The Rundown: Weekend Preview Edition - Awkward Moments No More

Anyone else doing the Friday happy dance? No? Just us? Well this is awkward…

While we can't help you with your embarrassing dance moves, we are here to help you out of those awkward moments in conversation with today’s Rundown. Hooray!

Here we come to save the day,

The Last Night’s Game Team

Summer Olympics

  • We left without you. As the Russian team arrives in Brazil, 100 of the 387-person team did not make the trip because they have been disqualified from the Summer Olympics by their individual sport federations for doping.

NASCAR (National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing)

  • Who invited the old guy? NASCAR heads to Pocono Raceway (Pennsylvania) on Sunday. This is the second race in a row that Jeff Gordon, who came out of an eight-month retirement, is filling in for driver Dale Earnhardt Jr. who has been out for concussion-like symptoms. Gordon is the winningest driver in history at Pocono. He hopes to add another win to his list and capture the checkered flag over driver Tony Stewart, who is in his final season of racing.

NFL (National Football League)

  • Drive like a celestial bumble bee. NFL training camps opened this week. Training camp is four weeks of pre-season team practices that typically take place in a location not in the team's home city. As if getting the football season started wasn’t exciting enough, Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Antonio Brown rolled into camp in his new Rolls Royce with a custom Steelers paint job (warning: it’s pretty heinous).

F1 (Formula One Racing)

  • Das race. Lewis Hamilton is on a three-race winning streak and has taken the overall points lead in the F1 driver standings. Can Hamilton keep his streak alive and hold off Mercedes teammate Nico Rosberg this weekend on his home turf in Germany? Grab some spätzle for breakfast on Sunday and find out. The suspense is killing us.

Overtime

  • The PGA Championship moved from August to this weekend to accommodate players participating in the Summer Olympics. The site of this weekend’s tournament is a former crime scene of a horrific murder of a man named Baltus Roll. The home of the golf course is Roll’s former farm where he was killed by robbers. The course is named in his honor-  Baltusrol Golf Club.   

Sideline Stat

  • Simone Biles is not only headed to Rio as a member of the women’s gymnastic team but she’s also on the cover of Time Magazine. That’s a big deal for someone so small. Biles is the shortest member of the 555-person U.S. delegation, measuring in at 4 ft. 8 in.

Coaches’ Corner

  • NASCAR driver Kevin Harvick’s crew chief has been suspended for this weekend’s race due to violation of rules. Harvick’s crew chief was part of the lug nut controversy (read more here in a previous Coaches’ Corner). What is a lug nut you ask and why the heck does it matter? A lug nut is used to hold the tire to the race car (you have them on your car tires). The advantage to NASCAR teams who don’t tighten them all the way means the race car can get out of its pit stop (i.e. – tire change and gas fill up) faster. Of course if they’re not tightened all the way, the tire could come off. No big deal – the race car has three more wheels.

The Rundown: Weekend Preview Edition – Pool Party Prep

We’re helping you to become the hit of the weekend pool party one sports fact at a time.

Cocktails on us,

The Last Night’s Game Team  

NBA (National Basketball Association)

  • Moving on. The NBA announced that the 2017 All-Star game which was originally scheduled for Charlotte, North Carolina will be relocated due to the “bathroom bill,” a bill that discriminates against the LBGT community. The NBA and Charlotte Hornets said they have been working to foster discussions and change stating that this bill violates their “long-standing core values that include diversity, inclusion, and respect for others.” The NBA is expected to announce a new host city within a week. All signs are pointing to New Orleans as the new location. NBA has said it will look to reschedule the game in Charlotte for 2019 should necessary changes be made.
  • Let's practice. Team U.S.A men’s basketball will begin its five game exhibition series against Argentina on Friday in Las Vegas. The team is made up of NBA players.  

Golf

  • Now teeing off. The American Century Championship celebrity tournament takes place this weekend in Lake Tahoe. The tournament participants, who play to raise money for charity, include celebrities and athletes. Former MLB pitcher Mark Mulder is the favorite to win the tournament with Golden State Warriors’ Stephen Curry given the fifth best odds to win and former NBA and TNT commentator Charles Barkley is at 6000-1 odds to win. The field also includes music man and part owner of the Memphis Grizzlies (NBA), Justin Timberlake.

NASCAR (National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing)

  • Switch-a-roo. This weekend NASCAR heads to the historic Indianapolis Motor Speedway for the Brickyard 400. The all-time win leader at the track is Jeff Gordon, who coincidentally will be coming out of retirement to drive in place of Dale Earnhardt Jr. who is suffering from concussion symptoms. Gordon announced his retirement from racing eight months ago and took a commentator job with FOX. Gordon will be filling in for Earnhardt for the next two weeks while he recovers.  

