Fly The Flag

You’re in for a treat because it’s Friday and you’re going to be the one in the know all weekend long.

We’re Olympic ready,

The Last Night’s Game Team

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Winter Olympics

When karma catches up with you. With a last ditch effort, Russia tried and failed to overturn the ban on their athletes in the Winter Olympics. Russia is banned from competing over doping allegations, but some athletes were invited to compete after proving they were clean.

When luck is not on your side. Team U.S.A.'s athletes vote for who is going to carry the flag in the Opening Ceremony. This year's vote was a tie between speed skater Shani Davis and luge slider Erin Hamlin, both competing in their fifth Olympics. The winner, Hamlin, was chosen by a coin toss. After losing, Davis sent a controversial tweet calling the coin toss "dishonorable." Guess he's not much of a gambler. 

If your dad ever said nothing good happens after midnight. While you were sleeping, the Olympic Opening Ceremonies happened without you. You can catch the replay at 8 pm EST tonight on NBC and here are the Olympic events to watch this weekend.

Overtime

What do you get when you cross Aaron Rodgers (Green Bay Packers quarterback), actor Bill Murray and actor Josh Duhamel? A good looking, funny guy with one heck of a throwing arm? Unfortunately no, but they're all golfing in the Pebble Beach Pro-Am. The golf tournament, which is this weekend, is where professional golfers and amateurs mix and the who’s who of celebrities and athletes hit the links together.

Sideline stat

MLB (Major League Baseball) spring training is set to begin next week, but in a rare turn of events, a majority of free agents (players who aren’t committed to teams) remain unsigned. The MLB Players Association will put on their own spring training for unsigned free agents in hopes they will be picked up by a team.

Coaches’ corner

The NBA (National Basketball Association) trade deadline was yesterday and it left the league in shock because the Cleveland Cavaliers basically traded away their entire team, minus LeBron James. The team, which has been in the NBA finals the past three years, has been pretty terrible this season. Was this the doing of King James? Only time will tell

After you follow Last Night's Game on Instagram, go follow these Olympic athletes for a behind the scenes look at the Winter Olympics. 

The Rundown: Weekend Preview Edition

It’s finally Friday and we’re revved up for this weekend’s Daytona 500. Boxer Manny Pacquiao had a rough week and find out why the NBA’s Steve Novak is feeling a bit like Taylor Swift with yet another breakup.

Shake it off,

The Last Night’s Game Team

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Boxing

• Total knockout. Nike announced they have cut ties with boxer Manny Pacquiao over comments he made that same-sex couples are “worse than animals.” Pacquiao later apologized for his comments while wearing his Nike gear. Nike called his comments “abhorrent” and said farewell. Pacquiao is running for a Senate seat in Philippines (he's currently a member of the House of Representatives) and is scheduled to retire after his next fight against Timothy Bradley on April 9th. His last fight was a loss to Floyd Mayweather in May 2015.

NASCAR (National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing)

• Gentlemen start your engines. The starting lineup for this year's Daytona 500 race has been determined. The most notable is, Dale Earnhardt, Jr., who is starting third place. This year’s running marks the 15th anniversary of the death of his father, driver Dale Earnhardt, at the same track. For the full starting grid click here. You can catch the Daytona 500 live on Sunday at Noon (EST) on FOX. 

NBA (National Basketball Association)

• Yawn. The NBA trade deadline was Thursday at 3 pm (EST). On most accounts it was uneventful. View the ESPN trade tracker here. 
• Go team? NBA veteran Steve Novak has been traded numerous times over the past few years.  His most recent trade warranted this photo on Twitter of his son’s confused team spirit with the caption “Knicks hoop, Thunder jersey, and Jazz shorts...and you wonder why the lil homie is confused! #TradeDeadline.“ Novak was traded from Oklahoma City Thunder to Denver Nuggets. 

NFL (National Football League)

• Horsing around. After a 12-year career Carolina Panthers defensive end Jared Allen announced his retirement with a video of his ride off into the sunset. Cue Mother Nature.

UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship)

• Howdy partner. Two fighters with the nickname “Cowboy” battle in the main event to see who keeps the nickname. The fight features Donal “Cowboy” Cerrone vs Alex “Cowboy” Oliviera at welterweight (170 pounds) live Sunday night on Fox Sports One at 9 pm (EST).

Overtime

• University of Miami Hurricanes head coach, Mark Richt, has offered a scholarship to eighth grade quarterback Harrison Bailey. Bailey would be part of the 2020 recruiting class and is already 6’3” and 175 pounds. Apparently early scholarship offers are not as far fetched as we think with LeBron James’ son reportedly received scholarship offers at 10-years-old. 

Sideline Stat

• Major League Baseball’s (MLB) spring training has begun with pitchers and catchers reporting for duty this week. The boys of summer are back.

Coaches’ Corner

• What is the trade deadline? The trade deadline is the last day where teams can make a trade to improve their roster for the last half of the season and hopefully the playoffs. Teams are not allowed to make any trades with other teams after the trade deadline. Period.