Top 5 Storylines To Follow For The 2021 NFL Season
The country’s most popular sport kicks off this week.
While the men of the NFL (National Football League) are back this week, the women are the big discussion point of this season. (Okay, and you too, COVID).
Here we go,
The Last Night’s Game Team
1. The NFL will have a record 12 women coaches this season, and six are women of color. Included in the 12 are Maral Javadifar and Lori Locust, who were the first women to win Super Bowl as coaches with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The growth of women in the NFL is credited to a few programs that include the "Bill Walsh Diversity Coaching Fellowship" and the league's annual Women's Careers in Football Forum. The two aim to increase the number of full-time NFL minority coaches. A SEAT AT THE TABLE
2. COVID protocols for unvaccinated and vaccinated players are very different this season. So different that some coaches have had to backtrack on comments that insinuated that they kept vaccinated players over those who were not. If vaccinated players test positive, they can return to the team as soon as 48 hours after testing positive (provided they have two negative tests 24 hours apart). Unvaccinated players must isolate for a minimum of 10 days, even if they're asymptomatic. WHY IS THIS NOT PART OF OUR FANTASY FOOTBALL CONVERSATION?
3. Last year was the first season in 14 seasons that the NFL did not play a game in London. And while it might be tough for you to get to London this fall, the city will be hosting two NFL games in October. The Atlanta Falcons and New York Jets will play on Sunday, October 10, and the Jacksonville Jaguars will take on the Miami Dolphins the following weekend, on October 17. The teams will play at the home of Tottenham Hotspur (soccer). FINGERS CROSSED IT'LL HAPPEN
4. Despite concerns about the toll a season takes on a player's body, money talks. During the off-season, team owners voted to expand the regular season from 16 to 17 games starting this season. This season there will also be a change with how players get paid. Players will receive at least 48% of all league revenue. That figure could increase depending on the upcoming TV negotiations. SHOW ME THE MONEY
5. If you find the idea of the broadcast team talking stats and not strategy or providing interesting insights to the game, now you're in luck. Super Bowl-winning quarterbacks and brothers Peyton and Eli Manning will provide a simulcast of Monday Night Football. Basically, it'll be the two of them sitting around and watching the game. And if you've ever followed them on social media or even Peyton's SNL hosting gig, they're pretty funny. It's two dudes, a football game and a microphone. PASS THE POPCORN
The 5 Things You Need To Know About This College Football Season
Everyone is talking about it, we have you covered so you can too.
Few things bring together our country like the Olympics and now college football season. To some, we are rolling into the most wonderful time of the year. Some might argue it’s like the holidays with the get-togethers, sometimes awkward small talk and tailgates with lots of food.
But at least we don’t have to buy gifts,
The Last Night’s Game Team
1. COVID
COVID is the one to watch. Entire teams like Ole Miss, Boston College and Arizona are fully vaccinated, but the COVID protocols are different between conferences and schools. Most schools will welcome back stadiums at full capacity, tailgates and other gameday traditions but will require fans to show proof of vaccination or proof of a negative test.
All of the Power 5 conferences (SEC, The Big Ten, ACC, PAC-12 and Big 12) have declared that if one team can't play a game because of COVID-19, they will forfeit the game, and it will not be rescheduled. In all the conferences besides the SEC, it will be declared a no-contest if both teams can't play because of COVID-19. In the SEC, it will go down as a loss. MASK UP
2. Name, Image, Likeness
The Name, Image, Likeness (NIL) era begins after compensation for NIL for all college athletes became a reality this summer. Alabama quarterback Bryce Young has never played a game for Alabama but is making seven figures in NIL endorsements. How will that impact players' future in the NFL? Time will tell but, in the NBA Draft, 88 early entry candidates (players who still have eligibility) withdrew from the 2021 draft after the announcement of NIL. CASH IS KING
3. Super Seniors
"Super seniors" will be a buzzword, and no, we're not talking about Arnold Schwarzenegger or Jane Fonda. Due to COVID, the NCAA awarded players with an extra year of eligibility, some of who will be in their fifth or even sixth football season. AARP IS CALLING
4. Tailgates
You can't talk football without talking about tailgating. The tradition was essentially put on hold during the 2020 season so expect this year's parking lot parties to be full-on. Unsurprisingly, the average tailgater is a male between 25-44 years old who spends over $500 a year on tailgating food by attending or hosting 6-10 parties a season. Even more intriguing, according to tailgating.com, they also use separate coolers for their food and beverages. CLASSY
Make sure to check out our favorite college football traditions for something to chat about at your tailgate.
5. Who to watch
You might be tired of hearing these names, but Alabama, who won it all last year, tops the list even after losing a few star players to the NFL. Keep an eye out on THE Ohio State (Ohio State is very passionate about the 'THE') and always Clemson. Then there's Oklahoma, which is the only team at the top of the list without a CFP national title to their name. (The NCAA implemented the current CFP structure in 2014). GO TEAM!
A little something extra
All eyes are on Louisiana with the aftermath of Hurricane Ida. Exactly 16 years after Hurricane Katrina hit Louisiana, Ida is forcing residents to evacuate, causing massive flooding and leaving millions without power. Tulane moved their home opener against Oklahoma due to storm damage. The game will now be played in OU's home stadium in Norman, Oklahoma, with all of the ticket proceeds going to Tulane. MI CASA ES SU CASA
The 5 College Mascots You Never Knew You Needed In Your Life
Let’s talk tigers, trees and one that became dinner.
Mascots - the lovable furry friends that inspire fans and their teams.
Spirit fingers,
The Last Night's Game Team
1. Stanford University’s team name is “The Cardinal” (after the color red and yes, it’s singular). They were the Indians until 1972 and they haven’t had an official mascot since then as no one can agree on a winner. You've probably seen a jubilant tree on the sidelines and wondered why someone brought a giant car freshener pine tree to the game? The tree has become the face of the athletic program but it is technically part of the band. SMELL GOOD, PLAY GOOD?
2. Live animals as mascots are not only frowned upon by PETA but also by your wallet. The LSU (Louisiana State) Tiger - Mike the Tiger’s habitat cost $3 million to build, which was raised through private donors. That $3M doesn’t include the new COVID fence that was built to provide an additional four-foot barrier between pedestrians and the seventh Mike the Tiger. Mike’s also not into rallying the fans as the live tiger hasn’t been permitted on the field for games since 2017. WHERE’S CAROL BASKIN WHEN YOU NEED HER?
3. With horns straight out of a cartoon, Texas Longhorns’ Bevo (who is a longhorn) has become as iconic as the athletic program. Let’s hope that the 15th Bevo’s fate turns out better than one of his ancestors, who became dinner for the football team when the school couldn’t afford the upkeep. NO LOVE FOR THE LONGHORN
4. Bill the Goat, the mascot for the Naval Academy, can be traced back to the 1800s. In fact, the goat is one of the oldest mascots in sports. Billy even has its own security detail during the week of the famed Army-Navy football game to prevent it from being kidnapped by Army supporters. DIRTY JOBS
5. The first couple of college mascots, Wilma and Wilber Wildcat, are the mascots for the University of Arizona. Wilma was created when the costume designers were trying to create another costume for Wilber. Oops. They were married November 21st, 1986 before a football game. Her job is primarily women’s volleyball and women’s basketball. THINK THEY’RE PERFECTING THEIR SOURDOUGH BREAD RECIPE?