F1 (Formula One Racing)

  • Hungry eyes. The drivers head to Hungary this weekend where Lewis Hamilton looks to overtake Nico Rosberg in the overall points lead.  Hamilton is just one point back in the standings after winning four of the last five races. Track limits, such as drivers going off the track, are going to be policed electronically which is causing a bit of controversy.

Tour de France

  • Yellow jersey. Going into the final weekend, Chris Froome holds the overall lead in Le Tour by almost four minutes. Froome, who has won the race two times before, raced for Kenya until 2008 when he switched his allegiance to Britain. 

NFL (National Football League)

  • Houston Texans player, CMT awards host and fitness magazine cover model J.J. Watt has undergone back surgery and is expected to miss training camp but he will be ready for the start of the season. Watt has not missed a game in his five-year career. Last year Watt underwent groin surgery and played with a broken hand.

Overtime

  • NBA Hall of Famer and TNT Analyst Shaq will be breaking down the beats tonight as his remixing alter ego, “DJ Diesel” in Belgium at the Tomorrowland music festival.  If you want a preview of his off-court turntable skills, check out highlights from his set at Tomorrow World last summer. He could quit his day job.

Sideline stat

  • Miami Marlins’ Ichiro Suzuki is nearing the exclusive 3,000 hit club and hopes to accomplish that feat at home. The Marlins are looking to combat their low season attendance by starting tickets to witness this accomplishment at $29.90 (for 2,900 hits) and increasing the price by one cent with each hit. After their last ticket promo disaster with the home run derby let’s hope this works for them.  

Coaches’ corner

The Rundown: Weekend Preview Edition - Kilt Not Included

We’ve got that Friday feeling and we’re donning our kilts in honor of the Open happening right now in Scotland.  It’s not quite to the level of the ESPYS red carpet glamour but it’ll do.

Scotch on the rocks,

The Last Night’s Game Team

The ESPYS

  • James’ night. LeBron James cleaned up during Wednesday’s award show, winning three ESPYS for breaking Cleveland’s championship curse. James was also part of a powerful show opener alongside NBA players, Carmelo Anthony, Dwayne Wade and Chris Paul where they encouraged their fellow athletes (and viewers) to take the lead in bringing peace to their communities.
  • Red carpet glamour. As always, the fashion was on point, with low cut dresses and the tux with no socks look proving trendy. See all the fashion and share with us on Twitter who was your best and worst dressed. 
  • Always good for a laugh. In retirement, Peyton Manning has taken up writing letters to friends and family. Check out the hilarious video. 
  • Memorable. Craig Sager’s acceptance speech for the Jimmy V Award was heartwarming and inspiring. (See it here). Known for his zany courtside attire, he also brought his A game with his wild tux jacket and leopard print kicks.

NASCAR (National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing)

  • Adding to his lead. Brad Keselowski looks to win his third race in a row this weekend in New Hampshire and extend his overall lead on the rest of the drivers in the standings.
  • Brain break. After crashing in previous races, Dale Earnhardt, Jr. will miss this weekend’s race due to concussion like symptoms. Earnhardt missed some drive time in 2012 with similar symptoms.

Golf

  • Kilt not included. The Open started yesterday and continues through Sunday in Scotland. American golfer Phil Mickelson, 46, holds the lead after the first round, coming within a missed putt of shooting the best round in history. For those of you who have insomnia, you can catch the play live on the Golf Channel. For the non-vampires, the Golf Channel will have complete round the clock coverage.  

Tour de France

  • Bike on. The Tour, which runs through the end of this month, continued today after the horrific attacks in Nice, France. With additional security, the international group of riders showed solidarity and united to honor the victims with a moment of silence at the beginning and the end of today's race. 

Overtime

  • After the all-star break this week, the second half of the baseball season starts tonight. New to baseball or simply need some conversation starters for the office? Check out our four tips for baseball small talk to prepare you to talk shop with the best of them.  

Sideline stat

  • Celebrating it’s 20th year, The Evolution Championship Series (aka Evo) is taking place this weekend in Las Vegas. What the heck is Evo? More than 14,000 competitors from all corners of the globe will meet up to participate in the biggest fighting video game tournament in the world, Evo 2016. Gamers sign up to compete in one of nine fighting video games (think Mortal Combat and Street Fighter). Intrigued? Read more.  

Coaches’ corner

  • For a brief moment it appeared we were going to "make America great again.” News broke yesterday that Heisman Trophy winner, former Denver Broncos quarterback and all around good guy Tim Tebow, was going to speak at the Republican National Convention. Unfortunately, our dreams of Tebow for president were destroyed when he released a video stating it was all just rumors. Guess we better take the campaign sign out of our yard.

 

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