The Rundown: 5 Things To Know About The Heisman Trophy

On Saturday the Heisman Trophy will be awarded to the best player in college football. It’s similar to your Saturday where you'll have a chance at being named the best dancer of your work holiday party with your signature dance moves. We bet the Heisman winner doesn’t even know how to do the sprinkler.  

Who’s winning now?

The Last Night’s Game Team

 

PS:  Oklahoma City we’re in your neck of the woods today to introduce you to Last Night’s Game. If you can’t be at 1 Million Cups Oklahoma City, then you can watch us live at 9 am CST. 

Five things to know about the Heisman Trophy

  1. The award is named after John Heisman who was an innovator and college football coach. He is best known for inventing the forward pass in 1906. (They didn’t really throw the ball before then – kind of like rugby. Weird right)? 
  2. It’s not always easy being a Heisman winner. Reggie Bush (USC, 2005) had to give his back after an NCAA investigation found he seriously broke the rules by receiving impermissible benefits. O.J. Simpson (USC, 1968) sold his when times were tough. (They still are because he is in jail).  Johnny Manziel, who was a freshman when he won the award (Texas A&M, 2012), is now a frequent subject of the tabloids and his football career went down the drain.
  3. The underachiever Marcus Allen (USC, 1981), is the only player to win the Heisman trophy, a College National Championship, a Super Bowl and be named the Super Bowl and regular season MVP.  
  4. The Heisman pose is something every sports fan knows. Check it out and let’s see you replicate it on the dance floor this weekend. Hey it’ll fit right in with your sprinkler and shopping cart move.
  5. By the numbers:
  • 45 pounds: the weight of the trophy
  • $255,500: the winning bid at an auction for O.J. Simpson’s Heisman trophy. The winner bought it to “impress his girlfriend.”
  • 5: the number of finalists, one of whom will be named the winner
    • Baker Mayfield (Oklahoma)
    • Jabrill Peppers (Michigan)
    • Dede Westbrook (Oklahoma)
    • Deshaun Watson (Clemson)
    • Lamar Jackson (Louisville) – who, according to the sports books, is the overwhelming favorite to win.  

Overtime

  • The last Navy player to win the Heisman was quarterback Roger Staubach in 1963. Navy unveiled their uniforms for their big rivalry game against Army this Saturday. The Navy uniforms are a throwback to the 1963 season in which Staubach led the Midshipmen to the Cotton Bowl. Side note, the only college football game this weekend is the storied Army vs. Navy game. 

Sideline stat

  • Oklahoma City Thunder’s (NBA – National Basketball Association) Russell Westbrook beat a milestone set by the man whose company sponsors him. Westbrook, who is sponsored by Jordan, secured his sixth consecutive triple-double. (Michael Jordan had five). Wilt Chamberlain holds the record with nine consecutive triple-doubles.  

Coaches’ corner

  • What is a triple-double? It’s not a cheeseburger but a basketball term. A triple-double is when a player scores double digits in three of the following categories in a game: points, total rebounds, assists, steals or blocks. Not an easy feat.

The Rundown: Five Unusual Provisions In Athlete Contracts

Thinking about changing jobs this hump day? Don’t push your luck by trying to negotiate any of these oddities into your new contract.

Hey we’re happy with free coffee,

The Last Night’s Game

Five unusual provisions in athlete contracts

  1. Sports contracts are iron clad agreements that protect an asset of the team, the athlete. There is a long list of things athletes are prohibited from participating in to ensure their health and safety. A few of the most popular banned activities include sky diving, driving motorcycles, auto racing, skateboarding and hot air balloons.
  2. When the now retired A-Rod (Alex Rodriguez) was negotiating with the New York Mets some of his demands included an office at the stadium, his own marketing staff, a private jet and maximum billboard exposure. The Mets didn’t work out but A-Rod signed with the New York Yankees. No word on whether or not a private jet was included.
  3. Former Arizona Diamondbacks player Troy Glaus’ contract included $250,000 for his wife’s personal business - equestrian horses.
  4. Other odd inclusions include a soccer player who wrote in his contract that his team needed to pay for cooking classes for his wife. (Was she a bad cook)? Or the coach who wanted an annual gift certificate to the local gun shop? Even more interesting – a newly built house for every year of the athlete’s contract. 
  5. When you hurt yourself while participating in a banned activity, why not simply lie about it? No one will know right? Wrong. Former San Francisco Giants infielder Jeff Kent said he broke his wrist while washing his truck. The team was suspicious because a man was cleaning. They found out he was popping wheelies on his motorcycle which was forbidden. Uh oh. 
  • Extra credit – Which current head coach had the "Notre Dame clause" in his contract? Find out here. 

