5 Reasons Why "The Match: Champions For Charity" Is Must See TV
Pants not required. No, seriously.
The matchup between four of the greatest players in their sport is happening this weekend which means your world is about to get rocked.
It’s about time,
The Last Night’s Game Team
1. Tiger Woods and Peyton Manning will team up against Phil Mickelson and Tom Brady in “The Match: Champions for Charity” on Sunday at 2 p.m. ET. The goal is of course to raise money for COVID relief efforts and the players have contributed $10 million total to four charities - DirectRelief.org, the American Red Cross, Save Small Business and the All-In Challenge. There will also be on-course challenges for the players to raise additional charitable funds. A HELPING HAND
2. Things are going to be getting a little wild at the Medalist Golf Club, Tiger Woods’ home course, as the players are allowed to wear shorts (a big no-no in the PGA – Professional Golfers Association). You might remember Phil Mickelson’s calves nearly broke the internet in a previous tournament. Speaking of chatter, the players will be mic’d up so you’ll have a front row seat to the trash talking, which has already started. BARING IT ALL
3. As if shorts weren’t spicy enough, NBA (National Basketball Association) Hall of Famer Charles Barkley and one of the top golfers in the world, Justin Thomas, will be providing commentary for the match. Barkley is known for his terrible golf swing, so his critique of the match should be top notch. BRINGING IN THE BIG GUNS
4. If this setup looks familiar, Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson played each other back in 2018 with Mickelson taking home the $9 million prize. Not to be outdone, Manning and Brady have hit the links together and Manning said, “The last time we played, we got beat by an 84-year-old and a 77-year old." WELL THIS COULD BE ENTERTAINING
5. Due to social distancing, players will have to carry their own clubs and the teammates will act as each other’s caddy, talking through each shot on the course. In case you’re wondering, Manning has a better handicap (6.4 handicap) than Brady (8.1 handicap). Brady joked since Manning is retired he should have a better handicap. TOUCHÉ
(For the record, the lower the handicap the better the golfer. To have a single digit handicap means you’re darn good. To get technical on you, a handicap is a way to level the playing field. It’s an average of golf scores to determine how many shots players are over par. For more golf lingo and further explanation, click here).
Five Of The Weirdest Things Athletes Have Autographed
Never a dull moment in the life of an athlete.
Desperate times call for desperate measures.
Can you say awkward?
The Last Night’s Game Team
1. Let’s just say this one is 50 shades of shady. Hockey player Karl Alzner penned his name on a woman’s leather whip at an autograph signing. Why a whip? He didn't ask and she didn't say. WE HOPE HE HAD HAND SANITIZER
2. David Price of the Los Angeles Dodgers (MLB – Major League Baseball) once signed a Twinkie. Rumor has it the sweet treat will survive the apocalypse, so why not? Said Twinkie then went for $56 on eBay. A NEW TAKE ON “SIGNATURE DESSERT”
3. Where would we be without our furry friends? Without an autograph apparently. NASCAR (National Association For Stock Car Auto Racing) driver Kasey Kahne signed a fan’s dog. The pup didn’t have much hair so its owner thought it would be the perfect place for Kahne to leave his mark. No word if the dog agreed. THERE BETTER HAVE BEEN TREATS INVOLVED
4. Los Angeles Kings (NHL – National Hockey League) goalie Jonathan Quick’s oddest item is a little cheesy. He once signed a fan’s grilled cheese sandwich. What’s worse? The sandwich already had two bites out of it and was “oozing with saliva.” SLOPPY SECONDS
5. The Golden State Warriors’ Klay Thompson (NBA - National Basketball Association) once signed a toaster. Apparently, the fan was memorable because Thompson later invited the gadget guy to the Warriors’ championship parade. TOAST OF THE TOWN
These Athlete Mamas Are Making Things Happen
Not all superheroes wear capes.
Need proof moms are superheroes? Look no further than these athletes.
Women - making things happen since forever,
The Last Night’s Game Team
1. We’re seeing the progress in women’s sports in adopting maternity policies for their players. Before these policies were put into place you had stars like Skylar Diggins-Smith, who played an entire WNBA (Women’s National Basketball Association) season while pregnant and didn’t tell anyone. In fact, was such a great season for her that she was named to the all-star team. After the birth of her son, she was criticized for taking two months off from the season due to postpartum depression. CUT THE GAL SOME SLACK
2. Olympic track star Allyson Felix made an impact on the track, winning six Olympic gold medals but it’s what she did off the track that has shaped her legacy. The NIKE sponsored athlete took on the company saying per her contract, she would be financially penalized for having a child. (Her daughter was born via emergency c-section in 2018). She was so fed up with their lack of support for female athletes that she left NIKE for Athleta. NIKE has since changed their polices and they will not apply any performance-related reductions for 18 months if an athlete becomes pregnant. CHANGE MAKER
3. When Candace Parker was drafted, everyone thought she’d be the Michael Jordan of the WNBA, and she was, winning attention from big sponsors like Gatorade and Adidas. After her rookie season where she was named rookie of the year and MVP, she returned to the court just 53 days after having her daughter. She did whatever it took to make the best of fitting her new role as a mom in with her career, including nursing at halftime. Parker played 12 seasons in the WNBA. Like many of her peers, during that time she played basketball overseas in the off-season where she earned a bigger paycheck. BRINGING HOME THE BACON
Side note – Parker was the first female to dunk in an NCAA Tournament game. What can’t she do?
4. Serena Williams hasn’t let a life shift like motherhood slow her down. You might remember when she won her 23rd Grand Slam tournament at the Australian Open while pregnant. (The record is 24 wins). After serious medical complications resulting from a c-section birth of her daughter, she’s continued to be a force to be reckoned with on the court. She has launched a clothing line and stays active as a Unicef Goodwill Ambassador, with Serena Ventures where she invests in businesses with diverse founders and doing charity work that benefits causes around the world. GIRL ON FIRE
5. U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team co-captain Alex Morgan is ready to give birth any minute but don’t think that has stopped her from sneaking in impressive workouts to keep her skills game day ready. She was prepared to represent her country in the Tokyo Olympics just three months after having her baby. But with the Olympics being rescheduled it’s a silver lining for Morgan who will have a chance to recover from childbirth and spend some time adjusting to her new role as mom. Although there’s no rest for the weary as she and her teammates continue to fight U.S. Soccer in a legal battle over fair pay. THE GOOD WORK IS NEVER DONE