time Grand Slam champion’s mother is from Japan and father is from Haiti. SAYANORA ‘MERICA
Coaches’ corner
Set your alarm clock because early Sunday morning the Carolina Panthers and Tampa Bay Buccaneers play in London. This is the second NFL (National Football League) game in two weeks in England, which is all part of the league’s efforts to build an international fan base. The Brits will get a look at early MVP candidate Christian McCaffrey (Panthers running back). BUT WILL BABY ARCHIE BE IN ATTENDANCE?
What to watch
There are some big college football matchups this weekend but one rivalry that spans generations is the showdown between the Texas Longhorns and Oklahoma Sooners. In its 115th year, the “Red River Rivalry” takes place on neutral territory at the Texas State Fair and will feature a battle between two of the best quarterbacks in the game – Jalen Hurts (Oklahoma) and Sam Ehlinger (Texas). TELL ME MORE
A Moment Like This
Ushering in a 3-day weekend with big things to start off the college football season, two tennis phenoms taking the court and football fashion.
Can we take a moment to recognize the extravaganza that is this weekend -- week one of college football and a three-day weekend?
We can barely contain ourselves,
The Last Night’s Game Team
PS : Make yourself armed and dangerous in week one of college football. First, we decoded the 2019 college football rankings for your perusal. Then, we’re helping you dress the part with our newest feature on what to wear to a football game.
College Football
Hold on to your hats because it’s week one in college football and it’s going to be a wild one. (5 things you need to know about the college football season) To celebrate playing in the first college football game 150 years ago, Rutgers will be wearing special uniforms to commemorate the anniversary. TAKING YOU WAY WAY BACK
Overtime
Love food and feel like it’s time to take on a new career? Pickswise, a sports betting website, is seeking an official NFL (National Football League) food tester, a person who will travel around the country, visiting football stadiums to find the “best signature dishes throughout the league.” DO THE JOB PERKS INCLUDE ANTACIDS?
Sideline stat
U.S. Women’s Soccer player Carli Lloyd is considering giving an NFL kicking career a shot in 2020. She nailed a 55-yard-field goal in Philadelphia Eagles practice and that piqued the interest of some teams. Hall of Famer Morten Anderson, one of two full-time placekickers ever inducted into the hall of fame, took to Twitter to offer his help. LEARNING FROM THE BEST
Coaches’ corner
He may be bruised and battered from his plane crash, but Dale Earnhardt Jr. will still be behind the wheel of a race car this weekend. Since he retired from NASCAR (National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing) in 2017, he’s been racing in one race a year for his own race team that competes in the second-tier XFINITY Series. AIN’T NOBODY GONNA HOLD ME DOWN
What to watch
15-year-old tennis sensation Coco Gauff is taking on another tennis phenom in #1 ranked Naomi Osaka, who beat her idol Serena Williams in last year’s U.S. Open. Gauff and Osaka will meet on the court at the U.S. Open on Saturday. LOVE-LOVE
Lights, Camera, Action
Soccer stands up to racism, the swine that's having a good time and who’s shotgunning beers on spring break. Hint: It’s the “old” guy.
No need to be quiet on set, this is exactly what you need to join in on the sports conversation.
Fearless,
The Last Night’s Game Team
SOCCER
Tackling the issue of racism in their sport, professional footballers (i.e. soccer players) in England and Wales are boycotting social media today for 24 hours as part of the #Enough campaign. After multiple high profile incidents, players are saying enough is enough. They hope this is the first step in “stronger action to be taken by social networks and footballing authorities in response to racist abuse both on and off the pitch (field)." STAND UP FOR WHAT’S RIGHT
Overtime
The NHL playoffs are nearing the end of the first round and it only seems fitting in the year of the pig that Hamilton the pig is the good luck charm for the Carolina Hurricanes. Although he’s not allowed in the arena, the swine that was adopted from a farm has been a mainstay at the pregame tailgates that led to a Hurricane win. SWEET SWINE
Sideline stat
3.5 seconds…the number of seconds it takes NASCAR’s (National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing) Clint Bowyer, 39, to shotgun a beer. With NASCAR on “spring break,” driver Clint Bowyer shows his need for speed by shotgunning a beer with fellow driver Kyle Larson’s wife. The two were on a mission to shame retired driver (and retired partier) Dale Earnhardt Jr. FAST AND FURIOUS
Coaches’ corner
Time Magazine released its Top 100 Most Influential People list and it of course includes familiar athletes like LeBron James, soccer’s Mohammed Salah, Tiger Woods and Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson. But this year for the first time ever, nearly half of the list is made up of women. Of the 48 women who made the list, Alex Morgan (Team U.S.A. Soccer) and Naomi Osaka (tennis) are representing women in sports. TIMELESS