Golf

  • Remember me? Do you know the golfer ranked 898th in the world? Yes, you do. It’s Tiger Woods. Woods, the former number one, looks to make his return to golf at this week’s tournament in the Bahamas after a 15-month break.

MLB (Major League Baseball)

  • Glamorous life. New York Mets outfielder Yoenis Cespedes signed the largest contract for an outfielder in MLB. There is certainly no anti-golf clause in his contract. He’s been known to play golf right before night games and even sparked controversy last season for playing golf while on the disabled list with quad injury. (You may recall the story about Cespedes rolling into spring training last season with a new fleet of over the top vehicles).

Overtime

  • Who doesn’t love a feel good story? The Los Angeles Lakers hosted a scrimmage game between the L.A.P.D. and local kids at their practice facility. The game wasn’t about recruiting, but to build the relationship between the two groups.  

Sideline stat

  • 23,924 - The number of teddy bears thrown on the ice by fans at the Calgary Hitmen “Teddy Bear Toss” game. The Teddy Bear Toss is when fans bring stuffed animals to donate to underprivileged children. They throw them on the ice after the home team scores its first goal. This video shows every child’s dream come true – it’s raining bears. 

Coaches’ corner

  • With only one week of college football left, the next to last set of rankings has been released. The top four ranked teams will play each other in a tournament style format to become National Champions.  
  1. Alabama
  2. Ohio State
  3. Clemson
  4. Washington

The Rundown: 5 Things to Know About Thanksgiving Football Traditions

The tradition of football and Thanksgiving has been around forever. It’s like the gravy to the turkey. It’s also a great way to sleep off your food coma or to converse with your second cousin who you have nothing in common with. Now you do – sports.  

From our family to yours – Happy Thanksgiving,

The Last Night’s Game Team

PS – Looking for pointers on Thanksgiving table topics that don’t involve politics? Check out our new segment “Sports Curious” today on CBS Ch. 6 at noon CST. You can stream it live here. (Click watch live now).

Five Things to Know About Thanksgiving Football Traditions

  1. Former NFL player, coach, broadcaster and video game namesake (Madden NFL) started the tradition of awarding the “Turkey Leg” back in the 80s. The leg of the turkey was given to the MVP of the game. What if you have more than one MVP? Obviously you need more legs on the turkey. So he started "creating" turkeys with more legs. (He took them off of other turkeys – this isn’t the Frankenstein people).  
  2. The “Turkey Leg” tradition ran until 2002 when it was replaced with the “Galloping Gobbler” trophy which is now given to the best player in the FOX-broadcasted Thanksgiving game.
  3. The Detroit Lions and the Dallas Cowboys have hosted the most home Thanksgiving Day games in the NFL. (BTW – The Cowboys are having a stellar season lead by rookies Dax Prescott and Ezekiel Elliott).
  4. The Jacksonville Jaguars have never played on Thanksgiving Day. 
  5. Canadians also watch football on Thanksgiving. They watch the CFL (Canadian Football League) on their Thanksgiving which is in October. 

Here's the complete Thanksgiving Day schedule. 

NHL (National Hockey League)

  • Knighting ceremony. Las Vegas was granted the rights to an expansion NHL team in June and last night we found out the team's name. Drumroll please....welcome the “Vegas Golden Knights.”

NCAA Basketball (College)

Overtime

  • Olympic gymnastics gold medalist Laurie Hernandez was the favorite heading into season 23 of Dancing with the Stars. In the season finale her twinkle toes did not disappoint. She took home the famed mirror ball trophy as the big winner over IndyCar Driver James Hinchcliffe. (Former NFL player Calvin Johnson came in third place). 

Sideline stat

  • Tuesday night’s MLS (Major League Soccer) Eastern Conference Finals playoff game between the Montreal Impact and Toronto FC was delayed 40 minutes after it was discovered the goal box line was drawn two feet too narrow. If you remember from childhood soccer, the goal box is important because it’s the designated area where the goalie, no other player, can touch the ball with their hands. Who won the game? See here.

Coaches’ corner

  • U.S.A. Men’s National Soccer Team fired head coach Jurgen Klinsmann after five years as head coach. The team hasn’t been playing too well. His team failed to qualify for the 2016 Olympic Games and their recent losses in World Cup qualifying leaves them on the verge of not even making it into the 2018 World Cup. Former head coach Bruce Arena was named as the new coach. Arena previously served in the role from 1998-2006.

 

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