Rise And Shine

It may be tough to get out of bed, but it’s Friday and that means your weekend preview edition is here. Now you can amaze everyone you meet with your witty sports ways.

Color me impressed,

The Last Night’s Game Team

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Masters (PGA – Professional Golfers Association)

When you realize, athletes…they’re just like us. The Masters teed off yesterday but the real action will be on Sunday in the final round. It was a rough day yesterday for Sergio Garcia, last year’s winner, who hit five consecutive balls in the water. With that, he set the record for the worst score ever recorded on the 15th hole at Augusta National. Now that’s talent. (In case you’re wondering, Tiger Woods is in 29th place. He’s down but certainly not out). OVERALL STANDINGS

Curious why the winner wins a green jacket or how everyday activities can get you thrown out of the tournament? Wow your happy hour crew with our Five Things To Know About The Masters. READ

Overtime

It’s all fun and games until a predatory bird lands on your shoulder. The Minnesota Twins (MLB – Major League Baseball) thought it was a great idea to have a bald eagle fly in during the anthem before their game but the eagle had other ideas. Instead of landing on its handler’s arm as trained to do, it landed on Seattle Mariners pitcher James Paxton. Paxton, a Canadian nicknamed the “Big Maple,” was cool as a cucumber as the raptor-like talons settled on his shoulder. Welcome to the American dream (or nightmare).

Sideline stat

The Superbowl of WWE (Worldwide Wrestling Entertainment), WrestleMania 34, is this Sunday. Fans will flock to New Orleans to see their favorite wrestlers, including Ronda Rousey in her WrestleMania debut. To provide perspective on what a big deal this event is, last year, over 100,000 people attended the event, which is nearly 32,000 more than attended this year’s Superbowl.

It’s easy to forget that the “Sexiest Man Alive,” Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson started as a WWE wrestler. He still holds the record for the shortest match in WrestleMania history, defeating his opponent in just six seconds. The more you know.

Coaches’ corner

Last year, UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship) fighter Conor McGregor rose to fame when he fought boxer Floyd Mayweather, pocketing close to $100 million. He’s now a household name, even appearing in Burger King commercials. That could all change after his antics yesterday. He threw security barriers and other equipment at a bus transporting fellow fighters. Three of Saturday night’s UFC 223 fights have been cancelled because of injuries sustained (think cuts from broken glass) from his actions. The UFC President is disgusted, McGregor faces assault charges and reports say we may never see McGregor fight again.What was he thinking?

Making It Happen

This is no early April Fool’s prank; here’s what’s happening in sports so you can create conversation all weekend long.

Like a boss,

The Last Night’s Game Team

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MLB (Major League Baseball)

If your Thursday was a home run. By all accounts, Opening Day in baseball was a success. It started with a home run on the first pitch of the season and ended with a visit from Jennifer Lopez in the broadcast booth, where her former baseball player boyfriend, Alex Rodriguez, was broadcasting the Los Angeles Dodgers – San Francisco Giants game.

College Basketball 

If your mama taught you to respect your elders. The final four is Saturday night and it features Villanova (#1) vs. Kansas (#1) and Loyola Chicago (#11) vs. Michigan (#3). The teams may have met their match but so has Sister Jean. The 98-year-old nun and chaplain for Loyola has been challenged by Michigan’s “Fab Five” legend and former NBA (National Basketball Association) player Jalen Rose’s grandma. The 100-year-old Grandma Rose loves her some Michigan basketball and told Sister that “it’s been fun but Loyola’s time is up.” A little shade thrown from her elders.  

Overtime

The Los Angeles Rams (NFL – National Football League) have made a lot of noise in the offseason with on-field acquisitions but this one made history. The Rams hosted cheerleading tryouts this week and their new squad will feature the first two male cheerleaders ever in the NFL. You’ll see Quinton and Napoleon, both professional dancers, on the sideline this the fall. (Other teams have stuntmen, but not actual male cheerleaders/dancers).

Sideline stat

The NCAA (governing body of college sports) allocates $3,000 - $4,000 for players’ families to attend the final four and the national championship game. The money is for travel costs, hotel rooms and meals. The funds allow Kansas player Udoka Azubuike’s mom to see her son play for the first time. Her visa was approved for travel from Nigeria. Also on Kansas, Svi Mykhailiuk, whose parents travelled from the Ukraine to see him play on Saturday. MORE

Coaches’ corner

Zeke Upshaw of the Detroit Pistons G League developmental league collapsed on the court on Saturday and later died. Last night, the Detroit Pistons honored Upshaw posthumously with an honorary call-up. Being called up means he’ll officially be memorialized in the record books as a player for the Detroit Pistons.

What to watch

March Madness continues tonight with the final four in the women’s bracket.  Unlike the men’s bracket, all final four teams started off the tournament ranked #1 in their division – UConn, Notre Dame, Louisville and Mississippi State.  

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Don’t Believe Me? Just Watch.

Sports - because you’re going to need something to chat about besides the unpredictable spring weather.

Don't even mention our winter white legs,

The Last Night’s Game Team

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College Basketball

When you’ve got to have faith. Sister Jean (pictured above) does it again! She may have not picked her own team in her bracket but the 98-year-old Chaplin for Loyola Chicago watched her #11 seeded team continue their Cinderella story by beating Nevada last night. The team will now move on to the elite eight this weekend. SCHEDULE

How are you doing in our bracket challenge? If you’re scraping yourself off the bottom, remember there are prizes for last place! RESULTS                 

F1 (Formula One)

If you believe speed limits are simply a suggestion. The first race of the F1 season gets the green light on Sunday in Melbourne, Australia at 1 am EST on ESPN2. Here are our Five Things To Know About The Global Phenomenon Of F1 Racing. No word if they’ll get you out of a speeding ticket for driving like one.

Overtime

Athletes are just like us in that they lose their luggage. American Airlines lost the clubs of LPGA (Ladies Professional Golf Association) golfer In-Kyung Kim on a flight from Miami and simply couldn’t seem to locate them. The airline suggested she rent some replacement clubs in the meantime. As luck would have it, some fans found her clubs a few months later for sale for $69.99 in a Play It Again Sports in San Diego.

Sideline Stat

Buried in the government spending bill that you’ve heard so much about is a provision to exempt minor league baseball players from minimum wage laws. These players can make as little as $5,500 for the season (players do not receive a salary for spring training or postseason play). The exemption was lobbied for by MLB (Major League Baseball) and the reason? Some say without it, minor leagues would have to make cuts that could hurt the teams and the economy of the cities they play in. MORE

Coaches’ corner

If you don’t want to stay up for the F1 race, here’s another automotive spectacle for you. From the “not sure if this is a sport” file, we bring you Meat Fest. Drivers from all over the country will flock to Disney, Oklahoma this weekend to drive their off-road vehicles up rocks. (Yes it’s as dangerous and gravity defiant as it sounds).

Two of the biggest challenges of the weekend are rocks called Viagra Hill and Nasty Girl. Why Meat Fest? It has nothing to do with the mass quantity of imbibing men, it actually refers to the large width of the tires used on the vehicles. Overheard hundreds of times at the event, “Watch this. Hold my beer…”